A Girl Like Me (Rihanna album)
Encyclopedia
A Girl like Me is the second studio album
by Barbadian R&B
singer Rihanna
. It was released through Def Jam Recordings
on April 19, 2006 in Japan
, on April 24 in the United Kingdom
, and on April 25 in the United States
. For the production of the album, Rihanna worked with Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Stargate
and J. R. Rotem
with label-mate Ne-Yo
who wrote the album's second single. Musically, the album incorporates a combination of pop, reggae and ballad elements which received mixed reviews by music critics.
Some critics gave the album positive reviews stating that she gracefully avoids the sophomore disappointment while others compared the album to her previous effort
. A Girl like Me was released less than eight months after her debut album. It peaked at number five on the U.S. Billboard 200
album chart and on the UK Albums Chart
. The album was successful in other Countries, entering the top ten in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Japan while topping the charts in Canada on the Canadian Albums Chart
.
A Girl like Me spawned four singles; "SOS
", which became her first single to reach number-one on the Billboard Hot 100
, "Unfaithful
" and "Break It Off
", both reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, however, the third single, "We Ride
", failed to reprise the success of the previous singles. The album was re-released as an expanded double-disc deluxe package in Germany, which includes her previous hit single, "Pon de Replay
". The album has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA).
and Gwen Stefani
." In addition to Stefani, Rihanna's musical perspective changed after touring with Gwen Stefani and felt inspired to compose rock in her music. When discussing the album's conception with L.A. Reid—Chairman and CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group
—Rihanna talked about experimenting with different music by incorporating some rock on the album.
. She teamed up once again with record producers Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
who produced most of the tracks in her previous album, J. R. Rotem
and Norwegian production duo Stargate
. While recording her debut album, Rihanna received a visit from Ne-Yo
, in which they met for the first time, although never got the chance to collaborate on Music of the Sun. When production started, she came up with the idea of working with Ne-Yo in addition to working with Jamaica
n reggae
and dancehall
artist Sean Paul
. With the help of songwriters such as Ne-Yo, Stargate, Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, she co-wrote three songs on the album. When asked about working with Ne-Yo, she stated,
While working on A Girl like Me, she would spend her time recording song for the album and promoting Music of the Sun. She commented; "We were so busy promoting the first album while trying to get this one done, working some crazy hours. That's why this album is so close to me, 'cause I really put my heart and soul into it." The album's first track, "SOS
," was written by Evan Bogart
although the song was originally intended for Christina Milian
's third studio album So Amazin'
but she turned it down. Reid had Rihanna in mind as the next artist to record the song. The song was recorded within three days and it was the first recorded cut for the A Girl like Me album, eventually released as the album's lead single.
Rotem, the producer, was inspired by Soft Cell
's "Tainted Love
" and decided to sample the song, although Rihanna stated that she was not too familiar with Soft Cell. "Kisses Don't Lie" was penned and produced by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken and it was one of the three songs on the album in which she received writing credit. The song was written and recorded in Barbados
, who she described it as a mashed up rock and reggae
. In the song "Unfaithful
," written by Ne-Yo, Rihanna wanted to speak about personal things that girls her age at the time were experiencing, which was inspired by the album's title and according to her it's one of her favorite songs on the album.
In regards to the title of the album, Rihanna explained, "It's called A Girl like Me because it's a very personal album, It's my baby. It's all about what it's like to be a girl like me, speaking of personal experiences as well as things that girls like me have gone through." "We Ride
" was written and produced by Stargate
, who produced and co-wrote her previous single. For the song "Break It Off
," which features Jamaican artist Sean Paul
, Rihanna flew down to Jamaica
to record the song with Sean Paul. The song was written by Donovan Bennet and it was co-written by Rihanna including Sean Paul. The album's closing tracks were written by Rogers and Sturken including Rihanna co-writing the album's title track "A Girl like Me." Other than writing, most of the album was again produced by Rogers and Sturken, including eight of the album's sixteen tracks. The album completed within a five month period; two months longer than her previous album.
al genres including dancehall
and reggae
. She used influences of different genres including rock music
and like the roots of her previous album, reggae and dancehall. The new effort presents her new side with the ballad elements. The album also follows the disco-ish
mode of its predecessor but introduces new genres to her music with the old rock and roll
which is being represented by rock and reggae mash-up
"Kisses Don't Lie," although she stated that the album is not overall a rock influence. Rihanna commented: "Growing up in Barbados, I wasn't exposed to a lot of rock music, We really love reggae and Soca music
and hip-hop. But when I moved to the United States last year, I was exposed to a lot of different types of music, rock being one of them, and I fell the song in love with it. [Now] I love rock music."
