Justin Timberlake

''If you make a record like that, you have to say 'Yeah, I'm doing it — deal with it!' You kind of have to grab your balls.'' Justin Timberlake is talking about ''SexyBack,'' the hypnotic, inescapable lead single from his FutureSex/LoveSounds CD that became not just a No. 1 hit — holding pole position for seven straight weeks — but a phenomenon. By August, it had so thoroughly embedded itself in pop culture that Al Gore referenced it on MTV's Video Music Awards: ''MTV explained to me that Justin Timberlake is bringing sexy back, so here I am.''

''That felt cool to me,'' Timberlake says. ''But it's, like, God, I don't want to be known as the 'SexyBack' guy. That's when you know it's time to put out your second single.'' Soon ''My Love'' topped the charts too, bringing FutureSex/LoveSounds' year-end sales total to more than 1.9 million units, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The sonically ambitious collection — whose beatheavy tracks sound worlds away from his old group, 'N Sync, or even Timberlake's solo debut, Justified (2002) — confirmed he's here to stay. He earned four Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year. ''The Chili Peppers'll win it,'' predicts the 25-year-old. ''But that was the nomination I was hoping for, so I'm good.''

In addition to what he refers to as his ''day job,'' Timberlake memorably hosted SNL for a second time, and has roles in upcoming films Black Snake Moan, Alpha Dog, and Shrek the Third (with girlfriend Cameron Diaz). But perhaps his most enviable gig of the year was performing on CBS' Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. ''That was one of the things I will look back on and say I'm glad I accepted the offer,'' he says. ''The night that aired, I officially became the most hated man in America!'' —Clark Collis