I try not to give decimal ratings. I really, really do. I wanted to give this a 9, but that's too high, and I felt guilty giving it an 8 because I really like it. So what do I do? Add a ".5" to that 8 and now I'm happy as an *NSYNC fan the day this thing came out. Except my sister, who disliked this album for some reason…

Personally, I love it. So far, this is *NSYNC's best album. Better than the "Hi! We're a wimpy version of the Backstreet Boys!" sound of the first one (I'm judging that by the singles, though), funkier than the (decent) No Strings Attached, and, well, I'm not into Christmas albums. Those never sound like a good idea.

So, this album is where *NSYNC takes further control their careers, taking some control of the boards in the process and co-writing most of the songs. And it works! Pop works well with semi-techno beats… who would've thought? Well, everybody. But still, nice beats abound on this album. Very danceable, and that's all that the guy's at *NSYNC really need to shoot for, since the Backstreet Boys had been doing better ballads since day 1.

But that's not to say there aren't good slower songs on here. "Gone" was a hit (though not exactly the best choice for a single). It's a nice, soulful song. Did I just call it "soulful?" Why, yes and did. And I meant it. The vocals are extremely well-done. "Selfish" is an alright but not as remarkable ballad. And is that a harmonica on "Something Like You?" Nice touch. Best ballad here. No, not for the harp action, but for the subtle vocals and the generally romantic feel of it.

And, on the dance tracks, "Pop" kicks lots. It's an interesting song and I have trouble describing it. Lots of skittering crazy funky noises going on… the beat, the vocals… uh… the beat. "The Game is Over," "The Two of Us" and "Girlfriend" work well, too. Especially "The Game Is Over" with its nice usage of pinball machine-esque noises.

But possibly the best song here is "Up Against the Wall." Frantic beat, nice harmonies (as should be expected from NSYNC). Very energetic… I'm surprised it wasn't released as a single.

"Just Don't Tell Me That" sounds rather generic… Actually, it sounds a bit like Willa Ford's "I Wanna Be Bad." Bad NSYNC, BAD! But at least it's better than the aforementioned song… thankfully. "Do Your Thing" is an unremarkable song on its own, but as a closer to this album, it works fine.

Celebrity is the best pop album of the year 2001 - bar none (if you disagree, send me something). Actually, given that we're into mid August of 2002 and no incredible pop albums have been released this year, it might be the best pop album of 2001-2002. That is, if Christina Aguilera's sophomore effort is a disappointment (or if someone new comes along).