Justin Bieber ‘as we’ve never heard him before’: What the critics are saying about the surprise album ‘Swag’
Earlier today, Justin Bieber shocked the music world by releasing his first album in four years with less than 24 hours' notice.
And now Swag, the Canadian pop star's seventh studio album, is out in the world, and critics are weighing in on their initial reactions to the record.
Across the board, music writers are recognizing this as something other than a triumphant pop return for Bieber, who has become a father since 2021's Justice. Swag is emotional and confessional that feels at least somewhat new for Bieber.
"Within a couple tracks of Swag, it’s pretty clear this is Bieber as we’ve never really heard him before — stripped of most of his usual big pop trappings, with a much more organic-sounding, alt-R&B-focused sound aided by recognizable sonic architects like Dijon, Mk.Gee and new primary artistic partner Carter Lang supporting his tender ballads of love and devotion," writes Billboard's Andrew Unterberger. "Fans hoping for an album full of 'Sorry's (or even 'Peaches'es) may be disappointed, but Beliebers who never stopped returning to the eerie confessionals of Journals or the hushed intimacy of Changes will undoubtedly be elated."
And while he found Swag to be a bit over-stuff, The Hollywood Reporter's Ethan Millman found the project interesting as an indicator of where Bieber is headed next.
"Swag clocks in at 54 minutes on 21 tracks (though three of those are interludes featuring conversations between Bieber and online comedian Druski), with R&Bieber is full effect for much of it, leaning into the genre’s sweet spots (reverb-heavy keys), while also peppering the album with hip-hop, pop and some gospel," Millman writes. "He’s both earnest and not taking himself too seriously on the project, (calling an album Swag in the year 2025 is itself a bold choice) with Bieber flipping between love songs about wife Hailey Bieber on one track, then sampling some of some of his more meme-able moments confronting the paparazzi on the next. … The result is perhaps a bit bloated at times, though an overall strong return as Bieber launches into his next era."
A common critique found in the first reactions of Swag related to its lyric content, which — as opposed to the album's sound — may be lacking from depth.
"It’s all very considered, cleverly nostalgic and subtly satisfying — there’s not a craven chart smash in earshot," writes The Guardian's Rachel Aroesti. "Lyrically, however, Swag isn’t such a classy and thoughtful affair. … You would struggle to find much evidence of a three-dimensional human being in his lyrics, which are low on specifics, insight or originality. Despite the album’s seductive, almost spookily evocative sound, the lasting impression is one of eerie emptiness. Swag has moments of brilliance, but this is no long-awaited masterpiece."
And yet still, some writers considering the album within the context of Bieber's discography find Swag to be a welcome development for the massive popular singer.
"It feels like it was made by someone who uses music to cope and who has not had an easy time coping lately," writes Stereogum's Tom Breihan in his "premature evaluation" of Swag. "There are no obvious radio hits and few commercial concessions on Swag. Bieber made the entire thing without Poo Bear, the longtime co-writer who helped him craft most of his biggest songs. Even when rappers show up on Bieber’s Swag tracks, they don’t sound stapled-on, the way they have on virtually every Bieber record since the Jaden Smith days. Reportedly, a more conventional Justin Bieber pop album is supposed to come out later this year or early next year. I hope we don’t get it. I prefer this version of Bieber, the one who more focused on vibes than hits.