Unapologetic is the seventh studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on 19 November 2012 by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. It was recorded between June and November 2012, during promotion of her sixth studio album, Talk That Talk (2011). As executive producer, Rihanna enlisted previous collaborators The-Dream, David Guetta, Chase & Status, and Stargate to work alongside new collaborators such as Parker Ighile, Mike Will Made It, and Labrinth. Unapologetic is primarily a pop, synth-pop, and R&B album that incorporates elements of hip hop, EDM, dubstep, rock and reggae in its production, merging the sound of her previous albums Talk That Talk, Loud (2010) and Rated R (2009).
Unapologetic | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 19 November 2012 | |||
Recorded | June–November 2012 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 55:06 | |||
Label |
| |||
Producer |
| |||
Rihanna chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Unapologetic | ||||
|
Unapologetic received generally mixed reviews from critics, with some reviewers describing its music as interesting, while others criticized its weak lyrical content and rushed nature. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2014 ceremony, while "Stay" was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 238,000 copies, becoming Rihanna's first number one album on the chart and best-selling debut week of her career. The album also became the singer's third, fourth, and fifth consecutive number one album in the United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland, respectively. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), it was the ninth global best-selling album of 2012 with sales of 2.3 million copies.[5] As of December 2014, Unapologetic has sold over four million copies worldwide.
The album produced six singles including the international hits "Diamonds" and "Stay". The former peaked at number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100 where it became Rihanna's twelfth number one song, tying her with Madonna and the Supremes for fourth most number one songs in the history of the chart. Prior to its release, Rihanna promoted the album with the 777 Tour which consisted of a seven-date promotional tour in which she performed seven concerts each in a different city in North America and Europe in seven days. To further promote the album, Rihanna embarked on her fourth worldwide concert tour, entitled the Diamonds World Tour.
Background
editIn November 2011, Rihanna released her sixth studio album Talk That Talk. The album was rooted in pop, dance and R&B but also incorporated a variety of other musical genres such as hip hop, electro house, dancehall, and dubstep, a genre which was prominent on her fourth studio album Rated R (2009).[6] Talk That Talk received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics upon its release.[7] It was a commercial success and reached the top ten in over twenty national charts, including number one on the UK Albums Chart[8] and number three on the US Billboard 200.[9] The album produced six singles including the worldwide hits "We Found Love" and "Where Have You Been". "We Found Love" topped the charts in over 25 countries and sold over 9 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.[citation needed] In March 2012, Rihanna revealed that although she had not yet begun recording, she started "working on the new sound" for her seventh studio album.[10]
Recording and production
editOn 20 June 2012, Rihanna began recording her seventh studio album, working with Nicky Romero and Burns.[11] Rihanna and Burns booked three days in a studio in London while Rihanna was performing at Radio 1's Hackney Weekend.[12] It was also confirmed that Rihanna worked with Eric Bellinger, Sean Garrett, and Swedish House Mafia for her seventh album.[13] On 6 July 2012, Def Jam executive No I.D. revealed that he had begun working with Rihanna on the album saying "I'm going in next week for about a week".[14] On 10 July 2012, British singer and producer Labrinth revealed to Capital FM that he had been working with Rihanna on the album.[15] On 17 July 2012, it was reported that Rihanna would be working with R&B singer Ne-Yo and N-Dubz member Fazer. In an interview with Capital FM Ne-Yo spoke on working with Rihanna on the album saying: "I just recently went in to do some stuff for Rihanna, you know. She's the hardest working woman in showbiz right now. She's in the process of putting together a new album as we speak, I got in with Stargate and David Guetta and a few other people for that project.[16]
Sean Garrett confirmed in July 2012 that he had been in the studio with French DJ David Guetta working on Rihanna's album saying: "I was in the studio with David doing some stuff for Rihanna recently. He finds inspiration in the things I don't like, and I get excited by the things he doesn't like. He wants to be more urban and I want to be more international, so we push each other, I try to help Rihanna. She works hard and it's cool to write for someone who is so open-minded."[17] On 21 August 2012, American songwriter Claude Kelly said that he had been writing songs for Rihanna while she was performing in London. Kelly spoke on the songs that he had written for Rihanna saying: "Rihanna's a worldwide superstar at this point and she's performing in stadiums and arenas now, so I wanted songs that reflected her audience, when I was in London she was performing at a festival in front of like 30,000 to 40,000 people. So I didn't want small songs that only worked on radio, so I tried to do anthemic big stadium-themed songs."[18]
On 16 August 2012, British R&B singer-songwriter Angel stated that he had been writing for Rihanna's album. He said: "I love writing songs and it's good to pitch tracks to other artists. A couple of weeks ago I was doing some writing for Rihanna".[19] In September 2012, Ne-Yo confirmed his involvement the album saying "I did go in the studio with her, I know I got one or two on the album that she's definitely keeping."[20]
Composition
editMusic and lyrics
editRihanna explained her interest in developing new soundscapes, "I love experimenting and I love working with different sounds and putting them together so they're not one-dimensional."[21] She also added "Right now we're working on collecting and creating the sound first before we even start working on the lyrical direction or melodies. I kind of have an idea though, and it's very rough right now. So I'm very eager to start that."[22] Sean Garrett spoke on the album's sound saying it was "a great mish-mash of genres".[23] Rihanna revealed during an interview with GQ's "Men of the Year" that she wanted her music to be uplifting saying "I want to make music that's hopeful, uplifting. Nothing corny or supersentimental. I just want it to have the feeling that brings you out of whatever you're going through. I want it to spark that fire. I want it to be real, authentic, and raw."[24][25]
The album's first half is made up of EDM and "syrupy" Southern hip hop minimalism[26] songs, which feature abrasive sound effects and eccentric beats.[27] Like most of the album, they generally draw on dubstep, a bass-heavy subgenre typified by wobbly synthetic noises and blaring bass drops, as well as dance-pop and chopped and screwed sounds.[28] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times characterizes the album's music as "brutish and bruised" with "tough and layered" production, citing David Guetta's "guttural" production on "Phresh Out the Runway" and "Right Now" as an example.[29] Music journalist Jude Rogers characterized the album's music as voluminous "R&B-pop",[4] while Time magazine's Melissa Locker said that it has an "urban R&B sound".[30] According to Alexis Petridis, the different producers who worked on Unapologetic appeared to make an effort away from Rihanna's previous "pop-dance template ... or at least to rearrange voguish sounds into less familiar shapes".[31] Unapologetic's ballad-oriented second half incorporates disco, reggae, and rock styles.[27] According to music critic Greg Kot, Unapologetic is "ostensibly" a pop album,[2] while Vibe said that it is "on the surface" an assortment of genres such as R&B, dubstep and pop.[32]
