r/Music • u/ScaryBarryCnC • 1d ago
discussion *NSYNC: Why did JC Chasez dive while Justin Timberlake thrived?
Seeing the Bye Bye Baby video for the first time in almost 25 years, it’s hard to understand why the suave lead singer, who was bound for great things, never broke through solo. Instead, the cute boy with the sheep hair became the “Prince of Pop”.
Is it really that easy as pointing the finger to “Justified” being a banger, a controversial Superbowl performance and him getting cozy quickly with people like Timbaland, P.Diddy, Nelly, The Black Eyed Peas and Pharrell Williams?
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u/Ill_Assumption_4414 1d ago
JCs first album was all over the place. Justin also either through luck or smarts went into the exact kind of music that was getting hot then which was more hip hop themed.
I also think JC is really more about wanting to control things. Where Justin much more, he'll do what's asked of him. Like his first record is a Timbaland allium basically and the second is a Pharell album. I think that makes him very easy for producers to work with.
Obviously the Britney stuff also helped.
JC is better vocalist but his voice sounds better a capella than on a track imo. His tone really isn't great for highly produced stuff. Whereas Justin's lighter voice can really just float over heavy beats etc. Again probably why producers like working with him.
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u/Ctotheg 1d ago
I would like to share here how I was introduced to JC Chasez: Basement Jaxx Plug it in
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u/Ill_Assumption_4414 1d ago
I feel like he could've made a come back in like 2012ish. His voice would've been so good on those emo-edm tracks that were big then.
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u/jasekj919 1d ago
I love Basement Jaxx! Always happy to see them in the wild. Plug It In is a top ten track of theirs for me.
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u/bad_chacka 1d ago
Here's another old one for you, BT, JC Chasez https://youtu.be/tytvEya2MIo
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u/ProtossedSalad 1d ago
Freaking love BT. I'll always associate JC Chasez with BT.
BT also produced Dirty Pop by NSYNC.
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u/angriepenguin 1d ago
W H O A This triggered such good memories for me. Thank you, musical Redditor!!
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u/chlorinelife79 1d ago
I will never forget loving his rendition of More Than Words on the mickey mouse club. https://youtu.be/s8caoqkXUSY?si=FkHnaCAB18LMFSLI
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u/chocobo-selecta 1d ago
Wrong way around. First album is Neptunes, second is Timbo.
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u/TheBestMePlausible 1d ago
THANK YOU!
Also this was when it was more “The Neptunes” and not just “Pharrell Williams”
Good post otherwise, but I noticed both of those snafus as well
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u/passthepaintchips 1d ago
While I agree with most of your points you have the albums backwards. Justin’s first album, Justified, was mainly produced by Pharrell where “future sex love sounds” was mainly produced by Tim.
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u/opermonkey 1d ago
People tend to discount luck quite a bit. There are plenty of talented, charasmatic artists who never make it. There are plenty of shitty artists that for some reason do make it big.
Sometimes nepotism helps, sometimes it doesn't.
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u/HappyTinSoldier 1d ago
He also got the tracks Pharrell wrote for Michael Jackson for the first album
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u/RidingYourEverything 17h ago
I always thought he was trying to sound like MJ in Rock Your Body, so that makes sense.
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u/exqueezemenow 13h ago
Telnet is just the entry fee to play the game. For every talented celebrity, there are 1000 other unknown artists just as talented. But there's only so much room for hit songs. I also think that it depends on the release time, which is unpredictable. I believe there are hit songs that if released at a different time would be unknown, and vice versa. Having a hit song is kind of like winning the lottery where the cost of the ticket is very high.
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u/KeithBitchardz 1d ago
Pharrell wasn’t on the second album at all.
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u/lyingteeth 1d ago
They flipped the order around. Pharrell produced #1 and Timbaland did #2
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u/KeithBitchardz 1d ago
It was more like they both did the first one (Timbaland had like 3-4 songs on it, I think) and Timbaland primarily did the second with no contributions from Pharrell.
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u/SnapDragon2525 18h ago
Agree with you, JC definitely better vocally, but JT had better marketeers, Britney and Timbaland in his corner.
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u/ex_bestfriend 1d ago
I'm a big fan of how your autocorrect chose 'allium' over 'album'
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u/Vives_solo_una_vez 1d ago
JT is also a much better song writer.
