Justin Bieber becomes the first artist with 10 tracks with over a billion Spotify streams. Here are the songs that smashed records

Justin Bieber has broken a record — again.

Last year, the artist from Stratford, Ontario became the first to have seven songs surpass a billion streams on Spotify, edging past Post Malone. Now, he’s the first to have 10.

With this legacy defining milestone, Bieber’s rise as one of the world’s top artists is undeniable. How did he get there?

Here are the 10 songs that have hit more than a billion Spotify streams.

“Sorry”

Released in 2015, “Sorry” has reached 1.5 billion streams on Spotify.

Produced by Skrillex in his post-brostep phase, “Sorry” is a dancehall pop track filled with big brass bleats and a warm dembow riddim that oddly generates a feeling of happiness in a what should be a dark time for Bieber.

But the real draw of this track is its music video, which has reached 3.5 billion views.

Instead making his own appearance, the artist recruited esteemed choreographer Parris Goebel and her all-girl ReQuest Dance Crew to set the visual goofiness to his tropical house smash hit. While the lyrics are about one’s plea for a last chance to apologize to past lover, the video, full of effervescent fun, demands dancing.

The song spent several weeks at number one on the Canadian Hot 100 and three weeks on the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

“Stay”

On July 9, 2021, Justin Bieber and Kid Laroi dropped “Stay” — and instant hit that debuted at number three on Billboard Hot 100’s chart, accruing 34.7 million streams in a day.

“Stay” also had something artists wish they had, a meme. Spawning it’s own dance challenge on social media, influential creators like @maxtaylorlifts and @totouchanemu helped “Stay” ride the TikTok mimetic wave to the top of the charts.

In August, the song topped the Hot 100, becoming Bieber’s eighth number one track on the chart. The song then went on to spend seven nonconsecutive weeks at number one.

Like many of Bieber’s songs, it’s a track pleading with a partner in a relationship, that floats on a dancey keyboard riff and cinematic synths, adding an element of drama.

“Despacito”

In 2017 “Despacito” was inescapable.

Every dorm, every club, every house, every car, every barbecue was playing it. It was even heard on the TTC subway, with two accordion players being charged for doing so.

Taking Luis Fonsi’s original sultry, dancehall-pop-ballad mélange, Bieber gave it a remix, including singing in Spanish. In Bieber’s hands the track took off, hitting number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for 16 weeks. “Despacito” even tied Mariah Carey’s record for most weeks at number one with her seasonal hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

“Despacito” still holds the record for the longest-running number one track on the Hot Latin Songs chart, reigning for 56 total weeks. “Despacito” also broke ground for Spanish-language pop music on a massive scale — opening doors into American charts for Latin artists like Camila Cabello, J Balvin, Bad Bunny and Ozuna.

“What Do You Mean?”

Bieber’s 2015 album Purpose was a gold mine for poptimists and this track was the vein that kept giving.

With a playful flute, watery synths and Bieber’s breathy vocals “What Do You Mean” served as Bieber’s first ever number one single on Billboard’s Hot 100’s chart.

Like “Sorry,” the YouTube video for “What Do You Mean,” which starts with a kidnapping and ends in a party, outstrips the 1.2 billion Spotify streams with 2.1 billion views.

“Peaches”

The ability to join forces with almost every artist on the planet is a skill within itself, and on “Peaches,” it’s borne fruit.

When the track dropped, it hit number one on Billboard’s Hot 100, becoming the 50th song to ever do so. It also became Bieber’s seventh number one single. “Peaches” was nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance and Best Music video for the 2021 Grammy Awards.

Singing alongside Toronto’s Daniel Caesar and the baritone baron Giveon, “Peaches” is one of Bieber’s smoothest tracks. The playful hook and Bieber’s breathy vocals create a warm R&B atmosphere accentuated by Caesar and Giveon.

“Love Yourself”

“Love Yourself” is ultimate radio candy — a type of track played so frequently people still hear it in grocery stores, waiting in the doctor’s office and on the radio during work commutes.

The third consecutive number one single of the 2015 Purpose era, “Love Yourself” was written by Ed Sheeran for his cataclysmic album “÷”, but was eventually given to Bieber.

It’s a bare, guitar-led kiss-off track that has one of the most memorable lyrics of the decade — you couldn’t open Instagram without seeing a caption “My momma don’t like you and she likes everyone.”

“Let Me Love You”

Hot off Purpose‘s EDM-laden tracklist, Bieber collaborated with DJ Snake on this track as the lead vocalist.

It didn’t debut at number one on the Hot 100, but made international waves in Switzerland, Scotland, Germany, Finland, Norway, Italy, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands — floating in the top 10 across Europe and South America.

“Let Me Love You” served as one of the last vestiges of Bieber’s tropical house days. Lyrics paint Bieber as a forlorn lover, complimented by summery beat. “Let Me Love You” is reminiscent of long walks on the beach.

“I’m The One”

As an artist, Bieber is always collaborating with others — and his partnership with DJ Khaled is a natural fit. In the spring of 2017, “I’m The One” dropped with a star lineup: produced by DJ Khaled, featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne.

The sunny pop-rap track hit the top of the charts, becoming Bieber’s fourth Hot 100 number one song.

“I Don’t Care”

In 2019, Ed Sheeran and Bieber joined forces on “I Don’t Care,” and took the world by storm.

Peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, the lovestruck, dancehall-influenced track saw Bieber and Sheeran trading verses, with Sheeran pulling in one of his trademark hooks.

While the track eventually surpassed the 1 billion mark, it never hit the number one spot, due to Lil Nas X’s transcendent “Old Town Road” that garnered 10.9 million streams on its release date, breaking the single-day Spotify streaming record.

“Cold Water”

According to Ed Sheeran in an interview with Billboard Magazine, this was a track that Sheeran had written and forgotten about at Benny Blanco’s house. Later, “Cold Water” was rediscovered by Diplo who put down the final touches and added Bieber and MØ in for vocals.

The day it dropped, the track exploded, peaking at number one on the UK singles chart, number two on the Hot 100 and bubbling in the top 10 across Europe.

Combining elements of dancehall and big room house, “Cold Water” is a slow burn that begs to be played on a road-trip with the windows down.

Listen to all 10 songs here: