How Ariana Grande Shaped the Future: A Legacy Timeline

How the contributions of Ariana Grande continue to shape the world today.

Ariana Grande-Butera is an American singer, songwriter, and actress, widely recognized as a pop icon and influential figure in popular music. She's celebrated for her impressive four-octave vocal range. Grande's achievements include two Grammy Awards, a Brit Award, two Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. In 2020, she was the world's highest-paid female musician. With over 90 million records sold globally, Grande is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1964: Beatles Occupy Top 5 Spots

In 1964, The Beatles occupied the top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100, an achievement Ariana Grande would emulate years later when she became the first solo artist to occupy the top three spots on the Billboard Hot 100.

2014: "Santa Tell Me" impact as a Christmas standard

Due to her 2014 song "Santa Tell Me" becoming a modern-day Christmas standard, Ariana Grande was dubbed the "Princess of Christmas".

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2015: Grande Acknowledges Enunciation Criticisms

In 2015, Ariana Grande admitted that pronunciation was something she hoped to improve, acknowledging criticisms of her enunciation, particularly on her earlier recordings.

2016: Featured on the Time 100

In 2016, Ariana Grande was featured on the Time 100 list.

2016: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2016, Ariana Grande was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world.

2016: Jason Robert Brown's article in Time magazine

In 2016, composer and playwright Jason Robert Brown wrote in a Time magazine article about Ariana Grande's unbelievable sound allowing her to shut down every objection and obstacle.

2017: Transition from Ingénue to Independent Artist

In 2017, Celia Almeida of the Miami New Times wrote that Ariana Grande made the most convincing transition from ingénue to an independent female artist.

2019: Grande becomes Most-Followed Woman on Instagram

In 2019, Ariana Grande became the most-followed woman on Instagram.

2019: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People Again

In 2019, Ariana Grande was again named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world.

2019: Featured on the Time 100 and Forbes Celebrity 100

In 2019, Ariana Grande was featured on the Time 100 and Forbes Celebrity 100 lists.

2020: Grande Refrains from Interviews

In 2020, Ariana Grande admitted to refraining from interviews for a while out of fear of being labeled a "diva" and that her words would be misconstrued.

2020: Featured on the Forbes Celebrity 100

In 2020, Ariana Grande was featured on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list.

2020: Named "First Pop Diva of the Streaming Generation"

In 2020, Bloomberg News named Ariana Grande the "first pop diva of the streaming generation".

December 2021: Deletion of Twitter Account

In December 2021, Ariana Grande deleted her Twitter account, explaining that she wanted to prioritize being an artist and having a healthy relationship with her fans and art.

2021: "Thank U, Next" ranked in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs

In 2021, Ariana Grande's song "Thank U, Next" was ranked number 137 in Rolling Stone's revision of their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

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January 2022: End of Reign as Most-Followed Woman on Instagram

In January 2022, Ariana Grande's period as the most-followed woman on Instagram ended.

2023: Luminate's Data on Album Units and Streams

As of 2023, according to Luminate, Ariana Grande has moved 22.4 million album units and garnered over 23.6 billion streams across lead artist credits in the US.