Rated R (Rihanna album)

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rated R
A black-and-white image of a woman wearing a leather jacket. Her hair is side-shaved, wears dark lipstick and her eye is covered with her hand. In the upper right corner there is a metal 'R' sign, while in the bottom right corner the words 'Rated R' are written in white letters.
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 20, 2009 (2009-11-20)
Recorded2009
Studiovarious (see recording locations)
Genre
Length51:49
Label
Producer
Rihanna chronology
Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes
(2009)
Rated R
(2009)
Rated R: Remixed
(2010)
Singles from Rated R
  1. "Russian Roulette"
    Released: October 26, 2009
  2. "Hard"
    Released: November 10, 2009
  3. "Wait Your Turn"
    Released: November 13, 2009
  4. "Rude Boy"
    Released: February 5, 2010
  5. "Rockstar 101"
    Released: May 18, 2010
  6. "Te Amo"
    Released: May 28, 2010

Rated R is the fourth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on November 20, 2009, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Recording sessions for the album began in March 2009 and took place at recording studios throughout United States and Europe. Rihanna was the executive producer of the album alongside Antonio "L.A." Reid and The Carter Administration. It features additional production by various record producers, including Chase & Status, Stargate, The-Dream, Ne-Yo, and Brian Kennedy. The record features several vocalists and instrumentalists, including Young Jeezy, will.i.am, Justin Timberlake and Slash, who played the guitars in "Rockstar 101".

Musically, the album represents a departure from her previous effort Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), which contained up-tempo and ballad-oriented songs. Rated R is a rock-influenced pop, hip hop and R&B album; it features a foreboding and atmospheric tone in terms of musical and lyrical direction, and it incorporates elements of dubstep. It also explores other genres, such as dancehall in "Rude Boy" and Latin-infusion in "Te Amo". Rated R received positive reviews from music critics, who commended Rihanna's mature performance and called the album her most layered and heartfelt effort. The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart and sold 181,000 copies in its first week. It also attained top ten positions in over twelve other countries.

The album produced six singles, "Russian Roulette", "Wait Your Turn", "Hard", "Rude Boy", "Rockstar 101", and "Te Amo". "Russian Roulette" was released as the album's lead single and managed to reach top-ten in over 25 countries. "Hard" became her thirteenth US top-ten single, while "Rude Boy" topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for five consecutive weeks. "Te Amo" attained top-ten positions around Europe and reached number one in Brazil. To further promote the album, Rihanna embarked on her third worldwide concert tour Last Girl on Earth (2010–2011). Rated R is deemed as an important album in Rihanna's career and a groundwork inspiration for her follow-up releases.

Background[edit]

Justin Timberlake, one of the writers and producers of the album, stated that Rated R significantly differs from Rihanna's previous album and represents a different sound for her.

Rihanna's previous album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007) was a commercial success[1] and received generally positive reviews from most music critics.[2] The album featured five top ten singles—three US number one songs—including the international breakthrough single "Umbrella". Following the assault of Rihanna's boyfriend Chris Brown on her in February 2009,[3] there was much speculation as to whether any song featured on the upcoming album would be about him. In an interview with MTV News, regular Rihanna collaborator Ne-Yo clarified that he would not write a song for Rihanna about Brown, because he considered the idea unnecessary.[4] Producer Chuck Harmony mused that no matter what song Rihanna released as the lead single, it would immediately be looked at as a song about Brown.[5]

During an interview at the MTV Video Music Awards, Ne-Yo stated that listeners should expect an "edgier" and "angrier" Rihanna on the album.[6] He later told In Touch Weekly that the album is definitely more edgy than Rihanna's prior work, describing the album as "liberated".[7] American singer Akon, on the other hand, stated that he was "going to lighten her up" and did not want an angry Rihanna.[6] With the success of her last album, Rihanna wanted to make sure that she did not fall into one sound or vibe.[8] At the "Justin Timberlake & Friends Concert in Las Vegas", Timberlake told MTV News that the Rated R is a whole new sound and that the new material significantly differs from the one on her last album. "She broke onto the scene so hard with the last record — to have that many songs on the charts is impressive. I think that the smartest thing she's doing is not trying to emulate what she did but move forward", Timberlake explained.[8]

After the release of the lead single, "Russian Roulette", Harmony was aware of the mixed reaction from fans who had heard the track.[5] He assured fans that the song was not fully representative to the rest of the album, though it reflected Rihanna's growth as an artist.[9] In an interview with Rap-Up, Tricky Stewart announced that he had collaborated with The-Dream on the project and said that the album is different from her past works.[10] In February 2010, Rihanna expressed a positive opinion on the album, but commented that her future work would be less intense. She asserted, "I really like the bottom, the grime of it. But if I were to combine that with more energetic, up-tempo pop records, then I think that would be a happy marriage. And that's where we'll probably go next".[11]

Recording[edit]

Rihanna began recording songs for the album in March 2009.[12] The recording sessions for the album took place at Milk Studios in Manhattan, Metropolis Studios in London, Studios Davout in Paris, and at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles.[13][14] Rihanna worked with several different songwriters and producers on the album, including Chuck Harmony,[5] The-Dream, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Chase & Status, Stargate,[15][16] Demo, and Justin Timberlake.[17][18][19] Rihanna wanted the album to be less influenced by synthpop, attempting to avoid the "lighthearted commercial pop" of her previous albums. By doing so, she incorporated a production style with more bass, and utilized Gothic imagery.[20] In the early stages of the production, she worked with Adonis Shropshire, who stated that Rihanna had brainstormed a large number of ideas over the course of a few weeks.[21][12] Rihanna also worked with Norwegian producer duo Stargate, who mused that the collaboration was "very rewarding" and "inspiring for us", commenting: "I don't think we should talk about titles just yet. We don't really know which songs are gonna make it, but it feels exciting."[15] It was later revealed that Stargate originally produced a collaboration between Rihanna and Canadian rapper Drake,[22] however, the song did not make the final cut for the album.[23]

Rihanna performing "Russian Roulette", a song with dark and morbid elements.

