Bream: The ups and downs of Justin Timberlake’s solo career

The theory of gravity tells us that what goes up, must come down. Eventually. It happens with music stars, as well. We love them as they rise and become our heroes. And some people relish when the inevitable decline comes. How many of us were captivated by VH1’s “Behind the Music” series for 17 years, learning the inside dirt? Now we devour TMZ and social media, filled with gossip and maybe some truth.

Justin Timberlake, how we loved thee. First, we were transfixed by the spotlight-stealing, curly haired singer/dancer in ’N Sync. Then we were thrilled by his first three R&B-ish solo albums and dazzling sold-out concerts. But, as if the music gods shouted “Timber,” it’s been more fizzle than sizzle of late.

With Timberlake returning to Xcel Energy Center on Monday, we look at the ups and downs of his solo career.

Solo albums. His first three solo projects — “Justified” (2002), “FutureSex/LoveSounds” (2006) and “20/20 Experience” (2013) — were excellent excursions into his brand of I-was-born-in-Memphis R&B, producing such hits as “Cry Me a River,” “Rock Your Body” and “SexyBack” and leading to eight Grammys.

“Saturday Night Live.” Has there ever been a better musical guest who could double as host so many times? Timberlake was involved in numerous indelible sketches including the recurring “The Barry Gibb Talk Show,” “Single Ladies” video shoot with Beyoncé and the unforgettable “Dick in the Box.”

“The Social Network.” Portraying Napster potentate Sean Parker in 2010, Timberlake was so convincingly sleazy in his first significant movie role that there was considerable chatter about an Oscar nom for best supporting actor.

“Trolls.” Timberlake was the voice of Branch in this beloved animated series, including three theatrical movies, two short films and two TV specials. And his tune “Can’t Stop the Feeling” from the first “Trolls” (2016) not only debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 but also earned an Oscar nomination for best original song.

“History of Rap.” Could you think of a dorkier dude to throw down a history of rap than Jimmy Fallon? But team him with Timberlake and you’ve got simpatico white dudes to deliver a hip-hop history in rhyme with some flair and enough skills to justify six different installments on “The Tonight Show” (2010-15).

Be like Mike. When Timberlake, a sneakerhead who idolizes Michael Jordan, did the halftime show in Minneapolis at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2018, he wore Nike Air Jordan 3’s limited-edition JTH model. You might not have noticed them on television, but the world apparently did as they quickly sold out of the Timberlake design.

“Justin Timberlake + Tennessee Kids.” This 2016 concert movie of the 20/20 Experience World Tour was the final film by esteemed director Jonathan Demme, known for the Oscar-winning “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Married to the Mob” and “Stop Making Sense,” the greatest concert movie of all time (featuring Talking Heads). This collaboration was an immense honor for Timberlake.

Britney Spears. How could he? After they met as performers on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club,” Justin and Britney began dating. She got pregnant and he insisted that she have an abortion in 2000 at age 18. He said, “We weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives,” which she disclosed in her revealing 2023 memoir, adding “if it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it.” In 2024, he responded with a self-centered single called “Selfish,” geez, the same title as her 2011 tune.

Wardrobe malfunction. Feb. 1, 2004, was his day of infamy. During the Super Bowl halftime show, he joined Janet Jackson and when it came time for him to pull off part of her costume to reveal her red lace bra, instead he exposed her nipple. While he read a statement of apology a few days later on the Grammy Awards, he didn’t say sorry to Ms. Jackson until 17 years later, via Instagram.

Know your friends. While Timberlake was marrying our homegirl Jessica Biel (she’s from Ely, Minn.) in Italy in 2012, one of his pals shot a video of real-life homeless people in Los Angeles saying they couldn’t make it to the wedding but congratulating the newlyweds. Timberlake had nothing to do with the making of the embarrassingly tasteless video but issued a public apology on his website.

Guilt by association. Timberlake acted in the 2017 Woody Allen film “Wonder Wheel,” which is widely considered to be one of Allen’s worst movies. It received a lowly 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Lost in the woods. In 2018, for his first album in five years, Timberlake donned lumberjack plaid for his faux rustic roots “Man of the Woods.” He followed that turkey with 2024’s “Everything I Thought It Was,” which neither the public nor radio programmers thought much of (see “Selfish”).

Piano and a microphone. There were reports that Timberlake’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2018 was going to feature Prince via hologram. Instead, it was Timberlake singing at a piano harmonizing with the Purple One on “I Would Die 4 U” via footage from the movie “Purple Rain” projected on gauzy fabric over the stage. To present this in Minneapolis, Prince’s hometown, only two years after he died was controversial, seemingly more creepy than cool.

Sagging reputation. On June 18, 2024, Timberlake was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Sag Harbor, N.Y., during a break from his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. He eventually pleaded guilty to a noncriminal driving while impaired traffic violation and was sentenced to pay a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge, perform 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit of his choice and make a public safety announcement. His driver’s license was suspended because he refused to take a breathalyzer test.

When: 7:30 p.m. Mon.

Where: Xcel Energy Center, 199 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul.

Tickets: $60-$1,280, ticketmaster.com.