Usher (L) and Justin Bieber arrive at the Kids' Choice Awards on March 28, 2009 in Los Angeles. Later that year, Bieber's first album, "My World," would debuted at No. 6 on Billboard's charts.

Every Friday, pop critics for The New York Times weigh in on the week’s most notable new tracks. Listen to the Playlist on Spotify here (or find our profile: nytimes) and at Apple Music here, and sign up for The Amplifier, a twice-weekly guide to new and old songs.

When Did Justin Bieber Announce His New Album? Justin Bieber is finally back! On July 10, the 31-year-old singer shared a series of posts on Instagram, uploading videos and photos of billboards that confirmed the arrival of his seventh studio album,