This Week On Billboard: Rihanna - Disturbia
This Week On Billboard is where I unabashedly critique the current no. 1 hit on Billboard.com, the major yardstick for what's "hot" in music today. In order to simplify the review for those who don't want to read the whole article, each song is given a "!" rating, in which the finest grabs five of them.
Weeks in No. 1: 2
Weeks in Chart: 9
From the Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded LP
!!!!
Back in the summer of 2005, when "Pon De Replay" was emanating out of car speakers and packed clubs, no one suspected that this Barbadian beauty would be anything but a seasonal, soon-to-be-forgotten one-hit wonder in the same vein as Nina Sky and Lumidee. However, she came back with a more massive hit ("S.O.S.") the next summer, then came back with an even more massive hit ("Umbrella") the summer after that. Now, in 2008, it doesn't actually feel like summer without a new Rihanna mega-hit in the air.
"Disturbia" is an enjoyable foot-stomper, even though its production is a bit cautious. But still, this ninth top-ten single propels the music industry's decision of hip-hop/electronica synergy towards an even more flourishing direction. Rihanna's vocals retained the confidence it garnered from recording "Umbrella" and, due to its its iciness and lack of vanity, is an exquisite vehicle for today's rave-generation R&B. Although it fails to exceed the world-conquering "Umbrella"--to be fair, not many can--it stands as another bid for Rihanna's eventual inclusion to the pantheon of female popstars.
Weeks in No. 1: 2Weeks in Chart: 9
From the Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded LP
!!!!
Back in the summer of 2005, when "Pon De Replay" was emanating out of car speakers and packed clubs, no one suspected that this Barbadian beauty would be anything but a seasonal, soon-to-be-forgotten one-hit wonder in the same vein as Nina Sky and Lumidee. However, she came back with a more massive hit ("S.O.S.") the next summer, then came back with an even more massive hit ("Umbrella") the summer after that. Now, in 2008, it doesn't actually feel like summer without a new Rihanna mega-hit in the air.
"Disturbia" is an enjoyable foot-stomper, even though its production is a bit cautious. But still, this ninth top-ten single propels the music industry's decision of hip-hop/electronica synergy towards an even more flourishing direction. Rihanna's vocals retained the confidence it garnered from recording "Umbrella" and, due to its its iciness and lack of vanity, is an exquisite vehicle for today's rave-generation R&B. Although it fails to exceed the world-conquering "Umbrella"--to be fair, not many can--it stands as another bid for Rihanna's eventual inclusion to the pantheon of female popstars.
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