Rated R (Rihanna album)

Rated R
Studio album by Rihanna
Released November 20, 2009
(see release history)
Recorded March-November 2009
Milk Studios, Germano Studios
(Manhattan, New York)
Metropolis Studios
(London, England)
Studios Davout
(Paris, France)
Paper V.U. Studios, Westlake Recording Studios
(Los Angeles, California)
Genre R&B, pop
Length 55:55
Label Def Jam
Producer Antonio "L.A." Reid (exec.), Rihanna (exec.), The Carter Administration (exec.), Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers (exec.), Chase & Status, The-Dream, Chuck Harmony, Brian Kennedy, Ne-Yo, StarGate, Tricky Stewart, will.i.am, The Y's
Rihanna chronology
Good Girl Gone Bad
(2007)		 Rated R
(2009)		 Loud
(2010)[1]
Singles from Rated R
  1. "Russian Roulette"
    Released: November 3, 2009
  2. "Hard"
    Released: November 10, 2009
  3. "Rude Boy"
    Released: February 19, 2010
  4. "Rockstar 101"
    Released: May 21, 2010
  5. "Te Amo"
    Released: June 11, 2010

Rated R is the fourth studio album by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released November 20, 2009, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place during March to November 2009 at several recording studios, and production was handled primarily by Chase & Status, StarGate, The-Dream, Ne-Yo, and Brian Kennedy. Conceived after Rihanna's assault by her then-boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, Rated R features a prominently foreboding and angry tone, in terms of musical and lyrical direction, and incorporates elements of hip hop, rock, and dubstep.

The album debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 181,000 copies in its first week, making it Rihanna's highest-selling debut in the United States. It became her third consecutive platinum album in the US and produced five singles that achieved chart success, including Billboard hit "Hard", Dance/Club hit "Rockstar 101", and international hits "Russian Roulette", "Rude Boy", and "Te Amo". Upon its release, Rated R received generally positive reviews from most music critics. According to Rihanna's record label, the album has sold nearly three million copies worldwide.

Contents

Background

Rihanna's previous album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007) was a commercial success and received generally favorable reviews from most music critics.[2] The album featured five top ten hits—three US number one hit singles—including the international breakthrough single "Umbrella". With regards to the Rated R album, there was much speculation as to whether any of the songs on the album would be about former boyfriend Chris Brown.[3] In an interview with MTV, Ne-Yo—who has written songs for Rihanna in the past—clarified that he would not write a song for Rihanna about Brown because he doesn't think that needs to be a song and because of his friendship with Brown.[3] Producer Chuck Harmony felt that no matter what song Rihanna released as the lead single people would immediately think that the song is about Brown.[4]

During an interview with Marc Malkin at the MTV Video Music Awards, Ne-Yo stated that people should expect an edgier and angrier Rihanna on the album.[5] He later told In Touch Weekly that the album is definitely more edgy than the way we're used to seeing Rihanna while describing the album as "liberated".[6] Akon, on the other hand, stated that he was "going to lighten her up" and didn't want an angry Rihanna.[5] With the success of her last album, Rihanna wanted to make sure that she didn't fall into one sound or vibe.[7] At the "Justin Timberlake & Friends Concert in Las Vegas", Timberlake told MTV that Rated R is a whole new sound and that the new songs are not just a rehash of what fans heard on her last album.[7] "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.[7]

After the release of the lead single, "Russian Roulette", Harmony was aware that the reaction was mixed from fans who've heard the track.[4] He further clarified that the song is not relating to the rest of the album and that it is a reflection of Rihanna's growth as an artist.[8] Tricky Stewart spoke to Rap-Up about the song he and The-Dream contributed to and about the album as a whole describing the song as an uptempo and edgy club banger while stating that the album is different than her past works.[9] In February 2010, Rihanna said that she liked the album but her next would be much less intense: "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".[10] When asked what the most important song to her was, she stated that she doesn't have one that is most important, however, "Fire Bomb" and "Cold Case Love" are some of her favorites. She also stated she does enjoy the "fun" songs on this album as well including "Rockstar 101", "Hard", and her hit single, "Rude Boy".[11]

