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| Credit: Britney Spears/Justin Timberlake/Instagram |
Justin Timberlake’s star appears to be fading. Fans have seemingly "retired" the pop icon amid lackluster album sales, disappointing concert turnout, and the fallout from Britney Spears' recent memoir.
Timberlake’s new album, "Everything I Thought It Was," released on March 15, marked his first since 2018’s "Man of the Woods." Despite debuting at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, the album plummeted off the Billboard Hot 200 within a month.
His "The Forget Tomorrow" tour, his first in five years, is also struggling. Unlike previous tours that sold out arenas, tickets for this one remain available in almost every city, with the most expensive seats going for just $900. Timberlake even canceled his June 8th show in Columbia, SC, with Ticketmaster simply noting, “Unfortunately, the Event Organizer has had to cancel your event,” without further explanation. Timberlake, 43, has not commented on the cancellation.
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| Credit: Jessica Biel/Instagram |
Music journalist Touré of TheGrio suggests Timberlake’s extended hiatus and negative press have contributed to his decline. “A six-year break from your mid-thirties to your early forties is a really long time [for an artist],” he told Paula Froelich of NewsNation. “Most of [Timberlake’s] fans have aged out of caring about him. It’s like the old saying goes, ‘You don’t retire – the audience retires you.’”
Compounding his woes is the October release of Britney Spears’ memoir, "The Woman in Me," which casts Timberlake in a negative light. Spears details their turbulent three-year relationship, including an abortion at Timberlake’s suggestion and allegations of his infidelity. Spears, 42, claims she had an abortion at 19 because Timberlake didn’t want to be a father, a decision she now questions.
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| Credit: Justin Timberlake & Britney Spears/Instagram |
Although Spears later apologized on Instagram for any offense her memoir may have caused, Timberlake responded dismissively during a concert, saying he’d “like to take this opportunity to apologize — to absolutely f—ing nobody.” Spears subsequently deleted her apology and posted a defiant message, escalating the public feud.
As Timberlake grapples with these challenges, his once-glittering career faces an uncertain future.
Related: Justin Timberlake Nervous About Tour Amid Britney Spears Fan Backlash
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