Following the release of his new album "Beerbongs & Bentleys" that made its debut on April 27th, the one artist you know everyone has been adding to their summer playlist is Post Malone.
His first single titled 'White Iverson' released in 2015 and helped him establish credibility among the music industry after becoming popular on Soundcloud. As famous rappers began to notice his work, he eventually landed a record deal with Republic Records. Ever since Posty has captured the hearts of millennials everywhere with his heartfelt lyrics and rhythmic beats. But what makes Post Malone good enough to currently place as the second most popular artist on the Billboard Hot 100? While there are many reasons to fall in love with him aside from his stunning good looks, he possesses many qualities that easily make him one of the most creative and diverse artists in the entertainment business today.
1. He isn’t afraid to be relatable:
One look at his Twitter will make you realize he’s essentially another young adult just trying to figure out his way through life like most of his fanbase. He posts about heartbreak, drops links to his Twitch live streams, and explains himself when the media tries to discredit his image. So many artists try to engage their fans in their daily life, but he is definitely one that doesn’t hold back by using his own unique humor to connect with his followers.
2. He brings his quirks to his Interviews:
While he loves using Twitter to express his unique personality, he definitely doesn’t hold back during interviews either. He receives many comments teasing him on his hair or grunge outfits, but he’s always quick to join in and doesn’t take offense when radio and media personalities dislike his music.
He also enjoys joking about his ‘swag’, smirking at the camera and flashing his golden grill. Because of his consistent image, his audience can feel like they know the real Post Malone beyond his music.
3. His music breaks multiple genres:
Even though he’s usually categorized within the genre of hip-hop, his style has been described by various critics as anything from spooky electric folk to country R&B. With songs like ‘Stay’ that are filled with soulful acoustics to heavyset party beats like ‘Rockstar’, his albums contain a spectrum of varying songs to engage more than one type of audience.
He personally describes his songs as genre-less, not wanting to feel restricted by categorizing his music. By being able to confidently portray himself through any style he chooses, he is given a stylistic versatility that so many other artists are unable to utilize. This also leaves his future work open for experimentation so his fans won’t know what to expect next.
4. The success of his first album:
When his debut album "Stoney" released in December of 2016, it reached number 4 on the Billboard Top 100 and became double platinum-certified after selling over two million albums worldwide.
The album contains songs related to the highs and lows of fame while highlighting the struggles of falling in love, creating the perfect environment for younger listeners while sharing aspects of Post’s own life. It also features appearances of other successful musicians like Justin Bieber and Kehlani who add their own unique style to Malone’s work
. Following the first week of its release, "Stoney" sold 58,000 copies, making it the highest selling hip-hop album of 2016. After outselling Chance the Rapper’s ‘Coloring Book’ and Tory Lanez’s ‘I Told You’, Malone redefined what listeners expect from the hip-hop genre and gained a positive reputation for himself as well.
5. He’s collaborated with some of the hottest artists in the industry:
Thanks to the success of "White Iverson", Post Malone has been noticed by several major artists such as 50 Cent, 21 Savage, and Migos. He’s even been featured on Kanye West’s album "Life of Pablo" alongside Ty Dolla $ign.
However, his biggest collaborative success was with Quavo on his single "Congratulations", which became certified quintuple platinum and was his first song to reach the top 10 charts.
Because of his many guest appearances and features of other musicians on his own album, Post Malone’s name was common among multiple styles of rap, and he was able to be quickly noticed by fans of other artists.
6. Beerbongs & Bentleys
Even though it’s only a month old, his second album " Beerbongs & Bentleys" has already broken streaming records on Spotify after receiving 48 million streams during its release day. Only a few days later, the album went platinum by selling an estimated 460,000 copies and is the seventh highest grossing album of 2018 so far.
B&B has a broader spectrum of songs, revealing the more acoustic side of Malone’s music but still maintaining a steady hip-hop sound. It definitely contains more emotion than "Stoney", touching on a deeper perspective of struggles he focused on at the beginning of his career.
The album’s success is what has placed Post Malone as the 7th most popular artist in the world currently, and as his music continues to remain in the Spotify US Top 50 list, he’s likely to gain even more popularity.
7. He’s only 22:
On top of achieving numerous musical and social accomplishments during the rise of his career, Post Malone is only 22 years old! He may look and act mature, but his ability to connect with younger generations while representing an older persona is what has given him such a professional image.
He’s also friends with several older rappers, helping to add a few years to his rugged look. Because of his young age, it’s likely there’ll be more albums in the future meaning more summer hits and tons of opportunities to see him in concert.
8. He’s an amazing performer:
Whenever he gets the chance to perform on stage, Post Malone is known for delivering a show worth remembering. He actually opened for Justin Bieber’s 2015 Purpose tour, resulting in the two becoming great friends while Malone started to expand his fan base.
Now that he has the stage to himself, he’s done everything from stage diving to smashing guitars as a way to keep the audience’s attention. He never fails to express himself passionately when he’s wielding a microphone, always showing his emotions and making sure there’s passion in his performance. With the ability to bring so much energy to an entire stadium, there’s no question why his summer tour tickets are so damn expensive.
9. He can actually sing:
While many singers have a voice to be proud of, Post Malone is one of the only voices who just might be better live in concert. His live videos have proven his raw talent and have been shared by numerous celebrities like Khalid.
He’s had an amazing talent for singing before his rise to success, being voted ‘Most Likely To Be Famous’ during his senior year of high school. When accompanied by the sound of the acoustic guitar he’s been playing ever since his teenage years, he creates an experience for his fans that lets them know his main focus is in the music.
10. He produces his own music:
When he isn’t busy recording in the studio, Post Malone assists in co-producing his album. Working with Louis Bell and Frank Dukes, he plays a huge role in the creation of his own music and does what he can to help during the production process.
He also writes every single one of his songs trying to make them as personal to himself and his lifestyle as possible. He ended up taking extra time on "Beerbongs & Bentleys", which was supposed to be released in December of 2017. However, considering that fans and new listeners alike appear to be impressed with the results, it’s safe to say that Post Malone delivered the quality content that was promised to fans as a result of his album’s delay.
From having the dedication and drive to work so hard on his music to constructing a positive image for himself, Post Malone has so many reasons why he’s rising so quickly in the top charts. For anyone who is still fairly new to his music and wants to see what the hype is about, check out Beerbongs & Bentleys for an album that will improve your summer playlist!
