Justin Timberlake isn't just a pop star - he's a secret songwriting genius! We're diving into the surprising tracks he's crafted for other artists that you probably had no idea were his creation. From Madonna to Beyoncé, prepare to have your mind blown!
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00:00I'm the best thing that happened to you.
00:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most notable songs by
00:08other artists that Justin Timberlake had a hand in creating.
00:11Drop a roll at the partition please.
00:15Number 20, Devil Wouldn't Recognize You, Madonna.
00:19For her 11th studio album Hard Candy, Madonna enlisted the help of Justin Timberlake and
00:24his frequent collaborator Timbaland to co-write and produce several tracks.
00:28Eyes are full of surprises, they cannot critic my face.
00:34While the writing process was initially rocky, Madonna and Timberlake eventually
00:38found their rhythm while working on their first song together, Devil Wouldn't Recognize You.
00:48This trippy R&B ballad about a deceptive lover had been a demo that Madonna had tinkered with
00:53for years, but she was finally able to transform it into a polished track with Timberlake's help.
00:57The former NSYNC member crafted a catchy hook from the line,
01:00The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You But I Do,
01:02producing an infectious tune that became Madonna's favorite from the album.
01:13Number 19, Outta Here, Esmé Denters.
01:16Dutch singer Esmé Denters first caught the attention of Music Scouts in 2006 by
01:20uploading song covers to her YouTube channel.
01:30One of the artists she covered was Justin Timberlake,
01:32who eventually signed her as the first artist on his label Ten Man Records in 2007.
01:37Timberlake was heavily involved in producing Denters' debut album,
01:41Outta Here, and he also helped craft the lead single of the same name.
01:50Fusing elements of dance pop and R&B, Outta Here was a bold debut for the Dutch singer,
01:59reaching number three in her home country and breaking into the top ten in the UK.
02:03Despite her promising start,
02:05Denters was dropped by Ten Man Records before she could release her second album.
02:14Number 18, Love, Sex, Magic, Ciara featuring Justin Timberlake.
02:18This steamy collaboration between Ciara and Justin Timberlake marked a significant shift
02:23in Ciara's sound, moving from her signature crunk and B-style to a retro electro-funk vibe.
02:37That change was largely driven by Timberlake,
02:40who co-wrote the track with his production team The Wise and songwriter Mike Elizondo.
02:44This sultry song, paired with an equally seductive music video,
02:47drew comparisons to Timberlake's sophomore album Future Sex Love Sounds.
03:00It received positive reviews from critics, who praised the duo's chemistry,
03:04with some calling the track the, quote,
03:06saving grace of its parent album.
03:08Love, Sex, Magic became a major hit, earning Ciara her fifth top ten single
03:12in the US as a lead artist and charting in the top ten in several other countries.
03:18Number 17, Blow, Beyoncé.
03:28In 2022, Beyoncé embraced disco and dance-inspired sounds in her widely acclaimed
03:34seventh studio album Renaissance.
03:36But the foundation for this style was already evident in her 2013
03:40self-titled album with the track Blow.
03:48An ode to female sexuality, Blow was co-written by Justin Timberlake,
03:54who injected it with his signature sultry themes.
03:57The song is laced with heavy sexual innuendos that made it so
04:01raunchy it wasn't released as a radio single in the US.
04:08That's just what you get when you have Timberlake on your writing team.
04:11Nevertheless, it received widespread praise from critics for its authentic
04:15celebration of female sexuality and still went on to top the US Dance Club Songs chart.
04:28Number 16, They Don't Know, Ariana Grande.
04:31By now, nearly everyone is familiar with Justin Timberlake's hit song
04:34Can't Stop the Feeling from the Trolls soundtrack,
04:36which topped the Billboard charts and even won a Grammy.
04:39But that album also featured other equally infectious tracks that flew under the radar.
04:46Case in point, They Don't Know by Ariana Grande.
04:52While Grande performed the song, it was co-written by Timberlake
04:56alongside her frequent collaborators, Savan Kotecha and Ilya.
05:06They Don't Know is an explosion of pure pop bliss that has all the makings of a hit single.
05:11A catchy chorus, Grande's powerhouse vocals,
05:14and a slinky vocal bass line from Timberlake himself.
05:17However, it wasn't released as a single, so it never quite realized its full potential.
05:31Number 15, Dance Tonight, Madonna.
05:33For Madonna's album Hard Candy,
05:35Justin Timberlake also lent his pen to the disco-influenced track Dance Tonight.
05:42Although he is not credited as a featured artist,
05:49Timberlake provides background vocals on the song,
05:51trading lines with Madonna as they sing about working things out on the dance floor.
06:04The resulting track is as retro as retro can get,
06:07with an irresistible funky bass line and shimmery synths
06:10that would have made it an instant hit in the late 70s and early 80s.
06:13However, when it landed in 2008, Dance Tonight didn't receive the recognition it deserved,
06:18probably because it was never even released as a single.
06:27Number 14, Where Is The Love, The Black Eyed Peas.
