Review: "Problem" by Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande is officially back with "Problem", the first single lifted off of her highly anticipated second studio release that's currently untitled. Scheduled for a Fall 2014 release, Ariana's upcoming album follows last September's Yours Truly, which was a moderate album hit in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2013.

"Problem" features up and coming female rapper Iggy Azalea as well as a mystery guest who performs a single line during the chorus, thought to be Big Sean (who featured on an Ariana Grande track in 2013). Mixing a sexy saxophone backed chorus with a breathy hook performed by Ariana, the track is bound to be a success. While it has drawn some unflattering comparisons to Jason Derülo's recent, highly controversial, hit single "Talk Dirty", overall reception from critics and fans alike has been skewed positively.

It's no doubt unexpected and odd, but the formula seems to work out here (yet again). The jagged edge stylings of Iggy Azalea mixed with the Mariah Carey-esque vocals of Grande, blend up together fairly well. It also sounds more mature, solidifying Ariana's image as a true pop artist and not just some Nickelodeon fluff artist with no talent.

Rating: 90% (A-)

In terms of how many copies this instant hit will sell during its first week of release; that's too hard to figure out at this point. However, some guesses have began to emerge. According to one report, "Problem" has already shifted over 75,000 copies in the US alone in the past 24 hours. That's possible, but we don't have a good enough source. All I can confirm is that yes, "Problem" reached #1 a mere 37 minutes after release in the United States, a record for the "Fastest Climb to #1 (US)". That technically breaks the record set by Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (which took just 50 minutes to top the list), but keep in mind, "Problem" was offered as a pre-order for almost a week before release. Right before release at 8 PM last night, the track sat at #6. It launched to #1 at 8:37 PM. Also please note, that Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" is still the fastest selling iTunes single in history, shifting over 1 million copies through sales in 23 counties (all the iTunes stores at the time of release) in just 5 days. Back to Grande, it looks like "Problem" might sell over 300,000 copies this week in the United States (if it holds well). That would likely mean a top 10 debut. Currently it is selling 72% more than Pharrell's "Happy" (the most recent #1). "Happy" sold about 275,000 copies as of the most recent completed sales week. It was expected to drop to about 200,000 in sales this week. That pegs Grande for a 345,000 copy start, though that figure should easily drop. I'm expecting just under 300,000 copies sold through the end of week 1 in the United States.