Complicated (Rihanna Song)
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''Loud'' is the fifth studio album by Barbadian singer
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
. It was released on November 12, 2010, by
Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...
and SRP Records. The album was recorded between February and August 2010, during the singer's Last Girl on Earth tour (2010–2011) and the filming of her first feature film ''
Battleship A battleship is a large, heavily naval armour, armored warship with a main battery consisting of large naval gun, guns, designed to serve as a capital ship. From their advent in the late 1880s, battleships were among the largest and most form ...
'' (2012). Rihanna and L.A. Reid were the executive producers of ''Loud'' and worked with various record producers, including
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, Sandy Vee, The Runners,
Tricky Stewart Christopher Alan "Tricky" Stewart (born January 4, 1974) is an American record producer, record executive, songwriter, and music publisher. Stewart, a five-time Grammy Award recipient, began producing music in 1992 and has contributed to unit s ...
and Alex da Kid. The album features several guest vocalists, including rappers
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
,
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...
, and
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
, who is featured on the sequel to "
Love the Way You Lie "Love the Way You Lie" is a song by American rapper Eminem featuring Barbadian singer Rihanna from Eminem's seventh studio album ''Recovery (Eminem album), Recovery'' (2010). Skylar Grey wrote and recorded a Demo (music), demo of the song alo ...
", titled " Love the Way You Lie (Part II)". Primarily a
dance-pop Dance-pop is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit ra ...
and R&B record, ''Loud'' differs from Rihanna's previous effort, '' Rated R'' (2009), which incorporates a prominently foreboding and angry tone and dark themes. ''Loud'' features
up-tempo A variety of musical terms is encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings ...
songs, and marks the return of the bright, optimistic sound prominent on her first two albums ''
Music of the Sun ''Music of the Sun'' is the debut studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on August 29, 2005, by Def Jam Recordings. Prior to signing with Def Jam, Rihanna was discovered by record producer Evan Rogers in Barbados, who helped ...
'' (2005) and '' A Girl Like Me'' (2006). It also uses rock in " California King Bed" and
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
in the
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-inspired " Man Down". ''Loud'' received mixed reviews from music critics, who complimented its upbeat material and Rihanna's vocal performances, while others stated that although the songs were solid, they were unfocused to each other. The album was a commercial success; it debuted at number three on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, with sales of 207,000 copies, the highest first-week sales of her career at the time. The album peaked at number one on the
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,
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and the UK album charts. According to the
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 1 ...
(IFPI), ''Loud'' was the eighth global best-selling album of 2011. Since its release, it has sold over 8 million copies worldwide. The album produced seven singles, including the international hits " Only Girl (In the World)", " What's My Name?", and " S&M". All three singles reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. "S&M" was Rihanna's tenth number one song in the US, making Rihanna the youngest recording artist to accumulate the plateau in the shortest time, surpassing
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
. "Only Girl (In the World)" won the
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in February 2011; additionally, the album was nominated for three more Grammy Awards, including for Album of the Year. To support the album, Rihanna embarked on her third worldwide concert tour, entitled the Loud Tour.


Background

Following a domestic violence case between Rihanna and her boyfriend, the American entertainer
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...
, media speculated as to whether any song on her fourth studio album would be about him. The album was released in November 2009, under the title '' Rated R''. Primarily a pop and R&B album, it also incorporates elements of
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
, rock, and
dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots reggae, roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2 ...
. ''Rated R'' was commercially successful and spawned six singles, including the international hit, " Rude Boy". Six months after releasing the record, Rihanna began planning a fifth studio album, promising that her new material would be "more energetic" than her previous works.
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's Tor Erik Hermansen, said "Rihanna came to us before we started recording ' Only Girl (In the World)' and said 'I feel great about myself. I want to go back to having fun, I want to make happy and
up-tempo A variety of musical terms is encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special musical meanings ...
records'." Sean Garrett compared the sound of the new tracks with her previous hit singles "
Umbrella An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is usually designed to protect a person against rain. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally used when protec ...
" and "Rude Boy". In an interview for MTV UK, the vice president of
Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...
compared the upcoming Rihanna album with
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
's '' Thriller'' saying, "Rihanna is coming along incredibly. I'm trying to push her to where every song will be a hit from one to 12. I'm talking about NO album fillers. Our bar for this album is Michael Jackson's ''Thriller''."


