Forever (Justin Bieber song)

On January 3, 2020, TMZ reported that Post Malone was among the featured artists to appear on Justin Bieber's upcoming album.{{cite web|url=https://www.rap-up.com/2020/01/03/justin-bieber-taps-travis-scott-post-malone-kehlani-for-new-album/|title=Justin Bieber Taps Travis Scott, Post Malone, & Kehlani for New Album|date=January 3, 2020|website=Rap-Up|access-date=June 18, 2021}} Bieber had completed his parts for the collaboration and was waiting on vocals from Malone. Bieber last collaborated with Malone on the song "Deja Vu", featured on the latter's debut studio album Stoney (2016). Forever was one of the names being thrown around as a possible title for the new album, with Bieber also recently getting the word tattooed on his neck. On February 5, Bieber revealed the tracklist for Changes, which listed Malone and rising hip hop artist Clever as features on the seventh track titled "Forever".{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/music/2020/02/05/justin-bieber-changes-tracklist-post-malone-lil-dicky-travis-scott/|title=Justin Bieber's Changes will have tasty features from Post Malone, Travis Scott, more|last=Sanchez|first=Omar|date=February 5, 2020|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=June 18, 2021}} According to Dustin Fox of The Gadsden Times, Clever recorded his vocals in Gadsden at GAD3 Studios.{{cite web|url=https://www.gadsdentimes.com/news/20200215/gadsden-rapper-appears-on-justin-biebers-new-album|title=Gadsden rapper appears on Justin Bieber's new album|last=Fox|first=Dustin|date=February 15, 2020|work=The Gadsden Times|access-date=June 18, 2021}}

"Forever" is a trap song set in the key of C-sharp minor with a tempo of 136 beats per minute.{{cite web|url=https://themusic.com.au/news/justin-bieber-changes-track-by-track-review/6N3w-v38__4/15-02-20/|title=Will The Beliebers Be Feeling 'Changes'? We Take You Through Bieber's New LP Track By Track|author=Cyclone|date=February 14, 2020|website=The Music|access-date=August 15, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0207619|title=Forever by Justin Bieber feat. Post Malone & Clever - Digital Sheet Music|last1=Bieber|first1=Justin|last2=Post|first2=Austin|last3=Huie|first3=Joshua|last4=Boyd|first4=Jason|last5=Bell|first5=Louis|last6=Harvey|first6=Bernard|last7=Darwish|first7=Ali|last8=Walsh|first8=Billy|date=February 14, 2020|website=Musicnotes|access-date=June 18, 2021}} Lyndsey Havens of Billboard remarked that it is one of the few songs on Changes "that strays from more traditional-sounding R&B".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8551883/five-burning-questions-justin-bieber-changes-debut|title=Five Burning Questions: Billboard Staffers Discuss Justin Bieber's 'Changes' Debut & Latest Top 10 Hit|author=Billboard Staff|date=February 25, 2020|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 15, 2021}} NME{{'}}s Hannah Mylrea described the track as a "jangly cut" with "upbeat production and warm, nostalgic beats".{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/justin-bieber-changes-album-review-2609103|title=Justin Bieber – 'Changes' review: a knackering, loved-up slog lacking substance|last=Mylrea|first=Hannah|date=February 14, 2020|website=NME|access-date=June 18, 2021}} Jeremy Helligar of Variety noted the song's use of "plunky synths", which he characterized as "sound[ing] like drops of water".{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/reviews/justin-bieber-changes-album-review-1203504088/|title=Justin Bieber's 'Changes': Album Review|last=Helligar|first=Jeremy|date=February 14, 2020|website=Variety|access-date=June 18, 2021}} Alexis Petridis of The Guardian compared the vocal delivery on the song to that of mumble rap.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/14/justin-bieber-changes-review|title=Justin Bieber: Changes review – the sound of fame being shunned|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis|date=February 13, 2020|work=The Guardian|access-date=June 18, 2021}} It is a love song dealing with one's "overpowering urge to be with [another] until the end of [their] days".{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/justin-bieber-post-malone-and-clever-get-soft-on-forever-new-song.1986188.html|title=Justin Bieber, Post Malone & Clever Get Soft On 'Forever'|last=Sharpe|first=Lynn|date=February 15, 2020|website=HotNewHipHop|access-date=June 18, 2021}}

Lynn Sharpe from HotNewHipHop praised the vocals on "Forever", feeling that Bieber and Malone "compliment[ed] each other" in a seamless manner and that Clever beautifully reflected the track's "passionate nature". Billboard critic Taylor Weatherby ranked it as the third-best song on Changes and regarded it as "one of the most distinctive tracks" on the album, highlighting "[t]he plinking production, the staccato chorus, Post Malone's very Posty verse and Clever's punchy lines".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8551030/justin-bieber-changes-album-songs-ranked|title=Ranking All 17 Songs on Justin Bieber's 'Changes': Critic's Take|last=Weatherby|first=Taylor|date=February 14, 2020|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 15, 2021}} Koltan Greenwood of Alternative Press called the song "a catchy and emotional bop".{{cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/post-malone-justin-bieber-forever/|title=Post Malone and Justin Bieber question 'Forever' in emotional new collab|last=Greenwood|first=Koltan|date=February 14, 2020|website=Alternative Press|access-date=June 18, 2021}} The A.V. Club{{'}}s Annie Zaleski felt it was one of Changes{{'}}s "most enduring moments", adding that Malone and Clever bring "gruff vulnerability" to the song.{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/changes-finds-justin-bieber-on-the-bumpy-road-to-maturi-1841745520|title=Changes finds Justin Bieber on the bumpy road to maturity|last=Zaleski|first=Annie|date=February 18, 2020|website=The A.V. Club|access-date=June 18, 2021}} Carolyn Droke from Uproxx wrote that the song "boasts a full, resounding beat and succinct lyrical delivery".{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/pop/best-new-pop-justin-bieber-billie-eilish-grimes/|title=All The Best New Pop Music From This Week|last=Droke|first=Carolyn|date=February 18, 2020|publisher=Uproxx|access-date=August 30, 2021}} Pitchfork{{'}}s Jayson Greene considered Malone's guest appearance one of the "[s]cattered bright spots" on Changes.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/justin-bieber-changes/|title=Justin Bieber: Changes Album Review|last=Greene|first=Jayson|date=February 18, 2020|website=Pitchfork|access-date=June 18, 2021}}