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u/Ill_Assumption_4414 1d ago
Tbh, I can't for the life of me remeber a damn thing JC wrote. But I guess that means you're probably right.
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u/Beneficial_Tip3082 1d ago edited 4h ago
NSYNC’s no strings attached album has some songs that JC wrote. He also wrote for David Archuletta, Liam Payne, and a bunch of others if I’m not mistaken. Just because you don’t remember what songs he wrote doesn’t mean he’s a bad songwriter lol
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u/itsBrianAustin 14h ago
it wasn't luck. JT had wanted to work with Timbaland for years before they'd even met.
idk much about JC or what he was doing at the time, but it seems that Timberlake's ear and vision are what set him up to reach that icon level
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u/Beneficial_Tip3082 1d ago edited 1d ago
Imo JC’s voice for sure could have worked well with produced stuff, but it would just have to be not heavy and specific types etc
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u/exqueezemenow 13h ago
Justin as a person is VERY easy to work with. As an artist he is very demanding.
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u/MacinTez 1d ago
Justin had Timbaland, Pharrell, Static Major.
JC didn’t have the right producers and songwriters. Justin also showcased every element associated with the N’Sync flair, JC’s you would almost didn’t think he had ANYTHING to do with N’Sync.
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u/exqueezemenow 13h ago
I worked with Justin and he would bring artists on his label to Timbaland to produce. And most are people no one here will ever have heard of. Producers like Timbaland work on far more flops than hits. Just them being involved offers little to no guarantee of success. They will guarantee good productions, but not even the biggest names in the business can predict hits. I've worked on JC songs that were written by writers that have had countless hit songs. Those songs did not become hits. So even having a song writer with a track record of hits isn't going to guarantee anything.
The honest truth is that no one knows what will be a hit, including the people with the most hits.
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u/MacinTez 11h ago
Wow, that really captures how unpredictable the industry is. I’ve always been curious about JC’s album—I need to dig into the song credits again.
It’s interesting you mention producers like Timbaland. Even he’s admitted in interviews that he lost his “ear” at some point. I feel the same might be true for Dre, especially after the Missionary album. I actually grew up around a couple of prominent producers, one of whom is very well-known. I’ve seen firsthand how some of their biggest hits were made by ghost producers behind the scenes.
That’s part of why J Dilla remains my personal GOAT. He never outsourced his work—his sound was always his. But ironically, it’s often the producers who do outsource that seem to reach higher levels of mainstream success. The industry really is a strange balance between art, timing, and perception.
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u/DM725 1d ago
My sister could write a dissertation on this topic.
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u/imapangolinn 23h ago
Well send her a link.
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u/RobotChrist 1d ago
I'm surprised this being r/music nobody states the obvious and most important thing in a musician success at the time:
Justified, JT first album, was fucking massive
It didn't just blow JT to the top of pops, but also Pharrell and Timbaland, while they were already big they become the powerhouses they're now
In more than one sense it was the next Michael Jackson album, and shifted the pop landscape at the moment, the kind of album that brands a career forever for everyone involved
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u/bailasola 15h ago
Timbaland was already a powerhouse in hip hop from the late 90s early 2000s with Missy and Aaliyah. He also worked with Snoop and Jay-Z. JT may have helped him grow in pop, and with an even younger audience, but IMO, Tim was at his peak before he worked with Justin.
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u/soswavorful 4h ago
dirt off your shoulder came out the year after justified and i'd say that is arguably when he hit his peak
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u/Mitaslaksit 21h ago
JT is really a gifted musician and that's what it comes down to when working with others. He got along musically with Timothy and Neptunes, who were for sure theeee sound of the time.
Why JC wanted an album with "new wave, electronica and reggae" sound at a time when r&b was the shit we will never know. But we can guess and say some are more musically savvy and some not.
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u/Otherwise-Mango2732 1d ago edited 1d ago
The only thing I can add to this is that I saw Blaque open for NSYNC and they brought JC out for a song. He has a way better voice than anyone gives him credit for and it's one of the best I've heard live.
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u/Mockturtle22 1d ago
Lol JC had that thug appeal 😂
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u/Otherwise-Mango2732 1d ago edited 1d ago
So you were feeling his Timbs, baggy jeans and general thug appeal?
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u/Mockturtle22 1d ago
Man, NSYNC had so many naughty songs.
