“Beauty and A Beat” resurfaces

Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj’s 2012 single “Beauty and a Beat” has climbed back to No. 1 on Apple Music’s global chart, 13 years after its release. (music.apple.com) Apple Music’s “Top 100: Global” playlist listed the song at No. 1 when the chart was crawled this week, ahead of new releases including Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” at No. 2 and Bieber’s “DAISIES” at No. 3. (music.apple.com) The track also appeared at No. 2 on Apple Music’s Shazam-powered “Viral Chart,” a playlist Apple says tracks “today’s fastest-growing sounds” using signals from listeners identifying songs around the world. (music.apple.com) That combination — a top spot on Apple Music’s main global ranking and a near-top spot on its viral ranking — points to two things happening at once: heavy replay from existing fans and fresh discovery from listeners hearing the song again in new contexts. (music.apple.com 1) (music.apple.com 2) “Beauty and a Beat” was released on Justin Bieber’s album *Believe* on June 15, 2012, with Nicki Minaj credited as a featured artist and co-writer alongside Max Martin, Zedd and Savan Kotecha. The song runs 3 minutes and 47 seconds on Apple Music. (music.apple.com) (en.wikipedia.org) When it first came out, the single peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and became one of the defining crossover pop records of Bieber’s *Believe* era. (en.wikipedia.org) Apple’s current viral chart helps explain why older songs can move this fast. The company says the playlist is not limited to TikTok and can also reflect songs taking off through streaming, social media, television placements and sudden offline rediscovery. (music.apple.com) The resurgence is also broader than one catalog hit. Apple Music’s global chart currently includes several older Bieber songs in its top ranks, including “Baby” at No. 7, “Sorry” at No. 9 and “That Should Be Me” at No. 21. (music.apple.com) For now, the clearest fact is the one on the chart itself: a 2012 Bieber-Minaj collaboration is again the most-played song on Apple Music globally, with the platform’s own viral tracker showing the comeback is still accelerating. (music.apple.com 1) (music.apple.com 2)