Justin Bieber’s 15 Best Features, Ranked (Part 1)
14 years ago, a teenaged Justin Bieber took the world by storm. For the first few years of his career, Bieber coasted as a teen heartthrob. Though the charts always favoured Bieber, he was often derided as a product of the industry. As years went by, Bieber began developing his own sense of artistry, beginning mainly on his Believe album, which saw him begin his transition from child star into a fully formed artist.
His mentor Usher became the first major artist to hop on a track with Bieber, but that expanded as he got older. In 2010, Soulja Boy featured Bieber on “Rich Girl,” his first major appearance on another artist’s track. Then, he expanded. Suddenly, Sean Kingston, Chris Brown, and Jaden Smith enlisted him for features. By the time 2012 came around, Bieber locked Ludacris, Drake, and Nicki Minaj in on his second album. At 18 years old and with the world at Bieber’s fingertips, he could begin experimenting. His output in the early 2010s induced some form of whiplash, bouncing between Chris Brown’s “Next to You” all the way to Sage the Gemini’s “Gas Pedal Remix.”
Slowly but surely, Bieber became more than just a hit machine. He refined his vocals, sharpened his writing, and refused to pigeonhole himself. The separation between chart-topping hits like “Despacito (Remix)” and Travis Scott’s “Maria I’m Drunk” is stark. As of 2023, Bieber features have become much more common, but which are the best of them? Complex Canada carefully selected which songs rank at the top of the Justin Bieber feature list.
15. Beam, “Sundown”
Year: 2022
Appears on: Alien
In 2022, after a slew of singles, Beam burst onto the scene with his debut album Alien, which featured an appearance from Bieber on “Sundown.” The solemn track focuses on their longing for their respective partners in the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ of night. Bieber’s verse, while short, describes his need to feel loved by someone else in order to love and accept himself. Naturally, thoughts at 2 a.m. can be destructive and overly paranoid, but Bieber carefully treads the line between drunken musings and his unwavering nostalgia for better days.
14. Post Malone, “Deja Vu”
Year: 2016
Appears on: Stoney
The best part of Post Malone’s debut album. Singing over a beat that feels not far removed from “Hotline Bling,” Bieber recounts the story of a past flame who could never land on the same page as him. Though he paints it as a one-off situation, his final line culminates in Bieber admitting he’s been through this before. Bieber’s short verse cleanly deceives its listener while softly airing out his grievances.
13. The Kid Laroi, “Stay”
Year: 2021
Appears on: ҒUCҜ Love 3+: Over You
As sticky as “Stay’s” chorus is, Bieber’s verse steals the show. Clocking in at just under 30 seconds, Bieber adds a layer of sheen on top of Laroi’s chaos. He sings quickly, almost as though he was in a rush to go home early, but the speed at which he tackles his verse makes the song feel that much more urgent. Given the song’s themes, urgency makes a lot of sense.
12. Skrillex f/Don Toliver, “Don’t Go”
Year: 2023
Appears on: Don’t Get Too Close
Let the Skrillex revival begin. On Don’t Get Too Close, the dubstep pioneer enlisted a plethora of new-gen artists to jumpstart the next leg of his career. “Don’t Go” teams Bieber with Don Toliver on a guitar-led track where the pop star takes the reins. Across his two verses, Bieber sprinkles a mix of pop culture references—as well as a COVID reference—including Bonnie and Clyde, Topanga of Boy Meets World, and a nod to Frozen hit “Let It Go.”
11. Shawn Mendes, “Monster”
Year: 2020
Appears on: Wonder
If Bieber’s impact raised a generation of pop stars, Mendes counts as one of them. The Ontarian pair have over time moved away from each other in terms of style, but they’re simpatico on this sure-fire hit from 2020’s Wonder. Bieber outlines his come up in the lyrics, from age 15 all the way to the hardened pop veteran he is today. Bieber stands as inspiration for countless bedroom artists, and here, he’s ready to show the dark side of his success.
10. Wizkid f/Tems, “Essence (Remix)”
Year: 2021
Appears on: Made In Lagos: Deluxe Edition
Wizkid’s “Essence” didn’t need a remix. Its slick tenderness worked as a standalone collaboration, yet Bieber slides in with a warm verse right in the middle. His verse, most likely dedicated to his wife Hailey, sees the Canadian pop star at his most vulnerable. He hopes that he’s enough for her while admitting that he wants her to be proud of him. Bieber’s ability to showcase his fiery love comes to full fruition on the “Essence” remix.
