Timbaland's 7 Best Pop Collaborations

The 2000s marked a truly experimental moment for pop music. As such, the innovative efforts of Timbaland made for some brilliant musical collaborations. One of the most important producers in music history, his work has enjoyed substantial acclaim for his futuristic sounds and exploratory beats. Furthermore, by enlisting some of the finest pop artists in his work, Timbaland created some truly timeless collabs.

Notably, his works with frequent collaborators Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado took center stage. However, in the pop scene, Timbaland has worked with many lauded artists, including Keri Hilson, Katy Perry, and even the Queen of Pop, Madonna. Overall, his music has remained timeless, and when it comes to some of the best producer-artist collabs, Timbaland undoubtedly reigns supreme. Here are seven of his best pop alliances that dominated the 2000s.

“If We Ever Meet Again” is one of the standout tracks from Timbaland’s third album, Shock Value II. It features additional vocals from Katy Perry. The song was a moderate success but is one of the producer’s most recognizable collaborative efforts. Lyrically, the single follows both artists longing for another chance to see each other again after an initial encounter. Commercially, the song peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also enjoyed the most success in the UK, achieving a platinum certification for over 600,000 sales.

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By 2008, Madonna had already made a full comeback. However, she took things up a notch with the single, “4 Minutes.” One of Madonna’s biggest collabs, the dance-pop track featured Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, who both co-produced the track alongside Danja. Overall, “4 Minutes” is a boisterous number, backed by a sleek and heavy bass beat. Furthermore, Timbaland employed Bhangra beats, as well as brass instruments to give the track an extra kick. Madonna and Timberlake also shared amazing synergy on the track, effortlessly trading lines with one another.

The snappy, sexy, club staple, “Give It To Me,” wasted no time in taking over the radio. Timbaland enlisted his frequent partners, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake for one of his hottest collabs of all time. “Give It To Me” peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Timbaland’s first and only chart-topper as a lead artist. The single was released as the first single from his sophomore album, Shock Value. Moreover, it became one of the most-played songs of 2007. Overall, “Give It To Me” has been certified 3x Platinum in the US, with over three million copies sold. 

Timbaland has a number of successful collaborations, but “Apologize” quickly became a worldwide smash hit. The slow-burning pop and R&B hybrid has been certified 5x Platinum in the US, with sales of over five million copies. While the song failed to top the Billboard Hot 100, it settled for the penultimate position. Moreover, it spent a whopping 25 weeks in the top 10. Around the world, “Apologize” dominated heavily as well. In Australia, for example, the song achieved a gargantuan 11x Platinum certification by the ARIA for selling over 770,000 copies. In the UK, it achieved a 2x Platinum, selling over 1.2 million copies. Furthermore, it achieved sales of over 400,000 in Canada, achieving a 5x Platinum.

Timbaland was known to keep his musical partners close. Besides Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and Missy Elliott, Timbaland also enjoyed some delicious collabs with Keri Hilson. Her sultry vocals paired brilliantly with his dark, sexy production style, and together, they made magic. “The Way I Are” is a testament to their harmonious musical relationship. The pop and electro-hop single became an instant success, peaking atop the UK Singles chart. On the Hot 100, the song reached the third spot. Furthermore, in the US, “The Way I Are” has been awarded a 3x Platinum certification by the RIAA, for sales of over three million. It remains one of both artists’ most successful tracks. 

Read More: Keri Hilson's 7 Best Songs: Solos & Features

The collaborative effort of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake made for some of the best music in both their discographies. However, the magic of “SexyBack” absolutely dominated the radio around the world. In a twist from his crooning style, Timberlake opted for a more stylish, rock vibe, boosting the song’s incredible sex appeal. “SexyBack” peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, the UK Singles Chart, and many more charts around the globe. Although Timbaland reigned supreme in the 2000s, 2006 and 2007 were undeniably his best years, especially in terms of chart-topping collabs.

Timbaland was the main producer on Nelly Furtado’s third album Loose, which was responsible for one the biggest collabs of his career. “Promiscuous” was the second single off the album, and peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 in no time. Lyrically, both Furtado and Timbaland trade lines, engaging in heavy flirtatious banter, and tagging each other “promiscuous.” Beyond the song’s success on the charts, “Promiscuous” went on to sell over seven million copies, earning a 7x Platinum certification by the RIAA. It also enjoyed much success in Europe, particularly in the UK, where it earned a 2x Platinum certification for sales of over 1.2 million.

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