As we near the end of 2018, all of the best that this year had to offer starts to emerge its way into national news. After hearing almost all of the huge songs that came out this year, I believe that "Thank U, Next" by Ariana Grande is the top female anthem of this year. Here's why:
It's super catchy.
Let's start with the most surface level component to the song, the melody. The melody of this song is extremely catchy and has no issues being trapped in your head for hours. People around the world have even started to use the lyrics of this song outside of their original intent, by saying "thank u, next" after pretty much anything. Her lyrics have so much meaning that people are turning them into memes on Twitter, which has gotten her even more recognition for her hard work. This song is a bop, and you really can't deny it.
It creates a positive conversation about previous relationships.
It takes a lot of courage and strength to admit that an ex significant other taught you something. After people break up, most of the conversation involves blocking them on social media, deleting their phone number, and talking bad about them to anyone who will listen. This song creates a positive conversation between exes, emphasizing that because a relationship didn't work out doesn't mean you can't learn something from it.
She mentions one positive thing about every man that has played an important role in her life, and the fact that she can admit to what they taught her is remarkable. By creating a positive atmosphere around past relationships, Ariana shows her maturity and how relationships have the power to bring out the best in people.
The focus on self love is extremely important.
In today's society, loving yourself for who you truly are is becoming harder to achieve. With constant comparisons between females, it is hard to see the beauty inside of yourself. When Ariana states that she found a new love and her name is Ari, she publicly comes out and says that from now on she is focusing on loving herself for everything she has to offer. She admits that she has learned from the lessons her exes have taught her and is using them to think of herself in a positive light.
By focusing on loving herself, I have to speculate that she is going to be dropping some fire female anthems in 2019, which I can't wait for.
She pays tribute to Mac Miller in a respectable and classy way.
After the recent death of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, people attacked Ariana on social media. People commented on her Instagram and Twitter pages accusing her of being the reason Mac overdosed and how she should be punished for it. It is speculated that her engagement to Pete Davidson a little over a month after she ended things with Miller was the reason for his increase in drug usage, but that is a lot of responsibility to put on one individual.
Though she posted once on several different social media outlets about her love for Mac, this song gives him the tribute he deserves. By admitting she wishes she could thank him for being the angel in her life, she publicly declares how much Mac meant to her and that she would never wish harm upon him. Her social media posts are important, but the fact that she mentions him in a song that has broken world records ensures that he will never be forgotten by her.
The world LOVES it.
This song is so popular that it's almost hard to keep track of how successful it really is. First, this song broke Spotify's record as the fastest song to reach 100 million streams in history. It took 11 days for this song to reach 100 million people worldwide, and it has been sitting at the top of the charts in the United States for three weeks now. Not to mention, it has been ranked in the Top 100 Singles in over 30 countries worldwide.
The world is by Ariana's side as she admits to the hardest things she's gone through in her life and is looking forward to how she will grow from it. Her social media presence has increased since the release of this song, and she is now able to reach the audiences who need to hear her message the most. This song's global impact is revolutionary to pop music.
The effect that this song has had on the world is undeniable. Not only is it the best female anthem to come out of 2018, but it also opens up so many conversations that people are afraid to talk about publicly. By addressing societal issues in such a catchy way, Ariana Grande revolutionized the modern music industry with her song, "Thank U, Next".