29. My World 2.0 by Justin Bieber (CD)

MY WORLD 2.0 by Justin Bieber (Island Records, 2010)

GENRE: Pop / R&B

HONORS: American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album, Billboard Music Awards Top Pop Album

REVIEW:

My World 2.0 is the follow-up to Justin Bieber’s short album My World, being his first full-length studio release.  The album consists of a mixture of R&B and pop, including some up-tempo dance songs and some slower songs that allow Justin to show his vocal range.  My World 2.0 birthed three singles that achieved international success.  The first single, “Baby,” is an up-tempo song about the singer’s first heartbreak, resonating with many young girls that either remember their own first heartbreak or want to be the one to console Justin.  The second single, “Somebody to Love,” is a mid-tempo dance song that has Justin professing his love for a girl and expressing his willingness to do anything for her.  The last single, “U Smile,” is a slow pop ballad with a bluesy feel to it that showcases Justin’s voice and the strong instrumental presence in contrast to the more produced previous singles.  With Justin turning sixteen just days before the release of this album, it is fitting that the majority of his songs discuss first love and the heartbreaks that come along with being a teenager, speaking directly to his tween and teen fans that are beginning to experience these same emotions.

OPINION:

Although I did not anticipate enjoying Justin Bieber’s music, I was surprised to find myself bobbing along to the beat.  There are a few songs that are really catchy and continue to get stuck in my head even days after listening to them.  My favorite, though, has to be “U Smile,” which never fails to get me swaying to the beat and singing along to the chorus.  As a fan of the boy bands of the nineties, I can understand how Justin has attracted such a large tween and teen girl fan base.  As a teenager himself, Justin relates to his fans as one of their peers and his music gives them something to listen to when they are going through similar experiences, whether they are reveling in the happiness of a first love or saddened by the pain of a first heartbreak.

IDEAS:

With Justin Bieber’s extreme popularity among tween girls, the library could put on a Bieber-themed program with music and activities, hopefully bringing in more tweens to the library.  Also, this could be included in a library display featuring teen music acts, along with books about the stars.