auteurShe also won her first GRAMMY in 2008 (Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for « Umbrella ») and scored four other nominations, including Record Of The Year. Good Girl Gone Bad remains Rihanna’s best-selling album and marks her greatest reinvention as she adopted a more rebellious sound. The melancholy « Rehab » is a clever metaphor for lost love, co-written by Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. Produced by Tricky Stewart, the LP’s juggernaut lead single « Umbrella » featuring Jay-Z skyrocketed to No. 1 in 17 countries. Her official introduction to the world also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart; she boasts 33 on the tally, second behind only the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna.
No longer was she the girl writing songs like « Fifteen » in her bedroom — now she was working through becoming a highly publicized figure. Although Swift’s eponymous debut is underappreciated now — even lacking its own set on Swift’s Eras Tour — Taylor Swift’s forthcoming rerecording is arguably the most anticipated by fans, who are eager to hear the songs with the singer’s current and more refined vocals. The album’s lead single, « Tim McGraw, » an acoustic country ballad inspired by Swift knowing her relationship was going to end, represents an intricate part of Swift’s songwriting process; meticulously picking apart her emotions to better understand them. As a songwriter, Taylor Swift set the tone for what would be expected of her future recordings — all songs were written by her, some solely and others with one or two co-writers.
Swift felt a « quiet conclusion » after finishing up evermore, describing that it was more about grappling with endings of all « sizes and shapes, » and the record represented a chapter closing. « Closure » is a « skittering » track that has the same energy as tracks like Lover’s « I Forgot That You Existed, » whereas the ballad « champagne problems » is thematically reminiscent of Swift’s Speak Now track « Back To December » where she takes responsibility for her lover’s heartache. Folklore’s impact on the zeitgeist at a time where everyone was stuck at home helped shape people’s quarantine experience. She worked remotely with two producers — again working with her right-hand man Jack Antonoff, and first-time collaborator Aaron Dessner from The National.
It’s a highlight on The Life of a Showgirl as it’s a testament that, regardless of how much time has passed or the fame that Swift has achieved, she still looks back on those who changed her life early on. Swift doesn’t want you to get it twisted, though — this is an album about the life of a showgirl, not an album about being a performer. She’s no longer anxious in love (« Eldest Daughter, » « Honey ») and for the first time, she owns all of her work and is in complete artistic control (« Father Figure »).
- After Rihanna signed with Def Jam, Jay-Z and his team spent three months completing her debut studio album.
- As a pioneer of the music industry, her earnings from album sales, touring, and streaming have consistently placed her among the top earners in entertainment.
- As the world eagerly awaits new music, celebrate 20 years of Rihanna with the monstrous hits, ambitious projects, brow-raising visuals, and iconic collabs that propelled her to international stardom — and why it’s all put her in a league of her own.
- Notable songs from her early career, including « Pon de Replay, » « Unfaithful, » and « SOS, » showcased her versatility and unique sound, quickly establishing her as a prominent figure in the music industry.
- Retrospective and reflective, Speak Now is an album about the speeches she could’ve, would’ve and should’ve said.
- Along with having more eyes on her, Swift also felt pressured to maintain her persona as a perfect young female role model amid a time when her peers like Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato were attempting to rebrand to be more mature and sexier.
- For a project about being a showgirl, introducing people to the concept of the album at the end was puzzling for some.
The singer/songwriter also picked up a Best Traditional Pop GRAMMY in 2024 for her second LP, an immaculate collection of jazz, pop and classical that bridged the gap between Gen-Z and the Great American Songbook. Still, as a love song dedicated to wife Amanda Shires — and the quiet acceptance that the Grim Reaper will inevitably end their story — it’s certainly no less emotional. Just four years after picking up five GRAMMY nominations for their transatlantic chart-topper « Love the Way You Lie, » unlikely dream team Eminem and Rihanna once again joined forces for another hip-pop masterclass. Traditional Appalachian folk song « O Death » had previously been recorded by the likes of gospel vocalist Bessie Jones, folklorist Mike Seeger and Californian rockers Camper Van Beethoven, just to name a few. The King of Pop picked up a whopping 11 nominations for his first blockbuster album, Thriller, and then converted seven of them into wins, including Album Of The Year. Considering how perfectly Mike Oldfield’s prog-rock epic Tubular Bells complements all-time classic horror flick The Exorcist, it’s remarkable to think that it was recorded before director William Friedkin came calling.
Seven years into an already extraordinary career, 2012’s Unapologetic became Rihanna’s first album to debut at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. With this feat, she became the youngest artist to attain the most chart-toppers in a five-year span. That same carefree spirit can be heard in the feminist track « Raining Men, » which features Nicki Minaj — their first of two collabs, as they joined forces again for « Fly, » the final single off the rapper’s iconic Pink Friday album. While « What’s My Name? » may not outshine Rih and Drizzy’s other collabs — including 2011’s « Take Care » or 2016’s « Work » — the second she sings, « Hey, boy, I really wanna see if you can go downtown with a girl like me, » it’s impossible not to whine your waist to the riddim. Through lead single « Russian Roulette » and bitingly catchy anthems « Stupid in Love, » « Fire Bomb, » « Photographs, » « Cold Case Love, » and « The Last Song, » Rihanna explored her angst and confusion. Rihanna was a familiar face by 2007, but with the arrival of her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad, she graduated from cookie-cutter pop star to bonafide icon.
