Undoubtedly, the two most anticipated albums by mainstream listeners this year have been Ariana Grande's pop-up release "Thank U, Next" and 17-year-old Billie Eilish's debut studio album "WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?". It is safe to say that, based on both popular and critical reception, both albums are bound to be contenders for the top selling and awarded Pop albums of the year.
Ariana Grande - 7 rings (Audio) www.youtube.com
Grande saw multiple records broken by her singles released before the album, including two number one Billboard tracks, the record for Spotify streams in 24 hours, and many other earth-shattering numbers once the full album was released. The album received overwhelmingly positive reviews that embraced her grasp of trap-pop and infectious production. Her Grammy-winning 2018 release "Sweetener" featured atypical production from Pharrell Williams, disappointing some fans but officially winning over critics. This 2019 release is special. It's just mature enough to be taken seriously, but still tailor-made for a younger audience that wants Grande's talent to shine over catchy beats.
Nothing shows this need more than the instant success of ground roots emo-pop star Billie Eilish, who burst onto the scene when her song "Ocean Eyes" was remixed by Blackbear and skyrocketed up the charts in 2017. Eilish has been plagued by many industry attempts to market her music, whether through her insanely dark visuals, outlandish clothing, or even her depressing subject material. However, her first studio release "WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?" is an instant smash hit, breaking the record for preorders on Apple Music. It features the same exact vibe she has been selling since she was only 15 years old, but makes a case for her belonging in the plane of the greats in today's music. Some of this uprising has caused backlash, with some labeling her an "industry plant". Her music, largely produced by Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell, mixes the best range of popularity in the current industry.
Billie Eilish - when the party's over www.youtube.com
Ariana's appeal mostly comes from her building fanbase that has clamored for her career in music to take off since her days on Nickelodeon, and with those then teens now seeking independence and their own style of music to claim, Grande has only seen dividends from her musical efforts since. Her 2018 consisted of an insanely popular album and the reapings of her efforts, but the loss of her beloved friend and artist Mac Miller turned her mental health for the worse. Her career also took a major turn after the Paris bombings that erupted in the distance of her own show. Grande's music has seen a much more careful change since then, with her lyrics, features, and subject material becoming more mature every day since.
Ariana Grande - thank u, next www.youtube.com
Eilish now, even since her album's release, is still on the wrong side of being taken seriously by many with her promotional efforts and former effort being taken jokingly by numerous ranges of people who the genre is not inclusive towards. Pitchfork rated her new album well and many of her latest music videos are over 100 million views on YouTube.
Billie Eilish - bad guy www.youtube.com
So what has the change been? We're all accustomed to billion view viral hits on YouTube such as hits by Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, The Chainsmokers and others ruling the airwaves. The radio is avoided by many for overplaying music that already started with a negative response. Songs these days are marked formulaic, recombinant, and uninteresting, yet two of the most acclaimed albums of early 2019 have been aimed towards a demographic that usually consumes the most basic of media.
Some may say that since these artists are embracing elements of trap and hip-hop, their music is seeing more success. Hip-Hop is well on it's way to audiovisual dominance, especially as headlines are flooded with rapper-minded controversies like the recent passing of L.A. rapper and social advocate Nipsey Hussle.
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There is no telling how popular Eilish and Grande will continue to be as they grow even more into their own through the spotlight. The only guarantee is that 2019 has already been a great year for music, and Ariana and Billie should see the better side of this year's word of mouth.
