Maps of Music

Journals (2013)

Where the lyrics of Journals take you, and where it was really made.

This 2013 album did not reach the US Billboard 200 until 2026, when it debuted at number 111.

Key places

Where the song Recovery was finished (2013)

Recording site Cherry Beach Sound — Jason Boyd's song Recovery was finished at Cherry Beach Sound in Toronto. The pin marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Journals: second compilation album by Canadian singer Justin Bieber
• Released through Island Records on 23 December 2013
• R&B album that moves away from the teen-pop sound of Bieber's earlier work while keeping some pop influences
• Main themes: heartbreak and forgiveness in a romantic relationship
• Guest appearances from R. Kelly, Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne, Future and Big Sean
• Ten songs released weekly as Music Mondays, plus five other previously unreleased songs
• Digital release first; released on LP in 2016

Background

• Bieber wrote new songs every day during the Believe Tour in 2012 and 2013
• Manager Scooter Braun said the writing process produced one to two songs a day for the entire tour
• Bieber acted as executive producer and brought in previous collaborators such as Rodney Jerkins, Maejor, Diplo and Sir Nolan
• New R&B producers included The Audibles, Andre Harris, D.K. the Punisher, Soundz, Chef Tone, T-Minus and Jason Poo Bear Boyd
• The album aimed at a more mature sound
• Many critics noted that the album was influenced by Bieber's relationship with former girlfriend Selena Gomez

Recording

• The song Recovery was finished at Cherry Beach Sound in Toronto
• Jason Boyd became one of the most frequent collaborators on the album, writing and producing several songs
• Many Boyd songs were chosen by Bieber to sing and turned into songs on Journals

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Justin Drew Bieber (born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer, born in London, Ontario and raised in Stratford.
• He was discovered by Scooter Braun after Braun found his 2007 YouTube covers, and signed to RBMG, a joint venture of Braun and Usher, later with Island Records.
• His debut EP My World (2009) and debut album My World 2.0 (2010) topped the US Billboard 200 at the time, making him the youngest solo male to do so in 47 years.
• Believe (2012) marked a shift from teen pop to dance-pop and R&B; by age 18 he had five US number-one albums.
• Purpose (2015) produced three US Billboard Hot 100 number-ones: Love Yourself, Sorry and What Do You Mean?.
• Later albums Changes (2020), Justice (2021), Swag (2025) and Swag II (2025) continued his chart success.
• He is estimated to have sold over 150 million records and is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Awards

• He has won 2 Grammy Awards, 8 Juno Awards, 2 Brit Awards and 26 Billboard Music Awards.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Reviews were lukewarm overall, with most critics noting Bieber's artistic growth
• Mikael Wood of Los Angeles Times praised the album's candid tunes and Bieber's confrontation with growing up in public
• Jim Farber of New York Daily News said the album has a cohesion absent from Bieber's three previous studio CDs
• Aimee Cliff of Fact called the album a resounding achievement that succeeds through subtlety
• Brandon Soderberg of Spin called it a cohesive, well-paced collection of narcotic R&B
• Ben Rayner of Toronto Star praised Bieber's voice but said there was too much of the same
• Niko John of Absolute Punk said the album is undoubtedly his greatest work to date and shows a more mature, sexual side
• Allison Stewart of The Washington Post gave a negative review
• Some critics dismissed its similar themes and unfinished production

Reappraisal

• The album has since come to be regarded as a cult favorite among Bieber's fans

Records

• Heartbreaker reached the top of the Denmark charts
• The album reached the top forty in some countries and debuted in the top 10 only in Denmark and Norway
• During promotion, Bieber reached number one on the Billboard Social 50 in the United States
• Certified platinum by the RIAA
• It did not chart on the US Billboard 200 until 2026; in April 2026 it debuted at number 111 with nearly 13,000 album-equivalent units

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Music Mondays ran as a ten-week digital download campaign from 7 October 2013 to 9 December 2013, releasing one new song each Monday night
• The album was set for 16 December 2013 but was pushed back one week to 23 December because Bieber wanted to add one more song
• Producer Jason Poo Bear Boyd said the label did not support the album because it was not the direction they wanted Justin to go
• The bonus track Flatline was offered as a free download on the iTunes Store for a limited time and was included on the Spotify edition
• Recovery was built by Boyd on a flip of Craig David chords and was finished at Cherry Beach Sound in Toronto

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact