Breaking through in music is never an easy task. SometimesJustin Bieber, his rise to fame felt like it happened overnight, but his true ascendancy began with essential early songs before his megastardom.

In Bieber's early years, he found tremendous success with his first EP, My World, his first studio album, My World 2.0, his first remix album, My World Acoustics, and his second remix album, Never Say Never: The Remixes. Over the course of his early releases, Bieber collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, including Usher, Ludacris and Miley Cyrus. This undoubtedly placed him on a large stage, but with all the bright lights, he found himself trying to prove his doubters wrong as he sought to build on his growing fame.

10 Never Let You Go

My World 2.0 (2010)

Justin Bieber's career started with him singing around his town and in his home. Posting these performances on YouTube ultimately led to him being discovered and eventually moving to the United States from Canada to begin his professional journey. What made him so special in those early videos was the raw power and control he exhibited over his vocals. Although some questioned his young voice, a song like "Never Let You Go" allowed Bieber to showcase the talent that landed him a record deal.

Justin Bieber would famously busk (perform music in a public place for monetary donations) outside the Avon Theatre in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

The lyrics of the track embraced the essence of a true love song as he sang "This life's too long and this love's too strong / So baby, know for sure that I'll never let you go." The song never goes over a listener's head, and instead uses simple words that everyone can relate to in order to convey a ionate message. Adding to the song's elegance is the purity of Bieber dressed in white during the music video, singing his heart out with the ocean as the backdrop. Symbolically, that image of Bieber could represent how this vast world was his for the taking.

9 Love Me

My World (2009)

Hearing an artist sample from another song and make it their own is a common theme throughout music's history. 5 Seconds of Summer did this with Duran Duran, Vanilla Ice did this with Queen and David Bowie, and Lil Uzi Vert with the Backstreet Boys. This is exactly what Justin Bieber did with The Cardigans' song "Lovefool." His song "Love Me" incorporates the same beginning of the chorus with the words "Love me, love me, say that you love me. Fool me, fool me."

"Lovefool" is from The Cardigans' third studio album, First Band on the Moon, which was released in 1996.

Since the song was sampled from an already popular track, it aided in making this tune recognizable. Of course, a charming spin was added that helped Bieber's lyrics resonate with his target audience. However, the most endearing part of the song may be the music video as it focuses on Bieber's onstage and offstage preparations. While it is widely known that the life of a teen star is not easy, it was refreshing to see a lighter side to the demands and challenges Bieber faced at that time.

8 Eenie Meenie Ft. Sean Kingston

My World 2.0 (2010)

Sean Kingston dominated the 2000s with extremely successful hit songs like "Take You There," "Beautiful Girls" and "Fire Burning." Therefore, when 2010 rolled around, and Justin Bieber managed to get him to feature on a song, it was almost guaranteed that the song would become a hit. Collaborating with Kingston helped Bieber gain radio exposure and was a building block of a monumental year that even saw him appear on the hit television show, CSI.

A deeper dive into the success of Bieber's "Eenie Meenie" reveals precisely what made his early songs so strong: repetition. It's difficult to hear the song's chorus, which goes "Shawty is a eenie meenie miney mo lover," and not have it stuck in your head. It also helped that the song was a play on a nursery rhyme, with its earliest origins tracing back to 1820. Combine those elements, along with Bieber and Kingston at a house party, and you have a certified hit.

7 Overboard Ft. Jessica Jarrell

My World 2.0 (2010)

Early Justin Bieber music videos featured a lot of female companionship. However, a duet with a female singer was not something that Bieber had done on his My World EP. That's why, when his debut studio album My World 2.0 was released, the song "Overboard" caught people's attention. This track featured Bieber teaming up with fellow up-and-coming singer Jessica Jarrell. It was a tune that was so well-liked that it also appeared on Never Say Never: The Remixes; only this time it was a live version of the song featuring Miley Cyrus.

The live performance of Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus singing "Overboard" was featured in Justin's film, Never Say Never.

Although his version with Cyrus may be the more well-known of the two, there is something truly special about Bieber's version with Jarrell. If you listen to the song, their two voices match up perfectly. They seemingly complement one another as they go back and forth between lyrics, particularly during the bridge as they sing, "Oh, it's supposed to be some give and take, I know / But you're only taking and not giving anymore." Since then, Bieber has had many duets with female singers, but this stands out as the contender for greatest.

6 One Time

My World (2009)

Everyone has to start somewhere, and for Justin Bieber, it all began with his debut single, "One Time." Not only was it his first single, but the song was also what Bieber used to create his very first music video. It solidified that Bieber had arrived as he transitioned from recording his own videos to starring in professionally made ones. The song even landed Bieber on the "Billboard Hot 100" list, which further established that a new superstar was on the rise.

The music video for "One Time" features cameos by Justin Bieber's childhood friend Ryan Butler and Usher.

