Love him or hate him, you can't deny Justin Bieber has changed the landscape of pop music as a whole. Ever since his rise in the early 2010s, the Canadian artist has turned millions of people into "Beliebers" with his heartthrob-y brand of bouncy tunes. He's sold over 78 million albums worldwide, is the #1 streamed artist on Spotify, two Grammy Awards, 26 Billboard Music Awards, and 33 Guinness World Records...and that's just touching the surface of all his achievements!
Before he became one of the most best-selling artists of all time, Bieber was a young kid who just liked to sing. His mother posted videos of his performances onto YouTube, which led to him being discovered by American record executive Scooter Braun. After signing with RBMG Records in 2008, he gained recognition with the release of his debut seven-track EP My World (2009) and subsequent debut album My World 2.0 (2010). The massive popularity of both projects easily established him as a teen idol.
Now, Justin is all grown up. Although he's been facing a slew of health problems at the moment (including a battle with Ramsay Hunt syndrome), he still reigns as the king of current popular music. It's all thanks to the mentorship he received from Usher, his work ethic, and the unwavering loyalty of his fans.
A Top 10 list of Bieber's best tunes has been long overdue on our part, so we're finally giving you one now! For this list, we mostly focused on songs where Bieber receives the most spotlight - so some collaborations between him and other artists may not show up. (In other words, we're sorry to the people hoping "I Don't Care" and "STAY" would appear!) Ready to catch some Bieber Fever? Take a look at our Justin Bieber song ranking below!
10. "Where Are Ü Now" (feat. Skrillex and Diplo)
Yes - this is the only Bieber collab we're including on our Top 10. While "Where Are Ü Now" is technically a Jack Ü song (that also features production work from Skrillex and Diplo), Bieber shines as the song's only singer. It's also included on Bieber's album, Purpose.
"Where Are Ü Now" is your typical Bieber ballad turned EDM anthem thanks to its intricate electronic production. Intimate, ornamented verses give way to driving, elastic drops with emotive melodies abound - especially after that pre-chorus! Justin successfully showcases an updated vocal affect, his feigned sincerity reaching a pleasing, sentimental impact. With how emotional this song is, it's no wonder it won Best Dance Recording at the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards!
9. "Boyfriend"
Teen girls everywhere lost their minds when "Boyfriend" was released back in 2012. Why? Because in the song, it sounds like Bieber is talking directly to you - therefore letting listeners fantasize would it would be like if Justin really was their boyfriend. And boy, was he making it clear he wasn't the innocent little kid with the high-pitched voice anymore.
"Boyfriend" was the first song to be released from Bieber’s 2012 album Believe. It gained a lot of attention due to the sultry sound — much different from Justin’s previous material. "Boyfriend" truly marked a new era for the singer. Besides the pubescent change in his voice, he got a new haircut and released the music video for the song, which shows him driving expensive cars and dancing with pretty girls in a way he hadn’t done before.
The change didn’t make him lose any fans. In fact, Justin’s “Beliebers” had grown up as well and were ready for this more mature - yet still catchy and dreamy - music.
8. "Ghost"
A recent banger from Justin's latest album Justice. "Ghost" is a radio-friendly ballad all about losing a loved one: whether from death or them walking out of your life. We think the song also strikes a chord with the masses due to how it can also account for the COVID-19 pandemic, and how people could not see their friends and loved ones due to social distancing guidelines.
In a Tweet from February 20, 2022, Jon Bellion, the songwriter of "Ghost" revealed his inspiration for the song. "Wrote this one about my grandmother. Really cool to feel her every time I turn the radio on in the car. Miss you Gma," he said.
"Ghost" could also be connected to a deceased grandparent in Justin's life. On February 26, 2021, Justin’s paternal grandfather, George, passed away unexpectedly in his house: the same day Justin announced Justice. The cause of his death is unknown, but it could be a major factor in what Justin croons about in the song.
7. "Intentions" (feat. Quavo)
Justin's newer material just shows how much he's grown as an artist. We love the perky sound of his 2020 song "Intentions". It's the third single from Bieber’s Changes album, and is chock full of heartfelt compliments towards both Bieber’s and Quavo’s love-interests: Hailey Bieber and Saweetie.
In the song, both artists express their intentions of caring for their women over an optimistic beat. The song marks the third time that Bieber and Quavo have worked together, with the previous two taking part in collaborations with DJ Khaled. The song was previewed on a speculated tracklist along with several other tracks in the singer’s docu-series Justin Bieber: Seasons. Later, the song was confirmed on Apple Music as track number 4 featuring Quavo.
6. "What Do You Mean"
“What Do You Mean?” become the fastest song to reach number one on iTunes after its release, and debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the 23rd song ever to accomplish the feat. Surprisingly, this was also Justin’s first number one hit.
Part of the song's success came from the way it was uniquely marketed. To build anticipation, Justin enlisted a number of celebrities to help count down and preview the song on Twitter. Nine days before the official release, Justin leaked the lyrics in a really cool way: by sending them in parts to his loyal fans (the Beliebers) via direct messages on Twitter.
