Apparently, Even “Cool” People Are Not Immune To Charms Of Justin Timberlake

noah | February 7, 2007 9:47 am
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Today’s New York Times has some shocking news about the fanbase of Justin Timberlake:

Youthful urbanites who normally wouldn’t admit to filling their iPods with anything remotely Top 40, let alone the music of a performer who can sell out Madison Square Garden, as Mr. Timberlake, 26, did for tonight’s show, are suddenly unashamed of their copies of “Justified,” his first solo album, or “FutureSex/LoveSounds,” his recent chart-topper produced by Timbaland. Members of the Flaming Lips, Coldplay and Keane have come to his shows, and his music is a staple of cooler-than-thou fashion week.

On Monday, at an after-party for the Marc Jacobs show at the club Eugene, the D.J. Duane Harriott played “SexyBack,” and the crowd of models, art directors, designers and other insider types hit the dance floor with abandon. “It’s a timeless song,” Mr. Harriott said, favorably comparing it to the Michael Jackson tune he spun next.

Pete Wentz, the bassist for Fall Out Boy, said at the party: “The cool thing about Justin Timberlake is that he’s one of those dudes who can dance, sing, do everything. I went to a Victoria’s Secret show, and he played there, and people loved it. You can go to hipster clubs, and they like it. I think at first they liked him ironically, but now they just like him.”

We’re looking forward to the splashy Sunday Styles exposé on the rise of “justipsters,” illustrated by shots of Williamsburg partygoers stomping on disco balls while wearing fedoras. (They’ll all be barefoot, though, to make it edgy.)

Timberlake, Pop Juggernaut, Is Gaining Some Unusual Fans [NYT]