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. Maria_angeles
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    She's perfect! Her best album btw, This masterpiece shows that ariana's the most successful in her generation
  2. ykhyn01
    Aug 18, 2018
    9
    Fifteen tracks that put a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. Production duties were granted primarily to Pharrell Williams, allowing Ariana to explore a more experimental sound, but honestly, her voice is so strong, it’s hard to imagine a genre it wouldn’t suit.
  3. LucasRivas
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sweetener es una verdadera obra de arte
    Con colaboraciones espectaculares y unos ritmos super innovadores aparte de ser un album muy sentimental
    Simplemente ame el album    … Expand
  4. Sweetener4
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Un buen trabajo, ella enserio se lucio con este album, es una pieza maestra.
  5. huyhie
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Ariana Grande came back with a delightful but powerful body of work as "Sweetener" is her most personal album to date. Though Pharrell gives the album many (weirdly) surprising twists, the best tracks on the album stand out as some of Pop/RnB's strongest songs in 2018. One of the noticeably powerful tracks on the album is "Breathin", with every element needed for a Pop hit, this song isAriana Grande came back with a delightful but powerful body of work as "Sweetener" is her most personal album to date. Though Pharrell gives the album many (weirdly) surprising twists, the best tracks on the album stand out as some of Pop/RnB's strongest songs in 2018. One of the noticeably powerful tracks on the album is "Breathin", with every element needed for a Pop hit, this song is most likely to be one of the smash hits of this era. "God is a woman", "No Tears Left To Cry" and "The Light Is Coming" are all strong tracks, although the last one may sound strange for some. "R.E.M", "everytime", "get well soon" and "better off" may be some of the most favorable tracks, with "better off" being the only ballad on the album, but a powerful one. Overall, this album may just be the best Pop album of the year and definitely one of Ariana's bests so far along with her previous project "Dangerous Woman".… Expand
  6. musiclover199
    Aug 18, 2018
    7
    There are some moments on the album but in the most part it falls flat. I don't think most of the tracks have any replay value
  7. Lindsaylohan
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Seu trabalho mais maduro,inivador e um divisor de aguas na carreira,grande prova ser uma ex act muito a frente de seu tempo deixando o pop comercial de lado e refuzindo a uma mera influencia no album que se destaca pela mistura de r&b suave,um dos melhores do ano.
  8. Etav
    Aug 18, 2018
    0
    I get that she's trying different genres of music, and I'm hear for it but this isn't it lol There is no song in this album that stood out for me, production was all over the place, her vocals on point as always. lyrically it wasn't there either, I feel that some songs didn't suit her voice and it felt forced????
  9. courtneyjohn
    Aug 18, 2018
    4
    Beyond the singles, there are perhaps three songs on the album that I have consistently enjoyed regardless of how many listens. I have added an extra point in order to show that I respect Ariana's experimentation. However, the simple fact is that I don't enjoy the album. I found the Pharrell-produced songs to be messy and difficult to listen to. I don't think the album is bad per say but IBeyond the singles, there are perhaps three songs on the album that I have consistently enjoyed regardless of how many listens. I have added an extra point in order to show that I respect Ariana's experimentation. However, the simple fact is that I don't enjoy the album. I found the Pharrell-produced songs to be messy and difficult to listen to. I don't think the album is bad per say but I had high expectations for Ariana and have found Sweetener to be overrated by reviewers and publications. Grande's vocals remain gorgeous, smooth and soft although her enunciation remains unclear on some songs. The structure of some songs is also messy and the songwriting is poor with very little complexity to some songs. Particular praise must be extended to no tears left to cry, god is a woman, raindrops, breathin which carry the album. Comparatively, the light is coming, blazed, successful, sweetener and borderline are just messy and a disappointment, particularly considering Ariana's considerable talent.… Expand
  10. JoaoAlcantara
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Álbum mais maduro de sua carreira, mas também o mais diversificado. Ouvi-lo é como estar numa manhã de primavera ao som dos melhores passaros ao fundo.Sem duvidas Sweetener vai marcar a historia do POP mundial!
  11. Annah305
    Aug 18, 2018
    0
    pretty tone but that's all she will ever be. this album is her worst. this album is a snooze fest.
  12. RuficPufic
    Aug 18, 2018
    0
    Piece of **** This is ZERO, oh nah, THIS IS MINUS ZERO. worst, boring, disgustingly etc, etc.
  13. ferbaixauli
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    a diverse but at the same time cohesive album, full of unexpected sounds that were not used to from Ariana. Truly a breath of fresh air in the, at the moment, monotone music scene. Her best album by far.
  14. sapphireboy07
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Apparently, a pastel album is everything I've ever wanted. Once again, the standouts this era were produced and/or written by Max Martin, Ilya, and Savan Kotecha. Respectable efforts by Pharrell with R.E.M. and Get Well Soon tho (his other tracks were cute, but were obvi not the breakout faves). It's new, and people are still easing into it not being the pop perfection 'Dangerous Woman'Apparently, a pastel album is everything I've ever wanted. Once again, the standouts this era were produced and/or written by Max Martin, Ilya, and Savan Kotecha. Respectable efforts by Pharrell with R.E.M. and Get Well Soon tho (his other tracks were cute, but were obvi not the breakout faves). It's new, and people are still easing into it not being the pop perfection 'Dangerous Woman' delivered. But Ariana Grande's allowed to grow musically and in her career. She will continue to reach greater heights as the years pass by, and this album is a good indication. Solid album. Buy/stream it.… Expand
  15. Moonlightsight
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    The album is everything I‘ve ever dreamt of and I can‘t stop,listening to it, it‘s dreamy, sweet and so different to what mainstream musicians do these days. I‘m in love, this album deserves everything
  16. serhanbutera
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    All songs are good. Ariana did different styles and i like it. Album so good. Love u
  17. lauraguimaraes
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Ariana Grande mais uma vez provou que é uma artista completa e versátil com “Sweetener”. Compôs, produziu e mostrou vocais poderosos de uma maneira jamais feita pela princesa do pop, assumiu riscos indo para um lado mais R&B e se desafiou artisticamente. Grande saiu de sua zona de conforto e nos deu uma coleção de musicas lindas dentro de um contexto coeso, sem decepcionar nenhuma vez.
  18. luxembae
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    omg shes so mature. this album is so sick. it gives emotions and chills. some people say this album is trash but they didn't get she has changed n shes no longer in the yours truly, my everything, dangerous woman eras. she is what she became and one of the thing I love about her is being always herself and thats it.
  19. theodoreformoso
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    This is Ariana's most personal and mature album. She isn't afraid to explore new music and genre. It's a hit.
  20. sms01
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Najlepszy album Ariany Grande, warto było czekać na niego 2 lata. we love, we stan.
  21. Juantissocial
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Claramente um álbum com melodias coesas, apresentando um trabalho sincero e super minucioso. Ela escolhe arriscar saindo de sua zona de conforto em seu novo álbum e acertou bastante. Ariana nos traz faixas com grandes potências e que lhe exploram emocionalmente.
  22. Droptopwop24
    Aug 18, 2018
    0
    Worst Ariana's album ever. I hate it so much (best songs - breathin, everytime)
  23. Wael
    Aug 18, 2018
    7
    Two years after the release of her monumental third studio album, "Dangerous Woman", Ariana Grande is back with a fourth album that is solid, not quite as accomplished nor nearly as perfectly-crafted as its precedent.

