Pop (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Pop


Artist = 'N Sync
from Album = Celebrity
Released = July 17, 2001
Format =
Recorded = 2001
Genre = Pop
Length = Album Version 3:58 Radio Version 2:58
Label =
Writer = Justin Timberlake
Wade Robson
Producer = Brian Transeau (BT)
Chart position =
* #9 (UK)
* #19 (US)
* #30 (Germany)
Reviews =
Last single = "This I Promise You"
(2000)
This single = "Pop"
(2001)
Next single = "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 Brian Transeau's own song, "Smartbomb." BT later said that the song included "something like 2,000 or 3,000 edits," which he produced while on a plane. [http://m-pulse.m-audio.com/articles/june2003/bt.php M-Pulse] ] He said of the song: "After doing 'Pop,' I couldn't believe that they accepted it, much less picked it for a single. I was in Thailand when they picked the song for the first single... No one's ever going to play that song. Ever. 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."

In 2001, it won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award (category Favorite Group - Pop ).

It won a Teen Choice Award in 2001 for Choice Single.

Tracklist

Versions

*Pop [Album version] 3:58
*Pop Deep Dish cha-ching remix radio edit] 4:15
*Pop [Deep Dish cha-ching remix] 11:50
*Pop [Instrumental Album version] 3:18
*Pop [Pablo La Rosa's funktified mix] 5:39
*Pop [Radio version] 2:58
*Pop [Terminalhead vocal remix] 5:23
*Pop [Video version] 3:57

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." (It should be noted that 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.

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 "".

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.

References