Listening to digital get down as a grown up... made me fucking blush
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u/burningdoughnut510 1d ago
“Digital Get Down” and “In Love on Christmas” both shaped a portion of my psyche I wish they hadn’t. 😂😂
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u/Mockturtle22 1d ago edited 7h ago
My favorite part about digital get down is the people who listen to it now and go why do you have to leave a message on the phone for them to get back when they get home because they don't know what answering machines are
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u/Vivian_Stringer_Bell 21h ago
All cell phones have voice mail...
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u/Mockturtle22 7h ago
Yes, but you don't have to get HOME to get the message and tbh most younger people never use vm. They text.
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u/Claromancer 23h ago
I think Justin Timberlake also has a more unique and recognizable voice. I actually prefer JCs voice but sometimes recognizability is more important. Like you always know when it’s Timberlake singing so it’s easier for people to keep track of what new songs are his and follow his career.
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u/exqueezemenow 13h ago
Usually it's a big combination of factors that create a perfect storm. And the recognizability of a voice is absolutely one of the factors. It certainly helps an artist stand out from the competition. Sometimes for the worse, but also for the best.
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u/escoemartinez 1d ago
It was Pharrell giving him all the songs he’d produced/written for Michael Jackson on that 1st album. Mike declined his production so JT filled in and knew the assignment.
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u/Ruffkeian 21h ago
Justin is given writing credit for every song of Justified and he’s first listed for all the singles, so I feel like he gets some credit and for his choice of producers to work with.
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u/escoemartinez 16h ago
You can get a writing credit for an adlib. I’m not saying he didn’t write anything but a writing credit is not all it’s cracked up to be.
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u/rhcpkam 6h ago
There's hours of footage of the making of Justified on YouTube with Pharrell and Justin coming up with lyrics. The Neptunes came to Justin with only beats, not fully realized songs. The only written song that came to Justin by them was Nothin' Else, and they showed him a demo that was sung by Latrelle. Justin has writing credits on the song because he wanted to add a bridge, which him and Pharrell came up with.
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u/martyjannetty86 1d ago
“Are you feeling my Timbs, my baggy jeans? My thug appeal” I think they were marketing him wrong. They wanted him to be an R&B singer when he was a pop artist. Putting him on a song with a group called Blaque and talking about how real he keeps kind of helps out my theory.
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u/airb92 23h ago
I kind of disagree. Yeah that line is a joke given who JC is, it would’ve been better suited for Justin tbh based on style and personality not voice. But regardless, that song is still amazing and JC’s part is still great. I wonder if JC leaned into R&B, if he’d be more successful that way.
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u/rhcpkam 6h ago
It was originally meant for Usher but his mom didn't want him to do it, then Justin, but he was filming Model Behavior at the time so JC filled in. JC was never as passionate about R&B like Justin was even though he has a good voice for it. He wanted to dabble in a little bit of everything, and that's even evident by the songs he wrote for *NSYNC.
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u/mlcats 1d ago
It may have just been me but JC's first solo song (that I heard anyway) was really sexual and it just gave me the ick. I'd liked him better than Justin before that. All of Justin's songs were 100x better than that.
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u/helloiamabear 1d ago
I was a middle schooler when this happened and that's my memory of it too. NSYNC fans were pretty young. Justin leaned into that and made an album his fan base could enjoy, but JC's singles were uncomfortably sexual.
NSYNC let him put Digital Digital Get Down on their album and it made him think that's what the people wanted more of.
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u/tymrx 1d ago
This is exactly right. I was in middle school at the time and was a JC stan from the very beginning. However when his solo stuff came out, it was grown up in a mature way I was NOT ready for. JT was able to walk that sexy line that teens could flirt with. JC was talking about raw sex. I don’t know how else to say it.
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u/Ocel0tte 14h ago
Was it this one?
I was curious so looked the album up, and wow what did I just watch.
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u/Claromancer 11h ago
Oh….oh no. I was not prepared!! They really did him dirty with this one… the retro porn references? (Also the weird kind of British Invasion accent he’s putting on here. The shirt that just says “SEX” - ick!) Like really? Were they TRYING to get parents to hate him?
Like I am not pro music censorship at all but it seems like a bad business decision on the part of his label when his central fanbase with *NSYNC was middle schoolers and teenie boppers. Seems like they should have gone with something more palatable to young people at first and saved this stuff for when the fans were college age. They jumped the gun.
