The 20/20 Experience

Third studio album by Justin Timberlake, released March 2013.

The 20/20 Experience is the third studio album by American singer Justin Timberlake, released on March 15, 2013, through RCA Records. It is an R&B and neo soul album with elements of soul music, and its lyrics discuss romance and sex. The album is considered the first half of a project, supplemented later in 2013 by Timberlake's fourth studio album, The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2.

Quick Facts

Artist

Justin Timberlake

Released

15 March 2013

Recorded

May–July 2012

Studio

Larrabee (North Hollywood); EastWest (Los Angeles)

Genre

R&B; neo soul

Label

RCA

Producer

Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon
Justin Timberlake
Rob Knox
The Tennessee Kids
Timbaland

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

The 20/20 Experience was produced over 20 days, with recording beginning in late May or early June 2012 and concluding in July 2012. Sessions took place at Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood, EastWest Studios in Los Angeles, and Jungle City Studios in New York City. The album's title came from a friend's comment that the music was "something you can see." Timberlake explained that the album "goes a lot of different directions," incorporating elements reminiscent of his first and second albums along with new material. The songs average seven minutes in length, featuring vamps, abrupt key changes, and unexpected rhythms and harmonies, partly inspired by the expansive song structures of 1960s and 1970s rock.

The album's lead single, "Suit & Tie" featuring Jay-Z, was released on January 14, 2013, and reached number three in the US. Its second single, "Mirrors," topped the UK singles chart and reached number two in the US. The third and final single, "Tunnel Vision," reached number sixty-one in the UK. Timberlake supported the album with the Legends of the Summer Stadium Tour with Jay-Z and The 20/20 Experience World Tour.

Reader's Guide

The 20/20 Experience marked Justin Timberlake's return to music after a hiatus focused on acting, following his second studio album FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006). The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and topped charts in multiple countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. It received generally positive reviews from critics and was certified 2× platinum in several territories.

The album's significance lies in its ambitious song structures and its role as the first half of a larger project. Its compilation, The 20/20 Experience – The Complete Experience, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Two songs won Grammy Awards: "Suit & Tie" for Best Music Video and "Pusher Love Girl" for Best R&B Song. The album's production, primarily by Timbaland and Timberlake, merged 1970s soul influences with futuristic sounds, drawing comparisons to Quincy Jones's work on Michael Jackson's Off the Wall. The 20/20 Experience demonstrated Timberlake's ability to balance commercial success with artistic ambition, influencing the direction of contemporary R&B and pop.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1	Pusher Love Girl
2	Suit & Tie (featuring Jay-Z)	Timberlake, Mosley, Shawn Carter, Harmon, Fauntleroy, Terrence Stubbs, Johnny Wilson, Charles Still
3	Don't Hold the Wall
4	Strawberry Bubblegum
5	Tunnel Vision
6	Spaceship Coupe
7	That Girl	Timberlake, Mosley, Harmon, Fauntleroy, Noel Williams
8	Let the Groove Get In
9	Mirrors
10	Blue Ocean Floor
Total length			1:10:05