Girlfriend (NSYNC song)

"Girlfriend" is a song by American boy band NSYNC. It was released on March 12, 2002 as the third and final single from their third studio album Celebrity. It was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 45th Grammmy Awards. It was the group's last song to enter the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 following their hiatus.

"Girlfriend"
Single by NSYNC featuring Nelly
from the album Celebrity
B-side	"The Two of Us"
Released	March 12, 2002
Recorded	April–May 2001[1]
Studio	Right Track, New York City, U.S. Battery, New York City, U.S. Wire, Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Genre	Pop R&B hip hop
Length	4:14 (Album Version) 4:45 (The Neptunes Remix)
Label	Jive
Songwriter(s)	Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, Cornell Haynes Jr. (Remix)
Producer(s)	The Neptunes
NSYNC singles chronology
"Gone" (2001) "Girlfriend" (2002)
Nelly singles chronology
"#1" (2001) "Girlfriend" (2002) "Hot in Herre" (2002)
Music video
"Girlfriend" on YouTube

Background

When originally announced as a single, the intention was for the album version of the track to be released along with a video and released to television. However, just weeks before the release, the group announced that The Neptunes would remix the song for its single release and feature two all-new verses with rapper Nelly. Unlike previous NSYNC releases, the single version, which was named "The Neptunes Remix" for classification purposes, possessed a heavy hip-hop influence. It was released on March 12, 2002 as an enhanced CD.[2]

Critical reception

In 2015, Billboard's Jason Lipshutz ranked it tenth on the list "Top 20 Essential Boy Band Songs," writing, "straddling the lines of pop, R&B and hip-hop, the song could have been the precursor to the boy band's stylistic shift, but instead proved to be the starting point for Justin Timberlake's solo career."[3]

Music video

Two music videos exist for the single. The first was created for the album version, and features only the band. The original album version of the video was released in January 2002. The music video featured the band dancing on cars, singing to girls and a drag race, which was won by Justin Timberlake.

The Neptunes Remix featured scenes of Nelly spliced between shots of the pre-existing video. He is shown rapping next to Timberlake during both of his rap verses, as well as interacting with female models in the backseat of the car throughout this version of the video. Scenes of Timberlake initiating the drag race in the interlude, which is shown in the original video, are heavily omitted in the Neptunes Remix to accommodate for Nelly's rap verse, which his second rap verse replaces.

Both video versions were directed by Marc Klasfeld. The album version video debuted on TRL on January 3, 2002, while the Neptunes Remix debuted on March 12, 2002.

Track listing

UK "Girlfriend" (The Neptunes Remix) – 4:45 "The Two of Us" – 3:51 "Gone" (Gone Clubbin' I'll Be Back Late Radio Edit) – 3:57 "Gone" (Video) – 5:10 Europe CD1 "Girlfriend" (The Neptunes Remix) – 4:45 "Girlfriend" (Album Version) – 4:14 CD2 "Girlfriend" (The Neptunes Remix) – 4:45 "Girlfriend" (Album Version) – 4:14 "Gone" (Gone Clubbin' I'll Be Back Late Mix) – 5:57 "Gone" (Video)

America "Girlfriend" (Album Version) – 4:14 "Girlfriend" (The Neptunes Remix) – 4:45 "Gone" (Gone Clubbin' I'll Be Back Late Mix) – 5:57 "Gone" (Spanish Version) – 4:57 "Girlfriend" (Video) – 4:20 PopOdyssey Live Trailer (Video) – 1:20 Canada "Girlfriend" (Album Version) – 4:14 "Girlfriend" (The Neptunes Remix) – 4:45 "Gone" (Gone Clubbin' – I'll Be Back Late Mix) – 5:57 "Gone" (Spanish version) – 4:57 "Gone" (Video) – 5:10

Credits and personnel

Recording[4]

• Recorded at Right Track, NYC; Battery Studios, NYC; and WIRE Studios, Orlando, FL

Personnel[4]

• Justin Timberlake – songwriter
• Chad Hugo – songwriter, producer, remix producer
• Pharrell Williams – songwriter, producer, remix producer
• The Neptunes – producer, remix producer
• Brian Garten – recording, additional vocal recording
• Paul Gregory – assistant recording engineer
• Rowie Nameri – assistant recording engineer
• Matina Scarpino – assistant recording engineer
• Jean-Marie Horvat – mixing
• Josean Possey – assistant mixing engineer
• Chaz Harper – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2002) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[5] 2 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 43 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 34 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[8] 15 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[9] 1 Denmark (Tracklisten)[10] 6 Europe (European Hot 100)[11] 4 Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 6 Ireland (IRMA)[13] 8 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 10 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 8 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 13 Norway (VG-lista)[17] 12 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[18] 93 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[19] 5 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 36 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 23 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[22] 2 UK Indie (Official Charts Company)[23] 1 UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[24] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 5 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[26] 23 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[27] 5 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[28] 6

Year-end charts Chart (2002) Position Australia (ARIA)[29] 25 Australia Urban (ARIA)[30] 8 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[31] 96 Germany (Official German Charts)[32] 73 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[33] 77 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[34] 70 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[35] 44 US Billboard Hot 100[36] 33

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[37]	Gold	35,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[38]	Gold	5,000^*
United Kingdom (BPI)[39]	Silver	200,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

External links

• "Girlfriend" Official Music Video on YouTube

References

1. Touré (August 31, 2001). "'N Sync: True Tales of the Pop Life". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
2. Baker, Soren (February 19, 2002). "*NSYNC Embarking On 'Celebrity' Tour With A Twist". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on September 11, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
3. Lipshutz, Jason (July 13, 2015). "Top 20 Essential Boy Band Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
4. Girlfriend (liner notes). NSYNC. Jive Records. 2002. 9253312.CS1 maint: others (link)
5. "Australian-charts.com – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
6. "Austriancharts.at – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
7. "Ultratop.be – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
8. "Ultratop.be – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
9. "'N Sync Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
10. "Danishcharts.com – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)". Tracklisten. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
11. Billboard – Google Books
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
13. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Girlfriend". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 18, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved November 24, 2018.
15. "Dutchcharts.nl – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
16. "Charts.nz – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
17. "Norwegiancharts.com – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)". VG-lista. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
18. "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 22, saptamina 3.06–9.06, 2002" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 15, 2005. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
19. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
20. "Swedishcharts.com – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
21. "Swisscharts.com – 'N Sync feat. Nelly – Girlfriend (Remix)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
23. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
24. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
25. "N Sync Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
26. "N Sync Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
27. "N Sync Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
28. "N Sync Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
29. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2002". ARIA. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
30. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Urban Singles 2002". ARIA. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
31. Billboard – Google Books
32. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 2002" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
33. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2002". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
34. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2002" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
35. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
36. "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
37. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
38. "New Zealand single certifications – *NSYNC – Girlfriend/Gone Clubbin'". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
39. "British single certifications – Nsync ft Nelly – Girlfriend". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 14, 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Girlfriend in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.