, people hating on you, having a feeling towards a guys and partying. "SOS
" tells about a guy who gives the girl a feeling that is very overwhelming—he drives the girl insane, and she needs someone to rescue her from it. "Kisses Don't Lie" talks about a girl who's in love with a guy but is stuck between an ultimatum
because she's afraid of getting hurt. "Unfaithful
" documents the tragic decay of a relationship
when another person starts cheating. According to Rihanna, "I'm referred to as a murderer in that song, Meaning, I'm taking this guy's life by hurting him, cheating on him. He knows, and it makes him feel so bad. It's killing him to know that another guy is making me happy." "We Ride
" dealt with lyrics talking about how the guy promises that they will be together forever but she continues to describe moments which he did things that could tear them apart. The lyrics of "Dem Haters" portrays a message
about how loathers try to bring people down and to exclude them from your life. "Final Goodbye" deals with lyrics about a woman
who wants to spend the rest of her life with a man but feels that she needs to reveal a secret before moving on. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love
" continues the avenue of love similar to "SOS". However "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" portrays a message about being in love, whereas "SOS" talks about having an overwhelming feeling towards the guy.
," is an uptempo dance song incorporating the key section, bass line, and drum beat
of the 1981 version of "Tainted Love" as performed by Soft Cell. Although "SOS" contains a more dance-oriented beat to create a soulful anthem of young love. The song received positive reviews by critics, calling it "a sexy club tune." The song also features three different music video
's including two promotional music videos for Agent Provocateur
and Nike, and the official music video which was directed by Chris Applebaum
. "Kisses Don't Lie," the second song, uses a mixture of Caribbean
elements and electric guitar
with the mesmerizing bassline
. On the ballad song "Unfaithful
" the background instrumentation features a piano
and strings
. The song is the third track and the second single from the album and was written by label-mate and fellow R&B musician Ne-Yo. Despite its strong chart performance, the song was panned by critics stating that "Rihanna's voice is not particularly strong." The fourth track, "We Ride
," features the gently strummed acoustic guitar
with the production of Stargate. The song received mixed reviews from critics and was less successful than the other singles. In the video, directed by Anthony Mandler
, Rihanna was featured hanging with her friends and scenes of her at the beach. After being the lowest-charting single in the United States from the album, the song became the last single to feature a music video.
"Dem Haters" features guest vocals by Barbadian
singer Dwane Husbands
. The song is the album's fourth track and was produced by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
. The sixth track "Final Goodbye" is a mid-tempo ballad containing ambient of strummed acoustic guitar. The following track is a collaboration with Jamaica
n artist Sean Paul
containing a dance hall
influence. "Break It Off
" is the seventh track and final single from the album. The song, not featuring a music video, still managed to reach the top ten in the United States. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love
," the album's seventh track, is another collaboration song featuring Jamaican rapper J-Status. The Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
-produced "Selfish Girl," is the eighth song of the album containing the reggae
elements. The tenth track, "P.S. (I'm Still Not Over You)," is an R&B song which was also produced by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers. "A Girl like Me," the albums eleventh song, is another R&B song although it also contains the reggae elements. The album's third ballad
, "A Million Miles Away," is the twelfth song on the album. It received mixed reviews from critics commenting that the song "kill whatever momentum the album has." The closing track on the album, is a sequel
to her second single from her debut album which features American rapper Cory Gunz
.
during the Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
in Japan to promote her debut album. While performing on the tour, she performed some of the songs from the album. Before the release of the album, Rihanna was given substantial promotional support from MTV, which highlighted "SOS" on Total Request Live
, when she premiered the music video on March 23, 2006. She performed the album's lead single
"SOS" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
February 20, 2006 and at the 2006 MuchMusic Video Awards
on June 18, 2006. She then took part in advertising Nike and J.C. Penney by shooting a promotional music video for the album's lead single supported by Nike. The album was released through Def Jam Recordings
as a physical CD and as a digital download on April 25, 2006 in North America. On the day of the album's release date, she made a guest appearance on MTV's Total Request Live to promote the album.
