Sweetener
by Ariana Grande
  • Record Label: Republic
  • Release Date: Aug 17, 2018
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3093 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,340 out of 3093
  2. Mixed: 204 out of 3093
  3. Negative: 549 out of 3093
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  1. johncelfakeacc
    Aug 17, 2018
    6
    The album is good. but there's something that makes me feel bored while listening to the album. For me, the beat is same. To be honest, Dangerous Woman is better than Sweetener. but i there are some bops to this album like God is a Woman, Successful, Breathing and Sweetener they sound good actually.
  2. Podrar
    Aug 17, 2018
    5
    Definitely a 5.5/10 for me. The singles were good to start off with (besides of TLIC which was mediocre) and created a false sense that this album would be strong. Most of the album cuts sounded repetitive, and the ballads, lyrically, had no soul for me. The album is definitely her worst and average at best.
  3. Danielmelodm
    Aug 17, 2018
    4
    I am very disappointed, unfortunetly this is her worst album, equal and boring songs
  4. levineet
    Aug 17, 2018
    5
    It's just nomal. Pharrell definitely made this album worse. "Everytime" and "Breathin" are the best two. I miss Dangerous Woman.
  5. ItsRichie
    Aug 17, 2018
    5
    Ariana wanted Sweetener to have a different sound from anything she has released before and although she succeeded in that as there isn't anything else out right now that sounds similar, it misses the mark. I am a huge fan of Ariana but i am very disappointed in this album. It's full of unsatisfying production, which is not her fault entirely. It doesn't give me the same happiness orAriana wanted Sweetener to have a different sound from anything she has released before and although she succeeded in that as there isn't anything else out right now that sounds similar, it misses the mark. I am a huge fan of Ariana but i am very disappointed in this album. It's full of unsatisfying production, which is not her fault entirely. It doesn't give me the same happiness or appeal as her previous album, Dangerous Woman, did. Of course there were some stand outs on this album that were excellent such as Breathin, Everytime and Goodnight n Go that showed her talent and abilities but there just isnt enough in this album. I expected better, especially after no tears left to cry and God is a woman were amazing singles that I still love to this day. I hope she never goes to Pharrell ever again as it didnt work out. Dangerous Woman remains her best album for its cohesiveness, production, vocal ability and bops. Hopefully Sweetener grows on me.

