Talk That Talk
by Rihanna
  • Record Label: Def Jam
  • Release Date: Nov 21, 2011
User Score
7.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 609 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 401 out of 609
  2. Mixed: 113 out of 609
  3. Negative: 95 out of 609
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  1. Cherrybomb
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    After last year's disappointing Loud, my hopes for this album weren't very high. But this has a lot of catchy and great pop tunes - even if some of them sound like retreads of earlier hits. Not as good as Rated R, but still impressive.
  2. AlleeX
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Rihanna's sixth album in six years. Impressive! And she still has that something. With this album, she will surely confirm her spot in the top of the music industry. As for the album, it has a similar "Loud" concept, with a few club bangers, heartbreaking ballads and R&B songs.
    The strongest songs are, in my opinion Where Have You Been, a song that is definitely going to be a bigger    Rihanna's sixth album in six years. Impressive! And she still has that something. With this album, she will surely confirm her spot in the top of the music industry. As for the album, it has a similar "Loud" concept, with a few club bangers, heartbreaking ballads and R&B songs.
    The strongest songs are, in my opinion Where Have You Been, a song that is definitely going to be a bigger success than We Found Love and maybe, but just maybe, Umbrella. Another very good song is Drunk On Love, a great mid-tempo song that shows the power of her vocal. As for the singles, I think that she could've chosen another song to be second single, but the choice was obvious, trying to repeat the success of What's my Name. Of course, there are some shockers, that are no shockers when we hear them on Rihanna album. Song **** is, I must say, one of the weakest from the album. Another very playful and dirty "song" is Birthday Cake, which would've been great for a urban single if it wasn't long for less than 80 seconds. Overall, it's a good album that will keep your attention until she releases a new one, and that could be very, very soon.    … Expand
  3. LittleLondon
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    i love Rihanna seriously but her new album seems unfinished and unoriginal!! a very bad production with poor lyrics, a few tracks are good like Drunk On Love, You Da One and maybe Farewell (it's too basic)! unnecessary album!!! this is so disappointing! but i still love her!
  4. ThyDark
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    There is no doubt that Talk That Talk is her best album and the best album of the year. It's a dirty album but it also has beautiful lyrics. I love every track
  5. Droid45
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    Another solid album from Rihanna, full of great tracks! Where Have You Been and Talk That Talk (feat Jay-Z) must be future singles! The deluxe songs also really add to the album.
  6. Newaz101
    Nov 22, 2011
    9
    6 albums in 6 years, that is quite the achievement. First off lets be honest, TTT isn't breaking new grounds or claiming that it's the album of the decade. It's simply what Rihanna would have desired LOUD to be. By that i mean it has the extreme commercial appeal that LOUD has yet the touch Rihanna wanted to put into her work. Not only did she have writing credits, but she also co-produced6 albums in 6 years, that is quite the achievement. First off lets be honest, TTT isn't breaking new grounds or claiming that it's the album of the decade. It's simply what Rihanna would have desired LOUD to be. By that i mean it has the extreme commercial appeal that LOUD has yet the touch Rihanna wanted to put into her work. Not only did she have writing credits, but she also co-produced songs like Do Ya Thang and the album it self. To that extent surely one cannot say she was just being a label's puppet. For me this is better version of LOUD, which i loved btw. But not at the level of Rated R. Let's be real, i don't think anything she puts out will match the amazing Rated R. By no means am i bringing down her current work, but Rated R was just out of this world amazing. Even yesterday i played Russian Roulette and realized what a beauty that is. Enough about Loud and Rated R! TTT has potentials. Where have you been is a clear fan favorite alongside the title track. I love the ballads such as fool in love which is clearly one of her finest! I bow down to the vocals! The reason i gave it less than the perfect score was simply because one can immediately feel that it was rushed. I mean the ending of songs like You Da One or Do Ya Thang could have been far more superior than they are at their current state if only there was a bit more time. Hats off for pulling of the project in time, but i wished it was a bit more polished. And i can clearly see the hate surrounding the album this time around considering that she is at the verge of being over-exposed if not already. So to that extent hatred can only get stronger as time passes. Hopefully Rihanna can still be at the top of her game. But i sincerely wish she take a much needed break after this album to truly understand her vast potential. :D… Expand
