Rock Your Body

"Rock Your Body" was written by Justin Timberlake and its producers, Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams.{{cite AV media notes|others=Justin Timberlake|title=Justified|year=2002|type=inlay cover|publisher=Jive Records}} 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.{{cite magazine|title=20 Hit Songs Meant For Other Singers|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|magazine=Billboard|date=February 28, 2013|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop-shop/1550426/20-hit-songs-meant-for-other-singers|access-date=April 15, 2013}}{{cite news|first=Madeline|last=Boardman|title=Justin Timberlake's 'Rock Your Body' Meant For Michael Jackson, And Other Hits That Were Passed On|publisher=AOL|work=The Huffington Post|date=April 3, 2013|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/04/justin-timberlakes-rock-your-body-meant-for-michael-jackson_n_2805413.html|access-date=April 15, 2013}} Jackson did not want any of the tracks, and so all the material was passed onto Timberlake for his debut album, Justified.

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"Rock Your Body" has a running duration of four minutes and twenty-seven seconds. The uptempo R&B,{{cite news|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2013/03/the-25-best-justin-timberlake-songs/justin-timberlake-rock-your-body|title=The 25 Best Justin Timberlake Songs|date=March 15, 2013|first=Tannis|last=Spencer|work=Complex|publisher=Complex Media|access-date=May 19, 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2013/03/the-50-best-neptunes-beats/justin-timberlake-rock-your-body|title=The 50 Best Neptunes Beats|date=March 5, 2013|first=Craig|last=Jenkins|work=Complex|publisher=Complex Media|access-date=June 24, 2013}} disco groove,{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2010/07/21/justin-timberlake-justified-popology/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723130634/http://newsroom.mtv.com/2010/07/21/justin-timberlake-justified-popology|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 23, 2010|title=Justin Timberlake Justifies The Existence Of 'Popology'|date=July 21, 2010|first=Kyle|last=Anderson|publisher=MTV News. Viacom|access-date=May 19, 2013}} soul{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/vdmq|title=Justin Timberlake Justified Review|date=November 20, 2002 |first=Denise|last=Boyd|publisher=BBC Music. BBC|access-date=March 3, 2013}} infused song contains influences from both Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.{{cite news|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/name/6813 |title=Album Reviews – Justin Timberlake: Justified |date=November 1, 2002|first=Alex |last=Needham |work=NME|publisher=IPC Media|access-date=March 3, 2013}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457770/janet-gets-sexy-on-justin-cd.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322204001/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457770/janet-gets-sexy-on-justin-cd.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 22, 2012|title=Timberlake, Janet Jackson Make Sexy Pair On Justified|last=Wiederhorn|first=Jon|date=September 25, 2002|publisher=MTV News. Viacom|access-date=February 28, 2013}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0044603|title=Justin Timberlake – Rock Your Body|date=July 14, 2003|publisher=Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing |access-date=April 15, 2013}} 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,{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r610485|pure_url=yes}} |title=Review: Justified|first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |publisher=Allmusic. Rovi Corporation|access-date=February 28, 2013}} as did Jane Stevenson of Jam!, who interpreted its Jackson influence.{{cite web|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/T/Timberlake_Justin/AlbumReviews/2002/11/14/772032.html|title=Music – Artists – Album Review: Justified|publisher=Jam!. Canoe.ca|last=Stevenson|first=Jane|access-date=May 17, 2012|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710134502/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/T/Timberlake_Justin/AlbumReviews/2002/11/14/772032.html|archive-date=July 10, 2012}} Giving Justified a negative review, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian noted "Rock Your Body" as "predictable".{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2002/nov/01/popandrock.artsfeatures6|title=CD: Justin Timberlake: Justified|location=London|date=November 7, 2002|first=Caroline|last=Sullivan|work=The Guardian|access-date=March 3, 2013}} 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.

