2019’s only two months in and has already proven itself the best year of Ariana Grande‘s career.
Beyond ringing it in with the first Hot 100 chart-topper of the year, ‘thank u, next,’ the songstress followed by earning another one in the form of the Victoria Monet-penned, ‘7 Rings.’ Both tunes, found aboard her fifth studio album (also titled ‘thank u, next’) certainly increased anticipation for the gems that would accompany them aboard their parent project.
Evidence of that was found by the mass consumption of the LP upon its debut on February 8th. As we reported here, the set was initially predicted to shift between 320,000-345,000 copies its first week alone. With its inaugural tallying week now in its rearview, Billboard’s not only confirmed ‘thank’ will reign atop the Billboard 200 this week, but that’s come on the back of some record breaking streaming figures.
The result? Ari’s nabbed the best first week sales of her career to date. Details inside:
Thank U, Next storms in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with 360,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 14, according to Nielsen Music. The set launches with the biggest week for a pop album in over a year and garners Grande her fourth No. 1 — and second in less than six months. Of Thank U, Next’s starting unit sum, 116,000 were in album sales.
As it relates to its record breaking streams…
Of Thank U, Next’s starting unit sum of 360,000 units, 228,000 are in SEA units. That latter sum translates to a whopping 307 million on-demand audio streams for the album’s songs during the tracking week.
Thank U, Next easily sets the record for the largest streaming week for a pop album (beating the debut frame of Ed Sheeran’s ÷ [Divide] with 126.7 million on-demand audio streams for its songs; March 25, 2017) and the biggest streaming week for an album by a woman…
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Why am I not on any of the writing credits.
I’m not any of the song credits either bro
Anyone else feel like this is her peak era?
Worst Vocals of Her Career – and her biggest hits. The Streaming public HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SINGING IS??? How is Thank you next a hit and Breathin flopped?????
Breathin flopped BECAUSE of “Thank u next”. If she didn’t overkill radio, Breathin would be a huge hit also.
I liked Thank you, NEXT! That’s it
This is the calm before the storm
Her best sales… her worst material.. you’d not even know she’s a vocalist if you heard these songs…
Agreed. But that’s what the GP wants.. watered down pop trap
I was expecting some pop gems like one last time or into you from her new album, but I’m disappointed
Ari delivered quality music since the beginning of her career, issa shame she had to reduce her quality in music and succumb to the trap “trap” I mean “7 Rings” ugh
People…just because an artist desides to do more urban soUndoing material, doesn’t mean the music isn’t quality. These songs are still very well written and produced. It’s just less pop. I actually like the way she’s singing on the records…it’s very Beyonce.
I don’t think that is what people are complaining about. Ariana is a singer with a big voice who has been reduced to trapping over a beat. It’s a huge deviation from her old material and it’s not as solid.
No that’s not it. We know urban and trap music can be quality. But because Ariana is not a real artist, especially not a trap artist, her take on trap music is fundamentally generic. She’s not making new art, she doesn’t have any new ideas, she’s re-making trendy art other artists popularized. And This big sound change in her music was not a genuine exploration of another genre, it was a strategic trend hop to chase the charts, vocals be damned.
I do still think the production is a huge improvement from that baby’s first piano mess she used to sing over, and Sweetener was a lyrical abomination so anything is better than that, but overall that’s the problem. Along with her singing sounding very “Beyonce”, which I think it does too. To another point, Ariana has made a bad habit out of being unoriginal. It doesn’t matter the genre, i can’t listen to her songs without being reminded of another artist. If it’s not Mariah anymore, its always someone else. Always.
@Meme
Thanks whoops for a in depth explanation. While I disagree partly, I def understand where you’re coming from.
I agree. I listen to the album every couple days and she’s literally little Bey lol. why are folks acting like its a new thing for ppl to tone done their vocals so others can relate and sing along. side note needy reminds me of love drought.
down
^^^ This. And her Fans don’t want ‘My Everything’ and ‘Dangerous Woman’ Albums rehashed over and over again. Some of those songs as quality as they are (Leave Me Lonely, I Don‘t Care, Only 1, Best Mistake) are we’re more mature leaning, so she’s proven she can do that. This album is growth in that she has changed her sound (for better of worse according to opinion), and it’s the sound of youth today and what her demographic wants (as her sales clearly indicate). What will be interesting is what her next album will sound like now that she’s hopped on current trends. How do you top the best opening week of your career whilst not selling out your artistic growth, keeping your fans, attracting new ones all whilst not being creatively reductive. Being a pop star is not easy (ask Katy Perry).
Ariana isn’t just breaking records, but doing so with ease. I mean, of the top 20 streaming weeks for an album in this streaming era, Thank U, Next is the only pop one that made the list. That says it all. She is THE biggest streaming artist among female singers! I’m very happy for all the success Ariana has had as of late. She deserves it.
Soon as she backed off the witch Nicki she’s been doing good
You know that “Side to Side” is one of her biggest hits. right? She is also still best friends with Nicki, too. You just wait for every opportunity to slam Nicki Minaj. It’s getting old.
Yes but that came out in a world that was pre-‘Shether’.
This era of music buyers do not want big ballads unless you are Adele. They want Trap/pop which seems to be the trend right now. I have never been a fan of Ariana but I say let her live because a majority of artists nowadays are not releasing quality material. Hopefully with her next album she can cater to her ballad lovers as well as her trap/pop lovers and create an album that satisfies both of her core fan base.
you know there used to be a time where you actually had artists that were all unique and individual and didn’t all make the same sounding music https://youtu.be/jk9gEXUWrUM
Reading some of these comments, y’all act like a singer isn’t supposed to experiment with different sounds to grow as an artist. The ‘ Thank U, Next’ album is actually a great body of work and majority of the songs are radio friendly. Y’all have to allow ppl to grow and expand their artistry. Redundancy and complacency isn’t flattering for anyone. Learn the importance of growth…STUPID ASS PPL IN THESE COMMENTS!
She’ll never be the next Mariah like they marketed her lmao ?
I love this album! This sound is what I always wanted from her ever since hearing “Knew Better” off Dangerous Woman. This album is sonically pleasing, lyrically authentic and pushes the envelope artistically. She’s growing and I think that fans that didn’t like Sweetener, will enjoy this album much more and vice versa. Thank you, Ari!