Up-tempo songs such as "Phresh Out the Runway", "Jump", and "Pour It Up" celebrate carpe diemic hedonism.[2] Much of the album's lyrics are presumably concerned with Rihanna's relationship with Chris Brown,[31] with a second half of lighter songs that have references to a dysfunctional love life.[33] The album's subject matter is reflected by an abundance of minor key sounds throughout its songs.[3] James Reed of The Boston Globe called Unapologetic "a defiant middle finger to her critics, particularly the ones who don't approve of her relationship with Brown."[34] Kot observed a "celebrity subtext" throughout the album and characterized the songs' narrators as "troubled, anxiety-ridden, lost ... the characters in these songs linger in a limbo of mixed emotions, emotionally attracted to a lover and yet uneasy about the next step."[2] Spin magazine's Caryn Ganz wrote that "Rihanna sings about her unapologetic love of" money, love, and "living in the moment" on the songs "Pour It Up", "Loveeeeeee Song", and "Right Now", respectively.[35]
Songs and lyrical content
editThe album's opening track, "Phresh Out the Runway", is a "gritty club banger" that features hip hop and EDM styles.[36] The song is a "noisy, trap-tastic twerker" that is reminiscent of Rihanna's 2012 single "Birthday Cake", and contains "blazin' beats, brags aplenty" and an "unapologetic attitude".[37] The song's lyrical content revolves around Rihanna explaining how if any of her crew does not respect her, then they should no longer remain with her.[33] "Diamonds" is a mid-tempo ballad which incorporates electronic and pop musical genres.[38] It features heavy synthesizers,[39] orchestral sounds and electronic rhythms.[40] The song's lyrical content marks a departure from the recurring themes of unhealthy relationships on the album's other songs,[41] and contains a prominent concept of love.[42]
"Numb" is a "slow-grinding, Middle Eastern-flavored party track".[36] Numb's instrumentation consists of an Egyptian flute riff and "a crashing bombastic beat".[43] "Numb" contains a sample of Kanye West's song "Can't Tell Me Nothing", written by West and Aldrin Davis. The song's lyrical content is "controversial" as it is about feeling "numb after taking drugs" and a "homage to getting high".[43] "Pour It Up" is a club song,[44] with a minimal hip hop beat.[45] Lyrically, it finds Rihanna turning a strip-club anthem into a declaration of independence,[46] pulling out her dollar bills at the strip club, getting drunk, and bragging loudly.[45] "Loveeeeeee Song" is a duet with rapper and singer Future, with soft vocals by Rihanna and lyrics that posit love as an adversarial game.[29] "Jump" is a dubstep-influenced dance song that samples Ginuwine's 1996 song "Pony".[47] Lyrically, in "Jump" Rihanna preaches to her former partner that she won't be chasing him.[48] "Right Now" is a "feel-good anthem for the clubs".[36] The song contains electronic and dance music,[49] with a duration of 3:01.[50] and the song features a "churning bassline".[51]
"What Now", produced by Parker Ighile, is a "vulnerable ballad" containing a "hard chorus".[36] The song is a piano-led mid tempo pop ballad[52][53] and "builds nicely from its calming verse to its electrified hook."[54] "Stay" is a ballad that has piano and guitar instrumentation.[55][56] The lyrics revolve around "failing to resist true love", according to Dan Martin for NME[57] "Nobody's Business" mixes Chicago stepping and house styles, featuring strings, piano, and a four-on-the-floor kick drum.[2] Rihanna said that the song's lyrics show "basically the way I look at everything regarding my personal life."[58] Lyrically, the couple proclaims their eternal fealty, make out in a Lexus and acknowledge the world that the romantic relationship between them is only their business. [59]
"Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary" represent two electronica and new wave integrated songs, which last for a duration of 6:58[60][61][62] with lyrics that are deeply personal, two-part song that opens with a somber mood and shifts to confessional subject matter and Rihanna's uplifting vocals.[36] "Get It Over With" is a down-tempo, "chilled-out" song. "No Love Allowed" is a reggae song with a "bubbly, dubbed-out groove".[36] The final track "Lost in Paradise" is a "somber-but-hopeful" mid-tempo ballad with frequent tempo drops.[36] Lyrically, it speaks about a love stronger than a gun shot,[63] "Half of Me" is a chamber pop song which lasts for a duration of three minutes and twelve seconds.[64]
Singles
edit"Diamonds" premiered on 26 September 2012, and was released the following day as the lead single from Unapologetic.[71][72] Critics were divided on the track; some complimented Rihanna's different musical direction, however, others criticized its production. The cover artwork for the song features Rihanna rolling diamonds on a piece of marijuana paper.[73][74] The song's music video depicts Rihanna in four environments that represent the elements of earth, air, water and fire. "Diamonds" debuted at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart,[75] eventually reaching number one, giving Rihanna her twelfth number one in the country and tying her with Madonna and the Supremes as the artists with the fifth-most number ones in the chart's history.[76] The song also topped the charts in eighteen other countries worldwide including Austria, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
"Stay", which features guest vocals by American recording artist Mikky Ekko was released as the second international single from the album, first impacting radio stations in France on 13 December 2012.[77][78] Dan Martin for NME thought that the lyrical content of "Stay" puts a "vulnerable spin" on her relationship with Chris Brown. The song's accompanying music video was released on 11 February 2013, via E! and then to Vevo the following day. The song reached the top five of twenty-four countries worldwide including number four in the UK and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100,[79] becoming Rihanna's twenty-fourth top ten on the latter chart, thus passing Whitney Houston's tally of 23 top ten songs.[80] Furthermore, it reached number one in Canada, Czech Republic and Denmark, while also topping the US Pop Songs chart.[81]
"Pour It Up" was solicited to urban radio as the album's third single in the United States on 8 January 2013.[77] The song debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 90, eventually reaching a top twenty peak of number 19. "Pour It Up" additionally charted on multiple sub-charts in the country including number one and six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, and number 47 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. It also made appearances in other countries such as Canada, France and the UK. A remix of "Pour It Up" was later distributed with rap verses from American rappers Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Juicy J, and T.I. On 2 October 2013, an accompanying music video was released to Rihanna's official Vevo account after several delays.