The album was released eight months after Music of the Sun
was released. According to her; "We just felt like it was time. It made no sense waiting...you should never put time on music. You should never say, "Okay, Music of the Sun has to be out at least a year and a half before we start with--" No. That's what's great about the music business. When you feel it's time, you just go for it. And we felt like it was time to come up with a new album." The album's lead single was included on the soundtrack of the film Bring It On: All or Nothing
as well as Rihanna making a cameo in the film as herself; her debut single, "Pon de Replay
," was also included in the soundtrack.
Rihanna performed the album's second single, "Unfaithful
", on Sunrise
. On AOL Music, she recorded her first Sessions@AOL
broadcast with her, among other content exclusive to AOL members. An expanded double-disc deluxe edition of the album was re-released in Germany titled A Girl like Me: Deluxe Edition on November 17, 2006. Aside from the original track listing, the new edition features a bonus CD containing leftover tracks from A Girl like Me and Music of the Sun. There is also an enhanced CD
featuring two of her music videos. In order to promote further the album, Rihanna embarked on the Rock Tha Block Tour and then toured with Pussycat Dolls
on the PCD World Tour from November 2006 to February 2007 in the United Kingdom. She also recorded songs for advertising the Happy fragrance by Clinique and deodorant Secret of the company P&G.
" was the first single released from the album on March 7, 2006. The song achieved considerable airplay throughout the United States and Canada and reached high peak positions on both airplay
charts. It contains samples
of the 1981 cover version of "Tainted Love
" from Soft Cell
. "SOS" became Rihanna's first single to reach number-one on the Billboard Hot 100
. The song also became a success internationally reaching the top five in Canada, Australia, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
"Unfaithful
" was released as the second single from the album on July 17, 2006. The song achieved commercial success reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, however, internationally the song performed better peaking atop the charts in Portugal, Canada and Switzerland as well as reaching the top ten in countries like New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
"We Ride
" was released as the third single from the album in September 2006. The song was released to US radio on August 21, 2006 although the song was not nearly as successful as the previous two singles, not charting on the Billboard Hot 100; it peaked at number six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
chart. "We Ride", however, reached number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
and it charted in the top ten in New Zealand and Finland.
"Break It Off
" (featuring Sean Paul
), was fourth and the final single from the album, released in December 2006. The song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Rihanna's fourth top ten single in the United States. "Break It Off" was one of the few songs in many years to reach the Billboard Hot 100 without a music video.
", "Unfaithful
" and "Break It Off
" gained particularly good notices. David Jeffries of the Allmusic said that "Versatile urban dance-pop singer Rihanna
gracefully avoids the sophomore slump with A Girl like Me, a less tropical-flavored, more urban effort than her sun-and-fun debut." Jeffries compared the track "Kisses Don't Lie" to Damien Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock" and commented that "the album gets bolder and seamlessly bounces from genre to genre [...] Rihanna goes from a film noir song that elegantly uses murder as a metaphor for cheating ("Unfaithful") to an easy-flowing weekend cruiser ("We Ride
")." Ruth Jamieson of The Observer
noted "Chuck in a bit of Sugababes
-esque harmony, some M.I.A.
-style electro and a dollop of reggae, and you're even closer to getting Rihanna. If you liked last year's ridiculously catchy "Pon De Replay", there's more of the same here."
