Celebrity is the fourth and final studio album by American boy band NSYNC. It was released by Jive Records on July 24, 2001. Due to constant criticism that they were not a "credible group", NSYNC began experimenting with genres such as hip hop and two-step. As with their previous studio album, No Strings Attached (2000), numerous producers, including BT, Rodney Jerkins, Brian McKnight, PAJAM, and the Neptunes, worked on the album. Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez also contributed to production, while they co-wrote 10 of 13 tracks in an attempt to develop a unique sound, which includes pop, R&B, and teen pop.
After being delayed by unfinished recording sessions, Celebrity was released to generally favorable reviews from music critics, many of whom praised the production and songwriting. The album was the band's second album to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first week sales of 1,879,495 copies in the US, which became the second-best debut week sales in the country. It was also the third-best selling album on the Billboard 200 in 2001, after Shaggy's Hot Shot (2000) and Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory (2000), and has since been certified quintuple platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). NSYNC embarked on the accompanying PopOdyssey and Celebrity tours for promotion.
Background and development
At the 2000 Billboard Music Awards on December 5, NSYNC announced they would begin "experimenting with new music" for their third studio album at a recording studio in Florida during January and February 2001. Justin Timberlake said the band planned to spend two months in the studio to come up with ideas, while Joey Fatone stated that they may leave Florida as the album progresses. NSYNC also said they wanted to collaborate with Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs and Richard Marx, with whom they had worked on their third studio album No Strings Attached (2000).
Although No Strings Attached sold 14 million copies worldwide, including a record 2.4 million in the United States during its first week, critics ridiculed the band, who did not match the critics' perceptions as a "credible group" and were not considered "artistic". In response to this, NSYNC decided to be more involved in production, co-writing 10 of the 13 tracks on Celebrity. JC Chasez discussed the recording process in an interview with Billboard: "Our objective was not to be self-conscious and try to make another hit record. Instead, we set out to make a record that was more reflective of what turns us on musically. We also wanted to prove that pop music comes in a lot of different flavors. It's not all bubble-gum." The band decided to assign roles for each member to combat media perception of "leadership roles within the group". Timberlake and Chasez worked on the album's production and music, while Lance Bass was assigned to handle business and management, and Fatone started to plan the supporting tour alongside Chris Kirkpatrick. Celebrity finished production in June 2001.
Recording and production NSYNC sought out several collaborators to add new styles to their sound for Celebrity. BT was recruited when Chasez, a fan of BT's music, befriended the producer at shows. Though initially hesitant to work with the band as their styles were opposite from each other, BT finally agreed when Timberlake told him he could do whatever he wanted with the group's vocals. Timberlake told BT he wanted the track to sound like "The Hip Hop Phenomenon" on the UK version of BT's 1999 album Movement in Still Life, to which BT responded, "If you wanna do something that punk-rock, I'll do it." During the production of "Pop", BT tried 40 different treatments for vocals, with him using equipment that is commonly used for movie sound effects, and he constantly shouted Michael Jackson's name at Timberlake to inspire him. BT changed the song from "new-school R&B, Timbaland-style beats, to progressive house".
NSYNC choreographer Wade Robson also took on a bigger role for the band as he co-wrote and produced multiple tracks for Celebrity, including "Pop", "Gone", and the title track. "Gone" was initially written as a duet between Timberlake and Jackson, but was declined by Jackson. Timberlake took the song to NSYNC's A&R team and the band later recorded it. Jackson changed his mind after the song's release and wanted it to be performed only as a duet between himself and Timberlake, but they could not find a way to rewrite the song. American production duo the Neptunes produced Celebritys third single "Girlfriend". Timberlake was determined to get American musician Stevie Wonder to play the harmonica for "Something Like You" after Timberlake composed the song with his songwriting partner Robin Wiley. Wonder recorded the harmonica part after Jive Records contacted him, with Timberlake describing his presence as a "surreal moment". Brad Daymond and Alex Greggs, known as Riprock 'n' Alex G, returned from No Strings Attached to write and produce three tracks: "The Two of Us", "Up Against the Wall", and "The Game is Over". Bass stated that "The Two of Us" was inspired by the music of Craig David.
Composition and lyrical content Celebrity includes elements of several musical genres, including pop, R&B, and teen pop. In contrast to No Strings Attached, the decision to experiment with different sounds on songs such as "Pop" was made so NSYNC could appear more mature and musically diverse. The album fuses sounds from NSYNC's earlier songs, such as "Bye Bye Bye" (2000) with experimental genres, including hip hop and British two-step. Several of the producers who worked on Celebrity influenced the unique sound of each track, which was attributed to the band's self-awareness and desire to accentuate different aspects of their music.