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u/Ocel0tte 5h ago
Yeah for real. I was 15 at the time and had moved on to stuff like Green Day so it was my first time seeing it, but this seems like it wasn't really meant for anyone lmfao.
But I was also thinking it gave "Ben Stiller as Buckcherry" and sure enough Crazy Bitch was a hit 2yrs after this song. The world is so strange, lol.
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u/ImLaunchpadMcQuack 1d ago
Justin had more natural charisma than the rest of that group combined. He had also dated Britney.
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u/againandagain22 1d ago
And, I found out this week on Reddit , Fergie. When he was 16 she took him to Hawaii.
That’s some swag.
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u/R3VIVAL-MOD3 1d ago
How old was she?
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u/Barneyk 22h ago
Justin had more natural charisma than the rest of that group combined.
I can't believe this isn't a more common theme among top replies.
Timberlake's charm and charisma and just being a funny guy makes it so easy to see why he broke out as a solo artist and JC didn't.
Similar to how Robbie Williams broke out as a star and Gary Barlow didn't.
Why did Justin get better producers and better songs than JC?
I'm sure there are plenty of reasons I'm not aware of but Justin makes for a much better star in interviews and stuff.
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u/Beneficial_Tip3082 1d ago edited 1d ago
JC definitely had a lot of charisma, just watch any NSYNC live performances where the camera focuses on him.
I think that maybe Justin utilized his charisma more after NSYNC, which is what JC should have done too
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u/Sparrow1989 1d ago
You want the simple and straight answer? Watch this - https://youtu.be/8iLCKBYSeOs?si=8wOjt61X6Yubjic1
When you are done watch any other justin timberlake song.
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u/campmatt 22h ago
JC went too dirty. Justin talked about relationships and being hot. JC sang about fucking.
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u/Strict-Farmer904 1d ago edited 1d ago
Songs. I think in music across the board from music fans to musicians to critics, there’s a lack of capacity to see the forest for the trees when it comes to what the average person resonates with about music. JC is obviously an amazing singer. Likely the most gifted singer in NSync. And I hate NSync, but just being real, the dude can sing. But nothing, be it singing ability, vocal tone, personality, physical appearance, or industry clout can defeat the audience’s love of songs.
I’m a musician myself and I can get really in the weeds about instrumentalists or performers and their abilities. There are absolutely amazing performers who have never once made a song I like. The degree of music theory available to the average free jazz player is astounding and in terms of raw ability probably outshines any of the most popular artists on earth. But the vast majority of us have less than no interest in listening to that. Why?
Songs. All back to songs. Michael Jackson was a great singer. Was he El Debarge good? Not by light years. But El Debarge never wrote “Billie Jean.” El Debarge never recorded a “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough.” If given the option between the two, just hearing a couple songs of theirs, I think the average person would probably say MJ was the greater singer simply because they enjoy those songs better.
And that’s the reality with Timberlake is the dude is a very good singer. Excellent singer. Chasez is an extraordinary singer. But Justin had Pharrel and Timbaland at the top of their game and importantly Justin’s ideas were just really good. Really engaging anyway. Whether or not you liked Justin’s records, you probably felt something about “Cry Me a River.” You probably had an opinion about “SexyBack.” Strong opinions don’t really tend to come from stuff that’s just bad. They come from stuff that resonates. JC’s songs just couldn’t manage to resonate.
I should say too that hype matters too. But you just can’t succeed on hype alone. I’m literally struggling to remember the artists who’ve come and gone who received huge pushes from their labels and had all the opportunity in the world but just had no song and/or no vibe. I think the concept of “Industry plant,” is an erroneous one because at the end of the day people have to like a thing for it to succeed. But nonetheless, once a thing is likable it will undoubtedly succeed more with greater promotion. Smashmouth wrote “All Star,” for the now obscure and forgotten flop Mystery Men (which I loved). The song was released, had its minor blip, and then disappeared until it was put on the soundtrack to the smash hit Shrek. So clearly more exposure can absolutely help a track and an artist, but the song has to be worth a damn to begin with.
It also helps that Timberlake while not necessarily a great actor (I don’t mind him but I know a lot of people really dislike his acting) is at least a competent one, so he was able to take his great songs with him while he participated in successful sketches on SNL. He was able to get billing in that dud Mike Meyers movie which even if the movie failed and even if you didn’t like Timberlake in it, it helped solidify him as somebody who’s good songs could get on your radar.
