I've loved JT since I was a kid. Though I didn't follow him during the Mickey Mouse Club or NSYNC days (I wasn't even born when they became a group, OK?), the "Justified" album in 2002 was my first true introduction to current pop music other than "Jewel." I probably listened to Justin Timberlake because of the R&B influences, but either way, the "Justified" and "FutureSex/LoveSounds" albums both have songs I still listen to at least once a week. Maybe I just like Justin a lot, but considering I'm not the only one singing along to his songs at parties, I think it's safe to assume he has a fairly large cultural influence. Though Justin will never be Michael Jackson or Prince, he is the only one of the three men who is still living. Because of this, I think it's safe to crown him the current King of Pop. If you don't believe me, here are a few reasons why JT's is deserving of this position.
1. He left his group for a solo career
I know people are going to send me hate for writing this, but JT's decision to promote his solo career instead of staying with NSYNC was a key move in advancing his solo career. His solo albums led him to be recognized as a character outside of the boy band. Though some people recognized him personally because of the "Ramen hair" and his role in the 2000 Disney Channel film "Model Behavior" (among other acting roles), Justin's solo musical career was what ultimately contributed to his cultural impact.
2. "Wardrobe Malfunction"
The incident occurred when Janet Jackson and Justin were performing at the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. When Justin apologized to the press, he said, "sorry that anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance of the Super Bowl..." This term has now been coined by mainstream pop culture, and is the most re-watched TiVo moment in history.
3. "Saturday Night Live" and "Jimmy Fallon"
Everyone knows the "Dick in a Box" skit. Everyone remembers the "Single Ladies" spoof. Though JT was never a cast member, him and Jimmy Fallon performed the Cold Open for the 40th-anniversary special. He also made the "Lonely Island" popular through his various collaborations. Justin and Jimmy have collaborated on various comedy and musical pieces, including the "History of Rap" and "Family Feud Celebrity Edition" on "SNL", among others.
4. He took a long hiatus with music, but still released two chart-topping albums when he came back.
After Justin's "FutureSex/LoveSongs" album in 2006, there were seven years free of a solo albums by Justin. When he released "The 20/20 Experience" in 2013, the album set digital record sales on iTunes, eventually leading it to be the biggest-selling album of the year. Not only did JT release this album at the beginning of the year, but in September, he released a "part 2" of the album. This debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, and through the release of singles, within the year, he became the male artist with the most number-one songs and top 10 singles at the time.
5. He's not only an artist himself, but a producer for other talented musicians, as well.
Justin created "Tennman Records" through Interscope Records, has collaborated with various artists from Timbaland to Jay-Z and is credited with writing many songs for other artists (check a few of them out here). A sign of a true leader is someone who can work as a team, and Justin is no stranger to that. Beyonce's 2013 album had many songs that were created with the help of Justin, even though that album was arguably his greatest competition for album of the year. That's a true team player.
6. I'm not the first person to proclaim Justin current king. Many others have mentioned it. as well.
These publications include Rolling Stone, Spike and even Fox News. The full list would be an article itself.
Though Justin Timberlake will never be able to replace Michael Jackson or Prince, I think it's safe to say that if someone had to be throned, it'd be JT.