Recording and title

Rihanna and Antonio "L.A." Reid assembled a group of songwriters and record producers at several recording studios in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
for two weeks to write songs for Rihanna; they wrote approximately 200 songs, eleven of which were included on the album. Def Jam rented out nearly every recording studio in Los Angeles in order to create as many songs as possible. Ray Daniels, the manager of musical duo Rock City (brothers Theron and Timothy Thomas), was present during the sessions, and stated that a writing camp typically involves the label hiring ten recording studios for two weeks at the cost of $25,000 per day. Daniels revealed that it is where songwriters have lyrics but no music, and where producers have music but no lyrics. Singer-songwriters and producers
Taio Cruz Adetayo Ayowale Onile-Ere (born 23 April 1980), known professionally as Jacob Taio Cruz ( ), is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. Cruz was discovered in the mid-2000s by American record producer Tricky Stewart, joinin ...
, Alex da Kid, Sean Garrett,
Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo ( ), is an American singer and songwriter. Regarded as a leading figure of Contemporary R&B#2000s, 2000s R&B music, he is the recipient of numerous accolades, includi ...
, Rico Love,
Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...
, Shontelle,
David Guetta Pierre David Guetta (; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and record producer. He has sold over 10 million albums and 65 million singles globally, with more than 30 billion streams on Spotify. Guetta was voted the number one DJ in the DJ Mag ...
, and
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
contributed to the album. " DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" was written for Rihanna, but the song was rejected and was subsequently sent to Usher. With regard to " What's My Name?", Rihanna thought Drake could understand the melody of the song and invited him to work on the track when she played him the finished recording. The collaboration was originally planned to be a remix, but later it was decided that the version featuring Drake would be used as the original. ''Loud'' was recorded in various recording studios worldwide including the
Larrabee Sound Studios Larrabee Sound Studios is a recording studio complex in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, North Hollywood, California, originally established in 1969. Facilities Located at 4162 Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, Larrabee has six studios, thre ...
, The Village and Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, Platinum Sound Recording Studios, and Roc the Mic Studios in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
and The Bunker Studios in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. In September 2010, during a webchat with her fansite Rihannadaily.com, Rihanna announced that the album would be called ''Loud'', saying "get ''Loud'' everybody, get crazy, get excited, because I'm pumped. I'm just gonna be me because that's what you guys love the most, and that's what makes me feel best. Just being normal, normal for me is ''Loud''! Sassy, fun, flirty, energetic." While Rihanna was filming ''
Battleship A battleship is a large, heavily naval armour, armored warship with a main battery consisting of large naval gun, guns, designed to serve as a capital ship. From their advent in the late 1880s, battleships were among the largest and most form ...
'', she explained in an interview with ''
Entertainment Tonight ''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Par ...
'', "''Loud'' is, the word, the name of the album definitely reflects the attitude of it, it's really sassy and flirty and it grabs your attention and that's why I enjoy it. It takes you through a really really interesting ride. So colorful the album."


Composition


Influence and sound

''Loud'' is a departure from the personal, melodramatic themes of ''Rated R''. Stylistically, it is a return to the
Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
-inspired
dance-pop Dance-pop is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit ra ...
of Rihanna's earlier work. Ryan Burleson of ''Consequence of Sound'' described the album as "a dynamic R&B and dance-pop record". In an interview with
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
, Rihanna said "I wanted songs that were all Rihanna songs, that nobody else could do. I didn't want the generic pop record that Ke$ha or
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...
or
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
could just do and it'll work. I wanted a song, or songs, that were Rihanna songs, that only I could do, had that little
West Indian A West Indian is a native or inhabitant of the West Indies (the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago). According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED''), the term ''West Indian'' in 1597 described the indigenous inhabitants of the West In ...
vibe to it, had that certain tone, a certain sass and a certain energy." During the promotion of ''Loud'', Rihanna said that much of the music was born out of frustration. She explained: "When you go to a club and have to listen to bad music you revert to the liquor, because you want to have a good time. I hate having to skip a track. I wanted to make an album you can just play."


