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. rollingstone82
    Nov 22, 2011
    4
    The new Queen of Pop Music (at the moment) seems to be repeating herself. When Rihanna showed her darker side on Good Girl Gone Bad, Rated R, and Loud, it was genuinely intriguing and captivating. This was where the superstar in her always lay. Those three albums were very enjoyable with Rihanna really maturing and knowing how to make every single track sound like a hit. Talk That Talk onThe new Queen of Pop Music (at the moment) seems to be repeating herself. When Rihanna showed her darker side on Good Girl Gone Bad, Rated R, and Loud, it was genuinely intriguing and captivating. This was where the superstar in her always lay. Those three albums were very enjoyable with Rihanna really maturing and knowing how to make every single track sound like a hit. Talk That Talk on the other hand, seems rushed and unfinished and most of all, repetitive. Sure you got the occasional shocks like "Suck my **** and lick my persuasion" (pronounced puss-asion) but nothing as gripping as "Man Down" or "S&M". Highlights exist (the return to classic Rihanna title track and "We All Want Love") but nothing that is certified hit status. Instead of an album made with effort yet still balancing pop sensibilities, fans get probably her weakest record. Being a prolific artist isn't everything if efficiency does not equate to consistency. Maybe the Queen needs a little vacation.… Expand
  2. Pedro
    Nov 1, 2012
    7
    I couldn't ever compare it to the overshadowing pop perfection that is "Good Girl Gone Bad" or her dark masterpiece "Rated R", but Rihanna puts out an album that's better than Loud. Minus the generic "We All Want Love", "Drunk on Love" and "Roc Me Out" tracks, this record is stunning - though rushed.
  3. 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
  4. Cazatuz
    Nov 24, 2011
    0
    EPIC DISASTERPIECE!!!, The Only good songs are You da one, talk that & Red lipstick. Thats it :/ 2/5. Her WORSE album to date! & I thought loud was Generic :?
  5. tegancody
    Nov 23, 2011
    8
    Overall I like this album, it is mostly dance music which is what is popular now. There are a couple of songs I don't like such as **** (Love It) and Birthday Cake, but these tend to be on the shorter side. Those are the only two songs that I pretty much need to skip, the rest are either good or tolerable!! I used to not be a big fan of Rihanna, but her music is pretty fun!
  6. Rafa018
    Nov 22, 2011
    0
    Boring Album! the lyrics and the melody are weak and confused. This is the album it more generic, with the sole aim to be successful in the charts. Rihanna needs to take a vacation. She no longer has musical identity.
  7. gagaforever
    Mar 6, 2012
    8
    I was very exccited for the release of this album, but was a tad bit disapointed. Highlights of the album are "You Da One", "Where have You Been", "We Found Love" and "Roc Me Out". Another highlight is "Birthday Cake", but it ends way too soon. Even though there is going to be a remix of "Birthday Cake", i would have liked to have seen the full version on the album. The slower trackI was very exccited for the release of this album, but was a tad bit disapointed. Highlights of the album are "You Da One", "Where have You Been", "We Found Love" and "Roc Me Out". Another highlight is "Birthday Cake", but it ends way too soon. Even though there is going to be a remix of "Birthday Cake", i would have liked to have seen the full version on the album. The slower track seem hastily written and produced with generic beats and sounds. It seems to be a let down from "Good Girl Gone Bad" and "Loud", but Rihanna has a special talent and I believe the fault with this record was the production team.… Expand
  8. Kevdog65
    Nov 21, 2011
    6
    I was hoping for more. Maybe it will grow on me. Either way i like this album alot more than Loud. Loud was too generic to me. I think if Rihanna Grows more she will begin to mature and maybe put her all into her music. I know she worked hard on this; However, i beleive there is more room for improvement.
  9. RogerSmith97
    Feb 4, 2012
    9
    I Bought Talk That Talk (Deluxe Edition) Here Are All The Songs & Score Out Of 10
    You da One 10/10
    Where Have You Been 10/10
    We Found Love 10/10 (Best Song On The Album)
    Talk That Talk 9/10
    **** (Love It) 9/10
    Birthday Cake 7/10
    We All Want Love 10/10
    Drunk On Love 9/10
    Roc Me Out 10/10
    Watch N Learn 10/10
    Farewell 10/10
    Red Lipstick 6/10
    Do Ya Thing 10/10
    Fool In Love 9/10
  10. 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.
  11. streetg850
    May 23, 2012
    7
    i really enjoy listening to Rihanna, but ever since Rated R her songs or poorly done. every song is basically a chorus.... with maybe 4 bars in between. distrubia is one of my favorite songs because it shows what she can do. don't get me wrong the songs are great but, i would like to hear more bars not just the chorus 3 times then the next song.
  12. 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
  13. Mateusq
    Nov 21, 2011
    4
    We Found Love and Farewell are really good songs, but it's all.
    It seems like you are listening to the same song again and again. The lyrics are totally fail, no feeling.
    Loud is much better.
  14. 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.
