Justin Bieber's "Speed Demon"

What will be 2026's Song of the Summer? My theory is Justin Bieber's "Speed Demon". This song has come out of nowhere, and isn't from 2026! Find out what led this tune zooming through radio charts, and how its origin is defying odds the music industry didn't see coming.

Justin Bieber's YouTube Channel

SWAG, SWAG II, (2025)

"Yukon" at 2026 Grammys

Coachella (Weekend 1) - 4/11/26; Setlist
Coachella (Weekend 2) - 4/17/26; Setlist

New live album 6/26/26!: SWAG LIVE FROM COACHELLA (Weekend I)

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Billboard's Song of the Summer; chart

Vote here if you think "Speed Demon" could be 2026's Song of the Summer!

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Theme Song: "Gym Track (2026 Remix)", composed by Jessica Ann Catena

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Welcome to Music Media Review, the weekly podcast critiquing modern music and media headlines. I'm Jess. Thanks for following the content I've discussed first half of 2026. The previous episode mentioned a great new summer album. I'm unsure though if there'll be a singular summer song based on the music industry and radio standards. On the Hop 100, Drake's Janice STFU, Ariana Grande's Hate That I Made You Love Me, and Taylor Swift's I Knew It, I Knew You, Top Number One Over the Past Five Weeks. Despite top filling, Bill Woods pre-rating Ella Langley's Choose in Texas song of the summer because it stayed number two consecutively. Surely that can change by Labor Day weekend's cutoff still remain to 2026 standout. I started browsing radio charts and stations for anything else triggering a fresh boost. Among the few promoted past early spring is Justin Bieber's Speed Demon. I've been hearing pop stations rotated often for its unique sound across multiple genres. Justin's fandom bounced back a year ago as well as recent appearances he did in 2026. We're gonna timeline those occurrences that led to now, and view why Speed Demon's track was chosen a current single. Diagnosing a second wind of Bieber fever, let's examine the breakouts on Music Media Review. Justin Bieber gave 24-hour notice that his new album, Swag, was coming out next day. The All Caps black cover was displayed on advertised billboards in Los Angeles and Iceland, listing the 21 track list and a tattooed shirtless Justin lifting his infant son behind his head. Keeping this secret, Joe's midsummer release, expectations were set very high. Before becoming parents, he and his wife Haley Baldwin Bieber fell ill 2022. Haley had a stroke and Justin had temporary facial paralysis due to Chickenpox exposure. Leaning on each other through marriage and religion, songwriting with clearly another outlet voicing the process. Barely three months later, Swag 2 strategically repeated the One More Day Tees, distributing 23 tracks September 5th, 2025. That's right, 44 tracks expanded in a light pink double album. How do these pop stars do it? Whether Justin Bieber or his team thought these strategies, a bombshell exploded, believers minds, what came next? Without any music videos, interviews, or candid social media posts, there had to be a reason. My instinct was Justin mentally handling himself from the media. Usually fans expect Tornews to see the artist in person perform and celebrate the work they've done. Rather than booking an international swag branded tour, a headline spot posted September 15th to be at one of the US's biggest annual concert festivals, Coachella. The outcome at Indio California's campgrounds is so epic, set lists are repeated two weeks every April, scheduling incredible musicians. Many indie artists have caught a huge break there, and lucky attendees are fortunate witnessing massive big name talents. I can't fathom how Coachella manages. Cars are in traffic hours getting there, located in a desert during double three-day weekends. If you're that kind of warrior, God bless you. Alternatively, YouTube live streams the action. Under a week, Coachella 2026 sold out 125,000 tickets. Justin Bieber sang 90 minutes on Saturdays, April 11th and April 17, 2026. Wasn't shocking that Swag would be nominated Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at February's Grammy Awards. Wearing only his boxers, Justin programmed acoustic loop metal beats to sing Swag's second radio single, Yukon. I think he purposely stripped down so nobody could heckle what clothes he could have worn, or symbolically beard all like his lyrics. Exactly a month later, Justin turned 32. Going from his young Furdy catalog, Haley and their son are Justin's proud swag life savior staying clean. Other than K-pop, the internet's taken over heartthrobs and teen idols for younger audiences to discover. I could tell people were really psyched about Coachella. Streams for Music Media Reviews third episode tripled all April. I made a 2016 Love Songs playlist for Valentine's Day as many looked past the year