complexph-menu-icon
Complex PH black dazzle pattern image

5 Justin Bieber Songs We’ve Always Secretly Enjoyed

James Francisco

With Justin Bieber selling the rights to his music catalog, we can’t help but feel a bit nostalgic. After all, we practically grew up with the Biebs and saw his transformation from a cooky-cutter pop star to a mature radio-friendly artist. 

But for every “Love Yourself” and “Peaches” were the days when hating Bieber’s music was inappropriately considered cool. At one point, “Baby” was the most-disliked music video on Youtube. I still remember when saying anything positive about “One Time” in high school would lead to questions about your sexuality (note: kids are pricks).

But as clubs openly vibe to cheese like “Your world is my world / And my fight is your fight,” society is finally accepting a universal truth: Love him or hate him, Justin Bieber’s music has always been fire. So as closeted Beliebers come out of the woodwork, we rank five Justin Bieber songs we’ve secretly enjoyed when our buddies weren’t around. And in case you’re still a hater today, you’re seriously missing out on the fun.

5. Baby

Year: 2010

Album: My World 2.0

Out of the songs on the list, “Baby” is the one we’d slightly give haters a pass. Chalk it up to Bieber’s high-pitched pubescent voice, but the chorus of “Baby, baby, baby, oh / Baby, baby, baby, no” can only be replayed so many times until it sounds like nails on a chalkboard.

The true notables of “Baby” are its beat, arguably the quintessential pop melody, and Ludacris randomly rapping about his first love when he was 13. Of course, it’s weird to hear a grown man dedicate an entire verse to his playground crush like it was yesterday, but “Baby” is catchy enough for anyone to notice.

4. One Less Lonely Girl

Year: 2009

Album: My World

If you’d look up the word “cheese” in the dictionary, there would probably be a picture of Justin Bieber’s emo haircut from “One Less Lonely Girl”. The track is cheese personified, down from the Biebs’ seemingly frozen smile to the hand gestures like he’s reciting Shakespeare. 

But what really takes the cake is the song’s adorable mindset that relationships are free of conflict, and anything less deserves the boot. 2009 was truly a simpler time.

3. Boyfriend

Year: 2012

Album: Believe

2012 marked a transition period for Bieber when he was tackling more “mature” themes. By “mature”, we mean proposing to be someone’s “Boyfriend” rather than pining over a relationship that never was. “Boyfriend” is basically every teenager’s elevator pitch to their puppy love. The falsetto on the chorus certainly helps their case.

2. Somebody to Love

Year: 2010

Album: My World 2.0

This one feels like cheating because Usher absolutely carried this song. Still, “Somebody to Love” is the near-perfect track from top to bottom. The MV was absolutely fire, the dances were so smooth everyone tried copying them, and Usher is Usher. Bieber would go on to make more collaborations, but “Somebody to Love” just has a different energy that rarely fails to uplift our moods.

1. One Time

Year: 2009

Album: My World

Bieber has created far “chiller” songs since “One Time” in 2009, but the song has a special kind of… “breeziness” to it that I can’t explain to this day. The beat is predictable enough to vibe, the lyrics are so easy anyone can sing along, and it brings us back to a time when house parties were the coolest additions to our rep. It’s the pure and innocent fun that our adulting selves need to have from time to time.

Got something to say?

Share this story

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Popular in the Community

Signup for the

Complex Newsletter

Your leading source for what’s now and what’s next in Music, Style, Sports, and Pop Culture.

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x

COMPLEX participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means COMPLEX gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive.

© Complex Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Complexphilippines.com is a part of

Complex PH black dazzle pattern image

Signup for the Complex Newsletter

Your leading source for what’s now and what’s next in Music, Style, Sports, and Pop Culture.