Rihanna was involved with writing most of the lyrics on the album with the help of Timberlake and Ne-Yo, who helped the singer to translate her emotions into the songs.[20] She worked with Ne-Yo on a number of songs although he was often unclear as to which songs would actually make the album.[24][25] While working together, he felt that Rihanna was not the same girl as the one he worked with a few years before, complimenting her growth musically.[25] In terms of musical direction, Rihanna requested more somber songs for the album.[26] Ne-Yo and Harmony co-wrote "Russian Roulette", pushing a darker and more morbid aesthetic.[5]

After listening to the track "Saxon" performed by Nicki Minaj and production duo Chase & Status, Rihanna got in contact with the latter and wanted to collaborate. Chase & Status had a pair of sessions with Rihanna and worked together for a few weeks in an undisclosed location.[27] The songs they worked on had a "big beats and big bass", although Rihanna had some disagreements with the duo.[19] In October 2009, she concluded recording sessions with Tricky Stewart and The-Dream.[28] Dream and Tricky flew out to Paris and played a few songs for Rihanna which included "Hard" and "Rockstar 101."[29] She felt that "Hard" stood out from all the songs, due to its arrogance.[30] In the song "Rockstar 101," guitarist Slash contributed a bass guitar on the track while "Photographs" is a duet with singer-songwriter will.i.am.[31] In addition, Ester Dean co-wrote "Rude Boy".[32] "The Last Song" was one of the last tracks crafted for the album. Rihanna recorded the song within the final twelve hours of the album's conception; "when the label finally said we had 12 hours to turn in the album, I was like, Okay, I have to do it. I just drank some red wine, dimmed the lights, got in the booth and sang it", she explained.[20]

Music and lyrics[edit]

Rated R features a darker and more foreboding tone than Rihanna's previous albums.[33] Primarily a pop,[34] hip hop[35] and R&B album,[36] it also incorporates musical elements of rock music.[37] The album's production is typified by a sleek sound and incorporates ominous synthesizers, intertwining guitar licks, tense beats, minor-key melodies, and polyrhythmic vocal harmonies.[33][34][38] Songs such as "G4L", "Mad House", and "Wait Your Turn" incorporate elements of dubstep, including brooding synths and grumbling basslines.[39][40] The album also incorporates other musical genres, such as dancehall in the Jamaican inspired "Rude Boy" and Latin music-infusion in "Te Amo".[41][42] Rihanna discussed the musical direction of the project in an interview for Glamour magazine, stating "The songs are really personal. It's rock 'n' roll, but it's really hip-hop: If Lil Wayne and Kings of Leon like my album, then I'll feel good."[43]

The lyrical content of the album features generally bleak views on love and boastful lyrics concerning perseverance and overcoming adversity.[38][44] Its lyrics are characterized by grim and angry tones,[45] and songs that contain boastful and persevering themes are characterized by images of violence and brutality.[37][46] While journalists Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times, Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine, and Rob Harvilla of The Village Voice perceived its lyrics as allusions to Rihanna's assault by Chris Brown,[37][45][47] Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote that the album "doesn't specifically address those events, but it hardly ignores them".[44] According to Powers, regret is a significant theme on the album: "The songs on 'Rated R' never have their singer apologize for the man who so seriously wronged her, but they do acknowledge the other emotions that come with separation, even from a partner who's also a perpetrator. Those feelings include regret, tenderness and deep sadness".[37]

Artwork and fashion[edit]

The final image from the photoshoot for the album was made by German fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth. Von Unwerth, who has also shot other album covers such as The Velvet Rope (1997) by Janet Jackson, Back to Basics (2006) by Christina Aguilera, and Blackout (2007) by Britney Spears, said that Rihanna was "fantastic to work with — very giving, very creative, very involved in every aspect of the shoot and ready to push the boundaries."[48] The album cover was released on October 27, 2009, and features Rihanna in a moody, contemplative pose wearing a leather top with her hand covering her right eye and each finger wrapped in an intricate set of rings. The black-and-white cover was compared to the 1980s album covers by singer Grace Jones.[48]

The brand and styling of Rated R was conceived by British artist and director Simon Henwood. "We spent a lot of time developing ideas, yes. We went to Paris for Fashion Week, met with designers, sat and made drawings/designs together for the photo shoot/costume pieces, etc," Henwood revealed in an interview with MuuMuse. "Everything comes from the music, and this is her most personal album to date—so everything draws from it in one way or another."[49] For the visual creation of the era, Henwood took inspiration from the film The Omega Man and the book The Lathe of Heaven, "We wanted to create her a world that was personal... The whole thing was a dark dream; a chance for her to express all these things without being specific/literal."[49] Henwood also conceived the look and feel of the album's artwork, videos and TV spots, and also contributed to Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour, including the show's stage design, costumes, and background visuals.[49]

Release and promotion[edit]

On October 13, 2009, Rihanna released a statement along with a picture of a metal 'R' on her official website saying, "The Wait is Ova. Nov 23 09", indicating the release date for Rated R.[50] Two days later, a countdown timer appeared on her official website and was scheduled to end on October 20, 2009.[51] After the timer ended, "Russian Roulette" premiered on BBC Radio 1, the singer's official website and on American radio stations.[52] On October 16, Rihanna shot a music video for "Wait Your Turn" in Washington Heights, New York City; it premiered on her official website on November 3, 2009.[53][54] A snippet of the song with the title "The Wait is Ova" also appeared as background music for a promotional video of the album.[55] On November 5, 2009, Rihanna's first televised interview since her altercation with Brown aired on Good Morning America in support of the album.[56] In addition to appearing on Good Morning America, the interview continued the following day on ABC's 20/20.[57]

Rihanna performing "Rockstar 101" on the Last Girl on Earth tour.

