Maps of Music

Dangerous Woman (2016)

Where the lyrics of Dangerous Woman take you, and where it was really made.

Grande's only album to miss the No. 1 spot on the US Billboard 200 still became her best-selling album.

Key places

MXM Studios, Los Angeles (2016)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — The source says all songs were recorded at MXM Studios in Los Angeles, California. The point marks the city center only. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Wolf Cousins Studios, Stockholm (2016)

Recording site Master Plan — Several tracks were recorded at Wolf Cousins Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. The point marks the city center only. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Glenwood Place Studios, Burbank (2016)

Recording site Glenwood Place Studios — Recording took place at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California, as listed in the album's credits. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Milkboy Studios, Philadelphia (2016)

Recording site Milkboy Studios — Recording took place at Milkboy Studios in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as listed in the album's credits. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Studio Willow-Valley, Gothenburg (2016)

Recording site Studio Willow-Valley — Strings for track 7 were recorded at Studio Willow-Valley in Gothenburg, Sweden. The point marks the city center only. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Audible Images, Pittsburgh (2016)

Recording site Audible Images — Recording took place at Audible Images in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The point marks the city center only. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Windmark Studios, Santa Monica (2016)

Recording site Ruby Red — Track 15 was recorded at Windmark Studios in Santa Monica, California. The point marks the city center only. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

P.S. Recording Studios, Chicago (2016)

Recording site Chicago Recording Company — Track 15 was also recorded at P.S. Recording Studios in Chicago, Illinois. The point marks the city center only. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Dangerous Woman: third studio album by Ariana Grande
• Released through Republic Records on May 20, 2016
• Grande served as executive producer alongside Max Martin and Savan Kotecha
• Primarily a pop and R&B record, with dance-pop, disco, soul, house, trap, reggae and electropop
• Lyrics revolve around love, tumultuous relationships and empowerment, with more mature and explicit subject matter
• Guest vocals by Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Macy Gray and Future
• Supported by four singles

Background

• Grande began work shortly after My Everything (2014) was released
• Working title was Moonlight; a track made in the final stages of production changed the plan
• Title changed to Dangerous Woman, with Grande saying it portrays her as a stronger person
• Cover shows Grande in a latex bunny mask, inspired by her alter ego Super Bunny
• Grande finished work on the album in January 2016

Recording

• Sessions ran through summer and fall 2015, between stops on the Honeymoon Tour
• Recording included MXM Studios in Los Angeles and Wolf Cousins Studios in Stockholm
• Ilya Salmanzadeh also produced and wrote songs with Martin, Grande, Kotecha and Alexander Kronlund
• Title track produced by Johan Carlsson and Martin
• Mixed by Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Early life

• Born June 26, 1993, in Boca Raton, Florida.
• Performed as a child with the Fort Lauderdale Children's Theater, playing Annie.
• Sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a Florida Panthers home game at age eight.

Career

• Began in the Broadway musical 13 (2008).
• Gained fame as Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon series Victorious (2010–2013) and its spin-off Sam & Cat (2013–2014).
• Signed with Republic Records; debut album Yours Truly (2013) debuted atop the Billboard 200.
• Albums My Everything (2014) and Dangerous Woman (2016) brought international success.
• Sweetener (2018) and Thank U, Next (2019) mark her trap-influenced period; Positions followed in 2020.
• Eternal Sunshine (2024) marked her move into dance and house music; Petal (2026) followed as her eighth studio album.
• Acting work includes Don't Look Up (2021) and Glinda in Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025).

Recognition

• Three Grammy Awards, one Brit Award, and fifteen MTV Video Music Awards.
• Ten Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles; the first solo artist to hold the top three Hot 100 spots at once (2019).

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave positive reviews; Metacritic score 76 from 14 reviews, indicating generally favorable reviews
• AllMusic: Stephen Thomas Erlewine highlighted the album's movement between torch songs, heavy hip influences and pop material, and praised Grande's measured, assured performance
• Entertainment Weekly: Nolan Feeney found it more cohesive than My Everything, without overextending Grande or pandering to trends
• Digital Spy: Lewis Corner praised consistency across its 15-track runtime
• NME: Larry Bartleet praised the album's consistent songwriting and its more honest empowerment themes
• Rolling Stone: Christopher R. Weingarten gave a mixed review, citing a schizophrenic sound and unfortunate sequencing
• Slant Magazine: Sal Cinquemani wrote that Grande too often tries to look and sound more mature than she is

Reappraisal

• Included in several year-end best music lists for 2016
• Nominated for various accolades, including two Grammy Awards
• Won International Album of the Year at the Japan Gold Disc Awards in 2017

Records

• US Billboard 200: debuted at number two, blocked from the top by Drake's Views; 175,000 units in first week, 129,000 pure album sales
• Japan Oricon Albums Chart: debuted at number two with 20,811 copies
• UK Official Albums Chart: debuted at number one, her first UK number one album
• Topped charts in Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Spain
• IFPI: 28th best-selling album of 2016 with 900,000 copies worldwide
• Over 20 million global units as of May 2026, per Billboard
• Certified triple platinum by the RIAA on May 20, 2026
• Grande won Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards in 2016

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album was first planned under the title Moonlight before a late track changed the plan.
• The cover's latex bunny mask came from Grande's alter ego, Super Bunny.
• Macy Gray was invited to record 'Leave Me Lonely' after meeting Republic Records A&R Wendy Goldstein.
• Grande wrote 'Moonlight' with Monét, who also sang its backing vocals.
• Grande said she loved working with artists people did not expect her to work with, which shaped the guest list.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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