Rolling Stone
magazine rated the album 3 out of 5 stars and compared the synth riffs and machine beats from Soft Cell
's Eighties classic "Tainted Love
," to a Destiny's Child
-like melody. Walters felt that "the follow-up doesn't deliver anything else as ingenious as its lead single: Lightweight dancehall and R&B jams lack the single's ear-bending boldness. But the burning rock guitar of "Kisses Don't Lie" and haunted strings of "Unfaithful" help make "A Girl like Me much more likable." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
described most of the album as "a record that almost identically alternates between the sunny dancehall/dub-pop of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "Dem Haters," hip-hop-infused club bangers like "We Ride." Cinquemani felt that the "adult-oriented ballads were at least a decade too mature for the teenage singer's minor vocal talents." He also commented that "The album's infectious lead single, "SOS," rivals Rihanna's breakout, last summer's "Pon De Replay
," deftly using Soft Cell's 1982 hit "Tainted Love"—itself a revision of Diana Ross
& The Supremes
' "Where Did Our Love Go"—as a bleepy backdrop and adding a full-bodied bottom to the original tinny mod-rock track [...] Comparatively gooey and spineless slow numbers like "Final Goodbye" and "A Million Miles Away" kill whatever momentum the album has."
selling 115,000 copies in its first week, nearly twice the debut sales of Music of the Sun
which sold 69,000. The album has been certified platinum
by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) in the United States. As of July 23, 2010 the album has sold 1,330,000 in the U.S. The album debuted at number six in Ireland on the Irish Album Chart and then reached number six on the charts. A Girl like Me was later certified 2x platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association
(IRMA). It also debuted at number six in the United Kingdom on the UK Album Chart with sales of 24,000 on the issue dated April 24, 2006. The album reached its peak of number five in July due to the popularity of new single "Unfaithful
" and it has sold almost 600,000 copies in the United Kingdom. In Europe, the album has achieved a platinum certification. The album topped charts in Canada on the Canadian Albums Chart
and was later certified platinum.
In Australia, the album debuted twelve on the ARIA Albums Chart. The album later reached the number nine position and remained on the chart for twenty-one weeks. It was certified platinum for shipping 70,000 by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA). In Switzerland, A Girl like Me peaked at number six remaining at the number six position for two consecutive weeks and on the chart for thirty-nine. The album was certified platinum selling over 30,000 copies. In 2006, the album ended the year as the 20th best-selling album in the world. In Belgium, A Girl like Me debuted at number forty-five on the Belgian Albums Chart in April 2006. The album further climbed up the chart to reach the top ten at number ten. A Girl like Me managed reached the top twenty in Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, France and Denmark.
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...
by 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...
. It was released through 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...
on April 19, 2006 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, on April 24 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...
, and on April 25 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. For the production of the album, Rihanna worked with Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Stargate
Stargate (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 J. R. Rotem
J. R. Rotem
- Early life :Rotem was born in South Africa to Israeli immigrant Jewish parents. He moved to Toronto at the age of two and finally to Moraga, California when he was twelve.Rotem's entry point into music was in receiving classical piano tuition at a young age...
with label-mate Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
who wrote the album's second single. Musically, the album incorporates a combination of pop, reggae and ballad elements which received mixed reviews by music critics.
Some critics gave the album positive reviews stating that she gracefully avoids the sophomore disappointment while others compared the album to her previous effort
Music of the Sun
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...
. A Girl like Me was released less than eight months after her debut album. It peaked at number five 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...
album chart and 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...
. The album was successful in other Countries, entering the top ten in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Japan while topping the charts in Canada 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...
.
A Girl like Me spawned four singles; "SOS
SOS (Rihanna song)
"SOS" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her second studio album, A Girl like Me. The song was produced by J. R. Rotem and written by Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. It was released as the lead single from the album...
", which became her first single to reach number-one 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...
, "Unfaithful
Unfaithful (song)
"Unfaithful" is a ballad written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen for R&B singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl like Me. It was produced by Stargate and released as the album's second single in mid-2006. The music also featured, with Tamil lyrics, as the song, "Unakenna Naan" in...
" and "Break It Off
Break It Off
"Break It Off" is a song written by D. Bennett, K. Ford, Sean Paul, and Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna. The song, which featured Sean Paul, was the fourth and final single from Rihanna's second album A Girl like Me and was released only in the United States, Canada, and select European territories...
", both reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, however, the third single, "We Ride
We Ride
"We Ride" is a dancehall/R&B song written by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, and Makeba Riddick for R&B singer Rihanna's second studio album A Girl like Me . The song was confirmed as the album's third single by MTV and released in mid-2006 in the United States, where it failed to enter the...