In November 2009, Island Def Jam convened with Nokia for a special promotional concert held on November 16, 2009, in the United Kingdom. Rihanna shot a promotional video for the event which took place at the Brixton Academy in London. She premiered songs from the album during the event which was her first solo concert since the incident with Brown.[58] Nokia hosted listening parties around the globe on the same date of the event.[58] The Nokia Music Store offered an enhanced version of the album on its release date, a remix and exclusive track titled "Hole in My Head" which featured Justin Timberlake.[58][59] Rated R was first released on November 20, 2009, in Australia,[60] France[61] and Germany.[62] Three days after, on November 23, it was launched in North America and the United Kingdom.[63][64]

On February 4, 2010, Rihanna performed at the Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam on VH1 along with performers Timbaland and Justin Bieber. She sang a "hard-rocking version" of "Wait Your Turn", "Live Your Life", "Disturbia" and "Russian Roulette" among others.[65] Rihanna performed a medley of "Hard", "Rude Boy" and "Don't Stop the Music" at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on March 27, 2010.[66] To further promote Rated R, Rihanna embarked on her third concert tour titled Last Girl on Earth Tour (2010–2011).[67] It started on April 16, 2010, in Belgium, Europe and ended on March 12, 2011, in Australia; it also visited Asia, North America and Oceania.[citation needed] Ten songs from Rated R were remixed by electronic disc jockey Chew Fu and released as a remix album under the title Rated R: Remixed.[68] The majority of the remixes were remastered to incorporate sounds from the genre of house music, and incorporate heavy usage of synthesizers as part of their instrumentation.[69]

Singles[edit]

"Russian Roulette" was sent to US radio stations on October 26, 2009, as the lead single from Rated R.[70] The pop ballad received positive reviews from music critics, with Todd Martens of Los Angeles Times praising Rihanna's vocal performance and its lyrics.[71] It peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart,[72] and at number two on the UK Singles Chart.[73][74] The music video for the song was directed by Anthony Mandler[75] and features American actor Jesse Williams.[76]

"Hard", which features rap vocals by Jeezy, was released as the album's second US single, being sent to radio on November 10, 2009.[77][78] Leah Greenblat of Entertainment Weekly praised the singer's vocal performance and the decision to include Jeezy as a featured artist.[79][80] It became Rihanna's thirteenth top ten US Billboard Hot 100 single, peaking at number eight.[81]

The album's third single, "Wait Your Turn", alongside its music video, was released three days after "Hard" on November 13, 2009.[83] Mandler shot the video, which was filmed in a black and white grainy fashion.[84]

"Rude Boy", the album's fourth single, was released to Italian radio stations on February 5, 2010.[85] It was received enthusiastically and was the biggest success from the album, eventually becoming Rihanna's sixth song to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[86] By doing so, she equaled Paula Abdul and Diana Ross as the female artists with the fifth-most number one singles on the Hot 100 chart in its fifty-one year history.[87] It stayed on the summit for five consecutive weeks.[88]

"Rockstar 101" was released as the fifth single on May 18, 2010.[89] The song peaked at number 24 in Australia[90] and number 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[91] An accompanying music video was shot in April 2010[92] and was directed by Melina Matsoukas.[93]

"Te Amo" was released as the sixth and final single from Rated R; it was sent to Italian radio on May 28, 2010.[85] It peaked within the top-ten in the Czech Republic,[94] Hungary[95] and Poland,[96] and reached number one in Brazil.[97] The Mandler-directed music video was shot at Castle of Vigny in Paris[98] and featured French model Laetitia Casta as Rihanna's love interest.[99]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?6.1/10[100]
Metacritic75/100[101]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[33]
The A.V. ClubC+[102]
Chicago Tribune[103]
The Guardian[104]
Los Angeles Times[37]
NME7/10[105]
Pitchfork6.1/10[106]
Rolling Stone[107]
Slant Magazine[45]
Spin5/10[108]

Rated R received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 75, based on 21 reviews. It is currently her highest rated album on the site.[101] Jody Rosen, writing for Rolling Stone, called it one of the year's best pop albums.[107] AllMusic's Andy Kellman gave the album four out of five stars and said that Rated R is exaggerated, but "compelling" and performed convincingly by Rihanna, who sings "many memorably belligerent lines".[33] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune rated it three-and-half stars out of four and called it "powerful and moving art" that Rihanna personalizes in a way that suggests she had more creative input than on her previous albums.[103] Pareles of The New York Times, said that, although its personal subject matter is brave, it does not compromise the creativity of the music.[44]

Powers of the Los Angeles Times gave the album four out of four star rating and called it "a complex and fascinating portrait" of an abused woman's emotional range and resolve.[37] Alex Macpherson of Fact said that, apart from its interesting music, Rated R is important for how Rihanna has "seized back control of her public story" during "our current panoptic age".[109] Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe praised it as a brief look at both Rihanna's development as an artist and "the confluence of tabloid culture and pop art".[110] For MSN Music, Robert Christgau gave the album a two-star honorable mention,[111] indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy."[112] He cited "Hard" and "Rude Boy" as highlights and credited Rihanna for "concocting a persona of interest out of one dynamite musical trick" and a difficult period in her personal life.[111]

In a mixed review, Sean Fennessey of Spin felt that the album does not suit Rihanna's ballad-based strengths and found her voice too flat and unexpressive to convey the anger of the songs.[108] Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal similarly said that her "artistic aspirations are currently loftier than her abilities".[106] Michaelangelo Matos of The A.V. Club rated the album C+ and viewed the music as bloated and compared its lyrics negatively to "excerpts from a therapy session".[102] Alexis Petridis, writing in The Guardian, criticized its allusions to Brown's assault of her and said that the album does not offer anything beyond "the public's prurient interest in her private life."[104] Harvilla of The Village Voice found the subtext uncomfortable and commented that the album's highlights, "thrilling as they are, might make you feel even worse" than the low points.[47]

Rated R was included in three top-10 albums lists by critics for 2009.[113] In her year-end list of best albums, Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt named it the best pop album of the year.[114] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune ranked it number eight on his list of 2009's best albums.[115] Jonah Weiner of Slate ranked Rated R number 10 on his list and hailed Rihanna as one of the women that "have a stranglehold on the pop zeitgeist."[116]

Commercial performance[edit]

Rated R debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 181,000 copies in the country, giving Rihanna her highest first-week sales at that time.[117][118][119] It surpassed the first week sales of her previous album Good Girl Gone Bad, which entered at number two on the chart in 2007, with sales of 162,000 copies sold.[118] It topped the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and became her first number-one on the chart.[120] On March 26, 2018, Rated R was certified two-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[121] and had sold over 1,130,000 copies in the US as of June 2015.[122] The album debuted and peaked at number five on the Canadian Albums Chart[123] and it received a platinum certification from Music Canada (MC).[124]

