Released: February 8, 2019
Genre: Pop ∙ R&B ∙ trap
Label: Republic
Producer: Charles Anderson ∙ Brian Baptiste ∙ Tommy Brown ∙ Michael Foster ∙ Ilya ∙ Max Martin ∙ Happy Perez ∙ Pop Wansel
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ariana Grande has become one of my favorite pop girlies and rightfully so. By 2019, Ariana released four commercially successful albums during the streaming era at the time, and giving us quality work while she was at it! Grande dropped her best received album at the time (Sweetener,) winning Best Pop Vocal Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Award.
While preparing for her next tour, the singer began thinking about her follow up album. However with the shocking death of Ariana’s ex-boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller, the label proposed professional endeavors while Ariana took a hiatus from the media. While being on hiatus, the beginning stages of her fifth studio album Thank U, Next came to light. Released February 8, 2019 by Republic Records, was released six months after Sweetener.
Thank U, Next is one of Ariana’s most personal albums, with lyrical themes focusing on personal flaws, grief, denial, independence and self-empowerment. Also, the death of Miller and the ending of her engagement to Pete Davidson was also addressed on this record.
The album showcases Ariana’s versatility as an artists, with elements of art pop, R&B, trap, dancehall, hip hop and EDM. Thank U, Next was nominated for two Grammy Awards, which was Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony respectively.
Thank U, Next debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200 chart, with 360 album-equivalent units in its first week of release. It became her fourth number one album, and second in less than six months. The album has since become certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA.
Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you: Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next.
imagine
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Priscilla Renea ∙ Andrew Wansel ∙ Nathan Perez ∙ Jameel Roberts
imagine opens up the album, and after revisiting this album I fell in love with imagine even more than I did when Thank U, Next was released. From a lyrical perspective, imagine speaks to Ariana’s denial of a failed relationship, which is alluding to ex boyfriend Mac Miller.
Ariana has described the song as being about a simple, beautiful love that is now (and forever) unattainable. 🥹🥹🥹 The song is truly so beautiful from the elements of R&B & trap, the heartwarming lyricism to her immaculate usage of her whistle register near the outro…it is a chef’s kiss and one of her best songs that she’s ever released.
Released as the first promotional single from the album, imagine was her most successful, debuting at 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified as 2x platinum by the RIAA. Ariana’s live performance of imagine with The Roots on the tonight show was one for the books! You should check it out.
needy
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Victoria Monét ∙ Tayla Parx ∙ Tommy Brown
needy is one of Ariana’s most vulnerable songs, and she honestly isn’t afraid to admit to showcase her desire and craving for attention and emotional support from her signifcant other. I think a brave person is someone who isn’t afraid to be their authentic selves and not care what others have to say. After everything Ariana has gone through, she cannot help but to want that from someone she is in love with.
Following the release of Thank U, Next, needy peaked at 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 8 on the UK Singles charts respectively. needy has since been certified Platinum by the RIAA.
nasa
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Victoria Monét ∙ Tayla Parx ∙ Tommy Brown
nasa is my song and is one of the best highlights from the album okayyy!! From a lyrical perspective, the song is about the singer wanting and needing space from her significant other in hopes that it’ll strengthen the love and passion they have for each other. nasa is named after the U.S. space agency of the same name, and is used as an interpretation for Ariana’s desire for said space.
Following the release of Thank U, Next, nasa debuted and peaked at 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Ariana’s 18th top-twenty hit! The song has since been certified platinum by the RIAA.
bloodline
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Max Martin ∙ Ilya Salmanzadeh ∙ Savan Kotecha
bloodline is a BOP!!!!! From a lyrical perspective, the song is about the singer wanting somebody but not enough to have them in her “bloodline.” In my words, boy I’m here for a gooooood time and not a long time. bloodline contains a sound bite from Ariana’s grandmother Majorie Grande where she’s actually talking about a hearing aid but Ariana cuts it down so it sounds as if she’s talking about sex.
It’s so cute and ironic, because her grandmother is the source of her bloodline! But yesssss, bloodline is an amazing song with the production being so stellar too (like you hear the trumpets!!!!!) bloodline debuted at 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA!
fake smile
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Andrew Wansel ∙ Nathan Perez ∙ Priscilla Renea ∙ Kennedi Lykken ∙ Justin Tranter ∙ Joseph W. Frierson ∙ Mary Lou Frierson
The hip hop soul influenced fake smile has the singer being transparent with how the events of the attack on her concert in Manchester and Mac’s death has had an emotional toll on her and her refusal to put up a facade that everything is alright. Celebrities are usually supposed to hold their composure and be good sports for the public, but what people fail to realize is that celebrities are human.
