The Genius of Eternal Sunshine

It's time to put some respect on its name.

This issue is admittedly a bit out of left field. Eternal Sunshine came out in March, there’s been no major announcements in regard to it. The era itself seems to be on a hiatus, as Ariana Grande is much more interested in her upcoming film press tour for Wicked, but… Eternal Sunshine has just stuck with me in a way that many music releases of 2024 haven’t. It’s time to put some respect on her name.

I can’t safely call it my overall Album of the Year. Anybody who knows me knows that Cowboy Carter has taken hold as one of my favorite albums of all time, just see: my Musicboard profile. Even for Ariana, though I do think this has gained a leg up, Sweetener era holds a lot of nostalgia for me, and Positions was my most streamed album of 2020 in just those two months alone. What gets me is, the more I listen to Eternal Sunshine, I contextualize my love for it more and more. Every listen gives me a new perspective on it as a full project, especially in the context of Ariana’s career. I don’t think a lot of people have given it the flowers it deserves. These past few weeks, I have kept going back to it. This is when I knew I had to get all of my thoughts written down on the record right now. As time passes, as this era of her career settles, this will be reflected on as a career highlight.

Before I even continue, I do want to say… although I talk about this era as though it has been overlooked and underrated, I just mean based on certain reactions. This album has been majorly commercially successful with both leading singles debuting at #1 on the Hot 100. We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love) debuting at #1, made Ariana the woman artist with the most #1 debuts in chart history (now tied with Taylor, 7 debuts each - both tied for second overall to Drake with 9 debuts at #1). This has been a very impressive era for Ariana, regardless of the gossip. She took control of her narrative.

Let’s discuss… THE ERA.

I’m not bothered to give a full recap of all of the #drama that started and followed this particular era, but a lot of this album serves as a direct response to it, I do have to at least acknowledge that it exists now.

Eternal Sunshine for the most part is a story of Ariana Grande’s divorce from Dalton Gomez, though another aspect of it would be, either playing into or addressing directly, the media perspective of her marriage, more specifically the end of her marriage and immediate confirmation that she is now with Ethan Slater, someone who had also just separated from his wife and mother of his children.

I have discussed the drama once before (here) but truthfully, my stance has remained exactly the same. I do not particularly care about the morality or the ins and outs of any of their marriages, and I think the way Ariana has addressed it by releasing this album and letting the music speak for itself, has made the album feel all the more honest. She has never gotten so personal in her lyricism or vocal delivery up until this era. This feels like reading a diary of sorts. Though every track isn’t meant to be taken as literal autobiography, it still speaks to a truth of her life and image and a singular vision.

Needless to say, I wasn’t in the room during this album production, but judging by the credits, this is the most “self-made” album of her discography. Most of the songs only have her listed as the songwriter, and I believe that serves to make the album all the better. I’ve gone on the record so many times saying I am not someone who particularly cares about writing credits - I stand in the belief that a lot of people in the industry right now ought to put their pens down and let the professionals do their job. I just care about good music, and the honesty to her pen in this album is what makes it stand out in her discography.

Let me just confess, I have never seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in full. When I was, like, 17 I watched maybe half of it. I just never went back. I’m not concerned with drawing comparisons. It’s hard to miss the references in the lyrics, the We Can’t Be Friends video, the themes and concept of the album… I feel as though the homework is probably not necessary to be completed, even while writing this issue. The work stands on its own, after all.

I find this album to be impressively cohesive. Ariana manages to tell a full story that progresses with the sequencing of the track-listing. An immersive listening experience. You hear her talk about the album in interviews, and nothing she says ever feels like a reach or a mistruth. I actively gained a lot of perspective on the album when watching this interview specifically. The album opening with the question, “how can you tell if you’re in the right relationship?” and closing with Nonna’s voice note answering that exact question… She had a vision and fully executed it with a finesse that not many could accomplish.

