It’s been just over a week since Ariana Grande released her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, and it can already can be considered a bonafide hit with fans.
After eagerly waiting for three-and-a-half years since her last LP — Positions (2020) — fans sent her to the top of the Billboard 200 chart once again, giving the singer–songwriter her sixth album to reach the coveted number one spot in the US, according to Billboard.
Previously, she reached the Billboard 200’s mountaintop with Positions (2020), Thank U, Next (2019), Sweetener (2018), My Everything (2014) and Yours Truly (2013).
Described as pop and R&B with dance music influences such as house and synth-pop throughout, Eternal Sunshine debuted with 227,000 equivalent album units in the US in the week ending with March 14, according to Luminate, a provider of music and entertainment data.
Eternal Sunshine’s debut also marks the largest week for any 2024 album so far.
Ariana Grande’s new studio album Eternal Sunshine shot to number one on the Billboard 200 chart, one week after its official release on March 8
Described as pop and R&B with dance music influences such as house and synth-pop throughout, Eternal Sunshine debuted with 227,000 equivalent album units in the week ending with March 14, as reported by Billboard
Of the 227,000 equivalent album units, 77,000 of them mark actual sales, 148,000 streaming equivalent units, and 2,000 track sale equivalents, which are composed of people buying one or more songs from the new batch of tunes, but not the whole set.
With the distinction of having the largest week of 2024 so far, Eternal Sunshine surpassed the debut of Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s collaborative side project, Vultures 1, which had earned 148,000 in the chart dated February 24.
Grande’s new release has also been a huge success on a number of platforms that includes Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, among many others.
Eternal Sunshine also topped album charts in Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK, which marks the fifth time she achieved a number-one hit on the Official Album Charts Top 100.
The album consists of 13 tracks, but an extended edition, which dropped on March 10, has four additional songs, including a remixed version of Supernatural with Australian singer Troye Sivan and a remix of Yes, And? with Mariah Carey.
The first version of Yes, And? that is featured on the original release served as the lead single, which also shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart after premiering January 12.
As a result, Morgan Wallen’s One Thing At A Time dropped down to number two on the new Billboard 200, despite an increase of less than 1% to 68,000 equivalent album units earned.
Noah Kahan’s single Stick Season now sits at number three on the Billboard 100.
The singer–songwriter’s first single Yes, And? shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart after debuting January 12
Eternal Sunshine is also her fifth number one hit on the Official Album Charts Top 100
Grande’s second single, We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love), was released in tandem with Eternal Sunshine, which the pop star derived from the sci-fi romantic drama film Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004) starring Jim Carey and Kate Winslet.
Forbes is reporting that there’s a ‘good chance’ her second single will also debut at Number one.
The availability of Grande’s new album is believed to have help bolstered the big first-week sales numbers.
Fans have the option of 12 physical configurations, It’s been just over a week since Ariana Grande released her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, and it can already can be considered a bonafide hit with fans. six vinyl and six CD offerings that all have the same tracklist, along with a standard digital download, offering a clean and explicit versions).
The ‘slightly deluxe’ digital download also offered clean and explicit versions to go along with those four bonus tracks, which are all alternative takes of songs featured on the record that includes Imperfect for You (acoustic) and True Story (a cappella).
The success of Eternal Sunshine can also be attributed to the promotional push by the star herself, who has been out in force, appearing as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on March 9, one day after the official release, and as. presenter for last Sunday’s 96th Academy Awards.
A big world tour in support of the new album would do wonders to boost her already impressive numbers, but at this point even the artist herself is not sure she’ll be able to hit the road for any extensive time.
‘I would love to do shows, I miss being onstage,’ she revealed during an interview on The Zach Sang Show. ‘I miss my fans so much, that’s the honest-to-god truth.’
At this point Grande is not sure she will do a full-fledged tour in support of Eternal Sunshine
The new album has 13 tracks and a ‘slightly deluxe’ version with four more, including the Yes, And? remix with Mariah Carey
Eternal Sunshine’s debut also marks the largest week for any album in the year 2024 to date
Her 2013 debut album Yours Truly peaked at number 7, while her 2014 follow-up My Everything hit number three.
Grande now joins the list of artists with the most UK Number 1 albums to her name, joining the likes of Celine Dion, Prince and Green Day all with five apiece.
Eternal Sunshine has also topped this week’s Official Vinyl Albums Chart, shifting the most wax copies.
Of the album, Republic Records co-president Wendy Goldstein said in a behind-the-scenes video shared by Ariana on Instagram: ‘Between you [Ariana] and Max [Martin] it’ll just be perfect. The vocals are great.
‘The changes, the tempos, the house music of it, then there’s a little R’n’B. It’s you. It’s like an elevated version of all the albums that came before like ‘Sweetener’ meets kind of a Thank U, Next.’
The artist thanked fans for trusting her ‘vision and plan’ for hotly anticipated album.
She continued: ‘You have waited so long for new music from me and I am so grateful for your patience!
‘I look forward to savoring every second of this new era with you all and I sincerely cannot wait for it to be yours!
‘It’s going to be (and already is) so special. I am so excited for all that is to come. More than ever. Love you so so so!!! (sic)’
Grande herself described the record as ‘a concept album’, noting that a lot of the songs are ‘really vulnerable’.
In a previous post on Instagram, she explained how she invited family, friends and members of her team at Republic Records to listen to an advanced preview of the collection.
In a behind-the-scenes video, Republic Records co-president Wendy Goldstein said: ‘The changes, the tempos, the house music of it, then there’s a little R’n’B. It’s you’
‘I’m nervous, but I wanted to share this with you because it’s kind of a concept album,’ she revealed.
‘It’s all different, heightened pieces of the same story [and] of the same experience. I’m weirdly emotional but… this is what’s going on.
‘Some of them are really vulnerable, some of them are [me] playing the part that people expect me to be sometimes and having fun with that.’
Known as one of the most prominent vocalists of her generation for her four-octave vocal range and signature whistle register, Grande has received numerous accolades over the years, including two Grammy Awards, a Brit Award, two Billboard Music Awards and three American Music Awards.
