Armageddon —her first full-length since 2001’s Sister Nancy Meets Fireproof — was released this summer, seven years after it was recorded with Mad Professor in the U.K. In 2016, Sister Nancy received 10 years of back royalties as well as royalties going forward, which allowed her to retire from the bank and pursue music full time. Like many artists of her era who either had bad contracts or no contract at all, Sister Nancy did not benefit from the popularity of «Bam Bam» for the majority of her career. «And remember, I had songs before that like ‘One, Two’ and ‘Transport Connection’; they were playing, but I didn’t hear ‘Bam Bam’ until I come to the U.S.» Yet the song made its way to the States, where it found popularity in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut’s Caribbean diaspora and caught the ear of hip-hop innovators of the ’80s. She recorded the early dancehall anthem in 1982 when she was just 20 years old as a last-minute addition to her debut album, One, Two.
- It’s a highlight on The Life of a Showgirl as it’s a testament that, regardless of how much time has passed or the fame that Swift has achieved, she still looks back on those who changed her life early on.
- Her first No. 1 song, “SOS,” topped the chart for three weeks in 2006, while her Grammy-winning Jay-Z collaboration “Umbrella” far surpassed that the following year, maintaining the lead spot for seven weeks.
- Rihanna officially becomes a billionaire and Forbes names her the ‘richest female musician’
- The case garnered widespread media attention, particularly after TMZ published a leaked police photograph showing Rihanna with visible injuries.
- Its lead single «Diamonds» resonated in an equally major way, giving Rih her 12th No. 1 on the Hot 100.
- Rihanna went on to collaborate with numerous fashion houses, including Dior, Stance, and Manolo Blahnik.
Elizabeth Taylor has appeared as a character in Swift’s songs before, particularly in rep’s «Ready For It…?» where she compares herself to the famous actress and entertainer. Comparatively, «Eldest Daughter» — track five, a spot Swift notoriously reserves for the most emotional song — is a love song about the masks we wear and the selves we choose to reveal. Throughout the record, dynamic and layered pop soundscapes mimic the same energy Swift was feeling both on and off stage. «I thought who better to ask to be a part of this song than the ultimate showgirl Sabrina Carpenter.» Instead of writing songs akin to «I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,» a song about performing in the midst of heartbreak and grief, Swift opted to focus on what people don’t necessarily see when they buy a ticket to a show. Now that the curtain is up and The Life of a Showgirl is out, read on for five key essential insights from Taylor Swift’s new album.
As Swift revealed on May 30, she bought back the master recordings of her first six albums, marking the first time she’s been in control of her entire discography. Throughout a total of 31 tracks, the prolific songwriter shelved the glittery pop radio-friendly tunes in favor of more subdued, synthy and heart-wrenching songs. Midnights helped further solidify Swift’s larger-than-life status at the finale of the 2024 GRAMMYs, too, as she became the only artist in history to win Album Of The Year four times. Along with breaking several streaming records — including becoming the first album to exceed 700 million global streams in a week — it was Swift’s 11th No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200, and was the highest-selling album of 2022 (and, remarkably, the second best-selling of 2023).
Her most conceptual album to date, Midnights charts 13 sleepless nights and explores five themes, from self-hatred and revenge to «what if» fantasies, falling in love, and falling apart. Sonically, evermore is a slight departure from its sister record; where folklore relies on more alt-leaning and indie-tinged sounds, evermore takes the sonics from all of Swift’s past records — from pop to country to indie rock — and features all of them on one album. Some songs, like «peace,» were recorded in just one take, capturing the essence and fragility in the song’s story, whereas the lyrics for the sun-drenched «august» were penned on the spot as Swift was in her makeshift home studio in Los Angeles. Swift described reputation as a bait-and-switch; at their core, the songs are about finding love in the darkest moments.
Halloween Songs That Have Won GRAMMYs: «Thriller,» «Ghostbusters» & More
That year, fans also got their first glimpse of the pop superstar alongside Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, and Anne Hathaway in trailers for Ocean’s 8, a female-led spinoff of the popular Ocean’s Trilogy which hit theaters in June 2018. It also spawned the popular radio hits “Needed Me” and “Love on the Brain.” At the 2014 Grammy Awards, Unapologetic won Best Urban Contemporary Album, marking the singer’s first win in an album category. In November 2012, Rihanna scored her first No. 1 album with Unapologetic. The pop star delivered her next effort, Talk That Talk, in November 2011. Rihanna returned back and better than ever in November 2010 with her fifth studio album, Loud.
