Eternal Sunshine (album)
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''Eternal Sunshine'' is the seventh studio album by American singer
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
. It was released on March 8, 2024, by
Republic Records Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
. It is her first new album in over three years, following the release of ''Positions'' (2020). Written and produced by Grande, Max Martin,
Ilya Salmanzadeh Ilya Salmanzadeh (; born 19 September 1986 in Stockholm), known mononymously as ILYA, is a Swedish-Persian songwriter, producer and singer. He rose to prominence outside of Sweden after co-writing and producing Ariana Grande's " Problem" and Je ...
, and
Oscar Görres Oscar Michael Görres (born 20 March 1986), also known as OzGo, is a Swedish record producer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for writing and producing songs with the likes of Marina Diamandis, MARINA, Taylor Swift, 5 Seconds of Summer, ...
amongst others, ''Eternal Sunshine'' is a
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
and R&B album with dance music influences, particularly
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
and
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
, characterized by mid-tempo
synthesizer A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
s, subtle guitar and
string String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
elements. Grande derived the album's title from the 2004 American film ''
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'' (also simply known as ''Eternal Sunshine'') is a 2004 American romantic science fiction drama film written by Charlie Kaufman, directed by Michel Gondry, and starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. P ...
''. She conceived the album as a record of both vulnerability and entertainment, inspired by her personal life experiences. Upon release, ''Eternal Sunshine'' received acclaim from critics for its restrained vocals and music, and the emotional vulnerability of the subject matter, while some critiqued the songwriting as unrefined. In the United States, the album opened at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, marking her sixth number-one on the chart. Its first two singles " Yes, And?" and " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" debuted atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making Grande the woman with the most Hot 100 number-one debuts. ''Eternal Sunshine'' topped the record charts in thirteen other countries. Grande promoted and discussed the album on programs hosted by radio personalities
Zach Sang Zach Sang is an American radio DJ. Early life Sang worked in a local grocery store when he began broadcasting from his parents' home in Wayne, New Jersey at 14 years old. Sang was interested in the local news and studied Al Roker and Bill Evans ...
and Zane Lowe and was the musical guest of '' Saturday Night Live'' on March 9, 2024. She performed music from the album at the 2024 Met Gala and on '' The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. The standard edition of ''Eternal Sunshine'' does not contain guest musical acts, but features spoken words from Grande's maternal grandmother Marjorie Grande on "Ordinary Things" and astrologer Diana Garland on " Saturn Returns Interlude". An extended edition of the album, including versions of four tracks from the standard album, was released on March 10, 2024. The additional tracks feature Australian singer Troye Sivan and American singer
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
.


Background

On May 12, 2022, 19 months after the release of her sixth studio album, '' Positions'' (2020),
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
clarified that she would not be recording another album until she is done filming '' Wicked'' (2024), the film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, in which she portrays the character Glinda. In October 2023, she first jokingly hinted at a forthcoming album by posting "ag7: goat mother" as an
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
caption. A set of pictures included a photo of her with Swedish producer and long-time collaborator Max Martin at
Jungle City Studios Jungle City Studios is a recording studio owned and operated by Ann Mincieli, Alicia Keys's longtime engineer and studio coordinator. Located in Chelsea, Manhattan, it was designed by John Storyk of Walters-Storyk Design Group. Recordings at Ju ...
in New York City. On December 7 and December 17, 2023, Grande shared a series of pictures and video clips working in recording studios and her editing audio files. As opposed to previous eras, she specifically stated that there would be no song snippets for the upcoming record. On December 27, 2023, the singer confirmed a 2024 album release via her social media. She posted a carousel of videos on her Instagram that show her crying in a recording studio and her mother Joan dancing to a new song of hers, amongst others. She captioned the post "See you next year" and tagged several accounts, including Swedish musician
Ilya Salmanzadeh Ilya Salmanzadeh (; born 19 September 1986 in Stockholm), known mononymously as ILYA, is a Swedish-Persian songwriter, producer and singer. He rose to prominence outside of Sweden after co-writing and producing Ariana Grande's " Problem" and Je ...
, music video director Christian Breslauer, and
Republic Records Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
. She referred to the picture of her crying and another one which depicts her dancing as the "two moods of the album". Packages with
R.E.M. Beauty R.E.M. Beauty is a cosmetics brand by Ariana Grande, that was launched on November 12, 2021. History In August 2021, several billboards appeared across Times Square in New York City, saying "r.e.m. coming soon." The pop singer and actress lat ...
's On Your Collar lipstick in the shade "Attention" including a defocused close-up shot of Grande's red lips and the caption of an Instagram post she would make a few days after delivery, were sent to fans. On January 17, 2024, Grande announced the album, its title ''Eternal Sunshine'', and release date via her social media.


