Justin Bieber: Sales and Popularity vs. Critical

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 media outlets noted that the film was clearly designed and marketed to Bieber's "tween," or early adolescent, female fan base. 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 striking. At twenty-six years old, Spalding has played with Prince and Stevie Wonder and has appeared twice at White House functions, but critics describe her as "under the radar" and "unassuming." Her gradual and quiet rise to notoriety has also allowed her to shape her musical style and image, an opportunity that Bieber has not yet had (Young).

It is not uncommon for young stars to evolve and reinvent themselves as they mature. The issue, however, is that Justin Bieber lacks widespread critical acclaim. Writers and critics frequently comment on his sensationalized image and his famous hairdo, but rarely praise his vocals, lyrics, or choreography. It's not surprising, though, given the fact that his lyrics are highly repetitive, and his videos are specifically created to market him as a teen heartthrob. In some cases it's his fan base that garners a majority of his negative press and criticism. For example, in April 2010, shows on his Australian tour were cancelled due to fan rioting that left eight individuals hospitalized. Both his management and local authorities felt that the audience posed a safety risk. Entertainment writers were quick to note that the crowd that causes the riot was composed primarily of young female fans (Hambouz and Ojalavo).