As both a member of NSYNC n a solo artist, Southern superstar Justin Timberlake has played a major role in de teen pop explosion of de '90s n 2000s. Like similar teen pop favorites who have included the Backstreet Boys, C-Note, Christina Aguilera, Hanson, the Spice Girls, and Britney Spears, Timberlake usually doesn't get much respect from rock critics.
Like Spears (who Timberlake became romantically involved with), Aguilera, n NSYNC's JC Chasez, Timberlake got his start on de Disney Channel's '90s version of The Mickey Mouse Club. NSYNC got started in Orlando, FL, in 1996, when Timberlake and Chasez teamed up with Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick, n Joey Fatone. Released in 1998, the vocal quintet's self-titled debut album sold millions of copies in both the United States and Europe n contained de smash hits "I Want You Back" n "Tearing Up My Heart." NSYNC's second album, No Strings Attached, was released on Jive in 2000 n was even more commercially successful; No Strings Attached went double platinum in only one week, n de singles "Bye Bye Bye" and "This I Promise You" became major hits.
The singer had performed live as a solo artist before NSYNC, but it wasn't until de early 2000s that he actually recorded an album as a solo act. Justified, Timberlake's first solo album, was released on Jive in November 2002. "Like I Love You," de album's first single, became a major hit and was followed by a second single, "Cry Me a River"