POP

Everything We Know About Justin Timberlake's Album 'Man Of The Woods' So Far

1/5/2018 by Nina Braca

Justin Timberlake has already declared 2018 his year. Less than a week into the new year, JT announced a new album, Man Of The Woods,  a new single, the track listing and album artwork. Plus, he’s also slated to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, 14 years after his notorious 2004 performance with Janet Jackson.

The Internet exploded with reactions to JT's album announcement, which will be his first since 2013's The 20/20 Experience. Could this mean a new tour? Has JT gone country? And, most importantly, will this impact the release of Trolls 2? Of course, there is only so much information out there, so here is everything he has released about the album so far.

The Promo Video

When Timberlake announced the album, he paired it with an intimate video that suggests MOTW is the most personal album JT has ever created and has an "earthy" sound, in the words of Timberlake's producer pal Pharrell Williams. In the trailer, there is an intense landscape featuring Timberlake sprinting through snow-covered forests and sitting by a campfire. There are even some shots of a river -- perhaps one he cried himself?

The Artwork

Featuring a split image of a rustic, flannel-wearing JT and classic “suited” JT, the MOTW album artwork is pretty different than his last releases. It could also be a hint to the fact that this album is rumored to have a lot of country-inspired tracks.

The Neptunes' Return

In addition to his longtime collaborator Timbaland, Timberlake brought back The Neptunes to work on his fifth studio album. This marks the first time he has collaborated with the duo  (Williams and Chad Hugo) since his debut solo album Justified in 2002.

The Release Date

It’s no coincidence that his album will be released just two days before his Super Bowl performance on Feb. 4th. JT announced the album would drop on February 2nd, which gives fans just enough time to memorize all of the lyrics and sing along for his halftime performance. 

Target Will Have a Special Version

Those who purchase Man Of The Woods at the retailer will receive a poster and a digital album code, and the cover will feature unique artwork. Target will also be carrying a special vinyl version of the album, which is available for preorder now.

"Filthy" Is the First Of Four Singles

And it should be played "very loud," according to JT. The "Filthy" video features Timberlake in a Steve Jobs-inspired look, while presenting a collection of robots. Of course, there are also some signature Timberlake dance moves.

Following the release of "Filthy," Timberlake will unveil three more tracks before Man Of The Woods is out, each with their own separately directed videos, starting Jan. 18.

There's 16 Songs on the Track List

At first, this list might seem like a list of rejected Yankee Candle Scents, but it’s actually the track list for Man Of The Woods. The album will feature 16 songs, which is significantly less than his two-part project that was The 20/20 Experience.

There Are Two Features

Soon after Timberlake posted his track list, many fans noticed the two features: A.K. and C.S. This two are revealed to be Alicia Keys and Chirs Stapleton, who JT famously sang with at the CMAs ("Tennessee Whiskey"/"Drink You Away") as well as during his appearance at the Pilgrimage Festival in September of last year.

It Will Be His "Most Ambitious" Album

Timberlake cites his wife, son, and his personal journey to Memphis as inspiration for his latest LP, which makes this album his most ambitious, both sonically and lyrically, according to an official press release. That, combined with his all-star collaborations, could mean this is JT’s best album yet.

THE BILLBOARD BIZ
SUBSCRIBER EXPERIENCE

The Biz premium subscriber content has moved to Billboard.com/business.


To simplify subscriber access, we have temporarily disabled the password requirement.