Is it the Super Bowl or the Fenty Bowl?
It’s very rare that the halftime performer outshines the big game, but it won’t be the first time in Super Bowl history. Beyoncé, with the rest of the Destiny Child's crew, shutdown the Super Bowl in 2013 and had the whole world watching talking about their halftime show. This Sunday, Rihanna is bound to do the same. For RiRi, performing at the Super Bowl is something she never imagined growing up in Barbados.
"It's a long way from home. It's a beautiful journey that I'm on, and I could have never guessed that I would have made it here," said the Bajan singer.
What adds more hype to Rihanna’s halftime performance is that this will be her first performance in nearly five years. In honor of one of the greatest artists of our generation returning to the stage, we rank her albums—from worst to best.
8. Music of the Sun
Rihanna’s debut album kicks off our list. Music of the Sun was released in 2005 and she stayed true to her reggae roots throughout the album. Her debut single “Pon De Replay” instantly became the hit of the album and made the world fall in love with her. “If Its Lovin’ That You Want” is another great song on the album, but not much else, which is why it falls at number 8.
7. A Girl Like Me
After her debut album was a smash hit, folks couldn't wait for her sophomore album to drop. Unfortunately, when it was released, it turned out to be a letdown. And though it didn’t have a single as strong as “Pon De Replay,” the album did help Ri prove that she could be more than just a reggae artist. Her magical voice was on full display in “Unfaithful,” one of the biggest songs of her career.
6. Rated R
This album was a big switch up from Rihanna's usual style; the tunes featured were much angrier and darker, which you can catch in the album’s lyrics and music videos. Ri recorded this album after some personal drama in her life.
“Hard” featuring Young Jeezy became one of the biggest hip-hop songs of the year. with And “Rude Boy” is arguably her biggest dancehall hit to date. This album proved that nothing could stop Ri's trajectory to superstardom.
5. Loud
The dark vibes didn’t last long, and with Loud, Rihanna went back to a more positive one. This album featured not one, not two, but three Billboard Hot 100 number 1s. The “S&M” pop track reached number two on Billboard Hot 100, with Brittney Spears hopping on the remix pushing it to number 1
—Rihanna’s fifth. Ri's song “Only Girl (In The World)” saw her venture into electronic music, and it was well received, especially overseas. And her tune “What’s My Name,” featuring Drake, became the biggest hit of 2010. The song did a lot for Drake too, as it became his first Billboard Hot 100 number 1, and it is still one of his most popular bop to date.
4.Talk That Talk
The Fenty boss wanted to get her fans dancing with “Talk That Talk,” and that’s exactly what she did. This album is one of her more musically diverse albums as it successfully tackled multiple genres. The album opens with “You Da One,” an upbeat dance track in which Rihanna croons about finding the love of her life. And, her pop-techno hit “We Found Love” went on to become the biggest song on the album. The bad gyal got a bit raunchy on “Cockiness (Love It)” and “Birthday Cake,” and her fans were absolutely here for it.
3. Unapologetic
If there were any doubts about Rihanna’s vocal abilities, she erased them with Unapologetic. Her vocal range was on full display on “Diamonds” and “Stay. You can catch Future on the hook of “Loveeeee Song.” Plus, she paired with then-beau Chris Brown on the“Nobody's Business,” and they did not miss.
2. Anti
On Anti, the Bajan baddie fuses R&B pop perfectly while also mixing in other genres. Her hit “Work” was our anthem of the day, and seven years, it still is. Drake’s verse on the track was a smooth fit and proved that even five years later after their initial collab, he and Ri are still musical soulmates. With “Sex With Me,” the Bajan baddie gets braggadocio; she knows she’s one of the most alluring women in the world and she isn’t afraid to let the world know it. Her song “Needed Me” is another favorite from this masterpiece.
1. Good Girl Gone Bad
We loved Rihanna as a good girl, but when she turned bad, she became iconic. What we feel is Rihanna's best album is the one that made her the bad gyal superstar that we know her as today. Good Girl Gone Bad is over a decade old, but it’s still the album that impacted Rihanna’s career the most. It turned her into a global star and started the beginnings of the Rihanna we see dominating the music and fashion worlds.The album is littered with hits and timeless bops from top to bottom. Of course, we cannot forget about the Jay-Z assisted “Umbrella,” but that’s just the beginning. "Take A Bow" has to be the ultimate breakup song. Hit singles “Don’t Stop The Music” and “Shut Up and Drive” still get played in the club today. And let's not forget about her and Ne-Yo's beautiful duet on “Hate That I Love You.”
