Honestly, it feels like a lifetime ago that a 16-year-old from Ontario was basically the king of Vine. Before the massive world tours and the Calvin Klein ads, there was just a kid with a guitar and a very specific, earnest energy. When you look back at the Shawn Mendes Handwritten album songs, you aren’t just looking at a tracklist. You’re looking at the blueprint for the "acoustic-pop boy" era that dominated the mid-2010s.
It’s weirdly nostalgic.
Released in April 2015, Handwritten debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Shawn the youngest artist since Justin Bieber to snag that top spot. People love to compare those two. But where Bieber was leaning into slick R&B-pop at the time, Shawn was doing something way more folk-adjacent. It was raw. It was, as the title suggests, personal.
The Tracks That Defined the Era
You can't talk about this album without starting with "Life of the Party." It was the first single, and it set the tone for everything. It’s a song about not fitting in and just being yourself, which—let's be real—is the ultimate teenage anthem. Ido Zmishlany and Scott Harris helped him craft this one, and it remains a fan favorite because it doesn't try too hard. It’s just Shawn and a piano for the most part.
Then there’s "Stitches." This is the one that really blew the doors off. It has that rhythmic, percussive guitar style that Ed Sheeran made famous, but Shawn gave it a more "pop-rock" edge. It’s catchy as hell. Even now, if that chorus kicks in at a grocery store, you’re probably humming along. It reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the charts forever.
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But the deeper cuts are where the album gets interesting:
- "Never Be Alone": A total campfire song. It uses these soft, humming background vocals that make it feel like a lullaby.
- "A Little Too Much": This one is heavy. Shawn wrote this solo, and it deals with the anxiety of feeling overwhelmed. It’s one of his most honest lyrical moments.
- "Strings": Here, he almost raps. It’s fast-paced and shows a bit more grit than the slower ballads.
- "Aftertaste": A classic "I'm better off without you" track. It’s got a bit of an attitude that was new for him back then.
Production and That "Vine" Sound
The production on the Shawn Mendes Handwritten album songs was handled largely by Martin Terefe and Ido Zmishlany. They kept it relatively thin. By that, I mean they didn't bury his voice under a mountain of synthesizers. You can hear the pick hitting the strings. You can hear him catch his breath.
That was a strategic move.
Since he blew up on Vine, his fans were used to seeing him in his bedroom with just a guitar. If the album had been too over-produced, it would have felt fake. Instead, tracks like "Imagination" and "Bring It Back" feel like they could have been recorded in one take in a dorm room.
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The Deluxe and "Revisited" Factor
Because the industry loves a reissue, we eventually got Handwritten (Revisited). This version added "I Know What You Did Last Summer" with Camila Cabello. That song was a turning point. It was faster, darker, and hinted at the more mature direction he’d take with his second album, Illuminate.
It also gave us "Act Like You Love Me" and "Running Low," which are arguably better than some of the standard edition tracks. If you’re a completionist, the Revisited version is the only one worth owning. It fills in the gaps of his growth during that first year of fame.
Why Handwritten Still Matters Today
Critics at the time were a bit split. Some called it "safe" or "palatable." But looking back from 2026, there’s a genuine charm to it. It’s a time capsule of a specific moment in pop music where the "boy with a guitar" was the biggest thing on the planet.
It wasn't about TikTok dances or viral "challenges" back then; it was about whether you could actually sing and play. Shawn proved he could. The songs on Handwritten aren't complex. They aren't trying to reinvent the wheel. They are just solid, melodic pop songs about the messy reality of being a teenager.
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Honestly? That’s why they still work.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Listeners
If you're revisiting the album or discovering it for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the full experience:
- Listen for the Solo Writing: Check the credits for "A Little Too Much." It’s one of the few songs Shawn wrote entirely by himself on this project. It gives you the purest look at his mindset at age 15.
- Compare the Live Versions: The Revisited edition features several live tracks from the Greek Theatre. Listen to those to hear how his vocal control improved even just a few months after the initial release.
- The Scott Harris Connection: Notice how many tracks Scott Harris co-wrote. He’s been Shawn’s right-hand man for his entire career. Handwritten was the start of one of the most successful partnerships in modern pop.
- Watch the Music Videos: They are very 2015. Lots of moody lighting and "boy-next-door" aesthetics. They provide the perfect visual context for the "handwritten" theme.
Grab your headphones and start with the acoustic version of "Life of the Party" to really hear the texture of his voice before he became a global superstar. It's a trip.