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« SOS » became her first song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, while « Unfaithful » was a top-ten single worldwide. The song was released on May 25, 2005, and became a commercial success, reaching number two on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. Departing from Def Jam in favour of Jay-Z’s label, Roc Nation, she released the eclectic Anti (2016)—her second number-one album.
Rihanna is expecting baby No. 3 with A$AP Rocky, the rapper confirms at the 2025 Met Gala
It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks and peaked at number two in the UK; it was also the latter country’s best-selling song of 2010. In June 2010, she collaborated with rapper Eminem on the single « Love the Way You Lie ». In support of the album, Rihanna embarked on the Last Girl on Earth tour from 2010 to 2011. The single « Rude Boy » peaked atop the Hot 100 for six weeks, while « Russian Roulette » and « Hard » both peaked within the top ten.
Later works: Rated R, Talk That Talk, and Unapologetic
Released on November 20, Rated R marked a shift away from the upbeat sound of Rihanna’s earlier albums, embracing a darker, more introspective tone with rock influences. The case garnered widespread media attention, particularly after TMZ published a leaked police photograph showing Rihanna with visible injuries. In 2008, she announced her romantic relationship with singer Chris Brown and topped the Hot 100 once again with a feature on rapper T.I.’s song « Live Your Life ». Having sold nine million copies as of 2023, Good Girl Gone Bad is her best-selling album worldwide. In support of the album, Rihanna embarked on the worldwide Good Girl Gone Bad Tour in September 2007, performing 80 concerts across five continents.
- Rihanna comes out of left field with the Prince-inspired « Kiss It Better, » the album’s second single, which sees the superstar falling back on addictive sex that « feels like crack » to justify a destructive relationship.
- The album’s title track pulled from the saying, « Speak now or forever hold your peace, » inspired by a friend’s ex-boyfriend getting engaged; meanwhile, « Mean » was everything Swift wanted to say to a critic who was continuously harsh about her vocals.
- On « Father Figure, » she flips the power dynamic between a « showman, » someone who thought they were pulling the strings, and a showgirl.
- With the glorious « Lift Me Up, » she found herself in the top 10 for the first time since 2017’s « Wild Thoughts. »
- In late 2008, she released « Rehab », the fifth and final single from Good Girl Gone Bad; it peaked within the top 20 of the charts in both the US and UK.
- Like many artists of her era who either had bad contracts or no contract at all, Sister Nancy did not benefit from the popularity of « Bam Bam » for the majority of her career.
That year, fans also got their first glimpse of the pop superstar alongside Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, and Anne Hathaway in trailers for Ocean’s 8, a female-led spinoff of the popular Ocean’s Trilogy which hit theaters in June 2018. It also spawned the popular radio hits “Needed Me” and “Love on the Brain.” At the 2014 Grammy Awards, Unapologetic won Best Urban Contemporary Album, marking the singer’s first win in an album category. In November 2012, Rihanna scored her first No. 1 album with Unapologetic. The pop star delivered her next effort, Talk That Talk, in November 2011. Rihanna returned back and better than ever in November 2010 with her fifth studio album, Loud.
The Women Essential To Reggae And Dancehall
The record also featured the popular power ballad “Unfaithful,” as well as singles “We Ride” and “Break It Off.” The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and earned her first No. 1 hit with the catchy pop single “SOS,” which spent three weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100. In 2008, Rihanna topped the chart three times, twice with her own songs “Disturbia” and “Take a Bow,” plus a feature on T.I.’s “Live Your Life.” She has also earned nine number-one songs on the UK Singles Chart and ranks second to the Beatles for the most million-selling singles in the country. This made her the artist with the most digital single awards and the first performer to exceed RIAA’s 100 million cumulative singles certification threshold. With estimated worldwide sales exceeding 250 million records as of 2023, Rihanna is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
On « Father Figure, » she flips the power dynamic between a « showman, » someone who thought they were pulling the strings, and a showgirl. On stage, fans were seeing the same steadfast, resilient showgirl they were seeing throughout the tour perform three-hour sets. After The Tortured Poets Department provided insight into how she coped during the beginning of the tour while dealing with two relationships breaking down, producing tracks like « The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived » and « loml, » The Life of a Showgirl is a sharp turn in the other direction. The 12-track record is an amalgamation of what was going on behind the scenes throughout the latter half of The Eras Tour. Take a look at how tracks like « The Fate of Ophelia » and « The Life of a Showgirl » hint that Swift is happier and more inspired than ever.