", failed to reprise the success of the previous singles. The album was re-released as an expanded double-disc deluxe package in Germany, which includes her previous hit single, "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...
". The album has been certified platinum 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).
Background
After moving to the United States Rihanna was introduced to various styles of musical genres although did not get the chance to experiment with other types of music on her debut album. She also began listening different types of music stating: "I was introduced to rock music, and, well, one of my favorites...that's another one of my favorite types of music. I really enjoy listening to like all Fall Out BoyFall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
and Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
." In addition to Stefani, Rihanna's musical perspective changed after touring with Gwen Stefani and felt inspired to compose rock in her music. When discussing the album's conception with L.A. Reid—Chairman and CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group, formerly The Island Def Jam Music Group, is an umbrella label formed in 1999 when Universal Music Group merged two of its daughter companies, Island Records and Def Jam Recordings, to create a label group. In 2011, Motown Records was split from the Universal...
—Rihanna talked about experimenting with different music by incorporating some rock on the album.
Recording
Following the release of her debut album, Rihanna soon entered recording studios to work on her sophomore effort a month after the release of Music of the SunMusic of the Sun
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...
. She teamed up once again with record producers 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 most of the tracks in her previous album, J. R. Rotem
J. R. Rotem
- Early life :Rotem was born in South Africa to Israeli immigrant Jewish parents. He moved to Toronto at the age of two and finally to Moraga, California when he was twelve.Rotem's entry point into music was in receiving classical piano tuition at a young age...
and Norwegian production duo Stargate
Stargate (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"...
. While recording her debut album, Rihanna received a visit from Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, in which they met for the first time, although never got the chance to collaborate on Music of the Sun. When production started, she came up with the idea of working with Ne-Yo in addition to working with 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 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...
and 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,...
artist Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
. With the help of songwriters such as Ne-Yo, Stargate, Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, she co-wrote three songs on the album. When asked about working with Ne-Yo, she stated,
While working on A Girl like Me, she would spend her time recording song for the album and promoting Music of the Sun. She commented; "We were so busy promoting the first album while trying to get this one done, working some crazy hours. That's why this album is so close to me, 'cause I really put my heart and soul into it." The album's first track, "SOS
SOS (Rihanna song)
"SOS" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her second studio album, A Girl like Me. The song was produced by J. R. Rotem and written by Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. It was released as the lead single from the album...
," was written by Evan Bogart
Evan Bogart
Evan "Kidd" Bogart is an American music executive, television producer, music publisher and songwriter who has contributed to a long list of internationally successful artists...
although the song was originally intended for Christina Milian
Christina Milian
Christine Flores , better known by her stage name Christina Milian , is an American singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and model....
's third studio album So Amazin'
So Amazin'
So Amazin' is the third studio album by American singer Christina Milian. The album, her first studio release since 2004's It's About Time, was released by Island Records on May 16, 2006 in the United States. Unlike previous records, which had contributions from many producers, Milian wrote and...
but she turned it down. Reid had Rihanna in mind as the next artist to record the song. The song was recorded within three days and it was the first recorded cut for the A Girl like Me album, eventually released as the album's lead single.
Rotem, the producer, was inspired by Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret...
's "Tainted Love
Tainted Love
"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of The Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1965. It attained worldwide fame after being covered by Soft Cell in 1981, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart, and has since been covered by numerous groups and...
" and decided to sample the song, although Rihanna stated that she was not too familiar with Soft Cell. "Kisses Don't Lie" was penned and produced by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken and it was one of the three songs on the album in which she received writing credit. The song was written and recorded in 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...
, who she described it as a mashed up rock 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...
. In the song "Unfaithful
Unfaithful (song)
"Unfaithful" is a ballad written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen for R&B singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl like Me. It was produced by Stargate and released as the album's second single in mid-2006. The music also featured, with Tamil lyrics, as the song, "Unakenna Naan" in...
," written by Ne-Yo, Rihanna wanted to speak about personal things that girls her age at the time were experiencing, which was inspired by the album's title and according to her it's one of her favorite songs on the album.