Songs

The opening track " S&M" is an up-tempo
Eurodance Eurodance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of Hip-hop, rap, techno and Eurodisco. This genre of music is heavily influenced by the use ...
song produced by Norwegian producers Stargate and Sandy Vee. The song is reminiscent of
Depeche Mode Depeche Mode are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Basildon, Essex in 1980. Originally formed with the line-up of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher (musician), Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke, the band currently consists ...
's 1984 song " Master and Servant" and contains lyrical thoughts of sadomasochism. Andy Kellman of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
regarded "S&M" as a dance-pop song which efficiently balanced "Rihanna's playful and sinister sides". "What's My Name?" was also produced by Stargate and features guest vocals from Canadian rapper Drake. It is a mid-tempo, electro-R&B song with a back track consisting of heavy
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
. The song also sees Rihanna's return to the " Island-pop" style of her early career". " Cheers (Drink to That)" is a
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
song produced by the Runners which interpolates
Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is a key musician in popularizing pop-punk music, as she paved the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. List of awa ...
's 2002 single " I'm with You". Mark Savage from
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described the song as a
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
y, loping
guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station ...
for a night out on the town. "Only Girl (In the World)" was the third song from the album produced by Stargate. It is an up-tempo dance-pop song that incorporates elements of Eurodance in its production. Brad Wete, a reviewer of ''Entertainment Weekly'', described Rihanna's vocals as "seductive" and reminiscent of a "stronger, sexier version" of her 2007 single, " Don't Stop the Music". " California King Bed" is a rock
power ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Balla ...
; Ryan Dombell of ''Pitchfork'' compared it to the
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
song, "
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" is a song by American hard rock band Aerosmith as the theme song for the 1998 science fiction disaster film '' Armageddon'', in which lead singer Steven Tyler's daughter Liv starred. It is one of four songs perfor ...
". The Shama "SAK PASE" Joseph produced " Man Down" is a reggae song with an electro rhythm, in which Rihanna sings in a West Indian accent. " Raining Men" is a hip-hop song, which features rap vocals from rapper
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...
. Rihanna described the song as a fun song that differs from the original, referring to the 1979 single by the Weather Girls with similar title " It's Raining Men". "Complicated" was produced by
Tricky Stewart Christopher Alan "Tricky" Stewart (born January 4, 1974) is an American record producer, record executive, songwriter, and music publisher. Stewart, a five-time Grammy Award recipient, began producing music in 1992 and has contributed to unit s ...
and Ester Dean. Leah Greenblatt from ''Entertainment Weekly'' said "Even while telling a recalcitrant man how hard he is to love, she ihannasounds almost buoyant, her newly expanded vocals eager to scale the song's high-altitude
house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
beat". The final track is the sequel to Rihanna's duet with
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
, "
Love the Way You Lie "Love the Way You Lie" is a song by American rapper Eminem featuring Barbadian singer Rihanna from Eminem's seventh studio album ''Recovery (Eminem album), Recovery'' (2010). Skylar Grey wrote and recorded a Demo (music), demo of the song alo ...
". " Love the Way You Lie (Part II)", which was produced by Alex da Kid, features Rihanna as the protagonist and lead vocalist, viewing aspects of a relationship from a female perspective, unlike the original, which featured Eminem as lead vocalist and was from a male perspective.