06:30Before they were churning out chart-topping singles and selling millions of records,
06:34The Black Eyed Peas initially struggled to achieve success.
06:37In 2003, the group transitioned from their alternative hip-hop roots
06:41to a more commercial pop rap style that was established on Where Is The Love,
06:45the lead single from their third album.
06:54If you listen closely, you can hear Justin Timberlake's vocals on the chorus,
06:58even though he is not credited as a featured artist.
07:01Timberlake had been introduced to the group while working on his debut solo album,
07:05and contributed both lyrics and vocals to the track.
07:08Where Is The Love became their breakthrough hit,
07:10topping the charts in 13 countries and earning two Grammy nominations for the group and Timberlake.
07:27Number 13, Dick and a Bottle.
07:29Number 13, Dick in a Box, The Lonely Island featuring Justin Timberlake.
07:33The Lonely Island helped usher Saturday Night Live into the digital age
07:37with their viral laugh-out-loud shorts.
07:39One of their most iconic songs remains the raunchy Dick in a Box,
07:43which aired during the Christmas episode of the 32nd season, hosted by Justin Timberlake.
07:54Although Timberlake was featured on the song,
07:56it is often the case that the comedy writers handle the songwriting,
07:59while the singers merely perform the material.
08:01However, this time around, Timberlake was actively involved in the track's creation,
08:06contributing significantly to its lyrics and structure.
08:15The eventual song became an instant hit, garnering millions of views within days.
08:20Its success was further cemented when it won the Emmy Award for
08:23Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
08:26Number 12, What It's Like to Be Me, Britney Spears.
08:38Although they were in a high-profile relationship for three years while
08:41maintaining successful music careers,
08:43Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake hardly ever collaborated professionally.
08:50One of the rare instances where they did was on What It's Like to Be Me,
08:54the closing track on Spears' self-titled third album.
08:57Timberlake not only co-wrote and produced the song, but also contributed backing vocals.
09:10With lyrics that revolve around a guy trying to take advantage of his lover,
09:13this track seemed fitting for the pair,
09:15considering the turbulence their relationship would face just months later.
09:18Regardless of their personal challenges,
09:20this song was a testament to the immense talent both pop icons brought to the music world.
09:31Number 11, Rock It, Beyoncé.
09:33During the recording of her self-titled album,
09:36Beyoncé was in a phase of her life where she felt sexually confident and liberated,
09:40and she wanted her music to reflect that.
09:42Looking to create a sensual tune, she turned to Miguel and Justin Timberlake,
09:46two people who know a thing or two about that.
09:48Beyoncé reportedly encouraged her co-writers to push the envelope,
09:51assuring them that nothing was, quote,
09:53off-limits, and they took her advice to heart.
10:02The result was Rock It, arguably the album's most erotic song.
10:06In the early days of the album,
10:08While the track is unmistakably hers,
10:10it carries enough of Timberlake's signature style
10:13that it could easily fit on his album, The 2020 Experience.
10:16Now, this is what you would refer to as an odd couple.
10:20Reba McEntire and Justin Timberlake were in love,
10:23but they were also in a relationship.
10:24In the early days of the album,
10:26they were in a phase of their life where they felt sexually confident and liberated,
10:30and they wanted their music to reflect that.
10:32Looking to create a sensual tune,
10:33Beyoncé reportedly encouraged her co-writers to push the envelope,
10:36assuring them that nothing was, quote,
10:38off-limits, and they took their advice to heart.
10:47who also achieved success with her long-running sitcom Reba,
10:50is a legendary country music singer with a couple of Grammys under her belt.
10:59In fact, it was at the 2007 Grammy Awards that she met Justin Timberlake
11:03and asked him to be a part of her upcoming album, Reba Duets.
11:07With the help of producer and songwriter Matt Morris,
11:10JT penned this track, a Celtic love song that, surprisingly,
11:14both artists feel right at home singing.
11:22It isn't exactly what the kids are bumping to these days,
11:24but it's still a pretty great tune.
11:38Cold Case Love was written by Timberlake with help from Rob Knox
11:41and James Fauntleroy II,
11:44two members of his personal production team
11:46affectionately referred to as The Wise.
11:53Not long after the song was released,
11:55Rihanna admitted that it was about her tumultuous relationship
11:58with fellow pop star Chris Brown,
12:00who'd been arrested a year earlier for assaulting the Barbadian singer.
12:10which was featured on Rihanna's fourth studio album, Rated R.
12:14received acclaim from critics
12:15and was considered a major step forward in her career.
12:29R&B singer Carrie Hilson enlisted the help of everyone's favorite
12:32former boy band member Justin Timberlake
12:35when writing this steamy sex ballad.
12:37Make this moment last forever, babe
12:41The two artists got together during the British leg
12:43of JT's Future Sex Love Show tour,
12:46and the ensuing collaboration ended up being the sixth single
12:49released from Hilson's 2009 album, In a Perfect World.
12:52But something happens when we slow dance
12:57Slow Dance peaked at number 49
12:59on the US Hot R&B Hip-Hop Songs chart
13:02and earned praise from critics,
13:03who called it sparkly and psychedelic.
