Music of the Sun
Encyclopedia
Music of the Sun is the debut album
of Barbadian R&B
singer Rihanna
, released August 26, 2005 on Def Jam Recordings
. Rihanna worked with several producers for the album, mainly Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
who produced and penned most of the tracks on the album. It features guest contributions by Kardinal Offishall
, J-Status, and Vybz Kartel
. Primarily an R&B
album, Music of the Sun incorporates musical elements of dance-pop
and caribbean music
genres such as dancehall
and reggae-pop
, which reflect on Rihanna's background.
The album debuted at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200
chart, selling 69,000 copies in its first week. It produced two singles that achieved international chart success, including "Pon de Replay
" and "If It's Lovin' that You Want
". Upon its release, Music of the Sun received generally mixed reviews from most music critics. It was certified gold
in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States.
, Rihanna was discovered in her home country of Barbados
by American record producer Evan Rogers
. The pair met in December 2003 through mutual friends of Rihanna's and Rogers' wife, whilst the couple was on vacation in Barbados, because of how Rihanna's friend had told Rogers' wife how the aspiring singer was always singing and performing. After meeting for the first time, Rogers' asked Rihanna and her two friends to come to his hotel room to audition for him, where she performed renditions of Destiny's Child
s "Emotion" and Mariah Carey
s "Hero
". Rogers' was so impressed with Rihanna's renditions, that it prompted him to fly the singer to New York
, where she was accompanied by her mother, Monica, to record some demo
tapes which could be sent to record labels. Production of the demo tapes took about year, due to Rihanna only being able to record during school holidays. At the age of 16, Rihanna was signed to Rogers' and Carl Sturken
s production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions, where she was given her own lawyer and manager, before the complete demo tape was distributed to various record labels around the world in late 2004. The first to respond to the demo tape was Jay-Z
, who had recently been appointed as president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings
, where Rihanna auditioned for him and music mogul L.A. Reid, in his office. Looking back on the audition and meeting Jay-Z, Rihanna explained during an interview how she felt before walking into the room, saying:
During the audition, Rihanna performed Whitney Houston
s cover of "For the Love of You", "Pon de Replay" and "The Last Time", the latter two of which would go on to be included on her debut album, Music of the Sun. Initially, Jay-Z was skeptical about signing Rihanna, because he felt "Pon de Replay" was too big for her, saying "when a song is that big, it's hard [for a new artist] to come back from. I don't sign songs, I sign artists". The audition resulted in Rihanna signing a six album record deal with Def Jam Recordings in February 2005, on the same day of the audition, with Jay-Z saying "There's only two ways out. Out the door after you sign this deal. Or through this window ...", meaning that he was not going to let her leave with signing a record deal. After signing with Def Jam Recordings, Rihanna cancelled multiple other meetings with record labels and relocated herself from Barbados to New York to live with Rogers' and his wife.
and Poke & Tone. Though, the album was primarily produced by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
, whom she previously worked with on her demo. The album completed within a three month period; from February 2005–May 2005. When recording the album's future lead single for her demo recordings
, she revealed that when she first heard the song she didn't want to record it. She stated; "when I first heard that song, I didn't want to do it, because it was very sing-songy and very... whatever [...] But after I started recording it, I went along with it and started liking it." While working on the album she recorded the song "The One" with label-mate Memphis Bleek
for his fourth studio album
534
. After coming up with the album's title, Rihanna recorded the song "Music of the Sun," which was written by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, and co-written her. She developed her writing skills with the help of Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers and also co-wrote three other songs on the album including the song of the same title. In a 2005 interview, she stated:
The album features twelve songs and a remix of "Pon de Replay
" with Elephant Man. For her debut album, Rihanna stuck with her Caribbean
background style. Her music at the time featured soca
and reggae
genres due to her Caribbean descent. Music of the Sun includes the single
s "Pon de Replay
" and "If It's Lovin' That You Want
." The album features guest appearances by Elephant Man, J-Status, Vybz Kartel
and Kardinal Offishall
.
genres, which includes soca
, dancehall
, and reggae
, although the album incorporates some American genres, using a mixture of dance-pop
and contemporary R&B
. The music on the album showcases her musical roots and also reflects on the album's title. Rihanna explained that the word "sun" represents her culture where she's from, the Caribbean. "It represents me. So the album consists of Music of the Sun." The songs in the album are varied with the first half of the album containing a reggae sound. With songs about the effect of love, the album falls into the contemporary R&B influence. The second half of the album starts off with dancehall
up-tempo songs, however, the album's closing tracks contain ballads-oriented songs.
