Justin Timberlake brings sexy back with new song

Cast member Justin Timberlake poses at the premiere of "Trouble with the Curve" at the Village Theatre in Los Angeles, California September 19, 2012. The movie opens in the US on September 21. [Photo/Agencies]

Pop star Justin Timberlake has brought his trademark sexy crooner voice back with his first new song in five years, receiving a warm welcome from fans and critics on Monday on his long-awaited return to music.

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The singer released "Suit & Tie" featuring Jay-Z on Sunday night, and within hours, the song had topped the US iTunes chart. The new single also came with the announcement of a new album, "The 20/20 Experience," to be released later this year.

The new song, produced by Timberlake's long-time collaborator Timbaland, features the singer's falsetto voice over a laid-back, hip-hop beat, fusing R&B and pop sounds.

Critics drew on Timberlake's newly married status - the singer wed actress Jessica Biel last October - as a possible inspiration for the track.

Rolling Stone Magazine reviewer Jody Rosen called the single "a gift to the world's wedding DJs ... an ode to dressing to the nines and going dancing."

Pitchfork music website reviewer Stephen Deusner said the track was "one hell of a wedding reception jam, as bubbly as champagne," while Billboard's Jason Lipschultz called the song a "sleek, wholly assured dance number".

Timberlake, 31, who teased fans with cryptic Twitter messages last week, quickly became a trending topic on social media, along with the song.

MTV Buzzworthy's editor, Tamar Anitai, said the avid online response was no surprise, given Timberlake's vast fan base and the long wait for new music.

"None of his fans have gone anywhere. He's the type of artist who can take 7 years between albums and his fans are still waiting outside his studio door," Anitai told Reuters.

The singer's last album, "FutureSex/LoveSounds" in 2006, produced six hit singles including "SexyBack," which brought the singer four Grammy awards.