Man of the Woods
Man of the Woods is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, released on February 2, 2018, by RCA Records.[1][2] Featuring 16 tracks, the album was primarily produced by Timberlake alongside longtime collaborators Timbaland and Danja, with additional contributions from The Neptunes, Chris Stapleton, and Alicia Keys.[2][3] It represents Timberlake's exploration of Americana, blending pop and R&B with country and folk influences, often described as "Americana with 808s."[4] The album's themes draw from Timberlake's personal life, including his pride in his Tennessee roots, his marriage to Jessica Biel, and fatherhood to his son Silas.[5][2] Recorded between 2016 and 2017, Man of the Woods was preceded by the lead single "Filthy" on January 5, 2018, followed by "Supplies," "Say Something," and the title track, each accompanied by music videos.[2] The project was promoted through a multimedia campaign, including a documentary-style trailer and Timberlake's headline performance at the Super Bowl LII Halftime Show on February 4, 2018.[2][6] Commercially, Man of the Woods debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 293,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, with 242,000 from traditional sales—the largest opening week for a male artist since 2015.[7] It topped charts in several countries and has sold over 1.1 million copies worldwide.[8] Critically, the album received mixed reviews, praised for its ambitious genre fusion but criticized for inconsistent execution and lack of cohesion.[9][4] The release was supported by The Man of the Woods Tour, Timberlake's sixth concert tour, which ran from March 2018 to April 2019 across North America and Europe, grossing $226.3 million from 1.76 million tickets sold over 115 shows.[10] The tour featured elaborate staging inspired by natural landscapes, emphasizing the album's woodland motif.[11]Development
Background
Man of the Woods represents a significant thematic shift for Justin Timberlake, moving toward explorations of nature, family, and Americana, drawing deeply from his Tennessee roots and experiences as a father. Following the birth of his son Silas in April 2015, Timberlake expressed that fatherhood prompted a reflection on his own childhood, influencing the album's introspective tone.[12] The album's title itself derives from the meaning of Silas's name—"man of the woods"—which Timberlake discovered during family discussions and adopted as the project's guiding concept, with the title track emerging as the first song written.[12] Timberlake has described the album as personally rooted in his heritage, stating in a promotional teaser, “This album is really inspired by my son, my wife, my family, but more so than any other album I’ve ever written—where I’m from. It’s personal.”[13] This connection to his Memphis, Tennessee upbringing infuses the work with elements of Southern American music, emphasizing earthy and rustic motifs over his previous urban pop sensibilities. Collaborators like Pharrell Williams highlighted the project's organic feel, noting it “feels so earthy,” aligning with Timberlake's intent to blend traditional influences with modern production.[13] In 2016, Timberlake reunited with longtime producer Timbaland while integrating country and folk elements to evoke his Americana inspirations, marking a deliberate evolution in his sound.[14] These efforts laid the conceptual groundwork during recording sessions from 2016 to late 2017, culminating in promotional activities including his Super Bowl LII halftime performance on February 4, 2018, where he performed the lead single "Filthy" from the album.[15][14]Recording
Recording for Man of the Woods spanned from 2016 to late 2017, with sessions primarily held at EastWest Studios in Los Angeles and Justin Timberlake's home studio in Tennessee.[16][14] Additional work occurred in Nashville and other locations to capture the album's diverse sonic palette.[17] The project reunited Timberlake with longtime collaborators Timbaland and Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes, who handled much of the production alongside Timberlake himself.[18] New contributors included Ruston Kelly, whose involvement infused country elements into select tracks, helping bridge Timberlake's pop foundations with Americana influences.[17][14] Production techniques centered on merging electronic beats with acoustic instrumentation, such as live guitars and organic percussion, to craft a hybrid sound that contrasted Timberlake's earlier electronic-heavy work.[17][14] This approach involved layering digital synths over rooted, live-recorded elements in a collaborative studio environment.[17] One key challenge was Timberlake's push to evolve beyond the R&B and futuristic pop of his prior albums like FutureSex/LoveSounds, incorporating personal Tennessee heritage while ensuring the material remained accessible and innovative.[19] This shift required extensive refinement over the sessions to balance introspective themes with commercial viability.[17]Release and promotion