But smart marketing isn't the only reason why "What Do You Mean" has achieved a great amount of success. With a relatable message about trying to understand a flip-floppy lover, a catchy and airy melody, and a ticking clock in the background that creates a sense of urgency, "What Do You Mean" keeps listeners engaged. It may be a song about confusion, but the delivery is crystal clear!
5. "Peaches" (feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon)
Another current bop off Justice, "Peaches" is a sweet, chill, and simple tune that hails different regions of North America. Georgia and its famous peaches serve as the central image of the song. Atlanta, Georgia is also the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr, who features prominently on Justice.
Besides Georgia, there's also California (where Justin buys his weed), and a reference to the Great White North. In the catchy chorus for "Peaches", Justin mentions that he's taken his girl - Hailey Bieber - up North to Canada to see the Northern Lights.
Speaking of Hailey, the tune is primarily a romantic ode to Bieber's muse. Despite having to travel a lot and being forced to leave her, he proclaims to Hailey he'll "be right here with you 'til the end of time." "Peaches" also features some saccharine lyrics from R&B artists Daniel Caesar and Giveon.
4. "As Long As You Love Me" (feat. Big Sean)
We got to give it up to this fan-favorite anthem! This is another hit song off Justin's 2012 album "Believe", and is a dramatic ballad about staying true to a girl despite all the challenges life throws at them. Justin claims he'll be her platinum, silver, and gold, as well as the Jay-Z to her Beyoncé. ("I'll be your Hova (I'll be your Hova) / You could be my Destiny's Child on the scene, girl")
"As Long As You Love Me" was a collaboration with established rapper Big Sean. He appears on the song's third verse and spits bars about achieving massive success alongside his lover. The collab between Big Sean and Bieber, surprised many people, but it seemed to work well, as it added up to Bieber’s new sound and showed he had become more mature.
Finally, we have to pay tribute to the music production on this jam. While it's intense and emotional, it borders on an EDM dance romp thanks to its heavy electronic sounds. So yes - it's a bittersweet song you can still dance to!
3. "Baby" (feat. Ludacris)
Did you really think we'd exclude this throwback that put The Biebs on the map? "Baby" may be one of Justin's earliest works - and includes that unforgettable high-pitched version of himself - but it's still considered one of the defining bops of the early 2010's.
“Baby” is about breaking up with someone you love and still wanting them even after you’ve broken up. It’s the lead single off of Bieber’s debut album, My World 2.0 and debuted at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. As one of Justin Bieber’s most popular songs of all time, it has the distinction of being certified 12 times platinum by the RIAA. It was also an international smash hit, that included a #3 peak in the UK.
Additionally, “Baby” was the most watched video ever on YouTube – until “Gangnam Style” surpassed it two years later. Even after all this time, we hope Justin Bieber still enjoys throwing dance-offs inside bowling alleys.
2. "Love Yourself"
We love "Love Yourself" because - and we mean this in the nicest way possible - it doesn't feel like a Justin Bieber song. There's a maturity and swagger to it that gives off John Mayer or Shawn Mendes vibes. With the help of Benny Blanco, Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran wrote this parting song to a past lover — and it’s bitter, caring, and oh-so cool.
“Love Yourself” is not as uptempo as Bieber’s other singles, but the song still has a catchy, pop core. Many listeners can’t help but think of Selena Gomez when they hear "Love Yourself", but during an interview with The Ellen Show, Bieber claimed only three of his songs are definitely inspired by his ex-girlfriend: “Mark My Words,” “What Do You Mean” and our #1 song on this list. Given Ed Sheeran’s contribution, it could possibly be an amalgam of Gomez and one of Ed Sheeran’s exes (Athina Andrelos? Nicole Scherzinger?), if the song is autobiographical at all.
Anyways, “Love Yourself” was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance, It's hailed as being a smart and mature breakup song; Justin still acknowledges the problems with his ex, but wishes her well.
1. "Sorry"
We'll admit: Justin Bieber has had a troubled past. Between his infamous DUI arrest, struggles with the price of fame at a young age, and harsh breakup with Selena Gomez, he had a lot of remorse. So in 2015, for his album Purpose, he released the song "Sorry". And judging by the track's success, you could say the world forgave him.
While Justin has stated that the song is partly inspired by Selena Gomez (on its surface, "Sorry" is all about apologizing to a former lover), Bieber has also suggested the song is intended to be a more general apology to the world for his mistakes. On “Sorry,” he collaborated with songwriters Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter. Ironically, Michaels and Tranter also wrote six songs from Selena Gomez’s Revival album, including several songs rumored to be about Bieber.
“Sorry” was produced by Skrillex and BLOOD, and it incorporates elements of tropical house: an EDM genre that’s characterized by a bright sound and Caribbean or Latin influences. "The vocal manipulations make an ambiguous sound and a moment later Justin replies, ‘Sorry.’ Justin’s vocal delivery and the triumphant key of the song gave the narrative a warm color," BLOOD explained about the song to The Fader. "The beat is saying moving forward, and apologizing, can be exciting and fun."
The song debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, blocked from the top spot by the debut of Adele’s “Hello.” However, 10 weeks after its debut, it finally reached #1, dethroning Adele’s smash hit.
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Article Image: A close-up of Justin Bieber singing during a 2013 concert in Beijing, China. (ChinaImages via DepositPhotos.)