"Pon de Replay", which features production from Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, is the opening track of Music of the Sun. Set as the album's lead single
, the song helped introduced the tradition of mixing reggae and dance-pop. The album starts off with an aptly breezy start with reggae oriented songs like "Here I Go Again," "If It's Lovin' that You Want
" and "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)." In the song "Here I Go Again," the second track, Rihanna sings being in love and having the same feeling towards the guy—not being able to get over the guy. The album's second single, "If It's Lovin' That You Want", is a mid-tempo song and samples the beat of "The Bridge Is Over
" by Boogie Down Productions
." Following the album's fourth track, the middle stretch of the album contains a contemporary R&B
sound, which includes songs like "That La, La, La," "The Last Time" and "Willing to Wait." The song of the same title of the album—"Music of the Sun"— talks about the focal point of the album's title. With the following songs, "Rush" and "Let Me," dancehall is introduced to the album. Music of the Sun ends with the slow and moody songs, "There's a Thug In My Life" and the ballad-oriented "Now I Know." Although the slower ballad, "Now I Know," was panned by critics calling it too-mature for a young hip artist. The album's closing track is a remix
to the album's lead single which features Jamaica
n artist Elephant Man
.
, "Pon de Replay
", was released on August 22, 2005. The song was a commercial success peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100
and Pop 100
, being held off the top spot by Mariah Carey
's "We Belong Together". To promote the album, Rihanna performed at the pre-show of the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards
, two days before the album's release. The album was released on August 30, 2005 in the United States through Def Jam Records. After the album's release, she continued her promotion by performing at the NFL Opening Kickoff
pre-game concert and also giving fans a free concert at City Place Mall
in Silver Spring, Maryland
. The album's second single, "If It's Lovin' that You Want
", was released on November 28, 2005, peaking at number thirty-six on the Billboard Hot 100. "Let Me" was supposed to be the international third single (and was released exclusively in Japan, where it peaked at number 8 on the charts). "Pon de Replay
" was licensed for the music video game "Samba de Amigo
" when SEGA
and Gearbox Software
re-released the game on the Nintendo Wii
.
", gave the album a positive review, while others described Rihanna as yet another Beyoncé-Ciara
-Ashanti
cash-in. Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic commented on the album's lead single calling it a "booming dancehall-lite beats and a reggae vocal cadence [...] it's a simple dance-pop song at its core, with standard English-language singing as well as a can't-miss singalong hook." Birchmeier described most of the album by saying; "Music of the Sun descends into faceless slow jams after a while, overall consistency not being among its attributes, but thankfully it picks up the pace toward the end [...] The result is one of the more engaging urban dance-pop albums of the year."
Rolling Stone
magazine rated it 2.5 out of 5 stars and described as lacking the replay value, ingenuity and rhythm of the single with "generic vocal hiccups
and frills" of US R&B inflecting upon her "Caribbean charm". Walters found "Pon de Replay" to be "a poppy piece of dancehall reggae with slapping, syncopated beats recalling big-band jazz." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine
described the album as a "glut of teen R&B chanteuses " and described her lead single "Pon de Replay" as "a dancehall-pop mixture that owes plenty of its sweat and shimmy to Beyoncé's "Baby Boy"." Cinquemani also commented that while most of the album coasts atop its lite Caribbean influence, the middle stretch of the record sinks like a Janet
album and compared the track "Willing To Wait" to Jackson's "Let's Wait Awhile
".
and at number two on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums, selling 69,000 copies in its first week and debuting at number ten. The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) on November 1, 2006, selling in excess of 500,000 copies in the United States. As of July 23, 2010 the album has sold 593,000 copies in the U.S. In Canada
, the album managed peak within the top ten debuting at number seven on the Canadian Albums Chart
. The album was later certified platinum, with a total sales of 100,000 in the country alone. Internationally Music of the Sun failed to reach the top ten in other countries. However, the album peaked at number thirty-five in the United Kingdom
on the UK Albums Chart
and was awarded a Gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry
. In Ireland
, the album debuted at number twelve on the Irish Albums Chart
and in New Zealand the album reached number twenty-six on the New Zealand Album Chart
.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
of Barbadian R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
, released August 26, 2005 on Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
. Rihanna worked with several producers for the album, mainly Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York-based songwriters and music producers who are business partners and friends. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera, and Rihanna's debut album...