The Western-themed « Desperado » lends itself particularly well to covers by country artists, while the Dido-sampling « Never Ending » conveys the uncertainty she feels about entering a new relationship. Subsequently, Rihanna held the No. 1 spots on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously, her second time achieving such an impressive feat. But the dancehall masterpiece is one of a kind for Rih’s refusal to water down the Jamaican patois (different from her native language of Bajan Creole) — proving that she is fully aware of her impact as one of the biggest Caribbean-born artists to make it in the U.S. ANTI lives up to its name in its first 40 seconds, via opening track « Consideration. » The minute she declares, « I got to do things my own way, darling, » it’s apparent that ANTI is not your average Rihanna album. But that shift began with 2015’s criminally underrated « American Oxygen. » Her most political statement at the time, the goosebump-inducing lyrics detail Rihanna’s journey as an immigrant, foreshadowing her then soon-to-be massive Fenty Beauty success.
Good Girl Gone Bad
Only eight months later, in August 2005, she released her first single, “Pon de Replay,” a reggae-influenced club track that reached No. 2 on the Billboard singles chart and announced Rihanna as the next up-and-coming pop star. Rihanna soon followed with the album A Girl Like Me (2006), featuring the up-tempo club-oriented “S.O.S.” The song, which was built around a sample of Soft Cell’s 1981 new-wave hit “Tainted Love,” became Rihanna’s first to top the Billboard singles chart. Rihanna has fourteen number-one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, placing her third for the most chart-topping songs in its history. The songs « Man Down », « California King Bed », and « Cheers (Drink to That) » were released as singles from Loud in 2011. The project yielded a string of successful songs, including the US number-one singles « Umbrella », « Take a Bow », and « Disturbia ».
Oldfield was rewarded for helping to scar a generation of moviegoers for life when a condensed version of his eerie masterpiece picked up the Best Instrumental Composition GRAMMY in 1975. And the soul legend further leaned into its supernatural theme in 2013 when he appeared as a witch doctor in a Bud Light Super Bowl commercial soundtracked by the ominous chart-topper. Along with giving GRAMMY gold to the likes of Smashing Pumpkins, Slayer and Vampire Weekend, the Recording Academy betista casino has embraced the odd musical spooktacular in several forms. « I have to appreciate ‘Bam Bam.’ I have no problem talking about it because it’s mine. I did the song, so I’m not tired of talking about it. I’m not tired of playing it either, » Sister Nancy says. « Mad Professor is someone I look up to. He’s a genius, and I love working with him, » Sister Nancy adds. She continues to release new music of her own, though she believes in letting projects simmer before embarking on something new.
Rihanna has faced personal challenges, including a highly publicized incident of domestic violence with former boyfriend Chris Brown. With these endeavors combined with her musical empire, Rihanna has not only cemented her legacy in music but also positioned herself as a powerful icon in the world of entrepreneurship. The singer launched her makeup line, Fenty Beauty, in 2017, gaining instant popularity for its extensive range of shades catering to all skin tones. This wealth is a result of her multifaceted career, which extends beyond music to include ventures in fashion, beauty, and film. Rihanna, one of the most successful pop stars of her generation, has amassed an impressive net worth estimated to be around $1.7 billion, according to Forbes. Rihanna’s romantic life has often made headlines, with notable relationships sparking both admiration and intrigue.
Rihanna Marks 10th Anniversary of ‘ANTI’ With Record-Extending 8th RIAA Diamond Certification
The doo-wop-infused ballad soared to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2017, and its new certification helps Rihanna extend her record as the female artist with the most Diamond singles in RIAA history. In 2007, Rihanna transformed from a teen pop star into a serious artist with her groundbreaking album « Good Girl Gone Bad, » which featured the iconic single « Umbrella, » featuring Jay-Z. Notable songs from her early career, including « Pon de Replay, » « Unfaithful, » and « SOS, » showcased her versatility and unique sound, quickly establishing her as a prominent figure in the music industry. Incorporating an assortment of genres, the record featured the singles “Pour It Up,” “Stay” with Mikky Ekko, and “Diamonds,” which topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for three weeks. Debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the pop and R&B album produced her longest-charting No. 1 hit, “We Found Love” with Calvin Harris, which topped the song chart for a whopping 10 weeks straight. The album, which mixed pop and electronic music, peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.
It topped the charts in several territories, spending ten consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart and seven at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 162,000 copies in its first week. Regarded as a turning point in her career, it marked a shift from the Caribbean-influenced sound of her earlier work, embracing a more contemporary pop direction driven by uptempo dance tracks. It became her first RIAA-certified double platinum album, surpassing one million units sold. Soon after releasing Music of the Sun, Rihanna began working on her second studio album in September 2005.
Rihanna has released numerous hits, including « Umbrella, » « Diamonds, » « We Found Love, » and « Disturbia. » Rihanna began her music career at the age of 16 when she signed with Def Jam records. In addition to her chart-topping hits, Rihanna has capitalized on her fame with lucrative endorsement deals and her own successful brands, including Fenty Beauty, which revolutionized the beauty industry with its inclusive products. As a pioneer of the music industry, her earnings from album sales, touring, and streaming have consistently placed her among the top earners in entertainment. As an expectant mother, Rihanna continues to inspire her fans, demonstrating a balance between her music career and her personal life.
