Ariana's best lead single?

[popmusiccritic]

[born]

This thread exists already :)

[popmusiccritic]

Dec 24, 2020 14:09:00 GMT -5 born said:

This thread exists already :)

Go look at my new poll :)

[Fire]

yeah this thread exists already but anyway:

1. thank u, next
2. ntltc
3. problem
4. the way
5. positions
6. dangerous woman

all are good tho

[GP]

ntltc masterpiece

[Choco]

1. "Right now I'm in a state of mind"
2. "I'm so fucking grateful for my ex"
3. "Somethin' 'bout youuu"

big gap bc those three are amazing.

4. "head in the clouds got no weight on my shoulders"
"I can tell you're curious It's written on your lips"  oh yeah they canceled this one.
5. sorry I don't understand what she's saying but it's still catchy.
6. "I love the way you make me feel"

[Lost In Musical Reverie]

As born mentioned, there has already been a thread on the topic, but I only shared my #1 pick, so I'll be briefly ranking them. My main criteria for a good lead single include:

- the quality of the song
- how well it encapsulates the themes and/or purpose of the era in question
- to what extent it was a pop culture event (considering the music video, performances, the conversation surrounding it)
- bonus: how did it compare to the musical landscape at the time? Was it a safe choice, or was it bold and ambitious?

1. "thank u, next" - everything surrounding this song was beyond iconic. The surprise release (a first for Ariana, or any A-lister not named Beyoncé), the themes of gratitude and self-love, the mature and respectful acknowledgment of her past relationships (including the highly tumultous one with Pete Davidson), and of course, the viral music video paying tribute to classic teen movies. It was just beautiful to watch, especially as a long-time fan. Also, there couldn't be a better song to introduce us to the "thank u, next" album, and I like how she began with the conclusion of her emotional journey, while the album itself described the struggles and process that led to this rewarding moment.

2. "no tears left to cry" - while I prefer my #3 better for the bold factor, I still have to give this one its due. Firstly, it was the highly anticipated release after the horrible Manchester attack, and Ariana handled it beautifully with this ode to positivity, which also served as a perfect thesis to "sweetener" - for better and for worse (i.e. pretending everything is getting better, and living through artificial happiness). The music video is phenomenal too - a career highlight.

3. "Dangerous Woman" - after the underperformance of "Focus", Ariana could have definitely gone for a safe choice to lead her third album. "Side To Side" would have perfectly served this function. However, she chose to lead with the title track - a slow, sensual guitar-driven tune with building intensity. While the song wasn't an absolute smash hit, it helped to represent what I believe to be the mission statement of the album - to showcase Ariana Grande's versatility as a singer. I don't think anyone was expecting this sound from her, and yet it worked so well. Sadly, the music video was a huge disappointment, and could have been much more epic while retaining the sensuality. However, the phenomenal live performances do make up for it, especially the one from the MTV Movie Awards.



4. "The Way" - the lead single from an artist's debut album only has one goal - to introduce the artist in question and what they can bring to the mainstream landscape, and Ariana delivered this in spades. There isn't much more I can say. The song brought something new and fresh to the R&B scene of the early 2010s - a flirtatious 90s throwback with strong Mariah Carey influences, and one incredible vocalist more than worthy of the incessant comparisons at the time. Shout-out to the late Mac Miller for being a perfect choice for collaborator as well, and their chemistry is so natural and vibrant. One can only imagine how many other amazing collaborations we could have had... 😔

5. "positions" - while I think it's a strong thesis statement for its parent album, the song does feel very been-there-done-that, and it was indubitably a very safe choice. The music video, while charming on the first few watches, leaves much to be desired thematically, despite having a nice premise. I really enjoy the song, don't get me wrong, but at this stage of Ariana's career, where any lead single would have gone straight to #1, she could have opted for something more ambitious sonically, like "safety net", "love language", or "my hair".

6. "Problem" - an explosive lead single to show the world Ariana Grande was more than just a Marian Carey enthusiast, and could easily adapt to modern pop sensitivities. It did what it had to be done - nothing more, nothing less. I still quite enjoy the song, and I love the music video and the 60s aesthetics she adapted for live performances, but compared to the the other five, it just kind of pales in comparison.

[toomuchboy]

1. Dangerous Woman
2. thank u, next
3. positions
4. The Way
5. no tears left to cry
6. Problem

[when the pawn...]

1 no tears left to cry
2 Dangerous Woman
3 thank u, next
4 positions
5 Problem
6 The Way

[cause_for_celebration]

01 No Tears Left to Cry
02 Positions
03 Thank U, Next
04 Problem
05 Dangerous Woman
06 The Way