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!"{{cite web | url=http://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/5924-top-50-singles-of-2003/?page=3 | title=Top 50 Singles of 2003 | work=Pitchfork Media | date=December 29, 2003 | access-date=April 26, 2016}}

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.{{cite magazine|year=2003|title=Singles Minded|magazine=Billboard|page=88|issue=12|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=fw8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+your+body%22&pg=PA77|access-date=April 14, 2013|issn=0006-2510|volume=115}} The following week, the song entered the top 40 at number 37, and in its third week, reached number 28.{{cite magazine|year=2003|title=Singles Minded|magazine=Billboard |page=65|issue=13|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qw8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+your+body%22&pg=PA69|access-date=April 14, 2013|issn=0006-2510|volume=115}}{{cite magazine|year=2003|title=Singles Minded|magazine=Billboard |page=64|issue=14|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VQ8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+your+body%22&pg=PA59|access-date=April 14, 2013|issn=0006-2510|volume=115}} In its fourth week, the song charted at number 20 on the Hot 100, and in its fifth week, rose further to number 13.{{cite magazine|year=2003|title=Singles Minded|magazine=Billboard |page=66|issue=15|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fA0EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+your+body%22&pg=PA41|access-date=April 14, 2013|issn=0006-2510|volume=115}}{{cite magazine|year=2003|title=Singles Minded|magazine=Billboard |page=57|issue=16|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gg0EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+your+body%22&pg=PA37|access-date=April 14, 2013|issn=0006-2510|volume=115}} Within its sixth week, it moved up two positions to number 11, and reached number 10 the following week.{{cite magazine|year=2003|title=Singles Minded|magazine=Billboard |page=64|issue=17|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jQ0EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+your+body%22|access-date=April 14, 2013|issn=0006-2510|volume=115}}{{cite magazine|year=2003|title=Singles Minded|magazine=Billboard |page=73|issue=18|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mA0EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+your+body%22&pg=PA1|access-date=April 14, 2013|issn=0006-2510|volume=115}} "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.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8097976/justin-timberlake-nsync-career-album-song-sales-ask-billboard|title=Ask Billboard: Justin Timberlake & *NSYNC's Career Album & Song Sales |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Billboard-Hollywood Media Group |date=February 4, 2018 |access-date=February 4, 2018 |last=Trust |first=Gary}}

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 week on the chart, at number four. The song remained on the chart for 20 weeks, and was later certified triple platinum by Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ), for 90,000 equivalent units.

It charted within the top five on the Danish Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart, peaking at number three and four, respectively. It peaked at number six on Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders), Finnish Singles Chart and Dutch Singles Chart. "Rock Your Body" was less successful in other territories. It charted within the top 20 on the Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia), French Singles Chart, Swedish Singles Charts and Norwegian Singles Chart. It charted outside the top 20 on the German Singles Chart, Swiss Singles Chart and Austrian Singles Chart; the latter chart is the song's lowest charting territory, where it peaked at number 56.

File:Rock Your Body scene.PNG

The music video was directed by Francis Lawrence and filmed in February 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1459732/justin-timberlake-on-tourmate-christina-shes-bad/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213012856/http://www.mtv.com/news/1459732/justin-timberlake-on-tourmate-christina-shes-bad/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 13, 2015|title=Justin Timberlake On Tourmate Christina: 'She's Bad'|last=Wiederhorn|first=Jon|website=MTV News|date=January 28, 2003|access-date=February 12, 2020}}{{cite book|last=Railton|first=Diane|date=July 7, 2011|title=Music Video and the Politics of Representation|page=165}} It opens within a black cube with an array of different colored lights with several people dancing. The video inter-cuts to Justin Timberlake singing to the song. Timberlake then floats to the floor from an opening in the cube's ceiling, performing choreography with his supporting dancers and singing to the track's first verse. Throughout the video, it inter-cuts to Timberlake dancing by himself, with the sections sometimes featuring the camera panning around Timberlake's face. Entering the second verse, Timberlake is in the cube on his own, manipulating the motion of the cube with his hands, with his legs following the moving platform. Timberlake then returns performing choreography again with his dancers.

