Justin Timberlake Releases 'Suit & Tie,' First Single in Years; Announces New Album

Days after Justin Timberlake released a video hinting at new music, the 31-year-old entertainer has dropped his new single in six years and confirmed that he will be releasing another album this year.

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Timberlake's newest five-and-a-half-minute track, "Suit & Tie" featuring Jay-Z, was officially released on iTunes late Sunday evening. (To preview the song, go here.)

"I hope this gets to you the right way. It's the only way I know to do it. Some people may criticize me for the last 3 days. But it was fun, right?? Right?!?! Besides, I'd rather speak directly to all of you. And, who can knock me for having a little bit of fun with it?," Timberlake wrote on his site.

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Timberlake revealed the title of his new album, The 20/20 Experience, which will be released this year, and said he began recording new music last June. "The inspiration for this really came out of the blue, and to be honest, I didn't expect anything out of it. I just went into the studio and started playing around with some sounds and songs. It was probably the best time I've had in my career... Just creating with no rules and/or end goal in mind and really enjoying the process," he wrote.

It is believed that Timberlake has around 20 tracks recorded for a new album.

In the video posted on Timberlake's Tumblr account late last week, the singer-actor was seen heading into a recording studio.

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"I've only done two albums in 10 years; that's the way I really look at it. What does the next decade mean for me?" he said in the video. "I'm the one who sits and is obsessive about it before you even get to hear it. As close as I get to it, I don't know that I could physically torture myself that much year in and year out and expect it to fulfill me the way that it does and the way that it is right now. I don't want to put anything out that I feel like is something I don't love. You just don't get that every day. You have to wait for it."

"I'm ready," Timberlake said at the end of the video, before a countdown clock started to count down to Monday morning.

Since his last solo studio effort 2006's Future Sex/LoveSounds, which has been certified four-times platinum since its release, Timberlake has been focusing on his acting, starring in features like Black Snake Moan, The Social Network, Bad Teacher, Friends With Benefits and In Time.

E-mail: Philiana.Ng@thr.com
Twitter: @insidethetube