Justin Timberlake Makes a Big Change

Justin Timberlake appears to be starting afresh after clearing his Instagram of all content.

The "Cry Me a River" singer has confused his 72 million Instagram followers by erasing or archiving all images and videos on the social-media platform and changing his profile picture. On Monday, users of the app noticed that Timberlake's account was looking empty, greeted with a barren grid and a new profile image of the former 'N Sync member looking into a car's rearview mirror when they clicked on his account.

The dramatic move has sparked speculation online that the star will soon release new music and a sixth album. This led to the hashtag "#JT6ISCOMING" trending on X, formerly Twitter. The bold move has also been seen as an action to combat the negative press Timberlake has received over the last few months, following allegations and news of how he allegedly treated Britney Spears while they dated.

Timberlake's previous albums include Justified, FutureSex/LoveSounds, The 20/20 Experience, The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 and Man of the Woods. They were released between 2002 and 2018. Newsweek reached out to Justin Timberlake's publicist via email for comment on Tuesday.

Screenshots of Timberlake's minimal account have started circulating online along with rumors of fresh music, and the news has divided onlookers.

Many thought it was about time Timberlake released another album, with one fan sharing: "We have been waiting for nearly 6 years for this album! #JT6isComing #JT6."

Another posted, "We will be streaming," with a third adding: "Justin Timberlake is coming for blood this year and I am here for it. #JT6isComing."

A vigilant fan spotted a sporting link to new music and shared a clip of an NFL trailer, which was set to a new song of Timberlake's, "Sanctified."

The new vocals impressed one spectator who wrote: "If this is just a snippet of what #JT6 has to offer, we are about to get devoured by @jtimberlake's powerful vocals and vibes #JT6isComing."

However, the news didn't interest every social-media user, with one questioning: "Does anybody care?"

Other statements online came from disinterested former listeners writing, "Trust me, no one wants what he's planning to do," and another adding that only artists like Beyoncè and Taylor Swift who have done this previously can pull it off: "He's not Beyoncè or Taylor. no one cares."

Spears' memoir, The Woman in Me, was released last year. In it, she said that she fell pregnant by Timberlake but had an abortion.

This caused loyal Spears fans to look more closely at her music during the time the pair dated, with the emotional ballad "Everytime" being heavily discussed. The music video for the song showcased scenes of love, tragedy, and desperation, and a version of Spears struggling with a celebrity relationship and her career, which now many think mirrored her time with Timberlake.

This prompted comments online about his blank account: "Delete the whole account", "He shouldn't bother," and "COMING TO FLOP."

Another wrote: "Bruh, I love Justin's music. But after the Britney thing, anything he does will eventually flop into oblivion."

"Britney's impact is real," another shared.