Justin Timberlake Moves One Step Closer to Country, Touts Chris Stapleton
I’m not sure the relevant question anymore is “if,” but “when” Justin Timberlake will go country. And if some recent actions by the pop megastar are any indication, it might be sooner than later, and it might be with music that is not as mainstream oriented as one might think.
Talk of Justin Timberlake going country is nothing new. In November of 2013, Timberlake told Sirius XM’s The Highway: “I just did an interview earlier today and I said, ‘I’m America, that’s what I am.’ In all sense of the word. [I] grew up outside of Memphis, Tennessee. Listened to country music, R&B music, classic rock, you know, everything ”¦ I still got my eyes set on a Best Country Album. There is time for that.”
Then in December of 2013, Timberlake doubled down on his statements, telling The Tennessean:
“The next move for me is to sink some teeth in here [Nashville]. I’ve done it before. I got a taste of it,” (referring to the song “The Only Promise That Remains” that Timberlake wrote and produced for Reba McEntire) “”¦it reminded me of the songs that my grandfather used to make me listen to when I was a kid in a great way. It hit me, ‘Oh I wrote this song because of my childhood.’ It ended up being this thing that country radio wouldn’t play.”
“A good song is a good song is a good song,” Timberlake continued. “There’s still so much that can happen in Nashville, and I look to the future and I want to be a part of it. And I’m not just blowing smoke. I don’t say that about Los Angeles. I don’t think I would move to Nashville. I know I would move to Nashville. It’s a matter of time. And it’s what this place could offer me, to be that outlet for all these different styles.”
Well ladies and gentlemen, that time is now, and that move has been made.
On June 1st, it was announced that Justin Timberlake had paid $4 million for a 126-acre parcel in philanthropist Aubry Preston’s Lieper’s Fork community preserve just south and east of Nashville in Williamson County. Aubrey Preston was the millionaire who saved historic Studio ‘A’ on Music Row in Nashville from last-minute demolition in late 2014. Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are some other country music celebrities that live in the Williamson County area, and Timberlake’s mother and stepfather live in Brentwood, just south of Nashville.
READ: Why Justin Timberlake Should Make a Country Record. And Now.
Okay, so now that Justin is moving one step closer to Nashville, and one step closer to making a country record, what can we expect? It might be telling (and reassuring) that in December of 2014, Timberlake tweeted out his love for Chris Stapleton, whose recent release Traveller has become the toast of critics and discerning country fans alike. Interesting to note that Stapleton has already worked with a worldwide superstar in Adele, so could could we see some Timberlake/Stapleton collaborations in the offing?
Timberlake also buddied up with Garth Brooks in late 2014, singing “Low Places” with Garth at his Nashville tour stop.
Love the idea or hate it, get ready for “Timberlake Country,” because it appears to be coming.
REAL music fans already know. So, mainstream: @ChrisStapleton Remember that name… –jt
Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) December 11, 2014
July 7, 2015 @ 9:25 am
The man has class. Loved the tweet.
July 7, 2015 @ 10:27 am
It wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to country music….
July 7, 2015 @ 4:48 pm
Even if he does it “wrong”, he’ll at least do it better than Sam Hunt
July 7, 2015 @ 10:33 am
I don’t see how his voice could possibly translate to country music. But I have to say that he was wildly popular among 13 year old girls when he was in New Kids on the Block…
July 7, 2015 @ 11:10 am
he was in NSYNC, not new kids..
July 7, 2015 @ 11:56 am
I think that was a joke directed at boybands that all make basically the same type of music aimed at the same audience.
July 7, 2015 @ 3:59 pm
i thought he was in the Backseat Boys
July 9, 2015 @ 8:28 pm
*shakes head* 98 Degrees people get it together.
July 7, 2015 @ 12:18 pm
I definitely recommend that you listen to his duet with Reba McEntire. Justin does a very good job of singing backup harmonies on that song, I was impressed. Singing in harmony is not something that most talented pop vocalists are able or WILLING to do.
July 7, 2015 @ 11:49 am
Criticize all you want, JT doesn’t do anything half-assed. Based on a comment from another reader on an earlier posting, I watched “Inside Llewyn Davis” in which Timberlake plays a folk singer and pulls it off. He also plays guitar in the movie. So we’ll see…I’d keep an open mind.
