Charlie Puth, Changes | Song Review

Grammy-nominated pop singer, songwriter, and producer Charlie Puth doesn’t reinvent pop with his single “Changes,” but it is enjoyable and respectable.

Say what you will about him, but Charlie Puth is a gifted musician, period. He’s also cute… in an adorkable sort of way. Sometimes, his top-notch musicianship hasn’t always shown through his music, particularly on his first album, Nine Track Mind 😳.  Beyond album number one, Puth has aimed to up the ante, atoning for the miscues of his successful but panned debut.  Perhaps  “Changes” isn’t a surefire, undisputed tour de force, but it does show that Puth continues to mature as a pop musician. He penned and produced this pleasant three-minute-plus single from his fourth studio album, Whatever’s Clever (arrives March 6, 2026) with BloodPop®.

“Changes” exhibits smooth, rhythmic vibes from the onset. Likewise, Puth delivers smooth vocals.  The sound of the record is classy, mature, and refined. Is it fun? It is fun enough, with the chorus showing the most flashes of fun. The chorus, the centerpiece, is more rhythmic, with the groove going heavier and harder. It is fitting, given the changes that Charlie sings about:

“There’s been some changes in our life, oh

I can feel the distance, space, and time has

Made everything different, day and night, oh

Everything has changed, and I don’t know why.”

Word.  Puth continues to reflect in the second verse, concluding, “And all the things we used to leave unsaid / I wish they were said in hindsight.” That’s relatable, all day long! A colorful instrumental break precedes the bridge section (the piano lines stand out).  The bridge section rightfully distinguishes itself from the verses and chorus (“Sometimes, the wind blows in different / New directions and lessons are happenin’”). If it feels like “Changes” needed a little more spice as it progresses, choral vocals provide it in the final chorus.  Can I get an amen?  All told, “Changes” isn’t the second coming of pop.  It’s not the second coming for Charlie Puth, either. BUT, overall,  this is an enjoyable, respectable, and reflective pop song. Whatever’s Clever should be an interesting listen.

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Charlie Puth » Whatever’s Clever » Atlantic » 3.6.26 [📷: Atlantic]

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