Let’s be honest…how many of Justin Timberlake‘s contemporaries ten years ago can say they’re just as successful today as they were back then.
When you take Beyonce and Britney out of the equation, that leaves very few- and now, days before his latest album is set to secure sales of over half a million units in its launch week, he extends his current reign with a visit to BET‘s ‘106 & Park‘.
Pushing the album to its Urban audience, the former N’Sync frontman dished on the process behind crafting the album, the aforementioned Bey and what the future holds for his ever potent brand.
Watch below!
As one TGJ commenter put it yesterday:
“Your generation has no concept of true artistry, musicality, how to craft an album, cultivate a lasting audience, etc etc. All you know is commercialism, which is sad.
It used to be that artists skyrocketed on talent alone and then crossed over into endorsements and magazine covers. Now any trick can toss on a neon wig, plump up their cakes and throw out a jingle bells hook single for attention just to start hawking mass produced crap made in china.
When the game becomes JUST about cashing checks you don’t get real music!”
With regards to Justin, the first line couldn’t be any more accurate if it tried. While his healthy servings of ‘blue eyed soul’ give him an immediate advantage over the likes of Usher and Miguel etc, it’s the foundation he laid as a credible music led artist that has seen him wipe the floor with competition even after so many years.
Indeed, in an age where most acts record and release material that says nothing of their talent or creative context, Justin stands as one of the only entertainers to attract and hold the general public with the claw that is his material.
Material, that is then afforded complete major label backing which then results in sales that no doubt kick dust in the face of his paparazzi courting counterparts.
Here’s hoping his inevitable success with this album will encourage artists from all genres (especially Pop and R&B) to embrace quality control when crafting their material and readying live shows.
At least then, their labels might be given more of an incentive to roll out the red carpet for the entire album, and not just the one single that will fare well on the Hot 100 but do all of nothing for their career as a whole.
See a few good examples below…