To everyone who thought this was gonna be J Dilla… he’s in the poll for next month’s DDD :). Link is in the description And check out the playlists with all the songs featured in this video. Thanks for watching!
I think it would be a good idea to have a separate google form where people can suggest artists to add to the list, so you don’t have to sift through the comments to find them
@@WaitingForTheHook Sure, Lana Del Rey influenced acts like Lorde (and Billie Eilish), but it was Royals from Lorde that ended the upbeat electro-dancepop era of the early 2010s. Ariana stood out by being a popstar a la Madonna/Britney/Katy/Rihanna/Gaga in a landscape populated by the more moody, introspective acts such as Lorde, Lana, Halsey, twenty-one pilots and later Billie Eilish.
I cannot imagine the mid-late 2010s without Ariana, she's one of only few top tier defining artist of this era that has enough pop sensibility and artistry to last. so many big artist throughout that time have not survived the culture shift. It's fascinating to me what music holds value over time, my brain is hoping Dua Lipa won't become shelved in years to come
Two AG facts I find fascinating: 'Sweetener' the LP has points referencing her romantic relationship ending with Mac Miller, but they threw on the 'pete davidson' interlude to convince listeners it was written closer to the start of their new relationship. Then, on 'thank u, next' the LP, she masterfully convinces you that lots of the songs are about Pete since it dropped so close to their breakup, such as 'imagine,' but that's actually about Mac again. When I first heard 'imagine,' the combination of "Imagine a world like that" when referring to a respectful, loving relationship and how real and emotional she is when she sings it, it absolutely floored me. I find it one of the most humbling pop songs to date, not to mention relatable--have we not all been there?
This is true. In fact one of Macs last ig lives, he was listening to rem in his car, but the album wasn’t out for another week or so. The lyrics she added (the demo had been passed around by Pharrell a lot)were clearly for him. Those sessions were 99% done while with Mac, *that* interlude was a last minute thing. Better off, however, is said to be about Ricky. She shut someone down online who thought it was about her breakup with Mac. Imagine is for sure about Mac, she described it as being about a pure and perfect love that will “never exist” (because he’s gone).
one of my favorite songs in her entire discography! gorgeous adaptation, almost a love letter to imogen heap - who she credits to be one of her biggest inspirations. really wished he had talked about it! at least pete davidson got the recognition it deserved though (i wish he had broken it down more, the chords spelling out 'BAE' would have been something i know mr. microphone the snare would appreciate)
@@danimitra3786 i'm an ultra mega imogen heap fan, and i was absolutely giddy when i heard ariana's version. also--i never noticed that about pete davidson! very attentive to detail :D
the deluxe tracks were my most played songs last year!! really wished the songs were longer because they had such a beautiful sound going for them. it feels like im in a dream-like state when listening to the tracks
Sweetener and Positions both will age like fine wine imo. With Sweetener it's crystal clear how much involvement Ariana had in the music from lyrics to production like it shows her personality and artistry a lot. Meanwhile the more tranquil vibe and those lovely strings in Positions make it sound like it doesn't belong to a specific musical time period imo. I listen to it during relaxing times and when I need peace Super curious what direction she'll take with her next body of work
I still argue (and also agree) that Sweetener is her best work so far. Nice to know someone else who loved "blazed" Still I think Positions doesn't get the appreciation it deserves.
positions showcases the true healing & love that came after tun, which makes it her best album for me. ontop of it being cohesive with a multitude of new sounds diving deeper into orchestra-like subgenres of rnb (like neo-soul), she showcases brilliant artistry with this album. the vocals ESPECIALLY on this album >>>
i have a love/hate relationship with blazed, i will play the album and don't even think about it or before playing i'll remove immediately, depends on my vibe lmao.
Honestly, Dangerous Woman was one of the last times an album was as course corrective, as anticipated and as publicized and it sure delivered it for me, also Greedy will forever be imprinted on my brain thanks to drag race. And now that we do Pop Divas on DDD I need one for Lady Gaga because if someone is the queen of deep cuts but also drama filled roll outs it is her.
I got into Gaga in the Fame Monster and Born This Way eras and I was SHOCKED at all the songs that weren't singles. Monster and Schiße definitely had strong single potential and I know are well loved by little monsters. Plus there's Bloody Mary which is STILL one of my favorite songs by her ever.
Can’t believe I’d disagree this hard with a DDD. thank u, next sweeps her discog. Her most cohesive, consistent, and emotionally engaging album detailing her process with trauma. I adore that album so much.
Also surprised you didn’t mention “motive” from her most recent album. Best track on there imo. Love the trap inspired House beat on it. Has one of the catchiest hooks on the album, and the Doja feature is really solid. A really sleek, sensual, and catchy piece of pop music.
@@dedrick7949 cant agree more man. thank u next is incredible. the songwriting, production, and how personal it is despite being such a high profile pop record.
Yep, easily my favourite Ariana album (with the qualifier I've only listened to Sweetener onwards). I get WHY people don't like 7 rings and break up with your girlfriend and how that sours the experience for them, but, like, they sound ridiculously slick? I understand the criticisms, but they're also just immaculate. I really think they epitomise the trap-pop style and aesthetic of the late 2010s. And speaking of motive, my hair and love language were two of my favourites from positions that didn't get mentioned. Kind of surprised they didn't warrant a shout-out given their critical reception relative to the rest of the album which was received more mildly.
I actually saw 13 on Broadway back in the day, and it’s so clear that both her and Liz Gillies were the standouts, like all the kids are decent, for kids, but they’re both FANTASTIC
Surprised you missed out on discussing 'In My Head,' which is one of the most intimate cuts on TUN and really adds a lot of depth and pain to the record.
It helped me get into The Weeknd. I still think that one song is better than most of his original Trilogy, as much as many people would hate me for saying that.
“7 Rings” is like the darker half of “Successful” and it works in the Ari canon. Also you said it, “Sweetener” is her best record, but “Get Well Soon,” is already a pretty gratifying closer.
"Break Up With Your Girlfriend" was actually about Ariana herself. SHE was the girlfriend. She's basically singing "break up with me because I'm bored." Like, she's not happy in the relationship. That's why the woman in the video looks like her.
@Day I disagree with this. It is purposely deceptive, but the lyrics read to me like this guy is attracted to a certain idea of who she is when the person she actually is preferred the casual fun before things got more serious. It also goes hand in hand with how Ari sang the second verse of Thank U Next about herself. It's really not a far fetched take on the song. Art is totally subjective though. So take it how you will.
that's the MV's twist narrative, but I don't believe Ariana ever confirmed that to be the actual meaning, nor would the lyrics ever imply it on their own. The only thing i recall her saying about the song was something along the lines of it just being a silly song meant to be taken lightly
@@MineralTown I disagree I think the song was clearly about her wanting to be alone with herself. If you watch any TUN era interview she talks and jokes about how she doesn't want to date for a long time
I’ll always remember Lorde’s tweets about “Into You”! ‘people truly just weren’t ready to comprehend that many layers of emotion. it’s like ‘run away with me’ it’s too much for the half-open heart’
If I had a nickel for everytime Mic recommended a solo female artist's cover of "Last Christmas" from their post-debut Christmas EP, I'd have two nickels but it's weird that it happened more than once.