Recording

Rihanna began recording songs for the album in March 2009.[12] The album was recorded over a span of approximately eight months from March to November 2009.[12] The recording sessions for the album took place at Milk Studios in Manhattan, New York, Metropolis Studios in London, England, Studios Davout in Paris, France and at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California.[13] Rihanna worked with several different song-writers and producers on the album, including Chuck Harmony, The-Dream, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Chase & Status, Stargate,[12][14] Demo, and Justin Timberlake.[15][16][17] Rihanna wanted the album to be less Synthpop and have more bass and grime beats which was a major shift from the lighthearted commercial pop of her previous albums.[10] In the early stages of the production, she worked with Adonis Shropshire who stated that she was just easing back into the studio with a couple of ideas here and there over the last couple of weeks.[18][19] Rihanna also worked with Stargate who added 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."[12] It was later revealed that Stargate originally produced a collaboration between Rihanna and Canadian rapper Drake.[20] Eventually, however, for reasons unknown, the song did not make the final cut for the album.[21]

During the summer, Rihanna recorded songs for the album with record producer Chuck Harmony.[4] She was involved with writing most of the lyrics on the album with the help of Timberlake and Ne-Yo who would help her translate her emotions into the songs.[10] She worked with Ne-Yo on a number of songs although he didn't know what songs were kept for the album.[22][23] While working together, he felt that Rihanna wasn't the same girl as the one he worked with a few years before and stated that she had become more comfortable in her skin now.[23] In terms of musical direction, Rihanna requested somber vibe songs for the album, but not just dark for the sake of being dark; she wanted dark songs that had some kind of meaning.[24] Harmony wanted "Russian Roulette" to stand out and felt that the song should be darker, edgier and more morbid just to try it out.[4] Rihanna was comfortable with the vibe and the lyrical content of the song and eventually phoned in to Ne-Yo to tell him that it was one of her favorites.[4]

After listening to track "Saxon" performed by Nicki Minaj and production duo Chase & Status, Rihanna got in contact with them and wanted to work with them because she loved the feel of the drums and wanted a similar thing for her album.[25] Chase & Status had a pair of sessions with Rihanna and worked together for a few weeks in an undisclosed location.[25] Chase & Status worked with her on songs that had a dubstep vibe, although whenever Rihanna didn't like something she would let them know.[17] On one of the tracks, Rihanna came up with a melody and idea to give the song the kind of vibe she wanted.[17] In October 2009, she concluded recording sessions with Tricky Stewart and The-Dream.[26] Dream and Tricky flew out to Paris and played a few songs for Rihanna which included the songs "Hard" and "Rockstar 101."[27] The song "Hard" stood out from all the songs because she felt that it had such an arrogance to it.[28] In the song "Rockstar 101," guitarist Slash contributed a bass guitar on the track while "Photographs" is a duet with will.i.am.[29] In addition, Ester Dean co-wrote the song "Rude Boy."[30] "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."[10]

Music

Rated R features a darker and foreboding tone than Rihanna's previous work.[31][32] Primarily an R&B and pop-oriented album,[31][33][34][35] it also incorporates musical elements of hip hop, rock, and dancehall.[36][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.[31][35][38] Songs such as "Madhouse", "G4L", and "Wait Your Turn" incorporate elements of dubstep, including brooding synths and grumbling basslines.[33][39][40] Rihanna discussed its musical direction 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".[41] On Rated R's musical style, music journalist Jim DeRogatis perceived that it only incorporates elements of rock, writing "Though there's nothing inherently rock 'n' roll or 'super-fearless' about lacing slick, synthesized dance-pop grooves with a little electric guitar, some of it courtesy of Slash, a quarter of a century after 'Thriller', there is a more insistent punch and electrifying energy in the 13 grooves on 'Rated R'".[42]