Announcement
On January 2, 2018, Justin Timberlake announced his fifth studio album, Man of the Woods, through a one-minute teaser video posted on his social media accounts, including Twitter and Instagram.[13][20] The video revealed the album's title, a release date of February 2, 2018, and featured scenic footage of wooded landscapes, aligning with the project's thematic focus on nature.[21][22] It also included the cover art, which depicts a split image of Timberlake: the upper half showing him in a casual flannel shirt against a wooded backdrop, contrasting with the lower half in a formal suit on an orange background.[23][22] In the announcement video, Timberlake provided initial press statements emphasizing the album's personal and rustic inspirations, stating, "This album is really inspired by my son, my wife, my family, but more so than any album I’ve ever written, where I’m from... And it’s personal."[24] He further explained that the title derives from his son Silas, whose name means "of the woods," underscoring the project's intimate, Americana-rooted theme.[25] The album was released via RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, marking Timberlake's continued partnership with the label.[26] The announcement served as the launch of a teaser campaign linked to Timberlake's Super Bowl LII halftime show performance on February 4, 2018, where he previewed tracks from the album, including a snippet of the lead single "Filthy."[27][28] This strategic rollout built anticipation just days after the single's release on January 5, positioning the album's rustic aesthetic against the high-profile event.[29]Singles
The lead single from Man of the Woods, "Filthy", was released on January 5, 2018, marking the beginning of a weekly rollout of tracks ahead of the album's launch.[30] Co-produced by Timberlake, Timbaland, and Danja, the song debuted and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Timberlake's tenth top-10 hit as a solo artist.[31] Its release strategy emphasized a bold, electronic sound to generate buzz, accompanied by a futuristic music video directed by Mark Romanek, which depicts Timberlake unveiling a dancing humanoid robot at a 2030 technology conference, blending sci-fi visuals with intricate choreography.[2] The rollout included plans for three additional pre-release tracks with videos starting January 18, 2018, though only two were issued with visuals before the album. "Supplies", the second single, followed on January 18, 2018, produced by Timberlake alongside Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of The Neptunes.[32] It peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, reflecting a more modest commercial impact compared to its predecessor.[33] The track's promotion highlighted its funky, dystopian vibe, with lyrics centered on themes of protection and unwavering love amid chaos, as Timberlake pledges to provide emotional and physical "supplies" for his partner.[34] The accompanying video, directed by Dave Meyers, unfolds in a surreal, fiery futurescape where Timberlake rescues his love interest from societal turmoil, incorporating symbolic nods to contemporary issues like the #MeToo movement and political unrest through diverse crowd scenes and protest imagery.[35] On January 25, 2018, Timberlake released "Say Something" featuring country singer Chris Stapleton as the third single, aiming to underscore the album's rustic influences.[36] The collaboration peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, benefiting from strong digital sales and radio airplay that bridged pop and country audiences. This release strategy capitalized on Stapleton's genre credibility to highlight a country crossover appeal, with the duet's acoustic guitar-driven balladry and harmonious vocals evoking heartfelt communication in relationships.[37] Directed by the French production team at La Blogothèque in a single-take format, the music video captures an intimate live performance in a candlelit Nashville chapel, involving 17 musicians, a 60-person choir, and a 133-member crew to convey raw, communal energy.[38] The title track "Man of the Woods" served as the fourth single, released on February 15, 2018, post-album debut to sustain momentum. Produced by Timberlake, the Neptunes, and others, it did not achieve significant Hot 100 placement but reinforced the project's natural motifs through targeted radio promotion.[39] The song's rollout emphasized introspection and environmental connection, aligning with the album's overarching narrative. Directed by Paul Hunter, the music video was filmed in a forested wilderness setting in California, portraying Timberlake in flannel attire dancing freely among trees and wildlife, with his family joining for scenes that symbolize familial bonds and a return to nature's simplicity.[40]Marketing campaigns
