Unapologetic
by Rihanna
  • Record Label: Def Jam
  • Release Date: Nov 19, 2012
Metascore
61

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 25
  3. Negative: 1 out of 25
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  1. Fact Magazine (UK)
    Nov 26, 2012
    60
    Even when Unapologetic fails, it often does so in interesting ways.
  2. HipHopDX
    Nov 26, 2012
    60
    The album itself morphs from Dubstep, to R&B, to ballads, EDM, to Pop-Reggae--and that is its biggest achilles heel. It isn't something that other jumping-genre albums couldn't get over if it weren't for the the fact that it suffers from a serious sequence problem.
  3. The Observer (UK)
    Nov 26, 2012
    60
    Her seventh album in seven years is all filthy lyrics and crashing dubstep drops: R&B-pop turned up to 11.
  5. DJ Booth
    Nov 21, 2012
    60
    Unapologetic is by no means a bad album, it'd be nearly impossible to combine the music industry's best songwriters, producers and Rihanna's charismatic delivery and not create quality music, but as an album Unapologetic has no real core, no real theme; unless you count "making hits" as a theme.
  6. BBC Music
    Nov 20, 2012
    60
    The mixture of emotions across Unapologetic just doesn't sit right.
  7. Boston Globe
    Nov 20, 2012
    60
    Even the club bangers ("Phresh Out the Runway" and "Numb," featuring Eminem) are heavy with bass that rumbles more in your chest instead of rattling your feet. Ballads work well for Rihanna, and this album has two of her finest.
  8. Slant Magazine
    Nov 19, 2012
    60
    While compelling on its own terms, Rihanna never seems to figure out that being Unapologetic isn't the same thing as picking fights on the dance floor.
  9. The Independent on Sunday (UK)
    Nov 19, 2012
    60
    Like most of Unapologetic, it's ["Nobody's Business" is] instantly forgettable.
  10. The Guardian
    Nov 16, 2012
    60
    For all its musical value, listening to Unapologetic is a pretty depressing experience.
  11. The Telegraph (UK)
    Nov 16, 2012
    60
    It's a mixed bag.
  12. The A.V. Club
    Nov 20, 2012
    58
    A fiery pop album that's unfortunately coated in the icky residue of unearned defiance that has marked Brown's recent output.
  13. Los Angeles Times
    Nov 20, 2012
    50
    While the new Rihanna record may be at times sonically exciting, what resides beneath the new bass-heavy, Skrillex-inspired music is still a fast-food burger, one with a lot of extra sauce and some very disturbing ingredients.
  14. Pitchfork
    Nov 26, 2012
    45
    The measurable failure is the album's music. On a track-by-track basis, the songs make for dull labor, not worth our time and not befitting Rihanna's talent.
  15. NOW Magazine
    Nov 26, 2012
    40
    Sonically, the first half of Unapologetic picks up on the syrupy Southern hip-hop minimalism popular last summer, while much of the latter half is a grab bag of unwieldy balladry.
  16. Consequence
    Nov 26, 2012
    40
    The art speaks to the album's sound: readily appealing, but ultimately, two-dimensional.
  17. Drowned In Sound
    Nov 26, 2012
    40
    In spite of Rihanna's best efforts, Unapologetic is more depressing than offensive.

Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Most Discussed Album of 2012
13
#13 Most Shared Album of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
6.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 755 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 496 out of 755
  2. Mixed: 102 out of 755
  3. Negative: 157 out of 755
  1. fleurieryyt
    Nov 19, 2012
    10
    An album wonderful, with different rhythms and genres, for all tastes, rihanna risked, innovated and was perfect! with deep lyrics and vocallyAn album wonderful, with different rhythms and genres, for all tastes, rihanna risked, innovated and was perfect! with deep lyrics and vocally evolved, I deserved my note 10 to this wonderful singer Rihanna!… Full Review »
  2. dontell08
    Nov 19, 2012
    10
    Too many people are basing this album off of Rihanna's history and situation. This is an amazing album and I'm not saying that because I likeToo many people are basing this album off of Rihanna's history and situation. This is an amazing album and I'm not saying that because I like her as an artist but because she really gave her all on this album and it shows. She is one of the few rare artists that can create an album with so many sounds and still sound genuine. On this album, she has pop-rock (What Now), torch (Stay), reggae (No Love Allowed), Hip-hop (Phresh Out the Runway), R&B (Jump),80's rock (Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary), disco (Nobodies Business), and even a little bit of jazz (Get It Over With). The problem is too many people are basing this album solely off of the one song with Chris Brown which I think is pretty decent. If this album was by any other artist, there would be no hesitations to call this album of the year. I don't get it. When her voice is weak, they say she needs more power. When she's too innocent, they say she needs an edge. When she sings about sex all the time, she sings more about love. When they say she can't perform live, she blows them away. Now that she's proven how great of artist, people want to point out little petty things like how she doesn't write her own lyrics or her duet with Chris Brown. Not everyone can write their own lyrics and Rihanna is showing that she is a SINGER. And her duet with Chris Brown was spot on, that is NOBODIES BUSINESS but their own. Leave her life out of it ad just enjoy the music for what it is. At the end of the day, I'm glad she is Unapologetic about being herself because God knows people will judge her regardless so even trying to remotely care will only leave her in misery.… Full Review »
  3. am2990
    Nov 21, 2012
    5
    By far her worst album. Only a few good songs on it like the duet with chris brown and David guetta, the rest are dire!
    Stop Rihanna and come    By far her worst album. Only a few good songs on it like the duet with chris brown and David guetta, the rest are dire!
    Stop Rihanna and come back in a few years time.    … Full Review »
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