Remember May 2020? Most of us were wearing the same sweatpants for the fourth day in a row, trying to figure out if we actually liked the people we lived with. Right in the thick of that weird, quiet chaos, Justin Bieber Stuck With U dropped. It wasn’t just another pop collab between two of the biggest humans on the planet. It felt like a time capsule.
Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber had teased a collaboration for years. Fans were expecting a high-energy R&B banger or a massive stadium pop track. Instead, we got a 6/8 time signature "prom song" recorded in bedrooms and home studios. It was slow. It was retro. Honestly, it was exactly what the vibe required when the world felt like it was on pause.
Why Stuck With U Hit Different in 2020
The song basically romanticized the four walls of your house. While some critics at the time—like Anna Gaca from Pitchfork—called it "merely serviceable," the public felt differently. It wasn't trying to be a technical masterpiece. It was trying to be a hug.
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The lyrics are super literal. "Lock the door and throw out the key / Can't fight this no more, it's just you and me." If you were lucky enough to be with someone you actually liked, it was sweet. If you were solo or struggling, it was a bit of a flex from two multi-millionaires, but the intent was clearly to lean into the "we're all in this together" sentiment.
What really gave the track its legs wasn't just the melody, though. It was the fact that it was a charity powerhouse. Every cent of net proceeds went to the First Responders Children's Foundation. We're talking more than $3.5 million raised to fund scholarships and grants for the kids of healthcare workers, EMTs, and firefighters who were out there while the rest of us were making sourdough.
The Music Video: A DIY Masterclass
You can't talk about Justin Bieber Stuck With U without mentioning that video. Big-budget music videos were impossible at the time. You couldn't have a crew of 100 people on a soundstage. So, they went DIY.
It was a mix of fan-submitted clips and "stars are just like us" home movies. You saw high schoolers in prom dresses dancing in their living rooms because their real proms were canceled. But you also got a massive dose of celebrity voyeurism.
- Justin and Hailey Bieber were slow-dancing around their property in Canada.
- Ariana Grande was mostly hanging with her dog, Toulouse, until the very end.
- The Big Reveal: The video famously confirmed Ariana’s relationship with Dalton Gomez. Seeing them twirl around in a bedroom was basically the hard launch heard 'round the world.
- The Cameo List: It was absurdly stacked. Michael Bublé, 2 Chainz, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Gwyneth Paltrow, and even the Jenners made appearances.
It felt less like a music video and more like a Zoom call with the most famous people you know. That raw, unpolished look is probably why it won "Best Music Video From Home" at the 2020 MTV VMAs.
The Chart Controversy: 6ix9ine vs. The Pop Stars
Here is a bit of drama that people often forget. The song debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which was huge. It gave Justin his sixth and Ariana her third chart-topper. But not everyone was celebrating.
Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine went on a full-blown social media rampage. He accused Billboard of "chart manipulation" and claimed that Ariana and Justin’s team bought 60,000 copies at the last minute with six credit cards to steal the top spot from his song, "Gooba."
Ariana didn't stay quiet. She posted a long note explaining that their fans are just incredibly loyal and that the sales were legitimate. Justin backed her up, pointing out that 6ix9ine's math didn't even make sense because Billboard counts 1,000 streams as one sale, and their physical sales (which were bundled with digital downloads) were what tipped the scales. It was a messy week for music nerds, but the number one stayed put.
Who Actually Made the Song?
While Ariana and Justin are the faces, the credits are a "who's who" of pop production.
- Gian Stone: He handled the bulk of the production and programming.
- Freddy Wexler: He co-wrote and helped produce.
- Scooter Braun: Their shared manager actually has a songwriting credit on this one.
- Ariana herself: She did the vocal production and engineering from her home setup. If you listen closely, she even left in sounds of her dogs and her own laughter to keep that "home" feeling.
The song has a very specific "waltzy" R&B vibe that feels like a throwback to the 1950s but with modern 808s buried in the mix. It's short, sweet, and doesn't overstay its welcome.
What You Can Do Now
If you haven't listened to the track in a while, it’s worth a revisit. It’s a fascinating look at how artists adapted when the world shut down.
- Check the lyrics: Pay attention to Justin’s verse where he says "Kinda hope we're here forever." It was a bit controversial at the time because, well, most people definitely did not want to be in lockdown forever, but in the context of a relationship, it’s a heavy sentiment.
- Support the cause: You can still look into the First Responders Children's Foundation. They do incredible work beyond just pandemic relief, focusing on bereavement grants and mental health for first responder families.
- Watch for the cameos: Go back to the video and see how many people you can spot. It’s a "who's who" of 2020 culture that feels like a fever dream now.
Ultimately, the song serves as a reminder that even when things are objectively terrible, there's a way to find a little bit of connection. It’s probably the most "human" Justin and Ariana have ever sounded.