Bruno Mars earned his first solo No. 1 hit 15 years ago with “Just the Way You Are,” launching a career of nonstop chart success and Grammy-winning hits. NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 09: Bruno Mars tapes a Fuse episode for Z100’s Jingle Ball at fuse Studios on December 9, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images)
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Today, Bruno Mars is known as not just a successful musician, but one of the most consistent hitmakers in the music industry. He has yet to deliver an album that has not produced some sort of smash single, and almost every tune he pushes as a promotional cut becomes a bestseller and strong streamer.
Throughout his career, Mars has racked up more rulers on the Hot 100 than most pop stars, and it may be difficult for some fans to believe that it was 15 years ago that he reached the summit on the most competitive songs tally in America on his own for the very first time, kicking off a run that continues to this day.
When Did Bruno Mars Chart His First Solo No. 1?
On the Hot 100 dated October 2, 2010, Mars reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 for the first time entirely on his own. “Just the Way You Are,” which was billed as his first single unaccompanied by any other act, climbed to the peak position after weeks of improving. The syrupy-sweet love ballad had been released in mid-summer and needed just a few months before it became the top track in the United States.
“Nothin’ on You” Set Up Bruno Mars’s Solo Success
By the time “Just the Way You Are” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100, Mars was still introducing himself to the public, though he had already scored a major hit earlier in 2010. The singer was featured on B.o.B’s “Nothin’ on You,” and at the time, B.o.B was slightly more famous – although both artists were just kicking off their careers in the limelight. “Nothin’ on You” ruled the chart for two weeks in May, and the smash helped Mars generate excitement for his next release.
“Just the Way You Are” Beat Katy Perry
“Just the Way You Are” ended up being sandwiched between two of the biggest hits of the early 2010s. Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” the title track from her massively successful album of the same name, spent two frames ruling in mid to late September, eventually making way for “Just the Way You Are.” Mars was replaced at No. 1 by “Like a G6,” which gave Far East Movement, The Cataracs, and singer Dev, their first — and so far only — No. 1 on the Hot 100.
“Just the Way You Are” commanded the Hot 100 for a month, and in 2010 Mars earned six stays at the peak position on the chart. That was one of the most impressive runs of the year, although it was easily eclipsed by Rihanna, who led the charge for 14 nonconsecutive stints with multiple tunes.
How Bruno Mars’s First Solo Hit Started His Career
“Just the Way You Are” was more than just a hit song. The track showed that Mars had the ability to write and produce the kind of single that everyone in America could get behind. It was interesting enough to grab people’s attention, hooky enough to stay in the minds of millions, and had mass appeal. “Just the Way You Are” is still played at weddings and parties everywhere 15 years later, and remembered as an introductory win for a man who would turn out to be a historic figure in the music business.
What Was Bruno Mars’s First Grammy Win?
Mars would go on to win his first Grammy in the now-defunct Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category with “Just the Way You Are.” In that field, the singer-songwriter beat names like Michael Bublé, John Mayer, Adam Lambert, and even Michael Jackson, as he scored the last trophy given out in that vertical before it was discontinued by the Recording Academy.
How Many Copies Has “Just the Way You Are” Sold?
In the years since its release, “Just the Way You Are” has advanced from gold and platinum status – which it reached after moving its first million units in the fall of 2010 – to 13-times platinum. The RIAA has certified the track as moving at least 13 million equivalent units in the U.S., making it one of the most successful releases of all time.
Doo-Wops & Hooligans Produced Another No. 1
Mars chose “Just the Way You Are” to front his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. The full-length arrived in October 2010, just months after he unleashed the first single, and the timing couldn’t have been better. By the time the project dropped, Mars had already scored two No. 1s on the Hot 100, and another was coming soon.
“Grenade” Became Bruno Mars’s Second No. 1
In early January 2011, Mars returned to No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “Grenade.” That tune, the second official single from Doo-Wops & Hooligans, managed a rare showing when it ruled the Hot 100 in three distinct runs, as several other hit songs, like Katy Perry’s “Firework” and “Hold It Against Me” by Britney Spears, interrupted his winning streak.
Why “Just the Way You Are” Remains Bruno Mars’s Defining Hit
A decade and a half after its release and conquering of the Hot 100, “Just the Way You Are” holds a special place in Mars’s discography. Not only is it one of his most commercially successful tracks, but the composition’s legacy is one of widespread adoration and mass adoption for a musician who would go on to expand his repertoire, try new styles, and mine the past for inspiration.
“Just the Way You Are” showed that if he wanted, he could craft the kind of song that helped define a generation and which seemingly never goes out of style — and he did so at the perfect moment, just as his career was taking off.