Anyway, that’s it. I think it’s songs. People prefer Bob Dylan to the easily more capable singer Phil Ochs and I think that’s exclusively because of the broader appeal of Dylan’s songs (I personally prefer Ochs any day but I get that he’s more niche). Same thing
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u/StrangewaysHereWeCme 17h ago
One of the best answers I’ve ever read on Reddit. People don’t love “West End Girls” because of Neil Tennants voice. They love it because it’s an amazing song.
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u/_1JackMove Punk Rock 19h ago
Great comparison at the end with Ochs and Dylan. That really puts it into focus.
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u/AlamosX 1d ago edited 1d ago
Prior to Timberlake's solo album, Timberlake was already actively writing songs for other artists as well as N'Sync. The single "Gone" was actually written by Timberlake himself for Michael Jackson but he turned it down and it was recorded by N'Sync instead. Originally the song was meant to have multiple versions with the other members but only Timberlake's version was what they went with for the single. Allegedly Michael Jackson contacted Justin after that single dropped and encouraged him to go solo. They eventually worked together quite a bit. A lot of songs on Justified were also intended for Jackson.
I think Justin's talent as a songwriter is what gave him the edge over JC Chasez. While JC did also write a few songs for N'Sync, fewer were as popular as Justin's. Additionally, as Timberlake wrote a TON of songs himself, it opened doors with other musicians to help advance his solo career.
Also the whole Britney Spears thing. Gone and Cry Me a River were both written about her by him. The publicity over their relationship followed by those songs absolutely skyrocketed Timberlake's career into the stratosphere. Their breakup was a massive cultural moment.
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u/SenatorAstronomer 19h ago
JT is that unicorn. He can sing, dance, has the looks and is incredibly charismatic. JC was obviously talented, but he's no Justin.
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u/Honduran 19h ago
Has acted as well and for Dave Fincher no less. The guy is massively charismatic. It might even come down to that, the “it” factor.
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u/Jarkside 22h ago
By the Super Bowl he was already by far the most famous one.
Also, the guys name is not nearly as brand able. Until today I thought his last name was Chavez
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u/captainseas 1d ago
The late 90s/early 2000s pop market, especially the American pop music market was so oversaturated that breaking through was really tough. Look at acts like Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue that had some success in America but were top tier pop acts pretty much everywhere else in the world.
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u/misticspear 1d ago
His first album had Timberland on it. His success wasn’t a mistake. It wasn’t a fluke. In addition to that other collaborators were of high quality. They chose strategically and Justin had the talent to pull it off convincingly.
Working with the group he did offered crossover appeal that made him a wider hit and deeper fan base.
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u/BonerSquidd316 1d ago
I still don’t even know how to say the lad’s name.
Is it Cha-sez? Sha-zay? Chassedge?
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u/Beneficial_Tip3082 1d ago edited 7h ago
According to him himself it’s “sha-zay”. He explains how to pronounce it in the NSYNC Twix twin towers event/concert video on YouTube after a fan asked him this
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u/CreepingDeath1 1d ago
Going from memory, While JC may have sung lead on that song, he was never mistaken as the lead singer. Justin was the main guy, always.
JC was 1B to Justin's 1A.
I loved JCs parts in their songs, but it was clear back then, he wasn't gonna be the breakout star - that was already planned to be Justin.
Add in the facts that Justin was dating America's sweetheart at the time, was the first to breakaway from the band, and then had a killer debut album, the sky was the limit for him.
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u/Mockturtle22 1d ago
Bc JC didn't read the room. His music was way more sexual.
Mostly though, the label pushed Justin's solo career more than JCs and well... here we are.
Decent comparison for Americans is how the DNC pushed to back Hillary when she wasn't liked by a large group of people.
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u/Repulsive-Neat6776 1d ago
Justin is a lifetime performer. The guy was in a beauty pageant when he was like 6, and I think he won. He just has that natural charisma and drive to be a star. His sense of humor helped. Then there was the Brittney Spears thing that everyone ate up and was possibly forced by the industry. I think the industry just picked up on his charisma and charm and knew they could profit from it, so they groomed him to be the "prince of pop" and he naturally went down his own path bringing his fans with him.
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u/Ill_Assumption_4414 1d ago
They all are lifetime performers lol.
