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. PEDROMFR
    Feb 28, 2023
    6
    Lyrically is not interesting and if it weren't for the singles, it would be a total scrap.
  2. miguelcstb
    Feb 2, 2023
    4
    Seriously, what's with Rihanna and not making a real album? Same thing as "Loud": the singles are phenomenal, but the rest of the tracks are very mediocre and disappointing. Why can't she put the same energy on all the songs? Is that hard? I don't get it. They have no reply value, they are basic, repetitive and in some cases weird (what was she trying to achieve with "Cockiness").

    After    Seriously, what's with Rihanna and not making a real album? Same thing as "Loud": the singles are phenomenal, but the rest of the tracks are very mediocre and disappointing. Why can't she put the same energy on all the songs? Is that hard? I don't get it. They have no reply value, they are basic, repetitive and in some cases weird (what was she trying to achieve with "Cockiness").

    After you listen to her albums, you start to understand why she has 14 number one songs but only 2 number one albums.    … Expand
  3. evermore13
    Nov 15, 2021
    4
    «Talk That Talk» tries too hard to send a more one-dimensional message and ends up falling flat: Rihanna's obviously going for sexy here, but her music's at its most alluring when she's blissed out in her own reverie, not taking the time to spell it all out for us. In other words, a so-so album which suggests it may be time for Ms Fenty to take a holiday. It's sure to sell on brand«Talk That Talk» tries too hard to send a more one-dimensional message and ends up falling flat: Rihanna's obviously going for sexy here, but her music's at its most alluring when she's blissed out in her own reverie, not taking the time to spell it all out for us. In other words, a so-so album which suggests it may be time for Ms Fenty to take a holiday. 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.… Expand
  4. Afterglow_0202
    Aug 30, 2020
    4
    «Talk That Talk» tries too hard to send a more one-dimensional message and ends up falling flat: Rihanna's obviously going for sexy here, but her music's at its most alluring when she's blissed out in her own reverie, not taking the time to spell it all out for us. In other words, a so-so album which suggests it may be time for Ms Fenty to take a holiday. It's sure to sell on brand«Talk That Talk» tries too hard to send a more one-dimensional message and ends up falling flat: Rihanna's obviously going for sexy here, but her music's at its most alluring when she's blissed out in her own reverie, not taking the time to spell it all out for us. In other words, a so-so album which suggests it may be time for Ms Fenty to take a holiday. 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.… Expand
  5. TheReviewr
    Aug 12, 2018
    6
    Talk That Talk is the album that is quite obviously a growing stage from her older and less meaningful but easy to listen to work, to her new experimental yet enjoyable work. This album happens to be split between good matured music and filler stuff you only play once and regret listening to.

    1. You Da One, this is an example of a newer Rihanna type song that just works great 10/10 2.    Talk That Talk is the album that is quite obviously a growing stage from her older and less meaningful but easy to listen to work, to her new experimental yet enjoyable work. This album happens to be split between good matured music and filler stuff you only play once and regret listening to.

    1. You Da One, this is an example of a newer Rihanna type song that just works great 10/10
    2. Where Have You Been, the music is just great in this one and its catchy 9/10
    3. We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris, the best on the album for sure 10/10
    4. Talk That Talk ft. JAY Z, this song is too catchy and fun to hate 9/10
    5. Cockiness (Love It), this is just a silly song that isn't as good as the remix 7/10
    6. Birthday Cake, the remix saved the song its not as good without it 7/10
    7. We All Want Love, its just a phase for Rihanna she grew out of this 4/10
    8. Drunk On Love, its a skip 3/10
    9. Roc Me Out, the rare Rihanna hit i dislike and dislike listening to its so generic 3/10
    10. Watch n' Learn, it belongs on the Rated R deleted songs list its that bad 1/10
    11. Farewell, ok bye... never mind i have to suffer through more awkward Rihanna phase music 2/10
    12. Red Lipstick, this is not bad but the remix was better 6/10
    13. Do Ya Thang, this belongs on A Girl Like Me wrong album lol 4/10
    14. Fool In Love, the older but considerably worse Half Of Me 7/10
    15. We Found Love [Extended], its a good song.. looonngggeeerrrr... 7/10

