Justin Timberlake Scores His Highest Hot 100 Debut in Six Years With ‘Selfish’

Xander Zellner
·2 min read
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Justin Timberlake notches his highest Billboard Hot 100 debut in six years as his new single “Selfish” debuts at No. 19 on the Feb. 10-dated chart.

Released Jan. 25, the song tallied 22.4 million in all-format radio airplay audience, 11.5 million official streams and 10,000 downloads sold in the U.S. in its first full week of activity (Jan. 26-Feb. 1), according to Luminate.

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“Selfish” is taking off across multiple radio formats: It jumps 20-13 on Adult Pop Airplay and 33-17 on Pop Airplay and debuts at No. 14 on Adult Contemporary and No. 33 on Rhythmic Airplay. On the all-format Radio Songs chart, it starts at No. 33.

Timberlake’s last song to debut higher on the Hot 100 was “Say Something,” featuring Chris Stapleton (No. 9, February 2018). Three other Timberlake songs have debuted higher than “Selfish”: “Can’t Stop the Feeling!,” which launched at No. 1 in 2016; “Holy Grail,” with Jay-Z (No. 8 debut, before reaching No. 4, in 2013); and “Filthy” (No. 9 debut and peak, 2018). He has also entered in the top 20 with “Love Never Felt So Good,” a virtual duet with Michael Jackson (No. 20 debut, No. 9 peak, 2014).

“Selfish” earns Timberlake his 39th career solo entry on the Hot 100, and his 29th to reach the top 40. His first solo song to reach the chart was “Like I Love You” in 2002 (No. 11 peak). He has earned five solo No. 1s: “SexyBack” (for seven weeks in 2006); “My Love,” featuring T.I. (three, 2006); “What Goes Around…Comes Around” (one week, 2007); “Give It to Me” (by Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Timberlake; two, 2007); and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (one, 2016).

Outside of his solo work, *NSYNC has charted 13 songs with Timberlake as a member, including the group’s recent reunion single “Better Place,” which reached No. 25 in October. The group reigned with “It’s Gonna Be Me” (two, 2000).

Last week, Timberlake hinted on The Kelly Clarkson Show that the band may be working on more new music. “We’ve been in the studio,” he said. “So there may be a little something in the future.”

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