In regards to the title of the album, Rihanna explained, "It's called A Girl like Me because it's a very personal album, It's my baby. It's all about what it's like to be a girl like me, speaking of personal experiences as well as things that girls like me have gone through." "We Ride
We Ride
"We Ride" is a dancehall/R&B song written by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, and Makeba Riddick for R&B singer Rihanna's second studio album A Girl like Me . The song was confirmed as the album's third single by MTV and released in mid-2006 in the United States, where it failed to enter the...
" was written and produced by Stargate
Stargate
Stargate is a adventure military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a hit, grossing nearly...
, who produced and co-wrote her previous single. For the song "Break It Off
Break It Off
"Break It Off" is a song written by D. Bennett, K. Ford, Sean Paul, and Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna. The song, which featured Sean Paul, was the fourth and final single from Rihanna's second album A Girl like Me and was released only in the United States, Canada, and select European territories...
," which features Jamaican artist Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
, Rihanna flew down to 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...
to record the song with Sean Paul. The song was written by Donovan Bennet and it was co-written by Rihanna including Sean Paul. The album's closing tracks were written by Rogers and Sturken including Rihanna co-writing the album's title track "A Girl like Me." Other than writing, most of the album was again produced by Rogers and Sturken, including eight of the album's sixteen tracks. The album completed within a five month period; two months longer than her previous album.
Musical style
Musically A Girl like Me reveals new types of musical genres compared to her light and uptempo debut effort. Her goal on the album was to find songs that express the many things young women want to say, but might not know how. In an interview, Rihanna said, "Now I'm singing about experiences that I've gone through and stuff that other 18-year-old girls go through, so it's all about progression." Reggae, present in her debut album, subsequently continues into A Girl like Me. However, the album was the final to feature any 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...
al genres including 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...
. She used influences of different genres including rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and like the roots of her previous album, reggae and dancehall. The new effort presents her new side with the ballad elements. The album also follows the disco-ish
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
mode of its predecessor but introduces new genres to her music with the old rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
which is being represented by rock and reggae mash-up
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
"Kisses Don't Lie," although she stated that the album is not overall a rock influence. Rihanna commented: "Growing up in Barbados, I wasn't exposed to a lot of rock music, We really love reggae and Soca music
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 hip-hop. But when I moved to the United States last year, I was exposed to a lot of different types of music, rock being one of them, and I fell the song in love with it. [Now] I love rock music."
Lyrical themes
Lyrically the album's theme speaks of girls' experiences. The album was widely addressed a personal album, speaking about what it's like to be "a girl like me"—things that girls Rihanna's age at the time were going through—as well as every aspect of her life: people being cheated on, falling in and out of loveLove
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, people hating on you, having a feeling towards a guys and partying. "SOS
SOS (Rihanna song)
"SOS" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her second studio album, A Girl like Me. The song was produced by J. R. Rotem and written by Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. It was released as the lead single from the album...
" tells about a guy who gives the girl a feeling that is very overwhelming—he drives the girl insane, and she needs someone to rescue her from it. "Kisses Don't Lie" talks about a girl who's in love with a guy but is stuck between an ultimatum
Ultimatum
An ultimatum is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance. An ultimatum is generally the final demand in a series of requests...
because she's afraid of getting hurt. "Unfaithful
Unfaithful (song)
"Unfaithful" is a ballad written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen for R&B singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl like Me. It was produced by Stargate and released as the album's second single in mid-2006. The music also featured, with Tamil lyrics, as the song, "Unakenna Naan" in...
" documents the tragic decay of a relationship
Intimate relationship
An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual...
when another person starts cheating. According to Rihanna, "I'm referred to as a murderer in that song, Meaning, I'm taking this guy's life by hurting him, cheating on him. He knows, and it makes him feel so bad. It's killing him to know that another guy is making me happy." "We Ride
We Ride
"We Ride" is a dancehall/R&B song written by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, and Makeba Riddick for R&B singer Rihanna's second studio album A Girl like Me . The song was confirmed as the album's third single by MTV and released in mid-2006 in the United States, where it failed to enter the...
