if thank u next came before sweetener

BuzzJack - Entertainment Discussion _ Artist Forums _ View All Artists _ Ariana Grande

Latest Site News

Hozier gets a second week at number one

Hozier climbs to number one

A chart double for Beyonce

if thank u next came before sweetener, how do you think it would’ve done?

Display modes

Track this thread - Email this thread - Print this thread - Download this thread - Subscribe to this forum

Jordanlee View member profile	Jul 17 2019, 12:19 AM Post #1
Jord Joined: 12 March 2017 Posts: 10,760 User: 27,116	If sweetener and thank u, next were released the other way around with the same campaigns for each album what do you think would’ve happened? Would sweetener have had the 3 #1 smashes. Would no tears have been the vevo record breaker thank u, next was? Would god is a woman have been the follow up #1 smash 7 rings was. So many questions. I dunno why this is bothering me tbh. But obviously with how well loved she was at the time she come back she was due a huge smash. Her comeback was gonna be huge no matter what. But I definitely feel singles wise sweetener was much stronger and those tracks deserved #1 over the thank u, next ones. Album sales wise they’re both roughly the same aren’t they although TUN will probably overtake but what are people’s thoughts? I’m intrigued. This post has been edited by Jordan Lee: Jul 17 2019, 12:33 AM


Jade View member profile	Jul 17 2019, 10:55 AM Post #2
Alone and wounded Pronouns: She/her Joined: 18 January 2011 Posts: 60,113 User: 12,810	Ooh interesting. I do think that 'no tears left to cry' would've been a #1 had it been released in place of 'thank u, next' but I still wouldn't have swapped them around in this scenario. The reason I think it would've been a #1 is because the obstacle in its way at the time was 'One Kiss' so it was really unlucky. Not even 'thank u, next' would've dethroned it as 'One Kiss' was the biggest song of the year here in the UK. Anything would've struggled. But I think 'no tears left to cry' was the perfect song to come back with, it's so well loved, wouldn't have changed that release for the world even if it would've been an incredible #1 single. Plus I think Ariana would've got a bit of backlash for coming back, after everything that had happened with Manchester, with a song about her exes. She can do what she wants, but the world was waiting for subject matter like this (albeit probably expecting more of a ballad) and she gets trolled so easily so I wouldn't have wanted to see that. I do think '7 rings' would've been a #1 still in place of 'God is a woman' however, now that adjustment to that era had settled in. It has that undeniable streaming friendly big hit sound to it and had less competition than 'thank u, next' would've had, I know 'God is a woman' has that trappy sound to it too but it was always going to be more polarising with the subject matter. Maybe GIAW would've been in a better place from momentum of 'no tears left to cry' being a #1 hit but I still think it would've peaked in the top 5 again. As for third single, I don't think I could imagine 'break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored' sailing to #1 as easily as it did if it had been one era earlier. I love the song but I do think she had this insane untouchable buzz during the 'thank u, next' era that helped it to become as big as it was. But again, would there have been a bit of backlash for more 'shallow' subject matter? I'm not sure. I do think it was essential that the 'sweetener' era came first so she did give the public these really meaningful singles first, as a lot of people in the UK in particular felt this emotional connection to her, with everything going on in the news and her becoming a national treasure with 'One Love Manchester'. Then she could transition to a streaming-friendly lighthearted era singles-wise a lot easier. As for 'Breathin' - that could've perhaps done a bit better had it been in place of 'break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored'? As its release was very short-lived, due to Ariana quickly moving on to another era, there was actually overlap in fact. It's very interesting to think of what could've been but I'm glad she released what she did when she did, wouldn't have changed a thing. Her growth in success has felt so organic and a treat to witness. (strictly UK charts btw because I don't follow the US one to the same level)


Jordanlee View member profile	Oct 17 2019, 01:30 AM Post #3
Jord Joined: 12 March 2017 Posts: 10,760 User: 27,116	Thanks so much for that long reply!! I often wonder what would’ve happened had the releases been the other way around but I’m with you in being glad they’re not. Arianas comeback single had to be either no tears or breathin in my opinion and given she wasn’t too keen on breathin (just something I read I remember reading she didn’t plan on releasing it as a single and was shocked at the fan love for it). It’s so weird that no tears was actually a sales #1 too and it was streaming what cost her the the UK #1 when she’s such a big name on streaming sites. But a #2 peak was pretty special here and showed a huge gain when you think Dangerous Woman was only a #17 hit and her two #1s before that point weren’t ON air on sale. God is a woman worked perfectly too being second single. I think if breathin has been the second single it might’ve gave the impression the album had a similar vibe to it so that showed the versatility and provided some balance. Then breathin as the third single worked because of the simple yet very effective message and the insane vocal the song has. Plus I don’t think anything else would’ve really worked. I do wish it had a chance to take off more because thank u, next kind of deflected from it especially in the US iirc but UK wise I think it hit ACR by the time we got thank u, next but it did give her another top 10! (Her first of three #8s across the eras). The thank u, next era to me is interesting. My personal favourites were all not singles but I was so happy to see her get those long over due #1s. We waited four years for one then get three in such a short space of time. She was so big though and it seemed no other major female released either (aside from Gagas ASIB stuff) so she really just exploded and finally got those accolades she deserved. Thank U, next the track was grown so much and I see it so differently now. I guess it just impacted so well on a WW scale too as she got her first ever US #1 with that and then 7 rings quickly become her second #1. I also think from a hit / success perspective the streaming friendly tracks were the singles of thank u, next. bloodline, fake smile, ghostin and imagine I’d say are my favourites though. Idk about the USA but sales wise in the UK they’re pretty close on sales. Both between the 260-280K mark. I think TUN might overtake though as it’s currently selling more week on week but both should go platinum. This post has been edited by Jordan Lee: Nov 6 2019, 06:46 PM


Jessie Where View member profile	Oct 17 2019, 08:36 AM Post #4
Break the tension Joined: 7 March 2006 Posts: 88,912 User: 51	QUOTE(Jade @ Jul 17 2019, 11:55 AM) Plus I think Ariana would've got a bit of backlash for coming back, after everything that had happened with Manchester, with a song about her exes. She can do what she wants, but the world was waiting for subject matter like this (albeit probably expecting more of a ballad) and she gets trolled so easily so I wouldn't have wanted to see that. Definitely! 'No Tears...' was the perfect song to come back with after the tragedy, I can't comprehend the notion of any other scenario. It would've been #1 at any other time of the year though, it was just majorly unlucky to be against 'One Kiss' (which happened to be the biggest song of the year). The massive comparative success of 'Thank U, Next' does in a way puzzle me, although I know that it's became such a buzz term now in popular culture. This post has been edited by Tawdry Hepburn: Oct 17 2019, 08:36 AM


Cameron View member profile	Oct 17 2019, 03:44 PM Post #5
THE BLAZE . Joined: 27 December 2012 Posts: 24,309 User: 18,061	I mean the 3 singles from Sweetener are literally on another level to the three singles from Thank U, Next.


Jordanlee View member profile	Oct 17 2019, 03:50 PM Post #6
Jord Joined: 12 March 2017 Posts: 10,760 User: 27,116	QUOTE(Cameron @ Oct 17 2019, 04:44 PM) I mean the 3 singles from Sweetener are literally on another level to the three singles from Thank U, Next. I genuinely think the sweetener singles are her three best tracks full stop. All flawless


Frenchie View member profile	Oct 17 2019, 09:08 PM Post #7
BuzzJack Gold Member Pronouns: he/him Joined: 13 May 2018 Posts: 2,321 User: 72,030	I think the two eras turned out perfectly. The more lighter pop of the 'Sweetner' singles were just what she needed to come back with. 'no tears left to cry' definitely deserved to be number 1 in my eyes cause I always think of it as such an iconic pop moment. I think the main reason the 'Thank U, Next' era was so successful was that it followed 'Sweetner' so soon, so Ariana still had a lot of hype around her and that the sound was so different but equally as iconic. I feel like the two albums were sort of like her healing and then the return of her being herself and having fun. So I don't think she would have got the three number 1's if it was released first.