Ariana Grande's albums ranked by how much of a bop they are (2024)

Last month, Ariana Grande gifted us her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, about heartbreak,raw emotions and exploration of self-love. She gave us more belters to scream from the car and more music to dance to at any given moment. If you have been there through her Nickelodeon era to her Spongebob era then you will understand that each of these albums come with certain vibes.

So, in case you’re feeling wistful for the girlie pop Ariana days or just fancy analysing which of her records truly come out on top, here are all of Ariana Grande’s seven albums, ranked by how much of a bop they actually are:

1. Sweetener

Ah, the Pete Davidson era. What a ride.

This is one of the best albums Ariana has produced and I think this is one of the first albums that would come to mind when you think about Ariana Grande. God is a Woman changed lives when it was released; a bold, sultry anthem that had everyone going crazy.

All of her music videos that were released for this album were so iconic, No Tears Left to Cry especially had fans and critics hailing her artistry. Breathin is the anxiety-stricken heart of the album that will never not hit. One of my favourite songs from this album is actually one that most people forget, Successful gives me major manifesting vibes and I find myself singing along to it throughout the day.

2. Thank U, Next

Thank U, Next has two different kinds of bops: bops that you can be a hot girl to, and bops that you can ball your eyes out to. 7 Rings, Break up with your girlfriend, I’m bored and Bad Idea versus Ghostin Needy and In my Head. Everyone will know of the 7 Rings live performance when people didn’t think that she could rap with a live crowd, then she did. Icon!

3. Positions

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande)

Everyone seems to overlook this album, and I can’t get why. Yeah, it definitely reinvented her sound a lot in comparison to her other albums but there are some really good songs on there guys! This album also has some of the best collabs: Doja Cat, of course The Weeknd makes yet another return on their collabs, and Megan Thee Stallion, not to even mention the iconic 34+35 music video that was dropped. This is one of Ari’s longest albums with a large setlist, Just like Magic really manifested some good energy, because although it took four years to drop another album, she blessed us with a good one.

4. Eternal Sunshine

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande)

After dropping this earlier on in the year, this is simultaneously her messiest era for drama and her most healing era for self-discovery. This album has similar vibes to her R&B roots, reminiscent of Sweetener’s critically-acclaimed bops, yet it forges its own path with a narrative arc of raw introspection. I Wish I Hated You capturing the tremble of heartbreak in Grande’s voice, a vulnerability that’s as gripping as it is genuine. The album’s storytelling prowess is unmatched, beginning with the existential musings of Intro End of the World and culminating in the grandmotherly wisdom featured in Ordinary Things [feat. Nonna], which was actually in the news earlier on in the month for Nonna being one of the oldest women to dominate the charts.

Fans have latched onto Bye,”because it sounds like the leaked (and much wanted still) Fantasize,” while We Can’t Be Friends – debuted on SNL – has become an instant fan favourite. She also released a Slightly Deluxe album where Troye Sivan made an appearance on the remix of Supernatural and Troye is so in right now that this song is a replay always.

5. Dangerous Woman

If Dangerous Woman is your favourite album, you will refuse to hear anyone out that any album is worth your time, and I respect that. The lead single Dangerous Woman will never not be a good song! This album gave birth to Greedy, Side to Side and Be Alright which are some of Ari’s most iconic songs that everyone and their nan will know. This era really changed things for us all and gave us a whole new version of herself. Forever a Dangerous Woman fan.

6. Yours, Truly

I know that this album has a special place in every Arianators heart, and that is why it pained me to have to even rank it this low especially when you remember this album gave us Tattooed Heart. This album is still very much of a bop, but it just has more skips on it than the other albums for me (sorry). This album was the iconic career paving introduction into the music industry that Ari gave us when she first found herself, and it will always and forever be iconic. This album is like a time capsule with songs like The Way Ft. Mac Miller with Mac’s smooth rap verses and the nostalgic romance from the past. Honeymoon Avenue. It’s the sweet beginning of what would become an illustrious career, and it leaves us wondering—did we know back then just how big of a star Ari would become? Spoiler alert: we had a hunch.

7. My Everything

This is so pop princess. These are all songs that I want playing in the club or playing in my car after work. Break Free shocked us all when she released that music video and something in the beat just makes you go slightly feral. Then we have Problem [feat. Iggy Azalea], Love Me Harder and Bang Bang [feat. Jessie J and Nicki Minaj]. You just know that if Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande are collaborating on a song together it is gonna be good, and they dropped bops and bops since this one.

Miss her high pony tho.

Honourable Mention: Christmas and Chill

Honourable mention to one of the most overviewed albums that Ari has ever released. Every one of these songs is a bop. You have definitely danced on TikTok to December and blasted Santa Tell Me over the Christmas hols. This is a Christmas album with no skips – is it too early to start listening to it yet?

Related articles recommended by this writer:

• All the most heart-breaking lyrics on Ariana Grande’s new album, ranked

• Explaining the savage lyrics and meaning behind The Boy Is Mine by Ariana Grande

• In defence of Ariana Grande and her ‘boyfriend stealing’ behaviour

Featured image credit via UGM Recordings