For the issue dated November 29, 2009, the album entered at number sixteen on the UK Albums Chart[125] and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in just four days.[126] For the issue dated March 7, 2010, the album broke into the top ten, and reached its number nine peak in the 15th week on the chart.[127][128] It had sold over 710,000 copies in the country, as of 2015,[129] and earned a two-times platinum certification from BPI.[126] The album debuted at number 15 on the Australian Albums Chart.[130] In August, the album was certified Platinum for shipping 70,000 units.[131] For the issue dated March 14, 2010, Rated R set a new high of 12.[130] It entered and peaked at number 14 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.[132]

Rated R debuted at number 12 on the Norwegian Albums Chart. In its tenth week, it peaked atop the chart[133] and became Rihanna's first number-one album in the country.[134] It was certified gold by IFPI Norway, denoting sales of over 15,000 copies.[135] The album opened at number one on the Swiss Albums Chart for the issue dated December 6, 2009, and spent a total of 43 weeks on the chart.[136] It received a platinum certification from IFPI Switzerland for shipment of 15,000 copies in the country.[137] Rated R debuted and peaked at number four on the German Albums Chart for the issue dated December 4, 2009. It became Rihanna's second top-five album[138] and received a platinum certification from Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) for shipments of over 200,000 copies in the country.[139] In Poland, the album peaked at number five and received a gold certification, selling 20,000 copies in one month,[140] beating Good Girl Gone Bad's sales of 20,000 achieved in two years.[141] It also peaked at number 7 at the Austrian[142] and Irish Albums charts,[143] and number 10 on the Croatian,[144] French[145] and Japanese Albums charts.[146] Worldwide, Rated R had sold over three million copies, as of November 2010.[147]

Legacy[edit]

Rated R is deemed a pivotal record in Rihanna's career as it was released nine months after the domestic violence case with Brown. In 2019, ten years after the album release, Chuck Arnold of Billboard described the record as a "coming-of-age manifesto" and also Rihanna's version of Jackson's Control (1986). According to him, Rated R is "her declaration of independence from Brown and her taking charge of a narrative that had turned her into a victim."[148] Similarly, Blavity's Jordan Simon compared it to Jackson's The Velvet Rope, and described it as "a dark portrait of a Black woman's journey to self-healing".[149]

Track listing[edit]

Rated R track listing[14]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Mad House"1:34
2."Wait Your Turn"
3:46
3."Hard" (featuring Jeezy)
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • Riddick[a]
4:10
4."Stupid in Love"
4:01
5."Rockstar 101" (featuring Slash)
  • Nash
  • Stewart
  • Fenty
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • Riddick[a]
3:58
6."Russian Roulette"3:47
7."Fire Bomb"
  • Kennedy
  • Riddick[a]
4:17
8."Rude Boy"
  • Stargate
  • Swire
  • Riddick[a]
3:43
9."Photographs" (featuring will.i.am)
  • will.i.am
  • Paper-Boy[c]
4:46
10."G4L"
  • Kennard
  • Milton
  • Fauntleroy II
  • Fenty
  • Chase & Status
  • Riddick[a]
3:59
11."Te Amo"
  • Eriksen
  • Hermansen
  • Fauntleroy II
  • Fenty
  • Stargate
  • Riddick[a]
3:28
12."Cold Case Love"
6:04
13."The Last Song"
  • Fauntleroy II
  • Kennedy
  • Ben Harrison
  • Fenty
4:16
Total length:51:49
Rated R Nokia edition bonus tracks[150]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Russian Roulette" (Donni Hotwheel Remix)  3:01
15."Hole in My Head"
  • Timberlake
  • Tadross
  • Fauntleroy II
4:05
Total length:58:55

Notes[edit]

  • ^a signifies a vocal producer
  • ^b signifies a co-producer
  • ^c signifies an additional producer

Personnel[edit]

Credits for Rated R adapted from AllMusic and album's liner notes.[14][151]

Recording and mixing locations

  • The Boom Boom Room, Burbank (tracks 3, 5)
  • Chalice Recording Studios, Universal City (tracks 2, 6)
  • Chung King Studios, New York City (tracks 4, 8, 10, 11)
  • Germano Studios, New York City (tracks 7, 10, 12, 13)
  • Larrabee Studios, Universal City (track 3)
  • Legacy Recording Studio, New York City (tracks 1, 3)
  • Metropolis Studios, London (tracks 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13)
  • The Palms Studios, Las Vegas (track 12)
  • The Record Plant, Hollywood (tracks 7, 13)
  • Roc the Mic Studios, New York City (tracks 6, 12, 13)
  • Serenity Sound Studios, Los Angeles (tracks 5, 7)
  • Studios Davour, Paris (track 3)
  • TheStudio215 (track 12)
  • Triangle Sound Studios, Atlanta (tracks 3, 5)
  • Westlake Studios, Los Angeles (tracks 7, 12)

