Sweetener is Ariana Grande’s fourth and latest album, hitting streaming services early this morning in South Africa.
It’s her first album since 2016’s Dangerous Woman. It’s also the first since 2017’s Manchester Arena bombing which claimed the lives of 23 people and injured scores more. Understandably, people are eager to hear just what is mentioned within its 15 tracks.
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As for initial impressions, positive would be an understatement.
“Ari just gifted us R&B bops, party anthems & beautiful ballads about forgiveness, anxiety, toxic relationships, feminism, mourning the death of her fans, dating broken men, loving again, & being a baddie. whoever says #Sweetener isn’t good, has no taste,” declared one fan on Twitter.
Ari just gifted us R&B bops, party anthems & beautiful ballads about forgiveness, anxiety, toxic relationships, feminism, mourning the death of her fans, dating broken men, loving again, & being a baddie. whoever says #Sweetener isn’t good, has no taste. im done thank u
pic.twitter.com/FeLFHxxZv3 — jovis
(@msjovisnieto) August 17, 2018
Others expressed their emotions through memes.
me rn listening to #Sweetener pic.twitter.com/ugXHnjyFz2
— karen b ♪ (@kabanuelos_) August 17, 2018
And then you’ll… get it, get it,get it,get it, hit it, hit it, hit it, hit it, flip it , flip it, flip it, #Sweetener pic.twitter.com/FFy0zENAOH
— Autumn (@losingmahself) August 17, 2018
Me rn #Sweetener pic.twitter.com/Mp31c8p7i9
— h2gkmo
(@ArianaGvotes23) August 17, 2018
Me listening to every song from #Sweetener tonight pic.twitter.com/IQsZbFAeGa
— Jocelyn (@joce_beltran) August 17, 2018
Some quoted notable lyrics from the album.
when life deals you cards
make everything taste like it is salt
then you come through like the #Sweetener you are
to bring the bitter taste to a halt— Frankie James Grande (@FrankieJGrande) August 17, 2018
Twist it, twist it, twist it, twist it
Mix it and mix it and mix it and mix it #Sweetener pic.twitter.com/gMjSBcbMVx— brian (@brian_hauserr_) August 17, 2018
Some on Twitter weren’t happy though, but it wasn’t because of the album itself. All tracks bar one are marked as explicit according to Google Play Music. And that’s seemingly a problem for Apple Music users across the world.
‘Whoever says Sweetener isn’t good, has no taste’
Some users attempting to listen to Sweetener aren’t able to enjoy the album in full. Instead, some on Twitter found that the service’s skipping through the first eight tracks, playing the only SFW track “no tears left to cry”, and skipping through the remainder.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING !!! pls rt this so they can sort it out wether it’s working or not because so many stans can’t listen to it !!! @ArianaGrande @AppleMusic @iTunes pic.twitter.com/qjrYV74GgH
— tylda ♡| ¡¡¡¡ ʇɥƃᴉuoʇ ɹǝuǝʇǝǝʍs
(@neptunesullivan) August 17, 2018
Users who experienced this issue were not happy.
When Apple Music didn’t release the explicit version of Ariana Grande.
#Sweetener pic.twitter.com/eyGus6CPuZ
— Cameron Grant (@coolghost101) August 17, 2018
Me at Apple Music because im still waiting for the explicit version. #Sweetener pic.twitter.com/fOocHYRVxA
— Sergio. (@0lostmind0) August 17, 2018
Many who preordered the album were also unable to download it too.
My album isn’t downloaded to my phone. Fix it! pic.twitter.com/bUgrFr3WY6
— Brittany G
(@moonlightbae_B) August 17, 2018
I’m trying pic.twitter.com/mfPNTcmdRO
— christy♛ (@starbucksforari) August 17, 2018
#Sweetener is currently trending worldwide on Twitter, and is also topping Google Trends’ search chart this morning in South Africa.
Feature image: Andy Walker/Memeburn
