Ariana Grande - Sweetener (Album Review and Rating)

Ariana Grande has had huge success since her breakthrough in 2013 with the hit single "The Way" and her debut was given positive reviews. Her 2014 followup was clearly a rushed project that gained even bigger success but was criticed for being a messy album with only generally favourable reviews. She had more time with her third album before its 2016 release and positive reviews.

Her media presence has only grown from here, especially after the tragedy that was last year's Manchester bombing at one of her concerts. 

Listening to her fourth album after hearing the great poppy lead single "No Tears Left To Cry" was a disappointing experience. It mostly doesn't live up to the lead single. It isn't a bad album, just a tediously boring one. Yes, it has some highs such as the song with Nicki Minaj, "The Light Is Coming". Pharrell Williams produced this and a couple of other songs on the album and it is very obvious when he's been behind a beat but most of these aren't exactly that good. In fact, the vast majority of songs on the album sound far too much like loops not tracks. 

As usual the Max Martin produced tracks are very poppy and safe, not experimenting whatsoever and very much playing to trap trends. It's the same story with Ilya, Hit-Boy, Charlie Anderson and everyone else on the album. Yes, it's technically experimenting when Ariana Grande makes trap songs but that just panders to trends in music.

The worst songs on the album have to be "Sweetener" with its awful chorus and "Get Well Soon" for its painful length. I said it when I reviewed her previous album a few months ago, Ariana Grande should not make long, 5 minute songs. 

Other positives might be "Blazed" which isn't totally boring, "Breathin" as a decent enough pop tune and definitely "Borderline" with its Missy Elliott feature that is a highlight of the album even if it's not particularly good for Missy. 

The single "God Is A Woman" is a very unsubtle song that is a perfect example of what the album is like. Dull, mediocre RnB/pop that panders to trap trends with unmemorable choruses and not as many hooks as it should have.

Overall this is a very, very disappointing album that bores you after 4 or 5 songs. I'd have to rate it a 4/10 for its unoriginality and lack of substance or fun.

Best Songs:

Blazed, The Light Is Coming, No Tears Left To Cry, Borderline

Worst Songs:

Sweetener, Successful, Better Off, Get Well Soon

To Improve The Tracklist:

1. Raindrops (An Angel Cried)

2. Blazed

3. The Light Is Coming 

4. R.E.M

5. God Is A Woman

6. Everytime

7. Breathin

8. No Tears Left To Cry

9. Borderline

10. Goodnight n Go

Rated Worst To Best:

15. Sweetener

14. Get Well Soon

13. Successful

12. Pete Davidson

11. Better Off

10. Everytime

9. R.E.M

8. God Is A Woman

7. Goodnight n Go

6. Raindrops (An Angel Cried)

5. Breathin

4. Blazed

3. No Tears Left To Cry

2. Borderline

1. The Light Is Coming