Attitude’s Ultimate Rihanna Playlist – listen now
By Sam Rigby
It’s almost nine years since Rihanna released her debut single Pon de Replay, which kicked off a career that has already given us seven albums, and countless singles.
In celebration of the Bajan singer’s 26th birthday yesterday (February 20), we’ve been thinking about all the hits RiRi has had over the years. It felt a little bit like choosing between our children, but we got there in the end.
You can have a listen to Attitude’s Ultimate Playlist below. Happy Birthday Rihanna!
(Words by Sam Rigby and Josh Haigh)
10. What’s My Name (JH)
What’s My Name was one of the biggest hits from the Loud era, and spawned that X Factor performance, which received over 3000 complaints after viewers deemed the performance “too raunchy”. The track, featuring Drake, is a reggae-infused love letter, and is effortlessly catchy. Drake’s ridiculous sexual reference doesn’t manage to ruin what is otherwise a fully-fledged summer-jam.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0CGsw6h60k[/youtube]
9. Hard (SR)
Hard is a real highlight from Rated R and the military-influenced music video is up there with her best. It also features some pretty amazing lyrics, including Rihanna boasting about receiving “fan mail from 27 million”. “That Rihanna reign just won’t let up,” she adds. Cocky, but true.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcwd_Nz6Zog[/youtube]
8. Don’t Stop The Music (SR)
The genius sample of “Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa”, from Michael Jackson’s Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ by itself is enough to make this song amazing. Add in Rihanna and a beat that would get even the most reluctant of us on the G-A-Y dancefloor and you have an anthem on your hands.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd8jh9QYfEs[/youtube]
7. S&M (JH)
One thing Rihanna isn’t known for his her subtly, and with S&M she got right to the point. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me” shouts the star over a heavy club-beat. The video is one of the star’s most controversial clips to date, and the remix featuring Britney Spears wasn’t half bad either.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdS6HFQ_LUc[/youtube]
6. Umbrella (JH)
The hit that started it all. Rihanna may have had a career before Umbrella, but everything changed after its release. Hitting number one all over the globe, the track featured mentor Jay Z and propelled the star into pop royalty.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvBfHwUxHIk[/youtube]
5. Diamonds (SR)
After opening her previous two campaigns with out-and-out bangers in the form of Only Girl and We Found Love, it made a refreshing change when she released Diamonds in September 2012. 18 months later and we’re still not bored of it.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWA2pjMjpBs[/youtube]
4. Russian Roulette (SR)
Rated R is this writer’s favourite Rihanna album by some margin. Lead single Russian Roulette says a lot about where the singer was in her personal life at that time, and that’s precisely why it works.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ2nCGawrSY[/youtube]
3. Only Girl (In The World) (JH)
Only Girl marked a departure in sound from previous album Rated R. It’s Anthony Mandler-directed video is one of her most memorable, and its club-ready bassline and euro pop influences helped it go on to win the singer a Grammy for Best Dance Recording.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa14VNsdSYM[/youtube]
2. Rude Boy (JH)
One of RiRi’s raunchiest hits, and a nice bit of light relief from an otherwise dark album. “Can you get it up, is you big enough” she snarls over an irresistible beat. We love it.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82VE8UtW8A[/youtube]
1. We Found Love (SR)
Credit must go to both Rihanna and Calvin Harris for this banger. You can’t help but be drawn in by the song’s dreamy sense of euphoria, and like so many of Rihanna’s songs, it sounds as amazing today as it did in 2011. We Found Love topped the charts in 25 countries, and deservedly so.
[youtube height=”315″ width=”560″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg00YEETFzg[/youtube]
What are your favourite Rihanna songs? Let us know in the comments section below.