Musicians and technical

  • Mykael Alexander – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 6, 13)
  • Davis Barnett – viola (track 12)
  • Beardyman – additional vocals (track 1)
  • Jessie Bonds – guitar (track 6)
  • Jay Brown – A&R
  • Bobby Campbell – assistant (track 12)
  • Chase – producer (tracks 1, 2, 10), instrumentation (track 2)
  • James J. Cooper III – cello and cello soloist (track 12)
  • Cédric Culnaërt – assistant engineer (track 3)
  • Kevin "KD" Davis – mixing (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6–8, 10, 11, 13)
  • Steven Dennis – assistant engineer (tracks 3, 5)
  • Dylan Dresdow – mixing (track 9)
  • Mikkel S. Eriksen – producer and instrumentation (tracks 2, 4, 8, 11), engineer and vocal producer (tracks 2, 11)
  • James Fauntleroy – producer (track 12), backing vocals (track 13)
  • Glenn Fischbach – cello (track 12)
  • Paul Foley – engineer and mixing assistant (track 12)
  • Rick Friedrich – assistant strings engineer (track 12)
  • Future Cut – additional keyboards (track 1)
  • Rathablos Fvanz – art direction, design
  • Chris Gehringer — mastering
  • Mariel Haenn – stylist
  • Alex Haldi – design
  • Kevin Hanson – assistant engineer (track 6)
  • Chuck Harmony – producer (track 6)
  • Keith Harris – strings (track 9)
  • Ben Harrison – guitar and additional production (track 13)
  • Karl Heilbron – vocal engineer for Jeezy (track 3)
  • Simon Henwood – art direction, design, photography, stylist
  • Tor Erik Hermansen – producer and instrumentation (tracks 2, 4, 8, 11)
  • Jean-Marie Horvat – mixing (track 12)
  • Ghazi Hourani – mixing assistant (tracks 7, 13)
  • Jeezy — rap (track 3)
  • Mike "TrakGuru" Johnson – engineer (track 6)
  • Jaycen Joshua – mixing (tracks 3, 5)
  • Brian Kennedy – producer and keyboards (tracks 7, 13), additional programming (track 10)
  • Padraic "Padlock" Kerin – engineer (track 9)
  • Rob Knox — producer (track 12)
  • Olga Konopelsky – violin (track 12)
  • Emma Kummrow – violin (track 12)
  • Giancarlo Lino – mixing assistant (tracks 3, 5)
  • Pater Martinez – assistant engineer (track 12)
  • Luigi Mazzocchi – violin and violin soloist (track 12)
  • Terius "The-Dream" Nash – producer (tracks 3, 5)
  • Luis Navarro – assistant engineer (tracks 3, 5)
  • Ne-Yo – co-producer (tracks 4, 6)
  • Monte Neuble – additional keyboards (tracks 3, 5)
  • Jared Newcomb – mixing assistant (tracks 2, 6)
  • Peter Nocella – viola (track 12)
  • Chris "Tek" O'Ryan – engineer (tracks 3, 5)
  • Anthony Palazzole – mixing assistant (tracks 1, 4, 8, 10, 11)
  • Paper-Boy – additional production (track 9)
  • Ciarra Pardo – art direction, design
  • Charles Parker – violin (track 12)
  • Ross 'Dights' Parkin – assistant engineer (tracks 4, 7, 8, 10, 11)
  • Daniel Parry – assistant engineer (track 2)
  • Kevin Porter – assistant engineer (tracks 7, 10, 12, 13)
  • Antonio Reid – executive producer
  • Antonio Resendiz – assistant engineer (track 12)
  • Makeba Riddick – vocal producer (tracks 1, 4–6, 8, 12, 13), backing vocals (track 1)
  • Rihanna – vocals, executive producer, art direction, design
  • Montez Roberts – assistant strings engineer (track 12)
  • JP Robinson – art direction, design, photography
  • Evan Rogers – co-executive producer
  • Sébastien Salis – assistant engineer (track 3)
  • Jason Sherwood – assistant engineer (tracks 3, 5)
  • Slash – guitar (track 5)
  • Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith – A&R
  • Caleb Speir – bass (track 9)
  • Status – producer (tracks 1, 2, 10), instrumentation (track 2)
  • Xavier Stephenson – assistant engineer (track 2)
  • Christopher "Tricky" Stewart – producer (tracks 3, 5)
  • Tim Stewart – guitar (track 5)
  • Bernt Rune Stray – guitar (track 11)
  • Carl Sturken – co-executive producer
  • Rob Swire – producer (track 8)
  • Igor Szwec – violin (track 12)
  • Sean Tallman – engineer (track 7)
  • Gregory Teperman – violin (track 12)
  • Brian "B-Luv" Thomas – engineer (tracks 3, 5)
  • Justin Timberlake — producer (track 12)
  • Pat Thrall – additional engineering (tracks 3, 5)
  • Marcos Tovar – engineer (all tracks)
  • Neil Tucker – assistant engineer (track 11), guitar engineer (track 13)
  • Tyler Van Dalen – assistant engineer (track 3)
  • Ellen von Unwerth – photography
  • Alain Whyte – acoustic guitar (track 9)
  • will.i.am – producer, engineer, vocals, and drum programming (track 9)
  • Andrew Wuepper – engineer (tracks 3, 5)