  7. Henrique_Hooker
    Nov 23, 2011
    9
    Talk That talk, será que realmente pode ser considerado uma obra-prima de Rihanna? Com certeza We Found Love é uma música de sentir emoções e Where have you Been de viajaaaaar, mais ainda falta alguma coisa nesse albúm. Talvez a expectativa criada em cima dele foi maior que o esperado. SIM! Talk That TalkTalk That talk, será que realmente pode ser considerado uma obra-prima de Rihanna? Com certeza We Found Love é uma música de sentir emoções e Where have you Been de viajaaaaar, mais ainda falta alguma coisa nesse albúm. Talvez a expectativa criada em cima dele foi maior que o esperado. SIM! Talk That Talk é ótimo mais a Rihanna com seu grande porte no Mundo POP poderia fazer bem mais que isso! Albúm de Hits! Mais nao para ficar na Historia.… Expand
  8. MusicForever
    Dec 23, 2012
    10
    I Loved Every Single Song Of This Album (Excluding Birthday Cake)
    She Is Improving So Much Vocally! Deserves A Grammy 100%!
  9. LanaDelRey
    Mar 24, 2013
    10
    Once More Rihanna Proves She's Still Got It!
    Every Track Is Just WOW!
  10. NathanCabello
    Dec 16, 2014
    8
    Can be a wonderful album, good to hear, well divided, a great choice for listening at home alone or with friends.
    Highlights: Where Have You Been and Brithday Cake
    Lows: Roc Me Out and Watch N' Learn
  11. joyluckli1953
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    The album is flawless. Perfect pop in a climate when singles artists can't deliver a solid album. While Keri Hilson, Ciara, and Beyonce struggle, Rihanna delivers great singles and amazing album tracks for her fans. The album is easily her best
  12. GarbageNOISE
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    The Album Is A Stone Winner. A Flawless Smash. Start To Finish All the Songs Are Cohesive and Brilliant. Unlike Her Contemporaries, Rihanna Is In The Legendary Lane! Can't Wait For The Next Album!
  13. GuyDatReviews13
    Dec 1, 2011
    8
    Talk That Talk see's the return of Rihanna, (Cmon its only been a year since she released big hit record, Loud) Anyway, Rihanna is determined to keep shooting hits and records from her ass, so no one gets tired or bored of her. Talk That Talk isnt much the 'If you can Talk The Talk you can Walk The Walk' type the cover art gives off (although the title track does kinda give thatTalk That Talk see's the return of Rihanna, (Cmon its only been a year since she released big hit record, Loud) Anyway, Rihanna is determined to keep shooting hits and records from her ass, so no one gets tired or bored of her. Talk That Talk isnt much the 'If you can Talk The Talk you can Walk The Walk' type the cover art gives off (although the title track does kinda give that impression.) We must say that Talk That Talk is the nastiest record from Rihanna yet, with lyrics such as 'I love it, I love it, When you eat it, Ë… Expand
  14. BeYAWNce
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    A great fun album. A Continuation of LOUD with a little bit of that Rated R edge thrown in there. It's weird to think that some strangerbetch from 2005 has been killing it every year! The album is sooooo good! Best songs are 'We Found Love,' 'Where Have You Been?,' and "We All Want Love." Beautiful!
  15. Bangkit20
    Nov 21, 2011
    7
    This is her sixth album of her and not best of her. It's disappointing album. Not as good as Rated R and Loud. A few impressive but I still love Ri-Ri .. Majah!!!
  16. Guigo230694
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I Loooove this album Cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake cake
  17. Katnisss
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    For a 6th album Talk That Talk is a solid record . It does not deserve to be getting these crappy reviews . What was it did you guys like from LOUD exactly ? The songs like 'Fade away' 'Complicated' which sounded exactly the same , or the worst collab she has ever done 'Raining Men'?