July 7, 2015 @ 1:01 pm
Agreed. His music his never been my style, but he’s got a ton of talent, class, and an ear for quality and I respect him for that.
July 7, 2015 @ 1:56 pm
love that movie. he did a tremendous job making me hate his character. i can’t stand that Please Mr. Kennedy song either but that whole scene is hilarious.
July 13, 2015 @ 1:03 pm
I think that reader you’re talking about was me, Jared.
My old Grandmother always said I’d come in useful one of these days… 🙂
July 7, 2015 @ 12:24 pm
Honestly, I really hope he does it. He made it through the “boy band” era without becoming a punch line (unlike some other members of N’Sync) and has consistently released solid material. That’s not to say I listen to his music every day but I have respect for him as a musical artist. I’m interested to hear what he has in store.
July 7, 2015 @ 1:18 pm
He could probably put out one of the better mainstream country albums. So I say have at it.
July 7, 2015 @ 3:45 pm
I’m down. I love JT, and my only barrier to most of his catalog is the genre (Pop-R&B is one of the few genres I will not listen to).
July 7, 2015 @ 3:48 pm
“A good song is a good song is a good song,” Timberlake continued. “There”™s still so much that can happen in Nashville, and I look to the future and I want to be a part of it. And I”™m not just blowing smoke. I don”™t say that about Los Angeles. I don”™t think I would move to Nashville. I know I would move to Nashville. It”™s a matter of time. And it”™s what this place could offer me, to be that outlet for all these different styles.”
“And I heard country radio is run by men who hate women and country and love men and pop! They didn’t play Britney’s sister but they’ll play me because I’m a pop guy and Dick in a Box is bro-country!”
July 7, 2015 @ 3:49 pm
I am looking forward for him to be country.
July 7, 2015 @ 4:34 pm
He’s definitely more than capable of pulling this off.
As I mentioned in a previous Justin Timberlake discussion around Memorial Day, Timberlake is among the best when it comes to style. He and Timbaland are exquisite when it comes to creating opulent, colorful tracks and records. If anything, they sometimes overdo it (think “The 20/20 Expérience I and II) to the point of grandiosity. But one thing you can always count on is that Timberlake will NEVER half-ass anything. His passion as an entertainer can never be doubted.
That said, where he tends to fall short his fair share is substance.
Timberlake is, without any doubt, à style over substance entertainer. So much of what he presents, he presents so well………..but he seldom has anything to say aside from loving his suit and tie, impressing the ladies, luxuries and how frickin’ awesome he is. That, along with too many tracks going on WAY too needlessly long on his latest releases, weakened what could have been solid albums…………but settle for décent ones.
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So, I hope Timberlake does take his time to acclimaté to the community, forgé some meaningful relationships with both established and hungry up-and-coming movers and shakers, and I’d strongly urge him to collaborate with others (obviously not the Peach Pickers, Rodney Clawson, etc.) in thé songwriting as opposed to taking it into his own hands. The latter is especially important because it should inspiré more humility into his output that has generally been lacking due to his tendency to come across as narcissistic.
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All in all, I welcome this development. I think Timberlake is more likely to pull this off than at least nine in ten of his fellow Rhythmic contemporaries.
July 7, 2015 @ 5:22 pm
Itd be interesting to see if when he makes a country record, how his live shows would be, what he would be wearing, what his stage and backdrop would look like etc.
July 7, 2015 @ 7:05 pm
Your comment X 2 right here. I’m not a fan of his pop / r & b stuff but yes, the guy is very talented and I think he could put a lot of the posing bros in their place. But hell give it a shot. I’d give it a listen.
July 7, 2015 @ 7:08 pm
Be cool if he did this if he wrote with Stapleton or the Texas folks i.e. Wade, Radney Foster etc. I doubt that happens though.
July 7, 2015 @ 8:08 pm
I’m surprised no one is flipping out and saying this would be the worst thing to happen to mainstream country music. I haven’t listened to pop music in years, so I don’t know what Justin has been up to. But, what I do know from listening to him years and years ago is that he is a very talented guy, with a great voice. I think he is capable of pulling off pretty much any genre, there is just some people out there that fit in with different things and he is one of them. I’m looking forward to his country record, but something tells me its going to be pop country and not a true modern country record like we expect from artists like Easton Corbin and Jon Pardi. Pop country or not, JT is going to blow this one away no doubt.