who produced and penned most of the tracks on the album. It features guest contributions by Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
, J-Status, and Vybz Kartel
Vybz Kartel
Adidja Palmer , better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall artist, songwriter and businessman. He has many nicknames, including Addi Teacher and Gaza Emperor.-Biography:...
. Primarily an R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
album, Music of the Sun incorporates musical elements of dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
and caribbean music
Caribbean music
The music of the Caribbean is a diverse grouping of musical genres. They are each syntheses of African, European, Indian and native influences, largely created by descendants of African slaves...
genres such as dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
and reggae-pop
Reggae fusion
Reggae fusion is a fusion genre of reggae that mixes reggae or dancehall with other genres, such as pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, house, jazz & drum and bass....
, which reflect on Rihanna's background.
The album debuted at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling 69,000 copies in its first week. It produced two singles that achieved international chart success, including "Pon de Replay
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was made available to download via iTunes on August 26, 2005, released as the album's lead single. The song was written and produced by Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and...
" and "If It's Lovin' that You Want
If It's Lovin' That You Want
"If It's Lovin' that You Want" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was released on December 2, 2005 through Def Jam Recordings, as the album's second and final single. The song was written by Samuel Barnes, Scott LaRock,...
". Upon its release, Music of the Sun received generally mixed reviews from most music critics. It was certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States.
Background
Prior to signing a record deal with Def Jam RecordingsDef Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
, Rihanna was discovered in her home country of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
by American record producer Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York-based songwriters and music producers who are business partners and friends. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera, and Rihanna's debut album...
. The pair met in December 2003 through mutual friends of Rihanna's and Rogers' wife, whilst the couple was on vacation in Barbados, because of how Rihanna's friend had told Rogers' wife how the aspiring singer was always singing and performing. After meeting for the first time, Rogers' asked Rihanna and her two friends to come to his hotel room to audition for him, where she performed renditions of Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
s "Emotion" and Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
s "Hero
Hero (Mariah Carey song)
"Hero" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on October 19, 1993 by Columbia Records as the second single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box . Originally intended for Gloria Estefan, the song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff...
". Rogers' was so impressed with Rihanna's renditions, that it prompted him to fly the singer to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where she was accompanied by her mother, Monica, to record some demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
tapes which could be sent to record labels. Production of the demo tapes took about year, due to Rihanna only being able to record during school holidays. At the age of 16, Rihanna was signed to Rogers' and Carl Sturken
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York-based songwriters and music producers who are business partners and friends. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera, and Rihanna's debut album...
s production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions, where she was given her own lawyer and manager, before the complete demo tape was distributed to various record labels around the world in late 2004. The first to respond to the demo tape was Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, who had recently been appointed as president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
, where Rihanna auditioned for him and music mogul L.A. Reid, in his office. Looking back on the audition and meeting Jay-Z, Rihanna explained during an interview how she felt before walking into the room, saying:
That's when I really got nervous ... I was like: 'Oh God, he's right there, I can't look, I can't look, I can't look!' I remember being extremely quiet. I was very shy. I was cold the entire time. I had butterflies. I'm sitting across from Jay-Z. Like, Jay-Zee. I was star-struck.
During the audition, Rihanna performed Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
s cover of "For the Love of You", "Pon de Replay" and "The Last Time", the latter two of which would go on to be included on her debut album, Music of the Sun. Initially, Jay-Z was skeptical about signing Rihanna, because he felt "Pon de Replay" was too big for her, saying "when a song is that big, it's hard [for a new artist] to come back from. I don't sign songs, I sign artists". The audition resulted in Rihanna signing a six album record deal with Def Jam Recordings in February 2005, on the same day of the audition, with Jay-Z saying "There's only two ways out. Out the door after you sign this deal. Or through this window ...", meaning that he was not going to let her leave with signing a record deal. After signing with Def Jam Recordings, Rihanna cancelled multiple other meetings with record labels and relocated herself from Barbados to New York to live with Rogers' and his wife.
