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. SabrinaAlcaraz
    Aug 17, 2018
    10
    Melhor album da Ariana em todos os aspectos, é um album calmo e diferente de tudo que a Ariana já trabalhou.
  2. noellie
    Aug 17, 2018
    10
    This album is simply overflowing with of love, happiness, strength, and hope. While Ariana is known for pop albums and dance tracks, Sweetener has a RnB flare. Ariana's growth as an artist is very commendable and Sweetener is her best album. Raindrops is a beautiful introduction to the album. Highlights in this album (excluding her singles no tears left to cry and God is a woman) includeThis album is simply overflowing with of love, happiness, strength, and hope. While Ariana is known for pop albums and dance tracks, Sweetener has a RnB flare. Ariana's growth as an artist is very commendable and Sweetener is her best album. Raindrops is a beautiful introduction to the album. Highlights in this album (excluding her singles no tears left to cry and God is a woman) include R.E.M, sweetener, everytime, breathin, and get well soon.… Expand
  3. Ivar
    Aug 17, 2018
    1
    Eu estou até agora arrependido pelo tempo que eu perdi baixando essa bomba em formato de álbum. Depois de ter lançado um álbum tão maravilhoso ela me vem com isso? Tem que ser muito fã para gostar de uma bomba dessa, quem deve ter amado são os terroristas que vão poder usar esse álbum como bomba.
    A minha expectativa para esse álbum estava enorme, mesmo tendo uma the light is coming no    Eu estou até agora arrependido pelo tempo que eu perdi baixando essa bomba em formato de álbum. Depois de ter lançado um álbum tão maravilhoso ela me vem com isso? Tem que ser muito fã para gostar de uma bomba dessa, quem deve ter amado são os terroristas que vão poder usar esse álbum como bomba.
    A minha expectativa para esse álbum estava enorme, mesmo tendo uma the light is coming no álbum que é outra porcaria eu tinha fé que o álbum seria maravilhoso pois tinha uma god is a woman nele, mas quando eu comecei a ouvir o álbum foi uma sensação horrível.
    Eu não gostava de uma faixa, pulava pro meio dela pra ver se melhorava e continuava ruim, dai ia pra próxima e era pior. Pelo menos agora não vou perder meu tempo dando stream para esse álbum e a única música que ouvirei dele é god is a woman, por isso que vou dar nota 1 para esse álbum, por conta dessa música.    … Expand
  4. luccacampbell
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Such an amazing album. So different from everything Ariana has ever done, yet she can explore every genre with perfection.
  5. Anxhela
    Aug 17, 2018
    2
    I’m very disappointed by this album , the only good song is raindrop who is a **** opener
  6. Gregoris
    Aug 17, 2018
    10
    Ariana Grande did an excellent job because his voice is very gradual... All music is one better than the other
  7. kbstrange
    Aug 17, 2018
    5
    rainbow (6/10)
    blazed (5/10)
    the light is coming (1/10)
    r.e.m (4.5/10)
    god is a woman (7.5/10)
    sweetener (1.5/10)
    successful (4/10)
    everytime (7/10)
    breathin (9/10)
    no tears left to cry (8.5/10)
    borderline (4.5/10)
    goodnight n go (6.5/10)
    pete davidson (2/10)
    get well soon (7.5/10)
    flow of the album (5/10)
    average (4.97/10)
  8. fridaisabelg
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Her best album by far. She discovered a whole new sound for her and it is beautiful, the songs make you feel happy and it really "sweetens" your day. If you listen to the album you need to make it with a clear mind and enjoy al the new sounds.
  9. XCXBOYY
    Aug 17, 2018
    4
    SEM DÚVIDAS ARIANA INOVOU MAS NÃO CONSEGUIU UM BOM RESULTADO, INFELIZMENTE FICOU HORRÍVEL!
  10. NicolasS_1802
    Aug 17, 2018
    10
    Eu nunca escutei algo parecido! O album emociona de todas as formas possíveis.
    Eu esperava algo maravilhoso da melhor voz da década, mas ela me trouxe algo maior ainda. QUE BOM QUE VIVO NA MESMA ÉPOCA DESSA GRANDE ARTISTA!!!!
  11. godissajihyo
    Aug 17, 2018
    10
    Been a stan since 2013. Music wise, not her best album. But lyrically and artistically, definitely one of her best. It shows how much she grown as an artist. This was a very personal album and Miss Grande had experimented with different sounds. There's still some room for improvement. Actually hoping she doesn't work with Pharrell again for the next album.

    Some amazing bops on the album    Been a stan since 2013. Music wise, not her best album. But lyrically and artistically, definitely one of her best. It shows how much she grown as an artist. This was a very personal album and Miss Grande had experimented with different sounds. There's still some room for improvement. Actually hoping she doesn't work with Pharrell again for the next album.

    Some amazing bops on the album such as 'get well soon', 'goodnight n go', 'R.E.M.' and of course her powerful single, 'God is a woman'. You can definitely find a mix of all her past albums in this album.

    Some songs like 'successful', 'borderline' and 'sweetener' fell a little under my expectations however. 'sweetener' had a beautiful pre-chorus until the 'rapping' part came in and destroyed it into sounding like a Kidz Bop track.

