This week for our Top Ten we are counting down the best Rihanna songs! She has a massive discography but we managed to cut it down. Check it out now!
10. S&M ft Britney Spears
Loud, 2010
A lot of fascinating facts about S&M from Rihanna which was massive in Australia and the US. The music video was deemed too raunchy and banned in eleven countries, it was the target of a lawsuit, and was her tenth number 1.
9. Unfaithful
A Girl Like Me, 2006
Unfaithful is an emotional piano ballad written by Ne-Yo, a singer and producer she later worked with on Hate That I Love You. Lyrically, this was a big song for Rihanna as she began to find her confidence as a singer.
8. Take a Bow
Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded
Take a Bow is another song written by Rihanna's label mate Ne-Yo and produced by Norwegian production team Stargate. This was the first Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart-topper for Rihanna as previously the Barbadian-born artist's most successful song in that chart had been "Umbrella," which peaked at #4 in July 2007.
7. We Found Love ft Calvin Harris
Talk That Talk, 2011
This was Rihanna's sixth British #1, which has been spread over five consecutive years, a record unequalled by any other female solo artist. We Found Love was successful for Rihanna in 2012, with the visual winning the Video of the Year award at the 2012 VMAs and it was the most played song on US airwaves in 2012. It was followed by Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" in second place and The Wanted's "Glad You Came" in third.
6. Diamonds
Unapologetic, 2013
Diamonds from the 2013 album Unapologetic was Rihanna's twelfth number 1 song on the Hot 100 in the US. This placed her in second place with Madonna and The Supremes as the female acts with the most chart-toppers. (Mariah Carey had reached the summit 18 times when this reached the peak position). It was also written by Sia Furler around the time her own single "Chandelier" became popular.
5. SOS
A Girl Like Me, 2006
SOS by Rihanna samples a 1981 song by Soft Cell called Tainted love. a 1981 hit by Soft Cell, which was originally recorded by Soul singer Gloria Jones. Fun fact, the song has two music videos. One is a Nike promotional video featuring Rihanna dancing in a nightclub. In the official video directed by Chris Applebaum, Rihanna is shown telling the object of her affection that she's going to signal S.O.S.
4. Only Girl in the World
Loud, 2010
The song was Rihanna's fourth single to top the chart in 2010, making her the first ever female, and first artist overall since Usher in 2004, to reach #1 that many times in a single calendar year. The other three other 2010 chart-toppers were: Rude Boy,
Love The Way You Lie, What's My Name? Only Girl In The World is a bit different for a pop song: the verse is in one key, and then it goes into a different key in the chorus.
3. Pon De Replay
Music of the Sun, 2005
Pon De Replay is the song that launched Rihanna's career. As she is from Barbados, this song is heavy on Caribbean dance rhythms. The song takes place in a dance club, and Pon De Replay translates to "Play it again" in the local Barbados dialect Bajan. This song hit #1 in New Zealand and Portugal and #6 in Australia. In the US it was held back from the #1 spot by Mariah Carey's We Belong Together.
2. Love the Way You Lie
(Eminem's Recovery, 2010)
Rihanna joined Eminem on this song Love The Way You Lie in 2010 and by the end of the year it was the best selling single of 2010, charting at #1 in Australia and the US. The song won many awards and received five Grammy nominations. The single sold over 12 million copies in the US and 1.5 million in the UK.
1. Umbrella ft Jay-Z
Good Girl Gone Bad, 2007
Some big accolades for this track, Umbrella from the Good Girl Gone Bad album in 2007. At the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, this won for Video of the Year. It also reached number one in many countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
Fun Fact, Jay-Z, who runs Rihanna's record label Roc-A-Fella Records, performs a somewhat gratuitous rap at the beginning of the song emphasizing his wealth and business success. His presence on the song made it much more marketable even if it didn't advance the storyline.