Singles

"Only Girl (In the World)" was released as the album's lead single on September 10, 2010. The song was sent to US mainstream and rhythmic radio on September 21, 2010. It received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its chorus and thunderous
dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
beats. The song reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, in the UK, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium (
Wallonia Wallonia ( ; ; or ), officially the Walloon Region ( ; ), is one of the three communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, regions of Belgium—along with Flemish Region, Flanders and Brussels. Covering the southern portion of the c ...
), Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Slovakia, becoming one of her best charting songs to date. At the 53rd Grammy Awards, held at the
Staples Center Crypto.com Arena (originally and colloquially known as Staples Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along F ...
in Los Angeles on February 13, 2011, "Only Girl (In the World)" won the award for Best Dance Recording. "What's My Name?", which features guest vocals by Canadian recording artist Drake, was released as the album's second single; it was sent to US rhythmic radios on October 25, 2010. Music critics praised the song as some of Rihanna's best vocal work to date, noting the romantic nature of the song and its sexual tones. The song peaked at number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, giving Rihanna her eighth number-one on the chart, while "Only Girl (In the World)" became her ninth number-one song two weeks after "What's My Name?". It reached number one in the United Kingdom and became Rihanna's fifth UK number one single and Drake's first. "Raining Men", was sent to urban radio on December 7, 2010, as an urban radio single and third track from ''Loud'' as a single in the US. The song featured rapper Nicki Minaj. It peaked at number 48 on the US ''Billboard'' R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Raining Men" received mixed reviews from critics who praised the chemistry between Rihanna and Minaj but criticized the song for failing to create anything new or original. "S&M", the album's fourth US single and third international single, was solicited to US mainstream radio on January 23, 2011. Reception of "S&M" was mixed; some reviewers criticized the overt use of sexual lyrics while others noted it as a stand-out track from ''Loud''. A remix of the song which features guest vocals by
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...
, was digitally released on April 11, 2011. "S&M" reached the top ten in twenty-four countries and peaked at number one in Australia, Canada and the United States. "Man Down" was released as the fifth international single in some European countries in July 2011. It received positive reviews from critics, who called it a return to Rihanna's Caribbean-tinged rhythm. "Man Down" reached a peak of 59 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. In France, it peaked at number one for five consecutive weeks. "California King Bed" was released as the fourth international single on May 13, 2011, and as the sixth US single. It was sent to US Hot/Modern adult contemporary radio on May 16, 2011. The song peaked at number four in Australia and New Zealand and number eight on the UK Singles Chart. "Cheers (Drink to That)" was announced by Rihanna as the seventh single from the album on July 24, 2011. The single was released to US mainstream and rhythmic radio on August 2, 2011. The song peaked at number seven on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and number twelve on the US Pop Songs chart.


Release and promotion

''Loud'' was released on November 12, 2010, in four separate editions: a standard edition; a deluxe edition, packaged in a
digipak Optical disc packaging is the packaging that accompanies CDs, DVDs, and other formats of optical discs. Most packaging is rigid or semi-rigid and designed to protect the media from scratches and other types of exposure damage. Jewel case A ...
exclusively for the US and Australia, that features a 30-minute documentary ''Making of Loud'' DVD (Directed by Brian and Brad Palmer); a Couture Edition containing the deluxe edition of ''Loud'' with a deluxe cover art lithograph, a box set with enhanced clear couture cover and a full-size photo book. An Ultra Couture Edition was also produced, containing a copy of the Deluxe Edition of ''Loud'' signed by Rihanna, the MP3 download of ''Loud'' on street date and all the features of the Couture Edition. The Ultra Couture Edition sold out and is no longer available neither on Amazon or her online store. An explicit version of ''Loud'' was also released and features a Parental Advisory label due to some of the lyrical content. The Japanese edition of the album was released with two additional remixes of "Only Girl (In the World)". The piano version of "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)" was only available with the
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edition of the album. However, the version which features Eminem was available for purchase.


