Grande's second studio album, My Everything (2014), continued the pop-R&B sound of its predecessor and incorporated EDM elements. It topped the Billboard 200 and featured four US top-ten singles: "Problem", "Break Free", "Bang Bang", and "Love Me Harder" featuring The Weeknd, the most of any artist that year. Grande's pop-R&B styles extended on her third studio album, Dangerous Woman (2016), which was her first of three consecutive number-one albums in the UK, and spawned top ten hits such as the Grammy nominated title track and "Side to Side".
On her next two albums, Sweetener (2018) and Thank U, Next (2019), Grande experimented with trap while maintaining her characteristic pop-R&B tones; being projects with her most creative control yet and showing a more personal and vulnerable side, both debuted at number one in several countries and were acclaimed by music critics. The former won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album and spawned the international top three hit "No Tears Left to Cry", while the latter broke several streaming records. Grande became the first solo artist to hold the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously when "7 Rings", "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" and "Thank U, Next" did so in 2019. She is also the first artist to have the lead singles from each of their first six studio albums debut within the top ten in the US.
Grande released her sixth studio album, Positions (2020) with its lead single, "Positions" debuting at number one in the US and the UK simultaneously. The song became her third number one hit in the US following "Stuck With U" in collaboration with Justin Bieber and "Rain On Me", also in collaboration with Lady Gaga. A deluxe version of Positions was released in February 2021, with four new songs and a remix of "34+35" featuring Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion. The remix helped the song peak at number two, the highest-charting song credited to three or more female soloist since 2001 when "Lady Marmalade" performed by Christina Aguilera, Mýa, P!nk, and Lil Kim peaked at number one. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming her fifth album to do so. In April 2021, a remix of The Weeknd's "Save Your Tears" was released featuring Grande. The song reached number one in both the US Hot 100 and the Canadian Hot 100. It spent a total of 69 weeks in the US charts, becoming one of the ten longest-running songs in that chart since its publication.
In November 2021, it was announced that Grande would star in the two-part film adaptation of the musical Wicked. The first movie is set to release on November 22nd, 2024.
Ariana Grande’s highly anticipated seventh studio album “eternal sunshine" was released on March 8th, 2024. The title is a reference to one of her favourite films, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” which stars Jim Carrey. The album is a concept album inspired by the events of the film. The lead single “yes, and?" was released on January 12, 2024 and debuted at #1 on the Hot 100. eternal sunshine had a debut at #1 on the Global Spotify charts and on the Billboard 200. The album's 2nd single “we can't be friends (wait for your love)" also debuted at #1 on the Hot 100. During this album cycle, she collaborated with Mariah Carey, Brandy, Monica, Charli XCX, and Troye Sivan on various remixes.
Grande has received various accolades, including two Grammy Awards, ten VMAs, one Brit Award, two Billboard Music Awards, and three American Music Awards. All seven of Grande's full-length albums have been certified platinum by the RIAA. Grande has sold over 90 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Having amassed 98 billion streams globally as of 2021, Grande is one of the most-streamed artists of all time and became the first female artist to surpass 90 billion streams. She was the most-streamed female artist of the 2010s decade on Spotify and Apple Music, and was the only female artist to reach 3 billion total streams on the latter as of 2019. In 2024, Grande became the first artist to have five albums with multiple songs over a billion streams on Spotify. She is the only artist to debut the lead single from all their studio albums in the Top 10 of the Hot 100. Her signature ponytail hairstyle has become an iconic piece of pop culture iconography. In October 2024, she was named the 9th greatest pop star of the 21st Century by Billboard and was the newest artist on the list. In February 2019, she became the most followed woman on Instagram. Forbes ranked her amongst the highest-paid celebrities in 2019, and Time named Grande as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016 and 2019. Billboard recognized her as the "Woman of the Year" in 2018. Her song "Thank U, Next" was in Rolling Stone's 2021 revision of their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2023, the magazine included Grande among the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Recording artists who have cited Grande as an influence or inspiration include Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Lana Del Rey, Bryson Tiller, Charlie Puth, Sufjan Stevens, Troye Sivan, Zara Larsson, Tate McRae, Madison Beer, Jung Kook, Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast, Giselle of aespa, and Meghan Trainor.