Positions album is SO underrated. Almost every track has beautiful strings to them so I like that classical influence and it reminds me of the 50’s in some way (‘Love Language’ is the best example). After listening to tracks like needy, bad idea’s ending and ghostin I had predicted her next album will have more strings. That’s exactly what happened. I saw a producer’s reaction to the positions album and it gave me a whole new perspective on it. The sound Ariana went/is going for is something nobody is doing right now, it’s a very chill, classy, mature, sexy and jazzy trap infused r&b album. Every track is SO heavy vocally, her vocals on this album are unmatched. The harmonies, layering and especially the whistles notes are so pretty. She had to and needed to make an album like this. Thank u next album wouldn’t be as great if she hadn’t made the sweetener album and I’m predicting the same thing for her 7th album, it will be her best because of her work in positions album. It got mixed reviews and I understand where it’s coming from, maybe because of the constant trap approach and trap starts to sound boring when it’s overdone or not done right. So maybe she should pull a Taylor Swift and try a whole new genre or just leave trap for some time and experiment with something else similar to positions album’s tracks like safety net, my hair, pov (we need more ballads), just like magic etc.
Also I feel like nobody is talking about her vocals on the entirety of the album. Arguably with all of the whistles and belts that she does, it's probably one of her more vocally demanding. Especially on tracks like My Hair or Pov, like those songs are HARD.
always have been an ariana lover. i get that she’s not for everyone, but i will never part with the opinion that sweetner and my everything are tied for her best albums. the cohesiveness on sweetner is amazing, and every song is so unique, but my everything has that pop princess vibe along with some light r&b production. great video though! i can’t wait for more :)
i'm a die-hard fan of ariana and loved that you did a DDD on her, it's an awesome video! there is one thing, however, that rubbed me the wrong way: your thoughts on "7 rings" and "break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored." you briefly touched on this before dismissing it, but yes, 7 rings is a satirical song. on the surface, it boasts obnoxious wealth and flexing, but it truly is a song about friendship and not taking what you have for granted. in fact, if you listen to the version of this song on "k bye for now," you can hear ari say "just kidding!" after the "whoever said money can't solve your problems/must've not had enough money to solve them" line. as for BUWYG,IB, it's also not what it appears to be initially. you state that it's essentially a song about "fantasizing breaking up a couple," when in reality it's an introspective outlook on her past relationship(s). in this song, she takes on an outside perspective on her relationship and is addressing her boyfriend by telling him to break up with his girlfriend: aka her. it's a moment where she realizes she's no longer happy in her relationship (i.e. 'bored') and wants an out. some evidence to back up this analysis of the song is the music video, where the girlfriend of the guy she's addressing looks nearly identical to ari and is even replaced by her in the final scenes. thus, both of these songs make sense at the end of the album, giving a general closing narrative of: appreciate the things you have and your friend (7 rings), acknowledge how much you've matured thanks to past lovers but realizing you're good on your own (thank u, next), and then a final reflection on past relationships that serves as a reminder to raise your standards and overall self-worth. other than that, this was a great video and I'm excited to see what she does next! (also, i agree that sweetener is her best album!)
I think these interpretations while fair from some points of view, are also a bit hard to fully attribute to the songs themselves. Specifically BUWYG,IB , it would be really really hard to understand the alleged meaning by only listening to the song and lyrics, I understand that maybe that was the intention but I personally don't think it was conveyed well (pretty much same for 7Rings). (I still love them btw lol, but I do agree with what he said in the video)
oh wow, this is surprising! i love ari and she’s by far my favorite popstar but i never expected you to make a video on her discography. i’m glad you did tho! sweetener is her best imo edit: just finished the video and yea i definitely agree that positions is the album that will age the best within her discography, even if its reception was a bit lukewarm at first. to me at least it’s always felt like the album she was born to make and maybe that’s the reason why it sounds so comfortable
I was so obsessed with Yours Truly, in a way, its still her best album. Honeymoon Avenue is literally the entire positions album in one song. Also I don’t think regular people understand how much hype there was for My Everything. Ariana Stans (me) were literally foaming at the mouth when that album came out.
Yours Truly is over hated in her fandom. Too many fans call it her worst and “a little boring”. It doesn’t suit right with me calling an artists’ first work their best, however.
Also - the thank u next tour is also on Netflix, not just Spotify. And the tour was originally the sweetener tour - that's what I bought tickets for - but then she released thank u next so it became a double album tour. Which sadly, did not have Greedy on the set-list.
I feel like out of all the pop girlies, Ariana has definitely one of the strongest discographies. I can't think of one bad album of hers, the ones i enjoy the least (my everything and dangerous woman) are still quite good. Plus, it's clear she is the vocalist of this generation and i'd say one of the best pop vocalists ever
I really like how much she loves Imogen Heap, who is one of my favourite artists! She did some Heap covers back in the UA-cam days, and then did a remixed version of Goodnight and Go on Sweetener which brought more attention to Heap. Apparently Imogen invited her over to dinner one time because she knew Ari was a fan, and Ari was so starstruck she didn't say a single word the whole time. But I think her citing Imogen as an influence enabled more people to get into her, which I really appreciate!
The comments section is going to get swarmed by "thank u, next" apologists very quickly (just like how the Reputation defenders swarmed your Taylor Swift video), so before that happens, I'd just like to say that I enjoy your nuanced takes. You clearly appreciate Ariana as an artist without feeling the need to say everything she's done is a masterpiece.
@@dannyrivera2733 i find that to be a really bizarre? take since tun is so emotional and personal. and has so much depth compared to her other albums. everything before the sweetener era is mediocre (by ariana’s standards) i feel like she truly discovered her sound the last few years which is probably why she’s become a lot more involved with the creative process of her work.
I think you skipped a gem in Dangerous Woman I think: Jason's Song and I'm a little sad ... The vocals on this song and the piano composition are so good. A good diss track about whoever it is 👀.
@Day I don't desire anything, I really don't care about them. I was just repeating what thought the song was about allegedly. I'll edit my comment if it bothers you that much. However it's still a diss about someone. Whoever it is it's a hella good song. Bruh chill 💀
@Day You got to tell a whole lot of other people now I guess. But you got me off of the list great job ! I have been freed really this was the biggest disillusion of my life 😆 Have a good evening 🙏🏽
i'm honestly a massive ariana fan, but i love the way you went about this, like if you didn't like something you had a reason to back it up, and it didn't feel like hate or an attack on ari or her fans, it just feels like a genuine, harmless way of expressing your opinion, so thank you
@@hello.3471 I think 1989 is her only amazing pop album, Lover is mediocre and Reputation is overall a pretty bad electropop album. I prefer her country and folk records like Red, Speak Now, Folklore and Evermore, so I wouldn't really say she has one of the best pop discographies of all time.
@@hyun808 Yeah, Honey, Daydream, Caution and The Emancipation Of Mimi are great pop/R&B albums. Other people I would put on the list are Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Pet Shop Boys, Britney Spears, Elton John and the Beatles.
i cant believe u didnt mention "jason's song (gave it away)" on thr dangerous woman discussion bec this is one of the songs that really showcase ariana's range as a musician, specifically with genres. also, yes, i need a funk/r&b album from ariana. put the energy from them changes cover into useee. oh god i didnt even realise the touch on eugenics on bloodline 😭 thats awful i love thst song
these videos are honestly some of the most rewatchable on youtube. i often find myself coming back to these over and over, even after i’ve listened to the featured music. they’re so well constructed and scripted and the storytelling is engaging. it reminds me of a lot of scott the woz’s videos in how much i come back to them. some of the best stuff on this clusterfuck of a site.
I gasped when I saw this! I watch all of your DDDs but never came across one where I knew the artist's discog as thoroughly as Miss Grande. Thank you and I can't wait for your r/popheads AMA!!
Sweetener is truly her best album, to me it’s her only album that has a sound that is unique to Ariana (thanks to Pharrell) although i like all her albums
YES! As a diehard fan I agree their catalogue (including solo projects and the twilight soundtrack song that still isn’t on streaming much to my annoyance) would make an amazing DDD
If I may suggest a couple of bands that *aren't* on the DDDD (and I'm honestly surprised they aren't), I think Iron Maiden or Alice in Chains would both make for a good video.
its the way i grew up with her and had my whole life flash before my eyes with every era, and how i literally started crying when you mentioned the darker parts of her life and how she prevailed with music and became her most successful eras yet. its just. shes an amazing person and uber talented. thank you for making my little gay boy dreams come true with this video, you have no idea how long ive wanted this
It's funny, I'm not much of an Ariana Grande fan, but I am a big hockey fan, and love sharing the trivia about her Zamboni ride (and the fact that she got hit in the head by a hockey puck twice to earn that ride), so the fact that you opened the video with that fact is just (chef's kiss)
The final track of thank u, next was going to be a song called "remember", but Ariana thought it was too personal to put out. So she decided to replace it with a more fun song, "break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored". That's probably why it doesn't make as much sense in the narrative of the album.
My favorite song of hers will always be Moonlight…it’s perfect. You can feel the love pouring from every line. also the lyric “sweet like candy, but he’s such a man.” is just fantastic
I feel like we don’t talk enough about the fact that Positions (the song) blocked country singer Luke Combs from having a #1 hit in the US with Forever After All. What a timeline that would’ve been if it were the other way around.
There's a video of her I believe on the set of the Dangerous Woman music video (or maybe it was the photoshoot for the album cover, something like that 'cause she's wearing the leather bunny mask) and she sings the song a cappella and it is my favorite thing I've seen her do, which is saying something 'cause I love a lot of what she does. Also as a musical theater person myself, very intrigued to see what she does with Glinda. Many MT friends of mine are skeptical, some are just downright angry about it but of course didn't offer any options on who they think should be playing Glinda instead sooooo I hope she proves them wrong.
I honestly feel so old right now, it's been 10 years since I first listened to Ariana's voice in 'love the way you lie' cover. I always kinda listen to her songs, then stray away when it's too much on radios (yes, I still listen to radio...) and come back after some time, it's really difficult to remember a time when she wasn't a pop reference. Great DDD! Also, I wish you would add BTS to the list of the next ddd's. I know you likely wouldn't do one of them because it'd take a lot of research/culture understanding/kpop references and that's not really your take in music, but i wish i could at least vote for them lol. Anyways, can't wait for next month!
I always treated Break Up With Your Girlfriend as a song that's not part of the overall Thank U, Next story. Mostly because it was a quick add on to the track list to replace "Remember" which was apparently too painful for her to release
The lines "Plus, I met someone else We havin' better discussions I know they say I move on too fast But this one gon' last 'Cause her name is Ari And I'm so good with that" In thank u next made me an instant fan.
Would love a deep dive for Fiona Apple (a strong discography, interesting history behind all 5 album and 3 of albums being borderline masterpieces: Fetch The Bolt Cutters, The Idler Wheel, When The Pawn). PJ Harvey would also be very interesting.
@@Gel677 I think all her albums are really, really good, at least borderline great. Perhaps with the exception of Tidal, which sounds a tad rudimentary and basic compared to the rest of her catalog. Extraordinary Machine is a really good translation album, where you can tell she sacrificed a bit and wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to make. But it still came out damn good.
@@liteflightify i feel like there was a style change with EM but it doesn't mean she didn't know what she wanted to make or sacrifice anything in my opinion. I'd actually say it's fighting for the top spot in her discography, definitely her least appreciated work
Ariana's grown on me a lot over the years I've been making videos. She might not be my favorite current pop artist, but you'd have to be an out of touch buffoon to deny how powerful of a voice she has. "Sweetener" and "Dangerous Woman" are for sure my favorites, "My Everything" and "Positions" are pretty close, and "Thank U Next" and "Yours Truly" have their moments.
Learning that Ariana Grande and MIKA made a very early 2010s song based around "Popular" from Wicked is precisely the kind of blursed energy I need to start the week.
The only thing that my european ass dreams of is Eurovision DDD 😩 Also, great video! Sweetener is my fav from Ariana too because it sounds kinda experimental (in terms of pop ofc). Did you listen to Jason’s Song? That’s the best Ari’s song imo but it’s only available on Dangerous Woman Deluxe Japan Edition (or something like that)
This is really well made video. I appreciate how well you handled the topic of her relationships with Mac Miller and other matters in her personal life. You stuck with what was relevant to her music and understanding it while being respectful and professional. Great work.
i always come back to that specific performance god is a woman performance it’s so iconic. sweetener is such a good album and she hasn’t had a miss album since
Thank you next is my favourite because it was so deeply relatable and cathartic for me working through a lot of my own personal traumas. It provided a beautifully well rounded and interesting to listen to soundtrack to the pain in my life at that time
I am one of those that thinks 7 rings is entirely satirical, especially placed in context lf the album, she's spending to fulfill her sadness, and i think its shown and in the numbness she presents the song with. 7 rings and thank u, next are two of my favourite Ariane songs, and should be held as classics. Doesn't change my opinion that I think Sweetener is a much better album than Thank u, next
The sequencing of Thank U Next is a mess. But I also just think it has the most amount of interesting and distinct songs of any Ariana album. So, it’s hard for me not to see it as her strongest album. Dangerous Woman is probably next for me. I know many have come around to appreciating Sweetner, but the majority is still a bit too frothy and faceless for me.
Oooh I thought it’s sequencing made a lot of sense. It’s chronological wishing to be with Mac on Imagine then going to Needy and then NASA. I especially love the order going from ghostin - in my head - 7 rings - thank u, next - buwyg,ib :)
Ariana is my personal favorite artist and I personally think thank u next is the best album no doubt even I love them all. You just have to admire the consistency and every track is really aging great I listen to it everyday tbh.
Yesss justice for Greedy! That is one of my all-time favourite Ariana songs. Blasting loud in headphones, that song just hits different than 99% of her discography. It should have, 100% been a single.
Minor correction; Arianna performed her One Love show at Old Trafford Cricket Ground *not* Manchester Arena. The arena was shut for months after the attack for the police investigation and repairs; lots of other events due to be held there had to be rescheduled to other local venues. Another great DDD! Please keep up the excellent work
The One Love Concert was actually at Old Trafford Cricket Ground not the Manchester Arena, but otherwise a great video. I always look forward to these, thanks for making them!
Was about to comment that too, it wasn’t long after the attack and I’m sure the area was still getting repaired. The weeks after were pretty scary in the city but I mostly remember the moments of unity like the blood drives and the worker bee tattoos people queued around the street to get. Also the one love concert, though emotional, was such a lovely gesture. Though Ariana’s music is not really my thing, I’ll always respect her for response.
I love this video so much! I agree with so much of what you said. I like seeing outside perspective of this cause I was a crazy obsessed fan at 13 and 14 of her early eras so it’s biased. Also hearing straight men talk about her is very interesting to see the differences.
my favorite ariana grande song is definitely everytime, the base and the vocals are so relaxing but at the same time they sort of give energy ?? plus the lyrics convey a really important message imo
jason's song is still my favourite ariana song, i think its a CRIME that it isn't on the official original album track listing for dangerous woman because its just so good! I do think my love for it is maybe compensating for the fact that her cover of getting out - which is also a jason robert brown song - doesn't have an official recording, bc i think thats one of the best things she's ever done in her entire career, full stop.
