Justin Bieber’s 30th Birthday: Celebrate His Career
As the Canadian pop sensation and songwriter Justin Bieber celebrates his 30th birthday, the Garnette Report looks back at Bieber’s rise to fame and a few top-charting songs that morphed the career he has today!
One Time (2009)
To start Justin Bieber’s 30th birthday, “One Time” is Bieber’s debut single from his EP, “My World” in 2009. Because Bieber was singing covers on YouTube, he gained massive following before he was signed to Island Def Music Group and had Usher Raymond as his mentor. Critically, the single certified platinum in Canada and the U.S. and currently sits at over 768 million views on YouTube!
The meaning of the song is about puppy love, especially among teenagers. Also, the song has a groovy, nice mellow tone with a few R&B bass beats in between the verses to provide more impact. Lastly, check out the song here!
Baby (2010)
If you don’t think you know any Bieber songs, there is a guarantee that you may have heard this one! “Baby” is the leading single off of Bieber’s debut studio album, “My World 2.0” in 2010. Featuring Ludacris, Bieber is serenading a girl to come back to him after he lost her. Overall, the song became an instant success with constant airplay, positive reviews from critics, and became certified 12x platinum by the RIAA. Currently, the song has over 3 billion views on YouTube!
The composition of the song has the iconic synth, keyboard beat infused with a few R&B elements. For example, in the beginning of the song, the motif of the synth beat is paired with Bieber’s riff and glides into the first verse. Lastly, the song still has the puppy love theme from “One Time” but Bieber gained a world of new fans with this track! Check it out here!
Boyfriend (2012)
Justin Bieber in 2012 wanted to your boyfriend! “Boyfriend” is a departure from the puppy love brand he created back in 2009 with a more mature, teenager sound that appeals to his growing audience. Also, he stepped into the R&B route more with this track with the help of Pharrell Williams and NYSNC. On the Billboard Hot 100, it debuted at No.2 and No.1 in Canada.
The two minute and 52 second song uses acoustic guitar, hip hop beats, and a few hand claps. The song has a simple bassline along with Pharrell Williams iconic 4 count beginning into Bieber’s intro in the song. Furthermore, Bieber used more of his lower register to showcase his maturity and vocal ability throughout the track. Check out “Boyfriend” here!
Purpose (2015)
“Purpose” is Bieber’s fourth studio album that featured cameos such as Big Sean, Diplo, Ariana Grande, Halsey, and more! The album is about Bieber finding his purpose again by going through a journey of his career as an artist and also his personal life behind the cameras. Let’s look at two of his leading singles from this album!
What Do You Mean? (2015)
“What Do You Mean?” is the leading single off of “Purpose” and gained major commercial success in the U.S, Canada, Ireland, and Norway. For this track, Bieber said to Ellen on her show, the Ellen DeGeneres show, that the song is inspired by his previous relationship with Selena Gomez from 2010 to 2015.
The song was co-written by Bieber and he also produced the beat. In the media, there was speculation that Skrillex produced it because of the similarities presented in the track. However, a spokesperson from Bieber confirmed that it was Bieber with an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. Comparing to his other previous leading singles, this one has a tropical house sound with Bieber’s soulful vocals embodying the message of the song. Also, Bieber won his first Grammy with “What Do You Mean?” in 2015 for “Best Dance Recording”.
Check out the song here!
Sorry (2015)
Although Bieber does not appear in this music video, it is still iconic! Following the same tropical house vibe, “Sorry” is the second leading single off of “Purpose”. The song is about Bieber asking for forgiveness from his lover and to redeem himself. It is speculated that the song is about Selena Gomez. For this song, Skrillex and Bloodpop produced the song while Bieber co-written the composition. Overall, the song became a huge commercial success and became one of the best selling digital music released in 2016 with over 10 million copies, according to the Global Music Report 2017.
Check out “Sorry” here!
Yummy (2020)
“Yummy” is the lead single off of Bieber’s fifth studio album, “Changes” in 2020. After a four year hiatus from the industry, Bieber came back with this track and solidified his presence with the song’s 772 million views on YouTube. The song debuted at No. 2 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 and gained success globally. Going back to his pop roots, Bieber incorporated more pop elements to “Yummy” with hints of R&B. For example, the F major song has a sharp bassline but also mellow keyboard moments especially for the anti-climatic chorus. In addition, Bieber hinted that this song is about his wife, Hailey Bieber. Check out the song here!
Peaches (2021)
Last but certainly not least, “Peaches” is the leading single off of Bieber’s latest album, “Justice” in 2021. “Peaches” is a feel good, trap, R&B song that features Daniel Ceasar and Giveon. It reached at No.1 on many music charts such as the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Global 200, and more! Bieber gained inspiration from this song while writing with Shawn Mendes. The song is currently at 728 million views on YouTube.
“Peaches” is about how Bieber, Caesar, and Giveon are in well-established relationships and are flaunting their relationships. The soft, bouncy, soul ballad feels as if you are cruising down a highway in the summer. Check out the song here!
Celebrate Justin Bieber’s 30th Birthday Even More
With over 24 million album copies and 121 million digital sales, Bieber is maintained his popularity with fans around the world and continues to be an influence for many upcoming artists.
Featured Image by Tusik Only on Unsplash