& Ariana is human. She has to live in the public eye as long as she’s an entertainer, and that has to raise anxiety through the roof for sure. I love everything about the trap vibes and grooves it gives and everything. 10/10. fake smile debuted and peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100.
fake smile contains a sample of:
- After Laughter (Comes Tears) by Wendy Rene
bad idea
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Max Martin ∙ Ilya Salmanzadeh ∙ Savan Kotecha
bad idea has the singer wanting to find ways to numb all of her pain, including using a man 👀👀. The production on bad idea is honestly something important to note! It is truly top tier! Like she truly ate this song UP! The song debuted and peaked at number #27 on the Billboard Hot 100.
make up
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Victoria Monét ∙ Tayla Parx ∙ Tommy Brown ∙ Brian Baptiste
Double entendres are a thing throughout make up, which is Ariana’s most sexually explicit song on the record. With wonky pop and trap influences, make up has the singer making up and reuniting with him in the bedroom and ruin her makeup! Get it? make up debuted and peaked at #48 on the Billboard Hot 100.
ghostin
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Victoria Monét ∙ Tayla Parx ∙ Max Martin ∙ Ilya Salmanzadeh ∙ Savan Kotecha
ghostin has become definitely one of my top five songs from her of all time. From a lyrical perspective, the song discusses how the singer should ghost the guy who still makes her cry and wants to stop hurting the guy she’s with now that is being patient with her during this time. You honestly hear the pain, grief and heartache in Ariana’s voice throughout this song.
Initially she begged her manager to remove the track from the album, but he convinced her to keep it on, and in a way I am glad that it did because it’s not only one of her personal songs..but it made me appreciate her so much more as an artist because you get to know her 1000%.
in my head
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Andrew Wanesel ∙ Nathan Perez ∙ Brittany “Chi” Coney ∙ Denisia Andrews ∙ Lindel Deon Nelson, Jr. ∙ Jameel Roberts
in my head is a trap & R&B influenced song that is lyrically about the singer being in love with a version of somebody that you’ve created in your head, but it turns out that they’re not like that at all. The song debuted and peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100.
7 rings
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Victoria Monét ∙ Tayla Parx ∙ Tommy Brown ∙ Charles Anderson ∙ Michael Foster ∙ Njomza Vitia ∙ Kimberly Krysiuk ∙ Richard Rodgers ∙ Oscar Hammerstein II
7 Rings is described by Ariana as a friendship anthem and how having the success that she’s experienced has allowed her to enjoy the finer things in life. With elements of hip hop, R&B and trap pop, the song debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the singer her second #1 hit on the chart, and was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2020 Grammy Awards. 7 Rings has since been certified by the RIAA.
7 Rings contains interpolations of:
- My Favorite Things performed by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film adaption of The Sound of Music
- Gimme The Loot by The Notorious B.I.G.
7 Rings Remix featured 2 Chainz!
thank u, next
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Victoria Monét ∙ Tayla Parx ∙ Tommy Brown ∙ Charles Anderson ∙ Michael Foster ∙ Njomza Vitia ∙ Kimberly Krysiuk
I know they say I move on too fast, but this one gon’ last..
‘Cause her name is Ari, and I’m so good with that.
Ariana Grande, Thank U, Next, 2019
Released as the lead single, the titular track Thank U Next, is lyrically a celebratory ode to Ariana’s failed relationships, moreso a response to her ex-fiancee Pete Davidson. The song also has the singer name dropping her exes and what she got from each relationship. Thank U, Next is a self empowerment anthem with themes of self-love & growth after a breakup. The song was a commercial success instantly, breaking the record for the most streams received by a song in a single day by a female artist on Spotify.
Thank U Next debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving the singer her first number one hit single and reached number 1 in 23 countries. The song has also been certified Platinum by the RIAA. Thank U, Next has become a modern day cultural phenomenon for being catchy, its lyricism and positive messges.
break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored
Written by Ariana Grande ∙ Max Martin ∙ Ilya Salmanzadeh ∙ Savan Kotecha ∙ Kandi Burruss ∙ Kevin Briggs
break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored closes out the album, and has elements of pop, R&B and trap throughout the record. From a lyrical perspective, the songs speak to the singer convincing a man to break up with his girlfriend. Released as the third and final single from the album, the song debuted and peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first solo artist and woman to occupy the first three positions on that chart SINCE The Beatles. Iconic af.
break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored contains an interpolation of:
- It Makes Me Ill by NSYNC
Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next is truly a masterpiece through and through. I didn’t appreciate its greatness until I was able to resonate and relate to a lot of the themes that the album is about. Thank U, Next showcases Ariana’s healing and vulnerability in a nutshell, and I think it is totally one of her best albums and will continue to be so for a very long time!
Thank U, Next has been critically praised for being one of her best LPs & it is! I think it’s probably one of the hardest albums she’s had to make, but the lovely thing about healing from your past is letting it out. – MW.
markizdj.com 
One thought on “Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next”