i’ve been a ride or die for ariana half my life so i honestly have grown up with her music, ariana’s discography is truly the soundtrack of my life. i’ve developed with this body of music, every pivotal emotion or event i’ve felt has had some tie to this catalog of music and i can’t express how i love the artistry ariana has mastered within these past 9-10 years? there’s the rare questionable choice but in other lenses it’s just camp. i will always be in love with her gift and so happy you got to do a deep dive on the voice of a generation. ⟡
is it definitively bad for pop music to sound dated, though? to me there's dated in a "didn't age well" kind of way and then there's "signature sound of the time". i've never given this much thought before, so i can't put my finger on what makes the difference for me but i've experienced this feeling with music of past decades as well. like certain 80s pop songs sound classic, others sound bad. in terms of ariana's weirder production choices (like vocoder), i think a good chunk of them could be explained by imogen heap being one of her major influences - pretty out of left field, all things considered, but that inspiration was made abundantly clear with goodnight n go on sweetener. like many others, that was the time i started paying more attention to ariana, in part due to her personal life being inescapable at the time and in part because i really loved the 2 first singles she put out. i don't personally jive with the general direction ariana's been heading with the sparse instrumentals and incorporating trap elements but i can't say i'm not interested in what she does next. it helps that my favorite song of hers is from the latest album. hint: it's pov. it's just so beautiful that i find it hard to imagine anybody could genuinely think it's bad. as always, thanks for the video
@@prettierjesus3119 i have! idk if the arrangement's all that different i.e. still very sparse but of course that song's all about the vocals and they are quite different from her recent output. that's what keeps me coming back for more, ariana's vocal versatility. she can evoke many different styles of music which, due to her eclectic influences, she combines in unexpected ways. so things can be kept interesting even with sparse instrumentation.
love your videos and especially appreciate your insight on Ariana Grande! At the end of imagine they replay her whistle notes with like a crackly backwards sounding whine and that sound just scratches my brain in all the right ways.
I agree that 7 rings is played straight on the album, but on the live album (k bye for now) you hear that after the "money can buy happiness line" she adds in "just kidding!", which i think was her attempt to emphasize its silliness a bit in a way the album cut failed to do. Great video!
loved this video, the production was amazing as always Mic!!! But what really stood out to me was how you didn't mention Victoria Monet as Ariana's vocal producer, she's worked with Tommy and Victoria since her very first album! Victoria and Tommy used to be a couple but now are just work partners. Tayla Parx is also one of Ariana's vocal producers and Victoria and Tayla are a lot of the backing vocals on all of TUN! Just thought I'd point that out in case you were interested, but I really enjoyed this video! Would you ever think of looking into Holly Humberstone? She was my fave new artist of last year and I think she's about to blow up!!
one of the BIGGEST artists of ALL TIME! historic records, countless of global smash hits, smash album after smash album and amongst the most relevant people the world has ever seen. let’s also not forget about that voice. truly one of the best of our time.
so happy you did a DDD on Ariana. she has held down pop over this last decade, & like other commenters are saying, her ability to evolve her sound and stay relevant is a big feat in the music industry. i see sweetener, tyn, and positions to be a trio. i think they capture how healing has many layers. i’ve always loved her honesty and vulnerability, whilst still consistently putting out songs that just slap. i wish you were able to touch on the complexity of her vocal layering & harmonies, and how she (at this point) vocal produces most of her stuff. you touched upon many of my fav songs (thanks for giving C&C and shut up some love), but honorable mentions that i think were missed: moonlight (all her intro tracks are solid), i don’t care (recent personal fav), touch it, thinking bout you, jason’s song, goodnight n go (great cover + her love/influence from imogen), bad idea (that outro), in my head (!!!! i think this is one of the best tracks on tyn, period), motive, just like magic (it just makes me happy). wish she closed tyn with the title track, it’s a song that feels like she’s closing a chapter and moving forward. vs following it with a song like buwyg, which in the surface seems kinda petty and two-steps back lol. song belongs on the album, just not the closer. thanks for coming to my ted talk lol
To everyone who thought this was gonna be J Dilla… he’s in the poll for next month’s DDD :). Link is in the description
And check out the playlists with all the songs featured in this video. Thanks for watching!
yyou shoudlad redo wezerr
Can you add Elliott Smith in your DDD poll.
I think it would be a good idea to have a separate google form where people can suggest artists to add to the list, so you don’t have to sift through the comments to find them
Since Bjork is coming with a new album this year it would be nice a redo of her DDD
Also please add St Vincent to the listen
Ariana Grande managed to be an old-school popstar in the post-Lorde 2010s, which is an amazing feat.
Post-Lana is more like it.
@@WaitingForTheHook Sure, Lana Del Rey influenced acts like Lorde (and Billie Eilish), but it was Royals from Lorde that ended the upbeat electro-dancepop era of the early 2010s. Ariana stood out by being a popstar a la Madonna/Britney/Katy/Rihanna/Gaga in a landscape populated by the more moody, introspective acts such as Lorde, Lana, Halsey, twenty-one pilots and later Billie Eilish.
@@juhaniaho6698 1000%
@@juhaniaho6698 No, it was Video Games and subsequent singles. Lorde followed suit.
@@WaitingForTheHook nah it was royals
I cannot imagine the mid-late 2010s without Ariana, she's one of only few top tier defining artist of this era that has enough pop sensibility and artistry to last. so many big artist throughout that time have not survived the culture shift. It's fascinating to me what music holds value over time, my brain is hoping Dua Lipa won't become shelved in years to come
Honestly wasn't expecting a DDD on Ariana, but this has truly made my day. God knows the capabilities of what Mr. Snare could do.
Based Daniel T
double duck destroyer? oh deep disco graphy dive... my bad
Ariana's collab with cashmere cat, 'Quit' is my favorite song of hers to date. Not enough people talk about it for me....
yes! its so good and i love "adore" as well
Yasss
yes!!!!
That whole Cashmere Cat project is underrated. It's cool because it has A-list artists over production they normally would never sing over lol
omg i absolutely love this song
been giggling at "large sean" for a solid 3 minutes after the video ended
We need an Ariana reaction Troy!!!
LMFAO
you must not have heard it five years ago then
Two AG facts I find fascinating: 'Sweetener' the LP has points referencing her romantic relationship ending with Mac Miller, but they threw on the 'pete davidson' interlude to convince listeners it was written closer to the start of their new relationship. Then, on 'thank u, next' the LP, she masterfully convinces you that lots of the songs are about Pete since it dropped so close to their breakup, such as 'imagine,' but that's actually about Mac again. When I first heard 'imagine,' the combination of "Imagine a world like that" when referring to a respectful, loving relationship and how real and emotional she is when she sings it, it absolutely floored me. I find it one of the most humbling pop songs to date, not to mention relatable--have we not all been there?
This is true. In fact one of Macs last ig lives, he was listening to rem in his car, but the album wasn’t out for another week or so. The lyrics she added (the demo had been passed around by Pharrell a lot)were clearly for him. Those sessions were 99% done while with Mac, *that* interlude was a last minute thing. Better off, however, is said to be about Ricky. She shut someone down online who thought it was about her breakup with Mac. Imagine is for sure about Mac, she described it as being about a pure and perfect love that will “never exist” (because he’s gone).
imagine is SUCH a beautiful song. the best word to describe it would be bittersweet.
@@lav4629y3didnt it also sample him?
absolute travesty her cover of "goodnight and go" wasn't mentioned. underrated as hell
one of my favorite songs in her entire discography! gorgeous adaptation, almost a love letter to imogen heap - who she credits to be one of her biggest inspirations. really wished he had talked about it! at least pete davidson got the recognition it deserved though (i wish he had broken it down more, the chords spelling out 'BAE' would have been something i know mr. microphone the snare would appreciate)
@@danimitra3786 i'm an ultra mega imogen heap fan, and i was absolutely giddy when i heard ariana's version.
also--i never noticed that about pete davidson! very attentive to detail :D
one of my favorite songs of hers!
