Justin Timberlake – “Mirrors”

The 20/20 Experience changed the way I view pop.  That may be a bit of a naive take, but it’s true based on my late introduction to modern music (I was that kid in high school who was obsessed with 70’s rock) and the fact that the album – especially Part 1 –  is genuinely one of the best collection of songs to come out within the last 10 years, if not longer.  I never viewed pop as a style that would have an album overflowing with 6-9 minute tracks; 20/20 does.  I never expected pop to experiment at a high artistic level, nor for it to be half as catchy as the entirety of 20/20  is.  It took my tiny, cliched definition of what I thought pop should be and blew the doors off of it.

“Mirrors” may not be the most elaborate song that JT composed for this two-part opus, but it’s probably the most meaningful.  From its gorgeous introduction to lyrics dripping with romantic intent, “Mirrors” postures itself as the best love song – best breakup song – best wedding song – best forlornly-looking-through-old-photographs-of-an-ex – best anything relationship song.  It’s 8 minutes in length but doesn’t feel anywhere close to that, gliding smoothly across its runtime while seamlessly transitioning from rhythmic verses to its soaring chorus; then to a string-laden midsection into what I feel is one of the more underrated portions of the whole experience: that prolonged “you are the love of my life” outro where Timberlake intertwines his normal singing voice with the robotic refrain.  It’s an incredible way to symbolize how love breaks down our barriers and defenses, stripping away the cold, unfeeling distance that we place between ourselves and vulnerability.  Its subtle little additions like this that propelled JT from just another charismatic pop star to an admirable artist, and it’s also what makes “Mirrors” one of the decade’s best pop songs…and to that end The 20/20 Experience one of its best pop albums.

Read more from this decade at my homepage for Sowing’s Songs of the Decade.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5JjmQsvmmmOBFnUjP7FLu4