into New Year's. The Justin Bieber song I picked is my favorite, Company. In some way, I'm honored to have been part of the Coachella pregaming. You never know who's listening and the impact you can make someone's day. I love that happened through music in this podcast. I've linked Setlist FM's 30 song outline he sang at Coachella and a Facebook video of April 17th's whole set from Watch This Globe. I watched that for this episode, just in focused, every detail. When to go to the crowd, lay down, sit down, invite collaborators, and queued up some of his own music videos on YouTube to sing along the backtracks. I'm so happy seeing him like this. Can't say I'm a diehard Justin Bieber fan. Seeing the audience lip sync along gave that special feeling concert should be for them. Rapper Sexy Red walked on stage during Sweet Spot. Starstruck Billy Eilish got nudged by Haley's backstage for Justin to serenade her One Less Lonely Girl. Big Sean returned his rap collaborations As Long As You Love Me, No Pressure, Dijon rapped Devotion, and RB Sizza snuck up duetting her song Snooze. Concerts are really putting all the stops lately. I love it. Being able to live stream is a huge perk, motivating guests to travel these experiences next time. We're caught up, so let's explore Speed Demon's single significance. I hadn't heard any of it till this episode. There's been a couple pop singers who's added bonus tracks curating deluxe albums to existing ones or putting out more music to complete a theme. Some haven't succeeded any differences as expected, the same resulted for Justin Bieber. If you were to look it up on any source, Swag 2's songs start the first half, Swag 1 finishes the second half. I've never seen a tracklist chronologically mark it backwards that way, and it's the only way Swag 2's been distributed. Presumably like myself, Majority stream Swag 2's tracks then stopped listening to Swag 1's mark because of already hearing it. The overall charting counted in just nine countries criticized long-winded by critics. The decent rankings were number 24 in France, number 20 in Iceland, number 19 in Japan, number 7 in Norway, number 6 in New Zealand, and number 1 Danish albums chart. It's yet to chart in the US or Justin's native country, Canada. I zoned in the chilling presence it gave throughout. Kinda reminded me of Chris Brown. He's also released long albums in a dragged hip-hop RB style you equate to the 90s, containing heavy percussion rhythms and keyboard riffs. I think Speed Demon's aiming to bring back that genre to the mainstream. RB has picked up a little hip-hop rap come and goes. Opening swag 2 and was the second Welcome Coachella performance song Speed Demon added to pop and rhythmic radio stations May 4, 2026. Off the comeback filled events I mentioned before, radios carrying the tune gradually up the charts. September it was number 71 Global 200, number 66 on the Hop 100, and number 44 in Canada. In June it shot up number 37 Adult Pop, No. 21 Pop Airplay, and No. 5 Rhythmic Airplay. How crazy would it be if Speed Demon catapults the Hop 100 higher than a year ago? I'm foreshadowing the possibilities, a song of the Summer candidate and perhaps influencing a second swag 2 radio single. Everything Hallelujah hit number two hot Christian songs in May, that might cross over or something sounding more hip. Love Song and Bad Honey were digital singles in between Speed Demon's mid-September moment. Time will tell by Justin or social media trends what's next. With a positive outlook, blinding out naysayers, the choruses, heat checking, heat checking these chickens, and I go speed racing. Speed racing for the record. And I achieve greatness. I'm getting better by the second, and I go speed racing. We ain't finished. We ain't finished just yet. Don't stress, don't stress it, baby. I keep creepin'. I keep creepin'. A speed demon. Speed demon. So keep dreamin'. I can't see him. A speed demon. Speed demon. The Grammy's eligibility closes August 28th. I don't know if Swag 2 can factor, including Swag 1's nominated work. Speed Demon might. We'll see November 16th when the Recording Academy announces their nominees, and let's see how far this song will zoom through summer 2026. Do you think Justin Bieber's Speed Demon has a shot being Song of the Summer? Vote in our Spotify episode poll and comment via Music Media Review's social media Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. For feedback and questions, email Music Media Review Podcast at gmail.com. I'm humbled over the positive reviews received. Thank you all so much. Next episode is gonna party for 4th of July 250th. We're gonna time travel the last patriotic time United States celebrated Independence Day's milestone. Bicentennial 1976. Find out which songs will make our party playlist and why the broadcast will be very historic. I'm Jess. Tune in Friday, July 3rd, getting the festivities rolling red, white, blue, music media review.