Justified

Justified is the debut solo studio album by Justin Timberlake, released in November 2002 on Jive Records and produced primarily by The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) with additional production by Timbaland, the album that established Timberlake as a credible solo R&B artist separate from his *NSYNC identity, built on the same funk and soul references that The Neptunes had deployed on records for Clipse, Nelly, and Jay-Z. Timberlake co-wrote all material with his producers; 'Cry Me a River' (produced by Timbaland), widely interpreted as a response to Britney Spears following their relationship's end, and 'Rock Your Body' and 'Señorita' were the principal singles. 'Cry Me a River' reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the most discussed pop singles of its year, with its lyrical narrative and music video directing the gossip media's attention toward the Timberlake-Spears relationship. Justified has been certified three-times platinum in the United States, reached number two on the Billboard 200, and won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. The album demonstrated that Timberlake's transition from boy-band member to solo artist was one of the most successful in the genre's commercial history.