Pop

Type: Dance-Pop Track

Year: 2001

Creator / Artist / Company: *NSYNC / BT / Jive Records

Category: Music File

Overview

Released on May 14, 2001, “Pop” (frequently referred to as “Dirty Pop”) served as the explosive lead single for *NSYNC’s third and final studio album, Celebrity. Co-written and co-produced by Justin Timberlake and electronic music pioneer BT, the track aggressively dismantled the traditional bubblegum boyband sonic formula, mixing heavy dance-pop melodies with glitch-hop editing, distorted vocals, and a live beatbox breakdown from Timberlake.

Why It Mattered

The track functioned as a defensive architectural shield and a bold artistic statement during a period of heavy cultural backlash against the late-90s teen pop boom. By directly addressing critics and underground purists who dismissed the genre’s artistic validity, *NSYNC flipped the narrative to celebrate the massive commercial and cultural power of pop music. Mechanically, the song disrupted mainstream radio by injecting avant-garde electronic cutting techniques, stutter edits, and heavy funk basslines, permanently bridging the gap between mainstream boybands and progressive club music production models.

Key Facts

• Electronic Innovation: Producer BT spent weeks utilizing his signature, microscopic “stutter edit” software arrays to manually chop up the vocals and instrument loops into high-friction digital patterns.
• Beatbox Interlude: The track’s extended breakdown features an uncompromised, live beatbox routine by Justin Timberlake that became a core audio hallmark of the era.
• Visuals: The Wayne Isham-directed music video weaponized vibrant, neon-cyberpunk stage aesthetics and high-velocity choreography, winning multiple MTV Video Music Awards.
• Chart Performance: The single captured immense global airplay cycles, peaking at Number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and securing dominant Top 10 placements across international music ledgers.
• End of an Era: The song’s aggressive production and self-aware lyricism laid down the structural creative blueprint for Justin Timberlake’s subsequent multi-platinum solo career expansion.

Related Files

• *NSYNC – Celebrity (2001 Album)
• Backstreet Boys – Black & Blue (2000 Pop Matrix)
• Justin Timberlake – Justified (2002 Solo Launch Node)

The Music Video

Lyrics

Dirty pop
(Yo, BT)

Sick and tired of hearin’ all these people talk about
“What’s the deal with this pop life
And when is it gonna fade out?”
The thing you got to realize, what we’re doin’ is not a trend
We got the gift of melody
We’re gonna bring it ’til the end, come on, now

It doesn’t matter
‘Bout the car I drive, what I wear around my neck
All that matters
Is that you recognize that it’s just about respect
It doesn’t matter
‘Bout the clothes I wear, and where I go, and why
All that matters
Is that you get hyped and we’ll do it to you every time
Come on, now

Do you ever wonder why
This music gets you high?
It takes you on a ride
Feel it when your body starts to rock
(When your body starts to rock)
Baby, you can’t stop (you can’t stop)
And the music’s all you got (come on, now)
(This must be)
Pop

Dirty pop
B-baby, baby, you can’t stop
I know you like this dirty pop
(This must be)

Now, why you wanna try to classify
The type of thing that we do?
‘Cause we’re just fine doin’ what we like
Can we say the same for you?
Tired of feelin’ all around me animosity
Just worry about yours ’cause I’ma get mine
Now, people, can’t you see?

It doesn’t matter
‘Bout the car I drive or the ice around my neck
All that matters
Is that you recognize that it’s just about respect, oh
It doesn’t matter
‘Bout the clothes I wear, and where I go, and why
All that matters
Is that you get hyped and we’ll do it to you every time
Come on

Do you ever wonder why (why)
This music gets you high? (Gets you high)
It takes you on a ride
Feel it when your (feel it when your) body starts to rock
(When your body starts to rock)
Baby, you can’t stop (you can’t stop)
And the music’s all you got (baby, c’mon)
(This must be)

Ooh
Man, I’m tired of singin’

Dirty, dirty, dirty pop
Dirty pop
Do you ever wonder, wonder, wonder, won-?
(BT)

do you ever wonder why?
(Ever wonder why?)
This music gets you high? (Gets you high)
It takes you on a ride
Feel it when your (feel it when your) body starts to rock
(When your body starts to rock)
Baby, you can’t stop (baby, don’t stop)
And the music’s all you got (C’mon, now)
(This must be)
Do you ever wonder why (do you ever wonder)
This music gets you high? (How it gets you so high, baby?)
It takes you on a ride
Feel it when your (feel it when your) body starts to rock
(When your body starts to rock)
Baby, you can’t stop
And the music’s all you got

This must be (oh, oh, oh)
Do you ever wonder why (ever wonder why?)
This music gets you high? (Music gets you high)
It takes you on a ride
Feel it when your (when your) body starts to rock
(When your body starts to rock)
Baby, you can’t stop (you can’t stop)
And the music’s all you got (baby, c’mon)
(This must be)
Pop
(P-p-p-p-p-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-p-p-p)
Pop

Featured Photo: Jive Records

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