"Right Now" was released as the fourth single from the album and was sent to contemporary hit radio in the United States on 28 May 2013.[82] Upon the release of Unapologetic, the song charted at number one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart and number seven on the UK Dance Chart.
"What Now" was released as the fifth single from the album in selected countries; it has peaked at number 21 and 13 in Australia and New Zealand respectively. The single also appeared on the singles charts of France, United Kingdom and Belgium. On 29 August 2013, a promotional digital remix EP of "What Now" was released exclusively to Beatport.[83] "What Now" officially impacted US rhythmic radio on 24 September 2013, and later impacted on Top 40/Mainstream radio on 1 October 2013. The song's accompanying music video was released to Vevo on 15 November 2013.
Release and promotion
editOn 12 September 2012, Def Jam France announced via Twitter that Rihanna would release a new single the upcoming week while her seventh studio album was scheduled to be released in November 2012. However, the tweet was shortly deleted and replaced with another clarifying that "more information will be made available tomorrow, Thursday, September 13".[84] To further promote the announcement for her seventh upcoming studio album, Rihanna launched a promotional website rihanna7.com. Via her official Twitter account, Rihanna posted series of "teasing" tweets announcing her seventh studio album.[85] On 11 October 2012, she revealed the cover art and title of her new album, Unapologetic.[86] VH1 ranked the cover at number one on their list of The 30 Hottest Naked Album Covers Ever.[87] Regarding the title of the album, Rihanna explained that she named it because she wanted to express how honest she is, "I named my album 'Unapologetic' because there is only one truth, and you can't apologise for that. It's honest. I'm always evolving, of course, I think the only motto I have is to be true to myself."[88]
In August 2012, it was revealed that Unapologetic would be released in late November 2012.[89] In early October, it was reported that the album would be released on 19 November 2012.[90] On 2 November 2012, Rihanna released a behind the scenes video of the journey to making Unapologetic. The first video included a behind-the-scenes view of Rihanna backstage at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, a shooting range, rehearsing for the iHeartRadio Music Festival and a photoshoot at a studio.[91] On 14 November, Rihanna embarked on a seven-date promotional tour for Unapologetic titled the 777 Tour. She performed seven concerts in seven days, each in a different city in North America and Europe.[92] Fans and members of the international press (150 journalists representing 82 countries) were invited aboard a chartered Boeing 777 twinjet to every venue.[93] Beginning on 14 November in Mexico City, the tour visited Toronto (Canada), Stockholm (Sweden), Paris (France), Berlin (Germany), London (UK) and ended on 20 November in New York City (United States).[93] On 6 May 2013, Fox aired a tour documentary, with a documentary DVD being released the following day.[94]
Rihanna performed "Diamonds" and "Phresh Out the Runway" at the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on 7 November 2012, which aired on CBS on 4 December 2012.[95] She performed "Diamonds" and a solo version of "Stay" on Saturday Night Live on 10 November 2012.[92][96] On 25 November 2012, Rihanna performed "Diamonds" on The X Factor in the United Kingdom.[97] On 8 December, she performed the song on Wetten, dass..? in Germany.[citation needed] On 9 December 2012, Rihanna performed "Stay" in a medley with her 2011 single "We Found Love" on the final of series nine of British The X Factor.[citation needed] She also performed "Diamonds" on La Chanson de l'année ("The song of the Year") in France, on 10 December 2012, which was broadcast on 29 December 2012.[98]
During the 55th Annual Grammy Awards on 10 February 2013, Rihanna performed "Could You Be Loved" alongside Bruno Mars, Sting, Damian Marley and Ziggy Marley as a tribute to Bob Marley.[99] Rihanna performed for a second time at the award ceremony, where she performed her album's second single "Stay" along with Mikky Ekko.[100] To further promote the album, Rihanna embarked on her fifth concert tour, the Diamonds World Tour in March 2013. North American, African and European dates were announced with ASAP Rocky serving as the support act for North America, while David Guetta performed for the Moroccan date of the tour as well as some selected European dates including London and Paris. In September 2013, she also performed on Channel 4's Alan Carr: Chatty Man to promote "What Now".[101]
Critical reception
editAggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 5.4/10[102] |
Metacritic | 61/100[103] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [104] |
The A.V. Club | C+[105] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[106] |
The Guardian | [31] |
The Independent | [107] |
NME | 7/10[61] |
Pitchfork | 4.5/10[3] |
Rolling Stone | [46] |
Slant Magazine | [33] |
Spin | 7/10[35] |
Unapologetic received mixed to positive reviews from music critics.[108] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album holds an average score of 61, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 25 reviews.[109] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian found it "far more interesting" sonically than Talk That Talk and stated, "there's stuff here that's worth hearing, if you could untangle the music from the artist's personal life."[31] Fact magazine's Alex Macpherson felt that it has some of Rihanna's most compelling songs since Rated R (2009) and that, "even when Unapologetic fails, it often does so in interesting ways" musically.[110] AllMusic's Andy Kellman opined that "the only way to enjoy a significant portion of it is by taking it as pure entertainment" and called it "another timely refresh of contemporary pop music".[104]
Dan Martin of NME commented that, "at its best, Unapologetic trades in daring avant pop", and dubbed Rihanna the "most compelling of pop phenomena".[61] Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone asserted that "Unapologetic's stark, shadowy R&B is confrontationally honest and sung within an inch of its life".[46] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times felt that it "makes the most of [Rihanna's] talent" and stated, "even on the most vulnerable songs, she maintains her cool, never once verging on the maudlin."[29] Smokey Fontaine of The Huffington Post called it "kinetic and musically varied", and wrote that it "blasts the sounds of global, post-mod youth culture through every track".[111]
