Thank you whoever you are for breaking Bruno Mars’s heart once more. Mars’s new album is as emotional as ever with effortlessly smooth vocals in his gut wrenching soul style. But he hasn’t always encapsulated the style of sweet 70’s soul.

Bruno Mars made his debut on October 4th, 2010 with his album “Doo-Wops & Hooligans” featuring worldwide hits such as “Grenade” and “Just the Way You Are”. This album was defined by its innocent sincerity and centerstage theme of sweet, uncomplicated devotion. These themes were only furthered by his unique blend of soft rock, reggae-pop, and mid-century doo-wop making each song buttery smooth.

After four years of trying to prove to his record label that his debut wasn’t a fluke, he released “Unorthodox Jukebox”, an album that dove into the deeper, grittier side of love. In this album Mars removes his fedora and bares his soul focusing on his regret of past relationships and his struggles with destructive passion.

With “24k Magic”, Mars came strolling back into the music scene in Inglewood’s finest shoes with new disco inspired synths and intricate R&B harmonies. This was an album full of confidence, completely abandoning his iconic themes of heartbreak and longing for smooth seduction and flaunting his life of fame and success. 

After the third-longest stretch between winning a Grammy Award and releasing a follow-up album, Mars released “The Romantic”. This album brings back the sincerity of his debut with the musical complexity of his later works. It brings a sense of mature romanticism, almost completely reverting from his “player” aesthetic in “24k Magic”. “The Romantic” is rooted in latin-pop and heartfelt soul, once again allowing Mars to bear his soul in a more mature, grounded tone focusing on themes like monogamy and deep emotional connections.

The album brings Mars’s career full circle. And the innocent teenage infatuation he presented in his debut album has finally evolved into a deep, mature love that defines his legacy.