Justin Bieber Hit No. 1 For The First Time 15 Years Ago Today

Forbes

10-04-2025

Justin Bieber's debut album My World 2.0 hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 exactly 15 years ago, ... More launching one of the most successful pop careers of all time. THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO — Episode 3799 — Pictured: Musical guest Justin Bieber during an interview on April 1, 2010 — Photo by: Stacie McChesney/NBCU Photo Bank
This week marks 15 years since Justin Bieber officially stepped into the spotlight — not as a YouTube star or a teenage heartthrob, but as a chart-topping artist. On March 31, 2010, Billboard announced that Bieber had scored his very first No. 1 album in America. His full-length debut My World 2.0 conquered the Billboard 200, debuting atop the list dated April 10, 2010. At the time, the then-teenager was just breaking through, but it also turned out that he was simultaneously becoming a pop force no one could ignore.
It's easy to forget just how new Bieber was when that album reached No. 1. He had only recently gone from uploading covers online to performing on TV and living life surrounded by cameras and thousands of screaming fans, wherever he went. With My World 2.0, he showed that he was the next big thing in music, and he's managed to maintain that popularity for more than a decade and a half.
My World 2.0 was technically Bieber's second project, following his introductory EP My World, which launched him into the public consciousness a short time earlier – but it was his first full-length. In its first week, the collection sold 283,000 copies, a huge figure for any new act, especially one who was still largely seen as an internet-made phenomenon when that was a novelty.
When it arrived at No. 1, Bieber did more than just take over the top spot. That same week, My World rebounded from No. 10 to No. 5 on the Billboard 200, meaning the Canadian teenager – then just 16 years old – claimed two of the five highest-ranking albums in the country. Very few artists of any kind (let alone teenagers) manage that kind of showing.
The album's lead single 'Baby,' featuring Ludacris, became a defining hit of the early 2010s. The sugary pop tune, complete with a catchy hook and lyrics all about saccharine teen love, helped establish Bieber's place in the top 40 mainstream. It didn't just dominate the radio, it became one of the most-watched videos on YouTube for years, back when that metric still shocked people. The visual racked up millions upon millions of plays before such showings were commonplace. That success made sense, given Bieber's start on the platform, but it was nonetheless impressive.
Even if his sound has shifted dramatically since that era – as has his image – 'Baby' gave Bieber the platform he needed. Without it, and My World 2.0, his future hits, arena tours, and award wins might not have been possible.
That first Billboard 200 win was far from a one-time success. Since My World 2.0, Bieber has returned to the summit of the albums chart seven more times, collecting eight No. 1s in total. 10 of his projects have broken into the top 10 on the Billboard 200, as the Canadian superstar has managed to keep his audience engaged and intact as he changes sounds, styles, and even through a number of personal controversies.
He hasn't released a new album in four years, and things have been quiet lately on the music front…but rumors suggest that new music may be on the way. Even if Bieber never puts out another song, his legacy is secure. Over the last 15 years, he's not only proven his ability to reach the charts – and rule them – but also demonstrated an incredible staying power in an industry that often burns through young stars in record time.