  15. DanMetacritic94
    Nov 21, 2011
    4
    Loud was one of my favourite albums of 2010. It had alot of catchy songs, great beats and had very high production values. Not a perfect album, but it was alot of fun. Now just a mere one year later after Loud came out, Rihanna was desperately trying to recreate the success of her last album, but pretty much it failed on many counts. Talk That Talk has taking out alot of the fun from LoudLoud was one of my favourite albums of 2010. It had alot of catchy songs, great beats and had very high production values. Not a perfect album, but it was alot of fun. Now just a mere one year later after Loud came out, Rihanna was desperately trying to recreate the success of her last album, but pretty much it failed on many counts. Talk That Talk has taking out alot of the fun from Loud and simply just throwed it out the window with alot of terrible repetitive lyrics and recycled material from her previous releases, you can't help but feel that this album is nothing more than a rushed, cashed-in product. While Loud did had sexual lyrics, I didn't really mind it on that album and it's offensive in a fun way but Talk That Talk is simply offensive. The sexual tone is forced, the lyrics are repetitive on alot of the songs, and it sounds too similar to her previous releases. There are still some good songs on the album believe it or not. My favourites are the self-titled track with Jay-Z, We All Want Love, Drunk on Love, Do Ya Thang, and Calvin Harris Extended Mix of We Found Love. You Da One, Where Have You Been and We Found Love (Original) are alright but nothing special. Rihanna's vocal performance is a hit and miss affair. Some songs she gives really good vocals but on other songs on the album I felt like she wasn't even trying. The worst songs on the album are the ones that are either offensive, boring or forgettable. **** (I Love It), Birthday Cake, Watch n' Learn and Red Lipstick are just sex songs that'll make you feel dirty just by listening to them, Roc Me Out sounds too much like Rude Boy, and Farewell and Fool in Love are the emotional songs that you have heard from her so many times before and its now gone old. Overall Talk That Talk is a mixed bag. While there are still some highlights, the album is a huge downgrade compare to her previous albums. I wouldn't be surprised if she does another album next year. I know this sounds cheesy but I'm gonna say it anyway: She can't really "Talk the Talk", so she mind as well "Walk the Walk". 2.5 stars out of 5… Expand
  16. JustActinUp
    Nov 23, 2011
    0
    Unfortunately this album left a lot to be desired. I found the album to be trite, uninspiring and lackluster. Rihanna is definitely in need of a long extended break from the music scene.
  17. Apart
    Nov 21, 2011
    0
    Rihanna is that kind of artist that goes with whatever's hot at the moment. There's no music artistry, no connection to the (awful) lyrics. Don't waste your time with this.
  18. cbeanfan
    Nov 21, 2011
    0
    One of my most anticipated pop albums of this year... Unfortunately I was left disappointed. There's no artistic growth. The songs sound unfinished and rushed. There's no song that blow you away... Really disappointed with this!
  19. musiccritic
    Nov 21, 2011
    0
    "Talk That Talk" seems like it is an EP rather than an album. It's too short and it sounds very unfinished. It's a very safe record by Rihanna with the same tired Euro dance formula and her emotionless, bland ballads.... One of the most sentimental tracks "Farewell," wants to be good, but she fail to produce the emotion to make it great. Overall a very terrible album.
  20. jos95
    Dec 4, 2011
    4
    I really liked GGGB and Loud, but this was a huge disappointment. It was rushed, derivative and lazily produced and written. It should have been called Good Girl Gone Bad 2: Rated NC-17 since it adds so little to Rihanna's tableau. So many of Rihanna's vocals are auto-tuned and many songs sound unfinished including **** (Love It) and Birthday Cake, which was half a song! The sound is theI really liked GGGB and Loud, but this was a huge disappointment. It was rushed, derivative and lazily produced and written. It should have been called Good Girl Gone Bad 2: Rated NC-17 since it adds so little to Rihanna's tableau. So many of Rihanna's vocals are auto-tuned and many songs sound unfinished including **** (Love It) and Birthday Cake, which was half a song! The sound is the same David Guetta sound that is being done to death on the radio, and many of the slang song titles sound like she's trying to be cool. Highlights are there though, including Where Have You Been, We Found Love, We All Want Love and Drunk on Love. This album is undoubtedly rushed and a dip in standards from GGGB and Loud. Perhaps Rihanna should take a break for two or three years and take time with her next album.… Expand
  21. kowalski
    Dec 3, 2011
    3
    So called "princess of pop" would be wise to stick to one genre, instead of multi-dipping in electronic rave from Harris, less-then-unoriginal teary ballads and reggae rhythms. I wish I could support her bipolar attempt to rule all kinds of dancefloors, but I simply don't seem to be able to follow her.
    Talk That Talk is an overproduced, shallow album with absolutely nothing ambitious and    So called "princess of pop" would be wise to stick to one genre, instead of multi-dipping in electronic rave from Harris, less-then-unoriginal teary ballads and reggae rhythms. I wish I could support her bipolar attempt to rule all kinds of dancefloors, but I simply don't seem to be able to follow her.
    Talk That Talk is an overproduced, shallow album with absolutely nothing ambitious and enjoyable.    … Collapse
  22. Eduardo_Finatto
    Nov 22, 2011
    8
    Certainly it is a great album, i think it is the best of Rihanna, better than Loud and Rated R. Roc Me Out is awesome, You Da One is so sweat :) But **** is a little weird, don't mean it's bad.
  23. 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.
  24. hydrawithears
    Nov 22, 2011
    6
    We have already known that Rihanna likes spanking. Talk That Talk, album number six, extends our knowledge about the sexual habits of the Barbados Minister of Tourism: Suck my **** / Lick my persuasion (â
  25. LuizCC
    Nov 30, 2011
    4
    A rushed album. That's the perfect subtitle for this CD. After a satured album, 'Loud', Rihanna launches a new one after only one year. And it's not that good. Very far for the excellent work she did on 'Rated R' (her best album), she makes a techno (dumb) pop album. Nothing special to listen, the whole album seems some making-money strategy!
  26. Ukwwhoitiz
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I love this album, sounds like its was really what she wanted to make and not what asomeone was tellin her to do, I love the album, Rih, love every Track.
  27. 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.
  28. WesWesDoe
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I love this album. Next to Adele with my fav. Pop albums of the year. The standout tracks are "You Da One", "Cockiness (Love It)", "Birthday Cake", "We All Want Love" and "Watch n Learn"
  29. 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
  30. 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!
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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.
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  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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