Conception

Grande described ''Eternal Sunshine'' as "kind of a
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
" comprising "different heightened pieces of the same story, of the same experience". She explained that the record spans from "really vulnerable" songs to playful tracks which see her emulating "what people kind of expect me to be sometimes and having fun with it". Wendy Goldstein, co-president of Republic Records, described the record as an "elevated version" of Grande's previous albums, calling it an embodiment of "'' Sweetener'' meets ..'' Thank U, Next''".


Recording and production

In a video shared to her social media of her previewing some songs of the album to Republic Records personnel, Grande revealed that after the
2023 SAG-AFTRA strike From July 14 to November 9, 2023, the American actors' union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) was on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producer ...
forced the filming of ''Wicked'' to be paused temporarily, she "came
o the studio O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), plu ...
and begun work on the record that September. She further revealed that she worked with Max Martin for a few weeks, and handled production on her own as well. "Proper" vocal recordings and orchestrations were arranged in November. Work on the album concluded in late December 2023. Referring to the period of making ''Eternal Sunshine'', Grande stated that "things erekind of just pouring out and happening very quickly".


Music and lyrics

''Eternal Sunshine'' is a
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
and R&B album that features elements of dance music, especially
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
and
house music House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...
. Helen Brown of '' The Independent'' described it as a "slow-fizz pop" album, consisting of mid-tempo
synths A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and f ...
,
strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
and muted guitar. Jem Aswad of '' Variety'' felt that Martin and Salmanzadeh imbued the album with a "very Swedish vibe and structure to the tracks" inspired by classic pop, a style atypical of
Anglo-American Anglo-Americans are people who are English-speaking inhabitants of Anglo-America. It typically refers to the nations and ethnic groups in the Americas that speak English as a native language, making up the majority of people in the world who spe ...
musicians. Lyrically, the album is a combination of both "ultra-confident and entirely self-deprecating" themes, inspired by Grande's personal relationships. ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' described it as an introspective record—one in which Grande reflects on herself as she enters her 30s in age.