    The best songs:
    Breathin
    Everytime
    Goodnight n go
    No Tears Left To Cry
    God Is a Woman    … Expand
  6. RK13
    Jan 19, 2019
    4
    I think it is fair to say that we knew that Ariana was never going to top Dangerous Woman this era after 'no tears left to cry'. However in saying that, Sweetener is a close second to that album. The album is different to what listeners got to know from Ariana's last 3 eras. I think the laidback attitude of the album helps exude the whole theme of 'sweetening' tragic events so toxicI think it is fair to say that we knew that Ariana was never going to top Dangerous Woman this era after 'no tears left to cry'. However in saying that, Sweetener is a close second to that album. The album is different to what listeners got to know from Ariana's last 3 eras. I think the laidback attitude of the album helps exude the whole theme of 'sweetening' tragic events so toxic relationships, the terrible Manchester Attack. My personal favourites are 'God is a woman' and 'sweetener'. However in saying this, I don't think that trap suits Ariana. It has shown that from Yours Truly and Dangerous Woman that R&B suits her and is her best music.… Expand
  7. Hogdion
    Aug 20, 2018
    6
    Not her best effort...There are overall 5/6 good track, but the rest is pretty bland, boring and repetitive.
  8. Izzyxxx
    Aug 17, 2018
    6
    This album is decent, but unfortunately doesn't match the amount of hype it was given. Started off strong with a brief ballad, but then we get into Pharrell's territory, who has a very distinctive production style that Ariana's voice (often monotonous) just doesn't suit very well. When they team up, it's either a hit or miss. I can imagine other artists who always seem to do his productionThis album is decent, but unfortunately doesn't match the amount of hype it was given. Started off strong with a brief ballad, but then we get into Pharrell's territory, who has a very distinctive production style that Ariana's voice (often monotonous) just doesn't suit very well. When they team up, it's either a hit or miss. I can imagine other artists who always seem to do his production justice, like Camila Cabello or Janelle Monae, bodying some of the songs that she botched, such as Blazed and Sweetener. Although, there were some great moments that held my attention, like God Is A Woman and Goodnight n Go. Not a terrible album, but definitely her weakest project.… Expand
  9. parkjinsoul
    Aug 17, 2018
    6
    The album is not all bad, but wanted to wish. Most of the songs have similar sonority, until they seem to connect and the beginning of some pair Christmas music. Ariana risked a lot by working with Pharrell. I understand that this album is more in the RnB footprint, but it could be more complex. LMLY's RnB in Dangerous Woman was perfect. May Ariana work with someone better in the next ageThe album is not all bad, but wanted to wish. Most of the songs have similar sonority, until they seem to connect and the beginning of some pair Christmas music. Ariana risked a lot by working with Pharrell. I understand that this album is more in the RnB footprint, but it could be more complex. LMLY's RnB in Dangerous Woman was perfect. May Ariana work with someone better in the next age and be sure of what to actually do.… Expand
  10. emmaAS
    Aug 18, 2018
    6
    I didn't felt it as a good or bad album, it's just something neutral. It has a couple of big hits and a couple of meaningful songs, but it's mostly full of forgettable songs. Also, I didn't felt it as Ariana's style, this was more Pharrell's style.
  11. emilio2000
    Aug 19, 2018
    6
    The album is very well produced and her voice sounds great, but it stays there does not give us anything and in my opinion a ballad is missing, therefore the album feels half-hearted.
  12. jpccx
    Aug 26, 2018
    6
    Another album of Ariana singing about how spoiled, loved and successful she is, and I think is great because she is, but this was such an opportunity to make an statemet before everything that happened. Almost all of the songs are fillers to me. Sweetener just felt flat. GIAW, NTLTC, Goodnight n Go my favs.
  13. Strephon
    Aug 28, 2018
    6
    Sweetener, Ariana Grande's 4th studio album, is a very nicely collated album with songs like God Is A Woman, No Tears Left To Cry, and Breathin' that makes not only her fans but also the general public to listen. However, the album is generally, for me, not vibrant and colorful like her previous albums. Ariana Grande is entitled the Princess of Pop but her album didn't include much pureSweetener, Ariana Grande's 4th studio album, is a very nicely collated album with songs like God Is A Woman, No Tears Left To Cry, and Breathin' that makes not only her fans but also the general public to listen. However, the album is generally, for me, not vibrant and colorful like her previous albums. Ariana Grande is entitled the Princess of Pop but her album didn't include much pure pop records. Most songs in the album generally sound the same to the ears of a person who hasn't listened to the album thoroughly thus generally discouraging them to listen to the album. Simply put, the album lacks bops and catchy songs. I suggest she never collabs with Pharell again since in my opinion, he ruins potentially good songs with his production just like The Light Is Coming. Overall, it's a pretty good album. It's not Ariana's complete fault that this wasn't her best although she definitely should have done something to make it better.… Expand
  14. schubert1992
    Sep 26, 2018
    5
    pharrel ruined the album and borderline was the worst collaboration and song
  15. Liliia
    Aug 17, 2018
    4
    To me, it's her weakest album so far. I only like 3 songs - NTLTC, God is a woman and breathin. Totally not enough songs to make this album at least good. She could do better.
  16. kjhkjhk
    Aug 17, 2018
    4
    Yeah this was a pretty huge miss. I only ended up liking 3 songs - ntlc,breathin and god is a woman. Dangerous woman was a 100x better than this even though the writing was equally weak. From this its safe to say Max Martin has lost his zing. i had a feeling this album was going to struggle considering how pathetic Taylor's album was (which was also produced by Max) . Pharrell was also notYeah this was a pretty huge miss. I only ended up liking 3 songs - ntlc,breathin and god is a woman. Dangerous woman was a 100x better than this even though the writing was equally weak. From this its safe to say Max Martin has lost his zing. i had a feeling this album was going to struggle considering how pathetic Taylor's album was (which was also produced by Max) . Pharrell was also not a good choice for a producer after he royally messed up JT's Man of the Woods. Overall its a Yikes! from me. This why more artists should learn how to self produce like Lorde, St Vincent and Jack Antonoff. Their ideas might come out clearer and they also learn a lot more in the process.… Expand
  17. xfrancesco
    Aug 17, 2018
    5
    No tears left to cry, god is a woman and breathin are the only traces worthy of note. The tracks produced by Pharrell are at times unlistenable and annoying. And there is also a song trashed by Beyoncé. This album is not comparable to her previous works, which instead are real pop-gems.
  18. GFactor
    Aug 17, 2018
    6
    It's not her best or cohesive album, cuz we have Yours Truly & Dangerous Woman (her best one), neither her most comercial one, it is My Everthing. It's just an organic/pharrell's project (I hate him for it). She better make Breathin a single!!!

