Rihanna: Top 10 songs RANKED!

Rihanna: Top 10 songs RANKED!Ranking the ultimate pop bangers churned out by Super Bowl halftime performer Rihanna over the years isn't an easy task, but somebody has to do it.

by James Freemantle

13-02-2023 11:48

in Culture

Rihanna has been selected as the official performer for the 2023 Super Bowl halftime performance. Image via Twitter @PopBase

Ranking the ultimate pop bangers churned out by Super Bowl halftime performer Rihanna over the years isn't an easy task, but somebody has to do it. Here are the top 10 Rihanna songs, according to my pure subjective opinion.

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TOP 10 RIHANNA SONGS RANKED In a world where even those who pretend to not like Rihanna actually love Rihanna, it's quite clear how much pulling power she possesses.

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Rihanna's tracks have put up ludicrous numbers on every streaming service you can name and she's collaborated with the best and biggest names in a business that has changed around her.

10. PON DE REPLAY The OG track in the Barbadian's career, released all the way back in 2005. By virtue of that fact alone it deserves its place in this esteemed top 10. If Pon de Replay put Rihanna on the map, then parts of the globe are now owned by her. 17 years ago this song started a billion-dollar revolution, and the wheels just keep on turning.

9. UMBRELLA You know those viral Instagram posts that ask you to comment the name of a popular song that really annoys you? Mine is Happy by Pharrell, I just hate it and I have no explanation for that. Umbrella might well fall into that territory for reasons that people can't explain, but how can you deny a track that combines Rihanna and Jay-Z? Under my umbrella, ella ella ella, eh eh.

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8. DON'T STOP THE MUSIC If nothing else, just the song title alone resonates with me. Imagine a life without music? I could never. Don't Stop The Music was released 15 years ago, but it's just as catchy now as it was back then. The late, great Michael Jackson was one of its composers too.

7. WE FOUND LOVE Another club banger to put with all the others. Calvin Harris makes a sickening amount of money, more than anybody else in the business probably, and he has a sharp eye for smart industry collaborations. We Found Love is such an evocative track which could, and possibly should, feature in movies when a new couple are exploring a new city. Or something. It's care-free but still so full of feeling. This Is What You Came For would have cracked the nod but why indulge Calvin Harris's ego twice?

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6. MAN DOWN A throwback to RiRi's Barbadian roots. Rihanna is and always will be a Caribbean artist, and it's cool to see that side of her coming to the surface every now and then. Not since Pon de Replay has a Rihanna chart track so unashamedly indulged the reggae artist in her.

5. ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD) Not really my favourite song but I understand the global appeal, even though I wasn't born a woman and I'll never identify as one. Maybe I want to feel like the only person in the world though?

4. TE AMO Relatively downtempo by her usual club standards, Te Amo shows off Rihanna's underrated vocal range. There's also some Spanish guitar and a nice assortment of keys thrown into the mix. A nice change of pace.

3. REHAB No top 10 of pop music is complete without a little cameo from Justin Timberlake. Rehab is probably the tightest track in this list. From lyrics, to production, to visuals, everything is done in a slick and professional manner. It's also got that deeply relatable key ingredient - Who hasn't longed for something or someone that was bad for them? Not I.

2. DISTURBIA A feast and flurry of weird imagery, characters and costumes form the start of a memorable music video in Disturbia, but in essence it's just as catchy and mainstream as the rest of her fleet of bangers. An unbelievably good pop song from start to finish.

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1. DIAMONDS There can only be one number one, and it just has to be Diamonds. A girl's best friend, Rihanna's best song and it's not even up for debate.

Four years after saying she had refused to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in protest over race issues, Rihanna says she will use her performance during Sunday's NFL title game to represent immigrants and black women. Image from Twitter by Pop Base

Which tracks have I left out? Feel free to attack me in the comments. Also check out my Rihanna playlist on Spotify. She'll surely release more tunes after a captivating Super Bowl halftime performance.

For more insights, analysis and love for the beautiful game, hit up James Freemantle.

Meanwhile, follow The South African on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news updates.

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