Pop icon Ariana Grande is no stranger to success, and she has the Guinness World Records titles to prove it.
After spending over a decade in the spotlight, the singer has officially broken 20 monumental record titles that have put her in the ranks with music legends Mariah Carey, Rihanna, and The Beatles.
The list of accolades spans from her chart-topping music to her global fan base of “Arianators” - who have not only helped her to shatter social media records, but also maintain her ultimate status as the “Princess of Pop”.
Grande’s raw vocals and talent in her recent album, Positions, have now earned the artist her 20th Guinness World Records title, breaking the record for most songs to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Once her single “Positions” reached No. 1 as of 7 November 2020, the singer achieved a total of five songs that have obtained the coveted spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her other chart-topping hits include “thank u, next” (17 November 2018), “7 rings” (2 February 2019), “Stuck with U” (feat. Justin Bieber; 23 May 2020), and “Rain on Me” (Lady Gaga feat. Ariana Grande; 6 June 2020).
What makes her recent record achievement so extraordinary is that Grande is currently the only artist to have accomplished this in history.
The closest music acts to near her latest feat are Mariah Carey (1995-97), Drake (2018-20), Justin Bieber (2015-20), Travis Scott (2019-20), and Taylor Swift (2014-20), who all debuted at No.1 with only three tracks, while Britney Spears (2009-11), Lady Gaga (2011-20) and BTS (2020) have done so twice.
Her triumphs come off the back of the impressive strides she has made in the entertainment business, which began in her teens.
Grande’s first big break as an actress was through her role as the lovable red-headed teen Cat, who starred on Nickelodeon’s musical show Victorious. In 2013, she received her own spin-off show with co-star Jennette McCurdy, while simultaneously launching her career as a professional singer under Republic Records.
When she fully emerged into the music industry, her tremendous vocals earned a spot on the Billboard Top 100, a triumph achieved with her breakout single “The Way,” which featured late rapper, Mac Miller on her first album Yours Truly. —USA Today
