Once the subject of simultaneous adoration and scorn, Justin Bieber managed to step into adulthood with a genuinely nuanced and introspective pop album. With assistance from the likes of Skrillex and Diplo, Bieber set out to write an album with a central message of hope. By expressing a newfound purpose in his own life, he was able to share that with his fans. The irresistible hooks of tracks like “Sorry,” “What Do U Mean?” and “Love Yourself” balanced with personable lyrics and meaning, allowed Bieber to achieve the seemingly impossible: to be taken seriously as an artist outside of his core teenage fangirl demographic. Bieber was already an entertainment veteran and juggernaut at the age of 21, but Purpose proved to the world that there was more to him than met the eye. —@goodkidkevcity, Kevin Loo