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Every Ariana Grande Album, Ranked: Critic’s Picks
From 'Yours Truly' to 'Thank U, Next,' here's where each Ariana Grande studio album ranks in her discography.
Her affinity for grand, whimsical album openers starts with the sweeping “Honeymoon Avenue,” her seamless bridging of ’90s hip-hop and R&B influences finds its roots in “You’ll Never Know” and “Baby I,” and her starring turn as Glinda the Good Witch in the upcoming two-part Wicked movie musical can be traced back to her MIKA-assisted “Popular Song.” The Wendy Rene-sampling “Fake Smile” is a slick commentary on how exhausting performative emotion is, “Ghostin” finds Grande parsing through the struggle of showing up for your current partner while grieving a former lover and “Needy” is a brutal look at how a person’s desire to be wanted can completely transform their approach to life and relationships. “Six Thirty” is the perfect soundtrack to the transition from the talking stage to dating, “Off the Table” is a heartfelt acknowledgement of the work it takes to foster and upkeep a healthy relationship, and the Doja Cat-assisted “Motive” expertly captures the innate playfulness of that period when sparks first start seriously flying.
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