In a mixed review, Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club criticized Rihanna for "extend[ing] the album's defiant tone to her romantic life" and called it "a fiery pop album that's unfortunately coated in the icky residue of unearned defiance that has marked Brown's recent output."[105] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times felt that its commercial "lyrical turns poison" the album, "even while musically, Rihanna has evolved into one of the more forward-thinking pop divas."[28] Simon Price of The Independent panned Rihanna's singing as "flatter than Norfolk" and its material "dull as dishwater", observing "the usual half-hearted, sexual single-entendres".[107]
Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune wrote, "in the context of an album dominated by ballads and at least superficially introspective lyrics", the dubstep songs "feel like respites".[2] Slant Magazine's Eric Henderson commented that the album sounds "cobbled together" and quipped, "If only the music were compelling enough to back up the supreme bad faith" of the lyrics.[33] Pitchfork's Jessica Hopper dismissed its music as "synth-pop slog" and said that the songs "make for dull labor, not worth our time and not befitting Rihanna's talent".[3] In his consumer guide for MSN Music, Robert Christgau facetiously called her "so much more provocative as an android than as a human being". He cited "Phresh Out the Runway", "Diamonds", and "Numb" as highlights, and gave the album a three-star honorable mention,[112] which indicates "an enjoyable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well treasure".[113]
Accolades
editUnapologetic received the award for Top R&B Album at the Billboard Music Awards of 2013.[114] At the 2013 American Music Awards it was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Album,[115] however, it lost to The 20/20 Experience by Justin Timberlake.[116] At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, held on 26 January 2014, Unapologetic won the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album.[117]
Usage in Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performance
editAt the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show held in Glendale, Arizona on February 12, 2023, the setlist included four songs from the album, with Rihanna performing "Pour It Up" and "Diamonds" live; and with elements of "Phresh Out The Runway" and "Numb" being included in other songs.[118] Following the performance, the album rose from No. 197 on the Billboard 200 to No. 18.[119]
Commercial performance
editIn the United States, Unapologetic debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 238,000 copies in its first week. It was Rihanna's first number-one album in the US and the best-selling debut week of her career.[120] In the same week, the album's lead single "Diamonds" remained atop the Billboard Hot 100 for a second consecutive week. Consequently, Rihanna became the second artist of 2012 to top both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously.[121] The following week, the album fell to number six and sold 72,000 copies.[122] On the issue dated 11 March 2013 (its fourteenth week on the chart), the album re-entered the Billboard 200 top five at number five, selling 28,000 that week.[123] On 30 May, in its 27th consecutive week on the Billboard 200, Unapologetic passed the one million sales mark, selling at a faster rate than her previous album, Talk That Talk. With the feat, the album became her sixth album to sell at least one million copies.[124] On 3 July 2013, Billboard mid-year sales reported that Unapologetic is the 16th best-selling album of 2013 thus far, selling 494,000 copies from 1 January to 30 June 2013.[125] As of June 2015, Unapologetic has sold 1.2 million copies in the US.[126] In February 2018 the album was certified 3× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of over 3 million album-equivalent units in the US.[127]
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, with sales of more than 99,000 copies in its first week. With the debut, it became Rihanna's fourth album to reach the top spot in the UK and also her third consecutive chart topper, tying Madonna, Eva Cassidy and Norah Jones for the female artists with most consecutive UK number one albums.[128] By May 2013, the album had sold 635,000 copies in the UK.[129] It also reached number one in Switzerland and Norway.[130] In Denmark, the album was certified gold by the IFPI Denmark, denoting shipments of 10,000 copies.[131] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the album had sold over 2.3 million copies worldwide by February 2013, making it the eight best selling album of 2012.[132] In France, Unapologetic has sold 240,000 copies as of May 2013.[129] As of March 2015, Unapologetic has sold over four million copies worldwide.[133]
Unapologetic was ranked as the tenth most popular album of 2013 on the Billboard 200.[134]
Track listing
editCredits adapted from Unapologetic liner notes.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Phresh Out the Runway" |
| 3:42 | |
2. | "Diamonds" | 3:45 | ||
3. | "Numb" (featuring Eminem) |
| 3:25 | |
4. | "Pour It Up" |
| 2:41 | |
5. | "Loveeeeeee Song" (featuring Future) |
|
| 4:16 |
6. | "Jump" |
|
| 4:24 |
7. | "Right Now" (featuring David Guetta) |
|
| 3:01 |
8. | "What Now" |
|
| 4:03 |
9. | "Stay" (featuring Mikky Ekko) |
|
| 4:00 |
10. | "Nobody's Business" (featuring Chris Brown) | 3:36 | ||
11. | "Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary" |
|
| 6:58 |
12. | "Get It Over With" |
| Brian Kennedy | 3:31 |
13. | "No Love Allowed" |
| No ID | 4:09 |
14. | "Lost in Paradise" |
|
| 3:35 |
Total length: | 55:06 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
15. | "Half of Me" |
|
| 3:12 |
16. | "Diamonds" (Dave Audé 100 Extended Mix) |
|
| 5:03 |
17. | "Diamonds" (Gregor Salto Downtempo Remix) |
|
| 4:29 |
Total length: | 67:50 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "First Look: 2012 Loud Tour Live at the O2" | 23:04 |
Total length: | 23:04 |
Notes
- The River Island exclusive edition features the bonus track "Diamonds" (Congorock Remix)[136]
- The Diamonds executive platinum box includes five "Diamonds" remix tracks: Gregor Salto Downtempo Remix, The Bimbo Jones Downtempo, Dave Audé 100 Extended Mix, Steven Redant Festival Mix, and The Bimbo Jones Vocal Remix[citation needed]
Sample credits
- "Numb" incorporates lyrics from "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (2007) performed by Kanye West, written by Kanye West and Aldrin Davis.
- "Jump" samples elements of "Pony" (1996) performed by Ginuwine, written by Elgin "Ginuwine" Lumpkin, Stephen Garrett and Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley.
- "Nobody's Business" incorporates lyrics from "The Way You Make Me Feel" (1987) written and performed by Michael Jackson.