Having said all that praise, if I were to criticize the era as a whole in any way, I would say the visual aesthetic doesn’t fully translate the cohesion the album itself has. I actually loved the Yes, And? video, and I also love Yes, And? (I have some thoughts that we will get into later in this issue) but the way it’s a Paula Abdul homage, cut to: the We Can’t Be Friends video being an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind remake, and then The Boy Is Mine video just being… Catwoman? And then the album cover being none of the above. If I remember correctly, the album cover had a bit of an evolution, I feel as though we had like… 3 “official album covers” before we landed on the final one. I don’t think this is a real issue. As I said earlier, the body of work speaks for itself. I just find it funny how this is largely considered a concept album, and then only one video is an expansion of said concept. I probably prefer having a vast catalog of visuals, actually. I think it’s fun that she’s just doing anything she wants. She’s free! That’s how divorce SHOULD feel for women! Full disclosure, if we were to only judge a body of work based on visuals, I think sweetener era has the cleanest and more well-branded collection for Ariana.

Since I brought this up in the paragraph above, let’s talk about Yes And? now. The drama surrounding Ariana, Dalton, Ethan and Lilly Jay was quite hard to miss last year. If you were on Twitter, TikTok or Instagram, a lot of the general, non-Arianator streets weren’t on Ari’s side. If you’ve been an Arianator for a while, it really doesn’t seem like one of her bigger scandals - personally, as someone who has followed her since 2010, I barely took note of it at first. This isn’t our first attempted hate campaign; it isn’t even our first one that involves infidelity allegations. However, I will confess this one had legs. This scandal stuck for quite a bit of time longer than some of those aforementioned ones. A hate train was coming straight towards her, and by the start of 2024… Ariana addressed the media head-on with the lead single from this album, Yes And?

Yes, And? was met with some mixed reviews, though mostly from the timeline and not from anybody serious, so personally, as someone who is also not serious… I’ll be the one to say: love! I love the Madonna sample, and although I slightly criticized the fact that it feels incohesive with the album itself, when this video first dropped, there was nothing I loved more than the Paula Abdul homage on display. This all really worked for my taste specifically, which is why I can’t give the criticisms the time of day. What do they know, actually?

I also find the release of this vs. the release of the album weirdly genius. I believe Ariana herself has said that she intentionally released this as a lead single and saved the rest of the album to be listened to as a full body of work, which was, in my opinion, the best way to go about it. In the sequencing of the album, this song is the most different and kind of sticks out like a sore thumb, I admit. This song borders on misrepresenting the album as a whole, but I find its existence as a lead single to be part of a story. She has very rarely addressed any of the controversy with actual words, rather using the music to tell a story straight to the media and the listener. This song is the most explicit addressal of everything that has happened in the last year, particularly the “hate train” she had been facing - then the album tells the full rest of the story. Yes, And? is basically her NotesApp apology (or whatever is the opposite of an apology) and then the album documents her side of the relationships.

The other singles were quite universally positively received. I’m also just going to skip over the remixes because I don’t think they particularly elevate the era, outside of repairing Monica and Brandy’s friendship.

Let’s discuss… THE TRACKLIST.

As I mentioned earlier, I believe this album tells a complete story and couldn’t have been sequenced better. I mentioned that Yes, And? sort of sticks out in the album, by that I mostly meant sonically. If you look at the album as a narrative, having it placed after True Story and The Boy Is Mine, but a few tracks before closing out the album does tell a clear story.

I’m not interested in breaking down every track and explaining Ariana Grande’s full life story to you… I’m not Ariana Grande, I couldn’t do that even if I wanted to. Instead, I’m going to try to rank the album and hurt my feelings in the process.

12. Ordinary Things

Favorite lyric: “It’s funny but it’s true, there’s never going to be an ordinary thing as long as I’m with you.”

This song actually grew on me so much as time went on, so let’s just acknowledge the fact that, in my books, every song is important and also good. This is the closing track on the album, and it thematically closes the album out with the answer that the introduction started with. This is what true love should feel like! I’d say the only reason I can’t rank it any higher is that sonically, it doesn’t really fit for me? Its sounds are more reminiscent of Yours Truly era, and although I appreciate that for what it is, it isn’t what I was looking for to close this specific album. But, as I said, I’ve only grown more appreciative of it as time has gone by. Sadly, I can also say that for every song on this album.