Songs

''Eternal Sunshine'' begins with the opening track, " Intro (End of the World)", which primarily includes strings and a morose guitar. The song begins with Grande posing the question, "How can I tell if I'm in the right relationship?", describing her anxieties with her partner, and the possibility of its end. The second song, " Bye", was described by Grande as the hardest song on the album for her to write, saying "It was hard for the reason that I desperately didn't want it to sound like a 'fuck you.' I wanted it to sound like, 'I need to leave, so bye'". Grande wanted the song to have a sense of self-awareness and accountability, rather than being completely dismissive. It is an uptempo
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
number with influences of
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
and Philadelphia soul. The third track, "Don't Wanna Break Up Again", is a gloomy, '90s influenced pop and R&B song that discusses conflicting feelings Grande has towards the end of her relationship with her partner. While referring to her relationship as a "situationship" that she's aware needs to end, the song shows a reluctancy to go through with ending the marriage and describes the steps she went through to try to save it, i.e. therapy. '' Rolling Stone'' described the first three tracks of the album as "seventies pop". The album's interlude, " Saturn Returns", prominently samples a YouTube video of astrologer Diana Garland, as she discusses the importance of the age of 29 in a person's life. She urges the listener to "wake up" and "sort out who you really are" before the album's fifth and title track. The interlude fades directly into " Eternal Sunshine", during which Ariana seems to come to terms with the faults of her partner and their relationship. In the track, she hints that ex-husband, Delton Gomez may have cheated during their relationship and displays an uncertainty towards her future over an "R&B-pop" beat. "Supernatural", the sixth track on the album, has a low-tempo beat. The lyrics are about how Grande is in love with someone and is inseparable. Grande lets this love take over her entire state of mind. The lyrics also show that Grande is healing from heartbreak and is ready to love again. Billboard ranked "Supernatural" number 8 out of ''Eternal Sunshine'', and compared it to " Breathin'" from ''Sweetener'', as both songs are "undeniable home runs and surefire pure-pop smashes." The seventh track, " True Story", and eighth track, " The Boy is Mine", were intentionally placed together in the track list and are both described as R&B songs echoing music from the ' 90s a nd 2000s. The former is described by Grande as "an untrue story based on all untrue events" and sees her address the press who create rumors and "pray for her demise" for fun. It is a mid-tempo R&B track with a "slinky bounce" and elements of G-funk in its production. The latter song is a "bass-heavy" R&B song with lyrics about being infatuated with a man Grande believes she is destined to be with. It was inspired by the positive reactions received from the leaked track, " Fantasize", by her fans. The song is an "elevated version of the leak" and also a "reimagining" of the 1998 song of the same name. The ninth track and lead single of the album, " Yes, And?" is an uptempo and "effervescent"
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
-
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
song with elements of
ballroom A ballroom or ballhall is a large room inside a building, the primary purpose of which is holding large formal parties called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions and palaces, especially historic man ...
in its production. Following "Yes, And?" is the tenth track, " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)", which served as the album's second single. The synth-wave influenced synth-pop song has been described as having a double meaning, with Grande speaking about a past lover, as well as her relationship with the press. "I Wish I Hated You" is a vulnerable and honest ballad that sees Grande confessing that she wishes her partner was worse to her in order for her to find closure and move on. The eleventh track features a minimalistic electro-pop production.


Release and promotion

Republic Records released ''Eternal Sunshine'' on March 8, 2024. It was issued via streaming, download, five CD variants, and six vinyl LP variants. Pre-orders began on January 17, the day the album was announced. On March 10, a digital extended edition of the album, called "Slightly Deluxe", was surprise-released via Grande's webstore; featuring four bonus tracks including a remix of "Supernatural" with Troye Sivan, and the pre-released
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
remix of " Yes, And?". The "Slightly Deluxe" edition was released to streaming services the day after. In July 2024, Grande revealed that a deluxe version of the album was in development, but not set for release "any time super soon" due to her promotional commitments for ''Wicked''.


Marketing

The tracklist of the album was not unveiled entirely at once. Grande revealed song titles and their track order on separate days, starting on January 27, 2024, with tracks 1, 5, and "Yes, And?" as track 9. Tracks 2, 6, and 10 were revealed on February 7, followed by tracks 3, 7, and 11 on February 17, and tracks 4, 8, 12, and 13 on February 27. Additionally, Grande revealed some lyrics from the album via her social media on February 27. A teaser for the album, featuring the singer at a photo shoot for one of the cover artworks, was released on March 6, 2024. Grande appeared on the '' Zach Sang Show'' on Amazon Music for a double-episode interview to discuss the album. The first episode was released on February 27, 2024, and was centered around the creative process. The second episode was released on March 8, wherein she details each song. Grande was then interviewed about the album by Zane Lowe for Apple Music 1, which was broadcast on March 7. She appeared on '' The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' on June 6, 2024, to discuss '' Wicked'' (2024) and the third single "The Boy Is Mine"; it marked her first late-night TV interview since 2021 and eleventh appearance on the show. Grande was the guest for a two-part episode of Penn Badgley's podcast ''Podcrushed''; the first part was released on June 12, followed by the second on June 17. She appeared on an episode of the ''Shut Up Evan'' podcast on July 9, 2024.


