Odds Against Justin Bieber Reaching 20 Million Likes on Instagram Post, Won’t Release New Album by Christmas
- Singer Justin Bieber announced on Instagram he will release a new album if 20 million people like his announcement post
- So far, the response has staggered at 10.8 million after two days has already passed
- Has Bieber Fever finally gone into thin air?
Justin Bieber has been a bit quiet recently. Well, on his actual music release schedule, that is. Sure, he’s been busy getting married and releasing his line of sportswear. But it’s been almost four years to the day since Bieber released Purpose, his most recent studio album.
That release gap may just come to an end soon. The 25-year-old singer-songwriter announced he would release an album by the time Christmas hits, but only on one condition.
If fans want to hear that music, they’re going to have to band together. Bieber has announced he’ll only release said album if the Instagram post that announced it reaches 20 million likes.
Odds Justin Bieber’s Instagram Post Reaches 20 Million Likes Before November 1, 2019
| Odds | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | Even |
| No | -140 |
*Odds taken October 29, 2019
It’s a media stunt that just screams ‘2019.’ By asking his fans to come out in droves, Bieber his instigated a game with his audience that says he will deliver the goods only if fans can come up with the number of likes he’s asking.
Call it clever, call it a gamble, or call it whatever you want, really. Bieber’s stunt is fascinating and exciting to see. He’s not at the top of his game at this point, but he still has a lot of pull online. He’s still immensely famous, and this single post is causing a stir even if it isn’t getting him the numbers he wanted.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4I-sZonM2R/
In the two days since Bieber posted his announcement, he’s received 10.8 million likes. It’s more than half the likes he’s asked for, but the demand just doesn’t seem to be in place to get the number Bieber requested.
Bieber’s fandom has wavered a lot in recent years due to his staggering popularity, media antics, and lack of putting out any new music. Devout fans have stuck around, and he’s still the 12th most followed Instagram account at 121 million followers.
But even with that much of a following, Bieber’s fans are not coming out in support of his album announcement post. Simply put, they aren’t taking the bait.
Bieber’s most-liked post to date is of his engagement announcement to now-wife Hailey Bieber (then Baldwin) on July 9, 2018. The post has garnered 13.4 million likes in the nearly 16 months since it was first posted.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlBvw2_jBKp/
Given that even his most-liked photo only reached 13.4 million, it’s hard to imagine his most recent one climbing up to 20. But then again, you can’t really say it’s due to a lack of popularity because only one Instagram photo of all time has reached over 20 million.
Social Mania
The most-liked photo of all time on Instagram is, of course, Chris Godfrey’s photo of an egg. Godfrey famously posted the photo as a social experiment to see if he could dethrone the then-most liked photo, of Kylie Jenner’s daughter Stormi Webster.
It worked. Now the egg photo has 53.9 million likes since January 4, 2019, and Jenner’s photo has 18.6 million since February 6, 2018. Even with so much media attention around Jenner, her post hasn’t hit 20 million after over a year and a half. So how can Bieber expect to nearly double his hits in such a short window?
It’s not impossible. Stranger things have happened, surely. And even with an army of Bieber fans online making accounts just for the sole purpose of trying to get Bieber his 20 million likes, the clock is ticking faster than they can make these accounts.
Pick: No (-140)
As an active entertainment aficionado, the former Editor-in-Chief for the Capilano Courier, JJ also co-founded Lords of Dogwood, a Vancouver-based entertainment site in 2013. His writing has been found in ION Magazine, the North Shore News, and The Strand.