Recording
After signing with Def Jam in February 2005, she began working on her debut album with several producers including Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, StargateStargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
and Poke & Tone. Though, the album was primarily produced by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York-based songwriters and music producers who are business partners and friends. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera, and Rihanna's debut album...
, whom she previously worked with on her demo. The album completed within a three month period; from February 2005–May 2005. When recording the album's future lead single for her demo recordings
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, she revealed that when she first heard the song she didn't want to record it. She stated; "when I first heard that song, I didn't want to do it, because it was very sing-songy and very... whatever [...] But after I started recording it, I went along with it and started liking it." While working on the album she recorded the song "The One" with label-mate Memphis Bleek
Memphis Bleek
Malik Thuston Patrick Cox , better known by his rap persona of Memphis Bleek or "Bleek", is a New York rapper mainly known for his tenure with Roc-a-Fella Records and CEO of his own label Get Low Records...
for his fourth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
534
534 (album)
-Samples:"534"* "London, Paris, New York" written by Graham Preskett"Interlude"* "Summer Song" Performed by Lisa Koch"Dear Summer"* "Morning Sunrise" performed by Weldon Irvine"Like That"* "Everybody Plays The Fool" by The Main Ingredient...
. After coming up with the album's title, Rihanna recorded the song "Music of the Sun," which was written by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, and co-written her. She developed her writing skills with the help of Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers and also co-wrote three other songs on the album including the song of the same title. In a 2005 interview, she stated:
The album features twelve songs and a remix of "Pon de Replay
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was made available to download via iTunes on August 26, 2005, released as the album's lead single. The song was written and produced by Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and...
" with Elephant Man. For her debut album, Rihanna stuck with her Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
background style. Her music at the time featured soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
genres due to her Caribbean descent. Music of the Sun includes the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s "Pon de Replay
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was made available to download via iTunes on August 26, 2005, released as the album's lead single. The song was written and produced by Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and...
" and "If It's Lovin' That You Want
If It's Lovin' That You Want
"If It's Lovin' that You Want" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was released on December 2, 2005 through Def Jam Recordings, as the album's second and final single. The song was written by Samuel Barnes, Scott LaRock,...
." The album features guest appearances by Elephant Man, J-Status, Vybz Kartel
Vybz Kartel
Adidja Palmer , better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall artist, songwriter and businessman. He has many nicknames, including Addi Teacher and Gaza Emperor.-Biography:...
and Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
.
Music
Music of the Sun was musically inspired by the variety of caribbean musicCaribbean music
The music of the Caribbean is a diverse grouping of musical genres. They are each syntheses of African, European, Indian and native influences, largely created by descendants of African slaves...
genres, which includes soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
, dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
, and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, although the album incorporates some American genres, using a mixture of dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
and contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
. The music on the album showcases her musical roots and also reflects on the album's title. Rihanna explained that the word "sun" represents her culture where she's from, the Caribbean. "It represents me. So the album consists of Music of the Sun." The songs in the album are varied with the first half of the album containing a reggae sound. With songs about the effect of love, the album falls into the contemporary R&B influence. The second half of the album starts off with dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
up-tempo songs, however, the album's closing tracks contain ballads-oriented songs.
"Pon de Replay", which features production from Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, is the opening track of Music of the Sun. Set as the album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, the song helped introduced the tradition of mixing reggae and dance-pop. The album starts off with an aptly breezy start with reggae oriented songs like "Here I Go Again," "If It's Lovin' that You Want
If It's Lovin' That You Want
"If It's Lovin' that You Want" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was released on December 2, 2005 through Def Jam Recordings, as the album's second and final single. The song was written by Samuel Barnes, Scott LaRock,...
" and "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)." In the song "Here I Go Again," the second track, Rihanna sings being in love and having the same feeling towards the guy—not being able to get over the guy. The album's second single, "If It's Lovin' That You Want", is a mid-tempo song and samples the beat of "The Bridge Is Over
The Bridge Is Over
"The Bridge Is Over" is a 1987 song by Boogie Down Productions from their debut album Criminal Minded, performed by rapper KRS-One and produced by DJ Scott LaRock and KRS-One.-History:...
