Justin Timberlake was once a budding twelve-year-old on Star Search and then a teen on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club. In 1995, he would take the next step. Convinced by Chris Kirkpatrick’s vision for a boy band, he co-founded *Nsync with Jc Chasez. Joey Fatone and Lance Bass completed the lineup, and the group quickly gained traction with their hit I Want You Back.

By 1997, they had a deal with RCA, and despite *Nsync’s subsequent success, the group went on hiatus in 2002, setting the stage for Timberlake’s solo career. His debut single, Like I Love You, dropped later that year, leading to his first album, Justified. Packed with hits like Cry Me a River and Rock Your Body, it earned Timberlake two Grammys in 2004.

But decades later, his reputation has faltered. The 2004 Super Bowl incident with Janet Jackson lingers, and Britney Spears’ recent memoir has fueled further backlash.