Live performances

Rihanna embarked on a promotional tour across Europe and North America to promote the album's release. The singer performed "Only Girl (In the World)", the lead single, live for the first time in North America on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' on October 30, 2010, and debuted the second single, "What's My Name?", later on in the show. The following day in the United Kingdom, Rihanna sang "Only Girl (In the World)" on series seven of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...
''. Rihanna performed "Only Girl (In the World)" at the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards in
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, Spain, on November 7, 2010, on the ''
X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...
'' in Italy on November 9, 2010, and on '' Le Grand Journal'' in France on November 10, 2010. On November 11, 2010, Rihanna appeared on a pre-recorded edition of '' The Graham Norton Show'' in the United Kingdom, where she gave an interview and sang "Only Girl (In the World)". On November 15, before the album's US release, Rihanna reprised her performance of "What's My Name?" for
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
's ''The Seven'', live from
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
, New York City. The next day, Rihanna performed "What's My Name?" on the ''
Late Show with David Letterman ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...
''. On November 17, 2010, Rihanna was interviewed and performed "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?" on ''
Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...
''. Rihanna performed a medley of "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)", "What's My Name?" and "Only Girl (In the World)" at the American Music Awards of 2010 on November 21, 2010, where she won the award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist. On December 11, 2010, Rihanna returned to series seven of the UK's ''The X Factor'', to perform " Unfaithful" with finalist Matt Cardle, as well as a solo of "What's My Name?". The finale was watched by fifteen million viewers. Rihanna performed the song with Drake for the first time at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards on February 13, 2011. Rihanna also appeared at the Brit Awards 2011 on February 15, 2011, where she performed "S&M" for the first time, as a medley with "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name?". Rihanna was requested to "tone down" her performance of "S&M" by the show's producers, and she performed only one verse and chorus in-between "Only Girl (In The World)" and "What's My Name?". Rihanna was a special guest at the
NBA All-Star Game The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is the annual all-star game hosted each February by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and showcases 24 of the league's All-star, star players. Since 2022, it was held on the third Sunday of ...
on February 20, 2011, where she performed a medley of "Umbrella", "Only Girl (In the World)", "Rude Boy", "What's My Name?" (with Drake) and " All of the Lights" (with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
). Rihanna performed "California King Bed" in the style of a
country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
song for the first time with Sugarland front woman Jennifer Nettles, during the ACM Awards held by the
Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...
on April 3, 2011. She was a guest on the tenth season of the US series ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' on April 14, 2011, where she performed "California King Bed". Rihanna promoted "California King Bed" with performances in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, Paris and
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
, because she was appointed ambassador for Nivea skincare. Rihanna opened the ''Billboard'' Music Awards on May 22, 2011, performing the remix of "S&M" with Britney Spears at the
MGM Grand Garden Arena The MGM Grand Garden Arena is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose arena within the MGM Grand Las Vegas, MGM Grand resort, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The venue opened on December 31, 1993, with a concert by Barbra Streisand, and s ...
in
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
. The performance attracted complaints about the overt sexual nature of the broadcast on a publicly owned television channel. Rihanna performed on NBC's '' Today'' show on May 27, 2011, as part of a Summer Concert Series. She performed "S&M", "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name?" and "California King Bed".


Tour

To further promote ''Loud'', Rihanna embarked on her fourth concert tour, the Loud Tour, in June 2011, having announced it on February 9, 2011. The tour comprised 101 show dates, 32 in North America, 1 in Central America, 4 in South America and 64 in Europe. Tickets sold well in the United Kingdom and some additional shows were added. She performed ten shows at
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
's O2 Arena. Rihanna was interviewed by
Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American television presenter and producer. Seacrest is the host of '' Wheel of Fortune'', having hosted since replacing long-time host Pat Sajak in September 2024. Seacrest co-hosted and ser ...
on ''American Idol'', and talked about the design of the stage, stating: "We've just designed the stage and we have a section that we are building ... where the fans can actually be in the show and in the stage and be closer than they've ever been. It's real VIP." The North American leg of the tour began on June 4, 2011, in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, United States. Originally, J. Cole and CeeLo Green were planned as supporting acts for the North American leg. However, Green left the tour, citing schedule conflicts. Rappers Drake, Kanye West and
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
made guest appearances on some dates to perform their collaborations "What's My Name?", " Run This Town", "All of the Lights" and "Umbrella", respectively. The tour was received positively by critics, with some calling it "Rihanna's best tour yet". Jane Stevenson of the ''
Toronto Sun The ''Toronto Sun'' is an English-language tabloid format, tabloid newspaper published daily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The newspaper is one of several ''Sun'' tabloids published by Postmedia Network. The newspaper's offices are located at Pos ...
'' commented that "the two-hour, larger-than-life show lived up to the billing." Jon Brean of the
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
"
Star Tribune ''The Minnesota Star Tribune'', formerly the ''Minneapolis Star Tribune'', is an American daily newspaper based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As of 2023, it is Minnesota's largest newspaper and the List of newspapers in the United States, seventh- ...
" remarked, "The Barbadian singer is more visually and vocally dynamic than she has ever been before."