Title and artwork

The title of the album is a reference to the film ''
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'' (also simply known as ''Eternal Sunshine'') is a 2004 American romantic science fiction drama film written by Charlie Kaufman, directed by Michel Gondry, and starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. P ...
'' (2004). It stars
Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...
, who Grande has expressed she's a fan of and whose show, ''
Kidding ''Kidding'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Dave Holstein that premiered on September 9, 2018, on Showtime. The series stars Jim Carrey, Frank Langella, Judy Greer, Cole Allen, Juliet Morris, and Catherine Keener. Michel ...
'', she had guest-starred on. The title ''Eternal Sunshine'' was teased via two
Easter eggs Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian feast of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are common during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The oldest tra ...
. The first was in the opening scene of the music video of the lead single, "Yes, And?". It depicts a red card that has the acronym "AG7" on the frontside, with the geographical coordinates 41.0359° N, 71.9545° W mentioned below it—which locate
Montauk, New York Montauk ( ) is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, on the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 4,318. The ...
, a key location of the film. The second was when Grande shared a few
lines Line most often refers to: * Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity * Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to: Arts ...
of Alexander Pope's poem '' Eloisa to Abelard'' on her Instagram, including: "Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!". Seven cover variants of ''Eternal Sunshine'' were issued: a standard vinyl cover, four DTC variations via Grande's website, a retail-exclusive CD cover (which also serves as the " Yes, And? single artwork), and a
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
-exclusive in the United States. The digital cover depicts the back of Grande's head, with her dressed in a white outfit and her blonde hair styled in a ponytail, resting on the shoulder of a similarly dressed woman that is "a clone of herself". Three covers, and the "Yes, And?" cover, were unveiled with the album's announcement. The remaining three alternate covers were revealed throughout January and February. Through the promotional material of the album, Grande sports a Maison Margiela outfit—a white bodysuit and a pair of red tulle gloves. She stated that the different artworks "capture the emotional ups and downs of the album".


Singles

" Yes, And?", the lead single of ''Eternal Sunshine'', was released on January 12, 2024, via streaming services. It was also issued in 7-inch, CD single and cassette formats. The song's accompanying music video was released on the same day via Grande's Vevo channel on YouTube. The title of the song was teased by Grande days before release when she was photographed wearing a sweatshirt with the title printed on the front. "Yes, And?" debuted atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, marking Grande's eighth number-one single in the US. It also topped the Global 200, Global Excl. US, and
Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
; and reached the top five in numerous countries including Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Multiple versions and mixes of the song were released, including a remix featuring Mariah Carey in February. On February 5, Grande announced via her social media that no more pre-release singles would follow "Yes, And?". Explaining her reason, Grande said that she wanted fans to "experience 'Eternal Sunshine''in full this time", but did confirm that singles will be released after the album. " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" followed as the second single on March 8, 2024. The song was also released via CD, cassette, and 7-inch vinyl. Its music video—which co-starred actor Evan Peters—was described by Grande as her "own short version of 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind''. The song debuted atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, marking Grande's ninth chart-topper and seventh number-one debut. With this, Grande surpassed Taylor Swift as the woman with the most number-one debuts on the chart. "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" also topped the Global 200, and the charts in six other countries, including New Zealand, Malaysia, and United Arab Emirates. The song became Grande's tenth number-one on the ''Billboard'' Pop Airplay chart, where it spent two weeks at the summit. The eighth track on ''Eternal Sunshine'', titled " The Boy Is Mine", went viral on TikTok due to a dance trend associated with the song, and received multiple celebrity cosigns online. On May 7, Grande confirmed fans' theories via her Instagram that it would be released as the next single. The music video for the song—co-starring actor Penn Badgley and featuring cameos from
Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
and
Monica Monica may refer to: People *Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress *Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
—was released on June 7, four days before it impacted US contemporary hit radio as the album's third single. ''Variety'' called the music video "theatrical". A remix of the track featuring Brandy and Monica—whose 1998 duet inspired Grande's song—was released on June 21, 2024. Physical editions of the solo and remix versions were released in late July. "The Boy Is Mine" peaked within the top 20 on the Global 200, and in Canada and the US. Christian Breslauer directed the visuals for all of the three singles. Grande's website displays six folders, with the first three having the names of the first three singles. Speculations rose that it was an indication the album may have three more singles.


