The title of "male pop star" has been fiercely contested in the music industry, with many artists vying for recognition. When people think of a male pop star, they consider hit songs, streaming numbers and longevity. Few artists embody these qualities as well as Bruno Mars.
After graduating from President Theodore Roosevelt High School in 2003, Mars moved from where he was raised in Hawaii to pursue a music career in Los Angeles. His first step into the industry was signing with Motown as a songwriter. He later became the co-founder of the production team the Smeezingtons. However, after just a year, Motown dropped him from its label.
With little to show for himself, Mars struggled for the next few years until he met songwriter Phillip Lawrence. Lawrence agreed to help Mars put the material together, but the pair was repeatedly turned down even with their combined efforts.
Mars made the difficult decision to step back from creating his music and focus solely on writing for others.
“I decided to push the artist thing aside and get into the business this way,” Mars said in an interview with Biography.
In 2008, Mars sold his first song, “Lost,” to Muendo. He later wrote Flo Rida’s 2009 hit “Right Round” and CeeLo Green’s “F— You.”
Mars was featured on B.o.B’s 2009 song “Nothin’ on You” and Travie McCoy’s 2010 track “Billionaire.” The chart-topping singles pushed Mars into the spotlight. Six months later, he was back on the charts with his debut studio album: “Doo-Wops & Hooligans.”
Mars started a chart-topping trend in 2010 with hit singles from his debut album, including “Just the Way You Are,” “Grenade” and “The Lazy Song.” Not only did this solidify Mars as a name to remember, but it also marked the beginning of his cross-generational influence on music.
At the 53rd Grammy Awards, Mars was nominated for seven awards and won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Just the Way You Are.” He was also nominated for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical), Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “F— You.” He was also nominated for Best Rap Song, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Record of the Year for his work on “Nothin’ on You.”
Mars received six more Grammy nominations at the 54th ceremony for his first solo album, “Doo-Wops & Hooligans.” This recognition put his name on the map and paved the way for his continued success.
Mars followed up with his second studio album, “Unorthodox Jukebox,” in 2012. The album spawned two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits: “Locked Out of Heaven” and “When I Was Your Man.” The project proved his consistency for listeners, demonstrating he could create music that resonated with the masses.
In 2014, Mars reached another career milestone with his collaboration with Mark Ronson on “Uptown Funk.” The song topped Billboard’s Hot 100 year-end chart in 2015, the decade-end Hot 100 chart and spent 13 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The collaboration also secured two more Grammy wins for Mars.
Two years later, Mars released his third studio album, “24K Magic,” in 2016. The album earned him six Grammy Awards, including Song, Record and Album of the Year. The album produced generational hits like “That’s What I Like,” “24K Magic” and “Finesse.”
Beyond awards, Mars has also achieved major career milestones. He held a residency at The Chelsea in Las Vegas. He also headlined Super Bowl XLVIII two months later in 2014.
Recently, Mars has focused on collaborations rather than solo work. In February 2021, he teamed up with rapper Anderson .Paak to release an album under the pseudonym Silk Sonic. Their lead single, “Leave the Door Open,” won both Grammys it was nominated for.
Heading into 2025, Mars has collaborated with Lady Gaga on “Die With a Smile,” Rosé with “APT” and Sexyy Red on “Fat Juicy & Wet.” Mars’ recent collaborations have all charted on the Billboard Hot 100. “Die With a Smile” became the fastest song to hit 1 billion streams on Spotify and marked his return to the top of the charts.
Mars has carved out a unique space in pop music. He has been nominated for 33 Grammy Awards and won 16 across various categories. Additionally, he has won more than 20 other music-related awards worldwide, has held three Guinness World Records and was named one of Billboard’s Greatest of All-Time Artists in 2019.
Beyond accolades, Mars was the first male pop artist to achieve six diamond-certified songs and the first artist to have five diamond-certified singles. His accomplishments and influential career highlight how many music fans see him as a true pop icon.
