Justin Bieber’s Believe is a record about growing up fast, and about doing it in front of the whole world. The 19-track album runs 78 minutes, and it wants to move Bieber from teen pop to dance-pop and R&B. He co-writes all but one song, and he handles his own “not a boy, not quite a man” status with more poise than anyone expected.
Opening With All Around the World
“All Around the World” opens the album with a big chorus and a beat built for radio play. It sets the tone: this is a pop record that wants to sound bigger than it is.
Boyfriend as the Mission Statement
“Boyfriend” follows and earns its place as the standout track. It’s the album’s mission statement — a dance-pop anthem that turns a breakup into a boast. The hook lands, and it’s easy to see why critics singled it out.
As Long as You Love Me Slows Things Down
“As Long as You Love Me” slows things down with a ballad that trades hooks for sincerity. It’s the album’s emotional peak, and it’s the second track critics flagged as essential.
Catching Feelings Through Right Here
“Catching Feelings” and “Take You” are competent but interchangeable mid-album cuts. They fill space without demanding attention.
“Right Here” is the album’s quietest moment, a gentle piano-led track that shows a softer side of Bieber. It doesn’t overstay its welcome.
“Fall” picks the pace back up with a beat that recalls the dance-pop singles around it. It’s a solid track, but it doesn’t reach the heights of the album’s best moments.
Die in Your Arms Through One Love
“Die in Your Arms,” “Thought of You” and “One Love” form a stretch of songs that critics mostly ignored. They’re pleasant enough, but they don’t justify their running time.
Beauty and a Beat Carries the Back Half
“Beauty and a Beat” is the album’s third standout. It pairs Bieber with a collaborator, and the result is the kind of dance-pop collaboration that makes the record feel current. It’s the third track critics singled out, and it’s the clearest evidence that the reinvention is working.
“Be Alright” and “Believe” are filler tracks that critics didn’t bother with. They exist to pad the album’s total length.
“Out of Town Girl” is a decent pop single that gets lost in the shuffle.
“She Don’t Like the Lights” and “Maria” are stronger than their placement suggests. Both have hooks that could have anchored the middle of the album, but they arrive late, after the record has already made its case.
“South American Tour” closes the main album with a travelogue-style track that feels like a bonus cut, not a statement.
The Bonus Tracks
“Believe: The Making Of” runs over twelve minutes and is a documentary-style look at the album’s recording process. It’s a curiosity for superfans, not a listen for casual listeners.
“‘Boyfriend’ Video: Behind the Scenes” is a short behind-the-scenes look at the video for the album’s lead single. It’s a nice touch, but it’s not music.
The Verdict
Believe is a confident reinvention, and it mostly succeeds. The album’s three standout tracks — “Boyfriend,” “As Long as You Love Me” and “Beauty and a Beat” — are as strong as anything Bieber had released to that point. The rest of the record is competent filler that occasionally drags, but the peaks are high enough to carry the whole project.
- “Boyfriend”
- “As Long as You Love Me”
- “Beauty and a Beat”
- “Right Here”
- “Fall”
| Track | Length |
|---|---|
| All Around the World | 4:05 |
| Boyfriend | 2:51 |
| As Long as You Love Me | 3:49 |
| Catching Feelings | 3:55 |
| Take You | 3:41 |
| Right Here | 3:24 |
| Fall | 4:08 |
| Die in Your Arms | 3:57 |
| Thought of You | 3:50 |
| Beauty and a Beat | 3:48 |
| One Love | 3:54 |
| Be Alright | 3:10 |
| Believe | 3:43 |
| Out of Town Girl | 3:34 |
| She Don’t Like the Lights | 4:00 |
| Maria | 4:08 |
| South American Tour | 3:49 |
| Believe: The Making Of | 12:27 |
| “Boyfriend” Video: Behind the Scenes | 2:38 |
The album is 19 tracks long, and the last five are bonus material that isn’t really necessary for understanding the record. The core 14-track version would have been a tighter listen, but the full-length release is the one that exists.
The album’s growth from teen pop to dance-pop and R&B is real, and it’s the most interesting thing about Believe. The standout tracks prove that Bieber can write his own material and make it stick. The filler tracks prove that he hasn’t quite figured out how to pace a full-length record yet. Taken together, Believe is a mixed bag, but a mixed bag with three hits.
That’s enough to recommend.
- All Around the World4:05
- Boyfriend2:51
- As Long as You Love Me3:49
- Catching Feelings3:55
- Take You3:41
- Right Here3:24
- Fall4:08
- Die in Your Arms3:57
- Thought of You3:50
- Beauty and a Beat3:48
- One Love3:54
- Be Alright3:10
- Believe3:43
- Out of Town Girl3:34
- She Don’t Like the Lights4:00
- Maria4:08
- South American Tour3:49
- Believe: The Making Of12:27
- “Boyfriend” Video: Behind the Scenes2:38