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Certifications and sales for Rated R
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[186] Platinum 70,000^
Belgium (BEA)[187] Gold 15,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[124] Platinum 80,000^
France (SNEP)[188] Platinum 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[139] Platinum 200,000
Ireland (IRMA)[189] Platinum 15,000^
Italy (FIMI)[190] Gold 30,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[135] Gold 15,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[191] Gold 10,000*
Singapore (RIAS)[192] Gold 5,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[137] Platinum 30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[126] 2× Platinum 710,000[129]
United States (RIAA)[121] 2× Platinum 1,130,000[122]
Summaries
Worldwide 3,000,000[147]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Release formats for Rated R
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Australia November 20, 2009 [60]
France [61]
Germany [62]
Canada November 23, 2009 [193]
United Kingdom [63]
United States [64]
Spain November 24, 2009 [194]
Japan November 25, 2009 CD [195]
August 1, 2012 SHM-CD [196]
Canada April 7, 2017 [193]
France [61]
Germany [62]
Spain [194]
United Kingdom [63]
United States [64]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Copsey, Rob (June 1, 2017). "Rihanna celebrates the tenth anniversary of her breakthrough album Good Girl Gone Bad: 'I'm forever grateful'". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on June 4, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  2. ^ "Good Girl Gone Bad (2007): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS. Archived from the original on June 9, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
  3. ^ Serjeant, Jill. "Sobbing Rihanna recalls confusion of Chris Brown beating". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  4. ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (July 22, 2009). "Ne-Yo Won't Write A 'Chris Brown Bash Song' For Rihanna". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  5. ^ a b c d Vena, Jocelyn (October 21, 2009). "Rihanna May Have Released 'Russian Roulette' For 'Shock Value,' Producer Says". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on March 12, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  6. ^ a b Malkin, Marc (September 14, 2009). "Rihanna: Angrier, Edgier and Ready to Roar?". E! Online. E!. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  7. ^ "Ne-Yo calls Rihanna "liberated"". In Touch Weekly. October 21, 2009. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  8. ^ a b Vena, Jocelyn (October 21, 2009). "Justin Timberlake Says Rihanna's New Songs Are 'Awesome'". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  9. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (October 21, 2009). "Rihanna's Rated R Is 'So Great,' ProducerSays". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on October 24, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  10. ^ Lazerine, Devin (October 21, 2009). "Tricky Stewart: Rihanna Single Is a 'Monster'". Rap-Up. Devine Lazerine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  11. ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (February 22, 2010). "Rihanna Says Next Album will be More 'Energetic'". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Eisinger, Amy (March 9, 2009). "Back to work: Rihanna records music after alleged Chris Brown assault". Daily News. Archived from the original on March 14, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  13. ^ Naoreen, Nuzhat (October 21, 2009). "Spotted: Rihanna Heading To A Studio & Leonardo DiCaprio Hanging With Ellen Page". MTV Hollywood Crush. Viacom. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  14. ^ a b c Rated R (booklet). Def Jam. 2009.
  15. ^ a b Vena, Jocelyn (April 23, 2009). "Rihanna Recording 'Inspiring' New Tracks With Producers Stargate". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on December 11, 2010. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
  16. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (April 23, 2009). "Rihanna recording new music with Stargate". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
  17. ^ "Rihanna's New Album Is 'Rated R'". Billboard. October 21, 2009. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  18. ^ "Rihanna Teams With Ne-Yo For Ominous 'Rated R' Single "Russian Roulette"". Rolling Stone. October 21, 2009. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  19. ^ a b "Rihanna Team Promises 'Big Beats and Big Bass' on Next LP". Rolling Stone. October 16, 2009. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2009.
  20. ^ a b c Stein, Danielle. "Rihanna". W. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
  21. ^ Karu F, Daniels (March 9, 2009). "Rihanna: 'Easing Back Into' Recording Process". AOL Black Voices. Archived from the original on April 24, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  22. ^ "Drake Calls Rihanna's Rated R 'A Great Album'". MTV News. Viacom. November 4, 2009. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
  23. ^ "Rap-Up.com – Drake Champions Rihanna's New Music". Rap-Up. Devine Lazerine. November 4, 2009. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
  24. ^ Roberts, Steven (October 21, 2009). "Ne-Yo Says 'World Get Ready' For New Rihanna Album". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on October 23, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
  25. ^ a b Vena, Jocelyn (October 21, 2009). "Ne-Yo Says It Was 'Refreshing' Working With Rihanna On New LP". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  26. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (October 21, 2009). "Rihanna 'Took A Chance' With Ne-Yo For 'Russian Roulette'". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on October 24, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
  27. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (August 14, 2009). "Chase & Status Confirm Rihanna Collaboration". MTV UK. Viacom. Archived from the original on August 16, 2009. Retrieved October 27, 2009.
  28. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (October 21, 2009). "Rihanna To Reunite With 'Umbrella' Producer Tricky Stewart This Month". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on October 8, 2009. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
  29. ^ Reid, Shaheem (October 29, 2009). "Rihanna Recruits The-Dream, Young Jeezy For 'Hard'". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  30. ^ Reid, Shaheem (November 11, 2009). "Rihanna 'Loves, Loves, Loves' Young Jeezy's Verse On 'Hard'". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  31. ^ Kreps, Daniel (November 2, 2009). "Rihanna Confirms Slash, Will.i.am, Young Jeezy Guest on "Rated R"". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 14, 2010. Retrieved March 7, 2010.
  32. ^ "Ester Dean Writes for Rihanna's Album". Rap-Up. November 5, 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2009.
  33. ^ a b c d Kellman, Andy. "Rated R – Rihanna". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  34. ^ a b McCormick, Neil (November 20, 2009). "Rihanna: Rated R, pop CD of the week". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  35. ^ Earl, C.F. (September 2012). Rihanna (Superstars of Hip-Hop). Mason Crest. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-4222-2526-4. Rated R was released in 2009 and for the promotion of the hip-hop album Rihanna dyed her hair blonde and wore a lot of black.
  36. ^ Wood, Mikael (December 2, 2009). "Rihanna: Rated R – CD Reviews". The Phoenix. Boston. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  37. ^ a b c d e f Powers, Ann (November 23, 2009). "Album review: Rihanna's 'Rated R'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  38. ^ a b Danton, Eric R (November 24, 2009). "Album Review: 'Rated R' by Rihanna". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on April 5, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  39. ^ Embling. "Rihanna – Rated R". Tiny Mix Tapes. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  40. ^ Mayers, Norman (November 23, 2009). "Rihanna – Rated R". Nu-Soul Magazine. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  41. ^ Levine, Nick (February 22, 2010). "Rihanna: 'Rude Boy'". Digital Spy. Nat Mags. Archived from the original on June 5, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  42. ^ Levine, Nick (May 24, 2010). "Rihanna: 'Te Amo'". Digital Spy. Nat Mags. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  43. ^ Sandell, Laurie (November 3, 2009). "Rihanna: Back On Top!". Glamour Publications. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  44. ^ a b c Pareles, Jon (November 22, 2009). "Critics' Choice – New From Rihanna, Shakira, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, – Review". The New York Times. p. C1. Archived from the original on March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  45. ^ a b c Henderson, Eric (November 22, 2009). "Rihanna: Rated R". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  46. ^ Richards, Chris (November 22, 2009). "Recordings: Chris Richards reviews the album 'Rated R' by Rihanna". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  47. ^ a b Harvilla, Rob (November 24, 2009). "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance: Rihanna's Rated R". The Village Voice. New York. Archived from the original on June 1, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  48. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (October 27, 2009). "Rihanna Gets Serious On Rated R Album Cover". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2009.