The lyrical content of Rated R features generally bleak views on love and boastful lyrics concerning perseverance and overcoming adversity.[36][38][43] The album's lyrics are characterized by grim, raw and angry tones,[36][44] and songs that contain boastful and persevering themes are characterized by images of violence and brutality.[32][36][37][45] Its lyrics are also distinguished by prominent profanity.[36][42] While several music writers perceived its lyrics as allusions to Rihanna's assault by Chris Brown,[46][37][44][47] journalist Jon Pareles wrote that the album "doesn't specifically address those events, but it hardly ignores them".[43] According to music writer Ann 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

On October 8, 2009, Rihanna was shooting pictures in Berlin in a nude body suit and white fur coat.[48][49] The photos were thought to be on the front cover or booklet of the album.[49] The final image from the photoshoot for the album was shot by fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth who stated that "Rihanna was looking to create something a bit new for the look of the album."[50] 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,[51] went on to say that Rihanna was involved in every aspect of the shoot and was ready to push the boundaries.[50] The album cover was released on October 27, 2009, which 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.[51] The black-and-white cover was compared to the outrageous 1980s album covers by singer Grace Jones.[51]

The brand and styling of Rated R was conceived by British artist and director Simon Henwood, the creative director of the campaign.[52] "We talked extensively for months before the album's release, and looked at every aspect of the campaign - from styling to stage ideas and visuals," Henwood revealed in an interview with ArjanWrites.com. "Everything comes from the music, and this is her most personal album to date - so everything draws from it in one way or another."[53] He designed the "R" logo seen on the album cover, which "is a two edge sword [...] One side symbolizes strength and the other vulnerability. I designed it as a 3D object first that changes form in rotation as an animation - It forms the logo shape at the end of the loop."[53] He took inspiraton from the songs and the film The Omega Man.[53] Henwood also conceived the look and feel of the album's artwork, videos and TV spots, and will also contribute to Rihanna's forthcoming tour, including the show's stage design, costumes and background visuals.[53]

Release and promotion

On October 15, 2009, Rihanna released a statement along with a picture on her official website saying, "The Wait is Ova. Nov 23 09" which was the release date for Rated R.[54] The following day, Rihanna shot a promotional music video for "Wait Your Turn" which premiered on her official website on November 3, 2009.[55][56] A snippet of the song with the title "The Wait is Ova" also appeared as background music for a promo video of the album as well as an uncommented countdown clock on her website. After the release of the promo video for "Wait Your Turn", producer Mikkel S. Eriksen had confirmed that the song would be released as the second single from Rated R.[57][58] However, it was later announced that "Hard" was chosen instead. On November 5, 2009, Rihanna's first televised interview since her altercation with Chris Brown aired on Good Morning America in support of the album.[59] In addition to appearing on Good Morning America, the interview continued the folllowing day on ABC's 20/20.[60] Rihanna appeared in the December 2009 issue of Glamour magazine,[41] the January 2010 issue of GQ magazine,[61] and the February 2010 issue of W magazine.[62]

In November 2009, Island Def Jam joined forces with Nokia for a special promotional concert held on November 16, 2009, in the United Kingdom.[63] Rihanna shot a promo 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.[63] Nokia gave away free tickets to fans for the show[64] and hosted listening parties around the globe on the same date of the event.[63] The Nokia Music Store offered an enhanced version of the album on its release date, with exclusive cover art, a remix and an unnamed exclusive track.[63] Rated R was released on November 23, 2009, in North America and the United Kingdom.[65][66] The album was also made available digitally with two bonus downloads for Nokia Comes With Music subscribers.[67]

On February 4, 2010, she performed at the Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam on VH1 along with performers Timbaland and Justin Bieber.[68] Rihanna performed "Hard", "Rude Boy" and "Don't Stop The Music" at the Kids Choice Awards on March 27, 2010.[69] Rated R: Remixed, a collection of ten remixes by Chew Fu of Rated R's tracks, was released May 25, 2010.[70][71][72] Both a "clean" and explicit version of the new album were released.[72][73] Rihanna began her Last Girl on Earth Tour in Belgium on April 16, 2010, in support of the album. Jamie King serves as the tour director with Simon Henwood as the creative director. There have been approximately 70 dates announced, although a handful were later cancelled. Pixie Lott served as the support act for the 30-show European leg of the tour.[74] The North American leg of the tour features Ke$ha. It began on July 4 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, and will visit 26 other arenas and theatres before concluding at the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse on August 28, 2010.[75] The Oceania leg of the tour will begin on February 5, 2011.[75]