The two officially dated again for a time, with Rihanna maintaining in a Rolling Stone interview that Brown had changed and that any form of abuse would be unacceptable. In 2009, Rihanna was the center of a media firestorm after a domestic violence incident in which her then-boyfriend Chris Brown assaulted her before an awards show. Prior to that, she was in an on-again-off-again romance with longtime collaborator Drake for more than 7 years, starting in 2009. Most notably, she owns the popular cosmetics line Fenty Beauty, which she launched in 2017.
Swift felt a «quiet conclusion» after finishing up evermore, describing that it was more about grappling with endings of all «sizes and shapes,» and the record represented a chapter closing. «Closure» is a «skittering» track that has the same energy as tracks like Lover’s «I Forgot That You Existed,» whereas the ballad «champagne problems» is thematically reminiscent of Swift’s Speak Now track «Back To December» where she takes responsibility for her lover’s heartache. Folklore’s impact on the zeitgeist at a time where everyone was stuck at home helped shape people’s quarantine experience. She worked remotely with two producers — again working with her right-hand man Jack Antonoff, and first-time collaborator Aaron Dessner from The National.
The record also featured the popular power ballad “Unfaithful,” as well as singles “We Ride” and “Break It Off.” The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and earned her first No. 1 hit with the catchy pop single “SOS,” which spent three weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100. In 2008, Rihanna topped the chart three times, twice with her own songs “Disturbia” and “Take a Bow,” plus a feature on T.I.’s “Live Your Life.” She has also earned nine number-one songs on the UK Singles Chart and ranks second to the Beatles for the most million-selling singles in the country. This made her the artist with the most digital single awards and the first performer to exceed RIAA’s 100 million cumulative singles certification threshold. With estimated worldwide sales exceeding 250 million records as of 2023, Rihanna is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
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The Western-themed «Desperado» lends itself particularly well to covers by country artists, while the Dido-sampling «Never Ending» conveys the uncertainty she feels about entering a new relationship. Subsequently, Rihanna held the No. 1 spots on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously, her second time achieving such an impressive feat. But the dancehall masterpiece is one of a kind for Rih’s refusal to water down the Jamaican patois (different from her native language of Bajan Creole) — proving that she is fully aware of her impact as one of the biggest Caribbean-born artists to make it in the U.S. ANTI lives up to its name in its first 40 seconds, via opening track «Consideration.» The minute she declares, «I got to do things my own way, darling,» it’s apparent that ANTI is not your average Rihanna album. But that shift began with 2015’s criminally underrated «American Oxygen.» Her most political statement at the time, the goosebump-inducing lyrics detail Rihanna’s journey as an immigrant, foreshadowing her then soon-to-be massive Fenty Beauty success.
Rihanna
It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks and peaked at number two in the UK; it was also the latter country’s best-selling song of 2010. In June 2010, she collaborated with rapper Eminem on the single «Love the Way You Lie». In support of the album, Rihanna embarked on the Last Girl on Earth tour from 2010 to 2011. The single «Rude Boy» peaked atop the Hot 100 for six weeks, while «Russian Roulette» and «Hard» both peaked within the top ten.
In the United States, it is currently more popular than Come and See but less popular than Shutter. The movie has moved up the charts by 179 places since yesterday. The pair meet and fall in love on the Titanic, the greatest ship to sail the oceans. Rose is a high-society young woman who is being forced into a loveless marriage with a wealthy man.
Move to the United States and Career Start
Swift opted to lean more into radio-friendly hits, which resulted in songs like «Style,» «Wildest Dreams,» «Blank Space,» and «Shake It Off,» all of which became singles. Often mentioned as a record that inspired a generation of artists from Troye Sivan to Conan Gray, Swift’s confessional, soul-bearing authenticity set a new standard for straightforward pop music. Much like her previous two albums, Swift included songs that were both inspired by her own life and being a fly on the wall. During her NYU commencement speech in 2022, she reflected on this era of her life as one of intense fear that she could make a mistake and face lasting consequences, so the songs were masked in metaphors rather than directly addressing adult themes in her music. Serving as a snapshot of Swift’s life and teenhood, she avoided songwriting stereotypes typically found in country music.
Everything that happened after the success of Fearless pushed Swift from country music’s best-kept secret to a mainstream star. It might not be the romantic tale Swift dreamed of growing up, but her sophomore album signalled that bigger things were to come. It won Swift’s first Album Of The Year GRAMMY in 2010, at the time making her the youngest person to win the accolade at age 20.
