EDITORS’ NOTES

With hints of Americana and help from Chris Stapleton, the pop superstar enters a new chapter. Dually inspired by his Tennessee roots and growing family—Timberlake's son, Silas, was born in 2015—Man of the Woods imbues his signature R&B grooves with harmonica and fiddle. It’s a bold move, but he never drifts too far from home. "The Hard Stuff” and Stapleton collaboration “Say Something” are pop-rock ballads with flickers of Nashville, while the Timbaland-assisted “Filthy” and The Neptunes-produced “Higher Higher” are natural continuations of his beat-minded classics (think: “SexyBack” and “Suit & Tie”). The standout? “Morning Light,” a neo-soul duet with Alicia Keys that’s so textured and expressive, it makes you wonder if there’s anything JT can’t do.