" dealt with lyrics talking about how the guy promises that they will be together forever but she continues to describe moments which he did things that could tear them apart. The lyrics of "Dem Haters" portrays a message
Message
A message in its most general meaning is an object of communication. It is a vessel which provides information. Yet, it can also be this information. Therefore, its meaning is dependent upon the context in which it is used; the term may apply to both the information and its form...
about how loathers try to bring people down and to exclude them from your life. "Final Goodbye" deals with lyrics about a woman
Woman
A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...
who wants to spend the rest of her life with a man but feels that she needs to reveal a secret before moving on. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a song by the rock band Queen. Written by Freddie Mercury in 1979, the track featured on their 1980 album The Game, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...
" continues the avenue of love similar to "SOS". However "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" portrays a message about being in love, whereas "SOS" talks about having an overwhelming feeling towards the guy.
Content
The album's opening track "SOSSOS (Rihanna song)
"SOS" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her second studio album, A Girl like Me. The song was produced by J. R. Rotem and written by Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. It was released as the lead single from the album...
," is an uptempo dance song incorporating the key section, bass line, and drum beat
Drum beat
A drum beat or drum pattern is a rhythmic pattern, or repeated rhythm establishing the meter and groove through the pulse and subdivision, played on drum kits and other percussion instruments...
of the 1981 version of "Tainted Love" as performed by Soft Cell. Although "SOS" contains a more dance-oriented beat to create a soulful anthem of young love. The song received positive reviews by critics, calling it "a sexy club tune." The song also features three different music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
's including two promotional music videos for Agent Provocateur
Agent Provocateur (lingerie)
Agent Provocateur is a British lingerie retailer founded in 1994 by Joseph Corré and Serena Rees. The first shop was opened on London's Broadwick Street in the Soho district in 1994. Since then, the company has opened 30 stores in 13 countries across the globe. In 2007, Agent Provocateur was...
and Nike, and the official music video which was directed by Chris Applebaum
Chris Applebaum
Chris Applebaum is an American music video director, who has worked with a diverse range of artists, among them Rihanna, Hilary Duff, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mandy Moore, Natasha Bedingfield, Fountains of Wayne and Britney Spears...
. "Kisses Don't Lie," the second song, uses a mixture of 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...
elements and electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
with the mesmerizing bassline
Bassline
A bassline is the term used in many styles of popular music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, tuba or keyboard...
. On the ballad song "Unfaithful
Unfaithful (song)
"Unfaithful" is a ballad written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen for R&B singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl like Me. It was produced by Stargate and released as the album's second single in mid-2006. The music also featured, with Tamil lyrics, as the song, "Unakenna Naan" in...
" the background instrumentation features a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and strings
Strings (music)
A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
. The song is the third track and the second single from the album and was written by label-mate and fellow R&B musician Ne-Yo. Despite its strong chart performance, the song was panned by critics stating that "Rihanna's voice is not particularly strong." The fourth track, "We Ride
We Ride
"We Ride" is a dancehall/R&B song written by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, and Makeba Riddick for R&B singer Rihanna's second studio album A Girl like Me . The song was confirmed as the album's third single by MTV and released in mid-2006 in the United States, where it failed to enter the...
," features the gently strummed acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
with the production of Stargate. The song received mixed reviews from critics and was less successful than the other singles. In the video, directed by Anthony Mandler
Anthony Mandler
Anthony Mandler is a commercial and music video director, who has written and directed music videos for several artists. His most notable and frequent collaborator is Rihanna...
, Rihanna was featured hanging with her friends and scenes of her at the beach. After being the lowest-charting single in the United States from the album, the song became the last single to feature a music video.
"Dem Haters" features guest vocals by Barbadian
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...
singer Dwane Husbands
Dwane Husbands
Dwane Husbands is a Barbadian singer who is best known for being featured on the Rihanna song Dem Haters, thus appearing on her 2006 sophomore album A Girl like Me....
. The song is the album's fourth track and was 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...
. The sixth track "Final Goodbye" is a mid-tempo ballad containing ambient of strummed acoustic guitar. The following track is a collaboration with 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 Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
containing a dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
influence. "Break It Off
Break It Off
"Break It Off" is a song written by D. Bennett, K. Ford, Sean Paul, and Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna. The song, which featured Sean Paul, was the fourth and final single from Rihanna's second album A Girl like Me and was released only in the United States, Canada, and select European territories...
