BIEBER BY CHRISTMAS?

The rumor mill is in overdrive about the expected full-length drop from Def Jam's Justin Bieber, whose new set is thought by many to be coming before the year's end.

The album is said to be an R&B collection (as teased with the phrase "R&Bieber"), and given the star's roots with Usher and the potential for high-profile collaborations (like a possible reunion with Drake), anticipation is ramping up. A giant tour would logically follow. The Purpose Tour was among the highest-grossing treks of 2016-17.

Bieber has helped stoke the expectation by posting graphics on his Instagram with the phrase "R&Bieber" and a promise that if another post gets 20m likes there'll be an album by Christmas. "Share it, like it, post in your story," he added in a comment. "I gotta see the demand ;) love you guys pumped for it! I’m almost done but your support will make me move faster." The 10/27 post is now closing in on 12m likes.

The freshly wedded Bieber's latest foray into the marketplace, the Dan + Shay collab "10,000 Hours," remains in the Top 20 U.S. at Spotify and Top 30 at Apple Music. This followed on the heels of "I Don't Care," his duet with Ed Sheeran. You may recall that it was the "Despacito" remix with Bieber that caused that song to go from simply being very big to becoming the biggest thing in the universe.