In March 2014, she signed with American rapper Jay-Z's Roc Nation after leaving Def Jam and gaining the right to her album masters Jay-Z was her mentor when she first moved from Barbados to the United States. Unapologetic was Rihanna's last album under Def Jam, who had released all of her discography since her first album, Music of the Sun (2005). After touring, Rihanna intended to take a year off to "just do whatever artistically, creatively", but reportedly started recording new music as soon as October 2014. She embarked on the Diamonds World Tour to promote the album in 2013, and co-headlined the Monster Tour with American rapper Eminem in 2014. Critics likened the sound and themes of Unapologetic 's to those of her previous albums, namely Rated R (2008), Loud (2010) and Talk that Talk (2011). Unapologetic combines urban and R&B with radio-friendly pop tunes and dubstep influences, and its lyrics are about Rihanna's sexual autonomy and emotional struggles. It ranked 230th on Rolling Stone 's 2020 edition of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.īarbadian singer Rihanna's seventh studio album, Unapologetic, was released on 19 November 2012, by Def Jam Recordings.
Anti featured on 2010s decade-end lists by such publications as Billboard, NME and Pitchfork. At the 2017 Grammy Awards, the album and its singles received six nominations, including one for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Some took issue with the lack of radio-friendly songs, but others noted the musical shift marked Rihanna's artistic maturity as an album artist beyond her status as a pop star. In contemporary publications, critics commended the album's emotional honesty but were divided on the production, praise centring on Rihanna's newfound musical freedom and criticism on the unfocused track list. The album topped charts in Canada and Norway, and peaked in the top five on charts in such European countries as Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In the United States, Anti is Rihanna's second number-one album and the first album by a black woman to spend 200 weeks on the Billboard 200. The Anti World Tour ran from March to November 2016, and four songs were released as singles, including the US Billboard Hot 100 number one " Work". Rihanna announced the cover art and title at the MAMA Gallery on 7 October 2015, and Anti was released on January 28, 2016, through Roc Nation and Westbury Road. The promotional campaign for Anti from summer 2014 comprised prolonged release delays and a $25 million deal with Samsung. Their lyrics are about the emotions ensued from love and relationships, from endearment and desire to betrayal and liberation, with references to sex, drugs and alcohol. Its songs explore eclectic styles spanning pop, dancehall, alternative R&B, hip hop, soul, psychedelic, doo-wop and trap. Compared to the radio-friendly dance tunes of her previous albums, Anti is more muted and soulful. The first half consists of bass-heavy tracks, and the second is characterised by textured minimalism. SZA and Drake contribute guest vocals.Ĭonceived when Rihanna was experiencing creative struggles and emotional turmoil, Anti features an atmospheric production characterised by lo-fi beats, distorted vocals and downtempo arrangements. As executive producer, Rihanna recorded Anti with producers including Jeff Bhasker, Boi-1da, DJ Mustard, Hit-Boy, Brian Kennedy, Timbaland and No I.D., at studios in Canada, the United States and France. She started recording in 2014 after ending her contract with Def Jam Recordings, who had released all of her albums since her debut in 2005. Anti (stylised in all caps) is the eighth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna.