Pop

"Pop"
Single by 'N Sync
from the album Celebrity
Released	May 15, 2001
Recorded	February 2001
Genre	Pop, Hip hop
Length	3:58 (Album version) 2:58 (Radio version)
Writer(s)	Justin Timberlake Wade Robson
Producer	Brian Transeau (BT)
'N Sync singles chronology
"This I Promise You" (2000) "Pop" (2001) "Gone" (2001)

"Pop" is the first single by *NSync from their album Celebrity. It was written by Wade Robson and Justin Timberlake and produced by BT using his famous "stutter edit" sound. The song's subject focuses on contemporary criticism of boy bands and pop music, and assures the public of their music being addictive and not being a trend. It reached #19 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and #9 on the UK Singles Chart.

It incorporates elements of BT's own song, "Smartbomb", from his album Movement in Still Life. BT later said that the song included "something like 2,000 or 3,000 edits," which he produced while on a plane.^[1] He said of the song: "After doing 'Pop,' I couldn't believe that they accepted it, much less picked it for a single. [...] I tried to make Justin sound like a cross between Michael Jackson and Max Headroom. I just wanted it to sound like you had Michael Jackson in like a headlock and were just shaking him. I couldn't believe that they played that on the radio, much less that it was a single and a hit."^[1]

In 2001, it won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award (category Favorite Group - Pop) and a Teen Choice Award for Choice Single.

Versions

• Pop [Album version] 4:00
• Pop [Radio Version] 2:57
• Pop [Instrumental] 2:57
• Pop Deep Dish Cha-ching Remix Radio Edit] 4:15
• Pop [Deep Dish cha-ching remix] 11:50
• Pop [Pablo La Rosa's funktified mix] 5:39
• Pop [Pablo La Rosa Big Sync Mix] 6:35
• Pop [Terminalhead Remix] 5:23

Music video

The music video begins with a girl (Sandra McCoy) holding a bowl of cereal watching a commercial of Justin Timberlake advertising pop seemingly to her: "Hey you! Yeah, I'm talking to you, sassy girl. Need a little ahh in your step? Try this on for size: i-i-i-i-i-its Pop! I-i-i-it tastes real good and makes you feel kind of funny, not here, not down there, but all up in this area. And, c-coming J-July 24, 2001, Jumbo-pop." (July 24 was the release date for the Celebrity album.)

The girl drops her cereal bowl and the camera passes through three pieces spelling the word POP.

After the music starts, the video takes place at a colorful dance club with *NSYNC performing on a lighted circle with the word "POP" in a neon sign behind them. While they are singing, Timberlake is also on a spinning spiral, and JC Chasez is in the crowd. Many special effects, including fast-motion, bullet-time, and computer generated warp-transitions, are used.

At the end of the video, Timberlake executes his first music-video beatbox.

The video debut on TRL May 30, 2001

During the dancing sequence part of the video, close up shots featured Joey Fatone, but the far away shots instead featured the video producer/choreographer/writer Wade Robson. Joey had injured his leg in a trap door during rehearsals for the new tour and could not do the dance sequences. Thus, Robson filled in, with dyed hair.

This song was played in the movie Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

The music video won four MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Pop Video, Best Dance Video, Best Group Video and Viewer's Choice.

2001 MTV Video Music Awards performance

The song was performed at the VMAs hosted by Jamie Foxx. Towards the end of the song, a giant Etch-a-Sketch spells out "King of Pop," and creates a silhouette of Michael Jackson before he finally appears in a surprise performance. He improvises his classic moves to the beat of "Pop" and ends with a prolonged standing ovation from the crowd.

Chart positions

References