Maps of Music

Unapologetic (2012)

Where the lyrics of Unapologetic take you, and where it was really made.

After the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, the album climbed from No. 197 to No. 18 on the Billboard 200, more than ten years after its release.

Key places

Recording at Westlake, Los Angeles (2012)

Recording site Westlake Recording Studios — This Los Angeles studio is listed as a recording location for Unapologetic. The marker shows the studio's location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Sarm Studios, London (2012)

Recording site Sarm Studios (London) — This London studio is listed as a recording location for Unapologetic. The marker shows the studio's location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Metropolis, London (2012)

Recording site Metropolis Studios — This London studio is listed as a recording location for Unapologetic. The marker shows the studio's location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in New York (2012)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — Roc the Mic in New York is listed as a recording location for Unapologetic. The marker shows New York city center, not the exact studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Atlanta (2012)

Recording site Triangle (Atlanta) — Triangle in Atlanta is listed as a recording location for Unapologetic. The marker shows the studio's location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in West Hollywood (2012)

Recording site NightBird (West Hollywood) — NightBird in West Hollywood is listed as a recording location for Unapologetic. The marker shows West Hollywood city center, not the exact studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Unapologetic: seventh studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna
• Released November 19, 2012 by Def Jam Recordings, SRP Records, and Roc Nation
• Recorded between June and November 2012, during promotion of Talk That Talk (2011)
• Rihanna served as executive producer
• Core sound is pop, synth-pop, and R&B, with hip hop, EDM, dubstep, rock, and reggae elements
• Production merges the sound of Talk That Talk, Loud (2010), and Rated R (2009)
• Six singles, including the international hits "Diamonds" and "Stay"
• Over four million copies sold worldwide as of December 2014

Background

• Talk That Talk released November 2011 as her sixth studio album, reaching the top ten in over twenty national charts
• Talk That Talk: number one on the UK Albums Chart, number three on the US Billboard 200
• March 2012: Rihanna said she was working on the new sound for her seventh album, before recording had begun
• Returning collaborators: The-Dream, David Guetta, Chase & Status, Stargate
• New collaborators: Parker Ighile, Mike Will Made It, Labrinth

Recording

• Recording began June 20, 2012, with Nicky Romero and Burns
• Rihanna and Burns booked three days in a London studio while Rihanna was performing at Radio 1's Hackney Weekend
• Labrinth, Ne-Yo, Sean Garrett, Claude Kelly, and Angel each made public their work on songs for the album

Cover

• Cover art and title revealed October 11, 2012
• VH1 ranked the cover number one on its list of The 30 Hottest Naked Album Covers Ever

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career beginnings

• Robyn Rihanna Fenty, born February 20, 1988 in Saint Michael, Barbados
• Signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2005 after an audition for Jay-Z and Antonio "L.A." Reid
• Debut album Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl Like Me (2006) both reached the US Billboard 200 top ten
• "SOS" became her first US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single

Peak pop era

• Good Girl Gone Bad (2007) marked a shift to dance-pop and R&B and is her best-selling album, with about nine million copies sold
• "Umbrella", "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia" each topped the Billboard Hot 100
• Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011) and Unapologetic (2012) followed
• Unapologetic was her first US Billboard 200 number-one album

Later career

• Moved from Def Jam to Roc Nation; Anti (2016) became her second US number-one album
• Headlined the Super Bowl LVII halftime show in February 2023, the most-watched halftime show in history
• Has released sporadic singles since 2016 and acted in films including Battleship (2012), Ocean's 8 (2018) and Smurfs (2025)
• Sales estimated above 250 million records

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave mixed reviews: some found the music interesting, others criticized weak lyrics and a rushed feel
• Metacritic average of 61 from 25 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews"
• The Guardian's Alexis Petridis found it sonically more interesting than Talk That Talk
• NME's Dan Martin said the album, at its best, trades in daring avant pop
• Pitchfork's Jessica Hopper dismissed the music as synth-pop slog

Records

• US Billboard 200: debut at number one with 238,000 first-week copies, Rihanna's first US number-one album
• UK Albums Chart: debut at number one with over 99,000 first-week copies, her fourth UK number-one album
• Also number one in Switzerland and Norway
• Won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, held January 26, 2014
• Top R&B Album at the Billboard Music Awards of 2013
• RIAA certified 3× Platinum in February 2018
• Over four million copies sold worldwide as of March 2015

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album rose from No. 197 to No. 18 on the Billboard 200 after the 2023 Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, which included four of its songs.
• For the 777 Tour, 150 journalists from 82 countries flew on a chartered Boeing 777 to every venue.
• The "Diamonds" cover artwork shows Rihanna rolling diamonds on a piece of marijuana paper.
• VH1 ranked the album cover number one among the 30 hottest naked album covers ever.
• Unapologetic was ranked the tenth most popular album of 2013 on the Billboard 200.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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