Positions
by Ariana Grande
  • Record Label: Republic
  • Release Date: Oct 30, 2020
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5940 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,157 out of 5940
  2. Mixed: 417 out of 5940
  3. Negative: 1,366 out of 5940
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  1. Corcho
    Sep 4, 2023
    10
    EL MEJOR DISCO DE LA HISTORIA.


    Un exquisito viaje musical a través de su fase que dejó Ariana en el estaba muy felíz. Entregó excelente lírica, instrumental, producción, estética. La reina del pop es insuperable.
  2. xnicrv
    Aug 26, 2023
    8
    More confident, more sure of herself, more satisfied and sexier. This is what Ariana Grande looks like on her sixth studio album Positions.
    The sound of Positions is certainly new: pop has taken a back seat and contemporary R&B is the real protagonist. Entirely written by the performer herself, assisted by close friends and collaborators, Positions offers some of the freest and most    More confident, more sure of herself, more satisfied and sexier. This is what Ariana Grande looks like on her sixth studio album Positions.
    The sound of Positions is certainly new: pop has taken a back seat and contemporary R&B is the real protagonist. Entirely written by the performer herself, assisted by close friends and collaborators, Positions offers some of the freest and most unfiltered lyrics that Grande has ever sung and performed. Tracks like My Hair, Love Language and Just Like Magic are real anthems to femininity, sexuality, power, and freedom, the central themes of the record.
    Although there are sentimental and intimate ballads such as Off the Table and POV, among the best composed songs by Grande, the main purpose of Positions is the exaltation of a captivating and at times provocative positivity, which wants to leave old painful experiences behind.
    While sticking to an R&B line as strong as ever, it's hard for Grande and her producers to break away from the trap and hip hop influences introduced first with Sweetener, then especially with Thank U, Next. The general production of the record maintains a more than sufficient quality. The main flaw is the weak musical cohesion between the different tracks of the project, which is sometimes fluctuating.
    Textually speaking, Positions sees Grande taking the reins as songwriter more freely, sexily and forcefully than ever before. Nonetheless, qualitatively defining the lyrics of the project in a single way is quite difficult: the attention, care and choice of linguistic register depend on the individual songs. If with the title track, Shut Up, Just Like Magic and Motive Grande keeps herself on a level suitable for a pop star, in Off The Table, Safety Net and POV she surpasses herself, demonstrating a very high compositional ability. The single 34+35, the most sexually explicit song ever performed by Grande, and the track Nasty are instead the most ambiguous songs: frivolous, simple and not at all sentimental, they definitely lower the quality of the album, despite being catchy and captivating.
    The real highlight of the album is undoubtedly Grande's vocal virtuosity. Never so light and powerful at the same time, never so spontaneous, never so clean has Ariana Grande been in the interpretation of her songs. To say that in My Hair her whistle register is jaw-dropping is an understatement.
    Overall, Positions presents itself as a project full of potential. Although difficult to delineate qualitatively in a universal way, it was certainly useful for its interpreter to write more lightheartedly about her life and feelings, to let go of the pressure, and to explore new musical fields; and that's what matters to Grande.    … Expand
  3. Ikaiiiiio
    Aug 16, 2023
    10
    This by far is one of Grande's best albums, it has maturity and comfort ❤️ the queen of pop
  4. Sixthirty76
    Apr 26, 2023
    10
    The best record ever released by one of the only singers who can sing live in the twenty-first century.
  5. patp
    Apr 26, 2023
    7
    Good album and very cohesive overall but probablly not her best. Feels repetitive sometimes.
  6. davifontenelle
    Mar 26, 2023
    6
    Positions, Ariana Grande’s 6th studio album came after a streak in her career. 2 successful albums and the predecessor being her biggest to date. With this said, Positions feels a little bit rushed and one of the weakest albums of the year. Still, there are some highlights in this record, such as “pov”, “safety net” and the vocal masterpiece “my hair”.
  7. marialuizadiasd
    Mar 24, 2023
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. eu amo os vocais da ari nesse álbum aqui, porém o álbum é tão fraquinho na minha humilde opinião. mas não é ruim viu… Expand
  8. Viihgrande
    Mar 23, 2023
    10
    just a perfect album, i love this album and it's so nice to see ariana mature, ariana love you and thank you for this
  9. mymindflies
    Mar 17, 2023
    0
    Too repetitive and singing in a double meaning may not be his best forte, let's hope he can surpass his best album DANGEROUS WOMAN, all the rest is too commercial, it's as if he will think I don't care what to sing I just want to sell!