11. Intro (End of the World)

Favorite lyric: “If it all ended tomorrow, would I be the one on your mind?”

Sorry to rank the intro and the outro last after raving about what they represent to the concept of this album, but this is just too short, babes. Lovely intro, though.

10. Yes, And?

Favorite lyric: “My tongue is sacred; I speak upon what I like.”

I went over most of my thoughts on this specific song already, though mostly in context of it being the lead single. I will never forget the feeling hearing the first verse of Yes, And? gave me. The sensation I felt in my bones. This year is fully the year for healing in music, and this is what kickstarted that theme in 2024. I don’t care if you hate this song, because I simply could never! (Although it’s ranked 10th out of 12th, please bear with me.)

9. Bye

Favorite lyric: “Maybe someday we’ll look back with love. Didn’t think that you’d lose me, now it’s too late to choose me.”

This was a hard ranking, because I actually love how this song sounds and what it represents. It’s a dance through the heartbreak vibe, always a great juxtaposition. Some people were criticizing the lyrics, particularly the chorus for being too repetitive, and while I don’t agree with the criticisms, I do also believe that is probably why I can’t rank it higher. Other songs just grew on me and had an evolution with me, whereas I have consistently enjoyed this song at the same exact capacity since the start. Another one with a very present theme of healing and making the best of a bad situation. I stand with the bye stans, though it isn’t my favorite song on the album.

8. The Boy is Mine

Favorite lyric: “How can it be? You and me, might be meant to be. Can’t unsee it, but I don’t wanna cause no scene.”

If you had asked me right after I listened to the album for the first time, this was actually what I had ranked last, shockingly because it was the one I was most excited for. I honestly just believe I thought it would sound exactly like the Brandy and Monica song, so when I heard it, I was like…. this isn’t Brandy….??????????????? And, that’s on me. I sabotaged myself, because now that I know it and I understand her vision, this is such a cool and good song. Arguably her best vocal performance, as well, and a very worthy single choice. I know I dissed the video earlier, but it does really serve a Catwoman visual quite well. The instrumental is just sooo cinematic. I loved her live performance (see: above) of it as well. Ariana Grande just has great taste in aesthetic.

7. I Wish I Hated You

Favorite lyric: “Our shadows dance in a parallel plane, just two different endings: you learn to repair, and I learn to keep me in one place.”

This has been treading upwards steadily for weeks now, it could very well end up in my top 3 by the end of the year. It is probably my favorite vocal performance from her on the album, she emotes so clearly with her voice, like, I could cry!! She’s on the shorter side, and every lyric is quite plainly stated - but the bluntness in the lyricism still carries a poetry. The “simplicity” makes the heartache clearer. Wanting to hate someone after a separation, especially one where you were wronged in some way, but not being able to because you have cared for them so deeply before, and you know they aren’t just a “bad” person… Just stunning work.

6. Saturn Returns Interlude/Eternal Sunshine

Favorite lyric: “So now we play our separate scenes, now she’s in my bed, and laying on your chest. Now I’m in my head, wondering how it ends.”

This track I’ve seen disrespected so many times and I can’t comprehend why. I find the way she plays with word and structure on this song to be next level. You feel nothing at all for the bridge??? And how the bridge comes back in the outro??? The song sounds so good. I would have argued the lyricism is underutilizing the eternal sunshine concept, but then again - verse 2 is the most direct reference from any of the tracks and it manages to be some of the most devastating lyrics on the entire album. The only reason it isn’t even higher is because I have a spiritual connection to the songs in my top 5.

5. True Story

Favorite Lyric: “I’ll play whatever part you need me to, and I’ll be good in it, too.”

