Thank U, Next (album)

This article is about the album. For its title track, see Thank U, Next (song).

Thank U, NextStudio album by Ariana Grande
General information
Artist	Ariana Grande
Release Date	February 8, 2019
Recorded	October 1, 2018 - December 4, 2018
Label	Republic Records
Producer(s)	Ariana Grande (exec.), Tommy Brown, "Pop" Wansel, Happy Perez
Studio albums chronology
Previous	Sweetener
Current	Thank U, Next
Singles from Thank U, Next
1. "Thank U, Next" Released: November 3, 2018 2. "7 Rings" Released: January 18, 2019

Thank U, Next (stylized in all lowercase) is Ariana Grande's upcoming fifth studio album scheduled to be released on February 8, 2019 through Republic Records. Thank U, Next is the result of a two months work of recording starting on October 1, 2018 and finishing on December 4.

Two singles were released from the album, and both debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. With this, Thank U, Next joined Daydream by Mariah Carey as the only albums by female artists to have multiple songs debut at number one. Grande also joined Carey (3) and Britney Spears (2) as the only female artists with multiple number-one debuts; overall she is the fifth artist after Justin Bieber (2) and Drake (2).

Background

During the Sweetener livestream on August 16, 2018, Grande confirmed that she would start working on her next album in September 2018. Tommy Brown shared a short snippet of a song on his Instagram story on October 4, 2018. Later that day, Grande shared a 45-second-snippet of a song on her Instagram with the caption "tell me how good it feels to be needed" which are lyrics from a song, later revealed to be titled "Needy".

On November 1, 2018, Grande revealed on Twitter that she was finishing the album, but she later deleted the tweet. On November 3, 2018, Grande confirmed the title of the album, Thank U, Next.

Following the release of the album's lead single, it was leaked a picture of a sheet featuring a possible track listing, apparently written by Grande. The picture featured songs, at that time unknown, titled "NASA", "Imagine", "7 Rings", "Fake Smile", "In My Head", "Remember", "Make Up" and "Ghostin", of which all of them were confirmed months later, except "Remember" which was replaced by "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored".

A music video for Grande's single "Breathin", from her previous album Sweetener, was released on November 7, 2018. In the video, a short scene shows a departures board, where some possible tracks from Thank U, Next are listed, including "NASA", "Imagine" and "Needy". Also, another short scene shows the board in the background blurred. Fans noted more possible songs "Make Up", "7 Rings", "Ghostin" and "Remember". Grande also teased "Imagine", "7 Rings" and "Needy" on the music video for the album's title track, "Thank U, Next", released in November 2018.

On December 4, 2018, Grande revealed on Twitter that the album was finished. In an interview with Billboard, the album was described as "deep, bass-driven bangers with trap beats alternating with airy, sad ballads".

On January 3, 2019, Grande confirmed on Twitter that "7 Rings" would be the second single from the album. The album will be available for pre-order on January 25, 2019. Its track listing was revealed on January 22, 2018 on Instagram.

Cover art

Grande said that there will be a different version for the physical and digital album cover art.

The digital version of the cover was revealed on January 23, 2019 and Grande stated that this was her favorite one yet. It features an upside down picture of Grande, shot by Alfredo Flores, with the title of the album painted on her neck by Brian Nicholson in a pink background. While the phsyical version, revealed two days later, features a black background.

Recording

On October 1, 2018, Grande uploaded a photo at studio on her Instagram story. A day later, she uploaded more photos and revealed that at least nine songs were recorded, tagging songwriters and producers Kaydence, Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx, Tommy Brown, Scootie and Mikey (from Social House).

The following is a list of dates on which Grande has been in the studio:

• October 1, 2018
• October 2, 2018
• October 3, 2018
• October 4, 2018
• October 5, 2018
• October 6, 2018
• October 7, 2018
• October 8, 2018
• October 9, 2018
• October 10, 2018
• October 11, 2018
• October 12, 2018
• October 22, 2018
• October 24, 2018
• October 26, 2018
• October 30, 2018
• November 9, 2018
• November 11, 2018
• November 27, 2018
• November 28, 2018
• November 29, 2018
• December 4, 2018

Singles

The lead single and title track, "Thank U, Next", was released on November 3, 2018.

The second single, "7 Rings", was released on January 18, 2019.

Promotional singles

A promotional single, "Imagine", was released on December 14, 2018.

Tour

Main article: Sweetener World Tour

Grande confirmed that the tour for her album Sweetener will be combined with Thank U, Next. The dates for the North American leg of the Sweetener World Tour were announced on October 25, 2018 and will begin on March 18, 2019.

Trivia

• This is Grande’s first studio album on which she co-wrote every track.

Gallery

Track listing

Standard Edition
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Imagine"	Ariana Grande, Andrew Wansel, Nathan Perez, Priscilla Renea, Jameel Roberts	Wansel, Perez	3:32
2.	"Needy"	Grande, Tommy Brown, Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx
3.	"NASA"	Grande, Brown, Charles Anderson, Monét, Parx
4.	"Bloodline"	Grande, Max Martin, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Savan Kotecha
5.	"Fake Smile"	Grande, Wansel, Perez, Renea, Kennedi Lykken, Justin Tranter, Joseph W. Frierson, Mary Lou Frierson
6.	"Bad Idea"	Grande, Martin, Salmanzadeh, Kotecha
7.	"Make Up"	Grande, Brown, Parx, Monét, Brian Malik Baptiste
8.	"Ghostin"	Grande, Martin, Monét, Salmanzadeh, Kotecha
9.	"In My Head"	Grande, Brittany Chi Coney, Denisia Andrews, Wansel, Perez, Lindel Deon Nelson Jr., Roberts
10.	"7 Rings"	Grande, Brown, Anderson, Michael Foster, Monét, Parx, Njomza Vitia, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Kimberly Krysiuk	Brown, Anderson, Foster	2:58
11.	"Thank U, Next"	Grande, Brown, Foster, Anderson, Parx, Monét, Vitia, Krysiuk	Brown, Anderson, Foster	3:27
12.	"Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored"	Grande, Martin, Salmanzadeh, Kotecha, Kandi Burruss, Kevin Briggs

Cut tracks

• "Remember"