On today's (November 20) episode of the Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century podcast, we reach No. 3 on our list of a super-duper pop star who shined for 13 years of absolute pop world domination before exiting to tend to the business and her empire for most of the last decade. (Read our No. 3 best pop star essay on Rihanna here.)
With host Andrew Unterberger Bulletin board Staff Writer Kyle Denis and Senior Branded Content Producer/Writer Walaa Elsiddig to remember the dazzling career of Robyn Rihanna Fenty. We discuss both the absurd chart numbers and the more intangible factors that have made Rihanna loom large throughout 21st-century pop stardom, and discuss her ranking alongside No. 4 greatest pop star Drake — where Rih can may not have the same level of statistical achievements as her frequent co-star, but she always dominated their one-on-one matches.
We also discuss how Rihanna shed early concerns about a hit to become an undisputed A-lister, and how the assault by her superstar then-boyfriend (and the unfair and inappropriate media coverage of the incident) harshly interrupted one of most incredible rises of the 00s. Then we explain how he rose from hitmaker to global icon during the 2010s, before actually coming out on top with an undeniably classic album that sounds even better in 2024 than it did in 2016. Finally, we remember some great moments in Rihanna Social Media Clapback History, share memories of sassy Bad Gal lyrics that get us in trouble, and attempt some impromptu (and off-key) Rih-Yo duet recreations.
Watch it above, catch up on our previous episodes here and be sure to subscribe Bulletin board'small The biggest pop stars of the 21st century series wherever you take your podcasts! (New episodes will be revealed every Wednesday after the Tuesday publication of our Biggest Pop Star for that week, until our No. 1 reveal on December 3.)
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/rihanna-greatest-pop-stars-podcast-1235833161/
