If pop music was a foot race, everybody would be eating Ariana Grande’s dust right about now. Following the long-waited drop of her fourth studio album Sweetener in 2018, we witnessed history with the release of her first No. 1 single “thank u, next” and the announcement of yet another LP in the works. Grande ended the year on an even higher note (a whistle-tone, actually) with “imagine,” the second single from her new wave of soul and R&B-infused pop music. But the gag didn’t stop there. Before finally releasing the highly anticipated thank u, next project, Ari gave us one last taste of what was to come with “7 rings,” a song that stirred up excitement and controversy all at once.
It’s no secret that Grande’s music isn’t the only contributing factor in her recent attention from the media. Her personal life became a spectacle out of the blue: Her relationship with Pete Davidson, the untimely death of Mac Miller, and even her Twitter beefs made headlines across the internet.
Regardless of the press whirlwind she endured, Grande managed to come out on top with the release of her fifth studio album, forcing drama-lovers everywhere to put aside her private affairs and focus on her career success. Not only is thank u, next slotted for its second week as the No.1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, but Grande is the first artist since 1964 to hold the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100 with “7 rings,” “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored,” and “thank u, next”—a feat last accomplished by The Beatles.
It’s safe to say that Ari and her massive fan base are prepping for total world domination as the Sweetener World Tour kicks off on March 18th. With two brand new albums to showcase, it’ll be interesting to see which songs from the early chapters of her career will make the setlist cut. In case you need a refresher on Grande’s top tracks, here’s a list of the best Ariana Grande songs.