Singles

"Wait Your Turn" was released as a promo single on November 3, 2009. On October 16, 2009, Rihanna shot the music video for the song.[56] The song reached number 45 in the United Kingdom, number 32 in Ireland, and number 82 in Australia due to strong digital downloads following the album's release. "Russian Roulette" was released as the album's official lead single on November 3, 2009 along with the promotional single "Wait Your Turn". It had already premiered on worldwide radio on October 20, 2009.[76][77] The song debuted at number 100 in the United States and peaked at number nine, giving Rihanna her twelfth top ten single of her career.[78] The song reached the top ten in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, France and Ireland. On January 12, 2010, the single was certified Silver in the United Kingdom.[79][80]

"Hard" was released as the second single in the US.[81] It officially impacted US radio on November 10, 2009.[82] The song features American rapper Young Jeezy. It reached a peak position of number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Rihanna her thirteenth top ten.[82][83] The song also reached number 42 in the United Kingdom.[84] The album's fourth single was revealed to be "Rude Boy" and was released as the third US and second international single from the album on February 19, 2010.[85] It peaked at number one in the United States, becoming Rihanna's sixth number-one single on the Hot 100 and fourteenth top ten hit of her career. It was also the album's third consecutive top-ten single and highest charting.[86] In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 52, eventually peaking at number two.[87][88][89] It also reached number-one in Australia, making it Rihanna's fourth number one single in the country.[90]

Then it was announced that "Rockstar 101" featuring Slash would serve as the album's fifth single, only to be released in the United States.[91] It officially impacted both Mainstream and Rhythmic radio on June 1, 2010.[92][93][94] The song was performed on American Idol on April 7, 2010.[95] The music video premiered on May 25, 2010 on VEVO. It debuted at number 39 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart for the week ending June 19, 2010,[96] and later peaked at 2.[97] For the chart week of August 14, 2010, it entered the Hot 100 at number 99 and peaked 64 in two weeks.[98] It entered the Australian Singles Chart at number 50 for the week of August 16, 2010 and peaked at number 24.[99][100] "Te Amo", was released album's sixth overall single though it serves as the album's third international single. It was the last release from the album, hitting digital retailers on June 11, 2010. Prior to its release as a single, it had debuted on the Swedish Singles Chart in 2009, reaching number 52.[101] On April 18, 2010, the song debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 94.[102] and number 29 on the R&B chart.[103] It reached a peak of number 14 on the singles chart and five on the R&B chart. The music video premiered on May 28, 2010.[104]

Reception

Commercial performance

In the United States, Rated R debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart and sold 181,000 units in its first week, beating her previous album Good Girl Gone Bad's first week sales of 168,000,[105] and making it her highest selling week ever.[106][107] The album was also Rihanna's fourth top ten album in the country and her second highest album chart position.[108] It also topped Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming her first album to top the chart. On January 8, 2010, Rated R was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with an estimated 1,000,000 copies shipped to date.[109][110] The album had sold more than 943,000 units in the US as of July 23, 2010.[111]