Release formats
editStandard version
- Jewel case packaging
- Standard 14 tracks
Deluxe version[137]
- Jewel case packaging
- Standard 14 tracks, 3 bonus tracks
- Bonus DVD, including never-before-released footage, and First Look of Rihanna's Loud Tour recorded live at London's O2 Arena
- 28-page photo and art booklet
Diamonds deluxe edition box[138]
- 17 deluxe version tracks
- Bonus DVD
- T-shirt featuring a photo from the album's photoshoot
- Diamonds-inspired bracelet
- 7 laptop stickers
- 28-page photo and art booklet
- Fan mosaic poster
Diamonds executive platinum box[139]
- 17 deluxe version tracks
- Bonus DVD
- 28-page photo and art booklet
- Unapologetic USB Flash Memory Drive
- T-shirt featuring a photo from the album's photoshoot
- 7 art print 12 x 15 lithographs, bound together with a handwritten R logo band
- 3 device adhesives
- 7 laptop stickers
- 11 x 17 a personal note to the fans, handwritten by Rihanna
- Diamonds – Remixes on vinyl
- View-Master including a reel of 3D images
- 40-page notebook with handwritten notes and lyrics
- Fan mosaic poster
Personnel
editCredits are adapted from AllMusic and album's liner notes.[140][141]
- Rihanna – lead vocals, creative director, executive producer
- Dave Audé – remix, additional production, and mixdown (track 16)
- Alejandro Barajas – music engineer (track 4)
- Benny Blanco – producer (tracks 2, 16, 17), instrumentation and programming (tracks 2, 7)
- Tanisha Broadwater – production coordination (track 3)
- Chris Brown – vocals (track 10)
- Josh Campbell – engineer (track 1)
- Nathan Cassells – co-producer, engineer, instrumentation, and programming (track 8)
- Chase – producer, instrumentation, and programming (track 6)
- Robert Cohen – assistant engineer (tracks 2, 3, 5, 8–12, 14)
- Ronald "Flip" Colson – producer (track 3)
- Sam Dew – background vocals (track 3)
- Christian Dwiggins – mixdown (track 16)
- Mikky Ekko – vocals, producer, arrangements, and additional production/landscape (track 9)
- Eminem – rap (track 3)
- Mikkel S. Eriksen – producer (tracks 2, 6, 7, 14–17), instrumentation and programming (tracks 2, 6, 7), engineer (tracks 2, 6, 16, 17)
- Warren "Oak" Felder – producer (track 3)
- Seth Firkins – music engineer and vocal engineer for Future (track 5)
- Melissa T. Forde – photography
- Future – vocals, producer, instrumentation, and programming (track 5)
- Mike Gaydusek – vocal engineer (track 9)
- Kevin Cossom;– additional vocals, writer (track 6)
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
- Kemal Golden – remix and additional production (track 16)
- David Guetta – producer, instrumentation, and programming (tracks 1, 7)
- Kuk Harrell – vocal engineer (tracks 1–9, 11–17), vocal producer (tracks 1–3, 5–17)
- Tor Erik Hermansen – producer (tracks 2, 6, 7, 14–17), instrumentation and programming (tracks 2, 6, 7)
- Tom Hough – assistant engineer (track 1)
- Mario Hugo – illustrations
- Parker Ighile – producer, music engineer, instrumentation, and programming (track 8)
- J-Bo – co-producer, instrumentation, and programming (track 4)
- Jayson Joshua – mixing (track 11)
- Brian Kennedy – producer, instrumentation, and programming (track 12)
- Kimmie Keyes – make-up
- Rob Kinelski – additional engineering (track 13)
- Labrinth – producer (track 14)
- Elof Loelv – producer and additional production/landscape (track 9)
- Andrew "Muffman" Luftman – assistant engineer (tracks 2, 16, 17)
- Deborah Mannis-Gardner – sample clearance
- Blake Mares – assistant engineer (tracks 2, 3, 8–14)
- Manny Marroquin – mixing (tracks 3–5, 10, 13)
- Carlos "Los" McKinney – producer (tracks 10, 11)
- Donnie Meadows – production coordination (track 3)
- MJ – additional drum programming (track 1)
- Mylah Morales – make-up
- Michael Muller – photography
- Terius "The-Dream" Nash – producer (tracks 1, 10, 11), instrumentation & programming (track 1)
- No I.D. – producer (track 13)
- Liam Nolan – assistant engineer (tracks 3, 13)
- Paul Norris – engineer (track 7), assistant engineer (tracks 8, 12, 13)
- Mel Ottenberg – stylist
- Ciarra Pardo – art direction, creative director
- Justin Parker – producer, arrangements, and piano (track 9)
- Joel Peters – assistant engineer (track 1)
- James Poyser – keyboards (track 13)
- Will Quinnell – mastering assistant
- Ben Rhodes – assistant engineer (track 1)
- Daniela Rivera – additional assistant engineer (tracks 2, 6–8, 16, 17)
- Evan Rogers – executive producer
- Nicky Romero – producer, mixing, instrumentation, and programming (track 7)
- Gregor Salto – remix and additional production (track 17)
- Donnie Scantz – music engineer (track 13)
- Bart Schoudel – music engineer (tracks 10, 11), additional engineering (track 1)
- Status – producer, instrumentation, and programming (track 6)
- Ursula Stephens – hairstylist
- Xavier Stephenson – additional engineering (track 3), assistant engineer (track 7)
- Carl Sturken – executive producer
- Phil Tan – mixing (tracks 2, 6, 8, 9, 14–17), vocal mixing (track 7)
- Tzvestin Todorov – remix and additional production (track 17)
- Marcos Tovar – vocal engineer (tracks 1–9, 11–17), additional engineering (tracks 8, 13), music engineer (track 12)
- Giorgio Tuinfort – producer, instrumentation, and programming (tracks 1, 7)
- Anna Ugarte – assistant engineer (track 13)
- Miles Walker – engineer (tracks 2, 6, 16, 17)
- Andrew "Pop" Wansel – producer (track 3)
- Mike Will – producer, instrumentation, programming, and additional vocals (track 4)
- Steve Wyreman – guitar and bass (track 13)
- Aamir Yaqub – assistant engineer (tracks 3, 6), engineer (track 7)
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
Decade-end chartsedit
|
Certifications and sales
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[207] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[208] | Platinum | 20,000* |
Belgium (BEA)[209] | Gold | 15,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[210] | Gold | 30,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[211] | Platinum | 80,000^ |
Colombia[212] | Gold | |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[213] | 2× Platinum | 40,000‡ |
France | — | 240,000[214] |
Germany (BVMI)[215] | Platinum | 200,000‡ |
Hungary (MAHASZ)[216] | Gold | 3,000^ |
Ireland (IRMA)[217] | 2× Platinum | 30,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[218] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[219] | Gold | 30,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[220] | Gold | 7,500^ |
Poland (ZPAV)[221] | 3× Platinum | 60,000* |
Portugal (AFP)[222] | Gold | 7,500^ |
Singapore (RIAS)[223] | Platinum | 10,000* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[224] | Gold | 20,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[225] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[226] | Platinum | 30,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[227] | 3× Platinum | 900,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[228] | 3× Platinum | 1,200,000[126] |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 4,000,000[133] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
editRegion | Date | Format | Label | Edition |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australia[229][230] | 19 November 2012 | CD / CD+DVD | Universal Music | Standard / Deluxe edition |
France | ||||
Morocco | ||||
Germany | ||||
United Kingdom | Def Jam Recordings | |||
United States | ||||
Italy | 20 November 2012 | Universal Music | ||
Netherlands[231][232] | ||||
Poland[233][234] | ||||
Sweden[235] | 21 November 2012 | |||
Indonesia[236] | 17 December 2012 | CD | Standard edition |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Snead, Elizabeth (9 September 2012). "Rihanna Gets Goddess Isis Tattooed on her Chest in Memory of her late Grandmother". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Kot, Greg (19 November 2012). "Album review: Rihanna, 'Unapologetic'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
- ^ a b c d Hopper, Jessica (26 November 2012). "Rihanna: Unapologetic". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
- ^ a b Rogers, Jude (24 November 2012). "Rihanna: Unapologetic – review". The Observer. London. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