    In Talk That Talk Rihanna mixes GGGB & RR to provide us with decent hits & an album with Variety from the    For a 6th album Talk That Talk is a solid record . It does not deserve to be getting these crappy reviews . What was it did you guys like from LOUD exactly ? The songs like 'Fade away' 'Complicated' which sounded exactly the same , or the worst collab she has ever done 'Raining Men'?

    In Talk That Talk Rihanna mixes GGGB & RR to provide us with decent hits & an album with Variety from the uptempo 'Where Have You Been' to her soft side in 'Farewell' to her home town roots in 'Watch N' Learn' . Saying this is her worst album yet is just stupid.    … Expand
  18. TofeeNut
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Im so proud of Rihanna :))! Loved this album and all of the songs on it . Her ballads are also heartbreaking especially 'Farewell' 'We All Want Love' and 'Fool In Love' . I noticed that she has a desire to be loved she repeats it through the album if you listen like in 'Roc Me Out' she says "ill let you on in a dirty secret : I just want to be loved". She certainly Walked That Walk… Expand
  19. musicwizz
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    Rihanna's 6th album! And it's her BEST yet! This album is a mixture of all of Rihanna's sounds, and the outcome is a masterpiece. This album is fun, sassy, strong yet vulnerable. Every song has a possible chance of topping the charts! Amazing
  20. Trainstate
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    This album is absolutely amazing! Rihanna brought her A-game to the studio with this one. Talk That Talk is much better than the album's predecessor, Loud. There are so many single prospects within this album and a great bulk of those are destined to be hits. Her vocals are beyond great on songs like Farewell and Drunk On Love. The Deluxe edition contains three songs that perfectly tieThis album is absolutely amazing! Rihanna brought her A-game to the studio with this one. Talk That Talk is much better than the album's predecessor, Loud. There are so many single prospects within this album and a great bulk of those are destined to be hits. Her vocals are beyond great on songs like Farewell and Drunk On Love. The Deluxe edition contains three songs that perfectly tie together the theme and sound of Talk That Talk. This is definitely Rihanna's best album thus far.… Expand
  21. kikimaru1234567
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    At first i thought this album was a bit over produced, and too generic. If and when you do listen to it, listen carefully. The beats are all crazy, and even though most of the songs are about sexuality, there are some songs that offer empowerment. The more I listened to it, the more I feel in love with Talk That Talk. Very fancy and old school. High recommend you listen to it again if youAt first i thought this album was a bit over produced, and too generic. If and when you do listen to it, listen carefully. The beats are all crazy, and even though most of the songs are about sexuality, there are some songs that offer empowerment. The more I listened to it, the more I feel in love with Talk That Talk. Very fancy and old school. High recommend you listen to it again if you disliked it!… Expand
  22. TheBestComic
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake Cake… Expand
  23. Lovemusic77
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    Amazing album! Rih shows us all how to Talk That Talk with this album. My faves are Where Have You Been, Roc Me Out, Red Lipstick, Fool In Love, and Drunk On Love. No fillers in this album!
  24. german
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    I have to say every single of rihanna's CD has been a master piece and actually talk that talk is an awesome continuation to that maestry work and i will just use random letters now cause i need 150 characters and this album is just amazing sooo odnasofbiafoka.
  25. veronicacloset2
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    I heard Rihanna's stans talk about this album being hot hot! So I checked it out ya know. IT'S HOT HOT. That cake cake song is hot. Fire. Thee's some pop songs. There's some ghetto as hell songs too which i love. It's a great album. BEst of the year!
  26. BetterYetANavy
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    The record is bloody fantastic! WE FOUND LOVE is flawless and the rest of the album is just as good. No one can do what she does. It's bloody brilliant i tell you.
