On Thursday, July 10, billboards across cities including New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Reykjavík popped up all teasing the same thing: Justin Bieber is back.
The various billboards showed black and white photos of the superstar, with one in particular showing him shirtless standing in front of his wife Hailey Bieber, who is holding their son Jack Blues Bieber (though his face isn’t to the camera). The images were shot by Renell Medrano, the same photographer who shot the album art for Kendrick Lamar’s 2022 Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers; and, as many fans have pointed out on social media, it seemed likely that Bieber’s new album could follow a similar theme of chronicling his journey towards healing.
While other billboards depicted the word “SWAG,” which proved to be an album title, some listed 20 titles, which proved to be the album’s track list (plus one more track not listed on the billboards, culminating in 21 total). Titles included “Therapy Session” and “Forgiveness,” further solidifying similarities between Bieber and Lamar’s confessional projects.
In all, the surprise promo added up to a quick campaign for Bieber’s anticipated seventh album. But the few hours notice was more than enough to generate hype — as fans have been seated and waiting for new music since 2021.
Out Friday, July 11, Swag is the superstar’s first album in four years, since Justice. Sources told Billboard that Swag was in the same lane of R&B only much more experimental, referencing artists such as Dijon and Mk.gee (both of whom are credited on the album).
And while Swag arrived as a surprise, it’s also an expected move from the artist who has been making headlines of late for everything from financial woes with his former manager, Scooter Braun, to concerns over his marital status. With Swag, Bieber is taking control of not only the present narrative but his and his family’s future.
As he famously said recently, in a paparazzi clip that has since gone viral: “It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business.” After one listen through Swag, it immediately clocks just how serious Bieber is about protecting what matters most. And really, what’s swaggier than that?
Below, see Billboard’s preliminary ranking of all 21 songs from Bieber’s Swag.
The 21st and final track on Swag is by pastor and gospel singer Marvin Winans, a fitting choice for someone so rooted in his faith like Bieber — and an even more fitting title to end his album on. Because if he’s proven anything across Swag, it’s that forgiveness is all he is, and ever has been, asking for.
“You got some soul on this album,” says Druski on this interlude, before joking that Bieber “kinda sounds Black” on the project. “Your skin white, but your soul Black, Justin. I promise you.”
Given that “Standing On Business” wasn’t included in the original tracklist being teased on the billboards spotted earlier in the day suggests one of two things: there was a clearance issue, as Bieber uses the now viral audio of him telling a paparazzi: “It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business, is it? I’m a human being, you’re standing around my car, at the beach!” Or, Bieber himself wasn’t sure on cementing a fleeting moment on his album forever.
“I like that you pronounce business,” says Druski, poking fun. “You were pronouncing every word. You can’t do that…I’m gonna start going to the beach and looking for motherf—–s just to say that s–t to.”
Druski returns on this confessional interlude where he laughs about Bieber trolling, which he says causes the public to overreact and say, “he’s f—ing losing his mind!…Nah, he’s just being a human being, he’s enjoying social media like the rest of us, he’s just doing it his own way.”
“That’s been a tough thing for me recently, is feeling like I’ve had to go through a lot of my struggles as a human really publicly, so people are always asking if I’m ok, and that starts to really weigh on me,” says Bieber. “It starts to make me feels like I’m the only one with issues and everyone else is perfect.”
“See,” says Druski, “that’s why I said I’m gonna be your counselor.”
“405” is the first song — not to mention, it’s the 17th track — that could be called a filler. But given the album’s theme and how much of Swag plays out like a direct line into Bieber’s brain of late, this 3-minute and 33-second hypnotic, racing track sounds like what likely runs through his head when mindlessly driving on the freeway. As he repeats, “keep loving you” over and over again, it sounds just as much like a mantra as a promise.
“We need more people to get together,” instructs Lil B, calling for less separation and hate around the world, and more love. And as Bieber repeats the track’s title over and over, it takes on double meaning: it sounds like he’s saying both “Dad’s love” and “that’s love” — and as he aims to prove, isn’t that one in the same? As he’s made clear in recent paparazzi clips, Bieber is a dad now. And viral jokes aside, here he’s well aware that leading with love is the only way through.
“Way It Is” is one of the most straightforward R&Bieber tracks on the album, offering a reminder that despite some of the more experimental swings he takes throughout Swag he’s still the same artist his fans have loved all this time. Gunna’s verse, though brief, fits in seamlessly thanks to Bieber harmonizing just below his vocals, as if he was too into the track to step away even for a moment.
“We get high and we go down again,” sings Bieber on this reflective track about how he ended up here in the first place — and who he considers to hold the title of “first place” in his life. The uptempo production offsets the more sobering lyrics, with Bieber saying “I don’t wanna lose you now, that’s the worst case.” He continues to admit “it’s been this way for a long time,” after questioning, “where do I begin?” Swag seems like an appropriate, and necessary, first step.
For the album’s title track, Bieber brought his friends along. Featuring rapper Cash Cobain and close collaborator Eddie Benjamin, on “Swag” the three manage to share the spotlight with ease as they assure, “I’ll put you on.” As Cash attests, “That’s swag, for certain.”
“Sweet Spot” does exactly as the title implies, balancing a retro R&B beat with the more experimental production that unites all of Swag. And while some of the lyrics call back to the more cringe-worthy moments on “Yummy” (still, a certified banger), Sexxy Red’s extended verse certainly helps sell the inclusion of this sex-positive track.
