24K Magic is the third studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released by Atlantic Records on November 18, 2016. Mars reunited with Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown, who composed the album under their joint alias Shampoo Press & Curl. Mars enlisted new composers including the Stereotypes and James Fauntleroy. Recording sessions for 24K Magic took place between late 2015 and September 2016 at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California.

Several critics said 24K Magic was crafted from elements of R&B, funk, pop, and new jack swing. Mars was inspired to create an album on which he could capture the sound of 1990s R&B, that he listened and danced to during his childhood. He wanted to make people dance and have the same enjoyment he had. The lyrics of 24K Magic explore themes similar to those of its predecessor, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012), including money and sex. According to Mars, although he was able to convince Atlantic Records of the album's sound, they were initially hesitant.

24K Magic debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 231,000 equivalent album units and became Mars's first number-one album on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It also peaked at number two in Canada, France, and New Zealand, and produced five singles: "24K Magic", "That's What I Like", and "Finesse" (remix featuring Cardi B), which were commercially successful while "Versace on the Floor" charted moderately and "Chunky" had a limited release. "That's What I Like" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Mars's seventh number-one song in the United States, while "24K Magic" peaked at number one in New Zealand. The album sold five million units globally and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), four times platinum by Music Canada (MC), and seven times platinum by Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ).

Critical responses to 24K Magic were generally favorable; many reviewers noticed the change of style, focusing on contemporary R&B and the improvement on the production. Others criticized the detachment from the casual listener and the lack of "vulnerability" from his previous ballads. At the 2018 Grammy Awards 24K Magic won seven Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best R&B Album, while the title track won Record of the Year and "That's What I Like" won Song of The Year at the same ceremony. Several publications listed the album as one of the best records of the year and the Associated Press named it as the tenth-best album of the 2010s. The album was also promoted through the 24K Magic World Tour (2017–2018), along with a number of television appearances.

In early 2014, Bruno Mars was interviewed by that's Shanghai and gave some details of a new album, stating, "I want to write better songs ... put on better shows ... make better music videos. I want my next album to be better than the first and the second." In September 2014, Mars tweeted, "Now it's time to start writing chapter 3", hinting that he was working on new music. Following the release of British-American musician Mark Ronson and Mars's single "Uptown Funk" (2014), Mars went to the studio to record more songs; he said he had no plans to release a new album "until it's done". Mars's new album was due in March 2016 but its release was postponed for several months because of his appearance at that year's Super Bowl half-time show. At the time, seven songs were already recorded. Mars worked with Canadian recording engineer Charles Moniz, who called the album the "next movement of Bruno" and confirmed the album was close to being finished in February 2016. Mars also worked with American musician Andrew Wyatt, who was involved in Mars's previous studio albums, and American bass guitarist Jamareo Artis, of The Hooligans, who said they had been "trying different ideas and experimenting" and "It's going to have a new sound ... the material is very groove-oriented". Mars also worked with American rapper Missy Elliott, but he said they were just hanging out.

In an interview with New Zealand radio DJ Zane Lowe for the Apple Music podcast Beats 1, Mars said the album is filled with 1990s influences. Mars concluded; "I just want to do music. I want to be the guy that brings joy to your life through his music." Mars affirmed he felt he was correct to record nine songs, saying; "If I can't pull you in with nine songs, I'm not gonna pull you in with nineteen!" He told that the album was inspired by a non-existent movie that he visualized. Mars said it featured "a Versace-wearing pimp" in New York during a summer night at the "baddest rooftop house party. 2:30 in the morning, the band comes out, fucking dipped in Versace. The girls are screaming." Mars stated this album contrasts with his others, on which he would experiment with genres: "I wanted to really hone it in and give myself a world in which I could keep it contained ... I want to sing more so than I did on the other albums". He chose to emulate "the feeling of the R&B he fell in love with as a kid", avoiding making it sound like a tribute or forced, taking inspiration from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, New Edition, Bobby Brown, Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Teddy Riley, Mariah Carey and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. In November 2017, Mars was a guest on the Charlie Rose Show and said as he grew up pop music was "R&B-rooted songs", which he danced to at school balls and barbecues. Mars wanted to achieve the same "feeling and emotion", concluding "it was fun to dance, it was cool to smile on the dance floor with a girl and flirt with a girl on the dance floor". To achieve his aim to make people want to dance again, he needed the songs to make him dance. Mars was inspired by his passion "for R&B acts"; he said that was the feeling they wanted the album to have. He added, "it was all about the live show and the kind of party I want to throw".

Although Mars was able to convince Atlantic Records of the album's sound, they were initially hesitant. A private album listening party was held at Atlantic's offices in New York City for several journalists.

Mars reunited with frequent collaborators, American songwriter, and producers, Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown, forming a new production trio, Shampoo Press & Curl, to record 24K Magic. It was recorded at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California between the fall 2015 and September 2016. Nevertheless, the singer returned to the studio on the first week of October to complete the album. Mars revealed that he was not confident about returning to the studio after releasing "Uptown Funk" (2014) and was struggling to write new songs. On top of that, he added that it took him so long to create a song, he needed to "touch an instrument or it won't come out. If I'm not touching the guitar or touching the drum machine or playing the piano, the song just won't come out." He imposed a dress code in the studio during the recording process, favoring jewelry and "fine clothes" over sweatpants to create the "groovy, smooth and soulful songs" on the record.