Talk That Talk by Rihanna

Talk That Talk

by Rihanna

Released: November 18, 2011

Pop, dance, R&B

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Breakthrough.

01

The Album

"Talk That Talk" is the sixth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna, released on November 18, 2011, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Recorded during the Loud Tour between February and November 2011, the album was initially intended as a reissue of her previous album, Loud (2010). According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Talk That Talk was the ninth best-selling global album of 2011.

02

Inside the Recording

As executive producer, Rihanna enlisted a range of producers, including Alex da Kid, Calvin Harris, Chase & Status, No I.D., and Stargate, to shape the album's sound.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

Following in the same vein as Loud, Talk…

Following in the same vein as Loud, Talk That Talk is a dance-oriented pop/R&B crossover album, incorporating elements of hip hop, dubstep, electronic, and house music.

The album also has subtle dancehall influences, with…

The album also has subtle dancehall influences, with lyrical themes revolving around a nihilistic, romantic, and lascivious lover.

The album spawned six singles, including the international…

The album spawned six singles, including the international hit "We Found Love," which was released as the lead single.

Other singles such as "You da One," "Talk…

Other singles such as "You da One," "Talk That Talk" (featuring Jay-Z), and a remix of "Birthday Cake" (featuring Chris Brown) achieved moderate success, while "Where Have You Been" reached the top ten in twenty countries.

A remixed version of "Cockiness (Love It)" (featuring…

A remixed version of "Cockiness (Love It)" (featuring rapper A$AP Rocky) was released as the final single from the album.

Start listening here

Essential Tracks

01

You Da One

Other singles such as "You da One," "Talk That Talk" (featuring Jay-Z), and a remix of "Birthday Cake" (featuring Chris Brown) achieved moderate success, while "Where Have You Been" reached the top ten in twenty countries.

02

Where Have You Been

Other singles such as "You da One," "Talk That Talk" (featuring Jay-Z), and a remix of "Birthday Cake" (featuring Chris Brown) achieved moderate success, while "Where Have You Been" reached the top ten in twenty countries.

03

Cockiness (Love It)

A remixed version of "Cockiness (Love It)" (featuring rapper A$AP Rocky) was released as the final single from the album.

04

Birthday Cake

Other singles such as "You da One," "Talk That Talk" (featuring Jay-Z), and a remix of "Birthday Cake" (featuring Chris Brown) achieved moderate success, while "Where Have You Been" reached the top ten in twenty countries.

Then

Reception

The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, selling 198,000 copies in its first week, and went on to sell 1.15 million copies in the United States by June 2015. It also topped the charts in Austria, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling 163,000 copies in its first week. By April 2012, it was certified triple Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments of 900,000 copies.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

"Talk That Talk" is the sixth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna, released on November 18, 2011, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Recorded during the Loud Tour between February and November 2011, the album was initially intended as a reissue of her previous album, Loud (2010). As executive producer, Rihanna enlisted a range of producers, including Alex da Kid, Calvin Harris, Chase & Status, No I.D., and Stargate, to shape the album's sound. Following in the same vein as Loud, Talk That Talk is a dance-oriented pop/R&B crossover album, incorporating elements of hip hop, dubstep, electronic, and house music. The album also has subtle dancehall influences, with lyrical themes revolving around a nihilistic, romantic, and lascivious lover.

Talk That Talk received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the album’s lyrics, though some were less favorable toward its themes. The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, selling 198,000 copies in its first week, and went on to sell 1.15 million copies in the United States by June 2015. It also topped the charts in Austria, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling 163,000 copies in its first week. By April 2012, it was certified triple Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments of 900,000 copies. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Talk That Talk was the ninth best-selling global album of 2011. As of March 2013, the album has sold over 5.5 million copies worldwide.

The album spawned six singles, including the international hit "We Found Love," which was released as the lead single. "We Found Love" became Rihanna’s eleventh number-one song on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in 26 other countries. Other singles such as "You da One," "Talk That Talk" (featuring Jay-Z), and a remix of "Birthday Cake" (featuring Chris Brown) achieved moderate success, while "Where Have You Been" reached the top ten in twenty countries. A remixed version of "Cockiness (Love It)" (featuring rapper A$AP Rocky) was released as the final single from the album.

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