Performances

Grande appeared as the musical guest on the March 9, 2024, episode of '' Saturday Night Live''. It marked her third appearance on the show and her first since 2016. She performed "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" and " Imperfect for You". Grande attended and was the surprise performer at the 2024 Met Gala in New York City on May 6, 2024. She performed the album's first three singles alongside " Into You", " 7 Rings", '' Sleeping Beauty'' (1959)'s " Once Upon A Dream", and a cover duet of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey's 1998 single, "
When You Believe "When You Believe" is a song from the 1998 DreamWorks musical animated feature ''The Prince of Egypt''. It was written and composed by Stephen Schwartz. A pop single version of "When You Believe", with additional music and lyrics by writer-prod ...
", with Cynthia Erivo. Grande served as the musical guest for the June 6, 2024, episode of ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'', where she performed "The Boy Is Mine".


Critical reception

On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from professional publications, ''Eternal Sunshine'' received a weighted mean score of 84, based on 19 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". In a rave review, Brittany Spanos of '' Rolling Stone'' commended ''Eternal Sunshine'' as "some of the most honest and inventive music of her career" and dubbed the album as an "instant classic". Various other critics, such as '' NME'' Nick Levine, AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung, '' Clash'' Emma Harrison, '' The Guardian'' Laura Snapes, and '' The New York Times'' Lindsay Zoladz, dubbed it one of Grande's stronger, most sophisticated albums yet, highlighting the perceived maturity of its subject matter. The album's musical tonality was often complimented. Harry Tafoya of '' Pitchfork'', Moses Jeanfrancois of '' Beats Per Minute'', Jem Aswad of ''Variety,'' and Mary Siroky of '' Consequence'' emphasized Grande's "raw", subtle and restrained vocals, which they thought focused on texture instead of showcasing her vocal range. Zoladz regarded ''Eternal Sunshine'' one of Grande's "texturally consistent" releases. In contrast, Helen Brown of ''The Independent'' found this tone rather conversational, lacking "strong melodic snags". A number of critics offered criticism on the album's songwriting. Poppie Platt of '' The Daily Telegraph'' and David Cobbald of '' The Line of Best Fit'' regarded the album a "slickly" produced pop record, albeit with some underwhelming tracks and simple lyrics. According to Tafoya, Grande often settles for " stock phrases or scrambles for
syllable A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds typically made up of a syllable nucleus (most often a vowel) with optional initial and final margins (typically, consonants). Syllables are often considered the phonological "bu ...
s", while Siroky observed a lack of conceptual focus in the lyrics, and Green claimed some tracks to be insubstantial. In an unfavorable review, Robert Sona of ''
Sputnikmusic Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
'' blamed the songwriting for making the album an "unambitious" output. Several reviews praised Martin's production, emphasizing his stylistic influence on ''Eternal Sunshine''. Sona credited Grande's "concise" team of producers—Martin, Salmanzadeh and Davidior—for helping the album feel like "a singular and shapely work of art" unlike ''Positions''. Jeanfrancois considered the sound a return to 1990s' R&B, "something that has been avidly requested" by fans and critics. However, ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' Sal Cinquemani agreed with Platt in critiquing the album for not venturing outside Grande's familiar music styles. ''Eternal Sunshine'' perceived status as a "divorce album" sparked a critical debate. Snapes described the album as a perceptive, "post-divorce" record. Tafoya opined ''Eternal Sunshine'' is not "as cohesive of a divorce record" as Adele's '' 30'' (2021), whereas Jeanfrancois said it is "by no means a divorce album".


Commercial performance

On its release day, ''Eternal Sunshine'' received 58.1 million streams on Spotify globally, setting the record for the most-streamed album in a single day in 2024, at the time. All 12 chart-eligible tracks from the album simultaneously appeared on both the ''Billboard'' Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts. On the former, ten tracks appeared within the top-25 region, led by " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)," which debuted at number-one on both charts, the album's second chart-topper after " Yes, And?".


