One entire decade ago, 2016 kicked off to an incredible start with the release of Rihanna’s eighth studio album Anti. Regarded as her greatest work and one of the most memorable efforts of the 2010s, Anti is a record all about opposing the mainstream. It defines Rihanna as not just a hitmaker, but a true artist and visionary. Created in response to her emotionally turbulent personal life and identity struggle as a creative, this album is raw and real, getting to the heart of who Rihanna truly is. What she has to offer the music scene is the Anti.
For the first eight years of her illustrious career, Rihanna was an unstoppable force, releasing a new album almost every year consecutively since 2005. Her discography spawned an unbelievable amount of hits, making her one of the most chart-topping artists of all time, with fourteen number ones on the Billboard Hot 100 to date. But her focus was largely on bombastic singles. With global bangers like ‘We Found Love’, ‘Umbrella’ and ‘Disturbia’ under her belt before she’d even hit thirty years old, she was still yet to make a record celebrated as an overall cohesive project. Thus, after dropping ‘Unapologetic’ in 2012, Rihanna stepped away from her busy release schedule to experiment and find herself. She parted ways with Def Jam Recordings and found musical freedom on her musical imprint Westbury Road, under Jay-Z’s entertainment company Roc Nation. Pulling together a star-studded cast of collaborators including Timbaland, Boi-1da, Fred Ball, Scum and more, this period of total creative reset would lead Rihanna to the album would become her magnum opus.
Stepping away from her history of electropop bops, Anti instead went for a textured, soulful sound in the alternative R&B and dancehall space. Its influences are vast and eclectic, hard to categorise easily beyond identifying them as now recognisably Rihanna. From minimalistic ballads like ‘Close To You’ to pumping club numbers like ‘Work’, Anti proves just how diverse of an artist Rihanna can be across its core thirteen tracks, adding three more onto the deluxe edition.
Thematically, Anti is all about passion. It heavily revolves around the highs and lows of a toxic relationship which Rihanna cannot let go of, comparing the love story to cheap thrills of drugs, sex and night life which hit hard and fade fast. More than ever before, Rihanna opens up to her audience with introspective lyricism and emotional honesty. With the exception of ‘Same Ol’ Mistakes’, she is credited as a songwriter on every song, an element of creation she had previously been less involved in.
Opening with the SZA collaboration ‘Consideration’, Anti makes its mission statement clear from the get go. “I got to do things my own way, darling”, Rihanna announces, making it apparent that this record is about making the timeless music she wants, rather than chasing what’s popular. ‘Consideration’ owes its bouncing alternative R&B sound to SZA, who originally intended for it to serve as the centerpiece of her debut album Ctrl, released the following year. Its throbbing basslines and sense of attitude define what’s to come on Anti.
The album’s most soulful moments instantly stand out from the pack. Inspired by artists like Prince and Lou Reed, Anti works to prove Rihanna is not just a singer but a wildly gifted and trained vocalist. ‘Love on the Brain’ is perhaps her most beautiful ballad ever. Highly emotional, fiery and intense, its opening line “And you got me like”, throws the listener right into the deep end, joining the story halfway at its climax. Rihanna associates this love with violence, winding through a unique melodic structure which twists down tonal paths you never quite expect. ‘Love On The Brain’ refuses to follow conventional pop order, yet feels wholly organic and earnest, making it an unforgettable entry into Rihanna’s catalogue.
‘Kiss It Better’ is another career best. Its gritty electric guitars are sexy and atmospheric, bringing out the edge in Rihanna’s delivery. The song’s distorted psychedelic elements take heavy influence from Kevin Parker, who later receives a production credit on the Tame Impala cover ‘Same Ol’ Mistakes’. This sweeping extravaganza clocks in at almost seven minutes. Its winding synths feel dreamy and dizzying, recreating the feel of a trip in musical form.
Additional tracks splashed throughout the tracklist like ‘Woo’ and deluxe addition ‘Goodnight Gotham’ expand the Anti worldbuilding and soundscape by allowing its instrumentals to flourish beyond just vocals and lyrics. Even bonus track ‘Sex With Me’ opts for this fluttering, ambient approach, keeping the lyrics simple and immersing Rihanna within a wall of ad-libs and ethereal synths. There is a grim, eerie feel simmering within these songs that creates Anti’s late night vibe, setting the scene for how Rihanna coolly opens up about the darkest parts of her life, yet maintains a bravado that sells every line.
Whilst much of Anti works to instrumentally overwhelm the listener in this way, elsewhere, it purposefully becomes lo-fi and simple in contrast to Rihanna’s earlier pop career. ‘Never Ending’ backs her gentle voice with delicate plucked acoustic guitar. It melodically samples Dido’s 2000 hit ‘Thank You’, and the gorgeous chord progression pulls at the listener’s heartstrings. Similarly, on ‘Higher’, Rihanna plays the part of a desperate lounge singer, her vocal barely edited and unabashedly cracking with a sense of raw emotion that will make you cry.
There’s also no denying the power of the more dance and hip-hop inspired moments. Lead single ‘Work’ is Rihanna’s third collaboration with rapper Drake. Toying with Caribbean dialect and reggae-infused beats, it’s rhythmic and catchy, exploring a push-and-pull relationship through feeling more than specific storytelling. Deluxe track ‘Pose’ brings more of the famous “badgirlriri” energy, where she deservedly boasts about her career success and confidence over production by Travis Scott, who’s also behind songs like ‘Woo’ and ‘Bitch Better Have My Money’. And there’s no forgetting ‘Needed Me’, the sassy single full of vocal chops where Rihanna reminds us she’ll always do the contrary to what other people want. “Didn’t they tell you that I was a savage? / F**k your white horse and a carriage”, she spits, defining the personality that has branded her such a star.
All this time later, Anti still feels utterly visionary. So many artists long to make a record so all-encompassing, poignant and progressive. It manages to blend an infinite number of unique genres together, thanks to Rihanna’s sheer charisma and commitment to innovation. It’s nostalgic and endlessly referential, yet on the cutting edge of modern music, even now in 2026. It’s a magical listen that ages like fine wine, reminding us why Rihanna has such a devoted fan base who eagerly await future additions to her catalogue. Although it remains to be seen if this will be Rihanna’s final album, ten years on it sounds better than ever. If Anti is Rihanna’s swan song, there’s no doubt it is a worthy finale.