  27. Mocacinno
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    Talk That Talk just shows how Rihanna has matured over her music career . She seems to have more control to her voice and that something special that keeps her fans coming back for more . This is WAY more better than LOUD as it is more consistent and not all over the place . It kind of picks up from Rated R but is raunchier and louder . There are loads of hits on this album such as WhereTalk That Talk just shows how Rihanna has matured over her music career . She seems to have more control to her voice and that something special that keeps her fans coming back for more . This is WAY more better than LOUD as it is more consistent and not all over the place . It kind of picks up from Rated R but is raunchier and louder . There are loads of hits on this album such as Where Have You Been , Talk That Talk and Roc Me Out . The ballads are beautiful , especially 'Farewell' which has this smokiness quality about it which you just cant explain! There is really not much to hate about this album and it is really a big improvement from LOUD. I really recommend this album and the deluxe version too which has probably one of her best songs done 'Fool In Love'.… Collapse
  28. Reeeth
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talktalk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk talk that talk… Expand
  29. Fruity
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    The critics are a little harsh on this one - I didn't expect them to be able to handle such strong sexual themes on a mainstream album.

    The production in Talk That Talk is definitely second to none, in fact, the list of credited producers for 'Talk That Talk' possibly combine to create some star studded album credits like never seen before - from Rihanna's trademark Stargate & Ester Dean,    The critics are a little harsh on this one - I didn't expect them to be able to handle such strong sexual themes on a mainstream album.

    The production in Talk That Talk is definitely second to none, in fact, the list of credited producers for 'Talk That Talk' possibly combine to create some star studded album credits like never seen before - from Rihanna's trademark Stargate & Ester Dean, to the sugary production of Dr. Luke, to the RnB staples of The Dream, to the indie productions of Alex Da Kid. As well as this, 'Talk That Talk' - in contrast to last year's Loud - is remarkably coherent. In terms of sound, Rihanna has returned to themes most prevalent on 'Good Girl Gone Bad'. It is definitely most like that album; and the resemblance is mainly due to the overload of sassy RnB Pop. Elements of Loud/Rated R do appear here though, albeit with a progressed sound (shown respectively in the Calvin Harris tracks of 'We Found Love' and 'Where Have You Been' for Loud, and on songs like 'Drunk On Love' and 'Red Lipstick' resembling the darker, understated Rated R - with production from Chase and Status, as well as genius samples from The XX). On the album's title track, the integration of Jay-Z's characteristic verse with Rihanna's infectious hooks remind us why 'Umbrella' was such a hit. Exploration into true urban sounds heard in **** (Love It)' are surprisingly successful and would surely be brilliantly received by Urban radio. And even at a length of only 1:18, 'Birthday Cake' is the sort of audacious interlude that only Rihanna could pull off.

    This album may not push the boundaries of Rihanna's artistry, but it marks a brilliant return to the trademark sounds which suit her best. For sure we will be hearing releases from this LP on the radio throughout 2012.    … Expand
  30. Pandaa
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I Listened to this album with no expectations whatsoever and i was actually surprised. The album might be dirty and all but it also has a soft side , the ballads were beautiful songs , especially 'We All Want Love' & 'Farewell'. It was also nice to see that she did not have a lot of collaborations this time and decided to sing on her own but for the collabs she definitely picked the bestI Listened to this album with no expectations whatsoever and i was actually surprised. The album might be dirty and all but it also has a soft side , the ballads were beautiful songs , especially 'We All Want Love' & 'Farewell'. It was also nice to see that she did not have a lot of collaborations this time and decided to sing on her own but for the collabs she definitely picked the best going with Jay-z , his verse on 'Talk That Talk' is sick!
    Probably best pop album of the year.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Most Discussed Album of 2011
57
#57 Most Shared Album of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
64

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 27
  3. Negative: 1 out of 27
  1. Expert Witness (MSN Music)
    Feb 9, 2012
    91
    Musically, this is pop without shame‑-her hookiest and most dance-targeted album.
    Read full review
  2. PopMatters
    Nov 30, 2011
    30
    It's sure to sell on brand recognition alone, but I doubt a series of mannered and soulless hooks are going to find much life outside of the European remix circuit.
    Read full review
  3. No Ripcord
    Nov 29, 2011
    70
    It's easy to criticise Talk That Talk but it's actually a fun and enjoyable record.
    Read full review
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