Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Timberlake appeared on musical television shows as a child, competing on Star Search; in the early to mid-1990s, he was a cast member on the Disney Channel's The All New Mickey Mouse Club, where he performed cover songs, skits, and choreography.

Throughout his career, Timberlake scored numerous high-charting US Billboard Hot 100 singles, including "Cry Me a River", "Rock Your Body", "SexyBack", "My Love", "What Goes Around... Comes Around", "Dick in a Box", "Give It to Me", "4 Minutes", "Suit & Tie", "Mirrors" and "Can't Stop the Feeling!

He landed starring roles in the films The Love Guru (2008), The Social Network (2010), Bad Teacher (2011), Friends with Benefits (2011), In Time (2011), Wonder Wheel (2017) and Palmer (2021).

[14] In 1995 Timberlake recruited Chasez to be in an all-male singing group, put together by Chris Kirkpatrick and financed by boy band manager Lou Pearlman, that eventually became NSYNC.

[16] In 1998, the group rose to prominence in the United States with the release of their self-titled debut studio album, which sold 11 million copies and includes the single "Tearin' Up My Heart".

[57] The album's lead single, "SexyBack", was performed by Timberlake at the opening of the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards and reached number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for seven consecutive weeks.

[76] Timberlake and his production team The Y's, along with Mike Elizondo, produced and co-wrote the song "Don't Let Me Down" for Leona Lewis's second studio album, Echo, released on November 17, 2009.

[88] He publicly announced his return to the music industry in January 2013,[89] releasing the album's lead single "Suit & Tie" featuring Jay-Z later that month, which would eventually peak at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

[125] Timberlake was invited by Swedish broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT) to perform "Can't Stop the Feeling" live during the interval act at the grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 on May 14, 2016.

[165][166] In December 2020, Timberlake and Ant Clemons released the single "Better Days", which received its premier on the Rock the Runoff virtual concert, held by Stacey Abrams' organization Fair Fight.

[180][181] On January 19, 2024, Timberlake performed a free one-night-only concert at the Orpheum in Memphis where he live-debuted his new single "Selfish" after teasing a new project on social media in previous days.

[182] In promotion of the record, on January 25, 2024, Timberlake appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; he announced the release of "Selfish" and revealed that the album had taken four years to produce.

The show featured a surprise reunion with his NSYNC bandmates, with the group playing a medley of hits and the new album track “Paradise.” Timberlake then performed on NPR's Tiny Desk series on March 15 for a half-hour-long concert.

"[203] On May 20, 2024, Pollstar announced that nine additional shows were added due to "overwhelming demand" and reported that over 1 million tickets were already sold, becoming Timberlake's fastest selling tour to date.

"[226] However, according to the arrest report, the officer who pulled Timberlake over after he drove through a stop sign and failed to keep on the right side of the road stated that his "eyes were bloodshot and glassy" at the time, and that "A strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath, he was unable to divide attention, he had slowed speech, he was unsteady afoot, and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests.

[241][242][243] Under his plea deal, Timberlake agreed to plead guilty to driving while impaired, a lesser offense which carries a penalty of a $300 to $500 fine and a 90-day driver license suspension.

[244] On September 13, 2024, during an in-person appearance at the Sag Harbor Village Justice Courthouse, Timberlake pled guilty to a noncriminal driving while impaired traffic violation.

[269] The New York Times' editor Katie Rogers highlighted Timberlake's crossover appeal after his performance with Chris Stapleton at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards.

His 2006 followup album FutureSex/LoveSounds departed from his earlier work to explore a broader sound, with elements of rap, rock, funk, soul, gospel, new wave, opera, and world music.

[290]The New York Times' editor Sia Michel wrote in 2007, "Since his last tour, for 2002's multiplatinum Justified, he has learned how to project sex-symbol edge" adding "he's a rock star who can commit.

Timberlake wrote on his Twitter that "No woman should ever be restricted from making decisions about her own body [...] [Jessica Biel] and I send our love, and our absolute support to Britney during this time.

[315] It also led to renewed interest in his participation in the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, where he exposed Janet Jackson's breast on live television.

[323] In a 2016 article of The Hollywood Reporter, editor Scott Feinberg stated Timberlake is "widely regarded as one of the greatest all-around entertainers in the history of show business".

[326] The lead single, "SexyBack", helped introduce EDM sounds to top 40 radio, as it brought together variations of electronic dance music with Timberlake's R&B tone.

[335][336] Aside from earning critical acclaim for its parent album, Sia Michel of The New York Times noted that he was responsible for popularizing in 2006 the catchphrase "I'm bringing sexy back".

[276][291][337] Considered a pop icon by media outlets,[338] his work has influenced numerous artists, including Justin Bieber,[339] Shawn Mendes,[340] Olly Murs,[341] Maroon 5,[342] Britney Spears,[343] Lorde,[344] Marilyn Manson,[345] Joe Jonas,[346] Thomas Rhett,[347] Ed Sheeran,[348] Jason Derulo,[349] Tori Kelly,[350] Liam Payne,[351][352] Bridgit Mendler,[353] Hunter Hayes,[354] BoA,[355] Seungri,[356][357] Taeyang,[358] Rain,[359][360] Lloyd Banks,[361] Maluma,[362] Rosalía,[363] and Jungkook.

[365][366] Christian hip hop artist tobyMac has stated Timberlake's work inspires him, commenting "he's setting himself up to be a classic, making decisions and moving on them.

"[367] In the context of male artists that achieved commercial success after leaving their boy bands, Brittany Spanos from Rolling Stone wrote "Timberlake and Michael Jackson set a high bar for what could be attained by solo success in that they not only scored numerous number-one hits but they also crafted the mold for what it meant to be a male pop star",[368] while for Variety's Jeremy Blacklow the singer is "the modern case study".

[370][371][372] Billboard critics discussed in 2018 whether Timberlake is "the Best Male Pop Star of the 21st century;" those in favor named his crossover appeal, career longevity, showmanship and credibility within the industry among the reasons.

[386] As of 2014[update], Timberlake has had seven songs exceed 3 million digital downloads in the United States, with "SexyBack" (4.5),[387] "4 Minutes",[388] "Dead and Gone",[388] "Suit & Tie",[389] "Mirrors",[390] "Holy Grail",[389] and "Can't Stop the Feeling!".