Bieber rises with Purpose

Noah Linder, Podcast Editor

Information Graphic by Noah Linder portraying the road to fame for Bieber.
Information Graphic by Noah Linder portraying the road to fame for Bieber.

Canadian singer Justin Bieber is at it again. Coming back for his fifth studio album, Bieber’s Purpose is his way back into the big leagues after a two year album drought.

Released on Nov. 13, 2015, Purpose sold 522,000 copies in one week. His comeback album features 13 songs and a total of 48 minutes of glory. His first album in almost two years boasts hit singles “Sorry”, “What do you mean?”, and “Love yourself”. Justin Bieber now has six number one albums under his hat.

The hearts of teens across the world have been encapsulated by his music ever since his debut album in 2009. For seven years, Bieber’s music of love, romance, intimacy, and spontaneousness has placed him in on posters in American bedrooms. In 2010 he released “Baby”, a single that changed his career forever. He proceeded to go on world tours at age 16. His music career has had ups and downs caused by romance and heartbreak, and recklessness and ignorance. Now, Bieber has a chance to rejuvenate his career.

Justin Bieber’s album was fueled by his three top hits. “What do you mean?” was released before the album on August 28, 2015. As a means of promotional advertising, Justin Bieber had famous celebrities such as Ed Sheeran, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande and Britney Spears countdown the days until its release on their social media pages. In July of 2015, Bieber posted a picture of himself holding a sign that read, “What do you mean?” as the songs first announcement.

“I wasn’t that into him a few years ago but his new singles are really cool,” sophomore Maya Yokanovich said.

Bieber’s album gained love from around the world.  “Sorry” became number one of the Canadian Hot 100.  Purpose is currently the top album in sales in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Norway, and many other nations. At the end of the year, the album had over one million sales in the US and over 500,000 in the UK. He received a platinum rating in the US and UK and gold in Spain, Italy, Denmark and Belgium. His comeback album has definitely boosted his place in the ranks.

Senior Celeste Tomlinson said, “I like Purpose because Justin’s voice has gotten 100% better and he has progressed and improved a lot as a musician. His songs are all really good and he sounds more like a professional artist.”

Did Bieber come back new and improved?

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When the British boy band, One Direction, announced the release date of the album, Made in the A.M, was the same day of the release of  Purpose, they ignited an intense rivalry to claim the hearts of America’s impressionable. One Direction got a head start by placing their album on iTunes preorder one month before Purpose. Mirroring the 2007 battle of Kanye West vs. 50 cent, the two albums bounced back and forth fighting for the top spot. One Direction had sold 60,000 units before Purpose was released. When Bieber landed on the top spot of the Billboard 200, he had sold over 649,000 albums.

Junior Miller LaMere said, “Justin Bieber is obviously better. He has more hits.”

Two months after Bieber’s comeback album was released, he has sold over one million copies. Purpose was his only album since Journals and Believe in 2013. Used as a jumpstart to get back into the game, Purpose has electrified charts across the world and proved that he is not done yet.