In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number sixteen and was certified gold in just four days.[80] The album has so far shipped at least 300,000 copies and has been certified platinum by British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on January 25, 2010.[80] It is Rihanna's joint-second most successful album in the country, above her first album, Music of the Sun which sold 200,000 copies and joint with her second album, A Girl like Me which sold at least 300,000. On the issue dated January 24, 2010, the album rose to number thirty having been at thirty-four the previous week.[112] The following week, it rose again from number thirty to twenty-seven. On February 21, 2010, the album rose from number thirty-one to number twenty-six, and then climbed even further the following week to its debut and peak of number sixteen.[112] It was also the highest climber that week.[112] On the issue dated March 7, 2010, the album broke into the top ten, landing at number nine in its fifteenth week.[112][113] The following week, the album rose to number two on the R&B chart. It is Rihanna's fastest selling album of her career in the United Kingdom, receiving a platinum certification in just over two months of its release. This beats her previous album, Good Girl Gone Bad, which went platinum in just over three months.[109] As of August 1 the album had been on the UK Albums Chart for 36 weeks.[114]

Despite debuting at only number fifteen in Australia, the album was certified gold its second week on the chart. In August, the album was certified Platinum after shipping 70,000 units. With the release of the album's third single, "Rude Boy", Rated R set a new high of twelve on March 7, 2010.[115] In Poland, the album peaked at number five and received a gold certification, selling 20,000 copies in just one month,[116] beating Good Girl Gone Bad's sales of 20,000 in two years.[117] In Sweden, Rated R rose dramatically to a peak position of number nineteen on the issue dated January 29, 2010, after being at thirty-four its previous week.[118] In New Zealand, the album debuted at number fourteen[119] and in Finland it debuted at number twenty-eight eventually climbing to number fifteen.[120][121] In April 2010, the album soared from number fifty-nine to its new peak of eighteen on the Dutch Albums Chart.[122] In June 2010, the album re-entered the Greek Albums Chart to reach a new peak of number six.[123] As of May 2010, Rated R had sold almost three million copies worldwide, according to Rihanna's label, SRP Music Group.[124] In addition to the studio release, a remix album, Rated R: Remixed, was released in May 2010. It managed to chart at number 158 on the Billboard 200.[125] In the same week it also debuted at number six on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart. It also made its debut on the Canadian Albums Chart at number 84, making it Rihanna's first remixed album to appear on the chart.[126] In June 2010, the remix album debuted at number eleven on the Greek Albums Chart.[123] The following week it climbed to number four giving Rihanna her first top ten remix album.

Critical response

 Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars[31]
Entertainment Weekly (B)[36]
The Guardian 3/5 stars[127]
Los Angeles Times 4/4 stars[37]
The New York Times (favorable)[43]
Pitchfork Media (6.1/10)[32]
PopMatters (5/10)[46]
Rolling Stone 4/5 stars[128]
Slant Magazine 4/5 stars[44]
The Village Voice (mixed)[47]

Rated R received generally positive reviews from most music critics.[129] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 76, based on 20 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[129] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly gave it a B rating and called it "a raw, often unsettling portrait of an artist who is, she insists, no longer a Girl at all".[36] Chicago Tribune writer Greg Kot gave the album 3½ out of 4 stars and described it as "powerful and moving art".[130] Chicago Sun-Times writer Jim DeRogatis gave it 3 out of 4 stars and noted a maturity from Rihanna, calling it her "best, most layered and most heartfelt effort".[42] NME's Ailbhe Malone gave Rated R an 8/10 rating and described it as "a startlingly masculine record – in sound and in attitude".[131] Ed Potton of The Times gave it 4 out of 5 stars and described it as "By turns syrupy and strident, part lament, part tooled-up revenge fantasy... the best record Rihanna has made".[39] Los Angeles Times writer Ann Powers praised Rihanna's performance and called the album "a complex and fascinating portrait of a young woman's emotional process after enduring abuse".[37] Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe called it "an interesting snapshot of several current events, including Rihanna’s evolution as a performer and the confluence of tabloid culture and pop art".[132] Rolling Stone's Jody Rosen gave Rated R 4 out of 5 stars and complimented its grim lyrical theme, while calling it "one of the best pop records of the year".[128] Tiny Mix Tapes called it "a better-than-average pop album".[33]