If it wasn’t included on his own album, it may be hard to guess that “Yukon” is a Bieber track. Save for his own backing vocals, which are undeniably JB, this track finds the singer questioning: “What would I do, if I didn’t love you?” And while the Latin-inspired riff and hand drums add a bit of intrigue, “Yukon” serves a similar purpose to “405,” both of which seem like real-time ruminations that often occupy Bieber’s mind.
After a song like “Swag,” “Zuma House” comes as a welcome shock. Another raw offering, much like “Glory Voice Memo,” this song sounds much like what the title suggests: Bieber alone in a house near Zuma Beach recording himself via voice memo on an acoustic guitar. After just one-minute and 23 seconds, the song trails off, almost like you were caught eavesdropping, and don’t want to risk being caught by lingering too long. The impromptu end leaves the listener wanting more and yet feeling fortunate enough to have heard anything so intimate at all.
It makes sense for the snapping “Things You Do” to follow “Go Baby.” It’s as if “Baby” is what Bieber wishes to say to the public, while “Things You Do” is his more intimate, loving offering to his wife. Singing over a simple riff, it’s easy to picture Bieber sitting on the edge of the bed playing this while strumming and snapping along, shaking his head to accompany his own signature vocal flourishes.
“Money, money, money,” says Bieber, in audio clipped from another recent paparazzi encounter. The addition, as all the paparazzi clips do, makes Swag feel just as fresh and urgent as its arrival, and here Bieber uses this specific interaction as inspiration for a commentary on the things people often desire. “Butterfly, go away,” he begs. It’s as if Bieber is both being chased by and chasing after something, before concluding, “I’m ’bout to slip away.” But as the sixth track on the album, it’s clear he’s nowhere near done running just yet. And some things, he might be realizing, you can never really outrun anyway.
After a near hour worth of reflection and baring his soul, “Too Long” brings a feistier side to Bieber to the forefront, supported by a classic R&B beat. “When you do me like that, it’s hard to take…I’ve been waiting, I’ve been patient/ I’ve been waiting too long.” It’s as if everything up until this point was a plea with himself, with his family and even with the public to understand where he’s coming from and what he’s been up against — but just in case none of that made his case, “Too Long” is one final Hail Mary. “I want to let it go,” Bieber admits, “it’s been too long.”
Whatever he’s seeking, though, can only be granted by himself alone. No one else.
The rawness of “Glory Voice Memo” makes it feel like a 2025 all-grown-up version of the YouTube video that made Bieber a viral sensation. There’s not much to it, just pure vocal talent — the kind that makes your noise wrinkle and eyes close — over a fuzzy, acoustic guitar. If there was ever a doubt, this 84-second clip proves JB has still got it, and never lost it.
“That’s my baby, she’s iconic/ iPhone case, lip gloss on it,” sings Bieber, speaking of his wife Hailey and her Rhode beauty empire, which recently sold to Elf Beauty in $1 billion deal. “When sunlight turns to shadows and it gets hard to face… nothing needs to work out and nothing needs to break/ don’t need to pretend you’re ok.” The chorus, though nothing more than the repeated line “go baby, go” is an instantly classic anthem for supporting a loved one. And with this one song, Bieber seems to shut down any speculation of his marital status by telling his wife: “Cry on my shoulder… you better believe I can hold all the weight.” Sure, things may not always be perfect — but isn’t that the beauty of having a partner to celebrate the good and brave the bad with? And for the Biebers, they have to live their highs and lows out loud. “Go Baby” proves that there’s no love lost — rather, they’re one another’s biggest fans when they need it most.
This vibey, gilmmering opening track immediately sets the stage for what’s to come: as promised, an experimental, alternative take on the R&B of Bieber’s prime. And even through the layers of production and vocal editing, Bieber’s voice shines through as confident as ever as he repeats: “And it’s all I can take.” There’s a sense of freedom in the confession — and what a note to start on.
“Walking Away” is a goosebump-raising confessional about why Bieber isn’t “walking away” from his marriage — no matter how tough it gets. “We better stop before we say some s–t, we’ve been testing our patience,” he admits, before declaring, “Baby, I ain’t walking away.” This song functions like a refreshingly honest vow renewal, as Bieber recalls giving Hailey her ring and promising to change. “It’s just human nature, these growing pains,” he assures. He sounds undoubtedly sincere — but then again, there’s only one listener who can be the judge of that.
A Justin Bieber and Dijon collaboration sounds exactly as one would hope: like a warm, all-encompassing hug. 12 tracks in and this pairing makes perfect sense, as Swag creates a similarly intimate and lo-fi atmosphere to Dijon’s own debut album, 2021’s Absolutely. There’s a beautiful calm to “Devotion,” with Bieber taking a moment to put any fears or frustrations aside and simply live in his present. Admitting in the first line, “I’m starting to be open to/ the idea that you know me, too.” As they say, to be known is to be loved, and it seems Bieber is finally learning that to be true — and taking comfort in that rare kind of intimacy, or rather, devotion.
Following a lead track like “All I Can Take,” on which Bieber’s vocals were a bit clouded by the production, “Daisies” arrives as a welcomed follow-up as his voice is much more the focal point, supported mostly by a crunchy, lo-fi guitar — signature to Swag. There’s an intimacy to this track, as if it places the listener directly in the garage — or whatever small, comforting and likely hazy space — it was recorded in. And for a superstar like Bieber, who is over 15 years and seven albums into his career, it’s no small feat to craft an alternative-pop track that sounds like it’s being made directly in the listener’s ear in real time. And as a whole, that’s what Swag accomplishes best; in addition to helping Bieber get some things off his chest, never has a star of his magnitude sounded more real, in every sense of the word.
