I like how Rihanna has gone pop!

[Mr. Sponge]

I like how Rihanna has toned down the RnB in her songs and made them more poppy! Don't get me wrong I absolutely love RnB more than any other kind of music, but it's good to see a singer considered 'cool' do something that a lot of people consider slightly uncool. It usually happens the other way round, where a pop act wants to be liked by a cooler audience so they try RnB and it often doesn't sell, or it does sell but they look like bellends. Obviously Rihanna's songs still have an essence of Rnb and Reggae but they are predominantly pop which is good because it sort of makes her seem like she cares less about being 'gangsta' unlike similiar artists <cough>christina fucking millian>cough>. Does anyone actually understand the point I'm trying to get across? If so please explain to everyone else what I mean.

[Cathal]

Maybe it's just me but I would never have considered Rihanna "cool". I don't really like her new sound, SOS got old VERY quickly.

But yes I definitely agree with you about Christina Milian, it makes me cringe everytime she goes "I'm gon' keep it Gangsta".. she's about as gangster as Baby Spice.

[Steveweiser]

I actually quite like Unfaithful. Of course I love SOS, but I haven't heard the full album, does the whole thing sound pop?

[spinme]

Whether she's pop or R&B, her music has always been unknowably heinous. She's consitent, if nothing else.

Cheerio, Michael. xxx

[andyandy1987]

s.o.s is the only brilliant 'pop' song on the album, the rest is faux reggae and rnb by numbers with a few piano ballads thrown in for kicks much like her first effort, perhaps to a higher standard.

[Mike]

christmassponge said:

but it's good to see a singer considered 'cool' do something that a lot of people consider slightly uncool.

Sorry, you've really lost me - on which corner of whose alternate universe is Rihanna considered cool?

We must be living in pretty desperate times if sampling an 80s synth-pop single is all it takes to be considered a great popstar. The rest of her material is weak, bland and forgettable, and as a singer she makes a great Nike model. I couldn't even listen to the full album more than once.

That said, this year's been pretty rotten for R&B albums overall. Ne*Yo - some solid moments, but nothing new to add. Christina Milian - got boring very quickly. Jamie Foxx - quite possibly the most tedious album ever made. On this evidence, it's easy to see why the genre gets a bad name.

[azura]

thisisnotatest said:

christmassponge said:

but it's good to see a singer considered 'cool' do something that a lot of people consider slightly uncool.

Sorry, you've really lost me - on which corner of whose alternate universe is Rihanna considered cool?

We must be living in pretty desperate times if sampling an 80s synth-pop single is all it takes to be considered a great popstar. The rest of her material is weak, bland and forgettable, and as a singer she makes a great Nike model. I couldn't even listen to the full album more than once.

That said, this year's been pretty rotten for R&B albums overall. Ne*Yo - some solid moments, but nothing new to add. Christina Milian - got boring very quickly. Jamie Foxx - quite possibly the most tedious album ever made. On this evidence, it's easy to see why the genre gets a bad name.

I seem to agree with you a lot Mike. I think you're spot-on here as well.

[vasilios]

The Christina Milian album is quite good.

[marknyc]

Point of order: most albums are full of rubbish. Many 'popstars' are rubbish. Happily, this does not stop 'SOS' from being a great single. Hurrah!

[vasilios]

marknyc is my god for today! My points exactly.

[Scruffy]

marknyc said:

Point of order: most albums are full of rubbish. Many 'popstars' are rubbish. Happily, this does not stop 'SOS' from being a great single. Hurrah!

I don't think anyone is disputing the greatness of S.O.S, just that it's hard to get excited about someone whose album is filler-y and a wishy washy popstar.

[Stainrod]

Point of order: most albums are full of rubbish. Many 'popstars' are rubbish. Happily, this does not stop 'SOS' from being a great single. Hurrah!

Point. Ditto Milian with Dip it Low!

[coxy1979]

I can't stand 'Dip It Low'. It makes all the gays at my local do that funny hip thing to the "pop, pop, pop" bit.

AM to PM was better

[sam2006]

I like her, SOS is a great tune.