However, The Guardian's Alexis Petridis viewed its lyrical allusions to her assault by Chris Brown as a weakness, stating "there's more to her than the public's prurient interest in her private life. That you can't tell that more often from Rated R is the album's big flaw".[127] Sean Fennessey of Spin gave it 2½ out of 5 stars and viewed that the album does not suit Rihanna's ballad-based strengths, writing that she "has the sort of even-keeled, toneless voice that's rarely expressive enough to convey fury".[133] Emily Tartanella of PopMatters wrote that "its attempts at 'serious', and 'thoughtful' songs just wind up falling flat".[46] The Washington Post's Chris Richards wrote that the album "bristles with a formless rage" and viewed Rihanna's performance as impersonal, stating "She dispatches soulful vocal runs with antiseptic precision, making it hard to discern if she's truly seething or just pantomiming ire. Is she grappling with demons? Or projecting the image of a singer grappling with demons?".[45] Michaelangelo Matos of The A.V. Club found its music "turgid" and compared its lyrics to "excerpts from a therapy session".[134] Rob Harvilla of The Village Voice perceived its subtext relating to her assault by Chris Brown and the incident's media spotlight as having a negative effect on the album, stating "Rated R's low points are pretty bad. But its high points, thrilling as they are, might make you feel even worse".[47]

In contrast, Steve Jones of USA Today gave the album 3 out of 4 stars and wrote that its subtext contributed in "pushing her further into the edgier territory she staked out on" Good Girl Gone Bad, while noting "bolder and often explicit lyrics and more assured vocals reflect a growing confidence and artistic maturity".[135] Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal wrote "Based on Rated R, Rihanna's artistic aspirations are currently loftier than her abilities".[32] In his consumer guide for MSN Music, Robert Christgau gave the album an honorable mention ((2/3 stars honorable mention)(2/3 stars honorable mention)(2/3 stars honorable mention)) rating,[136] indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy".[137] Christgau noted "Hard" and "Rude Boy" as highlights on the album and commended Rihanna for "concocting a persona of interest out of one dynamite musical trick and a bad patch I wouldn't wish on Lindsay Lohan".[136] Jon Pareles of The New York Times called it "both brave and skillful".[43] Allmusic writer Andy Kellman gave it 4 out of 5 stars and stated "Much of this daring album is absolutely over the top, bleak and sleek both lyrically and sonically, but it’s compelling, filled with as many memorably belligerent lines... as a rap album made ripe for dissection".[31] Nick Levine of Digital Spy gave the album 5 out of 5 stars and called it "the record – startling in vision, startlingly good in execution – that elevates her from popstar to pop artist".[138] Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine compared its confessional nature to that of Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope (1997), viewing that both albums "radiate an unmistakably, nakedly autobiographical vibe".[44]

In his year-end list of best albums, Entertainment Weekly's Leah Greenblatt named it the best pop album of the year.[139] Chicago Tribune writer Greg Kot ranked it number eight on his list of the top albums of 2009.[140]

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Mad House"   Makeba Riddick, Will Kennard, Saul Milton, Robyn Fenty Chase & Status 1:34
2. "Wait Your Turn"   James Fauntleroy II, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Kennard, Milton, Takura Tendayi, Fenty Chase & Status, StarGate 3:46
3. "Hard" (featuring Young Jeezy) Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart, Fenty, Jay Jenkins The-Dream, Tricky Stewart 4:10
4. "Stupid in Love"   Shaffer Smith, Eriksen, Hermansen StarGate, Ne-Yo 4:01
5. "Rockstar 101" (featuring Slash) Nash, Stewart, Fenty The-Dream, Tricky Stewart[27] 3:58
6. "Russian Roulette"   Smith, Chuck Harmon Chuck Harmony, Ne-Yo 3:48
7. "Fire Bomb"   Fauntleroy II, Brian Kennedy, Fenty Brian Kennedy 4:17
8. "Rude Boy"   Eriksen, Hermansen, Ester Dean, Riddick, Rob Swire, Fenty StarGate, Rob Swire 3:43
9. "Photographs" (featuring will.i.am) William Adams, Jean Baptiste, Michael McHenry, Allan Pineda, Alain Whyte will.i.am 4:46
10. "G4L"   Kennard, Milton, Fauntleroy II, Fenty Chase & Status 3:59
11. "Te Amo"   Eriksen, Hermansen, Fauntleroy II, Fenty StarGate 3:28
12. "Cold Case Love"   Justin Timberlake, Robin Tadross, Fauntleroy II The Y's 6:04
13. "The Last Song"   Fauntleroy II, Kennedy, Ben Harrison, Fenty Brian Kennedy, Ben Harrison 4:16