Following the second chorus, Timberlake dances with Staci Flood, who lip syncs Vanessa Marquez's section. Timberlake is seen beatboxing. The video ends with Timberlake's duplicates dancing. The music video on YouTube has received over 190 million views as of April 2024.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSVHoHyErBQ Justin Timberlake - Rock Your Body (Official Video)].YouTube

Timberlake performed "Rock Your Body" during his Justified World Tour and the Christina Aguilera conjoint tour Justified & Stripped Tour, both in support of his debut album Justified.{{cite news|url=http://www.nme.com/news/justin-timberlake/15661|title=JT returns to the UK|date=December 2, 2003|work=NME|publisher=IPC Media|access-date=May 19, 2013}} He performed the song live on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live in October 2003, where he served as host and musical guest.{{cite episode |title=Justin Timberlake |series=Saturday Night Live |network=NBC |airdate=October 11, 2003 |season=29 |number=547 |minutes=90-92}} On February 1, 2004, Timberlake performed the song with pop singer Janet Jackson during her performance at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.{{cite news|title=Apologetic Jackson says 'costume reveal' went awry|publisher= CNN.com|agency=Associated Press|date=February 3, 2004|url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/02/02/superbowl.jackson/|access-date=July 27, 2007}} At the moment he sang the lyric "Bet I'll have you naked by the end of this song", he ripped off part of Jackson's outfit, momentarily exposing her right breast on live television. Timberlake distanced himself from the controversy while Jackson faced much criticism and backlash. He later commented that "America's harsher on women ... [and] unfairly harsh on ethnic people."{{cite web|last=Moss|first= Corey|author2=Norris, John |title=Justin Timberlake's Future Shock|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/t/timberlake_justin/news_feature_081506/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901082304/http://www.mtv.com/bands/t/timberlake_justin/news_feature_081506/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 1, 2006|publisher=MTV News. Viacom|date=August 15, 2006|access-date=August 14, 2007}} Timberlake performed the song at the Hollywood Palladium, following his performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards on February 10, 2013.{{cite news|first=Mesfin|last=Fekadu|title=Justin Timberlake's Post-Grammys Show: Singer Performs At Hollywood Palladium After Awards|publisher=AOL|work=The Huffington Post|date= February 11, 2013|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/11/justin-timberlake-post-grammys-show-palladium_n_2663549.html|access-date=May 19, 2013}} He performed "Rock Your Body" in a medley with other of his songs at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. In 2016, he performed the song along with "Can't Stop the Feeling!" during the interval act of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 grand finale.{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/watch-justin-timberlake-perform-at-eurovision-2016-rock-your-body-cant-stop-the-feeling-a7029996.html | title=Watch Justin Timberlake perform at Eurovision 2016 | work=Independent | date=May 14, 2016 | access-date=May 14, 2016}}

"Rock Your Body" was featured on The Justified World Tour (2003/04), Justified and Stripped Tour (2003), FutureSex/LoveShow (2007), Legends of the Summer Stadium Tour with rapper Jay-Z (2013), The 20/20 Experience World Tour (2013/14), The Man of the Woods Tour (2018/19) and The Forget Tomorrow World Tour (2024/25).{{cite web |last1=Rossignol |first1=Derrick |title=Here Is Justin Timberlake's 'The Forget Tomorrow World Tour' Set list |url=https://uproxx.com/pop/justin-timberlake-forget-tomorrow-world-tour-setlist/ |website=Uproxx |access-date=April 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240430151840/https://uproxx.com/pop/justin-timberlake-forget-tomorrow-world-tour-setlist/ |archive-date=April 30, 2024 |location=United States |date=April 30, 2024 |url-status=live}} He again performed the song during the Super Bowl LII halftime show in 2018, this time abruptly stopping the "have you naked..." line and, after a brief pause, segueing into another song.

