Justin Bieber’s 2012 global smash hit “Beauty and a Beat,” featuring rapper Nicki Minaj, has officially surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify, marking Justin’s 17th song to reach the millstone and Minaj’s 6th.
Released on October 24 as the third single from Bieber’s third studio album Believe, “Beauty and a Beat” features an infectious blend of EDM and electropop, with a fast-paced beat and vibrant synthesizers produced by Max Martin and Zedd. Lyrically, the track is a celebration of love, freedom, and partying, with Bieber inviting his love interest to “party like it’s 3012.” It also includes Nicki Minaj’s iconic rap verse, which references Bieber’s then-girlfriend Selena Gomez, and her playful wordplay has become one of the song’s most memorable moments.
A Global Phenomenon
“Beauty and a Beat” was an immediate commercial success, debuting at No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later peaking at No. 5, marking Bieber’s third top-10 hit from Believe. It also enjoyed significant chart success internationally, peaking in the top 10 in countries including Australia, Israel, Lebanon, and New Zealand, and receiving multi-Platinum certifications in several countries. In particular, the song was certified 7× Platinum in Australia, 4× Platinum in the US, and Gold in numerous other regions, underscoring its global reach and appeal.
The song’s music video, released simultaneously, features a wild waterpark party with Bieber and Minaj, the video captured the carefree spirit of the song, and quickly became a YouTube favorite, amassing over 1.1 billion views s of 2024.
“Beauty and a Beat” marked a key moment in Justin Bieber’s career, signaling his transition from teen pop sensation to a more mature artist experimenting with different musical styles. Bieber himself spoke about his collaboration with Nicki Minaj, expressing his admiration for her unique style and how her rap perfectly complemented the song. “I wanted a female rapper and I think that she is the best choice. I felt she just fit on the song perfectly,” Bieber said at the time.
The song also stands out as the only track on Believe that Bieber did not co-write. It was certified 4x Platinum in the U.S. (500,000) as of September 2020 and Platinum in the U.K. (600,000) as of Decemebr 2021.