July 7, 2015 @ 9:57 pm
I have to admit, I am strangely open-minded to a JT country album, if only because he will likely show all the lamestream Nashville types how it is done. If I had to guess, I reckon he would make something rather traditional sounding, if only because anything else would sound pretty much like what he is already putting out. There would be no reason to cut more of the same and call it country. That would be too easy and half-assed. If, however, he cut something really traditional and knocked it out of the park, everyone will sing his praises. However, I hope that none of this actually happens because if JT does make a country album, then the odds of “Dick In A Box” getting the Whitey Morgan treatment probably go down to nil.
July 8, 2015 @ 5:40 am
Okay, I will say it if nobody else want to: this is stupid. Dozens of great country acts out there busting their ass trying to make it and getting ignored by the industry, and this guys is going to waltz in using his name and cut an album and get played on the radio. You can count me out.
July 8, 2015 @ 5:49 am
But if he makes good music, then who gives a shit what his name is?
July 8, 2015 @ 6:17 am
I think you may have missed the gist of Don’s point. Namely, because of his celebrity, Timberlake might get his “country music songs” played on country radio. If so, he would be leap frogging over many more deserving country artists that have been toiling away for years.
If he makes a good country album and some good country songs (or at least, much better than what’s getting played currently) get to country radio as a result, then perhaps that’s good for the genre as a whole.
July 8, 2015 @ 6:21 am
I agree with Don. There really isn’t a better or more “country” act than Jason Boland and the Stragglers. They have written numerous songs that have been covered by other artists, and If they can’t become country stars today, then it proves two things: a) most people don’t like real country music and b) people want a sexy “star” performing their crap country, whether its a male or female. Justin Timberland would make a great “star” to perform a crap country record or two. I’m sure he’d make a bundle of money, and I’m sure that the divorcees in the front row would swoon…
July 8, 2015 @ 8:47 am
I think you’re missing my point, which is that if he makes a good country album with some good country songs, and those songs get played on the radio, then it’s fucking awesome for the genre as a whole, because everyone will be rushing to imitate him…by making good country music.
If he just sings a bunch of songs that he wouldn’t have recorded in ‘NSYNC, calls them country and releases them to the radio…then he’ll be the exact same thing as Sam Hunt, and nothing will have changed at all.
There’s really no reason to be worried about this, and a decent reason to be excited.
July 8, 2015 @ 6:06 am
I’d rather hear Harry Connick, Jr. do a country album..
July 8, 2015 @ 7:46 am
I honestly don’t care for his music, but if it’s good, then it will be good for country music.
This may get a little bit of backlash, being the Christian Hard Rocker he is, but I would like to hear John L. Cooper from Skillet do a country album. Based off a song performed at Winter Jam 2015, I think the whole band could pull it off.
Heck Mac Powell from Third Day pulled it off.
July 8, 2015 @ 9:43 am
I don’t think his voice would be a great fit for country, but he’s talented and is one of the better pop singers. He has a good ear for quality music as well. The tweet makes me think he might actually release some traditional stuff…I’m eager to see this all play out.
July 8, 2015 @ 2:51 pm
Am I the only one that thinks this is a terrible idea and would be devistating to country music as a genre? Everyone bitched that Taylor Swift wasn’t country (and I agree) and should just go to pop. Why would any country fan want a pop singer to cross into country music? Just because he could doesn’t mean that he should.
July 8, 2015 @ 6:45 pm
I can hear it now: “I’m bringing country back…” 😉
Hey, he’s shouting out Chris Stapleton, so you never know. Could be worth a listen.
July 9, 2015 @ 7:15 am
I got not problem with it because unlike carpetbaggers like Darius, JT knows how to write, produce and make great music (regardless if you like it or not his success has proven such). JT might end up with more influence on other artist (writing, producing, etc.) in Nashville than making his own. Will be interesting to see. I might not like his ‘country’ but I will respect it.
July 9, 2015 @ 7:28 pm
Here’s Justin as a child on Star Search, country is in his roots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T98JbbpINm4