  49. ^ a b c Stern, Bradley (October 14, 2010). "Rated R and Beyond: Interview with Creative Director Simon Henwood". MuuMuse. Bradley Stern. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  50. ^ "Is Rihanna Releasing A New Album On November 23?". MTV News. Viacom. September 13, 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  51. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (October 19, 2009). "Is Rihanna Releasing A New Single Tomorrow?". MTV News. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  52. ^ Cochrane, Greg (October 20, 2009). "Rihanna track gets worldwide premiere". BBC News. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  53. ^ Kreps, Daniel (November 3, 2009). "Rihanna's Black-and-White 'Wait Your Turn' Video Premieres". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  54. ^ Kaufman, Gil (November 3, 2009). "Rihanna Premieres Video For 'Wait Your Turn'". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on March 11, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  55. ^ "New Music: Rihanna – 'Wait Your Turn'". Rap-Up. October 31, 2009. Archived from the original on July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  56. ^ Kaufman, Gil (November 3, 2009). "Rihanna Tells 'Good Morning America' 'It Can Happen To Anyone'". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on March 4, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  57. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (November 2, 2009). "Rihanna To Speak Out On 'Good Morning America'". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  58. ^ a b c Kaufman, Gil (November 6, 2009). "Rihanna To Preview Rated R In Worldwide Webcast". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on February 10, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  59. ^ Smith, Sherri L (December 14, 2009). "Nokia Gets Rated R with Rihanna". Black Entertainment Television. Archived from the original on May 30, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  60. ^ a b "Rihanna - Rated R". Sanity Australia. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  61. ^ a b c "Rated R: Rihanna" (in French). Amazon France. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  62. ^ a b c "Rated R" (in German). Amazon Germany. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  63. ^ a b c "Rated R: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon UK. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  64. ^ a b c "Rihanna - Rated R". Amazon. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  65. ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 5, 2010). "Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Young Jeezy Rock VH1's 'Super Bowl Fan Jam 2010'". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on April 1, 2010. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  66. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (March 28, 2010). "Justin Bieber, Rihanna perform at Kids' Choice Awards 2010". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  67. ^ "Rihanna Announces 'Last Girl on Earth' Tour with Nicki Minaj, Ke$ha". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  68. ^ "Rihanna sets date for Rated R Remixed". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  69. ^ Goon, Jean (June 7, 2010). "Music Review: Rihanna – Rated R Remixed". MSN. Microsoft. Archived from the original on September 22, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  70. ^ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. October 26, 2009. Archived from the original on December 31, 2009. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  71. ^ Martens, Todd (October 20, 2009). "Rihanna reveals new single, 'Russian Roulette'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  72. ^ "Rihanna's 'Roulette' Lands In Hot 100's Top 10". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  73. ^ "2009-12-12 Top 40 R&B Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. December 12, 2009. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  74. ^ "2009-12-12 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. December 12, 2009. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  75. ^ Montgomery, James (November 13, 2009). "Rihanna's 'Russian Roulette' Video: Dark Arts". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  76. ^ "Rihanna's crush on Williams". The Himalayan Times. November 26, 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  77. ^ "Radio & Records – November 10, 2009". Radio & Records. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  78. ^ "Radio & Records – November 10, 2009". Radio & Records. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  79. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (November 18, 2009). "Rated R (2009) – Rihanna". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  80. ^ "Week of January 30, 2010 – Hot 100 Archives". Billboard. January 30, 2010. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  81. ^ Trust, Gary (January 14, 2010). "Chart Beat Thursday: Ke$ha, Elvis Presley, Rihanna – Chart Beat". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 4, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  82. ^ Petridis, Alexis (November 19, 2013). "Rihanna: Rated R". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  83. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (November 2, 2009). "Rihanna's Rated R Track List Release". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  84. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (November 5, 2013). "Rihanna Wanted 'Bravado' In 'Wait Your Turn' Video, Director Says". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  85. ^ a b "EarOne | Radio Date, le novità musicali della settimana" (Press release) (in Italian). EarOne. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  86. ^ Pietroluongo, Silvio (March 17, 2010). "Rihanna Rules Hot 100 With 'Rude Boy' Track". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  87. ^ Trust, Gary (March 18, 2010). "Chart Beat Thursday: Rihanna, Ludacris, Timbaland". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 24, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  88. ^ Pietroluongo, Silvio (April 15, 2010). "Rihanna Refuses to Budge from Hot 100 Perch". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  89. ^ "Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. Archived from the original on July 23, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  90. ^ "Rihanna feat. Slash – Rockstar 101 – Song". Australian Singles Chart. ARIA. August 22, 1010. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  91. ^ "Rihanna". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  92. ^ "Rihanna Shoots 'Rockstar 101' Video, Rehearses with Travis Barker". Rap-Up. April 12, 2010. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
  93. ^ Wete, Brad (May 25, 2010). "Rihanna channels Slash in 'Rockstar 101' video: Watch here". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  94. ^ "ČNS IFPI (201029)". IFPI CZ. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  95. ^ "2011/6 heti Single Top 40 slágerlista". Mahasz. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  96. ^ "ZPAV Top5 Airplay 26.06. – 02.07.2010". Polish Music Charts. July 16, 2010. Archived from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2010.
  97. ^ "Brasil Hot 100 Airplay". Billboard Brasil (Brasil: bpp) (2): 96. October 2009
  98. ^ "Video: Rihanna – 'Te Amo'". Rap-Up. May 28, 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  99. ^ Paskin, Willa (May 28, 2010). "Rihanna's New 'Te Amo' Video Basically Lost Footage for 'I Kissed a Girl' Video". Vulture.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  100. ^ "Rated R by Rihanna reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  101. ^ a b "Rated R Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on June 21, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  102. ^ a b Matos, Michaelangelo (December 8, 2009). "Rihanna: Rated R". The A.V. Club. Chicago. Archived from the original on March 16, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  103. ^ a b Kot, Greg (November 20, 2009). "Turn It Up: Album review: Rihanna, 'Rated R'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  104. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (November 19, 2009). "Rihanna: Rated R". The Guardian. London. Film & music section, p. 11. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  105. ^ Malone, Ailbhe (November 29, 2009). "Review: Rated R". NME. London. p. 40.
  106. ^ a b Dombal, Ryan (December 2, 2009). "Rihanna: Rated R". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  107. ^ a b Rosen, Jody (November 23, 2009). "Rated R". Rolling Stone. New York. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  108. ^ a b Fennessey, Sean (November 23, 2009). "Rihanna, 'Rated R' (Def Jam)". Spin. New York. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  109. ^ Macpherson, Alex (December 1, 2009). "Rihanna: Rated R". Fact. London. Archived from the original on September 12, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  110. ^ Rodman, Sarah (November 20, 2009). "Rihanna rages on 'Rated R'". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  111. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (January 2010). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Rating is specified at Christgau's website. Archived from the original on August 15, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  112. ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). "Key to Icons". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on March 25, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  113. ^ Dietz, Jason (December 29, 2009). "Best Music of 2009". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 27, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  114. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (December 29, 2009). "10 Best Albums of 2009". Entertainment Weekly. New York. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