United States

''Eternal Sunshine'' debuted at number-one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart with 227,000 album-equivalent units, including 194.92 million on-demand streams and 77,000 album sales in its first week. It became Grande's sixth number-one album and her third-largest opening week sales, trailing behind '' Thank U, Next'' (360,000) and '' Sweetener'' (231,000). It was the most consumed album of the week, debuting at number-one on both ''Billboard'' Top Streaming Albums and Top Album Sales charts, marking Grande's sixth chart-topper on the latter. Furthermore, it became her second number-one album on the ''Billboard'' Vinyl Albums chart. With 33,000 vinyl sales, Grande had her best vinyl sales week yet, exceeding '' Positions'' (32,000). At the time of its release, ''Eternal Sunshine'' achieved the largest US sales debut of 2024, surpassing Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign's ''
Vultures 1 ''Vultures 1'' is the debut studio album by the American hip hop supergroup ¥$, composed of the rapper Kanye West and the singer Ty Dolla Sign. It was released independently by the former's YZY brand on February 10, 2024. Guest appearanc ...
'' (148,000 units). In its second week, the album remained at number one on the chart, with a furthered 100,500 album-equivalent units, including 115.05 million on-demand streams and 13,000 album sales. It was Grande's third consecutive album to spend its first two weeks at number one, following ''Thank U, Next'' and ''Positions''. In its third week, the album slipped to number three on the chart, moving 72,000 units. ''Eternal Sunshine'' spent six consecutive weeks in the top ten of the chart. Following the restocking of a signed CD on Grande's webstore, the album ascended to the eighth spot of the chart on the issue dated July 6, 2024, spending a seventh non-consecutive week in the top ten region. On the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart issue dated March 23, 2024, all 12 chart-eligible tracks appeared simultaneously, becoming Grande's third consecutive album to do so, following ''Thank U, Next'' (12 songs) and ''Positions'' (14 songs). 11 of them were new entries; 10 of those songs appeared in the top 40. Grande's career Hot 100 count expanded to 85 entries, tying her with
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
for the third-most among women. The number-one debut of the second single "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" marked Grande's first instance of simultaneously debuting atop both the ''Billboard'' 200 and Hot 100 charts. It also made her the first woman to have two albums with multiple number-one debuts in the US, after ''Thank U, Next'' (2019). Additionally, Grande's grandmother, Marjorie Grande, made her first appearance on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with the album track "Ordinary Things," credited as Nonna; this made Marjorie the oldest act ever to have appeared on the Hot 100, at the age of 98. Aided by the album's strong chart-performance, Grande ascended to number-one on the ''Billboard''
Artist 100 The Artist 100 is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. The ''Billboard'' Artist 100 combines performance across the Hot 100 chart, the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart, and the Internet-centric Social 50 chart. The Artist 10 ...
chart for the sixteenth non-consecutive week, the sixth-most for any artist since the chart's inception. Furthermore, it also marked Grande's first instance of reaching the top of both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts. This made her the fourth artist and second woman ever to top the Artist 100, Hot 100, ''Billboard'' 200, Hot 100 Songwriters, and Hot 100 Producers charts simultaneously. She remained at number-one on the Hot 100 Songwriters chart for two consecutive weeks.