Knew Better
Ariana Grande Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Boy, but that's about it
You can say what you wanna
But I wouldn't believe it
You could write all them songs
That's the game that you play
Tryna write all them bars
But you can't make me stay
'Cause I, see right through you, boy
And I, I ain't feeling you no more
I ain't feelin' you no more
If you knew better
Boy, you would do better
Can't nobody love you there like I do
Baby, I could do better
Boy, if you knew better
You would do better
Baby, if you love me like I love you
Maybe we could be together
'Cause ain't nobody like me, ain't nobody like me
Ain't nobody like me, ain't nobody like me
Ain't nobody like me
Ain't nobody like me
Ain't nobody like me
Ain't nobody like me
Ain't nobody like me
Ain't nobody like me, baby
Never been with a boy more than six months
I couldn't do it, got too used to it
Ain't nobody ever kept my attention
They couldn't do it, yeah, boy, they blew it
But you showed me what it means to be happy ever after
In love forever
And you gave me the key to all your love and all your pleasure
Boy, I'm a treasure
Oh, be forever mine, you and I
Oh, be forever mine, boy, all the time
You're my forever, boy
You're my forever, boy
You're my forever, boy
You're my forever, boy
Been friends for a minute
So you know just what I like
You know my mind
You done seen boys come and go
So you know what makes me cry
So you just wanna treat me right
But you showed me what it means to be happy ever after
In love forever
And you gave me the key to all your love and all your pleasure
Boy I'm a treasure
Oh, be forever mine, you and I
Oh, be forever mine, boy, all the time
Mine, time
Mine, time
You're my forever, boy
You're my forever, boy
You're my forever, boy
You're my forever, boy
In "Knew Better / Forever Boy", Ariana Grande sings about a past relationship that didn't work out. She addresses her former partner, saying that though he may have been able to turn her on, she no longer feels anything for him. She tells him that he can't make her stay with his smooth talk and songs. Ariana sees through his facade and knows that he's not sincere. She tells him that he would do better if he knew better and that he can't find anyone who loves him like she does, as she could do much better for herself.
Ariana then switches to the second half of the song and notes that her current relationship is different. She sings that she's never stayed with someone for more than six months, but now she has found someone who has kept her attention and made her realize what it means to be in a happy relationship. The person is identified as her "forever boy", someone who has become a treasure to her. She hopes that they can be together forever.
The lyrics reveal Ariana’s personal experiences and growth in love. She shows that she can differentiate between genuine love and fake feelings. The song is a confident assertion of her value and worth as she tells her ex that he can't find anyone like her. The song also highlights the idea of a happily ever after, an ideal in love and relationships, and Ariana finds hope in her current relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Say you could turn me on
You may have physical attraction for me, but that's not enough.
Boy, but that's about it
Your attraction towards me is limited to physical appearance only.
You can say what you wanna
You may try to say nice things to impress me.
But I wouldn't believe it
I know that your words do not reflect your true intentions.
You could write all them songs
You might write and sing songs about love and relationships.
That's the game that you play
Your way of approaching a relationship is to play games.
Tryna write all them bars
You try to write lyrics that can convince someone to stay with you.
But you can't make me stay
However, you cannot manipulate me into staying with you.
'Cause I, see right through you, boy
I can easily see your true intentions, so your attempts to deceive me won't work.
And I, I ain't feeling you no more
I am not interested in being with you anymore.
If you knew better
If you were aware of my worth and what it takes to be with me.
Boy, you would do better
You would have behaved differently and treated me better.
Can't nobody love you there like I do
No one would ever love and care for you the way I did.
Baby, I could do better
I deserve someone better, and there are people who can love me better.