The promotional campaign for Man of the Woods began with a series of teaser videos released on Justin Timberlake's official website and social media platforms in early January 2018, inviting fans to explore the album's woodland imagery and providing subtle clues about upcoming tracks and visuals through scenic footage of nature and personal narration.[13] These digital teasers, including the initial "INTRODUCING MAN OF THE WOODS" trailer featuring Timberlake in rustic settings with his family, built anticipation by hinting at the album's themes of roots and introspection without revealing full details. To expand retail reach, the campaign included exclusive partnerships with major retailers; Target offered a special edition CD bundled with a bonus poster and digital download, featuring alternate artwork to appeal to collectors.[41] Similarly, Walmart distributed the standard album edition alongside branded merchandise such as tour-inspired apparel and accessories, integrating physical sales with fan collectibles to drive in-store traffic.[23] Pre-release efforts featured targeted listening events and media engagements to generate buzz; Timberlake previewed the full album for iHeartMedia's chief programming officer Tom Poleman in late January 2018, allowing early exposure to industry influencers ahead of the February 2 release.[42] He further promoted the project through high-profile appearances, including an interview and performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on February 5, 2018, where he discussed the album's inspirations and debuted live renditions of tracks like "Supplies" and "Say Something" alongside collaborator Chris Stapleton.[43] Following the album's launch, promotions tied directly into the supporting Man of the Woods Tour, which commenced on March 13, 2018, in Toronto, with bundled ticket packages and merchandise extensions reinforcing the campaign's narrative continuity across live experiences.[44] Digital and social media initiatives continued to emphasize the album's environmental motifs—such as connections to nature and family life—through ongoing posts and an augmented reality app developed in partnership with American Express, launched in April 2018, which allowed users to virtually "try on" themed merchandise in immersive woodland environments.[45]Music and lyrics
Style and genres
Man of the Woods represents a significant departure from Justin Timberlake's previous urban-oriented pop and R&B sound, incorporating a fusion of pop, R&B, and electronic elements with country, folk, blues, and trap influences. The album draws on Americana traditions, blending rustic Southern textures with modern production techniques, often described as "modern Americana with 808s" to evoke both organic roots and contemporary beats. This hybrid approach marks Timberlake's exploration of his Tennessee heritage, integrating genres like southern rock and gospel while maintaining his signature falsetto and layered harmonies.[9][4] The production, primarily handled by Timbaland alongside The Neptunes and Danja, emphasizes organic textures through live instrumentation such as acoustic guitars, banjos, pedal steel, harmonica, fiddle, and mandolin, contrasted with synthesizers, 808 bass drums, and electronic beats. This combination creates a balance between earthy, unpolished folk and country vibes and the polished, rhythmic drive of R&B and trap, avoiding the sleek urban polish of Timberlake's earlier works like FutureSex/LoveSounds. Tracks showcase this versatility, with the album's extended runtime allowing for immersive, genre-blending compositions that prioritize atmospheric depth over concise hooks.[9][4][46] Specific tracks exemplify the album's stylistic range: "Midnight Summer Jam" delivers a soulful groove infused with disco and boogie elements, featuring harmonica solos and fiddle for a summery, rustic feel, while "Wave" experiments with electronic textures layered over a country walking bassline and R&B slow-jam rhythms. Similarly, "Say Something" (featuring Chris Stapleton) adopts a Nashville duet style with acoustic and pedal steel elements, highlighting the country-soul hybrid, and "The Hard Stuff" weaves acoustic guitars and electronics into a bewitching, introspective sound. These examples underscore the album's innovative yet uneven fusion, prioritizing evocative instrumentation to evoke natural, familial themes briefly touched upon in its songwriting.[9][4]Themes and songwriting
Man of the Woods explores themes of fatherhood, love, nature, and self-reflection, drawing directly from Timberlake's personal experiences as a husband and father living a more grounded life.[24] Timberlake has described the album as deeply inspired by his son Silas—whose name means "of the woods"—his wife Jessica Biel, and their family, emphasizing a return to his roots in Tennessee and a broader connection to the natural world.[47] This inspiration manifests in lyrics that celebrate domestic bliss and introspection, portraying the woods as a metaphor for simplicity and renewal away from fame's pressures.