Justin Bieber: Sales and Popularity vs. Critical Acclaim Justin Bieber was just fourteen years old when he shot to fame, in 2008, through an online video posted on the popular web site, YouTube.com. (Caramanica,). Over the course of a few years he set a slew of music industry and cyber space records, including a platinum debut album, millions of dollars in records sales, and at one point, the record for the most hits on Google's internet search engine (Hambouz, A. And Ojalavo). In 2011, Bieber was nominated for both Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album, both of which were awarded to other performers. In fact, Best New Artist was awarded to Esperanza Spalding, a jazz musician with little mainstream press (Chinen). When one reads or watches media discussions regarding Bieber it's clear opinions on his success are polarized. Millions of young female fans are purchasing his music, but there are also endless critics and reporters who consistently pan his musical efforts and commercial imagine. This juxtaposition of adulation and criticism is, perhaps, what makes him most fascinating.

After the recent cinematic release of "Never Say Never," a biopic that documents Bieber's rise to fame, film critics from a variety of mainstream...

Yet, with opening-weekend sales of over $30 million dollars, the film was a box office success. Critics don't question Bieber's commercial success, but few offer him any genuine praise or acclaim. Rolling Stone film critic, Peter Travers, described the film as "lethal injection by bubble gum" a reference to the catchy pop style of the music and overwhelming presence of teenage girls (Travers, 1). Jon Caramanica, of The New York Times, openly questioned whether Bieber's success could endure as he matures, both physically and vocally. The main issue, it seems, is that Bieber lacks a strong fan base beyond the young female demographic. He lacks a solid male following, and critics consistently note that the adults at his live shows are typically parents of young fans. He is marketed as a teen heartthrob, and he often creates fan hysteria, but rarely garners critical acclaim (Caramanica, 1).
Bieber's commercial success has frequently left entertainment critics seemingly frustrated. While critics often note his gift for music and his strong stage presence, his recordings are routinely described as "catchy" and "fluffy," and it leads observers to question whether his musical talent is being overshadowed by his commercial presentation. This dilemma was highlighted by his recent Best New Artist Grammy loss to Spalding, who is, herself, a critically acclaimed jazz musician with post-secondary studies in music and a small, but devoted fan base in Boston's local music scene (Chinen). The contrast between these two artists is…