Since Stevie Wonder topped the charts in 1963, Justin Bieber, at the age of 16 years old, became the youngest artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Stevie Wonder was the last musician to achieve this feat.
In the years that have passed, he has transitioned away from the image of a child star to that of a serious, albeit controversial, artist. If you can see beyond the headlines, you’ll find an ambitious and creative artist who is willing to take risks, understands their craft, and knows how to deliver the goods.
However, his personal life has sometimes played second fiddle to the strong media interest that has surrounded him, which has occasionally meant that his music has played second fiddle to his personal life. In this article, we will examine his career in great detail as we rank all six of Justin Bieber’s albums.
1. Purpose
Finally, we reach Purpose, Justin Bieber’s fourth studio album and, at least among the majority of his fans, his finest work to date. Its sonic vision is quite ambitious, fusing dance-pop with EDM, tropical house undertones, and acoustic guitar flourishes.
Few would contest that it is less mainstream than his other works despite the change in musical focus. A lot of people would also agree that the lyrics are better-written than on earlier albums and that his newfound confidence has improved his vocals.
This album, which was mature, brave, and intensely pleasurable, won millions of non-Beliebers to the cause and restored the faith of many more. It was released on November 13, 2015, reached the top of the charts in eleven additional nations, and peaked at No. 1 in the US, becoming one of the best-selling albums of both 2015 and 2016.
2. Believe
Justin Bieber was all grown up (well, 18 at any rate) and prepared to show the world a new side of himself two years after the release of My World 2.0. Believe is a remarkably mature effort in comparison to his debut. Bieber changed the sound in an obvious attempt to shed his teen hero persona.
Even though it’s still pop, there are enough dance and R&B components to keep it intriguing. The words are sexier, the beats are harder, and the hooks are greater.
Although the production method of “slice and dice” leaves much to be desired, his voice is as powerful as ever, and the album is still quite good. It was released on June 15, 2012, and it immediately reached No. 1 in the US and other countries.
3. My World 2.0
After his debut EP, My World caused a stir, Bieber delivered on its promise with My World 2.0. In the end, this was an album created by a teen, for teen listeners. You’ll be let down if you expect it to have creative arrangements and thought-provoking lyrics.
That doesn’t make the record poor; just the opposite, in fact. The vocals are superb, the production is slick, and the lyrics, which mostly discuss puppy love and coming-of-age scenarios, are enjoyable.
Given that Bieber created the record when he was just 16 years old, it’s a remarkable feat of achievement. Since Stevie Wonder, it was released on March 19, 2010, and it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming Justin Bieber the youngest solo artist to do so.
4. Changes
Bieber took a whole five years off from recording after 2015’s Purpose. In 2020, he made a comeback with Changes, his fifth studio album. Sales-wise, it was a huge success; it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, peaked in the Top 5 in several European nations, produced a number of Top 10 songs, and eventually received platinum certification.
Critically speaking, it told a different tale. Many admirers had anticipated Bieber to discover his artistic inspiration while gone and to return with a new level of maturity, according to thethings.com. At least in the eyes of most people, it didn’t happen.
Although it’s difficult to blame Justin Bieber’s singing, the lack of variety, predictable arrangements, and straightforward lyrics provoked scorn. The NME dismissed the entire album as “a knackering, loved-up slog lacking substance” and a “limp” comeback.
Although not everyone was quite as harsh—the Grammy honors committee liked it well enough to submit it for Best Pop Vocal Album—it wasn’t necessarily the greatest comeback ever.
5. Under the Mistletoe
When all is said and done, Return of Rock’s assessment of Under the Mistletoe as a “harmless, fun album” is a reasonable one. It received mixed reviews, but even the most scathing reviewers had to admit that Bieber had put in the effort.
Bieber made the effort to co-write an incredible nine of the album’s 15 tracks, in contrast to typical Christmas albums, which are merely collections of stale holiday favorites. Although not all of them are successful, he deserves praise for trying.
The covers are somewhat inconsistent, going from the ludicrous (Little Drummer Boy) to the creative (Santa Claus Is Coming to Town). In the end, the album shouldn’t be taken too seriously (even though Justin Bieber felt obligated to tweet, “Forget the hype…I want it to be about the music. Judge me after listening to the CD. You won’t have many reasons to be unhappy if you approach it with a cheerful mindset.
6. Justice
Justin Bieber released Justice, his sixth studio album, in March 2021. Khalid, Chance the Rapper, Dominic Fike, and Burna Boy are just a few of the major names who appear as guests on his album. If you purchase the Deluxe edition, you’ll also gain access to DaBaby, Tori Kelly, Lil Uzi Vert, and Jaden Smith.
Holy, Lonely, Anyone, and Hold On all made it to the Top 20 singles chart, proving that there are hits out there. Peaches, the fifth song, went one step farther and shot straight to the top of the Billboard 100.
It’s hardly a perfect record, though, despite that. Although the song’s music is top-notch and Justin Bieber’s soft vocals are flawless, the lyrics are a little stiff and awkward. Although this album is good, it falls short of his best work since it isn’t quite apparent what he is trying to say or why he wants to express it.