The wait is really ova. Rihanna’s fourth album in five years Rated R arrives today. What kind of rating did it receive from critics? Find out below.
Entertainment Weekly: A genuine moment of vulnerability plays stunningly on the meticulously layered “Cold Case Love,†penned by Justin Timberlake. Still, Rated R rarely delivers Top 40 fodder. Instead, it’s a raw, often unsettling portrait of an artist who is, she insists, no longer a Girl at all. B
USA Today: “Hard†is a punch in the mouth to her doubters, while “Stupid in Love†declares “the dunce cap is off.†“Wait Your Turn†brashly puts rivals in check, and “Rude Boy†maintains her dance-floor allure. But probably the most telling statement of who Rihanna is these days is the Slash-propelled “Rockstar 101,†which revels in her status as a ubiquitous celebrity. 3 out of 4
The New York Times: In the multimedia whirlwind of a 21st-century pop career, Rihanna simply couldn’t have made an album of lovey-dovey ballads or simple dance songs. Rated R does what divas do: leverage personal troubles into music. And with it, Rihanna never lets her sorrows overwhelm her musical craftsmanship or the determination behind it.
The Boston Globe: Rated R is an interesting snapshot of several current events, including Rihanna’s evolution as a performer and the confluence of tabloid culture and pop art. But the true measure of music released amid a cloud of controversy is how well it stands on its own once the skies clear. For now Rated R is rated a B-minus.
The Washington Post: When the lighter fare arrives halfway through this downcast track list, it hardly registers. The crystalline bounce of “Rude Boy†and the playful zip of “Photographs†are buoyant, but neither can touch the club-happy froth that made Rihanna famous. She seems destined to return to that glitter-dusted dance floor before too long. For now, she’s processing publicly. Consider Rated R a misstep on the road to recovery.
Chicago Tribune: But the album is most haunting when she allows vulnerability to peer through the tougher exterior. She looks back at the wreckage in “Photographs†and “Cold Case Love,†over appropriately desolate musical settings. Even more devastating is “Stupid in Love,†as rueful as a pop song can get. 3.5 out of 4
Chicago Sun-Times: Rated R is a much better effort than many might have expected from Rihanna, and one that makes this listener eager to hear how much more she may grow in the years to come. 3 out of 4
Source: Rap-Up.com
Let's go and support RiRi, everybody!
Comment by Gary — November 22, 2009 @ 9:43 pm
Right on>>>rihanna's album rocks!!!!!
Comment by sasha..jamaica — November 22, 2009 @ 9:43 pm
THE WAIT IS OVA!!!!!!!!!!
OMG YES I JUST BOUGHT 15 COPIES!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Jerry — November 22, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
GGGB is still selling like it was released recently. That will forever be THE album for Rihanna. This album I do not think will have that same effect, only because it is more personal. It seems when artists get real with their records people don't want to know, they just want a song and dance. It works for Mary J Blige, she is still capitalizing from her past trials. I don't think Rihanna will be promoting this as long as she promoted GGGB, which was like 3 years.
Comment by Yas — November 22, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
i know the album gonna get positive review!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by goodgirlstaysgood — November 22, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
The Fame Monster is #1 in iTunes. No, this is not good. I hope Rated R will overtake it. Anyway, Rated R is a great album, I'm buying it for sure.
Comment by Woahx3 — November 22, 2009 @ 9:52 pm
wowwwwww!!!that great!
love you rir!