    Standouts are You Da One, We Found Love and Talk That Talk

    Overall: 5.93 (rounded up to 6) I'm not a fan of this album but i do love Rihanna. This album would have worked great as a 6 song EP to hold over her fans for the amazing unofficial sequel, Unapologetic. it has my all time favorite Rihanna song We Found Love so i respect it... i just don't like it as a whole.    … Expand
  6. LucasKidoo
    Oct 20, 2016
    4
    The first time Rihanna disappointed me... and she did it too badly. Detestable album with boring and lame songs, Calvin Harris was the worst part of this joke.
  7. clinteastwoo
    May 11, 2016
    5
    bETTER Than i Expected............................................................................................................ But Is weak even...............................
  8. sicrano
    Apr 8, 2016
    6
    .......................................................................................................................................................Most good that apparent.
  9. raciocinio
    Apr 4, 2016
    6
    ........................................................................................................................Better than i expected.........................
  10. Zaynhewsonjavad
    Apr 4, 2016
    5
    ....................................................................................................................................................Better than i expected.....
  11. Zanessa250QI
    Apr 4, 2016
    6
    In the definitive review, This album is better than i thinking that was.

    I Listen "We All Want Love" that I didn't even know of the existence, and "Farewell" That elevated the album from 4 pts to 5 pts...
  12. LoRevisor
    Dec 23, 2014
    6
    Uma obra-prima comparado ao desastre musical chamado "Unapologetic",mas mesmo assim é muito,muito fraco um álbum ruim,porém "Unapologetic"é péssimo.
    Top 4
    1-Farewell
    2-You da One
    3-We Found Love
    4-Drunk on Love
    5-Talk That Talk
  13. sil3nt_nick
    Mar 24, 2013
    4
    I'm starting to doubt if Rihanna has any talent left. She started out so great and sensational, but where has all of that gone? Every song is drowned in autotune and many don't stand out very much, other than "Where Have You Been" and "We Found Love."
  14. SugarVenomOhyea
    Nov 9, 2012
    6
    Overall, Rihanna's 'Talk That Talk' is a fun, gritty-edged album. It is her nastiest and dirtiest, to date with lyrics like 'Ooh, I wanna f**k You, right now', 'Just because I can't kiss back/Doesn't mean you can't kiss that', 'Suck my **** lick My persuasion.' So, you get the point! It's not the type of album you wanna buy for your little ones. The Low lights of the album consists ofOverall, Rihanna's 'Talk That Talk' is a fun, gritty-edged album. It is her nastiest and dirtiest, to date with lyrics like 'Ooh, I wanna f**k You, right now', 'Just because I can't kiss back/Doesn't mean you can't kiss that', 'Suck my **** lick My persuasion.' So, you get the point! It's not the type of album you wanna buy for your little ones. The Low lights of the album consists of feeling 'rushed' and 'incomplete'... If you spin the album a few times, You'll learn to love it.… Expand
  15. TwistedFantasy
    Aug 4, 2012
    6
    Talk That Talk sounds rushed and has a lack of creativity. The songs sound very basic and Rihanna sounds like she's tired. Talk That Talk lacks the energy that her previous albums have. The best songs are on the deluxe edition.
  16. SuperRichKids13
    Jul 13, 2012
    6
    The album is not her best album. It's good but it seems unfinished. Everything about it. Is much more sexual then any of her others. You may not want to buy it for your little daughter, if she's a Rihanna Fan.
  17. ManilaCritic
    Jun 4, 2012
    6
    I love Rihanna but this is not my favorite album of hers. Rated R was amazing and Loud did not disappoint, this fell short. It was kinda obvious it was rushed and her vocals are good but a bit untouched. Best tracks on the album are "Where Have You Been", "We Found Love" & "Drunk On Love". songs like "Farewell" and "TTT" made me done with the album. but the album as a whole is just solid.