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u/Beneficial_Tip3082 1d ago edited 7h ago
This exactly lmao. JC was a competitive dancer and was singing in front of people for years since he was a preteen. Then after that he was on the Mickey Mouse Club as a teen for years before Justin, Christina, Britney and Ryan even joined the show. The 3 other NSYNC members also have been performing since they were kids.
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u/foursecs 17h ago
This was something that I understood even back then. JC was older, and he looked it (ie he looked more mature). JT was always sold as the young ingenue, and the boyish charm always work. With an industry obsessed with youth, no matter what JC would have done, JT was always set up to succeed. And although JC was main vocals, JT was the centre (and if you understand kpop group positions, you'd know why this makes a difference).
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u/Boring-Tangerine7718 15h ago
Justin had a very magnetic personality. He knew how to play to the media and the loved him.
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u/exqueezemenow 14h ago
I worked with both artists, and Justin even helped produce stuff for JC that I was involved in. I wish that meant I could answer the question, but I have no idea. And when you're working on these albums, no one has any idea what will be a hit or not. We all have our guesses, but we're all almost always wrong.
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u/lurkingtrill 10h ago
While jc had the better looks and vocals he flopped on everything else. He never was able to establish an identity for himself outside the group. Never seem comfortable having all the spotlight on him. Schizophrenic flopped and he basically gave up on his solo career. With Justin you can tell he was planning his post *NSYNC career way before leaving the group. The celebrity album was basically Justin prototype for his debut album.
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u/jh4336 1d ago
People forget that Justin's first single had lots of promo and failed to enter the top 10. Considering his status at the time this was considered a failure.
Then he pivoted, speaking about Britney Spears at every opportunity during the album rollout and hiring a lookalike for Cry Me a River. It worked!
His first album is also a Michael Jackson reject album which I've always found wild.
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u/writingsupplies 23h ago
Lead singer? I’m sorry but even as a 10 year at NSYNC’s peak I feel like it was always obvious that JT was the focus. I’ve never been surprised that he was the biggest solo artist of the bunch.
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u/zigaliciousone 1d ago
To add, JT had an epic PR team. He got Britney pregnant, made her get an abortion AND cheated on her but managed to paint her as unstable and also a cheater and people believed him over her. Again during the Superbowl when he ripped off Janet's shirt. She got instantly cancelled while his career didn't even receive a speed bump. Only very recently have people woken up to how much of an alcoholic, cheating, lying scumbag he his.
Dude has a great golf game though, from what I have heard.
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u/Adflamm11 1d ago
Pop music isn’t about talent. It’s about being likable and fuckable. And then having enough passable talent.
Timberlake does happen to be very talented. But, to answer your question, I stand by my statement.
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u/Old-Tune9404 1d ago
JC has a better voice, I just prefer the emotion with JC, Justin, I did listen to Justin when he first went solo, but just wasn't for me, always wondered what happened to JC as I would've invested in his album. Ramen noodle head Justin is just a little too high for me. I do enjoy Trolls though, tbh
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u/maxxwuzhere 1d ago
https://youtu.be/jhlQk8wfquw?si=DtPc3tUSMSvoq9k3
This is a documentary someone made and one I randomly watched that sort of covers the career moves and it was pretty interesting lol but I don't care to relearn about it lol but you should watch
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u/the_dj_zig 1d ago
JT’s first album was a bunch of songs originally written for Michael Jackson. I feel like it gives one an edge if they’re cutting tracks meant for the King of Pop.
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u/Foreign_Western_5664 1d ago
Man. 9 year old Evie had SUCH a crush on JC. When he throws out that that last "bye bye baaaaaabbbbyyy"..if I turn it up loud enough it's almost like I sound just like him. 😂
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u/Devmoi 1d ago
JC did a really good guest spot on a BT song called Somnambulist (Simply Being Loved)
I actually enjoyed his solo stuff because it was more Euro-pop sounding. His voice is technically good, but I don’t think it’s particularly unique. Justin Timberlake’s voice is immediately recognizable. It might not be the best voice in the world, but it’s his and it does lend itself more to popular songs of the time.
But yeah, I like JC. His Meox Mix commercial is ridiculous.
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u/KiteIsland22 1d ago
JC was more comfortable being in a group than solo. JT was also the more natural gifted live performer. Kinda reminds me Harry Styles and Zayn even though Zayn chose to go solo.