Agreed
goodnight n go is a cover ??????
never clicked with such a quickeness before (positons deluxe songs are some of my favorites by her and true love)
Lmaoo
Taste
the deluxe tracks were my most played songs last year!! really wished the songs were longer because they had such a beautiful sound going for them. it feels like im in a dream-like state when listening to the tracks
main thing is severely underrated, excellent track
hey mads
Sweetener and Positions both will age like fine wine imo. With Sweetener it's crystal clear how much involvement Ariana had in the music from lyrics to production like it shows her personality and artistry a lot. Meanwhile the more tranquil vibe and those lovely strings in Positions make it sound like it doesn't belong to a specific musical time period imo. I listen to it during relaxing times and when I need peace
Super curious what direction she'll take with her next body of work
@@tachisme Sameee lol
I still argue (and also agree) that Sweetener is her best work so far. Nice to know someone else who loved "blazed" Still I think Positions doesn't get the appreciation it deserves.
Absolutely agree
my two favorite albums from her
positions showcases the true healing & love that came after tun, which makes it her best album for me. ontop of it being cohesive with a multitude of new sounds diving deeper into orchestra-like subgenres of rnb (like neo-soul), she showcases brilliant artistry with this album. the vocals ESPECIALLY on this album >>>
i have a love/hate relationship with blazed, i will play the album and don't even think about it or before playing i'll remove immediately, depends on my vibe lmao.
Honestly, Dangerous Woman was one of the last times an album was as course corrective, as anticipated and as publicized and it sure delivered it for me, also Greedy will forever be imprinted on my brain thanks to drag race. And now that we do Pop Divas on DDD I need one for Lady Gaga because if someone is the queen of deep cuts but also drama filled roll outs it is her.
YES ON DDD FOR GAGA
He made a whole vid on ARTPOP already, so I would like that but longer.
I got into Gaga in the Fame Monster and Born This Way eras and I was SHOCKED at all the songs that weren't singles. Monster and Schiße definitely had strong single potential and I know are well loved by little monsters. Plus there's Bloody Mary which is STILL one of my favorite songs by her ever.
Can’t believe I’d disagree this hard with a DDD. thank u, next sweeps her discog. Her most cohesive, consistent, and emotionally engaging album detailing her process with trauma. I adore that album so much.
Also surprised you didn’t mention “motive” from her most recent album. Best track on there imo. Love the trap inspired House beat on it. Has one of the catchiest hooks on the album, and the Doja feature is really solid. A really sleek, sensual, and catchy piece of pop music.
@@dedrick7949 cant agree more man. thank u next is incredible. the songwriting, production, and how personal it is despite being such a high profile pop record.
@@nomanisanisland117 yeah fr. such a tight record which imo you dont see enough in pop nowadays
Yep, easily my favourite Ariana album (with the qualifier I've only listened to Sweetener onwards). I get WHY people don't like 7 rings and break up with your girlfriend and how that sours the experience for them, but, like, they sound ridiculously slick? I understand the criticisms, but they're also just immaculate. I really think they epitomise the trap-pop style and aesthetic of the late 2010s.
And speaking of motive, my hair and love language were two of my favourites from positions that didn't get mentioned. Kind of surprised they didn't warrant a shout-out given their critical reception relative to the rest of the album which was received more mildly.
i def put sweetener at the top of her work, but agree with you that thank u, next is a masterpiece
I actually saw 13 on Broadway back in the day, and it’s so clear that both her and Liz Gillies were the standouts, like all the kids are decent, for kids, but they’re both FANTASTIC
that is so cool!!
Surprised you missed out on discussing 'In My Head,' which is one of the most intimate cuts on TUN and really adds a lot of depth and pain to the record.
I was going to comment that. My favourite song
I LOVE this song
I absolutely agree that Love Me Harder is a damn good song and one of Ariana's best.
It helped me get into The Weeknd. I still think that one song is better than most of his original Trilogy, as much as many people would hate me for saying that.
“7 Rings” is like the darker half of “Successful” and it works in the Ari canon. Also you said it, “Sweetener” is her best record, but “Get Well Soon,” is already a pretty gratifying closer.
Get well soon is one of her best songs and closers!
I like pov but it pales in comparison to GWS imo
"Break Up With Your Girlfriend" was actually about Ariana herself. SHE was the girlfriend. She's basically singing "break up with me because I'm bored." Like, she's not happy in the relationship. That's why the woman in the video looks like her.
thankyouuuuuu
@Day I disagree with this. It is purposely deceptive, but the lyrics read to me like this guy is attracted to a certain idea of who she is when the person she actually is preferred the casual fun before things got more serious. It also goes hand in hand with how Ari sang the second verse of Thank U Next about herself. It's really not a far fetched take on the song. Art is totally subjective though. So take it how you will.
that's the MV's twist narrative, but I don't believe Ariana ever confirmed that to be the actual meaning, nor would the lyrics ever imply it on their own. The only thing i recall her saying about the song was something along the lines of it just being a silly song meant to be taken lightly
@@MineralTown I disagree I think the song was clearly about her wanting to be alone with herself. If you watch any TUN era interview she talks and jokes about how she doesn't want to date for a long time
AFTER FOUR YEARS OF MY FUCKED INTERPRETATION OF THE SONG YOU JUST HELPED ME LIKE IT A LOT MORE
Ariana robbed Mic of his dream of becoming the first kid to ride a zamboni at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida. JUSTICE FOR MIC.
I would love a deep dive for Childish Gambino. His mixtapes don’t really get talked about a lot, so I thought it would be interesting
I’ll always remember Lorde’s tweets about “Into You”! ‘people truly just weren’t ready to comprehend that many layers of emotion. it’s like ‘run away with me’ it’s too much for the half-open heart’
If I had a nickel for everytime Mic recommended a solo female artist's cover of "Last Christmas" from their post-debut Christmas EP, I'd have two nickels but it's weird that it happened more than once.
Into You is genuinely my favorite pop song of the era period every aspect is just so over the top in the best way
Positions album is SO underrated. Almost every track has beautiful strings to them so I like that classical influence and it reminds me of the 50’s in some way (‘Love Language’ is the best example). After listening to tracks like needy, bad idea’s ending and ghostin I had predicted her next album will have more strings. That’s exactly what happened.
I saw a producer’s reaction to the positions album and it gave me a whole new perspective on it. The sound Ariana went/is going for is something nobody is doing right now, it’s a very chill, classy, mature, sexy and jazzy trap infused r&b album. Every track is SO heavy vocally, her vocals on this album are unmatched. The harmonies, layering and especially the whistles notes are so pretty. She had to and needed to make an album like this. Thank u next album wouldn’t be as great if she hadn’t made the sweetener album and I’m predicting the same thing for her 7th album, it will be her best because of her work in positions album. It got mixed reviews and I understand where it’s coming from, maybe because of the constant trap approach and trap starts to sound boring when it’s overdone or not done right. So maybe she should pull a Taylor Swift and try a whole new genre or just leave trap for some time and experiment with something else similar to positions album’s tracks like safety net, my hair, pov (we need more ballads), just like magic etc.
agree with your comment ! may i ask which producers reaction you saw ? i would also want to watch that :)
@@hadiseyksera4621 his name is Blake McLain this is the video ua-cam.com/video/N4bMiv-EkD4/v-deo.html 😊
Also I feel like nobody is talking about her vocals on the entirety of the album. Arguably with all of the whistles and belts that she does, it's probably one of her more vocally demanding. Especially on tracks like My Hair or Pov, like those songs are HARD.