International

In the United Kingdom, ''Eternal Sunshine'' debuted at number-one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Grande's fifth consecutive number-one album. It also debuted at number-one on the UK's
Official Vinyl Albums Chart The Official Vinyl Albums Chart is a weekly record chart in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the music industry. It lists the top 40 most popular albums in the vinyl format each week. The chart, al ...
. With five number-one albums each, Grande joined Celine Dion and Lady Gaga as the female artists with the sixth-most number-one albums in the United Kingdom. It remained at number-one for two consecutive weeks. Furthermore, the album's singles " Yes, And?" and " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" both peaked at number-two on the UK Singles Chart. The album also debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart, marking Grande's fifth consecutive number-one album in Ireland. In Canada, ''Eternal Sunshine'' debuted atop the ''Billboard''
Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocea ...
, earning Grande her fifth number-one album there. It remained at number-one for two consecutive weeks. Upon release, all 12 chart-eligible tracks from the album appeared simultaneously on the
Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
. " Yes, And?" debuted at number-one, becoming Grande's seventh chart-topper, and " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" debuted at number-three, marking her 23rd top ten hit in the country. On
Luminate Luminate may refer to: * Luminate (band), an American contemporary Christian music band * Luminate (company), a music sales data provider * Luminate Education Group Luminate Education Group (formerly Leeds City College Group) brings together a n ...
's 2024 midyear music report, ''Eternal Sunshine'' ranked as the tenth best-selling album of the year as of July with 91,000 total album-equivalent units, which consisted of 6,000 album sales, 8,000 song sales, 110.3 million on-demand audio streams, and 4.4 million on-demand video streams. In Australia, ''Eternal Sunshine'' debuted at number-one on the ARIA Albums Chart, marking Grande's fifth chart-topping album in the country. It remained at number-one for three consecutive weeks. Furthermore, seven tracks from the album appeared simultaneously on the ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart, with " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" debuting at number-two, becoming Grande's 20th top-ten hit in the country and the highest-charting song from the album, alongside " Yes, And?" which formerly peaked at number-two. In New Zealand, ''Eternal Sunshine'' debuted atop the NZ Top 40 Albums Chart, becoming Grande's fifth chart-topping album there. It remained at number-one for two consecutive weeks. Furthermore, nine tracks from the album simultaneously appeared on the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, with " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" becoming Grande's seventh number-one single and the highest-charting single from the album, surpassing " Yes, And?" which formerly peaked at number-three.


Impact

''Eternal Sunshine'' was the subject of major media attention prior to and after its release. The album's visual aesthetic was recreated by numerous brands. '' Vanity Fair'''s Savannah Walsh stated that in the hours after the album's release, viewership of ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'' had doubled on
Vudu Vudu is an American digital video store and streaming service owned by Fandango Media, a joint-venture between NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery. The company offers transactional video on demand rentals and digital purchases of films, ...
, according to Fandango. Following the album's release,
Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
and
Monica Monica may refer to: People *Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress *Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...
's " The Boy Is Mine" was up 18% in US streams due to ''Eternal Sunshine'''s song of the same name, according to ''Billboard''. Several artists such as Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Cynthia Erivo, Olivia Rodrigo,
Megan Thee Stallion Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion (pronounced "Megan the Stallion"), is an American rapper and songwriter. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her ...
, Billie Eilish, Tate McRae, Selena Gomez, Normani, and JT from
City Girls City Girls is an American hip hop duo consisting of Yung Miami (Caresha Romeka Brownlee; born February 1994) and JT (Jatavia Shakara Johnson; born December 1992). The duo originate from Miami, Florida, and garnered attention after making an un ...
praised the album and expressed excitement for its release. '' Forbes'' discussed Grande's strong chart performance and quick accumulation of chart-toppers on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, following ''Eternal Sunshine'''s singles " Yes, And?" and " We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)" debuting atop the chart, setting "Ariana Grande seems to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 any time she has a new single to share with the masses. The American public loves her and the music she makes; randehas scored all nine of her Hot 100 leaders in just over half a decade. That's an incredibly short span of time to earn that many champions, considering there are many, many other artists who have yet to come even close to that sum, even though they've been attempting to do so for longer than Grande has". In a review of ''Eternal Sunshine'', '' York Visions Matthew Ennis also stated the "Music Icon Status" that Grande possesses in
music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...
and emphasized how "''Eternal Sunshine'' is just another example of Grande's visionary skills as an artist who deserves her legacy as one of the most defining musical talents of our time".


Track listing

; Notes * All track titles except "Saturn Returns Interlude" are stylized in all lowercase. * "Saturn Return Interlude" contains an excerpt from astrologist Diana Garland.