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• European CD single

1. "Rock Your Body" (Album Version) — 4:28
2. "Rock Your Body" (Sander Kleinenberg's Just in the Radio Edit) — 3:33

• French CD single

1. "Rock Your Body" (Album Version) — 4:28
2. "Rock Your Body" (Paul Oakenfold Radio Edit) — 3:50
3. "Rock Your Body" (Video)

• CD maxi single

1. "Rock Your Body" (Album Version) — 4:28
2. "Rock Your Body" (Sander Kleinenberg's Just in the Radio Edit) — 3:33
3. "Rock Your Body" (Paul Oakenfold Mix) — 5:41
4. "Rock Your Body" (Instrumental with Beatbox) — 4:28

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• Cassette single

1. "Rock Your Body" (Album Version) — 4:28
2. "Rock Your Body" (Sander Kleinenberg's Just in the Radio Edit) — 3:33
3. "Worthy Of" — 4:09

• 12-inch vinyl

1. "Rock Your Body" (Album Version) — 4:28
2. "Rock Your Body" (Paul Oakenfold Mix) — 5:41
3. "Rock Your Body" (Sander Kleinenberg's Just in the Club Mix) — 9:32

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Credits are adapted from AllMusic and the Justified inlay.{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r641694/credits|pure_url=yes}} |title=Credits: Rock Your Body|publisher=Allmusic. Rovi Corporation|access-date=April 13, 2013}}

• David Betancourt – assistant engineer
• Andrew Coleman – engineer
• Eddie DeLena – vocal engineer
• Serban Ghenea – mixing
• Ian Green – engineer, programming
• Chaz Harpe – mastering
• Chad Hugo – instrumentation, producer
• Eelke Kalberg – producer
• Sander Kleinenberg – producer, remixing
• Sebastiaan Molijn – producer
• Paul Oakenfold – remixing
• Herb Powers – mastering
• Tim Roberts – assistant engineer
• Justin Timberlake – primary artist, vocal arrangement, vocals
• Pharrell Williams – instrumentation, producer, vocal arrangement, vocals
• Vanessa Marquez – additional vocals

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Rock Your Body"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2017|access-date=December 4, 2017|refname="aus cert"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|title=Rock Your Body|artist=Justin Timberlake|type=single|award=Gold|certyear=2023|relyear=2003|access-date=December 18, 2023|refname="braz cert"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|award=Platinum|id=11597|relyear=2003|certyear=2022|access-date=August 23, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|award=Gold|id=13730|relyear=2003|certyear=2024|access-date=December 16, 2024|artist=Justin Timberlake|title=Rock Your Body}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|title=Rock Your Body|artist=Justin Timberlake|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=2003|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=January 18, 2025|refname="nz cert"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Justin Timberlake|title=Rock Your Body|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2003|certyear=2024|id=10034-46-1|access-date=October 15, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Justin Timberlake|title=Rock Your Body|award=Gold|relyear=2003|certyear=2005|digital=true|refname="us cert"|salesamount=2,000,000|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}

• The song was briefly featured in the 2005 ninth season South Park episode "Marjorine".{{cite book|last=Gournelos|first=Ted|title=Popular Culture and the Future of Politics: Cultural Studies and the Tao of South Park|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PCI23BOylt4C&q=Marjorine+justin+timberlake&pg=PA56|access-date=April 4, 2013|year=2009|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0739137215|page=56}}
• This song is part of the soundtrack of Just Dance 2022, introducing the recurring character of the Traveler, a powerful dimension-hopping sorcerer said to be inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe's take on Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Together with Dua Lipa's "Levitating" and The Weeknd and Ariana Grande's "Save Your Tears (Remix)", it forms a trilogy of maps establishing the character's journey and eventual reunion with his previously-estranged love interest, goddess Si'ha Nova.{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Stefan Miguel |date=November 3, 2021 |title=Just Dance 2022 Song List |url=https://gamerant.com/just-dance-2022-song-list/ |access-date=2023-08-08 |website=Game Rant |language=en}}

• Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
• List of number-one singles of 2003 (Australia)

{{Reflist}}

• {{YouTube|id=TSVHoHyErBQ|title=Music video}}

{{Justin Timberlake songs}}

{{MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video}}

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Category:2002 songs

Category:2003 singles

Category:American disco songs

Category:Justin Timberlake songs

Category:Jive Records singles

Category:Number-one singles in Australia

Category:Song recordings produced by the Neptunes

Category:Music videos directed by Francis Lawrence

Category:Songs written by Justin Timberlake

Category:Songs written by Pharrell Williams

Category:Songs written by Chad Hugo

Category:Songs about dancing