Track Record: VIBE Ranks Rihanna’s 20 Best Singles

November 19, 2012 - 4:29 pm by Clover Hope

Even a struggle psychic could predict the chances of Rihanna landing a No. 1 single. There’s no denying the badass’s radio presence, and her songs tend to pitch tents on the Billboard charts (11 of them have reached the zenith), causing all sorts of broken records. Credit much of it to a talented crew of producers and songwriters and Rihanna’s gift for blowing hit-making pixie dust on a track. With her new album, Unapologetic, hitting stores today, VIBE runs down the pop machine’s 20 greatest singles of her career, from most played to slept-on.

Compiled by Clover Hope and Carmen Shardae Jobson

*Ed Note: Chart Peak refers to the song’s highest position on the Billboard Hot 100

20. “Unfaithful” (2006) Producer: StarGate Album: A Girl Like Me Chart Peak: No. 6 This extra emo ballad sung from a cheater’s POV sounded more opera than pop, yet was so over the top it worked. Sullen piano musings paint a picture of guilt and regret and featured some of Rihanna’s most contentious lyrics (“I don’t wanna be a murderer,” etc.). It’s hard to admit being the neglected lover, but Rih let it all out.

19. “Talk That Talk” Featuring Jay-Z (2011) Album: Talk That Talk Producer: StarGate Chart Peak: No. 31 Rihanna admits she loves an aggressor. Here, she gets off on her dude’s bedroom chatter and spends most of the track challenging the comp to step their swag up, while Jay-Z delivers the old Hov we know with a frisky stanza.

18. “Only Girl in the World” (2010) Producer: StarGate, Sandy Vee Album: Loud Chart Peak: No. 1 Rih’s dancing-in-the-fields single fit in perfectly with the Euro R&B boom, as Rihanna’s nonchalance seems tailor made for robotic tracks. Like a good bulk of her singles or guest appearances, you might’ve disliked it for a millisecond, but soon you were humming the chorus.

17. “Russian Roulette” (2009) Producers: Chuck Harmony, Ne-Yo Album: Rated R Chart Peak: No. 9 This game of roulette was the kind of no-win situation where both the victor and victim suffer losses. Though it’s one of Rih’s more lethargic ballads, behind the sadness is a vindicated woman, and the scene can almost be viewed as a sequel to “Unfaithful,” where she's now the one seeking salvation.

16. “Cockiness (Love It)” (2011) Producer: Mr. Bangladesh Album: Talk That Talk Chart Peak: Uncharted In another carnal anthem, the gender-bending Bajan drops slick taunts like “lick my cockiness, suck my persuasion." The cock-rock influences don’t quit as Rih’s tone ejects smooth criminal backed by Afrobeats. One gun in the air for the bad girls...

15. “Hard” (2009) Producer: Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Terius “The-Dream” Nash Album: Rated R Chart Peak: No. 8 If you’re trying to pinpoint when “that Rihanna reign” started (and then refused to let up), it might be here. The brawny poundings of this street-smart jam with a Young Jeezy cameo slung shots at haters and pushed a simple message to go hard or go home.

14. “Where Have You Been” (2011) Producers: Dr. Luke, Cirkut, Calvin Harris Album: Talk That Talk Chart Peak: No. 5 This track is a fusion of hard-rocking house music and trance that spins your head around, offers a quickie cool down, and leaves you craving more sonic adventures. Rihanna croons from a place of forgiveness, and she'll do whatever it takes to win her boo back.

13. “Don’t Stop The Music” (2007) Producer: StarGate Album: Good Girl Gone Bad Chart Peak: No. 3 “Umbrella” might've been the zeitgeist, but “Don’t Stop the Music” was the club anthem, something you’d hear nonstop on the Jersey Shore. A mish-mash of dance, pop and a dabbing of dub-step resulted in a glittery ball of fun. With additional MJ-sampled ad-libbing, the finale made you wish the good times would never end.

12. “Diamonds” (2012) Producers: Benny Blanco, StarGate Album: Unapologetic Chart Peak: No. 2 For some it’s surprising that Rihanna went mellow for the lead single to her latest album, Unapologetic. The song, with its echoes of dysfunctional love and drama, leaves the singer sounding more like a tortured indie queen than anything, but being malleable is Rih Rih’s strong point, not to mention her skill for balancing the tough with the fragile.

11. “S.O.S” (2006) Producer: J.R. Rotem Album: A Girl Like Me Chart Peak: No. 1 Rihanna’s first real worldwide smash, this sampling of “Tainted Love” described the trappings of punch drunk love. With new wave beats and cheerleading chants in the background, Rihanna sounds wide-eyed and anything but helpless.