    1. raindrops - 9,0 2. blazed (feat. Pharrell Williams) - 5,0 3; the light is coming (feat. Nicki Minaj) - 7,0 4. R.E.M. - 6,5 5. God is a    It's not her best or cohesive album, cuz we have Yours Truly & Dangerous Woman (her best one), neither her most comercial one, it is My Everthing. It's just an organic/pharrell's project (I hate him for it). She better make Breathin a single!!!

    1. raindrops - 9,0
    2. blazed (feat. Pharrell Williams) - 5,0
    3; the light is coming (feat. Nicki Minaj) - 7,0
    4. R.E.M. - 6,5
    5. God is a woman - 10,0
    6. sweetener - 8,0
    7. successful - 8,5
    8. everytime - 9,0
    9. breathin - 10,0
    10. no tears left to cry - 9,0
    11. borderline - 7,0
    12. better off - 9,0
    13. goodnight n go - 9,0
    14. pete davidson - 5,5
    15. get well soon - 8,5    … Expand
  19. Kosmiblues
    Aug 17, 2018
    5
    Es un disco de 3 canciones buenas, el resto parecen descartes de otros discos suyos.
  20. Camiloaf
    Aug 18, 2018
    4
    I think all of these sounds were the same, it’s not a “too ahead of its time” album since all these sounds were similar to 2004-2007 music. Basically her worst album
  21. NADANADA
    Aug 17, 2018
    6
    O álbum poderia sem duvidas ser melhor, uma parte do álbum parece musicas de natal e outra parece trap, o álbum contem faixas mediana, porem faixas como sweetener, No tears left to cry e God is a Woman se destacam, no geral é um álbum mediano, nem bom nem ruim !!!
  22. AmirRocker
    Aug 18, 2018
    4
    this album insults music as well... talking about personal **** and a very very simple music. i just found breathin track acceptable but others is for kids. don't waste your time to hear such a **** album. music is dying these years, no true feelings no forte and no more master stroke anymore. just a few bands and artists that no one knows them :)
  23. TimW001
    Aug 29, 2018
    6
    Sweet Fluff

    I listened to Sweetener multiple times to ensure I knew how I felt about it. At first I thought it was mostly vapid fluff music with no personality. Others said the album was good so I kept listening and waited to review. On multiple re-listens it only confirmed my original feelings were correct. None of the songs on the album are bad. They're all light and pop fun. But    Sweet Fluff

    I listened to Sweetener multiple times to ensure I knew how I felt about it. At first I thought it was mostly vapid fluff music with no personality. Others said the album was good so I kept listening and waited to review. On multiple re-listens it only confirmed my original feelings were correct.

