A Look Through All of Rihanna’s Album Eras

In honor of Rihanna returning back to music, L’OFFICIEL looks back at all of her album eras.

All the prayers and wishes have finally paid off—Rihanna has made it back into the studio and will be releasing new music. While the world has been able to appreciate a different side of Rihanna—entrepreneur, mother, trendsetter—it is her roots as a dynamic singer that made us fall in love with her to begin with. It was recently announced that RiRi will be a part of the soundtrack for the film Wakanda Forever, but even more exciting is the release of her new single “Lift Me Up”, which debuts today. After six long years, we have finally gotten the new music we have all been impatiently waiting for.

As we rejoice in this marvelous moment, we can also look back at her sound evolution. With hit songs like “Umbrella,” “Work,” “SOS,” and “Where Have You Been,” to name a few, Rihanna has produced some serious bops throughout the years. From Good Girl Gone Bad to Unapologetic, L’OFFICIEL celebrates the creative genius by looking through all of her album eras.

Music Of The Sun (2005)

A woman in a gold shirt looking at the camera.

A woman in a cropped blue jacket and low rise jeans.

A woman in a tie dye pink tank and low rise jeans.

The beginning of it all, a 17-year-old Rihanna made her debut on the music scene with her party album Music Of The Sun. While it was clear that she was still searching for the sound that was just right for her, overall it was a great introduction to the music limelight.

A Girl Like Me (2006)

A woman in a white top and blue jeans with a hand over her heart.

Rihanna’s second album, A Girl Like Me, marked the beginning stage of solidifying herself as the artist we see her as today. It was on this album that fans received the hit song “SOS" which made it to the top of the music charts. Her style in this era was one of youth and innocence—a theme that was carried over from her Music Of The Sun days—and it was reflected in the overall discography. Most of the songs fell into the “sway side to side while humming to yourself” category with a couple of the standout ballads such as “A Million Miles Away” and “Unfaithful.”

Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)

A woman in a black bodysuit and fishnet leggings against an organe wall.

A woman in a dark room with green light wearing a black dress.

A woman in a white tank and low rise green leggings atop the hood of a car.

A woman leaning to the side wearing a form fitting white dress.

It was with Good Girl Gone Bad that fans really began to understand who Rihanna was and what she was all about. Arguably one of her best albums to date with hit songs such as “Umbrella,” “Shut Up And Drive,” “Don’t Stop The Music,” and Disturbia,” each track slapped. A bit more sultry compared to her last two albums, Rihanna’s Good Girl Gone Bad era is where she began to embrace her sensuality.

Rated R (2009)

A woman with short hair wearing a leopard printed shirt.

A woman with short hair with a hand over her eye.

The good girl went gone from bad to explicit in Rihanna’s Rated R era. Nearly every song is one straight from the club, which isn’t a bad thing. RiRi was once again successful in creating some hard hitters such as the club anthem “Rude Boy” and car jam “Te Amo.” It was in this era that Rihanna experimented the most with androgyny than she ever had in the past. The short hair, the dark eyeliner, the rockstar aesthetic—RiRi unleashed her inner rebel.

Loud (2010)

A woman in a printed bikini and bright pink heels while singing on stage.

A woman with bright red hair and a red lip.

A woman in latex pink dress atop a table.

A woman in a striped jacket, bright red hair, a black tank, and printed mini shorts.

Loud unquestionably produced some of the most well-known tunes within RiRi’s repertoire, including “What’s My Name,” “S&M,” “Man Down,” and “California King Bed.” Her song “Only Girl In The World,” helped her take home a Grammy in the Best Dance Recording category. During this period of time, Rihanna also sported her iconic red hair and bold red lip. Not as rebellious but just as sensual from her previous era, Loud established Rihanna’s place in stardom in case there had been any questions about her talent.

Talk That Talk (2011)

A woman looking at the camera with smoke coming out of her mouth.

A woman against a wall wearing denim overalls and holding a cigarette.

A woman smoking a cigarette while sitting.

A woman licking her lips while staring at the camera.

For the singer’s sixth album, Rihanna kept the momentum going with her pop dance music. She was able to secure another Grammy with her song “We Found Love” for Best Short Form Music Video. The “bad gal RiRi” was most definitely present with the cigarette smoke, voluminous hair, and daring looks.

Unapologetic (2012)

A woman singing on stage while wearing an all black outfit.

A woman in a black leather top and pants.

While Unapologetic was one of the worst critically reviewed albums in her career, there was an agreed consensus that it housed some of Rihanna’s best work such as “Stay” and “Diamonds.” The singer was more vulnerable in those songs than she had been in the past, an emotion that was appreciated and receptively conveyed. Though Unapologetic was not well received by critics, it still won the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Anti (2016)

A kid with a crown over their eyes against a red and white backdrop.

A woman with braids while looking at the camera.

A woman in an oversized coat and black pants against a dark backdrop.

After a critically failed album with Unapologetic, the queen reclaimed her throne with Anti. The album received nothing but praise from critics and fans alike. Every song deserves its flowers but some particular standouts are “Love On The Brain,” “Needed Me,” “Work,” “Desperado,” and “Consideration.” The four-year gap she took to produce Anti turned out to be for the best considering it was one of her only albums in which listeners agreed that every song goes together and it felt more heartfelt than what she put out in the past.

After taking another long music hiatus, the singer has returned for her R9 era. She has of course already dropped her new single in anticipation of being a featured artist on the Wakanda Forever soundtrack and is also the confirmed headliner for the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show. The only question is, when is the album coming?

As for her style, based on her recent fashion, Rihanna is showing off a very casual side of her. The Anti star has decreed baggy pants, oversized coats, graphic tees, and lots of denim as her new uniform—and we're here for it. The relaxed aesthetic may be a sign of what we can expect from her new music era. Regardless of whatever she turns out, we already know we will be supporting her no matter what.