Dangerous Woman

On a May afternoon in 2016, Ariana Grande released the album that would redefine her career. Dangerous Woman arrived three years after her debut, and it hit like a statement of intent. The cover says it all: Grande stares out from behind a black latex mask, leather gloves pulled tight, eyes unblinking. Shot by Damon Baker, the image signals a shift from the ponytailed pop princess to someone ready to claim grown-up territory. And the music delivers on that promise.

Working primarily with Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh, Grande built an album that moves through pop, R&B, disco, house, trap, and reggae without ever feeling scattered. The title track, a slinky mid-tempo number, became her first top-ten solo single on the Hot 100. Into You is a four-minute rush of synthesizers and longing that critics still call one of the decade's best pop songs. Side to Side, with Nicki Minaj, turned a reggae-tinged groove into a global hit, peaking at number four and earning triple platinum certification. Even the deeper cuts show range: Greedy struts with a horn section; Leave Me Lonely pairs Grande with Macy Gray for a soulful torch song.

The numbers back up the ambition. Dangerous Woman opened at number two on the Billboard 200 with 175,000 equivalent units, then went on to top charts in Australia, Canada, the UK, and seven other countries. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album and won Favorite Pop/Rock Album at the American Music Awards. By 2020, global sales had passed 2.5 million units. More than that, the album set the template for what Grande would do next: confident, genre-fluid pop made by an artist in full command of her voice and her vision.[edit]