Critical reception

''Loud'' received positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
. At
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 given to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an
average In colloquial, ordinary language, an average is a single number or value that best represents a set of data. The type of average taken as most typically representative of a list of numbers is the arithmetic mean the sum of the numbers divided by ...
score of 67, based on 22 reviews. Jon Pareles of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' perceived a "hermetic, cool calculation" on the album, writing that it "works the pop gizmos as neatly as any album this year, maintaining the Rihanna brand". ''Entertainment Weekly''s Leah Greenblatt commented that ''Loud'' shows Rihanna "undefeated by her worst circumstances — and finding redemption in exactly the kind of pop
nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...
that made her famous in the first place". James Reed of ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' called the album "an unabashed return to where Rihanna belongs: the dance floor" and stated: "As if liberating herself from the depths, she's a force on these 11 songs". Stacey Anderson of '' Spin'' commended Rihanna's "full, healthy claim to her sexuality" and wrote that the album "offers a confident female ethos on par with the best of
Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...
or
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
". Genevieve Koski of '' The A.V. Club'' commended Rihanna for elevating the album's generic sound, writing that she "does sound invigorated, delivering charismatic vocal performances of material that doesn’t always warrant them". Emily Mackay of ''NME'' felt that its "
experiments An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into Causality, cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome o ...
feel more organic, its tone better paced" than ''Rated R''. of the ''
Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
'' wrote that "the celebratory atmosphere of Rihanna's sassy new jams are seasoned with some of the darker flavors from ''Rated R''". ''Pitchfork'''s Ryan Dombal complimented the album's "effervescent pop" and stated: "Her laissez-faire attitude toward hit-making on ''Loud'' can result in too-safe moves or semi-experiments that come off surprisingly great". Ed Power of ''
Hot Press ''Hot Press'' is a monthly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. History ''Hot Press'' was founded in June 1977 by Niall Stokes, who cont ...
'' complimented its "unabashedly subtext-free" songs and found its hooks "way beyond addictive." In a mixed review, Andy Kellman of AllMusic found the album's material "slapdash" and "uneven", and called it "more an unfocused assortment of poor-to-solid songs than a unified set". Andy Gill of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' felt that "the more interesting tracks are those with less salacious demands on her vulnerability". ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
''s Sal Cinquemani commended that "the subtle West Indian flavor with which Rihanna and company have smartly imbued" most of the album, although he noted some flaws in its production and wrote that "Rihanna has always had trouble fitting into one genre ... and for better or worse, Rihanna continues to stylistically branch out on ''Loud''". Hugh Montgomery of ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...
'' commented that "sonically, it's fairly unremarkable ... but its strident buoyancy is difficult to resist". "Only Girl (in the World)" won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards and the album was nominated for three awards at the 54th Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "What's My Name?".


Commercial performance

''Loud'' debuted at number three on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, with first-week sales of 207,000 copies in the United States, giving Rihanna her highest first-week sales in the US at that time. It also debuted at number one on ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In its second week, the album dropped to number six on the ''Billboard'' 200 and sold 141,000 copies. By its thirteenth week, the album returned to its peak at number three and sold 62,000 copies. However, in its fourteenth week, the album dipped to number ten on the Billboard 200 with 45,000 copies sold. In its fifteenth week, ''Loud'' rose to number eight, selling an additional 33,000 copies in the US. By July 3, 2011, ''Loud'' was the eleventh-best selling album of 2011 in the United States, selling 598,000 copies between January 1, 2011, and July 3, 2011. ''Loud'' ranked as ''Billboard'' magazine's ninth-most successful album of 2011 on their year-end charts. As of May 2024, ''Loud'' was certified quintuple platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), denoting shipments of five million album-equivalent units in the United States, including pure album sales of 1.8 million copies in the US as of June 2015. ''Loud'' was also a commercial success outside of the United States. In Canada, it debuted at number one on the
Canadian Albums Chart The ''Billboard'' Canadian Albums is the official record chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music according to certain criteria during a given ...
, selling 27,000 copies in its first week. ''Loud'' sold more than 80,000 units in Canada, achieving platinum status by the first week of December 2010. By September 8, 2011, ''Loud'' had sold more than 240,000 copies in Canada. In France, the album debuted at number three with first-week sales of 17,304 copies. By its sixth week on the French charts, ''Loud'' achieved platinum status, reaching the 100,000 copies mark. In France, the album has sold 355,000 copies as of April 2013. In its second week on the Australian Albums Chart, ''Loud'' was certified platinum for shipments of over 70,000 copies. In Italy, the album reached number eleven. It became Rihanna's highest-charting album there until her sixth studio album '' Talk That Talk'' (2011) surpassed the record, peaking at number ten. '' Unapologetic'' (2012) did even better, peaking at number seven. ''Loud'' was her third consecutive number-one album in Switzerland. ''Loud'' debuted at number two on the German Albums Chart. The album debuted at number two in the United Kingdom, with first week sales of 91,000 units. In its fifth week, the album sold 306,107 copies in the United Kingdom, giving the singer her first platinum-selling week in her career. In its seventh week on the chart, ''Loud'' reached number one, giving Rihanna her second UK number-one album. After seven weeks of sales, the album became the fourth best-selling album of 2010 in the UK. ''Loud'' was certified seven-times platinum by the
British Phonographic Industry BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...
(BPI), marking shipments of 2.1 million copies to retailers. It was the biggest selling R&B and hip hop album of 2011 in the UK. As of August 2012, ''Loud'' is the fifth biggest selling digital album of all time. As of March 2015, ''Loud'' is the 45th best-selling album of the millennium in the United Kingdom. As of November 2011, the album has sold over 8 million copies worldwide.


