Before I dive into how this is the best album that has ever graced this planet let me just remind you the iconic phrase “stick and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me”. Rihanna really did that she created a whole new phrase and having ‘S&M’ as the first track to bless Loud is what makes it even better. S&M is an ode to sex and BDSM fantasies and promotes a sex-positive message which in 2010 for women to be singing about was rare. It’s an eccentric dance banger and though I may have been 10 years old when it was released it had to be one of my favourite songs (yeah I know that’s incredibly wrong, but I really didn’t get the song).
And while you’re thinking “wow this album couldn’t get any better” the next track is ‘What’s My Name?’ featuring Drake. And then you have ‘Only Girl (In The World)’ which was the anthem of summer 2010, I remember tanning by the beach thinking about that crush of mine who isn’t giving me the attention I need and deserve. The track is timeless and if you didn’t know that it was released in 2010 you’d have no clue; the lyrics are genius and empowers women – also gets me angry for whoever isn’t treating Rihanna right.
We have other upbeat anthems such as ‘Man Down’ and ‘Raining Men’ featuring Nicki Minaj, however it has to be Rihanna’s standout vocals on ‘California King Bed’ that really stand out the most on this whole album, it’s a slow beautiful intriguing love song that still makes me cry to this day.
It may have been released 10 years ago, but there is nothing old about this album, it is beautifully produced, and the absolutely legendary vocals and lyrics prove why Rihanna is such a huge star. Reminiscing over Loud has made me wish for Rihanna to release a new album – so Ri Ri if you are reading this PLEASE COME BACK!
Listen to Loud via The Island Def Jam Music Group.
