Were you a “Belieber” growing up? For some, this odd term may be completely insignificant, but for others, it was their whole life. Justin Bieber is a common household name and coined the term “Belieber” for his fans in the late 2000s and early 2010s. A little background on Justin dealing with his career is that he has won seemingly endless awards for his music, including 2 Grammys, 23 Grammy nominations, 23 Teen Choice Awards, and many more.
His most popular tracks you might recognize from various school dances such as Baby (2010) and That Should Be Me (2010). Others you might just notice from the radio like Stay (2021) that he released with The Kid Laroi.
Hearing Bieber’s style of music, you might not expect him to release a Christmas album, but that’s exactly what he did. On November 1, 2011, Justin Bieber released his fully Christmas themed album Under The Mistletoe. Initially, this album did not have the best feedback. It received a lot of criticism. One critic from our own school, Chatfield Senior High, who goes by the name Lexi White stated, “For my whole life I have been a Justin Bieber critic and a Christmas hater. When I heard JB Christmas Album, I was not impressed and, for quite some time, wanted to rip my ears out”.
On the Under The Mistletoe album, the track Mistletoe is easily Bieber’s most popular song with Drummer Boy coming in second. Mistletoe became very likable because of its original melody and the style of pop that was popular during the time of its release while Drummer Boy became a fan favorite because of its upbeat and modern spin.
Other major artists such as Mariah Carey, Michael Buble, Dolly Parton, and even Elvis Presley have released their own Christmas tracks and got a lot of positive feedback. Doing this has become a sort of “rite of passage” to fully solidify an artist in the music world, which is likely why Justin released his; to solidify his legitimacy as a pop artist. As a very young artist, beginning his career at just fifteen years old, others in the industry may have found it difficult to take him seriously. This album is what helped him gain a more mature look in the eyes of his older coworkers.
So how has this album affected my generation?
While his music got a lot of hate from the later generations, mine fell in love with it. The nostalgia that his music brings will always be such a key element in the lives of so many kids my age. Experienced Lexi White had more to say on this topic; “[T]hese past few months have enlightened me. I am broadening my horizons and choosing to give into the light that shines from Jusin Bieber and his Christmas. For this reason, I have become incredibly overjoyed by the upcoming holidays and their festivities–specifically Under The Mistletoe (Deluxe) released in 2011 by Justn Bieber, I am yet to listen to the complete album, but I can guarantee the experience that I will report back to you will be a positive one.”
A JB Christmas is the perfect way to unwind from the first semester of school and begin focusing on the holiday festivities while on break. Or, better yet, start listening right now! Who needs a break for the Christmas season to officially begin? Not me!
Make yourself some hot chocolate, put on some fuzzy socks, and immerse yourself in some childhood Justin Bieber nostalgia by shuffling Under The Mistletoe.