@@camillefaith2005 exactly
always have been an ariana lover. i get that she’s not for everyone, but i will never part with the opinion that sweetner and my everything are tied for her best albums. the cohesiveness on sweetner is amazing, and every song is so unique, but my everything has that pop princess vibe along with some light r&b production. great video though! i can’t wait for more :)
i'm a die-hard fan of ariana and loved that you did a DDD on her, it's an awesome video! there is one thing, however, that rubbed me the wrong way: your thoughts on "7 rings" and "break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored."
you briefly touched on this before dismissing it, but yes, 7 rings is a satirical song. on the surface, it boasts obnoxious wealth and flexing, but it truly is a song about friendship and not taking what you have for granted. in fact, if you listen to the version of this song on "k bye for now," you can hear ari say "just kidding!" after the "whoever said money can't solve your problems/must've not had enough money to solve them" line.
as for BUWYG,IB, it's also not what it appears to be initially. you state that it's essentially a song about "fantasizing breaking up a couple," when in reality it's an introspective outlook on her past relationship(s). in this song, she takes on an outside perspective on her relationship and is addressing her boyfriend by telling him to break up with his girlfriend: aka her. it's a moment where she realizes she's no longer happy in her relationship (i.e. 'bored') and wants an out. some evidence to back up this analysis of the song is the music video, where the girlfriend of the guy she's addressing looks nearly identical to ari and is even replaced by her in the final scenes.
thus, both of these songs make sense at the end of the album, giving a general closing narrative of: appreciate the things you have and your friend (7 rings), acknowledge how much you've matured thanks to past lovers but realizing you're good on your own (thank u, next), and then a final reflection on past relationships that serves as a reminder to raise your standards and overall self-worth. other than that, this was a great video and I'm excited to see what she does next! (also, i agree that sweetener is her best album!)
I think these interpretations while fair from some points of view, are also a bit hard to fully attribute to the songs themselves. Specifically BUWYG,IB , it would be really really hard to understand the alleged meaning by only listening to the song and lyrics, I understand that maybe that was the intention but I personally don't think it was conveyed well (pretty much same for 7Rings).
(I still love them btw lol, but I do agree with what he said in the video)
when “Break Free” was released here in Australia, I was like “this track is bomb af!!!”, it still rates as one of my fave songs of all time
My favorite artist who shares a name with a Starbucks drink size
It's just italian😂
@@lucabonasio3143 i dunno man. venti is one of the most inventive bands in the grindcore scene right now.
This joke again? They even forced it in while she was on The Voice.
oh wow, this is surprising! i love ari and she’s by far my favorite popstar but i never expected you to make a video on her discography. i’m glad you did tho! sweetener is her best imo
edit: just finished the video and yea i definitely agree that positions is the album that will age the best within her discography, even if its reception was a bit lukewarm at first. to me at least it’s always felt like the album she was born to make and maybe that’s the reason why it sounds so comfortable
I was so obsessed with Yours Truly, in a way, its still her best album. Honeymoon Avenue is literally the entire positions album in one song. Also I don’t think regular people understand how much hype there was for My Everything. Ariana Stans (me) were literally foaming at the mouth when that album came out.
Yours Truly is over hated in her fandom. Too many fans call it her worst and “a little boring”.
It doesn’t suit right with me calling an artists’ first work their best, however.
Omg thank u! Yours truly is easily in my top 3 albums of hers. I love more of the 50s doo wop vibes it has.
I legit screamed when you brought up Greedy. It's one of my fave Ari songs, and is so so so underappreciated.
Also - the thank u next tour is also on Netflix, not just Spotify. And the tour was originally the sweetener tour - that's what I bought tickets for - but then she released thank u next so it became a double album tour. Which sadly, did not have Greedy on the set-list.
Love these dive videos, refreshing to see a male reviewer give pop girls respect instead of writing them off
I feel like out of all the pop girlies, Ariana has definitely one of the strongest discographies. I can't think of one bad album of hers, the ones i enjoy the least (my everything and dangerous woman) are still quite good. Plus, it's clear she is the vocalist of this generation and i'd say one of the best pop vocalists ever
I really like how much she loves Imogen Heap, who is one of my favourite artists! She did some Heap covers back in the UA-cam days, and then did a remixed version of Goodnight and Go on Sweetener which brought more attention to Heap. Apparently Imogen invited her over to dinner one time because she knew Ari was a fan, and Ari was so starstruck she didn't say a single word the whole time. But I think her citing Imogen as an influence enabled more people to get into her, which I really appreciate!
Awesome video so far! Some potential candidates I’d like to add to the list: Kylie Minogue, Bright Eyes, and Against Me!
2ing Kylie! An amazing discography that spans decades
a kylie ddg would be wonderful ✨
Against me would be great
A Kylie Minogue deep discog dive is sooo needed! She has so many good albums
yess
The comments section is going to get swarmed by "thank u, next" apologists very quickly (just like how the Reputation defenders swarmed your Taylor Swift video), so before that happens, I'd just like to say that I enjoy your nuanced takes. You clearly appreciate Ariana as an artist without feeling the need to say everything she's done is a masterpiece.
i am one of those rep apologists and honestly, i agree w his takes on ariana's music. sweetener IS her best album
@@shireenqasimm Same! I’m a Reputation apologist and disagreed with that portion of his video on Taylor, but I agree with most of his points on Ariana
except thank u next is a great album and reputation… exists
@@lamb9770 Agree to disagree (I still think Thank U, Next is a good album but it ranks towards mid-tier in comparison to her other albums)
@@dannyrivera2733 i find that to be a really bizarre? take since tun is so emotional and personal. and has so much depth compared to her other albums. everything before the sweetener era is mediocre (by ariana’s standards) i feel like she truly discovered her sound the last few years which is probably why she’s become a lot more involved with the creative process of her work.
I think you skipped a gem in Dangerous Woman I think: Jason's Song and I'm a little sad ... The vocals on this song and the piano composition are so good. A good diss track about whoever it is 👀.
his name is Scooter Braun but Scooter Brown is so funny I’m stealing it
@Day I thought it was but yeah that seems weird. Maybe they had a temporary quarell.
Thinking bout you is also a underrated bop!
@Day I don't desire anything, I really don't care about them. I was just repeating what thought the song was about allegedly. I'll edit my comment if it bothers you that much. However it's still a diss about someone. Whoever it is it's a hella good song. Bruh chill 💀
@Day You got to tell a whole lot of other people now I guess. But you got me off of the list great job ! I have been freed really this was the biggest disillusion of my life 😆 Have a good evening 🙏🏽
i'm honestly a massive ariana fan, but i love the way you went about this, like if you didn't like something you had a reason to back it up, and it didn't feel like hate or an attack on ari or her fans, it just feels like a genuine, harmless way of expressing your opinion, so thank you
Heck yeah, I've always believed Ariana has one of the best pop discographies of all time. She deserved this.
Who do you think are the others ?
@@therandomname69420 Mariah Carey, The Queen.
@@therandomname69420 Taylor swift
@@hello.3471 I think 1989 is her only amazing pop album, Lover is mediocre and Reputation is overall a pretty bad electropop album. I prefer her country and folk records like Red, Speak Now, Folklore and Evermore, so I wouldn't really say she has one of the best pop discographies of all time.
@@hyun808 Yeah, Honey, Daydream, Caution and The Emancipation Of Mimi are great pop/R&B albums. Other people I would put on the list are Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Pet Shop Boys, Britney Spears, Elton John and the Beatles.
i cant believe u didnt mention "jason's song (gave it away)" on thr dangerous woman discussion bec this is one of the songs that really showcase ariana's range as a musician, specifically with genres. also, yes, i need a funk/r&b album from ariana. put the energy from them changes cover into useee.
oh god i didnt even realise the touch on eugenics on bloodline 😭 thats awful i love thst song
not as big into the mainstream as i once was but ariana has one of the best discographies out of all of the big names out currently
pleasantly surprised to see this one! I love her discography so much, definitely agree that sweetener is her best
these videos are honestly some of the most rewatchable on youtube. i often find myself coming back to these over and over, even after i’ve listened to the featured music. they’re so well constructed and scripted and the storytelling is engaging. it reminds me of a lot of scott the woz’s videos in how much i come back to them. some of the best stuff on this clusterfuck of a site.