- ^ "Global Music Report 2013" (PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
- ^ Copsey, Robert (21 November 2011). "Rihanna: 'Talk That Talk' – Album review". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "Talk That Talk Reviews, Ratings, Credits and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna does the Official Charts double!". Official Charts Company. 27 November 2011. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (30 November 2011). "Michael Buble Bests Nickelback, Rihanna on Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna on Katy Perry Collaboration: 'It's Gonna Happen'". Rap-Up.com. 15 March 2012. Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna recording new music during trip to London – Music News". Digital Spy. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna's next producer Burns reveals new single 'Lies'". Gigwise. 25 July 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ Becky Bain (20 June 2012). "Rihanna Refuses To Take A Break, Begins Work On Seventh Album | Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on". Idolator. Spin Media. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Rap-Up TV: No I.D. Talks Nas, Kanye West, and Rihanna Albums". Rap-Up.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna to work with Labrinth for new album – Music News". Digital Spy. 10 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "News | Rihanna Drafts Ne-Yo and Fazer for Seventh Album?". Singersroom. 16 July 2012. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Working With David Guetta On New Album | Rihanna". MTV UK. 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna's New Album Will Be Full Of "Anthemic Stadium Songs"". Capital FM. 21 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Angel writing songs for Rihanna, Tulisa – Music News". Digital Spy. 16 August 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Rap-Up TV: Ne-Yo Blurs the Lines on 'R.E.D.,' Reunites with Rihanna". Rap-Up.com. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "freshlikedougie.com". freshlikedougie.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Everything we know about Rihanna's new album". Gigwise. 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Working With David Guetta On New Album | Rihanna". MTV UK. 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Strips Down for GQ's 'Men of the Year' Issue". Rap-Up.com. 13 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Jay BulgerPhotographs by Mario Sorrenti. "Rihanna – GQ Obsession of the Year 2012: Men of the Year". GQ. Archived from the original on 22 April 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Ritchie, Kevin (22 November 2012). "Rihanna — Unapologetic". Now. Vol. 32, no. 12. Toronto. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ^ a b McCormick, Neil (16 November 2012). "Rihanna, Unapologetic, album review". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ^ a b Roberts, Randall (16 November 2012). "Review: Rihanna's 'Unapologetic' shines light on past drama". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ^ a b c Caramanica, Jon (21 November 2012). "Rihanna, Icy Hot and Steely-Strong". The New York Times. p. C1. Archived from the original on 21 November 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ Locker, Melissa (21 November 2012). "Learning to Love Rihanna's New Album in Five Easy Steps". Time. New York. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ a b c d Petridis, Alexis (15 November 2012). "Rihanna: Unapologetic – review". The Guardian. London. section G2, p. 21. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
- ^ this review Vibe Archived 23 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d Henderson, Eric (19 November 2012). "Rihanna: Unapologetic". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Reed, James (20 November 2012). "Rihanna takes aim at critics on 'Unapologetic'". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
- ^ a b Ganz, Caryn (28 November 2012). "Rihanna, 'Unapologetic' (Def Jam)". Spin. New York. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hamp, Andrew (17 November 2012). "Rihanna, 'Unapologetic': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013.
- ^ Stern, Brad (19 November 2012). "Rihanna 'Unapologetic': Track-By-Track Review... In GIFs!". MTV Buzzworthy. Viacom. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ a b Baggs, Michael (26 September 2012). "Rihanna premieres new single: Diamonds". Gigwise. Digital Giant. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (26 September 2012). "Rihanna Shines Bright Like 'Diamonds' on New Single: Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ a b "Rihanna Returns With New 'Diamonds' Single". Rolling Stone. 26 September 2012. Archived from the original on 23 December 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ Yoder, Glenn (26 September 2012). "Rihanna releases new song, 'Diamonds'". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna drops 'Diamonds': What do you think?". The Marquee Blog. CNN. 26 September 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ a b Fitzgerald, Trent (16 November 2012). "Rihanna and Eminem go 'Numb' on New Track". PopCrush. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
- ^ Barretto, Clyde Edwin (6 December 2012). "Rihanna: 'Pour It Up'". Prefix. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ^ a b Stern, Brad (19 December 2012). "Rihanna 'Unapologetic': Track-By-Track Review". MTV Buzzworthy. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
- ^ a b c Dolan, Jon (20 November 2012). "Unapologetic". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 10 April 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (12 November 2012). "Rihanna 'Captures The Spirit' Of 'Pony,' Ginuwine Says – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Shaw, Natalie (19 November 2012). "BBC – Music – Review of Rihanna – Unapologetic". BBC Music. BBC. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ Fontaine, Smokey (20 November 2012). "Rihanna's Unapologetic Triumph". The Huffington Post. New York: AOL. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ "iTunes – Music – Unapologetic by Rihanna". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. 19 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ Lansky, Sam (20 November 2012). "Rihanna's New Album Due Out In November, Sources Say". Idolator. Spin Media. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ Youine, Chris (21 November 2012). "News: Review: Rihanna – Unapologetic". 4Music. Box Television. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ Martin, Dean (21 November 2012). "NME Album Reviews – Rihanna – 'Unapologetic'". NME. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
- ^ "'Unapologetic' Review: Rihanna's Latest is Fun & Addictive". The Huffington Post. 20 November 2012. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
- ^ "Rihanna debuts new song 'Stay' on 'Saturday Night Live' – video – Music News". Digital Spy. 12 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (12 November 2012). "Rihanna's Sincere 'Stay' Shines Under 'SNL' Spotlight – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV News. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ a b Martin, Dan (24 November 2012). "Rihanna – 'Unapologetic'". NME. London. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ "New Music: Rihanna f/ Chris Brown – 'Nobody's Business'". Rap-Up.com. 15 November 2012. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Hopper, Jessica (26 November 2012). "Rihanna: Unapologetic". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
- ^ Stern, Brad (19 November 2012). "Rihanna 'Unapologetic': Track-By-Track Review... In GIFs!". MTV Buzzworthy. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ a b c Martin, Dan (24 November 2012). "Rihanna – 'Unapologetic'". NME. London. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ "iTunes – Music – Unapologetic by Rihanna". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. 9 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
