Pop (song)

"Pop"
Single by 'N Sync
from the album Celebrity
Released	May 15, 2001
Format	CD single
Recorded	February 2001
Genre	Pop, Dance
Length	3:57 2:55 (Radio Version)
Label	Jive
Writer(s)	Justin Timberlake Wade Robson
Producer	Brian Transeau
'N Sync singles chronology
"This I Promise You" (2000) "Pop" (2001) "Gone" (2001)

"Pop" is the first single by *NSYNC from their third studio 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. In 2001, it won Four MTV Video Music Awards for Best Group Video, Best Pop Video, Best Dance Video, and Viewers Choice. Teen Choice Award for Choice Single. The radio version was later included on their Greatest Hits album. The song was also heard in Canadian music mix MuchDance 2002. The song was included in the movie Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Music video

The music video begins with a girl (Sandra McCoy) holding a bowl of cereal (Alpha-Bits) watching a commercial of Justin Timberlake advertising pop 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.". 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 disco 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. The video debuted on TRL May 30, 2001. During the dancing sequence part of the video, close up shots featured Joey Fatone, but the far away shots instead featured the video producer 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 video got spins on BET's 106 & Park, making 'N Sync the only all-white band to ever get rotation on the show.

Live performances

The music video won four MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Pop Video, Best Group Video, Best Dance Video and Viewer's Choice Award. The song was performed at the VMAs hosted by Jamie Foxx. Towards the end of the song, a giant Etch-a-Sketch spelled out "King of Pop", and created a silhouette of Michael Jackson, before he finally appeared in a surprise performance. He improvised his classic moves to the beat of "Pop" and ended with a prolonged standing ovation from the crowd.

Track listing

• UK

1. "Pop" (Radio Version) – 2:55
2. "Pop" (Pablo La Rosa's Hard Sync Mix) – 6:29
3. "Pop" (Deep Dish Cha-Ching Radio Edit) – 4:12
4. "Pop" (Instrumental) – 2:54

• America

1. "Pop" (Radio Version) - 2:55
2. "Pop" (Radio Version No Breakdown) - 2:29

• Europe

CD1

1. "Pop" (Album Version) - 3:57
2. "Pop" (Instrumental) - 3:21

CD2

1. "Pop" (Album Version) - 3:57
2. "Pop" (Radio Version) - 2:55
3. "Pop" (Deep Dish Cha-Ching Radio Edit) - 4:12
4. "Pop" (Terminalhead Vocal Remix) - 5:23

Awards and Nominations

MTV Video Music Awards

Year	Nominated work	Award	Result
2001	"Pop"	Best Pop Video	Won
		Best Group Video	Won
		Best Dance Video	Won
		Viewer's Choice	Won
		Breakthrough Video	Nominated

Teen Choice Awards

Year	Nominated work	Award	Result
2001	"Pop"	Choice Single	Won

Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards

Year	Nominated work	Award	Result
2002	"Pop"	Favorite Song	Nominated

Chart positions

Chart (2001)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart	10
Austrian Singles Chart	49
Belgium Ultratop 50	39
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)	1
Netherlands Top 40	34
New Zealand Singles Chart	19
Norwegian Singles Chart	7
Swedish Singles Chart	19
Swiss Singles Chart	40
UK Singles Chart	9
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	19

In popular culture

The song was featured in the third episode of the 4th season of NBC sitcom Will & Grace, entitled Crouching Father, Hidden Husband, where main character Jack McFarland re-creates the dance interlude of the song. In the United Kingdom, the song is used as the title music for the Channel 4 music series KOKO Pop. In 2010, British boyband JLS covered the song along with Girlfriend and two Backstreet Boys songs in a medley number on the arena tour to support their second album Outta This World.

External links

• "Pop" Official music video on YouTube