" by Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
." Following the album's fourth track, the middle stretch of the album contains a contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
sound, which includes songs like "That La, La, La," "The Last Time" and "Willing to Wait." The song of the same title of the album—"Music of the Sun"— talks about the focal point of the album's title. With the following songs, "Rush" and "Let Me," dancehall is introduced to the album. Music of the Sun ends with the slow and moody songs, "There's a Thug In My Life" and the ballad-oriented "Now I Know." Although the slower ballad, "Now I Know," was panned by critics calling it too-mature for a young hip artist. The album's closing track is a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
to the album's lead single which features Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n artist Elephant Man
Elephant Man
Elephant Man, also known as the Energy God, born O'Neil Bryan on September 11, 1975 in Kingston, Jamaica, is a dancehall musician.-Career:...
.
Release and promotion
The album's lead singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Pon de Replay
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was made available to download via iTunes on August 26, 2005, released as the album's lead single. The song was written and produced by Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and...
", was released on August 22, 2005. The song was a commercial success peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
, being held off the top spot by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's "We Belong Together". To promote the album, Rihanna performed at the pre-show of the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards
2005 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2005 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 28, 2005, honoring the best music videos from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. The show was hosted by Diddy at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida...
, two days before the album's release. The album was released on August 30, 2005 in the United States through Def Jam Records. After the album's release, she continued her promotion by performing at the NFL Opening Kickoff
National Football League Kickoff game
The NFL Kickoff game, and related festivities, mark the start of the National Football League season. The first game of the season is currently scheduled for the Thursday following Labor Day. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. Since the 2004 season, the defending...
pre-game concert and also giving fans a free concert at City Place Mall
City Place Mall
City Place Mall, at the intersection of Fenton Street and Colesville Road in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, is a , five-story shopping mall that opened on April 2, 1992...
in Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
. The album's second single, "If It's Lovin' that You Want
If It's Lovin' That You Want
"If It's Lovin' that You Want" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was released on December 2, 2005 through Def Jam Recordings, as the album's second and final single. The song was written by Samuel Barnes, Scott LaRock,...
", was released on November 28, 2005, peaking at number thirty-six on the Billboard Hot 100. "Let Me" was supposed to be the international third single (and was released exclusively in Japan, where it peaked at number 8 on the charts). "Pon de Replay
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was made available to download via iTunes on August 26, 2005, released as the album's lead single. The song was written and produced by Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and...
" was licensed for the music video game "Samba de Amigo
Samba de Amigo
Samba de Amigo is a rhythm game originally developed by Sonic Team and released in 1999 by Sega in arcades, 2000 for the Dreamcast video game console, and developed by Gearbox Software and Escalation Studios in 2008 for the Wii. The player uses controllers shaped like maracas with the goal of...
" when SEGA
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
and Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software, LLC is an American video game development company based in Plano, Texas.-History:Gearbox Software was founded in January 1999 by five members of the content team from the defunct developer Rebel Boat Rocker: Randy Pitchford, Brian Martel, Stephen Bahl, Landon Montgomery, and Rob...
re-released the game on the Nintendo Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
.
Critical response
Upon its release, Music of the Sun received mixed reviews from most music critics. Some critics, who enjoyed the summer catchy hit single "Pon de ReplayPon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is a song recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her debut studio album Music of the Sun . The song was made available to download via iTunes on August 26, 2005, released as the album's lead single. The song was written and produced by Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers and...
", gave the album a positive review, while others described Rihanna as yet another Beyoncé-Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
-Ashanti
Ashanti (singer)
Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, and model. She rose to fame in the early 2000s. Ashanti is most famous for her eponymous debut album, which featured the hit song "Foolish", and sold over 503,000 copies in its first week of release...
cash-in. Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic commented on the album's lead single calling it a "booming dancehall-lite beats and a reggae vocal cadence [...] it's a simple dance-pop song at its core, with standard English-language singing as well as a can't-miss singalong hook." Birchmeier described most of the album by saying; "Music of the Sun descends into faceless slow jams after a while, overall consistency not being among its attributes, but thankfully it picks up the pace toward the end [...] The result is one of the more engaging urban dance-pop albums of the year."
