Man of the Woods

Man of the Woods
Name	Man of the Woods
Artist	Justin Timberlake
Released	February 2, 2018
Studio	Larrabee Studios, Germano Studios, The Record Plant
Genre	Pop, R&B, country pop
Length	66:05
Label	RCA Records
Producer	Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Danja, Eric Hudson, Rob Knox
Prev title	The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2
Prev year	2013

Man of the Woods is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. Released in early 2018 through RCA Records, the project was marketed as a personal reflection on Timberlake's roots in Memphis, Tennessee and familial life, incorporating sonic influences from Americana, folk music, and Southern sounds. The album was preceded by the singles "Filthy" and "Supplies", and its release coincided with Timberlake's headline performance at the Super Bowl LII halftime show.

Background and development

Following the conclusion of his massive world tour in support of his previous albums, The 20/20 Experience and The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2, Timberlake entered a period of personal reflection. The birth of his son, Silas Randall Timberlake, with actress Jessica Biel, profoundly influenced his artistic direction, shifting his focus toward themes of family and heritage. He described the album as inspired by the landscape and culture of the American South, particularly his home state of Tennessee, and dedicated it to his son. Initial recording sessions began in 2016 at various studios, including Larrabee Studios in Los Angeles and Germano Studios in New York City, with Timberlake aiming to blend his signature pop and R&B style with more organic, rustic textures.

Music and production

Musically, the album represents a deliberate departure from the sleek neo soul and funk of Timberlake's previous work with producers like Timbaland and The Neptunes. While those collaborators returned, the sound incorporates prominent elements of bluegrass, country blues, and folk rock, utilizing instruments like the acoustic guitar, banjo, and mandolin. Tracks such as "Morning Light" (featuring Alicia Keys) and the title track lean heavily into singer-songwriter acoustics, while "Filthy" and "Supplies" maintain futuristic electro-funk production. Additional production and songwriting contributions came from a team including Danja, Eric Hudson, and Rob Knox, with notable guest appearances from Chris Stapleton on the song "Say Something".

Critical reception

Upon its release, Man of the Woods received a polarized and generally mixed response from music critics. Publications like Rolling Stone and The Guardian criticized its perceived lack of cohesive vision and awkward blending of genres, with some deeming the "woods" theme as a superficial marketing concept. However, some reviewers from AllMusic and The Telegraph praised the more intimate, stripped-back moments and Timberlake's vocal performances. The album holds a score of 49 out of 100 on the review aggregator Metacritic, indicating "mixed or average reviews". It was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, though it lost to Ariana Grande's Sweetener.

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart in the United States, moving 293,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, marking Timberlake's fourth consecutive US number-one album. It also reached the top of the national charts in several other countries, including Canada, Norway, and Switzerland. However, its singles underperformed commercially compared to Timberlake's past hits; "Filthy" peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, while subsequent releases failed to reach the top twenty. The album was supported by the Man of the Woods Tour, a worldwide concert tour that visited arenas and stadiums across North America and Europe throughout 2018 and 2019.

Track listing

All tracks are produced by Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and Danja, except where noted. # "Filthy" # "Midnight Summer Jam" # "Sauce" # "Man of the Woods" (producers: Timberlake, The Neptunes) # "Higher Higher" (producers: Timberlake, Eric Hudson) # "Wave" # "Supplies" # "Morning Light" (featuring Alicia Keys) (producers: Timberlake, The Neptunes) # "Say Something" (featuring Chris Stapleton) (producers: Timberlake, Timbaland, Rob Knox) # "Hers" (featuring Jessica Biel) # "Flannel" # "Montana" # "Breeze off the Pond" # "Livin' off the Land" # "The Hard Stuff" # "Young Man"

Personnel

* **Justin Timberlake** – lead vocals, songwriting, production, various instruments * **Timbaland** – production, drum programming, songwriting * **The Neptunes** (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) – production, songwriting on tracks 4 and 8 * **Danja** – production, keyboards, songwriting * **Eric Hudson** – production, songwriting on track 5 * **Rob Knox** – production, songwriting on track 9 * **Alicia Keys** – featured vocals, piano on "Morning Light" * **Chris Stapleton** – featured vocals, guitar on "Say Something" * **Jessica Biel** – spoken word on "Hers" * **Elliot Ives** – guitar * **Mike Reid** – piano * **Mastering** by Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace * **Mixing** by Jimmy Douglass and Chris Godbey

Category:2018 albums Category:Justin Timberlake albums Category:RCA Records albums Category:Albums produced by Timbaland Category:Albums produced by The Neptunes