    None of the songs on the album are bad. They're all light and pop fun. But none of the songs are ground breaking or even interesting. Most songs feel so designed for radio. The pleasant songs that I did like didn't actually have enough staying power for me to add any of them to a regular listening cycle.

    Ultimately a simple light album with nothing amazing on it but is fun.    … Expand
  24. Reciprocal
    Aug 18, 2018
    4
    A bland and uninspired album with very little creativity. Not bad enough to rate at less than a 4 out of 10, but in no way interesting enough to rate any higher than a 4 out of 10.
  25. Vianna
    Aug 17, 2018
    4
    Pharrell didn't make the album (actually I would say any album) better. His participation does not fit into what Ariana is good at.
  26. jcgmalave
    Sep 7, 2018
    6
    half of this album sounds like madonna's hard candy thanks to pharrel, thats not bueno
  27. Jms161230
    Aug 23, 2018
    5
    I'm rather shocked that critics have determined this to be Ariana's best album thus far; in my opinion, it is far below the pop perfection of Dangerous Woman. Indeed, even My Everything was arguably better, as there isn't a single song on Sweetener that screams FUTURE SMASH HIT in the same way "Problem," "One Last Time," "Bang Bang" and "Break Free" did.

    Sweetener contains three good    I'm rather shocked that critics have determined this to be Ariana's best album thus far; in my opinion, it is far below the pop perfection of Dangerous Woman. Indeed, even My Everything was arguably better, as there isn't a single song on Sweetener that screams FUTURE SMASH HIT in the same way "Problem," "One Last Time," "Bang Bang" and "Break Free" did.

    Sweetener contains three good songs: "No Tears Left To Cry," "God Is a Woman," and "Breathin." Unfortunately, 2/3 of those have already been released; as such, I don't see this record having any longevity. The remainder of the album is pretty homogeneous, and some of the midtempos nearly have a soporific effect on the listener. It's really a shame, not just because of the immense talent being wasted here, but also because Dangerous Woman was one of the most promising pop records we've heard in a long while. Overall, this record just feels exceptionally uninspired.    … Expand
  28. BonnieBerry
    Aug 20, 2018
    6
    Um álbum bom porém nem todas as músicas se conversam. God is a woman e breathin são as melhores faixas do álbum e sweetener e pete davidson as piores
  29. lucasbafonso
    Aug 18, 2018
    6
    i was expecting more of the album it was such a disappointment but there are some good tracks there like breathing, everytime, better of, and the singles that were released before
  30. joshdkaye
    Sep 6, 2018
    4
    Ariana's voice sounds a lot fuller in this album compared to her others. The first few tracks are some decent bangers, and I started to realise why the album was rated so highly by critics. But the album takes a nosedive very quickly. Too many tracks and she doesn't sing with enough emotion. Catchy in parts though.
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Most Discussed Album of 2018
2
#2 Most Shared Album of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. The Quietus
    Aug 31, 2018
    70
    Grande’s new sound, the Williams-produced Not-Bangers, only make up half of the album. These standout tracks are interspersed between standard pop tracks. ... That’s not to say that the Bangers on Sweetener are bad--it’s more that they belong in previous era of Grande and they spoil the flow between songs. Sweetener may not be the dawning of a new age for Ariana but it could be a step towards somewhere weird and wonderful.
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  2. The New York Times
    Aug 29, 2018
    90
    Ms. Grande backs up her statements with song-and-dance mastery. ... She’s her own choir, support group and posse. While a few guest vocalists (Mr. Williams, Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliott) provide a little grit for contrast, Ms. Grande sails above any fray, past or present. Her aplomb is her triumph.
    Read full review
  3. AllMusic
    Aug 28, 2018
    80
    An album that coheres in a way other Ariana Grande albums don't, which means Sweetener is something of a double triumph: she's come through a tough time stronger and better than before.
    Read full review
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