  10. xxBUTERAxx
    Mar 15, 2023
    10
    10/10. Ariana never misses, whether she goes full pop or mixes it with r&b, she nails it everytime.
  11. alexmeloph
    Mar 14, 2023
    10
    Uno de los mejores álbumes de Ariana hablando de cualquier aspecto, desde letra hasta producción, esperamos con ansias su nuevo álbum porque Ariana nunca decepciona
  12. mattheushmc1
    Mar 13, 2023
    0
    Um álbum muito basiquinho e fraco, do inicio ao fim parece a mesma musica, gosto da ariana, mas esse álbum é extremamente fraco e repetitivo
  13. Gurv707
    Feb 21, 2023
    9
    One of her best albums to date! she delved into genres that she really wanted to previously, and as a whole sounds perfect. some of my favourites came from the deluxe of the album. worst behaviour is EXACTLY what i've ever wanted from her in one song
  14. Gusttavobuter
    Feb 16, 2023
    10
    super well produced perfect album and impeccable vocals, ariana is the queen of pop
  15. lmagxne
    Feb 11, 2023
    10
    Her best album this deserves more, her voice is just amazing like did you hear her vocals?! And the production of the songs its giving very Disney and it suits her voice so well, literally addicted to this album it deserves the word and more miss ari we need more music like positon...ya'll slept on songs like love language or obvious and more...even the deluxe version wich has only 4 newHer best album this deserves more, her voice is just amazing like did you hear her vocals?! And the production of the songs its giving very Disney and it suits her voice so well, literally addicted to this album it deserves the word and more miss ari we need more music like positon...ya'll slept on songs like love language or obvious and more...even the deluxe version wich has only 4 new songs is a masterpiece...sorry for anyone who doesn't have taste apparently… Expand
  16. Ginm_
    Jan 27, 2023
    7
    I don’t know.
    Not a bad album but a little bit repetitive, I would have given to it a 7,5 score if I could.
  17. Iamayrtonvalter
    Jan 15, 2023
    10
    Ariana Grande really knows how to use her voice. With a touch of maturity during her lifetime she was able to express herself better through "positions." The harmonies make Ari a no-remover brand.
  18. talysson8
    Jan 10, 2023
    10
    A masterpiece. Very well produced and mixed.one of the best ariana albums. love it
  19. aestheticmoon
    Dec 17, 2022
    10
    The sound is so perfect for the vibe she was going for and this album is truly so underrated. Just Like Magic is absolutely the best song on this album. I don't know why most people disliked on this album.
    "just like magic", "safety net", "six thirty" ,"nasty" and "pov" are hidden gems . This is my favorite album of hers.
  20. lightnovice
    Dec 17, 2022
    0
    I'm sorry i thought Grande worst album is Sweetener but no Positions replace it. Positions is not impressive taste in our ears. Hope she better learn and improve more after this for her next upcoming album.
  21. chico-smith
    Dec 13, 2022
    8
    I hate that cover lmao but the album itself is very on par with her previous work, not sure why it fell between the chairs like it did. Ariana has solidified herself as a sophisticated pop star, she knows her strengths, she knows her style, she knows what works for her, it may be a rather anemic in performance sometimes compared to previous work (prob what she was going for, knowing she’sI hate that cover lmao but the album itself is very on par with her previous work, not sure why it fell between the chairs like it did. Ariana has solidified herself as a sophisticated pop star, she knows her strengths, she knows her style, she knows what works for her, it may be a rather anemic in performance sometimes compared to previous work (prob what she was going for, knowing she’s tired of just screaming or belting) but the vocals are still out of this world.. there are some top notch ariana golden classics - u just gotta look carefully. For my hoe ass that loves upbeat bubble pop songs - it was the overhated yet infectious 34+35 that stole my heart from the very first listen. I LOVED my hair and love language, to complete a respectable top 3. There are some fillers (uhm, just like magic) but u know that saying about trash and treasure lmao. I think every ariana fan can love this album, it has a lot to offer.… Expand
  22. chenchen
    Oct 29, 2022
    0
    Wow. A heartfelt piece of work. Her most heart wrenching album. Ari puts all her feelings into this album.