Personnel

Credits for Rated R adapted from Allmusic.[141]

Charts, certifications and precession

Standard edition

Chart (2009–2010) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[142] 12
Austrian Albums Chart[143] 7
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[144] 16
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[144] 16
Canadian Albums Chart[145] 5
Croatian Albums Chart[146] 10
Czech Republic Albums Chart[147] 15
Danish Albums Chart[148] 32
Dutch Albums Chart[149] 18
Finnish Albums Chart[150] 14
French Albums Chart[151] 10
German Albums Chart[152] 4
Greek Albums Chart[153] 6
Hungarian Albums Chart[154] 31
Irish Albums Chart[155] 7
Italian Albums Chart[156] 33
Japanese Albums Chart[157] 10
Mexican Albums Chart[158] 51
New Zealand Albums Chart[159] 14
Norwegian Albums Chart[160] 1
Polish Albums Chart[161] 5
Russian Albums Chart[162] 9
Scottish Albums Chart[163] 14
Spanish Albums Chart[164] 23
Swedish Albums Chart[165] 19
Swiss Albums Chart[166] 1
UK Albums Chart[112] 9
UK R&B Albums Chart[167] 2
US Billboard 200[168] 4
US R&B/Hip Hop Albums[168] 1

Remixed edition

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Canadian Albums Chart[126] 84
Greek Albums Chart[123] 4
US Billboard 200[125] 158
US Dance/Electronic Albums[169] 6
US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[169] 33

Certifications

Country Provider Certification
Australia ARIA Platinum[170]
Belgium IFPI Gold[171]
Europe IFPI Platinum [172]
France SNEP Gold[173]
Germany BVMI Gold[174]
Greece IFPI Platinum[175]
Ireland IRMA Platinum[176]
Norway IFPI Gold[177]
Poland ZPAV Gold[116]
Russia NFPP Gold[178]
Switzerland IFPI Platinum[179]
United Kingdom BPI Platinum[80]
United States RIAA Platinum[109]

Chart precession and succession

Preceded by
S.O.S. by Diam's		 French Top 50 Digital Chart number-one album
November 28, 2009		 Succeeded by
The E.N.D. by The Black Eyed Peas
Preceded by
Heavy Metal Fruit by Motorpsycho		 Norwegian Albums Chart number-one album
February 5, 2010		 Succeeded by
Strike! by The Baseballs
Preceded by
The Fall by Norah Jones		 Swiss Albums Chart number-one album
December 6, 2009		 Succeeded by
I Dreamed a Dream by Susan Boyle
Preceded by
Before I Self Destruct by 50 Cent		 US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Chart number-one album
December 5, 2009		 Succeeded by
Untitled by R. Kelly

Release history

Standard edition
Region Date Label(s) Format
Australia[180] November 20, 2009 Universal Music CD, Digital download
Germany[181]
Poland[182] November 21, 2009
United Kingdom[183] November 23, 2009 Mercury Records
United States Def Jam Recordings
Denmark Universal Music
Canada
Brazil[184] November 24, 2009
Spain
Argentina[185] November 26, 2009
Taiwan November 27, 2009
Chile[186] December 31, 2009
Remixed edition
Region Date Label(s) Format
Germany[181] May 21, 2010 Universal Music CD, Digital download
Poland[181]
United States[187] May 25, 2010 Def Jam Recordings
Brazil[188] June 1, 2010 Universal Music