The album's first track, "Pop", refers to NSYNC's defense of the pop genre towards their critics. Larry Flick of Billboard described the song as "a crafty, anthemic blend of Cameo-style electro-funk beats, Euro-pop synths, heavy-metal guitars, and Timberlake's now-signature human beat-box riffs", while John Hugar of Uproxx referred to it as "a sort of proto-salvo against in the rockist vs. poptimists argument", and called the song a preview of Timberlake's 2003 single "Rock Your Body". The next track, "Celebrity", was produced by Rodney Jerkins, who used "low-key, funksome, two-step slither" along with camera clicks. The lyrics outline the negative consequences of being "a multi-millionaire, globe-trotting pop star", while Jon O'Brien of Billboard noted that the song is influenced by the Blackstreet and Janet Jackson song "Girlfriend/Boyfriend" (1999). "The Game is Over", according to Barry Walters of Rolling Stone, includes the "Pac-Man theme and dance-y squeaks", and "echoes the sounds and sentiments of the last album's edgiest cuts". The fourth track, "Girlfriend", is an R&B song that was produced by the Neptunes. A remix of the track that features rapper Nelly was noted for giving the song a hip hop influence. Nelly raps over a minimal guitar figure for two verses; the first which lasted for 61 seconds before the song's first verse. "The Two of Us" is an "R&B waltz" containing a "British dancefloor beat", which was compared to that of "Digital Get Down" from No Strings Attached. Staff writers at Billboard considered the ballad "Gone" to be "harrowing, relentless and unmistakably final". Hugar noted "Gone" as the precursor to Timberlake's second single "Cry Me a River" (2002).
"Tell Me, Tell Me... Baby" was written by Max Martin and includes elements of Europop. According to O'Brien, the song contains "larger than life beats, swelling strings" and a bombastic chorus, which serves as a "blatant throwback". "Up Against the Wall" is an R&B song that features two-step garage elements; it was compared to Billy Joel's song "Get It Right the First Time" from his 1977 album The Stranger, while the middle eight was compared to songs by the UK garage group So Solid Crew. "See Right Through You", the ninth track on Celebrity, has an R&B sound; according to David Browne of Entertainment Weekly, the song is "another tale of betrayal by scheming girls". The Brian McKnight-produced track "Selfish" combines the vocals of Chasez and Timberlake with an adult contemporary track. "Just Don't Tell Me That", a teen pop track, is similar to songs by Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys. The song's lyrics describe a "fame-seeking girlfriend" spending too much time at the Playboy Mansion. According to Browne, "Something Like You" is a "squishy ballad with drooling-puppy harmonies and lyrics". The chorus was compared to the Boyz II Men song "4 Seasons of Loneliness". The US version of the album's final song "Do Your Thing" contains "stuttering electronic beats" and a bar by the songwriter J. Moss. Browne described the song as "mild electronica"; "Do Your Thing" is included on Celebrity because Jive Records wanted a song that showcased NSYNC's vocal talents and harmony.
Artwork and title The artwork of Celebrity depicts the band walking on a red carpet while surrounded by flashing cameras and a crowd. Jackie Murphy created the artwork, which was photographed by Mark Seliger. Writing for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine considered the garish cover art to be a hybrid of the cover of the Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and music videos by alternative rock band Sammy, and said the title Celebrity "none too subtly [draws] attention to the fact that they're stars". Ariana Bacle of Entertainment Weekly stated the appearance of each member on the artwork is "tame" in comparison to that of NSYNC's 1997 eponymous debut studio album, specifically criticizing Chasez and Joey Fatone's highlights for seeking unneeded attention.
Release and promotion
The album was officially announced on April 2, 2001, as Celebrity, with Jive Records having intentions to release an "uptempo" first single later that month. On May 11, 2001, MTV played a recording of "Pop" via satellite during NSYNC's tour rehearsal for PopOdyssey, leading to the song's release to radio stations as the album's lead single three days later. Celebrity was initially set to be released on June 26, 2001, with the opening date of PopOdyssey on May 12, 2001. The tour was postponed to May 18, 2001, because the staging was still in development, and the album's release date was postponed to July 24, 2001. NSYNC decided to perform the tracks from Celebrity on tour before its release. The tour was sponsored by Verizon, which launched several television and radio advertising campaigns across the US in promotion of the album and its release date. In an interview with Billboard, Chasez stated the concept of playing new songs at a concert was unusual but he felt it was a good sign that the crowd was actively participating. Jive Records president Barry Weiss was surprised by the band's touring approach, acknowledging the audience response would indicate "an album of immeasurable creative and commercial depth".