Positions (album)
Positions is the sixth studio album by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released by Republic Records on October 30, 2020. Grande worked with numerous producers on Positions, including frequent collaborator Tommy Brown, accompanied by longtime co-writers Victoria Monét and Tayla Parx. Inspired by her "emotional healing", Grande desired to emphasize her vocals on the album.[1]
This article is about the Ariana Grande album. For the Gang of Youths album, see The Positions. For the title track and lead single of the album, see Positions (song).Positions
October 30, 2020
- Grande's home (Los Angeles)
- Champagne Therapy (Los Angeles)
- Windmark (Los Angeles)
- Capitol (Los Angeles)
- Jungle City (New York City)
41:07
51:41 (deluxe edition)
- London on da Track
- Mr. Franks
- Murda Beatz
- Nami
- Oliver Frid
- Peter Lee Johnson
- Scott Storch
- Shea Taylor
- Shintaro Yasuda
- The Rascals
- Tommy Brown
- Tommy Parker
- Travis Sayles
- Xavi
Built around themes of sexual intimacy, attraction, and romantic devotion, Positions expands on the trap-infused R&B and pop sound of its predecessors, Sweetener (2018) and Thank U, Next (2019). Doja Cat, the Weeknd, and Ty Dolla $ign appear as guest features, alongside Megan Thee Stallion and another Doja Cat feature on the deluxe edition. Upon release, Positions was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics; Grande's vocal performance was often praised, though the album's lyrics and production style drew criticism. Publications ranked the album on various year-end best albums lists of 2020.
The title track was released as the lead single, which debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 and marked Grande's fifth number-one single in the United States, making her the first act with five number-one debuts on the chart. The song was her third Hot 100 chart-topper in 2020, following "Stuck with U" and "Rain on Me". All 14 tracks on Positions charted simultaneously on the Hot 100, with the second single, "34+35", arriving at number eight on the chart and peaking at number two, following the release of its remix with Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion. In 2021, the album was promoted by a series of performances of its tracks, presented by Vevo, and the release of "POV" to US radio as the third single.
With the debut of Positions atop the Billboard 200, Grande earned her fifth number one album in the United States. It spent two consecutive weeks at number one in the country, was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, and became the eighth most consumed album of 2021 in the US. Elsewhere, the album reached number-one in Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Ireland, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom. Positions contended for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards (2022); Grande tied Kelly Clarkson for the most nominations for an act in the category, with five each.
Background
On April 19, 2020, it was first reported that Ariana Grande was working on new music.[2] She also declared in May 2020 that she had recorded a song with Doja Cat earlier that year.[3][4] In the same interview, however, Grande stated that she would not release an album during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.[5] On October 14, 2020, Grande announced on social media that her upcoming sixth studio album would be released the same month.[6][7] Three days later, she posted a slow-motion video in which she types out the word "positions" on a keyboard.[8] That same day, Grande's official website launched two countdowns counting down to October 23, 2020, and October 30, 2020.[9][10] On October 23, 2020, she confirmed via her Twitter account that the album was coming on October 30 and posted the cover art.[11] The tracklist was revealed the following day.[12] Grande released three slightly different Positions album covers on her social media. Each of them are beauty shots of the singer in black and white with varied posing. The covers were shot by Dave Meyers (who also directed the title track's music video), with creative direction by Stefan Kohli.[13]
Commercial performance
United States
Positions debuted at number-one on the US Billboard 200 chart, with 174,000 album-equivalent units, which included 173.54 million on-demand streams and 42,000 album sales, in its first week. This became Grande's fifth US number one debut and the fourth album by a female artist to reach number one in 2020. At the time of its release, Positions achieved the highest one-week total for an album since bundles and concert ticket offers stopped factoring into chart and sales rankings (October 9, 2020). Positions marked Grande's third number-one album in under two years and three months, which was the fastest accumulation of three number one albums by a woman at that time.[95] It became Grande's fifth chart-topper on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.[96]
All 14 tracks of Positions charted simultaneously within the top 75 of the US Billboard Hot 100, issue dated November 14, 2020, becoming Grande's second consecutive album to do so, following Thank U, Next (12 songs). Grande's career Hot 100 count expanded to 66 entries, the fourth-most among women.[47] In its second week, the album remained at number one on the chart, with a furthered 83,000 units and 99.5 million on-demand streams. It was her second consecutive album to spend its first two weeks at number one, following Thank U, Next.[97] In its third week, the album slipped to number four on the chart, moving over 75,000 units.[98]
Following the release of the deluxe version, Positions ascended to the second spot of the Billboard 200 on the chart dated March 6, 2021, moving 49,000 units in its seventeenth week.[99] After its vinyl and cassette release, Positions returned to number six on the chart dated April 24, 2021, earning 54,000 units in its twenty-fourth week.[100] The album also peaked atop the Billboard Vinyl Albums Chart in the week ending April 15, 2021, becoming Grande's first chart-topper there.[101] Having sold around 32,000 vinyl LPs that week, it held the former record for the largest vinyl sales week by a female artist since MRC Data began tracking sales in 1991.[102] On April 6, 2021, Positions was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for moving a million units in the US.[103]
As of the July 2021 MRC Data report, Positions was the tenth most consumed album of 2021 thus far, having earned 707,000 units in the year's first six months.[104] Overall, Positions landed at number eight on the Billboard 200 year-end chart for 2021, while being the third-biggest album amongst female artists, behind Olivia Rodrigo's Sour and Taylor Swift's Evermore.[105] Additionally, three Positions songs landed on the Hot 100 year-end chart of the same year, with "Positions" at number 14, "34+35" at number 21 and "POV" at number 87.[106]
Other territories
In the United Kingdom, Positions debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming her fourth number one album. For the second time, Grande achieved a chart double with the title track at number one as well. Grande achieved this in 2019, when her album Thank U, Next and single "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" topped the album and singles chart simultaneously. She is the fourth artist, and first female artist, to achieve a chart double in 2020, following Drake, Eminem, and Stormzy, and the second female to achieve this feat twice since Rihanna in 2011.[107] In April 2021, Positions also topped the UK's Official Vinyl Albums Chart.[108]
In Canada, Positions debuted at the top spot of Billboard Canadian Albums chart, yielding Grande her fourth Canadian number-one album and third consecutive number-one album.[109] It remained at number one for two consecutive weeks.[110] All 14 tracks of Positions charted on the Canadian Hot 100 simultaneously—Grande's third album to do so, after Sweetener and Thank U, Next. The title track became Grande's fifth Canadian number-one hit and "34+35" debuted at number eight and later peaked at number five, becoming Grande's eighteenth top ten hit in the country.[111] Positions was the 11th biggest album of 2021 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart (fourth amongst female artists).[112]
In Ireland, Positions debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart, becoming Grande's fourth consecutive number one album in the country. It was the most downloaded and most streamed album of the week. Joining Madonna, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, Grande became the fourth female soloist to claim at least four number-one albums on the Irish Albums Chart.[113] The title track became Grande's seventh chart-topper on the Irish Singles Chart and spent three consecutive weeks at number one in the country, while "34+35" peaked at number four.
Aided by Positions, Grande placed at number eight on the list of best-selling artists of the world in 2020 by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, ranking third amongst women.[114]