"Imagine" | |
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Promotional single by Ariana Grande | |
from the album Thank U, Next | |
Released | December 14, 2018 |
Studio | Jungle City (New York City) |
Genre | |
Length | 3:31 |
Label | Republic |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) |
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Lyric video | |
"Imagine" on YouTube |
"Imagine" is a song recorded by American singer Ariana Grande. The song was written by Grande, Jameel Roberts and Priscilla Renea alongside its producers Andrew "Pop" Wansel and Happy Perez. It was released on December 14, 2018, as the only promotional single from her fifth studio album Thank U, Next (2019). [1]
Commercially, the song reached the top 10 in Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, as well as the top 20 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Scotland. The track also peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
On December 11, 2018, Grande teased the song with a post on her Instagram story, with a countdown of its official release. [2] The song was previewed a day later, [3] with Grande tweeting the title using Chinese characters. [4] [5] The song and its official lyric video were released simultaneously on December 14, 2018, with the lyrics set to a glitching background of a collapsing glacier made by glitch artist Thomas Collet. [6] [7]
"Imagine" is an R&B/pop ballad with a trap-inspired rhythm. [8] [9] It is written in the key of F minor, and has a tempo of 125 BPM. The song features multiple whistle notes, [10] and Grande's vocals span from F3 to C7. [11] Lyrically, the song speaks about Grande's denial of failed relationships, specifically her relationship with Mac Miller. [3] [12] Grande described the song as being about "a simple, beautiful love that is now (and forever) unattainable." [13]
"Imagine" has been widely regarded as one of Grande's best songs. In 2021, The Guardian ranked the song number three on their list of the 20 greatest Ariana Grande songs, [14] and in 2022, Rolling Stone ranked the song number eight on their list of the 50 greatest Ariana Grande songs. [15]
"Imagine" proved to be Grande's most successful promotional single. On the issue dated December 29, 2018, "Imagine" debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 as the highest new entry of the week, while starting on the Streaming Songs at number 21 and the Digital Songs at number two. [16] "Imagine" fell to number 71 in its second week on the Hot 100, however rebounded and surged to number 63 in its third week. It spent an additional week there and departed the region after four consecutive weeks. Following the release of Grande's own "7 Rings", "Imagine" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 99 due to strong digital downloads, spending a fifth week there. After the release of the parent album Thank U, Next , "Imagine" re-entered the US charts for a third time at a new peak of number 21, consequently becoming the sixth highest-charting track from the album and third highest-charting non-single behind "Needy" and "NASA" which debuted at numbers 14 and 17 the same week, respectively. The track ultimately charted for a total of eight weeks on the Hot 100.
Internationally, "Imagine" reached the top ten in Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Singapore, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. The track also peaked at number 15 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, number 16 on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and number 17 on the Canadian Hot 100. Its lowest position was in France, where it reached number 110.
Grande performed "Imagine" for the first time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on December 18, 2018. [17] The song was excluded from the set list of the Sweetener World Tour because it was "too heavy" to perform, according to Grande. [18] On January 26, 2020, Grande performed the song in a medley with "7 Rings", "My Favorite Things", and "Thank U, Next" at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. [19]
Credits adapted from Tidal. [20]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [48] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [49] | 2× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [50] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [51] | Gold | 5,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [52] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [53] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | December 14, 2018 |
| Republic | [20] [54] |
The discography of American singer, songwriter, and actress Ariana Grande consists of seven studio albums, two compilation albums, one live album, two extended plays (EPs), fifty-four singles, and fifteen promotional singles. Throughout her career thus far, Grande has sold over 90 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she has sold over 100 million units, across albums, singles, and features, and 10 million albums and 73.5 million digital singles units as a lead artist. In the U.S., Grande has moved 22.4 million album units, and garnered over 23.6 billion streams across lead artist credits, according to Luminate. Having amassed over 105 billion consumed streams thus far, Grande is the most streamed female artist ever. She is also the most streamed female artist of the 2010s on Spotify and Apple Music. She has amassed 73 chart entries on the Billboard Hot 100—the fourth most entries for a female artist—including eight number ones and 21 top-10 hits altogether so far. Grande was named the sixth top female artist of the 2010s decade, and was ranked among Billboard's Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists, at number 78. Grande is also one of the most certified female artists in the UK, with nearly 25 million units.
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The R&B pop ballad — which features Grande showing off her impressive range — touches upon her reflection of what-ifs and if-onlys in regards to her "failed yet important beautiful relationships