Pop superstar Justin Timberlake still harbours dreams of conquering the country music industry, insisting the genre was as influential for him growing up in Tennessee as soul and rock music.

The SexyBack hitmaker first voiced his ambition to launch himself as a country star early on in his career, but his four solo albums to date have been mainly focused on the sounds of pop, R&B and soul.

However, Timberlake is keeping Nashville, the heart of country music, in his sights - and claims it is still on his list of things to achieve after infusing a little country sounds into Drink You Away, a song on his new album, The 20/20 Experience - 2 Of 2.

During an interview with America's SiriusXm radio host Storme Warren, he says, "They (his country dreams) are still alive... I'm America, that's what I am - in all sense of the word. I grew up outside of Memphis, Tennessee, and I listened to country music, R&B music, classic rock... everything."

Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience, which was released earlier this year (13), is currently shortlisted for Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the American Music Awards on Sunday (24Nov13), but he hopes to be making waves in the country category at some point in his career.

He says, "I still got my eyes on a Best Country Album. There's time for that."

Timberlake is no stranger to country - he lent his vocals to Alabama's 1999 version of God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You as a member of 'N Sync, while he teamed up with Reba MCEntire for the track The Only Promise That Remains for her 2007 album Duets.