How a shopping trip inspired a chart-topping anthem of friendship and excess
In short: When Ariana Grande released "7 Rings" in early 2019, it didn't just top the charts; it rewrote the record books. Inspired by a shopping trip with friends, the track transformed a classic musical theater melody into a trap-pop powerhouse that became one of the best-selling digital songs in history.
Released on January 18, 2019, as part of the 'Thank U, Next' era, "7 Rings" is a hybrid of pop, trap-pop, and R&B. The track is notable for its heavy bass and Grande's rhythmic, near-rapping delivery. To secure the rights to release the song, Grande's team reached an agreement with Imagem/Concord Music to grant the owners 90 percent of the songwriting royalties, due to the song's interpolation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein showtune "My Favorite Things."
The song's commercial impact was immediate and massive. After entering the Billboard Hot 100 at number one, Grande became the inaugural artist whose initial two number-one singles both debuted at the top. In a historic feat, she became the first solo artist to occupy the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously, a feat not achieved by a solo artist since The Beatles in 1964.
Despite its success, the song was not without controversy. Critics like Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic suggested the track's use of black music elements was imitative, while others pointed to the music video's use of Japanese kawaii aesthetics. Additionally, Grande faced scrutiny over a Japanese tattoo that translated to "barbecue grill" rather than "seven rings," and she faced plagiarism accusations from rapper Princess Nokia, though the latter later deleted the accusation.
By December 2019, the single had achieved over 13.3 million sales worldwide. The track has since turned into a streaming giant, holding the position of the nineteenth most streamed song on Apple Music and exceeding 2.9 billion Spotify streams.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 7 Rings
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