Positions

Ariana Grande’s sixth studio album, Positions, arrived on October 30, 2020 via Republic Records. Working closely with producers like Tommy Brown and longtime co-writers Victoria Monét and Tayla Parx, Grande crafted a set that emphasizes her vocal prowess. She described the album as inspired by her own emotional healing, and the sound builds on the trap-infused R&B and pop of Sweetener and Thank U, Next. The album spans 14 tracks and blends contemporary R&B, pop, trap, soul, slow jams, and sentimental ballads. Guest features include Doja Cat, the Weeknd, and Ty Dolla $ign, with Megan Thee Stallion appearing on the deluxe edition. Themes of sexual intimacy, attraction, and romantic devotion run through the record. Critics praised Grande’s vocal performance but had mixed reactions to the lyrics and production. Still, Positions landed on several year-end best albums lists for 2020.

The title track debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Grande her fifth number-one debut and making her the first act to achieve five such entries. It was her third Hot 100 topper of 2020, following Stuck with U and Rain on Me. All 14 tracks charted simultaneously on the Hot 100. The second single, 34+35, reached number two after a remix with Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion. In 2021, Vevo hosted a series of live performances, and POV was released to US radio as the third single. Positions debuted atop the Billboard 200, giving Grande her fifth number one album in the US. It spent two weeks at number one, earned platinum certification from the RIAA, and became the eighth most consumed album of 2021 in the US. Internationally, it hit number one in Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Ireland, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. At the 64th Grammy Awards, Positions was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, tying Grande with Kelly Clarkson for the most nominations in that category.[edit]