  18. TinyT
    Apr 7, 2012
    6
    I'm so disappointed! I was expecting a great album like "Loud". This is Good but, not good as "Loud" or "Rated R" or "Good Girl Gone Bad"......
    Great Tracks : Farewell
    Very Good Tracks . Roc Me Out - We All Want Love - You Da One
    Good Tracks : Talk That Talk - Drunk On Love - We Found Love
    Quite Good Tracks : **** - Where Have You Been
    Bad Tracks : Watch 'n Learn
    Horrible Tracks: Birthday Cake
  19. CyyChi
    Apr 1, 2012
    5
    After the masterpiece she delivered with Rated R, and a not-that-bad follow up called Loud, I tought Talk That Talk may be good... It is not. She seems to explore deeper the sound she devellopped in Loud, but lost the panache it had. Some songs sound like drafts (Birthday Cake). Well, I guess I'll have to wait another year to see if she understood that it is better to release a meaningfulAfter the masterpiece she delivered with Rated R, and a not-that-bad follow up called Loud, I tought Talk That Talk may be good... It is not. She seems to explore deeper the sound she devellopped in Loud, but lost the panache it had. Some songs sound like drafts (Birthday Cake). Well, I guess I'll have to wait another year to see if she understood that it is better to release a meaningful and deep album than danceable crap.… Expand
  20. RIProo
    Mar 25, 2012
    5
    I like Rihanna and I'm her fan, but i don't like this album. In "Talk That Talk" there are good songs like "We Found Love", "You da One", "Farewell", "We All Want Love" and "Drunk On Love but there are bad songs like "Where Have You Been" and "Watch n' Learn" and disgusting songs like "Cockiness" and "Birthday Cake". There isn't a concept and the biggest part of the lyrics are stupid.I like Rihanna and I'm her fan, but i don't like this album. In "Talk That Talk" there are good songs like "We Found Love", "You da One", "Farewell", "We All Want Love" and "Drunk On Love but there are bad songs like "Where Have You Been" and "Watch n' Learn" and disgusting songs like "Cockiness" and "Birthday Cake". There isn't a concept and the biggest part of the lyrics are stupid. "Loud", "Rated R" and "Good Girl Gone Bad" are really better than this.… Expand
  21. JoelSN
    Mar 24, 2012
    6
    Just a year after LOUD Rihanna delivers yet another album. Luckily this one is slightly better than her last disappointing effort, only successful for the massive singles "Only Girl" and "S&M". "Talk that Talk" represents perfectly what pop music is nowadays, whether it is good or not. Infectious choruses, electronic beats and simple lyrics. Not as good as "Rated R" or "Good Girl GoneJust a year after LOUD Rihanna delivers yet another album. Luckily this one is slightly better than her last disappointing effort, only successful for the massive singles "Only Girl" and "S&M". "Talk that Talk" represents perfectly what pop music is nowadays, whether it is good or not. Infectious choruses, electronic beats and simple lyrics. Not as good as "Rated R" or "Good Girl Gone Bad", but I feel she is going in the right direction if she wants to be a pop princess for a long time. However it is very sad to see that this quite enjoyable music is just manufactured, and that she is not involved in the writing, composing or production at all. I fear we will never see nothing like "Fire Bomb", "Te Amo" or "The Last Song" if she continues to ignore her role as a lyricist. Most current pop stars write their songs (Adele, Lady GaGa, even Katy Perry), and that really gives them some credibility as musicians, even if the quality of their music is sometimes discussable. Rihanna should take some time off and write her own material to make an album that makes sense for her and is more than just a track list full of catchy unorganised songs. Albums like "Talk That Talk" are enjoyable, but throwaway, and she will remain as a trash pop girl, an enjoyable trash pop girl, but trashy after all, if she continues this way.

