Music

People Are Already Disappointed With Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience

Haters waisting no time.
by 2/7/2013

Likely because the first night of American Idol’s Hollywood Week didn’t require your full attention, Justin Timberlake revealed the official artwork and track list for The 20/20 Experience on Twitter Wednesday night.

But maybe you couldn’t figure exactly how out to find the latter? Being the kind of tech guy who wears hands-free mics but not black turtlenecks (…yet), Timberlake pealed back another layer of his highly anticipated studio return via Stipple, a new image sharing start-up designed to “do more with less” and “get people talking.” The response?

I’ve warmed up to “Suit & Tie” a lot over the last few weeks, thanks largely to the debonair lyric video–an official one still awaits!–and a live performance with Jay-Z during Super Bowl weekend. Since scouring YouTube–and cursing my travel schedule for not being able to make it to NOLA–for footage, I haven’t been able to get new songs “Pusher Love Girl” and “That Girl” out of my head, and fall asleep each night thinking about that horn section. From another glimpse at what his third album has in store for us, there’s a lot to be excited about here–namely a nod to intergalactic driving we thought ended with the cancellation of the Jetsons.

Whether you think the artwork is an homage to another former Mickey Mouse Club member, or are using this opportunity to announce your own robot fetish, JT’s reveal brought out diverse reactions across Twitter.

 

There were some snap judgments.

A lot of people are concerned about the album’s length.

 

 

 

 

 

As well as the inspiration behind these new songs.

 

 

If you’re going to make jokes like these in a room where cameras and iPhones abound, you should probably expect questions about Britney Spears.

While we’re all entitled to our own opinions, let’s get a few things straight: 10 songs might seem like he’s low-balling us, but as “Suit & Tie” has shown, JT’s recent outputs are long. At 5:27, his lead single contains a least three different movements, plus a Jay-Z feature. Hov’s name doesn’t appear on the above track list, which either means he didn’t make the final album cut (doubtful) or that Justin is teasing any other features that might be contained within the record. (Beyoncé? Drake? Frank Ocean? We can dream.) Let’s also remember that in times like this–a big announcement about someone’s major professional development–it’s almost ALWAYS appropriate to make things about yourself. Exhibit A:

A very compelling offer, but this probably sums up what we’re all feeling about Timberlake’s impending release:

40 days and counting, folks. Which means, there is ample time to figure out what brand of strawberry bubblegum JT likes best, and what the inside of a spaceship coupe looks like.

[Photo: Justin Timberlake/Twitter]