10. “S&M” (2010) Producers: StarGate, Sandy Vee Album: Loud Chart Peak: No. 2 Ms. Fenty if you’re nasty? A tribute to the beauty (and even the odor) of a rough romp (“Sex in the air/I don't care, I love the smell of it”), Rih’s masochist tune depicts all Shades of Cray over fist thrusting synths. It’s often best to be direct.

9. “Disturbia” (2008) Producer: Brian Kennedy Album: Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded Chart Peak: No. 1 Disturbia’s like something you’d hear in a haunting house. Added to the Reloaded version of Good Girl Gone Bad, it’s an eerie, heavily AutoTuned soundtrack to ghosts (or a serial killer) chasing you. Scary pop.

8. “Birthday Cake (Remix)” (2011) Producers: Da Internz, Terius “The-Dream” Nash Album: Talk That Talk Chart Peak: No. 24 An official born day anthem right up there with 2 Chainz’s “Birthday Song” and Jeremih’s “Birthday Sex,” this sweet treat was first teased as a tidbit on Talk That Talk before fans clamored to extend it. Another genie wish was fulfilled when Chris Brown hopped on the remix and the ex-lovers swapped stories about the good ole days.

7. “Take A Bow” (2008) Producer: StarGate, Ne-Yo Album: Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded Chart Peak: No. 1 A memo to all the loser beaus and cheaters running amok, Rih’s scorned ballad sees the dark humor behind breakups. The song’s aimed at unmasking an apologetic ex by shooting daggers at his ego—“You look so dumb right now” and mocking his sincerity. Please.

6. “What’s My Name?” Featuring Drake (2010) Producer: StarGate Album: Loud Chart Peak: No. 1 Rih’s at her best when she’s flaunting her frisky side, whether it’s overt or suggestive. A subtle vocal seduction carries this duet with Drake. Over a staccato beat, Rihanna praises her man's expert motions and love of downtown trips, with Drake’s arithmetic-focused double entendre playing accomplice. FYI, “the square root of 69 is 8 something.”

5. “Man Down” (2010) Producer: Shama "Sak Pase" Joseph Album: Loud Chart Peak: No. 59 Rihanna tapped back into both her dark side and her Caribbean roots with this man-basher about murking a scrub. Its violent video (You can guess from the lyrics, “I just shot a man down,” that a dude gets shot) may have sparked outcry, but while this wasn't one of her most successful singles on radio or charts, like “Take A Bow,” it still occupies many heartbreakee playlists.

4. “Pon de Replay” (2005) Producers: Vada Nobles, Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers Album: Music of the Sun Chart Peak: No. 2 Before Rih deserted her label’s cocoon and let her true baddie self shine, she dropped this breakout single. An innocent plea for a DJ to “turn the music up,” the song impacted around the same time as her label mate Teairra Mari’s saucier “Make Her Feel Good.” You can now find Teairra on “Where are they now” lists, and Rihanna humble-bragging about earning 20 top-10 hits.

3. “Rude Boy” (2009) Producer: StarGate Album: Rated R Chart Peak: No. 1 For “Rude Boy,” Rihanna restores the Island bounce of “Pon de Replay,” this time adding a little (read: lots of) poom-patting in the music video. With Rih evolving from generic princess to hypersexual potty mouth, no after-shock registers when she asks her dude if he’s down to “take it” and “get it up.” You know she’s not talking about moving boxes.

2. “Umbrella” Featuring Jay-Z (2007) Producer: Christopher “Tricky” Stewart Album: Good Girl Gone Bad Chart Peak: No. 1 Like so many Rihanna songs, the beauty of “Umbrella” is what it isn’t. Instead of another pop song with stale lyrics, Rih Rih transforms a metaphor about umbrellas into a danceable ballad. The track’s success—27 weeks on the Hot 100 chart—not only kicked off her good-girl-gone-bad makeover, but also helped raise the profiles of songwriter The-Dream and producer Tricky Stewart, who originally intended the song for Britney Spears or Mary J. Blige.

1. “We Found Love” (2011) Producer: Calvin Harris Album: Talk That Talk Chart Peak: No. 1 With 36 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, “We Found Love” spent more time at No. 1 than “Umbrella.” This Calvin Harris production not only leaves your head playing invisible Ping-Pong in the clubs, but might make you tear up, too. While the rhythm attacks your limbs, it’s the sparseness of it all that sparks moments of clarity for hopeless romantics, as Rihanna and Harris choose unadorned lyrics and emotion over complexity. Depressing undertones, but it’s so good it hurts.

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