Studio Album · No. 4
Sweetener
Produced by Pharrell Williams, Max Martin, Ilya, Tommy Brown
Ariana Grande wrote 14 of 15 documented tracks
Authorship Breakdown 14 / 15 documented
Scored across the 15 tracks with documented writers, by whether Ariana Grande carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 15 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Awards & Recognition 1
Sweetener is the album where Ariana Grande's authorship became central, since she co-wrote every song except the opening track 'Raindrops (An Angel Cried),' a cover credited to Bob Gaudio of The Four Seasons. She worked closely with Pharrell Williams, who produced several tracks, and with the Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh team on the singles. The hits 'No Tears Left to Cry' and 'God Is a Woman' both carry her co-writing credit.
Sweetener, released on August 17, 2018, was Ariana Grande's fourth studio album and her first major artistic statement following the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing at her concert, and specifically following the trauma of losing fans and friends in that attack. Lead single 'No Tears Left to Cry,' released four months before the album, opened with sonic imagery of inverted cities and addressed healing with intention rather than grief; it became one of the defining pop singles of the year. The album was built around two creative poles: roughly half was produced by Pharrell Williams, whose sessions yielded the freewheeling, jazz-influenced title track, 'R.E.M.,' 'The Light Is Coming,' and the closer 'Get Well Soon'; the other half came from Max Martin and Ilya, who brought their signature precision to 'God Is a Woman,' 'Breathin,' and 'No Tears Left to Cry.' Grande co-wrote all but the opening track, a solo a cappella cover of the Four Seasons song 'An Angel Cried' written by Bob Gaudio, on which she carries no writing credit. Sweetener debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and won the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album.
Track Listing & Credits 15 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Raindrops (An Angel Cried)
|
Bob Gaudio | Bob Gaudio | IlyaMax Martin | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 2 |
Blazed
|
Ariana GrandePharrell WilliamsMaxine Ashley | Ariana GrandePharrell WilliamsMaxine Ashley | Pharrell Williams | Ariana Grande (Vocals)Pharrell Williams (Vocals) |
| 3 |
The Light Is Coming
|
Ariana GrandeOnika MarajPharrell Williams | Ariana GrandeOnika MarajPharrell Williams | Pharrell Williams | Ariana Grande (Vocals)Nicki Minaj (Rap) |
| 4 |
R.E.M.
|
Ariana GrandePharrell Williams | Ariana GrandePharrell Williams | Pharrell Williams | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 5 |
God Is a Woman
#8
|
Ariana GrandeSavan KotechaIlya SalmanzadehMax MartinRickard Göransson | Ariana GrandeSavan KotechaIlya SalmanzadehMax MartinRickard Göransson | Ilya | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 6 |
Sweetener
|
Ariana GrandePharrell Williams | Ariana GrandePharrell Williams | Pharrell Williams | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 7 |
Successful
|
Ariana GrandePharrell Williams | Ariana GrandePharrell Williams | Pharrell Williams | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 8 |
Everytime
|
Ariana GrandeSavan KotechaIlya SalmanzadehMax Martin | Ariana GrandeSavan KotechaIlya SalmanzadehMax Martin | IlyaMax Martin | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 9 |
Breathin
#12
|
Ariana GrandeSavan KotechaIlya SalmanzadehPeter Svensson | Ariana GrandeSavan KotechaIlya SalmanzadehPeter Svensson | Ilya | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 10 |
No Tears Left to Cry
#3
|
Ariana GrandeSavan KotechaIlya SalmanzadehMax Martin | Ariana GrandeSavan KotechaIlya SalmanzadehMax Martin | IlyaMax Martin | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 11 |
Borderline
|
Ariana GrandeMelissa Arnette ElliottPharrell Williams | Ariana GrandeMelissa Arnette ElliottPharrell Williams | Pharrell Williams | Ariana Grande (Vocals)Missy Elliott (Rap) |
| 12 |
Better Off
|
Ariana GrandeKim KrysiukTommy BrownChauncey HollisBrian Malik Baptiste | Ariana GrandeKim KrysiukTommy BrownChauncey HollisBrian Malik Baptiste | Tommy BrownHit-BoyBrian Malik Baptiste | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 13 |
Goodnight n Go
|
Ariana GrandeVictoria MonétImogen Heap | Ariana GrandeVictoria MonétImogen Heap | Tommy BrownCharles AndersonMichael Foster | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 14 |
Pete Davidson
|
Ariana GrandeTommy BrownCharles AndersonVictoria Monét | Ariana GrandeTommy BrownCharles AndersonVictoria Monét | Tommy BrownCharles Anderson | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |
| 15 |
Get Well Soon
|
Ariana GrandePharrell Williams | Ariana GrandePharrell Williams | Pharrell Williams | Ariana Grande (Vocals) |