However, Ben Devlin from musicOMH found Clever's voice on "Forever" to be "obnoxiously weak".{{cite web|url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/justin-bieber-changes|title=Justin Bieber – Changes|last=Devlin|first=Ben|date=February 17, 2020|website=musicOMH|access-date=June 18, 2021}} Joshua Bote of Paste remarked that Malone "adds a frantic tension to the cut", but disapproved of Bieber as "sound[ing] drained".{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/justin-bieber/justin-bieber-changes-review/|title=Justin Bieber's Changes Is a Limp Exploration of Grown-Up Romance|last=Bote|first=Joshua|date=February 18, 2020|website=Paste|access-date=June 18, 2021}} Hannah Mylrea of NME thought that the song "begins to drag" after the start before it "stutter[s] to a stop". The Music writer Cyclone said that the track "never really goes anywhere" aside from the vocal performances.

In the United States, "Forever" debuted at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated February 29, 2020. It became Clever's first Hot 100 hit.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/lyrics/9324991/justin-bieber-forever-lyrics-post-malone-clever|title=Here Are the Lyrics to Justin Bieber's 'Forever,' Feat. Post Malone & Clever|last=Mamo|first=Heran|date=February 27, 2020|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 18, 2021}} Furthermore, it was one of the eight tracks from Changes to debut on the Hot R&B Songs chart. It led the pack with an entrance at number six and secured Bieber's 10th top 10 entry on the chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9323833/justin-bieber-changes-no-1-top-rb-hip-hop-albums-chart|title=Justin Bieber Earns First No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart|last=Anderson|first=Trevor|date=February 26, 2020|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 16, 2021}} On the UK Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 29 as the third top 40 track from Changes, after "Yummy" and "Intentions".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8551620/billie-eilish-no-time-to-die-no-1-uk|title=Billie Eilish Scores First U.K. No. 1 Single With Record-Breaking 'No Time To Die'|last=Sexton|first=Paul|date=February 21, 2020|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 18, 2021}}

A dance visual for "Forever", directed by Nick DeMoura, was released on March 9, 2020, as part of a collection of 16 music videos titled Changes: The Movement.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/3159146/justin-bieber-forever-video/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310011122/http://www.mtv.com/news/3159146/justin-bieber-forever-video/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2020|title=Justin Bieber's 'Forever' Video Looks Like An Espionage Thriller|last=Alston|first=Trey|date=March 9, 2020|publisher=MTV|access-date=June 19, 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/3162437/justin-bieber-changes-the-movement-nick-demoura-breakdown/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411161634/http://www.mtv.com/news/3162437/justin-bieber-changes-the-movement-nick-demoura-breakdown/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 11, 2020|title=How Justin Bieber's Changes: The Movement Came Together In Just Three Weeks|last=Alston|first=Trey|date=April 8, 2020|publisher=MTV|access-date=June 19, 2021}} In an interview with MTV News, DeMoura said the video came about after being inspired by the film Entrapment (1999). Straying away from the previous visuals for "Habitual" and "All Around Me" which focus on intimate and intricate routines, the video centers around a group of masked performers wearing riot gear-styled attire that dance as lights flicker around them. Trey Alston from MTV News described it as a high-tech espionage thriller with a cinematic flair.

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{Cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/131190301|title=Changes / Justin Bieber|website=Tidal|language=en|access-date=2020-02-16}}

{{div col}}

• Justin Bieber – vocals, songwriter
• Post Malone – featured vocals, songwriter
• Clever – featured vocals, songwriter
• Poo Bear – producer, songwriter
• Louis Bell – songwriter, vocal producer, recording engineer
• HARV – producer, songwriter, keyboards
• Ali Darwish – songwriter
• Billy Walsh – songwriter
• Chris "TEK" O'Ryan – recording engineer
• JJ Stevens – recording engineer
• Josh Gudwin – recording engineer, mixer, vocal producer
• Elijah Marrett-Hitch – assistant mixer
• Chenao Wang – assistant recording engineer
• Colin Leonard – mastering engineer

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Gold|certyear=2024|access-date=February 8, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=Justin Bieber|title=Forever|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=July 2, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|award=Gold|artist=Justin Bieber feat. Post Malone and Clever|title=Forever|relyear=2020|certyear=2022|source=radioscope|access-date=December 14, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Gold|artist=Justin Bieber|title=Forever|relyear=2020|certyear=2020|access-date=August 4, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

{{reflist}}

{{Justin Bieber singles}}

{{Post Malone}}

{{authority control}}

Category:2020 songs

Category:Justin Bieber songs

Category:Post Malone songs

Category:Songs written by Justin Bieber

Category:Songs written by Post Malone

Category:Songs written by Louis Bell

Category:Songs written by Poo Bear

Category:Song recordings produced by Poo Bear

Category:Def Jam Recordings singles