To this day, "One Time" still stands as a major hit for Bieber. In fact, the music video for it is one of his 15 most-watched YouTube videos, with over 800 million views. Additionally, according to Setlist.fm, the song has been performed over 200 times, placing it in the top ten for the most times performed live by Bieber. No matter how much time es, there's nothing wrong with an artist returning to the very beginning.

5 Somebody To Love Remix Ft. Usher

Never Say Never: The Remixes (2011)

The original recording of "Someday to Love" debuted on Justin Bieber's My World 2.0. However, the song itself was never intended for Bieber. The track was supposed to be on Usher's Raymond V. Raymond, but ultimately ended up in the hands of Bieber. While his first recording of the song was great, it was eventually enhanced when Usher finally featured on the track, which also provided another music video collaboration between the two artists.

The first recording of Justin Bieber and Usher's "Somebody to Love" remix was found on My Worlds: The Collection, which served as an international alternative to the Walmart/Sam's Club My Worlds Acoustic.

Having two powerhouses on the song helped elevate it into a hit. The song eventually reached number 15 on the "Billboard Hot 100" list. Additionally, the song didn't quite take as much as "One Time" did, but the title of the track was seemingly a nod to Queen's 1976 classic, also called "Somebody to Love." For a song that wasn't initially intended for him, Justin Bieber sure took it to the highest heights.

4 Pray

My Worlds Acoustic (2010)

When Justin Bieber released My Worlds Acoustic, it allowed the singer to showcase the pure talent he possessed. When an artist strips everything away down to just vocals and guitar, there is nowhere for them to hide. It truly puts them in the spotlight; however, many artists enjoy it because when they nail it, these performances often become fan favorites. Bieber took nine tracks that fans already knew well, and demonstrated the elegance behind them. However, the final track on the album was a new song.

The lyrics, 'I know there's sunshine beyond that rain. I know there's good times beyond that pain,' resonate in any era.

The new song was titled "Pray," and the lyrics, “I know there's sunshine beyond that rain / I know there's good times beyond that pain,” resonate in any era. The track takes a listener on an emotional journey and touches on some of the toughest aspects of humanity. Truly, it was so important because Bieber was able to uplift and provide some hope for otherwise horrific situations. It showed a human side to the younger singer that hadn't been seen much up to that point.

3 Down To Earth

My World (2009)

"Down to Earth" is a song that could bring tears to the eyes of any Justin Bieber fan. The track essentially tells the story of Bieber's upbringing and the struggles he went through dealing with parents who were separated. Not only is this one of his most vulnerable songs ever, but it also provided a very emotional moment in his Never Say Never movie as his father was moved to tears while standing and watching a performance of the song.

Perhaps the toughest part about this song was its emotional depth; there wasn't a great place to put it on the otherwise upbeat My World. Ultimately, it ended up as the third track, which was probably for the best. The first two tracks demonstrate that, yes, Bieber is a great singer, but once "Down to Earth" plays, it reminds the listener he is a person who struggles like everyone else. Thankfully, for Bieber, he made it through, and he is truly down to earth now as he is a husband and father.

2 Never Say Never Ft. Jaden Smith

Never Say Never: The Remixes (2011)

The phrase "Never Say Never" became synonymous with Justin Bieber. It seemingly served as a rallying cry for his fans, and also helped describe his journey from YouTube to world-renowned pop star. Bieber took the phrase and used it to name a remix album, a movie and a song. The track gained a lot of notoriety for featuring Jaden Smith and serving as the theme song for Smith's 2010 remake of The Karate Kid, which also starred Jackie Chan.

Ultimately, the song became one of Bieber's biggest hits ever. It's in the top ten of his most-watched YouTube videos with over one billion views. It also reached number eight on the "Billboard Hot 100" list and has been certified 5x Platinum in the United States. Who knows if Bieber will ever do anything with the phrase again, but if so, there's a tremendous foundation for him to build on.

1 Baby Ft. Ludacris

My World 2.0 (2010)

If someone were to name a Justin Bieber song from his early career, chances are the most common answer would be "Baby." Every artist has their first megahit and, for Bieber, this was it. For many people who weren't tuned in on his budding career, this was their first memorable exposure to Bieber. The song even features the iconic Ludacris, which added that much more credibility.

Once you hear the lyrics, 'Baby, baby, baby, oh / Like, baby, baby, baby, no,' it's hard to get them out of your head.

One aspect that helped "Baby" connect with the masses was a chorus that was easy to . Once you hear the lyrics, "Baby, baby, baby, oh. Like, baby, baby, baby, no," it's hard to get them out of your head. The song is Bieber's second most-watched YouTube video of all time with over three billion views. In addition, the song has gone 12x Platinum in the United States, placing it in an elite category. When considering where Justin Bieber is now, it's hard not to think of "Baby," as it was a truly pivotal point that ultimately solidified his journey.