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CRITIC REVIEWS
91
More than any of her previous works, Grande is in the driver’s seat behind Sweetener‘s wheel.
90
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.
85
It does exactly what it says on the tin. Fifteen tracks that put a smile on your face and a tear in your eye.
83
Because it deviates from what fans expected, Sweetener takes a couple rotations to sink in, but if you give it time, you’ll see Ariana Grande really threw it down when she took down her ponytail.
83
Confident and empowered, Sweetener illustrates once again that Grande is an unparalleled pop chameleon.
81
After years of searching, Ariana Grande has found her true voice. Sweetener is an exemplary pop album, radiating with low-key joy and newfound love.
80
The superstar returns with a confident, accomplished, sometimes left-field collection of pop bangers, proving that she's not shy of experimentation.
80
As modern, branded, blockbuster pop albums go, Sweetener is a delightful confection.
80
Ultimately ... it’s the resolution and defiance of lead single No Tears Left to Cry that permeates Sweetener: the sense of facing the worst of humanity and coming out stronger.
80
Finding light is often much harder than drowning in darkness, but on Sweetener Grande makes moving forward from pain feel easy and, most importantly, possible. That light Grande promised has helped lead her down the path toward her best album yet, and one of 2018’s strongest pop releases to date.
80
This album is ultimately a labor of love, but the passion has never been stronger. Grande is a survivor and she’ll keep on fighting until her soaring voice gives out.
80
This is the rare pop album where the filler is more interesting than the singles. There’s not a lot here that really feels extraneous.
76
'Sweetener' sees Ariana Grande leaving her comfort zone, and yet it feels like she's more at home and in control than ever. The songs here are by turns triumphant and tender, intimate and anthemic, mellow and mature.
70
Sweetener is a reflection of Grande's growing awareness of herself as an artist and her place in the world.
70
Sweetener is a pop remedy for anxiety, while also explicitly detailing its crippling nature.
70
Sweetener may be a Top 40 album through and through, but it's somewhat elevated by some quality production and Ariana Grande's consistently strong vocal performances.
67
It’s rare for an album with so many stunning moments to suddenly become so aggressively mediocre. Still, the highs of Sweetener outweigh the lows. But with such lofty highs, it’s hard to be content with the album that is and not think about what the album might have been.
60
No matter how current her themes, musically, Sweetener may be Ariana Grande's nostalgia album. An obvious throwback, it refers back to the pop of the early aughts by divas — and obvious inspirations — like Gwen Stefani and Britney Spears. More than a return to basics, it's probably Grande's way of recalling a simpler, less troubled time.
60
It makes for an uneven album that attempts to balance the desire to – as Grande put it – “make the weirdest thing we can” with something infinitely more straightforward. It sounds like the work of an artist torn between doing exactly what she pleases and, perhaps understandably under the circumstances, giving her audience what they want.
60
Often unexpected, sometimes in a good way, it is an album by an artist in flux – trying to move forward while reluctant to fully relinquish old ideas.
60
Sweetener ends up being hard to fully connect with as the songwriting can be meandering in places and needs more of the sharpness of her best work. Hopefully this works as a transitional release and the glimpses of brilliance here will be more fully realised next time.
60
On a perfect album, Grande should be able to swirl a myriad of diffuse instrumentation into a potent brew with her lightning-rod vocal presence, but that’s not what happened here.
This is the first Ariana Grande album I've listened to all the way through, and I'm taken aback. Of course it's not a revolutionary piece of pop, but I underestimated Ariana's talent. Her singing is full of life and is enough to carry most of these songs without needing any huge features to back her up, as Ariana has done previously on big singles and other album cuts. The production is a place where there are some inconsistencies; Pharrell Williams' contributions stick out like a sore ... read more
This production matched with Ariana’s singing is amazing. Pharrell and Ariana have a natural chemistry. It is still pop music watered down for the radio and it doesn’t reach its full potential. However it is still really freaking good
I hate to be one of those people that are constantly saying Sweetener is way better than TUN...but I mean it’s true
Best Tracks:
no tears left to cry (favorite)
breathin
God is a woman
sweetener
Best Tracks:
no tears left to cry (favorite)
breathin
God is a woman
sweetener
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Year End Lists
| #1 | / | Billboard |
| #1 | / | The Daily Beast |
| #2 | / | PAPER |
| #3 | / | Entertainment Weekly |
| #3 | / | Noisey |
| #3 | / | Stereogum |
| #4 | / | Complex |
| #4 | / | Flavorwire |
| #4 | / | NZ Herald |
| #4 | / | People |
More Lists
Track List
- raindrops (an angel cried)
- blazed (feat. Pharrell Williams)
- the light is coming (feat. Nicki Minaj)
- R.E.M
- God is a woman
- sweetener
- successful
- everytime
- breathin
- no tears left to cry
- borderline (feat. Missy Elliott)
- better off
- goodnight n go
- pete davidson
- get well soon
![Black Sabbath - Vol 4: [Super Deluxe Edition]](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/200x/album/333546-vol-4-super-deluxe-edition.jpg)
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Added on: May 2, 2018