“I Don’t Care”

In 2015, cheeky rapscallions Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran teamed up for “Love Yourself,” a breezy sayonara to a self-obsessed ex. Four years, two marriages, many inane lawsuits, and one faith-driven redemption story later, the duo has combined for another tepid, dancehall-influenced bop. When “I Don’t Care” begins, both musicians are feeling small and alone. Ed’s at one party, sweating through his suit and eyeing the exit, while across the pond, Justin’s at a different, equally crowded party and feeling “crippled with anxiety.” But these momentary discomforts don’t really matter, because the mere presence of their lovers make “all the bad things disappear.”

Even when a sample of chattering partiers floods the mix, neither Bieber nor Sheeran sound too distressed. And why should they? This Max Martin co-production exists in a state of underwhelming nonchalance, with flourishes of handclaps and background coos to soften the nerves. “I Don’t Care” doesn’t inspire dramatic revulsion, or a warm, Grinch-like swelling of the heart. It just hangs around apathetically and threatens never to leave your brain.