Talk That Talk

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Lore & Background

The album's lyrics posit Rihanna as a nihilist romantic and lascivious lover. Music journalist Greg Kot observes that, along with droning electronic sounds, 'Caribbean and Eastern touches from past Rihanna albums get recycled into bombastic dance tunes.' Apart from its sexual innuendo, Talk That Talk features odes to dysfunctional love and universal love. Robert Christgau calls it 'pop without shame—her hookiest and most dance-targeted album, decorated with a thoughtful assortment of suitably titillating blats, noodles, dubs, groans, hiccups, boom-booms, cut-ups, speed-ups, xx samples, and spoken-word bits.'

In Their Own Story

Recording sessions for Talk That Talk began in February 2011 and ended in November 2011, taking place during the Loud Tour in various countries including France, United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark and Germany. Vocal producer Kurk Harrell estimates the album was cut in more than 25 cities. Rihanna recorded a total of sixteen to seventeen songs. The singer would record late into the morning, sometimes until noon, before riding her bus to the next city. In May 2012, Rihanna revealed that whilst she was recording the album, she suffered from exhaustion, saying in part: 'It was the best [shit] ever, it was some rock star [shit] This is the craziest schedule I've ever been on in my entire life. One morning I woke up and started crying so hard. I finally just got to my bed from the IV [drip] and I was just like, "Good I can actually get to sleep tonight", because we stayed up all night' and I finished [the album] at 5 pm the day before...'

Reader's Guide

Released in late 2011, this record marked a pivotal shift toward electronic dance music influences within the pop sphere. While maintaining her signature R&B roots, the production leaned heavily into synthesized beats and club-ready rhythms. Critics noted the bold experimentation, though commercial success was undeniable thanks to global anthems dominating radio waves worldwide. The lead single became one of the best-selling digital singles in history, cementing a high-profile partnership with Scottish producer Calvin Harris. Tracks explored themes of nightlife, romance, and independence, resonating deeply with fans during a time of rapid musical evolution. Ultimately, the project solidified her position as a dominant force in mainstream music. It bridged the gap between her earlier work and future ventures into more experimental territory. The album achieved multi-platinum status across several territories, proving that artistic risk could coexist with massive chart performance during this specific chapter of her career journey.

Did You Know?

• Talk That Talk was originally planned to be a reissue of Rihanna's previous studio album Loud (2010) before she decided to make it a standalone project.
• Recording took place in more than 25 cities during the Loud Tour, with Rihanna often recording until noon before riding her bus to the next city.
• The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 198,000 copies and sold 1.15 million copies in the United States by June 2015.
• Lead single 'We Found Love' topped the charts of 27 countries and spent 10 weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rihanna's longest-running chart-topper.
• As of March 2013, Talk That Talk had sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide.