Listen Live
Majic ATL Featured Video
CLOSE
2016 Billboard Music Awards - Arrivals

Source: C Flanigan / Getty

Rihanna’s eighth studio album ANTI turns five today. The critically-acclaimed album was released January 28, 2016. After a decade of dominating the charts, Rihanna set out to leave her solely Pop sound behind and get more personal while exploring new sounds on ANTI. The Barbadian singer collaborated with all-star producers including Boi-1da, DJ Mustard, Hit-Boy, Timbaland and No I.D. to achieve her desired sound. Five years later, ANTI is still one of Badgal Rihrih’s best projects to date.

The album received six Grammy nominations, including Best Urban Contemporary Album, and Best Recording Package for the album’s deluxe edition. ANTI has sold over 11 million units worldwide, and surely Jay Z is thanking Beyoncé right now for urging him to invest in Rihanna.

The album did what needed to be done, and it was a beautiful change of pace for the growing artist during that time. Rihanna found great success after switching gears into a Pop lane, and found even more success when she and her colleagues teamed up for this. The album reached number one in the US, and it was certified 3x Platinum. Let us not forget how many hit records are featured amongst the 12-track project such as her collaboration with Drake on “Work,” savage anthem “Needed Me” and romantic ballad “Love On The Brain.”

With this album, Rihanna became the first black woman of all time to have the longest-charting and fastest album in history to be certified Platinum. Rihanna continues to make history in every arena from entertainment to beauty. We stan a victorious melanated queen.

In celebration of five years of ANTI, fans took to Twitter to share their favorite records rom the project.

ANTI intentionally included songs in every genre, from Rock, Reggae, Pop and R&B, fans accepted Rihanna’s rebellion from what the industry once knew. That rebellion catapulted her into the success we see today in all of her huge umbrella of business ventures outside of the music. Rihanna does it her way and ANTI was simply the introduction of her calculated transition.

There’s no word on new music for the busy songstress and entrepreneur, but she has continued to bless the timeline with sexy lingerie, skincare products and high fashion. Let us count our blessings and continue to bite our fingernails awaiting a new album that could honestly never be ANTI. It is great to have a deluxe version of the project to play for years to come. To Rihanna and all of the amazing people involved, five years later, we thank you for contributing a beautiful album top to bottom to our music libraries. Forever thankful!

A Timeless Body Of Work: Fans Celebrate 5 Years Of Rihanna’s Album ‘ANTI’  was originally published on globalgrind.com