This is such a cunty song. I love it, and on any given day you might see me call it top 3 and in the top 10 of Ariana’s discography. I’m so inconsistent and messy, you really just have to catch me on the right day. Although I just said I think The Boy is Mine was the best single choice, I could make a case for a True Story-Catwoman homage as well. They are sisters in a way, they both have very dark and cinematic instrumentals, Ariana’s peak vocals, and address her public image in regard to infidelity. This song, however. Something serious. The first time I heard the “(GIVE ME LOVE, LOVE; GIVE ME LOVE!)” come in on the track… I literally levitated, and it still hits every single time.

I’m also quite obsessed with how this track addresses her public image so unapologetically. How she starts the song by saying she WILL play the villain if that’s what she has to be that to live her best life. I love the title drop, I love the vocals, I love just everything at play here. This is her, not only taking back the narrative from what was said, but also playing into the image they have created for her. Currently, I feel more of an emotional connection to the songs above it, but this is a perfect song and on any other day it very well might be in my top 3. Underappreciated.

4. We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)

Favorite lyric: “I don’t wanna argue, but I don’t wanna bite my tongue, I think I’d rather die.”

Don’t quote me on this, because I would have to take a minute to consider what I’m saying, but this makes a very strong case to be considered her best music video to date. Perfect for the era, no notes. Just generally, this was the definitive single of the era - a phenomenon. I also appreciate every variant of this track that she dropped - the strings might be my preferred version of this song at this point, just because it feels so different and even more heartbreaking. Mind you, I’m not even someone who usually streams all the different versions of a song when artists release single EPs and remixes, but for some reason… this one really worked on me.

You already know the song; you already know what it’s about - the music video tells the story in the most stunning way possible. This is a track that did everything right, and that’s why it resonated with so many people. I could see this track deservingly becoming a staple of her career. It really made me consider giving Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind another chance.

3. Supernatural

Favorite lyric: “This love’s possessing me, but I don’t mind at all.”

This song has become a lot of people’s favorites on my timeline - though, I can’t say whether that’s a universal experience or if my mutuals represent a loud minority - and clearly, I see the vision. Sonically, it is the highlight on the album. It’s almost reminiscent of Sweetener era - and while I earlier “criticized” Ordinary Things for sounding reminiscent of Yours Truly era, I believe Sweetener to be the turning point for Ariana’s career, so… it works more, it makes more sense - and Supernatural also fits onto this album. She’s mature, she’s grown - this feels like an evolution from the Sweetener aesthetic. The vocal layering in the chorus is also just immaculate. I also really love how this album describes new love. The spiritual throughline of this album and its relationship with a destined force drawing people together is one of my favorite present themes.

2. Imperfect For You

Favorite lyric: “How could we know we’d rearrange all the cosmos?”

Contrast to Supernatural, I’ve seen one too many people rank this song LAST? Insane. The lyrics to this track just hit differently. I have seen some people criticize the vocal delivery on this, which I do not understand whatsoever. I think she sounds So Good, especially with how well her vocals complement the instrumental, and even the themes of the album. It’s not a “polished” track. She doesn’t really have another song that sounds like this, either, it has gained such a pull on me. Ariana, herself, has called it her favorite, so in a way… I don’t have to care about the gossip, because Ariana gets what I love about this song.

1. Don’t Wanna Break Up Again

Favorite lyric: “Hope you won’t regret me; hope you’ll still think fondly of our little life.”

You already knew. You already knew! I’ve never hid my love for this song, it has been a love-at-first-listen experience. This is currently my favorite Ariana Grande song ever. I think I can safely say that.

THE VOCAL LAYERING of the pre-chorus, chorus, and bridge is genius. It has the R&Biana vibe that I’ve always appreciated. The vocal delivery of the bridge is other-worldly. The bridge is just a career highlight all around. This song just has everything for me. The lyrics are, in my opinion, some of the most effective of the album - particularly verse 2, and, once again, the bridge. This song is Ariana at her best. I also believe this point in the story of the album is just the most heartbreaking. It makes so much sense in track sequencing as well; it is, in fact, the vibe contrast to bye. I believe they parallel each other quite well, thematically, but with different tones. Point being, the situationship had to end, for real.

Eternal Sunshine gets 4.5 not j*ss stars out of 5 not j*ss stars.