Upon the release of “Lift Me Up” — Rihanna’s first solo single in more than six years — GRAMMY.com rounds up 15 tracks that showcase her vocal prowess and bad gal energy.
Over the past five years, Rihanna has built a booming business portfolio — and reported $1.7 billion empire — that includes beauty, skin and lingerie/loungewear companies. Meanwhile, the singer, born Robyn Fenty, left fans eagerly waiting for new music — and the wait is finally over.
“Lift Me Up,” Rihanna’s first solo single in six years, arrived on Oct. 28, just two days after she erupted the internet with the announcement of her return. The song is the lead single to the also highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack, and focuses on a universal need for love and tenderness.
With the new song and plans to perform the halftime show at the 2023 Super Bowl, it’s natural to wonder what else may be on the way. In the meantime, take a look back at 15 essential singles that showcase RIhanna’s growth, versatility and impact on popular music — and get ready for the next Rihanna era.
Listen to all of the songs in GRAMMY.com’s Rihanna Essentials Playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, powered by GRAMMY U.
“Pon de Replay” (2005)
Rihanna’s debut single offers a good-girl twist on dancehall pop as she implores the DJ to rewind her favorite song. According to The Guardian, when she was 16, Rihanna signed a deal with New York City’s Syndicated Rhythm Productions (SRP). Founders Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers put the song on a demo with her that attracted the attention of Jay-Z and music executive L.A. Reid. After she auditioned in person, she was signed to Def Jam in a joint deal with SRP.
“Pon de Replay” hit no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 within two months of its release — not bad for a first outing!
“Umbrella” (2007)
Her epic collaboration with Jay-Z and producers Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, “Umbrella” consciously traded her good-girl image for something more mature. A song about enduring friendship that lasts a lifetime, “Umbrella” put her onto a new pop music playing field with the forever stars, sitting atop the Hot 100 for 7 weeks and topping charts around the globe. “Umbrella” also earned Rihanna her first GRAMMY, winning the award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2008.
“Don’t Stop The Music” (2007)
The GRAMMY-nominated “Don’t Stop The Music” carries on an iconic pop hook, the “mama say mama sa mama coosa” refrain from Manu Dibango’s “Soul Makossa” that was popularized in Michael Jackson’s 1982 smash “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” “Don’t Stop The Music” earned RIhanna her fifth No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart (as of press time, she has 33 to date) and signaled that the music was indeed not going to stop for her — and neither were the hits.
“Hard” (2009)
Atlanta rapper Jeezy guest stars on Rihanna’s second single from her fourth album, Rated R. An empowerment anthem for herself and others, she set her music and business destiny with the line, “Tougher than a lion, ain’t no need in tryin’/ I live where the sky ends, yup, you know this.”
“Rude Boy” (2009)
One of Rihanna’s many dancehall-inspired singles, “Rude Boy” is her most successful solo chart hit to date, notching five weeks atop the Hot 100. A cheeky poke at silly dating situations and pick-up lines, the fun bravado of “Rude Boy” dares men to see if they’re “big enough” for her.
“Love The Way You Lie” (2010)
Eminem recruited Rihanna to collaborate on his relatable song about being trapped in lust with someone who isn’t exactly the most truthful, and its message connected with listeners around the world. “Love The Way You Lie” gave Rihanna another No. 1, but more prominently, her first certified Diamond single — and her only to date. As of press time, the song has sold more than 13 million copies.
“Only Girl (in the World)” (2010)
Even 12 years after its release, “Only Girl (in the World)” still has the power to propel dance floors with its insistent beat. The way Rihanna belts out her high-octave chorus remains one of the strongest vocal displays in her catalog. It’s also seemingly a critical favorite, as the song was the first solo song to win Rihanna a GRAMMY. (To date, Rihanna has won 9 GRAMMYs and has received 33 nominations overall. All but two of her wins are for collaborations.)
“Man Down” (2010)
Rihanna is all guns blazing on this chillingly murderous reggae single from Loud. Its deadly metaphor for breaking a man’s heart is a striking display of Rihanna’s confident songwriting, one of two reasons why the song is important to the singer herself. “It’s a very cleverly written song, and what I love about it is that it’s not a lyric you’d normally hear a female singing,” Rihanna told Spin in 2010. “The vibe is Jamaican and West Indian. That’s something that’s close to me.”
“We Found Love” (2011)
With its frenetic electronic beats, relentless treble and big breakdowns, Rihanna captured the EDM zeitgeist with “We Found Love” and earned herself another otherworldly smash hit. It remains her longest-running No. 1 on the Hot 100, topping the chart for 10 weeks in 2011. The heady, pilled-and-thrilled music festival vibe of the music video helped score Rihanna and Calvin Harris a GRAMMY Award for Best Music Video in 2013.
“Diamonds” (2012)
One of Rihanna’s all-time calling cards, “Diamonds” was created with the help of Australian artist (and co-writer) Sia and power producers Stargate and Benny Blanco. But it’s Rihanna’s dynamic vocal performance that makes the song particularly special. “Diamonds” topped charts all over the world, including the Billboard Hot 100.
“Stay” (2012)
Nashville artist Mikky Ekko co-wrote and dueted on the slow burner “Stay,” one of Rihanna’s more poignant duets. The song’s spare instrumentation highlights the vulnerable beauty of her voice and emotive range, a special highlight in a discography laden with layered digital beats and dance-floor anthems. Rihanna and Ekko performed the song live at the 55th GRAMMY Awards in 2013, where it was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
“B— Better Have My Money” (2015)
Rihanna channels the soul of rapper AMG’s 1991 gangster rap classic “B— Better Have My Money” into a viral smash. The trap beats touched on the hip-hop inspired sounds of her 2012 album, Unapologetic, further expanding her rather dance-forward discography — and showing that, as she stated in 2009, she goes hard.
“Work” (2016)
Five years after Drake recruited Rihanna for the title track to his 2011 album Take Care, she invited him to collaborate on the lead single for her 2016 LP, Anti — and the reignited partnership proved to be massive. “Work” became Rihanna’s 14th No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and made her the only artist to have seven consecutive albums score a Hot 100 chart-topper. What’s more, it served as another opportunity for the Barbados-born singer to tap into her Caribbean roots — and arguably reinvigorated dancehall as a whole.
“Love On the Brain” (2016)
Rihanna’s infatuation-drenched doo-wop ditty is a slow burner, but a wowing performance that puts her voice on display. While Anti cut “Higher” also does that, the polished beauty of “Love On The Brain” made it a perfect final single from the album — and a lovely cliffhanger for Rihanna’s musical absence.
“Lift Me Up” (2022)
Rihanna made her triumphant return to music in sophisticated fashion. “Lift Me Up” marks RIhanna’s first solo single in six years. The tender track features subtle production, allowing Rihanna’s voice to shine, and offering a stunning declaration that she’s back.
As some fans noted on Twitter, “Lift Me Up” shows that Rihanna may be on an even bigger level in this next era. “The maturity in Rihanna’s voice whew LORD,” one fan reacted. Another echoed, “Six years away from solo material done took her ballading to a new level.
Whatever comes next, one thing remains clear: that Rihanna reign just won’t let up.
