History YMMV / JustinTimberlake

* HarsherInHindsight: In 2001, he and Music/{{NSYNC}} recorded a cover of Music/JanetJackson's "That's The Way Love Goes" in tribute to the singer. Three years later, the infamous Super Bowl performance with Janet happened.

* PeripheryDemographic: After ''[=FutureSex/LoveSounds=]'' he became one of the earliest mainstream pop/R&B singers to gain a following among the indie rock crowd, with The New York Times even running an article examining his popularity among Brooklyn hipsters.

* PeripheryDemographic: After ''FutureSex / LoveSounds'', he became one of the earliest mainstream pop/R&B singers to gain a following among the indie rock crowd, with The New York Times even running an article examining his popularity among Brooklyn hipsters.

* PeripheryDemographic: After ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'', he became one of the earliest mainstream pop/R&B singers to gain a following among the indie rock crowd, with The New York Times even running an article examining his popularity among Brooklyn hipsters.

* HarsherInHindsight: In 2001, he and *NSYNC recorded a cover of Music/JanetJackson's "That's The Way Love Goes" in tribute to the singer. Three years later, the infamous Super Bowl performance with Janet happened.

* HilariousInHindsight: "Carry Out", his song with Timbaland that consisted of nothing but food innuendos. Back in 2000, *NSYNC was the musical guest on SNL and their cameo on a sketch was that of a boy band who sang songs with food innuendos.

* FandomRivalry: With Music/{{Prince}} fans. This was only exasperated after the 2018 Super Bowl Halftime Show when Justin utilized a giant projection/hologram of Prince as a tribute, in spite of the fact that not only did the two reportedly not respect one another, but Prince had gone on record before his death stating he ''despised'' the idea of using modern technology to sing with dead artists, calling the act "demonic".

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: There were a minority who believed that his debut solo album would flop and he'd never be able to escape the shadow of his {{boy band}} roots. Some even unfavorably compared ''Justified'' to [[Music/BackstreetBoys Nick Carter]]'s more rock-oriented (and therefore more "mature) solo debut, ''Now Or Never,'' released around the same time. It's safe to say who won this argument.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: From the first time he hosted ''SNL'', his acting and comedic talents were praised and it's only continued since then.
** His performance as Boo-Boo in the infamous 2010 ''Film/YogiBear'' movie was praised for being a really spot-on voice; Timberlake imitated cartoon character voices as a child as a voice exercise, and Boo Boo was one of his favorites.

* HoYay: Aside from his *NSYNC bandmates, he has a whole of this with Jimmy Fallon. So much that during Justin’s impromptu speech at his wedding reception in front of 150 guests, Jimmy interrupted him with a joke from his seat, sparking an improv between the two of them that went on for a good five or ten minutes and had all the guests roaring with laughter. Justin admits that if it was anyone else, he would have kicked their ass.

* BrokenBase: His Super Bowl LII Halftime Show elicited this reaction for a number of reasons.
** Was the performance incredible due to a nonstop 13-minute show of singing, dancing, and audience participation, awful for using playback, featuring no surprises or special guests, the arguably insensitive use of Prince as a projection/hologram, or [[SoOkayItsAverage just mediocre and forgettable]]?
** Speaking of the 2018 Super Bowl; was Justin's use of a Music/{{Prince}} projection during the number a touching tribute to the deceased Minneapolis native? Or was it incredibly disrespectful as Prince had gone on record that he found the concept of using modern technology to sing duets with deceased artists to be wrong and "demonic"?

** A huge amount of debates towards Justin stems from the Janet Jackson-Super Bowl performance (considering it was revealed he ''deliberately'' caused it and caused a huge damage dent to Jackson's career whereas he suffered little to none) and his infamous [[TakeThat retorts and mocks]] towards his former girlfriend Music/BritneySpears, especially with the revelations of Spear's issues involving the conservatorship of her media empire between her and her father. He has since apologized to both Janet and Brittany for his actions.

* HarsherInHindsight: In 2001, he and *NSYNC recorded a cover of Janet Jackson's "That's The Way Love Goes" in tribute to the singer. Three years later, the infamous Super Bowl performance with Janet happened.

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: There were a minority who believed that his debut solo album would flop and he'd never be able to escape the shadow of his {{boy band}} roots. Some even unfavorably compared ''Justified'' to [[Music/BackstreetBoys Nick Carter]]'s more rock-oriented (and therefore more "mature) solo debut, ''Now Or Never,'' released around the same time. It's safe to say who won this argument.

** A huge amount of debates towards Justin stems from the Janet Jackson-Super Bowl performance (considering it was revealed he ''deliberately'' caused it and caused a huge damage dent to Jackson's career whereas he suffered little to none) and his infamous [[TakeThat retorts and mocks]] towards his former girlfriend Music/BritneySpears, especially with the revelations of Spear's issues involving the conservatorship of her media empire between her and her father.

* HilariousInHindsight: "Carry Out", his song with Timbaland that consisted of nothing but food innuendos. Back in 2000, *NSYNC was the musical guest on SNL and their cameo on a sketch was that of a boyband who sang songs with food innuendos.

** A huge amount of debates towards Justin stems from the Janet Jackson-Super Bowl performance (considering it was revealed he ''deliberately'' caused it and caused a huge damage dent to Jackson's career whereas he suffered little to none) and his infamous [[TakeThat retorts and mocks]] towards his former girlfriend Music/BritneySpears, especially with the recent revelations of Spear's issues involving the conservatorship of her media empire between her and her father.

** A huge amount of debates towards Justin stems from the Janet Jackson-Super Bowl performance (considering it was revealed he ''deliberately'' caused it and caused a huge damage dent to Jackson's career whereas he suffered little to none) and his infamous [[TakeThat retorts and mocks]] towards his former girlfriend Music/BritneySpears, especially with the recent revelations of Spear's issues involving the conservationship of her media empire between her and her father.

** A huge amount of debates towards Justin stems from the Janet Jackson-Super Bowl performance (considering it was revealed he ''deliberately'' caused it and caused a huge damage dent to Jackson's career whereas he suffered little to none) and his infamous [[TakeThat retorts and mocks]] towards his former girlfriend Music/BrittneySpears, especially with the recent revelations of Spear's issues involving the conservationship of her media empire between her and her father.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: Justin gets this a lot. Yes, he got his start on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club and he played a voice role of Branch in and wrote a song for the movie "Trolls". Most of his songs, especially after leaving *NSYNC, aren't exactly family-friendly.

* HeReallyCanAct: From the first time he hosted ''SNL'', his acting and comedic talents were praised and it's only continued since then.

** The background beatbox in "Cry Me a River" and that weird Gibberish in the ending of that song can clarify as this.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: Justin gets this a lot. Yes, he got his start on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club and he played a voice role of Branch in and wrote a song for the movie "Trolls", but most of his songs aren't exactly family-friendly.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Justin turns the last minute of "Señorita" into a CallAndResponse segment with no provocation.

* {{Earworm}}
** "Like I Love You", "[=SexyBack=]", "My Love" still get played a lot in popular culture.
** "Cry Me a River" proved that he would still be popular after leaving *NSYNC.
** "Rock Your Body", especially after a... [[WardrobeMalfunction memorable]] UsefulNotes/SuperBowl performance with Music/JanetJackson.
** "CAN'T STOP THE FEELING!!!" because of his energetic song it makes you wanna dance with it!