Maybe we could be together
We could have been great if only you knew how to treat me better.
'Cause ain't nobody like me, ain't nobody like me
I am unique and one of a kind, and no one can replace me.
Never been with a boy more than six months
I have not been in a long-lasting relationship before.
I couldn't do it, got too used to it
I am used to relationships that don't last long, and I fear commitment.
Ain't nobody ever kept my attention
No one has been able to capture my attention for a long time.
They couldn't do it, yeah, boy, they blew it
All the boys I have been with have failed to impress me and keep me interested.
But you showed me what it means to be happy ever after
You have shown me the possibility of being truly happy and satisfied in a long-lasting relationship.
In love forever
A relationship that will last forever and built on true love and affection.
And you gave me the key to all your love and all your pleasure
You have allowed me to have access to all your feelings and emotions, including love and pleasure.
Boy, I'm a treasure
I am a valuable and precious gem that needs to be cherished and appreciated.
Been friends for a minute
We have been friends for a while and know each other well.
So you know just what I like
You understand my preferences and what makes me happy.
You know my mind
You are aware of my thoughts and feelings.
You done seen boys come and go
You have seen me with other boys who couldn't keep me interested or satisfied.
So you just wanna treat me right
You want to treat me with kindness, respect, and love.
Oh, be forever mine, you and I
I want to be with you forever, and I hope you feel the same way too.
Mine, time
I want you to be my partner for life.
You're my forever, boy
You are the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, THE MEZZO AGENCY, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Ariana Grande, Dernst Emile, Mike Foster, Ryan Tedder, Steven Franks, Thomas Brown, Victoria McCants, Michael Foster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Billo36
on 7 rings
Its a good song
Kgasa
on Love Me Harder
Tell me something I need to know
Then take my breath and never let it go
If you just let me invade your space
I'll take the pleasure, take it with the pain
And if in the moment, I bite my lip
Baby, in that moment, you'll know this is
Something bigger than us and beyond bliss
Give me a reason to believe it
'Cause if you want to keep me
You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
Got to love me harder
And if you really need me
You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
Got to love me harder
(Lo-love me harder)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Love me, love me, love me
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Harder, harder, harder
I know your motives and you know mine
The ones that love me, I tend to leave behind
If you know about me and choose to stay
Then take this pleasure and take it with the pain
And if in the moment you bite your lip
When I get you moaning, you know it's real
Can you feel the pressure between your hips?
I'll make it feel like the first time
'Cause if you want to keep me
You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
Got to love me harder
(I'ma love you harder)
And if you really need me
You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
Got to love me harder (love me, baby, love me)
(Lo-love me harder)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Love me, love me, love me
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Harder, harder, harder (oh)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Love me, love me, love me
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Harder, harder, harder (you gotta love me harder)
So what do I do if I can't figure it out? (Figure it out)
You got to try, try, try again, yeah (whoa)
So what do I do if I can't figure it out? (Figure it out)
I'm gonna leave, leave, leave again
'Cause if you want to keep me
You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
Got to love me harder
(I'ma love you, love you, love)
And if you really need me
You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
Got to love me harder
(Got to love me, baby)
'Cause if you want to keep me
You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta
Got to love me harder
(Love me harder)
And if you really need me
You gotta, gotta, gotta, gotta (I'ma do it, do it, do it)
Got to love me harder
(I'ma love you harder, hey)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Love me, love me, love me (love me)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Harder, harder, harder
(Boy, you gotta love me, love me, baby)
Love me, love me, love me
(Just a little bit harder, harder, baby)
Harder, harder, harder
jada
on Santa Tell Me
i mean USA sry
jada
on Santa Tell Me
my Chromebook at school
Winter
on 7 rings
I LOVE THIS SONG
Jamelsakka
on 34+35 Remix (feat. Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion) - Remix
Nice
Dominique
on break up with your boyfriend
yuh yuh
Helium
on Positions
Nice
ethan
on Positions
what up
jazmin viente
on Be Alright
fan