- And Eminem that appeared on albums of theirs; many felt her vocals on the latter’s “Love the Way You Lie” (2010) lent resonance to the song’s depiction of an abusive relationship.
- Including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, 16 artist stakeholders co-own Tidal, most of whom own a 3% equity stake.
- In 2007, Rihanna effected a transformation from teen pop princess to superstar and sex symbol with her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, fueled by its smash hit lead single “Umbrella,” featuring Jay-Z.
- Following the career-pivoting Rated R, 2010’s Loud offered a welcome return to the West Indian artist’s earlier sound.
- The single «Rude Boy» peaked atop the Hot 100 for six weeks, while «Russian Roulette» and «Hard» both peaked within the top ten.
«And it turns out that’s not the case at all … and we just were catching lightning in a bottle with this record.» «I used to kind of have this dark fear that if I ever were truly happy and free being myself and nurtured by a relationship, what happens if the writing just dries up? What if writing is directly tied to my torment and pain?» she said ahead of the album’s release. «Wood» is Swift taking cues from fellow showgirl Carpenter, winking at listeners as she weaves as many innuendos about the word as possible. «The Fate of Ophelia» might be Swift’s best lead single since «Mine» in 2010, thanks to its infectious beat and memorable chorus.
It May Just Be Swift’s Most Romantic Album To Date
Rihanna has faced personal challenges, including a highly publicized incident of domestic violence with former boyfriend Chris Brown. With these endeavors combined with her musical empire, Rihanna has not only cemented her legacy in music but also positioned herself as a powerful icon in the world of entrepreneurship. The singer launched her makeup line, Fenty Beauty, in 2017, gaining instant popularity for its extensive range of shades catering to all skin tones. This wealth is a result of her multifaceted career, which extends beyond music to include ventures in fashion, beauty, and film. Rihanna, one of the most successful pop stars of her generation, has amassed an impressive net worth estimated to be around $1.7 billion, according to Forbes. Rihanna’s romantic life has often made headlines, with notable relationships sparking both admiration and intrigue.
And on Aug. 13, she opened up about the concept and creation of the record on her now-fiancé Travis Kelce’s podcast, «New Heights.» To help explain this chapter of her life, Swift brings together a myriad of collaborators — from Stevie Nicks as fellow poetess, to duets with Florence Welch and Post Malone — and leans on real and fictional characters, like Clara Bow, Peter Pan («Peter»), and Patti Smith. It pokes fun at so-called fans who overstep with her personal life («But Daddy I Love Him»), says goodbye to a city that gave her a home («So Long London»), and muses on how her own celebrity has stunted her growth («Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?»). As a result, there had arguably never been more excitement for a Taylor Swift album than for The Tortured Poets Department — especially because the announcement came on the heels of her lucky 13th GRAMMY win in February.
Midnights: Encapsulating Her Artistic Magic
«Wood» and «Honey» capture the playfulness of true love, while songs like «WI$HLI$T» and «Elizabeth Taylor» see love not as a distraction from her life’s work but as the very thing that makes it feel meaningful. Many of the love songs on Swift’s more recent albums are brimming with anxiety, from Lover’s «Cornelia Street» («I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends») to folklore’s «Peace» («The rain is always gonna come if you’re standing with me»). One of the biggest takes by critics — that borderlines on sexist at times — is that Swift won’t be able to write good, reflective music that cuts deep like the songs that orbit around heartache and pain.
The doo-wop-infused ballad soared to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2017, and its new certification helps Rihanna extend her record as the female artist with the most Diamond singles in RIAA history. In 2007, Rihanna transformed from a teen pop star into a serious artist with her groundbreaking album «Good Girl Gone Bad,» which featured the iconic single «Umbrella,» featuring Jay-Z. Notable songs from her early career, betista casino including «Pon de Replay,» «Unfaithful,» and «SOS,» showcased her versatility and unique sound, quickly establishing her as a prominent figure in the music industry. Incorporating an assortment of genres, the record featured the singles “Pour It Up,” “Stay” with Mikky Ekko, and “Diamonds,” which topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for three weeks. Debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the pop and R&B album produced her longest-charting No. 1 hit, “We Found Love” with Calvin Harris, which topped the song chart for a whopping 10 weeks straight. The album, which mixed pop and electronic music, peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.