    And also, the man in the background of 'the light is coming' should've been removed. It pains me because that song would've been great without it.    … Expand
  12. JuJuM13
    Aug 18, 2018
    4
    I'm disappointed. First singles were amazing but this album is very boring and ordinary.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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
  16. GustavoMizanin
    Aug 18, 2018
    5
    After delivering 'Dangerous Woman' and setting it as her best album to date at that time, the arrival of 'Sweetener' won't be able to change this scenario. While the singles were perfectly chosen, the other songs seem a bit off to what fans were expecting after receiving the amazing pop hits 'No Tears Left to Cry' and 'God is a woman', the two best songs of the album without a doubt. EvenAfter delivering 'Dangerous Woman' and setting it as her best album to date at that time, the arrival of 'Sweetener' won't be able to change this scenario. While the singles were perfectly chosen, the other songs seem a bit off to what fans were expecting after receiving the amazing pop hits 'No Tears Left to Cry' and 'God is a woman', the two best songs of the album without a doubt. Even though we can find some other nice songs to hear like 'Successful', when you get to hear the entire album for the second time be sure you'll be skipping some songs in the process, especially all the featurings she made with Pharrell, Nicki Minaj and Missy Elliot.… Expand
  17. apricots
    Aug 19, 2018
    1
    first you get the dough and you hit it, hit it, hit it, hit, hit it
    mix it, mix it, mix it, mix it wit duh budder budder budder den, beat it, beat it, beat , beat it, beat it,
  18. anenho
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    De longe o álbum mais coeso e bem produzido de Ariana. Maduro e ao mesmo tempo doce.
  19. uribe2010
    Aug 18, 2018
    10
    Ariana explored new sounds and lyrics, that's good, she left her comfort zone, I love the album from start to finish I'm ecstatic ❤☁️
  20. lilith12
    Aug 19, 2018
    6
    I was left unimpressed by the 4-5 good songs on the entire album (those NOT produced by the guy with the big hat). I was expecting more from Ariana. Better try again next time, maybe we'll see some artistic development
  21. TheShadyCritic
    Aug 19, 2018
    2
    Ariana Grande's 4th studio album is the definition of lazy and messy production. Most of the songs on this record were Produced by Pharrell which, unfortunately, lacks quality production. Grande and Pharrell go together like nails on a chalkboard, which 95-98% of each track sounds like they were produced in a blender. God Is A Woman remains the most dominant track on the album but stillAriana Grande's 4th studio album is the definition of lazy and messy production. Most of the songs on this record were Produced by Pharrell which, unfortunately, lacks quality production. Grande and Pharrell go together like nails on a chalkboard, which 95-98% of each track sounds like they were produced in a blender. God Is A Woman remains the most dominant track on the album but still fails to live up to its potential. I love Ariana's previous work, Dangerous Woman, a lot more than this desperate attempt of an R&B/Pop record.… Expand
  22. musicraven
    Aug 19, 2018
    6
    El álbum tiene canciones interesantes que podrían haber dado para más, pero no por eso es malo, me parece algo aceptable, aunque los ritmos se vuelven repetitivos tras un rato.
  23. babylove
    Aug 24, 2018
    10
    This album is so different, dreamy and delightful. Ariana is truly magnificent.
  24. AX3L022
    Sep 4, 2018
    4
    An album that has some great singles, but the other tracks are very basic to say so, not bad for the queen of anal sex
  25. nickixkingdom
    Sep 14, 2018
    4
    the album disappoints in lyrics, I expected to see the dark moment of Manchester in a powerful ballad, the production is crap for pharrell, its worst album at the moment.
  26. piscesloverboy
    Nov 17, 2018
    7
    This album had great potential, but lyric choices, lack of cohesion, and the weak start to the album after Raindrops are the downfall of the album. The album had quality highs however, my top picks are R.E.M, she makes beautiful use of her lower register for the first time in her career I believe, giving the song an enjoyable laid back sound, and No Tears Left To Cry which is pop gold, aThis album had great potential, but lyric choices, lack of cohesion, and the weak start to the album after Raindrops are the downfall of the album. The album had quality highs however, my top picks are R.E.M, she makes beautiful use of her lower register for the first time in her career I believe, giving the song an enjoyable laid back sound, and No Tears Left To Cry which is pop gold, a feel good song about picking yourself up, her vocals shined in this track. However the rest of the songs were okay and there were a few tracks that in my opinion brought the album down with the questionable production, namely The Light Is Coming and Blazed. Finally, the lyrics lacked much substance, you'll dance to a lot of this album, but if you're looking for more, look elsewhere.… Expand
  27. Okras
    Dec 9, 2018
    0
    Incredibly overrated. Songs sound the like the same garbage she releases. It's a shame that her fans make people believe that its a good album, when it clearly isn't.
  28. florianabocci
    Feb 17, 2019
    0
    I don't like it at all, it seems like the old Ariana is not here anymore, that's so sad
  29. Oliviapera
    Jun 4, 2019
    0
    Esse album, no qual nem deve ser chamado de album, é uma porcaria... so isso a declarar
  30. jeanpierremotta
    Jan 10, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. el mejor álbum del 2018, es la indiscutible princesa del pop, las demás jamás podrían… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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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