[48] In terms of songwriting, Timberlake co-wrote every track on the album, collaborating closely with producers and writers such as Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, Timbaland, and Chris Stapleton to blend personal narratives with varied sonic elements. His approach prioritized authenticity, often incorporating intimate details from his life, like writing parts for Biel's vocals on the title track to evoke their shared family moments.[49] Tracks like "Young Man" exemplify this, serving as a tender letter to his son with advice on resilience and growth: "Beautiful boy, got it from your mama / You're gonna be a young man someday."[50] Romantic love features prominently as a motif of elevation and partnership, as seen in "Higher, Higher," where Timberlake reflects on finding solace in a genuine relationship amid celebrity: "Stress is cruel, fame's a lie / But you're special on every level."[51] Nature recurs as a symbol of escape and legacy, with songs invoking forests and open spaces to underscore self-reflection on maturity and heritage.[52] However, some observers have critiqued the lyrics' attempt at a country-infused shift as inauthentic, arguing that the folksy imagery feels contrived against Timberlake's pop background and urban lifestyle.[53] For instance, references to rural simplicity in tracks like "Flannel" have been seen as superficial, prioritizing promotional aesthetics over genuine rustic expression.[54]Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Upon its release in February 2018, Man of the Woods received mixed reviews from music critics, with an aggregate score of 55 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 29 reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reception.[55] Critics frequently praised the album's production quality and Timberlake's vocal performances but criticized its inconsistent blend of pop, R&B, and country elements, often describing the genre fusion as forced or uneven.[56] Rolling Stone offered a relatively positive take, highlighting moments of emotional depth in tracks like "Montana," where Timberlake explores personal themes of family and fatherhood with sincerity, though the review noted the album's production as a "mess of competing influences" that dilutes its rural ambitions.[46] In contrast, Pitchfork was harshly critical, assigning a score of 3.8 out of 10 and lambasting the country-infused tracks as shallow and inert, particularly the duet "Say Something" with Chris Stapleton, which it called a "gnomic" effort lacking genuine roots authenticity.[9] The Guardian described the album as an "uneasy fusion" of rural rhythms and digital pop, praising standout funk-driven cuts like "Filthy" and "Sauce" for their energy but faulting the overall mishmash for failing to cohesively integrate Timberlake's attempted return to his Tennessee heritage.[57] Despite the divided opinions, the album earned Grammy nominations at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, including Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Say Something".[58]Retrospective assessments
In the years following its release, Man of the Woods has been reevaluated in the context of Justin Timberlake's broader career trajectory, particularly as a bold but flawed pivot toward genre experimentation. Reviews of his 2024 album Everything I Thought It Was often reference the earlier project as a "minor misstep" that highlighted Timberlake's tarnished public image amid cultural reckonings, yet one that demonstrated his willingness to risk his established pop persona for a rootsier sound.[59] This shift, blending funk-soul with Americana influences, is now viewed as an awkward country-pop experiment that, despite initial criticism for its inauthenticity, served as a precursor to Timberlake's later artistic evolution toward more cohesive hybrid styles.[60] Academic analyses have further reassessed the album's conceptual framework, emphasizing its staging of masculinity through "lumbersexuality" and nature motifs as a deliberate performance of authenticity in a commodified music industry. Scholars argue that Man of the Woods critiques the gendering of musical labor by contrasting Timberlake's "real" rural persona against the "fake" world of pop stardom, drawing on visual and sonic elements to explore white masculinity in contemporary culture.[61] This perspective highlights the album's influence on discussions of pop-country crossovers, particularly through collaborations like "Say Something" with Chris Stapleton, which exemplified an early, if uneven, fusion of genres and contributed to Stapleton's own crossover success.[62][63] By 2025, reflections on the album's seventh anniversary have noted the enduring appeal of select tracks, such as "Say Something," which continues to be performed on Timberlake's Forget Tomorrow World Tour and is recognized for its Grammy-nominated blend of soulful pop and country elements. These reassessments underscore the project's ambition in challenging pop conventions, even as its overall reception remains mixed.[60]Commercial performance
Chart positions
