"Rock Your Body" is a song by American singer Justin Timberlake from his debut studio album, Justified (2002). The Neptunes wrote and produced the song. The song features background vocals by American singer Vanessa Marquez, who was signed to the Neptunes' Star Trak record label at the time. Jive Records released the track on March 17, 2003, as the third single from Justified. Originally intended to be featured on Michael Jackson's tenth studio album Invincible (2001), Jackson rejected the song along with several other tracks, which were instead given to Timberlake for his debut album. It is a
"Rock Your Body" is a song by American singer Justin Timberlake from his debut studio album, Justified (2002). The Neptunes wrote and produced the song. The song features background vocals by American singer Vanessa Marquez, who was signed to the Neptunes' Star Trak record label at the time. Jive Records released the track on March 17, 2003, as the third single from Justified. Originally intended to be featured on Michael Jackson's tenth studio album Invincible (2001), Jackson rejected the song along with several other tracks, which were instead given to Timberlake for his debut album. It is a
詳しい紹介を読む
"Rock Your Body" is a song by American singer Justin Timberlake from his debut studio album, Justified (2002). The Neptunes (consisting of Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams) wrote and produced the song. The song features background vocals by American singer Vanessa Marquez, who was signed to the Neptunes' Star Trak record label at the time. Jive Records released the track on March 17, 2003, as the third single from Justified. Originally intended to be featured on Michael Jackson's tenth studio album Invincible (2001), Jackson rejected the song along with several other tracks, which were instead given to Timberlake for his debut album. It is an uptempo, disco groove, soul infused song containing influences from Jackson and Stevie Wonder.
"Rock Your Body" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who noted it as a stand-out track, while complimenting its musical elements. The song topped the Australian Singles Chart. It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and became the third single from Justified to do so, following "Like I Love You" and "Cry Me a River". It also charted at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales of 500,000 and 1,200,000 copies, respectively.
The accompanying music video, directed by Francis Lawrence, features Timberlake with several back-up dancers performing choreography within a multi-colored lighted cube. Timberlake performed "Rock Your Body" live several times, including the highly controversial performance at the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show with R&B singer Janet Jackson, referred to as a "wardrobe malfunction".
Writing and recording
"Rock Your Body" was written by Justin Timberlake and its producers, Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams. It was recorded at Master Sound Recording Studios and Windmark Recording, both located in Virginia Beach with Andrew Coleman serving as a recording engineer. It was mixed by Serban Ghenea at Windmark Recording, with Daniel Botancourt and Tim Roberts aiding as additional engineers. John Hanes provided additional Pro Tools engineering. All the instrumentation was delivered by Hugo and Williams, with vocal arrangements handled by the latter and Timberlake. Vanessa Marquez provided additional vocals, which were recorded by Eddie Delena at the Record Plant located in Los Angeles. "Rock Your Body" was initially given to Michael Jackson for his tenth and final studio album Invincible (2001), along with several other songs by the Neptunes. Jackson did not want any of the tracks, and so all the material was passed onto Timberlake for his debut album, Justified.
Composition and reception
"Rock Your Body" runs for four minutes and twenty-seven seconds. The uptempo R&B, disco groove, soul infused song contains influences from both Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. The song incorporates tinny, "keyboard-set-to-emulate-clavichord" synthesizers of the Neptunes' late 90s productions, overlaid with "keys and a propulsive drum vamp". Timberlake makes use of his falsetto range, and Vanessa Marquez sings the female section. Alex Needham of NME noted the track to contain characteristics from material within Jackson's album Off the Wall (1979).
According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "Rock Your Body" is written in the key of E minor and has a tempo of 101 beats per minute. It follows the chord progression of F/G-G/A-Em, with Justin Timberlake's vocal range spanning from the low note of B3 to the high note of D6. Andy Kellman of AllMusic noted "Rock Your Body" as a stand-out from Justified, as did Jane Stevenson of Jam!, who interpreted its Jackson influence. Giving Justified a negative review, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian noted "Rock Your Body" as "predictable". Complex's Tannis Spenser listed the song as the fifth best Justin Timberlake song, praising its "near perfect sing along chorus" and Timberlake's vocals.
Commercial performance
On the week of March 22, 2003, "Rock Your Body" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 61, earning the Hot Shot Debut honor. The following week, the song entered the top 40 at number 37, and in its third week, reached number 28. In its fourth week, the song charted at number 20 on the Hot 100, and in its fifth week, rose further to number 13. Within its sixth week, it moved up two positions to number 11, and reached number 10 the following week. "Rock Your Body" eventually reached its peak at number five, where it remained for one week. The song remained on the Hot 100 for 22 weeks before dropping out. The song topped the US Mainstream Top 40 chart, where it remained for one week. It was less successful on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it peaked at number 45. On February 5, 2005, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of 500,000 copies. As of 2018, the song has sold 2 million copies in the country.
Internationally, the song was met with a similar response. "Rock Your Body" debuted on the Australian Singles Chart at number one. It dropped to number three the following week, where it remained in the top ten for six weeks; it stayed on the chart for eleven weeks before dropping out. The song was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), denoting shipments of 70,000 copies. On the UK Singles Chart, "Rock Your Body" became Timberlake's third consecutive number two hit, following "Like I Love You" and "Cry Me a River". On the New Zealand Singles Chart, "Rock Your Body" achieved its peak on the week of June 22, 2003, its second w
Pitchfork Media listed the song at 23 on their list of the best singles of 2003, with editor Dominique Leone writing "Rock Your Body" is "as fine an approximation of Off the Wall-era MJ as I've ever heard. The pleading falsetto is right on time, immediately preceded by tough talk about grabbing your girl (and a "couple more")-- the drama!"
