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. Georgehullyer
    Nov 21, 2011
    1
    There is no Doubt that she rushed this album, having her world tour and all, made the outcome of it her worst album out of the six. with little if any originality to it , Think of this album as a ''Rated R Part 2 '' :/ ''Loud'' and ''Good girl gone bad'' will always be the best :)
  5. 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
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. matrix19
    Mar 30, 2012
    2
    I expected so much more with this album . First single was amazing and then the disaster came in . Don't like the most of the songs , they are very cheap bronx - related crap x
  12. Zegilgamesh
    Jan 5, 2012
    3
    Rihanna, like most pop artists, dabble into heavy electronic beats to make for lazy songwriting. Rihanna's past works wern't the musical opus of the 21st century, but at least they had decent hooks and a nice feel. Like the Black Eyed Peas, she's gone from a guilty pleasure to a throwaway pop act. This album should've just been called "The I've Stopped Trying Chronicals, Vol. 1". In aRihanna, like most pop artists, dabble into heavy electronic beats to make for lazy songwriting. Rihanna's past works wern't the musical opus of the 21st century, but at least they had decent hooks and a nice feel. Like the Black Eyed Peas, she's gone from a guilty pleasure to a throwaway pop act. This album should've just been called "The I've Stopped Trying Chronicals, Vol. 1". In a world where talents like Adele, Bon Iver Feist exist, why do we keep listening to Rihanna?… Expand
  13. 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%!
  14. LanaDelRey
    Mar 24, 2013
    10
    Once More Rihanna Proves She's Still Got It!
    Every Track Is Just WOW!
  15. 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
  16. All_ButTrU4
    Aug 24, 2022
    3
    With some of her biggest songs Talk that Talk first for songs are frankly the best part of the album. A top heavy ccompilation of potential hits rather than an actual album. Rihanna 6th studio album still finds her directionless
  17. 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.… Collapse
  18. SmokyEyes
    May 20, 2012
    3
    If I have to review this album with 2 adjectives: cheap & overproduced. The production of "Talk that talk" has been clearly rushed since Rihanna had her world tour to accomplish. The lyrics are poor (90% per cent of the tracks talk about sex)
    The quality standard definitely went down since her last album "Loud", and musically speaking Rihanna adds up nothing original. "Where Have You Been"    If I have to review this album with 2 adjectives: cheap & overproduced. The production of "Talk that talk" has been clearly rushed since Rihanna had her world tour to accomplish. The lyrics are poor (90% per cent of the tracks talk about sex)
    The quality standard definitely went down since her last album "Loud", and musically speaking Rihanna adds up nothing original. "Where Have You Been" could be a disco hit but clearly has nothing to do with the rest of the album, since it's a dancehall- electronic song, while the rest has an R&B/ Reggae print.
    I admire Rihanna and her career, but this has been her worst album.    … Expand
  19. 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
  20. 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!
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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!
  24. 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
  25. 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!!!
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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
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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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