I gasped when I saw this! I watch all of your DDDs but never came across one where I knew the artist's discog as thoroughly as Miss Grande. Thank you and I can't wait for your r/popheads AMA!!
Her best song in my opinion is only 1 it’s literally perfection
Yesss
its criminally underrated and the live version on k bye for now with her mature vocals is somehow even better
Sweetener is truly her best album, to me it’s her only album that has a sound that is unique to Ariana (thanks to Pharrell) although i like all her albums
Nah thank u, next is better
@@Mrs.Magix58 it’s my 2nd fav tbf, tu,n & sweetener are what she’ll be most remembered for in the future imo
You almost forget Pharrell worked on maybe half of the songs. They sit really pretty next to Max Martin productions.
@@Mrs.Magix58 true
Yes someone else with taste. I love both of those albums in that order too
DO THE KILLERS NEXT! Easily the most diverse catalog in rock music of the 21st century.
YES! As a diehard fan I agree their catalogue (including solo projects and the twilight soundtrack song that still isn’t on streaming much to my annoyance) would make an amazing DDD
Yes great option!
Laughs in KGATLW
oh yeah! Totally agree
No, it isn’t lol. Listen to king gizz. They already have ddd too
If I may suggest a couple of bands that *aren't* on the DDDD (and I'm honestly surprised they aren't), I think Iron Maiden or Alice in Chains would both make for a good video.
Fax
@@ricardoediza2690 whats his patreon called?
anyway this video could not have come at a better time 😊 was truly feeling so terrible today, so so so terrible. this was a great treat!!
its the way i grew up with her and had my whole life flash before my eyes with every era, and how i literally started crying when you mentioned the darker parts of her life and how she prevailed with music and became her most successful eras yet. its just. shes an amazing person and uber talented. thank you for making my little gay boy dreams come true with this video, you have no idea how long ive wanted this
It's funny, I'm not much of an Ariana Grande fan, but I am a big hockey fan, and love sharing the trivia about her Zamboni ride (and the fact that she got hit in the head by a hockey puck twice to earn that ride), so the fact that you opened the video with that fact is just (chef's kiss)
The final track of thank u, next was going to be a song called "remember", but Ariana thought it was too personal to put out. So she decided to replace it with a more fun song, "break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored". That's probably why it doesn't make as much sense in the narrative of the album.
I’m gonna say it: despite being one of the biggest artists of the decade, a lot of arianas other songs are massively underrated
Her non-singles deserve just as much recognition as the singles I swear!
My favorite song of hers will always be Moonlight…it’s perfect. You can feel the love pouring from every line. also the lyric “sweet like candy, but he’s such a man.” is just fantastic
I feel like we don’t talk enough about the fact that Positions (the song) blocked country singer Luke Combs from having a #1 hit in the US with Forever After All. What a timeline that would’ve been if it were the other way around.
There's a video of her I believe on the set of the Dangerous Woman music video (or maybe it was the photoshoot for the album cover, something like that 'cause she's wearing the leather bunny mask) and she sings the song a cappella and it is my favorite thing I've seen her do, which is saying something 'cause I love a lot of what she does.
Also as a musical theater person myself, very intrigued to see what she does with Glinda. Many MT friends of mine are skeptical, some are just downright angry about it but of course didn't offer any options on who they think should be playing Glinda instead sooooo I hope she proves them wrong.
That 34+35 Segment is so beautiful, played so straight!
That song she made about the world ending in "Don't Look Up" is truly a highlight of her acting career.
I honestly feel so old right now, it's been 10 years since I first listened to Ariana's voice in 'love the way you lie' cover. I always kinda listen to her songs, then stray away when it's too much on radios (yes, I still listen to radio...) and come back after some time, it's really difficult to remember a time when she wasn't a pop reference. Great DDD!
Also, I wish you would add BTS to the list of the next ddd's. I know you likely wouldn't do one of them because it'd take a lot of research/culture understanding/kpop references and that's not really your take in music, but i wish i could at least vote for them lol. Anyways, can't wait for next month!
I always treated Break Up With Your Girlfriend as a song that's not part of the overall Thank U, Next story. Mostly because it was a quick add on to the track list to replace "Remember" which was apparently too painful for her to release
The lines "Plus, I met someone else
We havin' better discussions
I know they say I move on too fast
But this one gon' last
'Cause her name is Ari
And I'm so good with that"
In thank u next made me an instant fan.
Would love a deep dive for Fiona Apple (a strong discography, interesting history behind all 5 album and 3 of albums being borderline masterpieces: Fetch The Bolt Cutters, The Idler Wheel, When The Pawn). PJ Harvey would also be very interesting.
THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN
Extraordinary Machine is also a masterpiece
@@Gel677 I think all her albums are really, really good, at least borderline great. Perhaps with the exception of Tidal, which sounds a tad rudimentary and basic compared to the rest of her catalog. Extraordinary Machine is a really good translation album, where you can tell she sacrificed a bit and wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to make. But it still came out damn good.
@@liteflightify i feel like there was a style change with EM but it doesn't mean she didn't know what she wanted to make or sacrifice anything in my opinion. I'd actually say it's fighting for the top spot in her discography, definitely her least appreciated work
I think it shows a lot of diversity and her higher register better than most her other albums (all of which are flawless in my opinion)
The whidtle notes in "Imagine", it's something I never heard of before and still giving me chills today.
Her best song IMO
Ariana's grown on me a lot over the years I've been making videos. She might not be my favorite current pop artist, but you'd have to be an out of touch buffoon to deny how powerful of a voice she has. "Sweetener" and "Dangerous Woman" are for sure my favorites, "My Everything" and "Positions" are pretty close, and "Thank U Next" and "Yours Truly" have their moments.
sweetener supremacy!! i just love how weird it is compared to her other albums
Learning that Ariana Grande and MIKA made a very early 2010s song based around "Popular" from Wicked is precisely the kind of blursed energy I need to start the week.
to me, positions is her best album. it's so gorgeous and has the rnb/soul vibe that I have always wanted from her.
You didn’t lie
YES to all the greedy & love me harder praise, such great songs
holy shit, your take on the “successful” synth is on POINT! for years, i’ve wondered why it sounds so familiar 🤣🤣
19:03 Ariana has said in multiple live performances "just kidding" after that line... So I think its safe to say it's satirical
The only thing that my european ass dreams of is Eurovision DDD 😩 Also, great video! Sweetener is my fav from Ariana too because it sounds kinda experimental (in terms of pop ofc). Did you listen to Jason’s Song? That’s the best Ari’s song imo but it’s only available on Dangerous Woman Deluxe Japan Edition (or something like that)
Nice new discog dive!
Here's some bands I'd love to see on the ddd:
Muse
Foals
Coldplay
Kasabian
Two Door Cinema Club
Foals would be awesome
@@brendanlarson1179 yep, I'm really looking forward to their new album
Coldplay would be pretty interesting
@@sherwintavarez8539 especially with the MULTIPLE sci-fi concept albums that are also their most pop albums
This is really well made video. I appreciate how well you handled the topic of her relationships with Mac Miller and other matters in her personal life. You stuck with what was relevant to her music and understanding it while being respectful and professional. Great work.
LOVED IT!
Ariana is honestly such an amazing artist, imo her best assets are her vocal delivery, production and relatability.
i always come back to that specific performance god is a woman performance it’s so iconic. sweetener is such a good album and she hasn’t had a miss album since
We need a Mac Miller deep discog dive
He has 10 released projects. That might take a while.