- ^ Kenner, Rob (13 November 2012). "'No Love Allowed' – Album Preview: Rihanna's 'Unapologetic'". Complex. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "Music Review: 'Unapologetic' by Rihanna". The Young Folks. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Gentles, Gary (26 September 2012). "Rihanna- Diamonds". Singers Room. MLE Publications. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ Collins, Leah (26 September 2012). "Rihanna is all about the Diamonds (with video)". The Vancouver Sun. Kevin D. Bent. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ Scarletto, Amy (26 September 2012). "Rihanna, 'Diamonds' – Song Review". PopCrush. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna's 'Stay' Is Second 'Unapologetic' Single". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ Dolan, Jon (20 November 2012). "Unapologetic". Rolling Stone. New York. Archived from the original on 10 April 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ Vena, Jocelyn (12 November 2012). "Rihanna's Sincere 'Stay' Shines Under 'SNL' Spotlight". MTV News. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna teases her seventh album on Twitter". NME. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ "Music – Diamonds – Single by Rihanna". iTunes Store (US). Apple. January 2012. Archived from the original on 26 December 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Unveils Artwork For New Song 'Diamonds'". Capital FM. 24 September 2012. Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ Witherspoon, Chris (26 September 2012). "Rihanna releases new single 'Diamonds' with controversial cover art". The Grio. NBC News. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ "Mumford & Sons, Green Day, No Doubt Debut at Nos. 1–3 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. 3 October 2012. Archived from the original on 19 July 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ Trust, Gary (21 November 2012). "Rihanna's 'Diamonds' Tops Hot 100, Lumineers Leap to Top 10". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ a b Rihanna's 'Stay' Is Second 'Unapologetic' Single
- ^ Hamard, Jonathan (13 December 2012). "Rihanna : "Stay" avec Mikky Ekko est bien son nouveau single en France". chartsinfrance.net (in French). Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
- ^ "2012 Top 40 Official Singles Archive – 29th December 2012". Official Charts Company. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna's 'Stay' soars on Hot 100 + surpasses Whitney Houston". Zimbio. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
- ^ "Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. 14 March 2013. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
- ^ "Impacting Songs – May 28, 2013". All Access. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 19 February 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ "What Now [Remixes]". Beatport. 29 August 2013. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ Lansky, Sam (12 September 2012). "Rihanna's New Album Due Out In November, Sources Say". Idolator. Spin Media. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Teases New Album Details As She Launches Website Dedicated To Seventh Record". Capital FM. 24 September 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Reveals New Album Title 'Unapologetic' And Raunchy Cover Artwork". Capital FM. 11 October 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ Runtagh, Jordan (26 May 2013). "The 30 Hottest Naked Album Covers Ever – Music News + Gossips". VH1. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ "Rihanna Explains 'Unapologetic' Album Title And Confirms New Fragrance 'Nude'". Capital FM. 18 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna 'to release new single, album this year' – Music News". Digital Spy. 12 September 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna names new album 'Seven'? – Music News". Digital Spy. 4 October 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Shares the Journey to 'Unapologetic'". Rap-Up.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ a b "Rihanna announces '777' Tour". Universal Music Canada. 31 October 2012. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ a b "777 Tour Routing RIH-vealed". Rihannanow.com. 12 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
- ^ "Tijdlijnfoto's". Facebook. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "MTV Style | Rihanna And Justin Bieber Rock Victoria's Secret Fashion Show In Black, White And Lace". Style.mtv.com. 8 November 2012. Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna to Perform on 'SNL'". Rap-Up.com. 31 October 2012. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "X Factor '12: Rihanna Performs in the Rain On Results Show". Entertainmentwise. Beth Graham. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ "SLa Chanson de l'année 2012 : Garou bat Rihanna, Alicia Keys ou M. Pokora, Twitter se révolte !". Melty Buzz. 31 December 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Sting, & Marley Brothers Pay Tribute to Bob Marley at Grammys". Rap-Up.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "Rihanna Performs 'Stay' at Grammys". Rap-Up.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ Rap-Up.com || Rihanna Performs 'What Now' on 'Alan Carr: Chatty Man' Archived 17 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Unapologetic by Rihanna reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- ^ "Unapologetic Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic.com. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "Unapologetic – Rihanna : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ a b Koski, Genevieve (20 November 2012). "Rihanna: Unapologetic". The A.V. Club. Chicago. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
- ^ Maerz, Melissa (23 November 2012). "Unapologetic Review". Entertainment Weekly. No. 1234. New York. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ a b Price, Simon (18 November 2012). "Album: Rihanna, Unapologetic (Mercury/Def Jam)". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Sinha-Roy, Piya (23 November 2012). "Rihanna's "Diamonds" tops Hot 100, "Unapologetic" to debut big". Chicago Tribune. Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Unapologetic Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ^ Macpherson, Alex (23 November 2012). "Unapologetic". Fact. London. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ Fontaine, Smokey (20 November 2012). "Rihanna's Unapologetic Triumph". The Huffington Post. AOL. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (4 June 2013). "Odds and Ends 030". MSN Music. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). "CG 90s: Key to Icons". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Winners List-Billboard Music Awards 2013 (BBMA Winners)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ Eggenberger, Nicole (10 October 2013). "American Music Awards 2013 Nominations Announced: List of Nominees!". Us Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ "American Music Awards 2013: Full Winners List". Billboard. 24 November 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ "Grammy Awards 2014: List of winners in full". The Independent. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ "The B-Sides And C-Sides of Rihanna's Halftime Show Explained". Harpsichord. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (21 February 2023). "Rihanna Scores Big on Billboard 200 Albums Chart After Super Bowl Performance". Billboard. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (27 November 2012). "Rihanna Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
- ^ Trust, Gary (30 November 2012). "Rihanna Scores Double Domination Atop Billboard 200, Hot 100". Billboard.biz. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (5 December 2012). "Alicia Keys Earns Fifth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ^ "Previous Album Sales Chart: Chart date 3/11/2013". Hits Daily Double. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013.
