Thank U, Next Tops Charts
Perhaps one of the people with the most interesting year so far, Ariana Grande has broken records and topped charts with her latest album “Thank U, Next”
Arriving on February 8th, Grande’s latest album featured the top-hit singles of “7 rings” and aptly named “Thank U, Next” and seemed to take the world by storm, reaching #1 on ITunes in a groundbreaking 5 minutes.
Alongside that, Grande happens to be the first female, and soloist to occupy the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100,
Setting a new record, Grande’s album was streamed an astounding 307 million times in its debut week, shattering now-runner-up Ed Sheeran with his album “÷“.
Alongside that, “Thank U, Next” took the spot as the number one album in the U.S. with its intense 360,000 copies being sold in the first week – marking not just the first, but in fact, the fourth time Grande has achieved such a title with her past albums.
As Grande revealed on twitter, the album reflects “a dark time in her life”, perhaps centering upon all the loss in love and life the artist has faced in recent history.
“A lot of this album mourns failed yet beautiful relationships in my life, as well as celebrate[ing] growth/exploring new independence.” Said Grande in her Instagram story.
And in truth, the album has reflected such emotions beautifully, with pieces like “Ghostin” or “Needy” reaching the corners of emotion so rarely seen in mainstream music as the artist conveys feelings of loneliness, grieving, and passion. However, on the other side of the spectrum, each song maintains a light, almost bouncy theme and “7 Rings” still manages to appeal to a widespread audience. Though personally, I can’t look at my bank account for a few days afterwards.
The album’s received critical acclaim and praise with critics such as Los Angeles Times Writer Mikael Wood saying “it’s [the album] suffused with the joy of discovering what didn’t kill her really did make her stronger.”
Grande’s Sweetener tour is kicking off in the next few months, performing now-older songs such as “God is a Woman” or pieces arriving from her latest album like “NASA” or perhaps more infamously known, “Break up with Your Girlfriend, I’m bored.” The artist is expected to perform in Madison Square Garden, American Airlines Arena, The Staples Center, and many more places.
To say the least, Ariana Grande has left her mark on the world once again, and as we can see, her journey of self-discovery and musicality is far from over.