Personnel

Musicians *
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
– lead vocals, background vocals (all tracks); programming (track 4) * Shintaro Yasuda – keyboards, programming (tracks 1, 5, 8); drums (5, 8) * Nick Lee – keyboards, programming, trombone (tracks 1, 13); bass, drums (13) * Aaron Cheung – bass, guitar, programming, synthesizer, violin (track 1) * Max Martin – keyboards (tracks 2, 3, 5–10, 12); background vocals, bass, drums (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7–10, 12); guitar (tracks 2, 7, 10, 12), programming (tracks 3, 5–10, 12) * Ilya – background vocals, bass, keyboards, programming (tracks 2–5, 7–12); guitar (2, 7, 10, 12), synthesizer (track 3), piano (tracks 5, 9) *
Mattias Bylund Bengt Axel Mattias Bylund (born 16 June 1970) is a Swedish musician, music arranger and music producer who lives in Gothenburg. In 2016 he received a Grammy Award for string arrangement on Taylor Swift's ''1989 (Taylor Swift album), 1989'' and h ...
– string arrangement, strings, synthesizer (tracks 2, 3);
glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( or , : bells and : set) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the vibraphone. The glo ...
, horns (track 2) * Tomas Jonsson – tenor saxophone (tracks 2, 3) * Peter Jonasson – trombone (tracks 2, 3) * Magnus Johansson – trumpet, violin (tracks 2, 3) * Karl Guner – string arrangement, synthesizer (tracks 2, 3) * Janne Bjerger – trumpet (tracks 2, 3) * Hanna Helgegren – violin (tracks 2, 3) *
Erik Arvinder Erik Arvinder (born 1984) is a Swedish violinist, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, orchestrator and conductor known for his work with artists such as Avicii, Childish Gambino, John Legend, Galantis and deadmau5. Early life and influences Arvi ...
– violin (tracks 2, 3) * Wojtek Goral –
alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...
(track 2) * Michael Engström – bass (track 2) * Lou Carrao – bass (track 2) * David Bukovinszky – cello (track 2) * Per Strandberg – guitar (track 2) * Davidior – keyboards (track 5); drums, programming (track 8) *
Oscar Görres Oscar Michael Görres (born 20 March 1986), also known as OzGo, is a Swedish record producer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for writing and producing songs with the likes of Marina Diamandis, MARINA, Taylor Swift, 5 Seconds of Summer, ...
– bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion, programming (track 6) * Shellback – drums (track 7) * Davide Rossi – cello, string arrangement, viola, violin (track 10) * Luka Kloser – bass, drums, keyboards, programming (track 13) * Troye Sivan – featured artist (track 14) *
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
– featured artist (track 17) Technical *
Randy Merrill Randy Merrill is an American mastering engineer who has worked with international artists including DAY6, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Harry Styles, One Direction, Adele, Imagine Dragons, Beck, Liam Gallagher, Jonas Brothers, Muse, Cage the ...
mastering * Serban Gheneamixing (tracks 1–3, 5–13) * Ilya – mixing (track 4) * Sam Holland – engineering * Lou Carrao – engineering * Bryce Bordone – mixing assistance (tracks 1–3, 5–13) * Eric Eyland – engineering assistance * Rob Sellens – engineering assistance (tracks 2–5, 7–13)


Charts


Weekly charts


Monthly charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

* List of ''Billboard'' 200 number-one albums of 2024 * List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 2020s *
List of number-one albums of 2024 (Canada) These are the Canadian number-one albums of 2024. The chart is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published in Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' magazine as Top Canadian Albums. Number-one albums See also * List of Canadian Hot 100 number-one ...
* List of number-one albums of 2024 (Ireland) * List of number-one albums from the 2020s (New Zealand)


Notes


References


External links

* * {{Authority control 2024 albums Albums produced by Ilya Salmanzadeh Albums produced by Max Martin Ariana Grande albums 2020s concept albums Republic Records albums Pop albums by American artists Contemporary R&B albums by American artists