Justin Timberlake is a performer for the ages. His legendary voice, killer dance moves and effortless sense of humor have made him a triple threat in Hollywood, and he has been honored with four Emmys, three VMAs and nine Grammys for his decades of work in music and on television. He has been recognized in Time magazine as one of the world’s most influential people from 2007 to 2013, and he is one of the most commercially successful singers of the past two decades. From his start as the youngest member of ‘NSYNC to his latest album, the “20/20 Experience,” he has been making waves in the entertainment world. We would like to take some time to celebrate him by looking back at some of his best dance performances.
‘NSYNC, “It’s Gonna Be Me” video
In one of ‘NSYNC’s first music videos, the youngest member took the lead. The band formed in 1995, and gained popularity in the U.S. in 1998 with their self-titled debut album. This song was featured on their second album, which came out in 2000. After selling 2.4 million copies in the first week after it was released, this album solidified NSYNC’s status as boy band idols. This video was their highest chart-topping single from this album, and it actually became so popular that ‘NSYNC started selling dolls of themselves modeled after the ones in the video.
“Lovestoned” 2007 Video Music Awards
“My Love” was released on Timberlake’s second solo studio album, “FutureSex/LoveSounds.” The song entered the top 10 of most music ranking charts, especially the Billboard Hot 100 and several of its component charts. The song won him awards for best male artist of the year and best choreography in a video at the 2007 MTV VMAs. When Justin performed the song live during the VMAs, he added in a visually stunning dance solo about 45 seconds long to the beginning.
“Single Ladies” “SNL” skit with Beyonce
Timberlake’s terrific sense of humor and his willingness to push boundaries turned this “SNL” skit into comedic gold. He joined Paul Rudd, Andy Samberg and Bobby Moynihan in a skit that had them antagonizing Beyonce as her inept backup dancers. While this wasn’t the kind of performance we usually expect from JT, it was a hilarious video, and it became one of the more popular “SNL” skits from the 2013 season.
“Suit and Tie” performance on “SNL” with Jay Z
For this song, Timberlake partnered with another musical powerhouse, Jay Z, for one of the most popular songs of 2013. This album reinforced Justin’s image as a classic entertainer. His performance on SNL put him on stage with some premier musicians, and he used the whole stage to show that he’s still got it.
“Single Ladies” at the U.S. Open with Jimmy Fallon
JT reprised his dance to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” with Jimmy Fallon while watching the U.S. Open in 2015. The tabloids and celebrity news sites ate this up, because it was yet another situation he used to do something unexpected and funny. Justin and Jimmy Fallon appear to be best friends, and this video shows them at their best, clowning around and having a good time together.
Justin has taken time away from the public eye recently to work on other projects, but we look forward to his comeback to live performance, if for no other reason than seeing him dance! Happy birthday, Justin, hope it’s a fun one!