Man of the Woods debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart on the issue dated February 17, 2018, with 293,000 album-equivalent units, marking Justin Timberlake's fourth consecutive number-one album and the largest debut of the year at that point.[7] In its second week, the album slipped to number two with 74,000 units, before descending further but maintaining presence on the chart for a total of 73 weeks.[64] This longevity exceeded 50 weeks, reflecting sustained interest despite a sharp initial drop-off in sales.[64] Internationally, Man of the Woods achieved number-one peaks in countries including Canada, where it debuted atop the Billboard Canadian Albums chart with 18,000 units; Australia, topping the ARIA Albums Chart; and Belgium (Flanders), reaching number one on the Ultratop.[65][66] It reached number two on the Dutch Album Top 100, number two on the UK Albums Chart, number five on the German Offizielle Top 100, number three in Ireland and New Zealand, and entered the top 10 in over 20 countries worldwide, including France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.[67][68][69]| Country | Chart | Peak Position | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Billboard 200 | 1 | Billboard |
| Canada | Billboard Canadian Albums | 1 | Billboard Canada |
| Australia | ARIA Albums | 1 | The Music |
| United Kingdom | Official Albums | 2 | Official Charts |
| Netherlands | Album Top 100 | 2 | Music Week |
| Germany | Offizielle Top 100 | 5 | Music Week |
Sales and certifications
Man of the Woods debuted with 293,000 album-equivalent units in the United States in its first week, marking Justin Timberlake's largest opening week sales since 2013. Of these, 242,000 were pure album sales, comprising 139,000 digital downloads, 89,000 physical CDs, and 15,000 vinyl LPs. The vinyl sales were notably boosted by a Target-exclusive edition featuring an orange-colored pressing and alternate artwork, which contributed to the strong physical component despite the dominance of digital formats in the overall sales breakdown. By September 2021, the album had reached 1 million units in the United States, earning a Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Globally, reported sales across multiple markets totaled over 1.13 million copies as of 2021.[70][8] The album received various certifications reflecting its commercial performance in key international territories:| Country | Certification | Certified units | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Gold | 35,000 | ARIA |
| Canada | Gold | 40,000 | Music Canada |
| Denmark | Platinum | 20,000 | IFPI Denmark |
| France | Gold | 50,000 | SNEP |
| Poland | Gold | 10,000 | ZPAV |
| United Kingdom | Silver | 60,000 | BPI |
| United States | Platinum | 1,000,000 | RIAA |
Streaming achievements
In October 2025, Man of the Woods reached a major milestone by surpassing 1 billion total streams on Spotify, marking the sixth Justin Timberlake project to achieve this feat.[71][72] This accomplishment underscores the album's enduring appeal in the streaming era, despite its initial mixed reception upon release in 2018.[73] Key tracks have driven much of this success, with "Say Something" (featuring Chris Stapleton) exceeding 500 million streams on the platform, highlighting its crossover appeal in country and pop genres.[74] Other singles like "Filthy" and "Supplies" have also contributed significantly, benefiting from algorithmic playlist placements that expose the album to new listeners.[75] Streaming for Man of the Woods experienced notable growth after 2020, aligning with broader industry shifts toward on-demand audio consumption and Timberlake's intermittent social media engagements that revived interest in his catalog.[71] By late 2025, the album's Spotify streams alone far outpaced its original physical and digital sales figures, which totaled around 422,000 pure album units in the US by early 2019, illustrating the transition from ownership-based to access-driven music distribution.[76]Track listing and credits
Track listing
All tracks on Man of the Woods were co-written by Justin Timberlake, with additional songwriters varying by track, including collaborators such as Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, Danja, James Fauntleroy, and Larrance Dopson.[49] Production credits are shared among Timberlake, The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo), Timbaland, Danja, and others, as detailed per track in the personnel section.[77] The standard edition contains 16 tracks with a total runtime of 65:54.[78]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Filthy" | 4:53 |
| 2. | "Midnight Summer Jam" | 5:12 |
| 3. | "Sauce" | 4:05 |
| 4. | "Man of the Woods" | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Higher, Higher" | 4:18 |
| 6. | "Wave" | 4:24 |
| 7. | "Supplies" | 3:45 |
| 8. | "Morning Light" (featuring Alicia Keys) | 4:03 |
| 9. | "Say Something" (featuring Chris Stapleton) | 4:38 |
| 10. | "Hers (Interlude)" | 1:01 |
| 11. | "Flannel" | 4:49 |
| 12. | "Montana" (featuring Sierra Hull) | 4:39 |
| 13. | "Breeze Off the Pond" | 4:11 |
| 14. | "Livin' Off the Land" (featuring Timbaland) | 4:53 |
| 15. | "The Hard Stuff" | 3:15 |
| 16. | "Young Man" | 3:45 |