13:06The funny thing is, with a few lyrical adjustments,
13:09Timberlake could have just as easily kept this song for himself.
13:12The style and tone are right up his alley.
13:27Justin Timberlake has his fingerprints all over this track.
13:30Not only did he help write the song,
13:32but he also produced it and provided background vocals.
13:37At this point, he might as well just join the band.
13:40Alas, legendary British new wave band Duran Duran
13:43would be just fine without him.
13:45Falling Down failed to generate much success in Europe or North America,
13:49although somewhat inexplicably, it did quite well in Italy,
13:52peaking at number two on the Italian Singles chart.
14:01Ironically, Britney Spears,
14:02who just so happens to be Timberlake's ex-girlfriend,
14:05inspired the music video's main character, Small World.
14:30British singer-songwriter Leona Lewis
14:32turned to JT for a little lyrical help.
14:36on this track,
14:36which was featured on her second studio album, Echo, in 2009.
14:41Lewis had been trying to hook up with Timberlake for some time,
14:43so when he invited her to perform with him
14:46at a 2008 charity concert in Las Vegas,
14:48she leapt at the opportunity.
14:57It had been reported that the two were planning on covering a song
15:00by legendary country singer Dolly Parton,
15:02but Lewis and Timberlake ended up penning something original instead,
15:06and the infectious Don't Let Me Down was the result.
15:21The third single released from Madonna's 2008 album Hard Candy,
15:25Miles Away is an electro-pop track
15:27inspired by her long-distance relationship
15:29with her film director former husband, Guy Ritchie.
15:32She penned the track with help from Justin Timberlake
15:35and record producers Danja and Timbaland.
15:43The song was a critical and commercial success for Madonna,
15:46who ultimately enlisted Timberlake's help
15:48on many of the album's songs,
15:49including Four Minutes,
15:51which he wrote, produced, and featured on.
15:57A down-tempo ballad that makes no attempt
15:59to hide the fact that her relationship with Ritchie is on the fritz,
16:02Miles Away is a simple yet honest track
16:05made whole by Madonna's impassioned voice.
16:23The fifth single released off of the multi-platinum album Nellyville,
16:26Work It hasn't exactly stood the test of time,
16:29but it did manage to make it to number 68
16:31on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
16:37Lyrics like,
16:38"'Don't you say a word, I just wanna see you work it'
16:41and "'Keep yo hips poppin''
16:43are far from Nelly, Timberlake,
16:45or any other artist's best work,
16:47but you can't help but sing along
16:49with JT's classic falsetto chorus.
16:56While the song was panned by critics,
16:58who called it one of Nellyville's, quote,
17:01it can nonetheless get people moving
17:02and workin' it on the dancefloor.
17:22Memphis, Tennessee native Justin Timberlake
17:24was a member of the writing team for this Jamie Foxx track back in 2009.
17:28Working with T.I. as well as his production team The Wise,
17:31Timberlake crafted a song that is pure hip-hop fun.
17:39He features on the track as well,
17:41although it almost didn't happen.
17:43The story goes that Timberlake didn't wanna be on the track,
17:46but Foxx convinced him by saying,
17:48quote,
17:49"'Man, my people suffered for 500 years.
17:51You owe me this.'"
17:59Credit where credit is due,
18:00Foxx is clearly a man who doesn't mince words.
18:03That all worked out in the end,
18:05as the song peaked at number 28
18:07on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
18:16The fifth single off of her Grammy-winning album
18:18Good Girl Gone Bad,
18:19this song's lyrics compare heartbreak
18:21to dealing with substance use disorder,
18:23with rehab serving as the metaphorical cure.
18:29The music video features a sultry Rihanna
18:33getting cozy with Justin Timberlake,
18:35as he rides a motorcycle and showers outside.
18:38But Timberlake didn't just play the role of Rihanna's former lover.
18:41He also stepped into the shoes of writer and producer for the song,
18:44working closely with his frequent collaborator Timbaland.
18:53To top things off,
18:54he provided background vocals,
18:56which blended perfectly with Rihanna's
18:58to create one of the album's most unforgettable tracks.
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19:19Beyoncé's self-titled fifth album
19:22took the world by storm when it was released in 2013,
19:25topping numerous Best Album of the Year lists
19:28and ultimately taking home three Grammys.
19:30Beyoncé was one of the most successful albums
19:33of Queen B's career.
19:40She owes some of her success to her music.
19:42She's the first female artist in the world
19:44to be nominated for a Grammy.
19:47She owes some of its success to Timberlake,
19:49who co-wrote the songs Partition and Blow,
19:54the latter of which is pure, funky, disco-inspired fun.
19:58Partition is where we believe Timberlake had the most influence,
20:01as the song's steamy lyrics and thumping beat
20:04are reminiscent of many of the songs
20:06off of his seminal 2006 album Future Sex Love Sounds.
20:16Which of these songs were you surprised to learn
20:30Justin Timberlake was involved in creating?
20:32Let us know in the comments below.
20:36Do you agree with our picks?
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