References

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  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Vena, Jocelyn (August 12, 2009). "Chase & Status Confirm Rihanna Collaboration". MTV UK (MTV Networks Entertainment Group). http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/rihanna/news/141164-chase-status-confirm-rihanna-collaboration. Retrieved 2009-10-27. 
  26. ↑ Vena, Jocelyn (October 6, 2009). "Rihanna To Reunite With 'Umbrella' Producer Tricky Stewart This Month". MTV (MTV Networks). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1623181/20091006/rihanna.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-10-23. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Reid, Shaheem (2009-10-29). "Rihanna Recruits The-Dream, Young Jeezy For 'Hard'". MTV. MTV Networks. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625113/20091029/rihanna.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
  28. ↑ Reid, Shaheem (2009-11-11). "Rihanna 'Loves, Loves, Loves' Young Jeezy's Verse On 'Hard'". MTV. MTV Networks. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625977/20091110/index.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-12-10. 
  29. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (November 2, 2009). "Rihanna Confirms Slash, Will.i.am, Young Jeezy Guest on “Rated R”". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/11/02/rihanna-confirms-slash-will-i-am-young-jeezy-guest-on-rated-r/. Retrieved 2010-03-07. 
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  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Embling. Review: Rated R. Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved on 2009-11-23.
  34. ↑ Wood, Mikael. Review: Rated R. Boston Phoenix. Retrieved on 2009-12-16.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 McCormick, Neil. Review: Rated R. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 2009-12-17.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 36.5 36.6 Greenblatt, Leah. "Rated R (2009)". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20320917,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-21. 
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 37.5 Powers, Ann. Review: Rated R. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2009-11-23.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Danton, Eric R. Review: Rated R. Hartford Courant. Retrieved on 2009-12-17.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Potton, Ed (2009-11-20). "Rihanna: Rated R". The Times (London). http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article6923199.ece. Retrieved 2009-11-21. 
  40. ↑ Mayers, Norman. Review: Rated R. Nu-Soul Magazine. Retrieved on 2009-12-27.
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  114. ↑ "BBC - Radio 1 - The Official Chart with Reggie Yates - The Official UK Top 40 Albums Chart". BBC. Retrieved 2010-08-08.
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  145. ↑ "Rihanna Album & Song Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/rihanna/chart-history/658897?f=309&g=Albums. Retrieved 2010-05-28. 
  146. ↑ "Top of the Shops - službena tjedna lista prodanih albuma u Hrvatskoj" (in Croatian). Hdu-toplista.com. 2010-04-29. http://www.hdu-toplista.com/index.php?what=albumi&w=details&id=885. Retrieved 2010-05-25. 
  147. ↑ "ČNS IFPI". www.ifpicr.cz. IFPI Czech Republic. http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/. Retrieved 2010-05-28.  Note: insert 201001 into search.
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  153. ↑ "Top 50 Ξένων Aλμπουμ [Top 50 Foreign Albums (Week 22/2010)]" (in English with some Greek). IFPI. IFPI. http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-10. 
  154. ↑ "Archivum - Slágerlisták - Top 40 album- és válogatáslemez-lista" (in Hungarian). Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. 2010.04.11. http://mahasz.hu/?menu=slagerlistak&menu2=archivum&lista=top40&ev=2010&het=14&submit_=Keres%E9s. Retrieved 2010-05-28. 
  155. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track". chart-track.co.uk. GfK. 2010-01-07. http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240002&arch=t&lyr=2010&year=2010&week=1. Retrieved 2010-05-28. 
  156. ↑ "FIMI - Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana - Classifiche: Archivio". Fimi.it. 2010-02-07. http://www.fimi.it/classifiche_result_artisti.php?anno=2010&mese=01&id=296. Retrieved 2010-05-28. 
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  163. ↑ "Archive Chart". Scottish Albums Top 40. The Official Charts Company.
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  186. ↑ "WOW - Tu Portal de Música - Rihanna regresa con Rated R". WOW. http://www.wow.cl/prontus_wow/site/artic/20091022/pags/20091022101410.html. Retrieved 2009-10-24. 
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External links

Rihanna
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