There was once a time when Rihanna was releasing a new album every year. Oh, what a time to be alive. Now, we haven’t heard a peep from Rihanna since 2016. She’s out there being a stunning mother, CEO, fashion icon, and entrepreneur with beauty brand Fenty. But, we would be lying if we said we didn’t yearn for a new record. 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of Rihanna’s career, so we’re hitting rewind on each of her 8 albums and choosing just one favorite from each album (yes, this is going to be very hard).
Music Of The Sun (2005)
Music Of The Sun came out when we were only 5 years old, but to say we didn’t love all the songs would be an outright lie. We’re also obsessed with this album cover—it’s so Y2K coded! Our favorite song from Rihanna’s first album is ‘Pon de Replay,’ but we have to say that’s a given. Some other honorable mentions include ‘That La, La, La’ and ‘If It’s Lovin’ That You Want,’ which has had a recent resurgence on TikTok!
A Girl Like Me (2006)
2006 was a great year for music, and A Girl Like Me is just further proof! The album opens with the absolute banger that is ‘SOS’ and proceeds to just get better and better, keeping the island vibes going with ‘Kisses Don’t Lie.’ Our favorite song from Rihanna’s second album has to be ‘Unfaithful.’ Yes, we have good music taste.
Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)
It’s time to get into one of Rihanna’s best albums, Good Girl Gone Bad. From ‘Umbrella’ to ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ and ‘Disturbia,’ this album gave us dozens of Rihanna’s most popular songs. This might be the hardest choice yet, but our favorite song from Rihanna’s third album is ‘Breakin’ Dishes.’ This song never gets enough love, and we’re here to shower it with its deserved flowers! Our honorable mentions include ‘Rehab’ and ‘Hate That I Love You’ featuring Ne-Yo.
Rated R (2009)
Rated R took Rihanna’s level of artistry to a whole new level, and at the ripe age of 9 years old, we were blasting this album all the time. The album opens with ‘Mad House,’ giving the ultimate Michael Jackson spooky vibes and setting the tone for what’s to come. Our favorite song from Rihanna’s fourth album is ‘Stupid In Love.’ This is an underrated bop that we have to shout out. Rated R also gave us ‘Rude Boy,’ a Rihanna song that lives on our throwback playlists.
Loud (2010)
We could recognize this album artwork from miles away. The red hair? Iconic. The red lip? Iconic. Every single song on Loud is just too good, opening with a great three-song run—‘S&M,’ ‘What’s My Name?,’ and ‘Cheers (Drink To That).’ However, our favorite song from Rihanna’s fifth album is ‘Man Down.’ These are 100% the vibes that we are channeling for summertime.
Talk That Talk (2011)
Rihanna has never made a bad album in her life, and Talk That Talk continues the streak. Who remembers the song ‘Birthday Cake?’ Yes, we still listen to it on our birthday. From this album, we got the iconic track that is ‘We Found Love’ featuring Calvin Harris. Our favorite song from Rihanna’s sixth album is ‘Talk That Talk’ featuring JAY-Z. The best song has to be the name of the album, right!?
Unapologetic (2012)
2012 was another year for some of the best 2000s music ever released, and Rihanna’s Unapologetic had a lot to do with it. In this era, Rihanna gave us ‘Diamonds,’ flipping the industry on its head. We also got the iconic 2000s party song, ‘Pour It Up.’ Our favorite song from Rihanna’s seventh album is ‘Nobody’s Business.’ The song fits the vibes for any moment and brings back so many nostalgic memories.
Anti (2016)
Anti stays reigning as one of the best albums of all time, not to be dramatic. Quite literally every song on this album is absolute perfection and Rihanna at her finest. Anti opens with ‘Consideration’ featuring SZA—have you ever heard a better album opener? ‘James Joint’ and ‘Kiss It Better’ follow, proving that Rihanna is one of the best artists of our generation. Honestly, the album just gets better and better with each song. Our favorite song from Rihanna’s eighth album is ‘Desperado’ (this was the hardest decision of our lives, by the way).
R20 Merch Drop
Want to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Rihanna’s career? Shop the exclusive R20 merch drop here, including hoodies, t-shirts, and collectible dolls. You can also get a special 20% discount on all vinyls from each of Rihanna’s eras!
Rihanna’s legacy will forever go down in history as one of the most impactful. Which song from her discography is your favorite? Do you think she’ll release new music soon? Let us know all your thoughts in the comments below or over on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
Find out what else we’ve been listening to here!
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