‘What Do You Mean’, Justin Bieber?

Justin Bieber is set to release his new album, Purpose, on November 13, 2015. The popular young star admits that at least three of the songs on his album are in homage to his past relationship with fellow celebrity Selena Gomez. Although the duo split in 2013, Bieber still admits to harboring lasting feelings for his lost love.

After a three-year relationship, and a highly publicized breakup, the young lovers split for good. Bieber and Gomez now live separate lives, but do still keep in communication. In a candid interview, Bieber admitted to Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush that the split was tough on him and that he struggles with the fact that they are not together any longer. He contemplates that it is possible their relationship did not last because they met too early in life. Bieber was only 16-years-old when they began dating.

“I don’t know if I’m over it yet… I think that I’m definitely in another place and I think we’ve definitely went our separate ways. I love her and I want her to be awesome, but there are things that remind me of her. I wrote a song [that] didn’t make the album, it was called ‘If I Would Have Met You In 5 Years,’… How true is that? How many people go through life and end up meeting someone and it feels so right, but it’s just the wrong time? So many people can relate to that.”

Whatever his muse or reasons behind the songs, there is no denying the skyrocketing popularity of his latest release and greatest success. The reason behind the song is not as important as the numbers associated with it, or its high velocity shot to No. 1.

Justin Bieber enlisted the help of his celebrity friends to promote the song, along with his more than 67 million followers on Twitter. Ellen DeGeneres, Ariana Grande, and Shaquille O’Neal helped the song soar to the top of the Billboard’s list. Bieber did his part by performing the song on television and at the Hot 100 Music Festival.

The song “What Do You Mean,” released in August, is only one of 23 songs to release at a No. 1 spot. Previously, Bieber has not had a coveted No. 1 song, holding a No. 2 spot with “Boyfriend” in 2012. It sold 337,000 downloads in the first week of September. Bieber consecutively held the No. 2 spot on the Streaming Songs chart, thanks to the 23.2 million streams (from the U.S. alone). He also hold the record as the youngest artist to go straight to No. 1 on the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Billboard.com bases on their statistics on their rich 57-year history. In total, it took Bieber over six years and 47 songs to land at the top of the Billboard list. But with the changes in music releases, he is not alone. Several other top names have had the same number of hits, without gaining the highest position on the chart.

All of these numbers will most than likely bode well for the entire Purpose album.

“I am thrilled for Justin, who put so much heart, soul and hard work into creating and launching this song… I’m also very proud of the way the Scooter Braun team and the Def Jam family came together to execute this effort, with the vision and the goal of Justin’s first-ever Hot 100 chart-topper. [It’s] a reminder of what an important global star Justin has become, with worldwide chart milestones being achieved daily as the song resonates. Today’s Hot 100 No. 1 is an historic accomplishment, yet it’s only the beginning of the excitement that lies ahead for Beliebers across the globe.”

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