Comment by tal — November 22, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
The fame monster will sell more because its alldance, catchy songs. I LOVE Gaga I LOVE Rihanna but I think she did a mistake for putting out a so personal album when people is only looking for songs to have a good time, to blast in the car and sing along, when Gaga is taking over the music industry. She already scored that infamous record for her 4 #1's, ad Bad Romance will be her 5th for sure. I don't think any single from Rated R will be number one, even though I LOVED Russian Roulette, Wait Your Turn is good but it should have been faster, I jut heard Hard once cause I wanna wait for the whole album. Heard the demo for Te Amo… Not feeling it but Cold Case Love is beautiful. I need to hear the whole thing in order to rate the album myself, but by now, I think she won't sell as much as TFM, at least in the US
BTW The Fame Monster is 6 in the UK, Rated R is 3, Susan Boyle is 2… Don't know who is 1
Comment by hiram — November 22, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
Wonderful Job Robyn!!!!!!Be happy to today, and for the rest of the days to come. You deserve it….."That Rihanna Reign Just Wont Let Up!!!!" RiRi Fan always!!!!!!!!!!:)
Comment by Racquel — November 22, 2009 @ 10:23 pm
I know this is going to be Rih's best album to date, the three songs released so far are better then all her other cds put together. However, i know it will not sell as much as the other. I am pretty share Lady GaGa will be #1 next week( i still dont understand why they went head to head) . Reviews for the most part mean nothing to the buying public, just for fans and haters to write and troll about on blogs. Mariah's last ablum was her best since Buttyfly but sells are falling flat. There is some sort of disconnect. I dont know. Will be picking up CD on way home from work today to support.
Comment by 1914inches — November 22, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
these are great reviews
Comment by lilly — November 22, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
why does RD always post the worst stuff first?
ew.com is the worst review so far for the album lmao
Comment by Ri — November 22, 2009 @ 11:08 pm
More personal = less global sucess
But i's ok. Like they say Rated R is for me a B- to B album!
Comment by TK-75523 — November 22, 2009 @ 11:25 pm
but i agree with the review..when an artist gets personal on album people dont wanna listen that much but they wanna more of a dance and club banger..well to me screw those people..i am so proud of riri of becoming so personal on this album and to be original coz to me artist that juz sings bout sex,having fun in da club, wealth and etc2 things that doesnt really inspire people r fake and just wants money and fame rather than to inspire their fans.. RiRi is the best! u r an inspiration to ur fans and that what counts..!!
Comment by goodgirlstaysgood — November 22, 2009 @ 11:59 pm
Rihanna Rated R Number 2 on Amazon album download chart ahead of Adam Lambert who is #3
Comment by Dawn — November 23, 2009 @ 12:37 am
a review has never made me buy an album ever.the best review will come from fans and even non-fans who HEAR the album.
Comment by not a stan — November 23, 2009 @ 1:24 am
Go RihannaDaily!!! Thanks of much for posting all these great reviews!!! There's been soooooo many high marks for her this time out!!! She aint on metacritic yet, but I bet this CD ranks highers than GGGB!!!
It's like, this is her breakthrough moment in terms of artistry, just as Good Girl Gone Bad was her breakthrough in terms of chart dominance. Just wait until she finds the perfect balance of the two!!
But for now, I am enjoying watching Rih grow at her own pace!!!! She's only just begun!!
Comment by Swag4Me! — November 23, 2009 @ 1:26 am
Like they say more personal an album is equal to lesser global success… Hopefully people will start listening to music for it's true meaning and for the right reasons and not for a sell out hook and a tune that loops throughout the entire song… Rated R is gritty and connect with me on a personal level.. It gets an A++++++ in my opinion. Like Rhi Rhi said herself… her fans understand her and they will understand this album so everyone who isnt deep enough can buzz off
Comment by Patrick Anthony Chan — November 23, 2009 @ 1:32 am
riri neeeds to step up to the game!!!!!!
Comment by catalinadinu — November 23, 2009 @ 9:38 am
PEOPLE HELP!!!
I STAY IN UK AND CAN ONLY GET THE CLEAN VERSION OF RATED R
I WANT THE ONE WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS LIKE " SUCH A FUC*KING LADY " AND ALL THE OTHER WORDS ON OTHER SONGS
Comment by I love Rihanna — November 23, 2009 @ 1:40 am
Im buying my copies tomorrow
Comment by cold case love — November 23, 2009 @ 1:57 am
Just finished listening to my spankin’ new cd and it’s the best one yet, in my opinion! My fav is Hard, stupid in love and rockstar 101!
The critics are crazy this is an A+, 4 out of 4, 5 star recording.
Comment by zazzytink — November 23, 2009 @ 10:56 am
I'm in the UK too and can only get the clean version… :S It sounds annoying where theyve taken the swearwords out… :S
Comment by Shelley — November 23, 2009 @ 6:49 am
So are the ratings for this album bad, or…?
Comment by RiRifan — November 23, 2009 @ 4:24 pm