Track listing

Notes * signifies a vocal producer * "Cheers (Drink to That)" contains samples from " I'm with You" (2002), as performed by
Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She is a key musician in popularizing pop-punk music, as she paved the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. List of awa ...
and written by Lavigne, Scott Spock, Graham Edwards, and Lauren Christy. * The iTunes Store deluxe edition features the bonus track "Love the Way You Lie (Part II)" (Piano version), the music video of "Only Girl (in the World)", and the pre-order only track "Only Girl (in the World)" (Mixin Marc & Tony Svejda Mix Show Edit) * The Japanese edition includes two bonus tracks: "Only Girl (in the World)" (The Bimbo Jones Radio), and "Only Girl (in the World)" (CCW Radio Mix)


Bundles

''Loud'' (Ultra Couture edition) D+DVD'' * Deluxe cover art signed by Rihanna herself (
lithograph Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the miscibility, immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by ...
) * Enhanced clear couture cover * Deluxe edition of ''Loud'' D+DVD/small> * "Making of Loud" video
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
* 20 page full size photobook ''Loud'' (Couture edition) D+DVD'' * Deluxe cover art
lithograph Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the miscibility, immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by ...
* Enhanced clear couture cover * Deluxe edition of ''Loud'' D+DVD/small> * "Making of Loud" video
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
* 20 page full size photobook


Personnel

Credits for ''Loud'' adapted from
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
and album's
liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or cassette j-cards. Origin Liner notes are descended from the prog ...
.
-


Musicians

*
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
 – vocals, art direction, creative director, design, executive producer *
Stacy Barthe Stacy Barthe (born July 19, 1985) is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Brooklyn, she began her musical career as an intern for Geffen Records, Geffen and Jive Records' urban contemporary, urban divisions from 2003 to 2005. Sh ...
 – backing vocals (track 3) *
Nuno Bettencourt Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt (born September 20, 1966) is a Portuguese-American guitarist. He became known as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme. Bettencourt has recorded a solo album and has founded rock bands including ...
 – guitar (track 10) * Ester Dean – backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4) * Alex Delicata – electric and acoustic guitars (track 6) *
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
 – vocals (track 2) *
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
 – vocals (track 11) * Eric England – bass guitar (track 6) * Mikkel S. Eriksen –instrumentation (track 1, 2, 5) * Tor Erik Hermansen – instrumentation (track 1, 2, 5) * Cristyle Johnson – backing vocals (track 5) *
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...
 – vocals (track 8) *
Priscilla Renea Priscilla Renea Hamilton (born September 14, 1988), known professionally as Muni Long (pronounced "money long”; formerly known as Priscilla Renea), is an American singer and songwriter from Gifford, Florida. Under her birth name, she signed wi ...
 – backing vocals (track 6) * Theron Thomas – backing vocals (track 8) * Sandy Vee – instrumentation (tracks 1, 5)


Production

* Camilla Akrans – photography * Veronika Bozeman – additional vocal production (tracks 1, 4) * Noel Cadastre – assistant vocal
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...
for Drake (track 2) * Bobby Campbell – assistant vocal engineer (tracks 1, 2, 7, 9–11), mixing assistant (track 3) * Ariel Chobaz – vocal engineer (track 8) * Cary Clark – music engineer (track 7) * Corey Shoemaker – music engineer (track 4) * Carol Corless – package production * Karin Darnell – make-up * Mikkel S. Eriksen – music engineer (tracks 1, 2, 5) * Jesus Garnica – mixing assistant (tracks 8–10) * Chris Gehringer – mastering * Brad Palmer – design, video director * Brian Palmer – video director, video producer * Josh Gudwin – vocal engineer (tracks 1, 2, 4–11) * Mariel Haenn – stylist * Alex Haldi – art direction, design * Inaam Haq – assistant vocal engineer (tracks 3, 5) * Kuk Harrell – vocal engineer (tracks 1, 2, 4–11) * Koby Hass – assistant vocal engineer (track 8) *
Jaycen Joshua Jaycen Joshua is an American audio engineer based in California. He won three Grammy Awards: the first for mixing ''Growing Pains'' for Mary J. Blige in 2007, followed by '' El mal querer'' for Rosalía in 2018, and ''Hyperspace'' for Beck in ...
 – mixing (tracks 8–10) * Brandon Joner – assistant vocal engineer for Drake (track 2) * JP Robinson – art direction, design * Rob Katz – assistant vocal engineer (track 10) * Alex da Kid – music engineer (track 11) * Damien Lewis – additional and assistant engineer (tracks 1, 2, 4–6) * Dane Liska – assistant vocal engineer (tracks 3, 5) * Erik Madrid – mixing assistant (tracks 7, 11) * Deborah Mannis-Gardner – sample clearance * Scott Marcus – A&R *
Manny Marroquin Manny Marroquin (born September 21, 1971) is a Guatemalan-American record mixing engineer. He has been credited on albums for high-profile pop, R&B, hip hop and rock acts. He has worked with artists including Rihanna, Kanye West, Katy Perry ...
 – mixing (tracks 7, 11) * Dana Nielsen – music engineer (track 8) * Ben O'Neill – assistant music engineer (track 3) * Ciarra Pardo – art direction, creative director, design * Christian Plata – mixing assistant (tracks 7, 11) * Antonio "L.A." Reid – executive producer * Antonio Resendiz – assistant vocal engineer (track 3) * Evan Rogers – executive producer * Chad "C Note" Roper – music engineer (track 10) * Brad Shea – assistant vocal engineer (tracks 3, 5) * Noah "40" Shebib – vocal engineer for Drake (track 2) * Ursula Stephen – hair stylist * Jay Stevenson – music engineer (track 4) * Mike Strange – vocal engineer for Emimem (track 11) *
Carl Sturken Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
 – executive producer * Phil Tan – mixing (tracks 1, 2, 4–6) * Brian "B-Luv" Thomas – music engineer (track 9) * Marcos Tovar – vocal engineer (all tracks), mixing (track 3) * Sandy Vee – mixing (tracks 1, 5), engineer (tracks 1, 4, 5) * Jeff "Supa Jeff" Villanueva – music engineer (tracks 3, 6) * Miles Walker – music engineer (tracks 1, 2, 5) * Kyle White – assistant vocal engineer (track 6) * Andrew Wuepper – music engineer (track 9) * Robert Zangardi – stylist


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Decade-end charts


All-time charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

* List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 2010s * List of UK R&B Chart number-one albums of 2010 * List of UK R&B Chart number-one albums of 2011 * List of number-one albums of 2010 (Canada) * List of number-one albums of 2010 (Ireland) * List of number-one albums of 2011 (Ireland) *
List of number-one albums in Norway This list shows all the albums that have been number one on the official chart list in Norway, VG-lista. The albums chart started as a top 20 chart in week 1, 1967 and was later expanded to a top 40 chart. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 ...
*
Scottish Singles and Albums Charts The Scottish Albums Chart is a chart compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) which is based on how physical and digital sales towards the UK Albums Chart fare in Scotland. The official singles chart for Scotland, the Scottish Singles Chart, ...
* List of number-one hits of 2010 (Switzerland) * List of albums which have spent the most weeks on the UK Albums Chart


References


External links

*
Loud
' at
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

Rihanna: The Billboard Cover Story
at ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' *
Loud Stream
' {{Authority control 2010 albums Rihanna albums Def Jam Recordings albums Albums produced by Alex da Kid Albums produced by Polow da Don Albums produced by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers Albums produced by Kuk Harrell Albums produced by the Runners Albums produced by Stargate Albums produced by Tricky Stewart Albums recorded at Westlake Recording Studios