Bruno Mars is One of Pop's Most Reliable Hitmakers. Why?
Earlier this year, Bruno Mars became the first artist ever to amass 150 million monthly listeners on Spotify. But unlike many of his peers, Mars has paved a path to pop stardom without cultivating a devoted fan base, maintaining a consistent aesthetic or building a world around his music. Instead, his career has been defined by his reliability as a chameleonic hitmaker.
Shaad D'Souza, a contributing music critic for The New York Times, dives into three of Mars's most recent hits — 'Die With a Smile' with Lady Gaga, 'APT' with Rosé and 'Fat Juicy & Wet' with Sexyy Red — and notes how each collaboration reveals a distinct pop persona.
The New York Times Audio app is home to journalism and storytelling, and provides news, depth and serendipity. If you haven't already, download it here — available to Times news subscribers on iOS — and sign up for our weekly newsletter.
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