- ^ "Rihanna Earns Sixth Million-Selling Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (3 July 2013). "Justin Timberlake, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Lead Mid-Year SoundScan Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
- ^ a b Trust, Gary (23 June 2015). "Ask Billboard: Rihanna's Best-Selling Songs & Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum Awards". RIAA. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Rihanna equals Madonna's chart record with Unapologetic". Official Charts Company. Brand Barstein, Lauren Kreisler, Dan Lane. 25 November 2012. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ a b "Rihanna : l'album "Unapologetic" frôle les 3 millions de ventes en six mois" (in French). Charts in France. 16 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
- ^ "Rihanna – Unapologetic". Norwegian Albums Chart. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "Certificeringer" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
- ^ "IFPI publishes Digital Music Report 2013". IFPI. 26 February 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- ^ a b Vanmetre, Elizabeth (25 March 2015). "Rihanna shocks fans with announcement of new single: 'B---h Better Have My Money'". New York Daily News. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
- ^ a b "iTunes – Music – Unapologetic (Deluxe Version) by Rihanna". iTunes.apple.com (US). 19 November 2012. Archived from the original on 14 February 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Exclusive: Download "Unapologetic" With An Added Bonus Track – Blog – Style Insider". River Island. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "Unapologetic [Deluxe Edition]: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. 19 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ SNI. "Rihanna Official Store | Diamonds Deluxe Edition Box". Rihanna.fanfire.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ SNI. "Rihanna Official Store | Diamonds Executive Platinum Box". Rihanna.fanfire.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Unapologetic – Rihanna : Credits". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Unapologetic (booklet). Def Jam. 2012.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Top 40 Urban Albums & Singles Chart – Australian Recording Industry Association". ARIA Charts. Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Rihanna Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Top of the Shops – official weekly list of albums sold in Croatia". Croatian International Album Chart. HDU. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI Czech Republic. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Rihanna: Unapologetic" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Official Cyta-IFPI Albums Sales Chart – Εβδομάδα 50η (09/12-15/12) 2012" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- ^ "MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége". mahasz.hu. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 52, 2012". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "アンアポロジェティック" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
- ^ "Mexicancharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Lenta.ru: Музыка: Гутен Мортен". lenta.ru (in Russian). Лента.Ру. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ "Scottish Albums Top 40 – 1st December 2012". Official Chart Company. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ "South African Top 20 Albums Chart". RSG (Recording Industry of South Africa). Archived from the original on 26 January 2013.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "Rihanna | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
- ^ "2012-12-01 Top 40 R&B Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. 1 December 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "Rihanna Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
- ^ ARIA Top 100 Albums 2012 ARIA EOY 12. Retrieved 17 February 2013 Archived 7 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2012". ARIA. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ "JAHRESHITPARADE ALBEN 2012" (in German). austriancharts.at. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ a b c "Ultratop Belgian Charts". ultratop.be. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Dutch charts portal". dutchcharts.nl. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2012" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "VIVA Jahrescharts 2012 Album – Alle Musikvideos – Chart". VIVA.tv. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "Best of 2012". IRMA. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ "Top 100 Album Combined – Classifica annuale (dal 2 Gennaio 2012 al 30 Dicembre 2012)" (PDF) (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry / TV Sorrisi e Canzoni. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2013.
- ^ "Top Selling Albums of 2013". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ "Najchętniej kupowane płyty roku 2012 – podsumowanie listy OLiS". ZPAV. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ Steffen Hung (30 December 2012). "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2012". hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ Lane, Dane (2 January 2013). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Albums Of 2012 revealed!". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "IFPI Global Music Report 2013" (PDF). p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- ^ "End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 2013". ARIA. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ "End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2013". ARIA. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ "Ultratop Belgian Charts". ultratop.be. Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "Canadian Albums: Dec 13, 2013". Billboard. 2013. Archived from the original on 28 January 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Dutch charts portal". dutchcharts.nl. Archived from the original on 15 February 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2013" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ "CLASSIFICHE ANNUALI 2013 TOP OF THE MUSIC BY FIMI GfK". FIMI. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
- ^ "Top 50 Albumes Anual 2013". Promuiscae.es. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- ^ "Årslista Album – År 2013" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Swedish Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2013". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ "The Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Artist Albums Of 2013". Official Charts Company. 2014. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Albums: Dec 13, 2013". Billboard. 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- ^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – 2013 Year End Charts: Dec 13, 2013". Billboard. 2013. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- ^ "Album Top-100 2016" (in Danish). Hitlisten.NU. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2023". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ Copsey, Rob (11 December 2019). "The UK's Official Top 100 biggest albums of the decade". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
- ^ "Decade-End Charts: Billboard 200". Billboard. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ^ "Austrian album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in German). IFPI Austria.
- ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2012". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
- ^ "Brazilian album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Music Canada.
- ^ "RIHANNA ALCANZA DISCO DE ORO EN COLOMBIA CON UNAPOLOGETIC" (in Spanish). Los 40 Principales. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ "Danish album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ "Rihanna : l'Album "Unapologetic" frôle les 3 millions de ventes en six mois".
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Rihanna; 'Unapologetic')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- ^ "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2013" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ.
- ^ "The Irish Charts - 2012 Certification Awards - Multi Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association.
- ^ "Italian album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2021" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Unapologetic" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
- ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Type Rihanna in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Unapologetic in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
- ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Recorded Music NZ.
- ^ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2014 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "Portuguese album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Archived from the original on 21 March 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ "Singapore album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ "Spanish album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España.
- ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 5, 2014 | Sverigetopplistan" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan.
- ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Unapologetic')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
- ^ "British album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "American album certifications – Rihanna – Unapologetic". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- ^ "Unapologetic: Deluxe Edition". Sanity.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 July 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- ^ "Unapologetic". Sanity.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- ^ "Unapologetic, Rihanna" (in Dutch). bol.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ^ "Unapologetic, Rihanna" (in Dutch). bol.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- ^ "Unapologetic". EMPIK. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
- ^ "Unapologetic (Deluxe Edition)". EMPIK. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
- ^ "Unapologetic – Deluxe Explicit (CD+DVD) (Album)- Rihanna" (in Swedish). cdon.se. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna – Unapologetic" (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 3 January 2020.