How Rihanna’s ANTI Quietly Changed Pop Forever — A 10-Year Reckoning
Amidst the overwhelming nostalgia for 2016 that has characterized the early weeks of 2026, there has been surprisingly little collective mourning for the reign of Rihanna.
Rihanna's most audacious album, "ANTI," according to HNHH, continues to represent a pivotal moment for her, R&B, and the way Black women navigate the Pop landscape. While some albums mark a specific era in an artist's journey, ANTI arrived and transformed the narrative. The musical atmosphere in 2016 was chaotic, heavily focused on clubs and festivals, yet Rihanna emerged with a sound that intentionally distanced itself from that trend. Known for her chart-topping hits, she shifted away from the typical Pop spectacle with ANTI, presenting a persona that seemed entirely disinterested in being comprehended.
By that point, Robyn Fenty had already released seven albums, and her name was synonymous with Pop success. Now, Rihanna had embarked on a new chapter, free from the obligation to satisfy the commercial machine that had propelled her career. With her Def Jam contract concluded, the industry had exhausted her potential. This time, she was not creating merely to appease the masses; she was crafting a universe in which she could thrive. ANTI was both personal and unconventional, showcasing Rihanna's determination to withhold the easy hooks and polished images that the Pop industry typically demanded from her.
"I listen to ANTI from top to bottom with no shame; I used to always feel ashamed. I actually don’t enjoy listening to my music, but ANTI—I can listen to that album. It’s not me performing it, so when I listen, it’s different. That’s the one album that allows me to have an out-of-body experience."
-Rihanna, Harper's Bazaar, 2025
A decade later, ANTI still resonates as a definitive statement. It marked a significant shift from the Rihanna of the past and posed a challenge to the industry's tendency to exploit Black women's creative contributions without acknowledging their full humanity.