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u/spellbookwanda 18h ago
JC had a cringey look and attitude, he simply appealed far less to audiences
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u/Ancient-Put3209 13h ago
Lots of different reasons, he was branching out as a songwriter and wrote songs for other artists, he had starred in a movie for the disney channel in the year 2000 which then he started to become an actor in movies later down the line, he was chummy with The Neptunes who produced a good majority of his album and Timbaland produced cry me a river, he had a documentary about the making of Justified which premiered on MTV which showcased him writing songs and putting his album together so he was seen as a real artist not just pop star, he has charisma in interviews unlike JC, he hosted Saturday night live and become one of the best hosts they ever had, he was closer to fan base age than NSYNC and Justified wasn't that sexual compared to his second where it felt more natural more about having a good time, being hot etc, he was literally the favorite member and they tend to be the most popular when they go solo e.g Robbie Williams in Take That, Harry Styles One Direction
JC may be talented but his album was to sexual it felt really cringe worthy, in cohesive and try hard, his music videos were cringe and choreography sucked really embarrassing, he hired the wrong producers and songwriters, he's awkward and has no charisma in interviews, his songwriting isn't interesting and no one can remember any of the songs he wrote in NSYNC, he would of been more suited to power ballads and love songs, he also was a judge on a dance competition show and came across really bad actually kind of mean and un likable.
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u/RamonesRazor 8h ago
The answer to these questions is always one thing: charisma. Nothing else matters.
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u/stackfan 1d ago
It’s basically what the record labels wanted. It’s in their best interest to go all in on one artist. It wasn’t like today, where it’s a bit easier to get the music out there on streaming sites. Labels still do heavily pay to get top songs played on repeat.
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u/Legitimate-Head-8862 1d ago
Timberlake had more money behind him and could hire the top producers (pharrel/timbaland)
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u/Honduran 19h ago
What a great question. I’m just here to say it’s a good question and read others’ takes.
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u/prancing_pony42 19h ago edited 19h ago
As a teen in the early 2000's, I remember JC's first single, Some Girls Dance With Women, as really weird. It wasn't sexy in a cool way, just cringy.
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u/JuanPancake 18h ago
The industry picks out who they want to succeed. So they focused on JT and made him the breakaway. Another example of this is destinys child with Beyoncé where Kelly is just as talented but not quite as fair skinned or sexy as Beyoncé. Beyoncé is talented but she gets the marketing, and more importantly producer talent who write the hits and then she gets to take them as her songs (same with Justin/ all major pop artists, most of them don’t actually write their songs. The top artists get the bulk of the production talent to help them, even with their own writing credits they are heavily guided by behind the scenes production talent).
Even better example is one direction where they went all in on Liam until he went off the rails then pivoted and made harry a superstar.
These huge pop groups are born from the pop machine in the first place so the industry picks and chooses who gets to break away.
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u/jeangenie30 4h ago
JC’s first single fetishized lesbians. He also posed in a straitjacket for the album cover.
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u/SayWhaaatAgain 2h ago
Most boy bands are constructed specifically by grabbing a future solo artist and surround him with adequate members to help get the world to familiarize themselves. These are long term business plans by management & the labels. Very little of what makes it to Top 40 pop charts is based on pure talent.
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u/cajun_vegeta 1d ago
All day long, he was just thinking about sex. Hard to get anything done, really. (Pun intended)
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u/MaskedBandit77 1d ago
The fact that JT is more talented probably has a lot to do with it.
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u/Ill_Assumption_4414 1d ago
He's not a more talented singer
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u/bandito143 1d ago
Being good at music is rarely the biggest factor in being successful in the music industry. It doesn't hurt but also it doesn't matter.
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u/MrJB1981 1d ago
Justin Timberlake only blew up because of Britney Spears; she was the biggest teen sensation of that decade, so having his name linked to her completely helped him. JC has always had an incredible voice, and he’s more R&B based too, it’s a shame he didn’t get more recognition as a solo artist.
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u/AnyAndAllMusic 1d ago
Always wondered the same. JT was not even the strongest voice of the group (JC was) and JT’s solo stuff has mostly been meh. I feel like it all comes down to who turns the most heads and not talent.
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u/MrAmishJoe 1d ago
IMHO…. Yes Justin had the hype train behind him because of things like Britney.
But I think the biggest difference is looking at the producers of their first two solo albums.
JT had a list of superstars, neptunes, timbaland. JC not so much. Don’t knock how much producers elevate music. And timbaland is a magician