    Highlights: "We Found Love", "Where Have You Been", "Red Lipstick"    … Expand
  22. Zero2k
    Mar 16, 2012
    6
    There are fantastic songs on this album and then there are songs that feel very lackluster compared to what Rihanna can deliver on a production. With each tremendous leap there are hard falls. This album never quite finds a solid foundation to build on and plays like a collection of pop songs mashed together; some great, some good and some bad. If Talk That Talk had taken time to developThere are fantastic songs on this album and then there are songs that feel very lackluster compared to what Rihanna can deliver on a production. With each tremendous leap there are hard falls. This album never quite finds a solid foundation to build on and plays like a collection of pop songs mashed together; some great, some good and some bad. If Talk That Talk had taken time to develop over a longer period of time it would have probably come out a more solid effort similar to Loud. Its not disappointing, but it doesn't come near the standard set by Good Girl Gone Bad.… Collapse
  23. KleineSean
    Feb 5, 2012
    5
    Definitely disappointing. While her fans (the so called Rihanna Navy) may defend this album to death, I consider this album kind of generic and not even half as good as her other albums. However, I blame Def Jam for this mess. This album was rushed and did not have proper production -in both production and lyrical content-. I strongly believe that if it hadn't been released so early, itDefinitely disappointing. While her fans (the so called Rihanna Navy) may defend this album to death, I consider this album kind of generic and not even half as good as her other albums. However, I blame Def Jam for this mess. This album was rushed and did not have proper production -in both production and lyrical content-. I strongly believe that if it hadn't been released so early, it would have been way better. It has some amazing tracks such as 'We Found Love' -Amazing job, Calvin!- and Talk That Talk, but I've seen Rihanna do way better than this (GGGB, Rated R).… Expand
  24. RonaldOVOXO
    Feb 3, 2012
    6
    this album has its moments like Talk That Talk W/ Jay-Z, You Da One, We Found Love and Roc Me Out. Other songs were crap and i just wanted to stop playing the album. Rihanna needs to go back to "Rated R", & Good Girl Gone Bad
  25. super-adn23
    Jan 16, 2012
    6
    Nothing that Ke$ha or DEV cannot do. Good album though despite the generic things she refused to use in her past albums. Bad vocals, non-creative lyrics. The fillers are Drunk On Love and Farewell.
  26. MikeySounds
    Jan 4, 2012
    5
    Talk That Talk.Rihanna's 6th studio album.Totally rushed , meaningless pop album.Yes i agree , songs are really catchy and fun but that is not the point.MTV said this album outmuscles Femme Fatale and Born This Way.They even mentioned that this album would outsell 21 by Adele.I just laughed at that when i first read the review.
    First of all ''You Da One'' is a fun production but not a    Talk That Talk.Rihanna's 6th studio album.Totally rushed , meaningless pop album.Yes i agree , songs are really catchy and fun but that is not the point.MTV said this album outmuscles Femme Fatale and Born This Way.They even mentioned that this album would outsell 21 by Adele.I just laughed at that when i first read the review.
    First of all ''You Da One'' is a fun production but not a masterpiece at all.Same tunes , silly lines.
    We Found Love is like the best song on the album.Lyrics are not good but the way that they use the dubstep is really cool.
    Where Have You Been is like the same sh*t with We Found Love.In fact they are the only 2 good songs on the album.
    Talk That Talk feat. Jay-Z is more like a classic Rihanna song but sorry - i did not like that.
    We did not even heard the full version of Birthday Cake yet so i can't say anything about it.
    We All Want Love is a nice try for ballad but no.It did not work Riri.Well the other songs don't even worth your precious time.    … Expand
  27. Labarron
    Jan 3, 2012
    4
    I'm sorry to say this, but this is a huge disappointment. It just wasn't a good album like her previous ones. One the positive side, she is a hit-maker, but some how she can't reach number 1 on the Billboard 200 Album Charts. Sorry, but I had no choice but to give her a bad review.
  28. Kool_Aid_King
    Dec 28, 2011
    6
    Pitchfork Media's review pretty much sums up my opinion on the album. We know Rihanna can be nasty, but it seems like she tries too hard. The album sounds like it's filthy, just for the sake of being filthy, with no substance. Sounds like "Watch n Learn," & "Roc Me Out" both sound like they came from an album by Trina. The album sounds like she took all of her albums, and put it together.Pitchfork Media's review pretty much sums up my opinion on the album. We know Rihanna can be nasty, but it seems like she tries too hard. The album sounds like it's filthy, just for the sake of being filthy, with no substance. Sounds like "Watch n Learn," & "Roc Me Out" both sound like they came from an album by Trina. The album sounds like she took all of her albums, and put it together. It's a good album that anyone can just get on the dance floor and dance to, however, the substance is lacking as seen from her previous albums.… Expand
  29. rxqueen
    Dec 13, 2011
    6
    this album is a step down from 'Loud', in my opinion, which had a bit more variety. 'Talk That Talk' seems rushed and reaching for a spot that it never fully hits. the only songs I really love are "We Found Love", "Drunk On Love" and "Where Have You Been". Rihanna's voice suits the techno-thumping beats. I just wish she'd stop with the sexual metaphors already.
  30. dharma
    Dec 4, 2011
    6
    Does releasing an album every year hurt an artist body of work? By having another album 3 years in a row, Rihanna seems to be stretching it a little bit. It feels like a collection of b side forum his previous album, LOUD. Not too bad, but not too good either.
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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
See all critic reviews »