Unless you want him to skip over his mixtapes.
Thank you next is my favourite because it was so deeply relatable and cathartic for me working through a lot of my own personal traumas. It provided a beautifully well rounded and interesting to listen to soundtrack to the pain in my life at that time
I am one of those that thinks 7 rings is entirely satirical, especially placed in context lf the album, she's spending to fulfill her sadness, and i think its shown and in the numbness she presents the song with. 7 rings and thank u, next are two of my favourite Ariane songs, and should be held as classics. Doesn't change my opinion that I think Sweetener is a much better album than Thank u, next
The sequencing of Thank U Next is a mess. But I also just think it has the most amount of interesting and distinct songs of any Ariana album. So, it’s hard for me not to see it as her strongest album. Dangerous Woman is probably next for me. I know many have come around to appreciating Sweetner, but the majority is still a bit too frothy and faceless for me.
Oooh I thought it’s sequencing made a lot of sense. It’s chronological wishing to be with Mac on Imagine then going to Needy and then NASA. I especially love the order going from ghostin - in my head - 7 rings - thank u, next - buwyg,ib :)
Ariana is my personal favorite artist and I personally think thank u next is the best album no doubt even I love them all. You just have to admire the consistency and every track is really aging great I listen to it everyday tbh.
Yesss justice for Greedy! That is one of my all-time favourite Ariana songs. Blasting loud in headphones, that song just hits different than 99% of her discography. It should have, 100% been a single.
Minor correction; Arianna performed her One Love show at Old Trafford Cricket Ground *not* Manchester Arena. The arena was shut for months after the attack for the police investigation and repairs; lots of other events due to be held there had to be rescheduled to other local venues.
Another great DDD! Please keep up the excellent work
As an avid watcher of this channel and somebody that's stanned this woman since 2013, I didn't know I needed this video in my life.
The One Love Concert was actually at Old Trafford Cricket Ground not the Manchester Arena, but otherwise a great video. I always look forward to these, thanks for making them!
Was about to comment that too, it wasn’t long after the attack and I’m sure the area was still getting repaired. The weeks after were pretty scary in the city but I mostly remember the moments of unity like the blood drives and the worker bee tattoos people queued around the street to get. Also the one love concert, though emotional, was such a lovely gesture. Though Ariana’s music is not really my thing, I’ll always respect her for response.
I love this video so much! I agree with so much of what you said. I like seeing outside perspective of this cause I was a crazy obsessed fan at 13 and 14 of her early eras so it’s biased. Also hearing straight men talk about her is very interesting to see the differences.
To be fair, she said she hated America at the most perfect time LOL. This has been yet another perfectly-produced video.
my favorite ariana grande song is definitely everytime, the base and the vocals are so relaxing but at the same time they sort of give energy ?? plus the lyrics convey a really important message imo
jason's song is still my favourite ariana song, i think its a CRIME that it isn't on the official original album track listing for dangerous woman because its just so good! I do think my love for it is maybe compensating for the fact that her cover of getting out - which is also a jason robert brown song - doesn't have an official recording, bc i think thats one of the best things she's ever done in her entire career, full stop.
i’ve been a ride or die for ariana half my life so i honestly have grown up with her music, ariana’s discography is truly the soundtrack of my life. i’ve developed with this body of music, every pivotal emotion or event i’ve felt has had some tie to this catalog of music and i can’t express how i love the artistry ariana has mastered within these past 9-10 years? there’s the rare questionable choice but in other lenses it’s just camp. i will always be in love with her gift and so happy you got to do a deep dive on the voice of a generation. ⟡
Christmas and Chill will always usher in Christmas time for me. The MOST FUN blasting it in the house
YESSS
it is toooooo good
is it definitively bad for pop music to sound dated, though? to me there's dated in a "didn't age well" kind of way and then there's "signature sound of the time". i've never given this much thought before, so i can't put my finger on what makes the difference for me but i've experienced this feeling with music of past decades as well. like certain 80s pop songs sound classic, others sound bad.
in terms of ariana's weirder production choices (like vocoder), i think a good chunk of them could be explained by imogen heap being one of her major influences - pretty out of left field, all things considered, but that inspiration was made abundantly clear with goodnight n go on sweetener. like many others, that was the time i started paying more attention to ariana, in part due to her personal life being inescapable at the time and in part because i really loved the 2 first singles she put out. i don't personally jive with the general direction ariana's been heading with the sparse instrumentals and incorporating trap elements but i can't say i'm not interested in what she does next. it helps that my favorite song of hers is from the latest album. hint: it's pov. it's just so beautiful that i find it hard to imagine anybody could genuinely think it's bad.
as always, thanks for the video
Have you listened to Just Look Up yet? It’s surprisingly different from the rest of her recent work.
@@prettierjesus3119 i have! idk if the arrangement's all that different i.e. still very sparse but of course that song's all about the vocals and they are quite different from her recent output.
that's what keeps me coming back for more, ariana's vocal versatility. she can evoke many different styles of music which, due to her eclectic influences, she combines in unexpected ways. so things can be kept interesting even with sparse instrumentation.
love your videos and especially appreciate your insight on Ariana Grande! At the end of imagine they replay her whistle notes with like a crackly backwards sounding whine and that sound just scratches my brain in all the right ways.
I was waiting for you to talk about Ariana’s two best songs: ‘everytime’ and ‘goodnight n go’
I agree that 7 rings is played straight on the album, but on the live album (k bye for now) you hear that after the "money can buy happiness line" she adds in "just kidding!", which i think was her attempt to emphasize its silliness a bit in a way the album cut failed to do. Great video!
Soo so so true Greedy is Literally Ariana's best song it's so good it should be waaay bigger than it is now
loved this video, the production was amazing as always Mic!!! But what really stood out to me was how you didn't mention Victoria Monet as Ariana's vocal producer, she's worked with Tommy and Victoria since her very first album! Victoria and Tommy used to be a couple but now are just work partners. Tayla Parx is also one of Ariana's vocal producers and Victoria and Tayla are a lot of the backing vocals on all of TUN! Just thought I'd point that out in case you were interested, but I really enjoyed this video! Would you ever think of looking into Holly Humberstone? She was my fave new artist of last year and I think she's about to blow up!!
one of the BIGGEST artists of ALL TIME! historic records, countless of global smash hits, smash album after smash album and amongst the most relevant people the world has ever seen. let’s also not forget about that voice. truly one of the best of our time.
so happy you did a DDD on Ariana. she has held down pop over this last decade, & like other commenters are saying, her ability to evolve her sound and stay relevant is a big feat in the music industry. i see sweetener, tyn, and positions to be a trio. i think they capture how healing has many layers. i’ve always loved her honesty and vulnerability, whilst still consistently putting out songs that just slap. i wish you were able to touch on the complexity of her vocal layering & harmonies, and how she (at this point) vocal produces most of her stuff. you touched upon many of my fav songs (thanks for giving C&C and shut up some love), but honorable mentions that i think were missed: moonlight (all her intro tracks are solid), i don’t care (recent personal fav), touch it, thinking bout you, jason’s song, goodnight n go (great cover + her love/influence from imogen), bad idea (that outro), in my head (!!!! i think this is one of the best tracks on tyn, period), motive, just like magic (it just makes me happy). wish she closed tyn with the title track, it’s a song that feels like she’s closing a chapter and moving forward. vs following it with a song like buwyg, which in the surface seems kinda petty and two-steps back lol. song belongs on the album, just not the closer. thanks for coming to my ted talk lol
loved this! i would love to see a DDD on lana del rey since her discography and albums are so controversial yet influential. keep up the good work!
you HAVE to do one direction. I need your commentary on their evolution from ‘na na na’ to ‘this isn’t a stain of red wine i’m bleeding love’