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine rated it 2.5 out of 5 stars and described as lacking the replay value, ingenuity and rhythm of the single with "generic vocal hiccups
Vocal hiccups
A vocal hiccup is a type of hiccup used in singing. It is a fake hiccup used by certain singers. -Use:A number of artists use vocal hiccups. Some notable artists who utilise the technique are:*Michael Jackson*Buddy Holly*Elvis Presley...
and frills" of US R&B inflecting upon her "Caribbean charm". Walters found "Pon de Replay" to be "a poppy piece of dancehall reggae with slapping, syncopated beats recalling big-band jazz." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
described the album as a "glut of teen R&B chanteuses " and described her lead single "Pon de Replay" as "a dancehall-pop mixture that owes plenty of its sweat and shimmy to Beyoncé's "Baby Boy"." Cinquemani also commented that while most of the album coasts atop its lite Caribbean influence, the middle stretch of the record sinks like a Janet
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
album and compared the track "Willing To Wait" to Jackson's "Let's Wait Awhile
Let's Wait Awhile
"Let's Wait Awhile" is the fifth single from Janet Jackson's third studio album, Control . It was written by Jackson, and the Flyte Tyme duo, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It was produced by Jackson, Jam and Lewis...
".
Commercial performance
Music of the Sun debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and at number two on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums, selling 69,000 copies in its first week and debuting at number ten. The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) on November 1, 2006, selling in excess of 500,000 copies in the United States. As of July 23, 2010 the album has sold 593,000 copies in the U.S. In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the album managed peak within the top ten debuting at number seven on the Canadian Albums Chart
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
. The album was later certified platinum, with a total sales of 100,000 in the country alone. Internationally Music of the Sun failed to reach the top ten in other countries. However, the album peaked at number thirty-five in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and was awarded a Gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
. In Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the album debuted at number twelve on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
and in New Zealand the album reached number twenty-six on the New Zealand Album Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
.
Track listing
Musicians
- Robyn Fenty (RihannaRihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
) – vocals - Rob MounseyRob MounseyRob Mounsey is an award-winning composer, music producer, and musician. He was born in Berea, Ohio and grew up in Seattle, Washington and several Ohio towns. At the age of 17, he was awarded a BMI Student Composer's Award in New York. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1971 to 1975...
– arranger/conductor - Christyn Calderon
- Avril Brown – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Kenneth Burward-Hoy – violin
- Cenovia Cummins – violin
- Stephanie Cum – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Lawrence Glazener – bassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
- Tristan Hart – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Yana Goichman – violin
- Ann Leathers – violin
- Vince Lionti – viola
- Richard Locker – cello
- Jan Mullen – violin
- Elizabeth Nielson – violin
- Mark Orrin Shuman – cello
- Sue Pray – viola
- Evangeline Evelyn – guitar
- Debra Shufelt – violin
- Marti Sweet – violin
- Uri Vodoz – violin
- Carol Wener – violin
- Kez Chan – beats
- Meg Wong – beats
- Lian Truffle – cello
Production
- Executive producers: The Carter Administration
- Co-executive producers: Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken
- Vocal producer: Full Force, Evan Rogers
- Vocal assistance: Full Force
- Engineers: Al Hemberger, Matt Noble, Malcolm Pollack
- Assistant engineers: Jason Agel, Roy Matthews, Alex Pinto
- Mixing: Jason Goldstein, Jason Groucott, Al Hemberger
- Mastering: Chris Gehringer
- A&R: Jay Brown, Adrienne Muhammad, Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith
- Design: Tai Linzie
- Art Direction: Andy West
- Photography: Tai Linzie, Mark Mann, Ivan Otis
Chart positions
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Hitseekers Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
18 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 45 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
7 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
93 |
| German Albums Chart | 31 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
12 |
| Italian Albums Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
22 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
14 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
26 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 38 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
35 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
10 |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
6 |
Sales and certifications
| Country | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Platinum | 100,000 |
| Japan Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
Gold | 170,000 |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold | 7,500 |
| UK British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Gold | 142,792 |
| US Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Gold | 594,000 |
Release history
| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| Europe | August 26, 2005 |
| United Kingdom | August 29, 2005 |
| Canada | August 30, 2005 |
| Japan | |
| United States | |
| Germany | September 5, 2005 |
| Poland | September 12, 2005 |
| Australia | September 26, 2005 |
External links
- Music of the Sun at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...