    After the beautiful acapella opener 'raindrops', "Sweetener" starts to find Grande experimenting with broader sounds than she did with her previous projects, teaming up    Two years after the release of her monumental third studio album, "Dangerous Woman", Ariana Grande is back with a fourth album that is solid, not quite as accomplished nor nearly as perfectly-crafted as its precedent.

    After the beautiful acapella opener 'raindrops', "Sweetener" starts to find Grande experimenting with broader sounds than she did with her previous projects, teaming up with Pharrell Williams to create urban trap/hip-hop productions that turn out to not always work for her: 'blazed' for instance is so dull and monotonous, 'the light is coming' with Nicki Minaj, even though a grower, is nevertheless the weakest collaboration the two artists released, the title-track feels like a three-tracks-in-one all-over-the-place mess, and 'successful' is forgettable and doesn't live up to its title. However, not all the Pharrell-assisted tracks are a miss: the closer, 'get well soon' is a beautiful rendition to the Manchester terrorist attack and to the fans, and it sounds like it could fit perfectly on her debut, "Yours Truly".

    What is very noticeable about this record, is that its second half is way better than its first. The album truly starts to shine when Ariana ditches the trappy experimental sounds, and goes back to her power-pop gems with tracks like 'breathin', 'God is a woman' (which is one of the absolute best tracks Grande has ever released), and 'everytime'. She gets vulnerable on other highlight 'better off' and puts her beautiful pipes to use on the beautiful 'goodnight n go'.

    "Sweetener" may not live up to the greatness of "Dangerous Woman", which will forever stand as the pinnacle in Grande's career, but it sure has a bunch of songs to not be slept on.    … Expand
  24. covergirlari
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    it's a grower, at first listen you think it's her worst album but the more you listen to it the better it gets, give it a chance, it's an amazing album
  25. 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.
  26. restay
    Aug 18, 2018
    0
    mess. this is y'alls main pop girlie. this album is her worst album. she thinks god is a woman is a international hit. i havo to laugh. and she confirmed she will begin her fifth studio album next month bc she knows her album is not good. anyway.
  27. kentdetroit
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    The talent that is inside this album is really something that deserves high recognition. Pharell really produced the **** out of this record and Max Martin is still an undeniable hit maker as always. Breathin was amazing as well as the title track Sweetener.
  28. someone-
    Aug 18, 2018
    8
    Very cohesive. It's more of my preference musically. It's great that she's doing something different from the usual sound that the general public usually knows her for, but is still very much "her". Lyrically, she sings more about her feelings and other topics and not just sing about love. While not all tracks are..."worthy", it's still an overall good album. Definitely not as bad as mostVery cohesive. It's more of my preference musically. It's great that she's doing something different from the usual sound that the general public usually knows her for, but is still very much "her". Lyrically, she sings more about her feelings and other topics and not just sing about love. While not all tracks are..."worthy", it's still an overall good album. Definitely not as bad as most people say (though they're probably biased, trolling, etc.). People need to at least appreciate the effort that was put in this album.… Expand
  29. saygnightngo
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Ariana's best album ever. It's something brand new for her and it puts you through different emotional phases.
  30. mickeyfor1989
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. El disco es muy bueno, la mayoría dice que es malo por que siempre quieren que Ariana se quede con el mismo pop chicle super comercial al que nos tiene acostumbrados, este disco nos muestra una lírica mas madura y cuerda, ritmos suaves y dulces, el disco te hace sentir feliz, en ningún momento se siente vació, todas las canciones tienen un mensaje, solo falta que las personas dejen de odiar y aprendan a amar para apreciar esta biblia del pop, así es, ella esta destinada a ser una leyenda, la producción del disco es brutal, Pharrell Williams y Max Martín se lucieron como siempre.… Expand
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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.
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  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.
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