  115. ^ Kot, Greg (December 9, 2009). "Turn It Up: Top albums of 2009". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  116. ^ Weiner, Jonah (December 7, 2009). "My Top 10 Albums of 2009". Slate. Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  117. ^ "Rihanna Is MTV News' #3 Woman Of The Year". MTV News. Viacom. December 17, 2009. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  118. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith. (December 2, 2009). "Susan Boyle Sees 'Dream' Soar To No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  119. ^ Kaufman, Gil (December 2, 2009). "Susan Boyle Beats Adam Lambert, Rihanna For Billboard #1". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on March 4, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  120. ^ "Rihanna Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 23, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  121. ^ a b "American album certifications – Rihanna – Rated R". Recording Industry Association of America.
  122. ^ a b Trust, Gary (June 23, 2015). "Ask Billboard: Rihanna's Best-Selling Songs & Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 28, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  123. ^ a b "Rihanna Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  124. ^ a b "Canadian album certifications – Rihanna – Rated R". Music Canada. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  125. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  126. ^ a b c "British album certifications – Rihanna – Rated R". British Phonographic Industry.
  127. ^ "The Official Charts Company – Rihanna – Rated R". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on October 26, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  128. ^ "The Official Charts Company: Album Chart For Week Up To 13/03/2010". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on October 26, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  129. ^ a b Myers, Justin (January 24, 2015). "Pop's game-changers: The stars who switched their sound and stayed successful". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on January 27, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  130. ^ a b c "Australiancharts.com – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  131. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  132. ^ a b "Charts.nz – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  133. ^ a b "Norwegiancharts.com – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  134. ^ "Norwegian charts portal - Rihanna". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  135. ^ a b "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  136. ^ a b "Swisscharts.com – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  137. ^ a b "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Rated R')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  138. ^ a b "Suchen Nach 'Rihanna'". GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  139. ^ a b "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Rihanna; 'Rated R')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  140. ^ "Związek Producentów Audio-Video:: Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry". Zpav.pl. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
  141. ^ "Związek Producentów Audio-Video:: Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry". Zpav.pl. Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
  142. ^ a b "Austriancharts.at – Rihanna – Rated R" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  143. ^ a b "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 1, 2010". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  144. ^ "Top of the Shops – official weekly list of albums sold in Croatia". Croatian International Album Chart. HDU. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  145. ^ a b "Lescharts.com – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  146. ^ a b ""R指定/リアーナ" Rated R/Rihanna". Oricon. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  147. ^ a b "Weekly US music releases: Rihanna's 'Loud,' Springsteen's 'Promise,' and Kid Rock – Music, Arts & Entertainment" (Press release). Relaxnews. November 15, 2010. Archived from the original on October 5, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  148. ^ Arnold, Chuck (November 23, 2019). "Rihanna's 'Rated R' at 10: How It Changed Her Career". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  149. ^ Simon, Jordan (November 20, 2019). "Ten Years Later, Rihanna's Rated R Album Remains a Mini Movie, Magnum Opus and Masterclass in Misogynoir". Blavity. Archived from the original on November 22, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  150. ^ "Rated R (International Explicit Nokia Exclusive Version) de Rihanna en Apple Music". iTunes Store (MX). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  151. ^ "Rated R » Credits". All Media Guide. AllMusic. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  152. ^ "Ultratop.be – Rihanna – Rated R" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  153. ^ "Ultratop.be – Rihanna – Rated R" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  154. ^ "Rihanna – Rated R". IFPI Czech Republic. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  155. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  156. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Rihanna – Rated R" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  157. ^ "Hits of the World - Eurochart - Albums". Billboard. December 12, 2009. p. 47. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  158. ^ "Rihanna: Rated R" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  159. ^ "2010/14. heti Album Top 40 slágerlista - Hivatalos magyar" (in Hungarian). Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  160. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  161. ^ "Mexicancharts.com – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  162. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. August 27, 2007. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
  163. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  164. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  165. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Rihanna – Rated R". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  166. ^ "Rihanna | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  167. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  168. ^ "Rihanna Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  169. ^ "Rihanna Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  170. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2009". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  171. ^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2009" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  172. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2009". hitparade.ch. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  173. ^ "2009 Year-end UK Albums" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  174. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums 2010". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on February 17, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  175. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 2010". austriancharts.at. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  176. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2010". Ultratop. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  177. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2010". Ultratop. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  178. ^ "Top Canadian Albums: Best of 2010" Archived July 26, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media Retrieved January 2, 2011.
  179. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2010". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  180. ^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2010" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  181. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  182. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2010". hitparade.ch. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  183. ^ "2010 Year-end UK Albums". BBC (BBC Online). December 26, 2010. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
  184. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  185. ^ "Music Albums, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums & Music Album Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 1, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2012.
  186. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  187. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2010". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  188. ^ "French album certifications – Rihanna – Rated R" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  189. ^ "The Irish Charts - 2009 Certification Awards - Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  190. ^ "Italian album certifications – Rihanna – Rated R" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved May 13, 2019. Select "2013" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Rated R" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  191. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2009 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  192. ^ "Singapore album certifications – Rihanna – Rated R". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  193. ^ a b "Rated R: Rihanna". Amazon Canada. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  194. ^ a b "Rated R: Rihanna: Amazon.es: Musica" (in Spanish). Amazon Spain. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  195. ^ "CDJapan : Rated R [Regular Edition]" (in Japanese). CDJapan. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  196. ^ "CDJapan : Rated R [SHM-CD]" (in Japanese). CDJapan. Retrieved May 25, 2020.