  23. miguelcstb
    Oct 28, 2022
    4
    So after listening to "thank u, next" I had some expectation for this album, and they were met, some of them. The production, for example, I think is impeccable. This is such a well produced album... and that's all. This is one of the most mediocre and forgettable albums I've heard. I feel like she made it because she needed something to give to her label. Excluding the production andSo after listening to "thank u, next" I had some expectation for this album, and they were met, some of them. The production, for example, I think is impeccable. This is such a well produced album... and that's all. This is one of the most mediocre and forgettable albums I've heard. I feel like she made it because she needed something to give to her label. Excluding the production and mixing, this album feels rushed, and most of the songs are filllers with mediocre lyrics. Once again, we have a case of an artist with an incredible voice but with zero idea of what to do with it.… Expand
  24. n_netinho
    Oct 24, 2022
    9
    Um album muito bem produzido, porem creio que nem todo mundo irá gostar, mas sim e muito bom
  25. martinezz
    Oct 24, 2022
    10
    Truly her best album,exquisite,i wish it would have had a lot more of promo and of devotion from her and i also wish it was longer and that the deluxe tracks had bridge.
    Although all that,this album is a highlight in the music industry,vocal and lyrical wise.
  26. dxnirns
    Oct 24, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Este album es perfecto. Este es el disco que completa el triangulo de “Sweetener”, “thank u, next”. Es la etapa de superación, un disco lleno de canciones de amor, centrado en el R&B pero con toques Pop y Disco. Mis canciones favoritas son: “off the table (feat. The Weeknd)” y “west side”. La razón por la que no le doy 10 es porqué las canciones de la version Deluxe, se nota que no estan 100% acabadas, son muy buenas y no les saco todo el provecho… Expand
  27. Dracoshi
    Oct 23, 2022
    5
    I really want to love this album, but any time I think about it critically, all I do is compare it negatively to how incredible Ariana's past albums were. Positions isn't necessarily a bad album, it just feels stale to me. There's a severe lack of stand-out songs, the majority of the songs feel too short, the beats all feel too similar, and the lyrics are average. Ariana Grande has one ofI really want to love this album, but any time I think about it critically, all I do is compare it negatively to how incredible Ariana's past albums were. Positions isn't necessarily a bad album, it just feels stale to me. There's a severe lack of stand-out songs, the majority of the songs feel too short, the beats all feel too similar, and the lyrics are average. Ariana Grande has one of the greatest voices of our generation, and I can't help but feel like that is being wasted on an album like this. Dangerous Woman and thank u, next were both masterpieces. I even felt that half of Sweetener was incredible too. And unfortunately Positions can't even hold a candle to them. But hey, at least this album gave us Safety Net, one of the greatest songs Ariana Grande has ever released!… Expand
  28. darkparadise222
    Oct 23, 2022
    10
    Ariana has matured a lot with her musical work! We can consider it an R&B masterpiece ... With a few hints of explicit lyrics and harmonies with his angel voice! Far from being a POP album, however, an album with a sincere vibe.
  29. HONESTREVlEW
    Oct 23, 2022
    9
    her most maturing album sonically, but some of the tracks are way to short. Vocally may be her best work yet, but not enough to get a 10 review.
  30. Alejandrogra
    Oct 23, 2022
    10
    Its magical how her voice sounds in this album, its a masterpiece i love it soooo much
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Most Discussed Album of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Paste Magazine
    Dec 2, 2020
    72
    Grande is making no effort to be discreet, instead explicitly owning her sexuality—the album is called Positions, after all. The juxtaposition of beautiful violin sounds and risqué lyrics has become one of Grande’s signature sounds, and it suits her well.
    Read full review
  2. The Observer (UK)
    Nov 9, 2020
    80
    Grande laid bare may well be seen as a stopgap in her canon, using taboo to checkmate her past trauma, but it does pull off the rare feat of at least sounding effortless.
    Read full review
  3. PopMatters
    Nov 5, 2020
    80
    With little conflict and few psychological insights, Positions zeroes in on the enviable confidence that only pop stars on top of the world and with nothing to lose can afford. It's easy to write it off as empty calories, but pop has always been described in such terms: cake, candy, chocolate, confection. Positions isn't a "sweetener" but pure sugar.
    Read full review
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