“This is a 10 by normal standards”- Netizens react as Justin Bieber’s ‘SWAG’ receives as 7.3 score from Pitchfork

Justin Bieber’s seventh studio album, SWAG, is now the subject of hot debate on the internet after getting a solid 7.3/10 score from Pitchfork. SWAG was released on July 11, 2025 and serves as Bieber’s first outing since his split from longtime manager Scooter Braun.

The album comes as an act of independence for the pop superstar who settled his separation from his former manager, Braun, by finalizing a $31.5 million buyout deal mere days before its release.

According to Pitchfork, the album, which is said to be warm, reflective and forward-thinking, sees Justin Bieber leaning further into R&B while working with underground acts such as Dijon, Carl Lang and Tobias Jesso Jr.

Pitchfork's rating was both met with appreciation and backlash as some fans believed that the album deserved a better rating. Addressing the rating, one fan wrote:

"They did Justin justice. This is a 10 by normal standards"

They did Justin justice 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ This is a 10 by normal standards

— ladidai (@ladidaix) 💋 see linkinbyeo (@ladidaix) July 16, 2025

"Pitchfork's taste is mid, Bieber's SWAG is a certified banger." said a X user.

"How are you feeling about the score? I definitely felt like it should’ve been higher." Wrote another.

"Pitchfork’s score got me like “Is that all, though?" Commented a fan.

"pitchfork is such a hard judge that 7.3 is actually a pretty decent score from them." Remarked an internet user.

Though most of the online responses thought that the album deserved a better rating, there were few who believed that the album was overrated.

"Deserved lower." Remarked one X user.

"Should have been 3.7." Said one user.

A look into the early positive statistics involving Justin Bieber’s recent album

SWAG launched well at its release, topping Spotify and Apple Music’s global charts on the day of release. The album’s lead single, “Daisies,” received 8.5 million streams within 24 hours, and it also landed at No. 1 on Spotify US before sliding down to No. 5 by July 14.

According to Collider, even with the daily streams slightly down, the industry projects that the album will do 150,000 to 175,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, which is considered more than enough for Bieber to notch another No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200.

Justin Bieber earned his biggest streaming day of all-time on Spotify on July 11, with 95.8 million streams following 'SWAG'. pic.twitter.com/g0adTWL9Zc

— chart data (@chartdata) July 12, 2025

Pitchfork’s review praised Justin Bieber's ability to “expand his sound beyond polished pop” and praised tracks like “Daisies” and “Devotion” as standout moments that balance vulnerability and musicality.

But the outlet also had some critiques for the features and skits describing them as “emotionally absent” and “algorithmic.”

The album’s release follows a relatively controversial period for Bieber as he publicly deals with his mental health issues, faith and separation from his former team. Therefore, fans and several critics believe that the recent album expresses Justin Bieber's talent in the most authentic form.