Rihanna also known as Robyn Rihanna Fenty is one of pop's biggest hitmakers, but her recently released eighth studio album ANTI proves that she can still dominate the charts successfully and still have impact on radio and streaming platforms. The talented Barbadian singer, actress. fashion designer has entertained the world with her melodic R&B, reggae, dance songs.
It's strange to think we've been listening to Rihanna for 10 years- but we have and we're probably not even halfway through her time at the top of the industry since she's just 27.
10. You Da One (2011)
Album: Talk That Talk
It's the island attitude Rihanna throws into her voice that makes "You da One" a perfect pop song. The lyrics would be middle school notebook decoration if it weren't for that tweak of "the" to "da." Makes a world of difference, really. The little dubstep breakdown portion marks the song as firmly 2010s, but it'll still age well because the break is anchored by all that goddamn personality in the way she sings the word "one." You can hear how she practically bites down and pulls up on the syllable, pulling the ne away from the vowel like a single bright stream of taffy extending from the candied o to her lips. You can picture it, too. This is the one. —Ross Scarano
9. Work featuring Drake (2016)
Boi-1da traveling to Rihanna's sunstruck Caribbean home to make this beat. Her voice has a glossy wordlessness to it, but this is for sure some of her most subtle, expressive, and coolly thrilling shout-singing. Emotionally unmoored as ever, Drake's first verse of 2016 finds him in motivational speaker mode: "When I see potential/ I just gotta see it through," he sings, "If you had a twin/ I would still choose you" (as if anyone could compare). Simple as it is, Ri's "Work work work work #work!" hook is wise. It shows she knows her considerable worth.
8. Don't Stop The Music (2007)
Album: Good Girl Gone Bad
With one healthy Michael Jackson sample and five easy words (“please don’t stop the music, please don’t stop the music”) Rihanna built the defining house jam of 2007. In fact, if it wasn’t for a certain inescapable single, “Don’t Stop the Music” would’ve been the icon from "Good Girl Gone Bad."
7. Pon De Replay (2005)
For Rihanna, it all began with the island dance sounds of "Pon de Replay." It was one of three songs included on her initial demo sent to record labels. The translation of the phrase from Bajan Creole is, "Play it again." Jay-Z was the first executive to respond to the demo and Rihanna was soon signed to Def Jam. The song was a major hit climbing to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the dance chart in the US.
6. Rude Boy (2010)
Album: Rated R
Working once again with StarGate, Rihanna returned to her Caribbean island background for the sound of "Rude Boy." She taunts an unnamed suitor in the song in a sexually suggestive fashion. The powerful, dominant stance was effective in moving Rihanna's public image away from victim status in the wake of her relationship with Chris Brown. "Rude Boy" became Rihanna's sixth #1 hit single in the US.
5. Stay featuring Mikky Ekko(2013)
Rihanna is championed for many things, but sheer vocal performance isn't necessarily the talent her name is built on. "Stay," her duet with Mikky Ekko from 2012's Unapologetic, is the song that transformed Rihanna from a star into an artist. The song and video alike are simple, stripped down, and raw with emotion. The power of her vocal performance in "Stay" is enough to silence Rihanna's greatest critics—she delivers tender, believable vocals carrying the weight of truly wanting someone. It's as though Rihanna's voice was just waiting for a songwriter as talented and open as Ekko to tease this out of her. —Dana Droppo
4. Only Girl (In The World) (2010)
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Album: Loud
The released of "Only Girl (In the World)" signaled Rihanna's move away from the dark themes of her Rated R album. It was the first single released from the album Loud. Rihanna herself stated she wanted to go back to making, "Happy and up-tempo records." "Only Girl (In the World)" was a #1 pop hit in most countries in the world. However, in the US it accomplished the unique feat of reaching the top after the second single from Loud,"What's My Name," had already reached the top.
3. Diamonds (2012)
Australian singer-songwriter Sia says that she wrote the lyrics to "Diamonds" in 14 minutes. She was called in to write words for a song put together by StarGate and Benny Blanco. Rihanna loved what she heard and was eager to record the song. The result was Rihanna's 12th #1 hit single which tied her with Madonna and the Supremes for fifth place on the overall list of artists with most chart-topping pop hits.
2. "Umbrella" featuring Jay Z (2007)
Album: Good Girl Gone Bad
Still the world champion. “Umbrella” went five times platinum and briefly took over the entire Universe in 2007, mostly because “-ella, -ella, -ella, ay, ay, ay, ay” made for the greatest mindless hooks in pop history. It may never let us go — there may be no escape — and that's fine.
"Umbrella" is undoubtedly her most recognizable and iconic single. Joined by Jay Z, Rihanna officially made the transition from teen pop star to R&B's reigning princess with this fun, sexy single.
1. "We Found Love" featuring Calvin Harris (2011)
Album: Talk That Talk
After Harris opened for Rihanna on her Loud tour, the DJ ended up producing one of Rihanna's biggest show-stopping club hits of her career. With over 10 million copies sold, the electrifying track is also Rihanna's best-selling single and the song that helped push Harris into the mainstream as a superstar DJ. "It changed absolutely everything," Harris told The Sun in 2012. "
Say what you like about the Scottish producer, but the man knows how to create euphoria. He was the perfect partner for one of the most pining, romantic tales in the Rihanna catalog.
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