Not content with just releasing Sweetener, one of the biggest and boldest pop albums of the year, Ariana Grande quickly followed the record up with “Thank U, Next,” a smooth, self-care-championing single in which she thanks her exes while declaring that she’s focusing on herself now. It’s a jam, and it turns out that it’s actually Grande’s biggest song ever: On the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated November 17, “Thank U, Next” has claimed the top spot, which gives Grande her first ever No. 1 single.
Grande had come close to No. 1 a few times before: 2014’s Iggy Azalea-featuring “Problem” peaked at No. 2, while “Bang Bang” (with Nicki Minaj and Jessie J) and the more recent “No Tears Left To Cry” each topped out at No. 3. The song made more than just personal history for Grande, though. It’s the first single by a female artist to debut on top since Adele’s “Hello” did in 2015. Grande is also the first female artist to have a No. 1 song without a feature since Cardi B did it around this time last year with “Bodak Yellow.”
Grande took to Twitter to celebrate, writing in one tweet, “for once i don’t really have words. i love u so much and thank u,” before adding in subsequent posts, “thank u, thank u, thank u,” and, “yeeeeeee baby’s first number one.”
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/1062030106963505152
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/1062035488289112064
https://twitter.com/ArianaGrande/status/1062046810724651008
Sweetener is out now via Republic Records. Get it here.