" is the seventh track and final single from the album. The song, not featuring a music video, still managed to reach the top ten in the United States. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a song by the rock band Queen. Written by Freddie Mercury in 1979, the track featured on their 1980 album The Game, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...
," the album's seventh track, is another collaboration song featuring Jamaican rapper J-Status. The 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...
-produced "Selfish Girl," is the eighth song of the album containing the 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...
elements. The tenth track, "P.S. (I'm Still Not Over You)," is an R&B song which was also produced by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers. "A Girl like Me," the albums eleventh song, is another R&B song although it also contains the reggae elements. The album's third ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, "A Million Miles Away," is the twelfth song on the album. It received mixed reviews from critics commenting that the song "kill whatever momentum the album has." The closing track on the album, is a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to her second single from her debut album which features American rapper Cory Gunz
Cory Gunz
Peter Cory Pankey, Jr. is an American rapper, better known by his stage name Cory Gunz. He is the son of rapper Peter Gunz, member of the rap duo Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz, and cousin of fellow rapper Junior. Gunz is currently signed to Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, After Platinum...
.
Release and promotion
During the recording process of A Girl like Me, Rihanna served as the opening for Gwen StefaniGwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
during the Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
The Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005 was the debut concert tour by American recording artist Gwen Stefani . The tour began in October 2005 in support of her debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The tour coincided with the launch of her Harajuku Lovers line of accessories.-Background:Stefani...
in Japan to promote her debut album. While performing on the tour, she performed some of the songs from the album. Before the release of the album, Rihanna was given substantial promotional support from MTV, which highlighted "SOS" on Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
, when she premiered the music video on March 23, 2006. She performed 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...
"SOS" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
February 20, 2006 and at the 2006 MuchMusic Video Awards
2006 MuchMusic Video Awards
The 2006 MuchMusic Video Awards were held on June 18, 2006 and featured performances by Fall Out Boy, Hedley, Rihanna, City and Colour, Simple Plan and others. The most nominated artists were Billy Talent, Kardinal Offishall f. Ray Robinson and Massari with 5 nominations each.-Best Video:* Kardinal...
on June 18, 2006. She then took part in advertising Nike and J.C. Penney by shooting a promotional music video for the album's lead single supported by Nike. The album was released through 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...
as a physical CD and as a digital download on April 25, 2006 in North America. On the day of the album's release date, she made a guest appearance on MTV's Total Request Live to promote the album.
The album was released eight months after Music of the Sun
Music of the Sun
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...
was released. According to her; "We just felt like it was time. It made no sense waiting...you should never put time on music. You should never say, "Okay, Music of the Sun has to be out at least a year and a half before we start with--" No. That's what's great about the music business. When you feel it's time, you just go for it. And we felt like it was time to come up with a new album." The album's lead single was included on the soundtrack of the film Bring It On: All or Nothing
Bring It On: All or Nothing
Bring It On: All or Nothing is the third installment in the Bring it On series of films that revolves around high school cheerleading. Directed by Steve Rash, the movie was released direct-to-DVD on August 8, 2006 by Universal Pictures....
as well as Rihanna making a cameo in the film as herself; her debut single, "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 also included in the soundtrack.
Rihanna performed the album's second single, "Unfaithful
Unfaithful (song)
"Unfaithful" is a ballad written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen for R&B singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl like Me. It was produced by Stargate and released as the album's second single in mid-2006. The music also featured, with Tamil lyrics, as the song, "Unakenna Naan" in...
", on Sunrise
Sunrise (TV program)
Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On weekdays the programme follows Seven Early News, and runs from 6am through to 9am.-History:...
. On AOL Music, she recorded her first Sessions@AOL
Sessions@AOL
Sessions@AOL is a special avenue of programming conducted by AOL Music. Originally an AOL exclusive, Sessions@AOL can now also be seen as an avenue for non-AOL users as well. Sessions@AOL consists of exclusive and intimate performances of songs by popular musicians, with likes of bands such as...
broadcast with her, among other content exclusive to AOL members. An expanded double-disc deluxe edition of the album was re-released in Germany titled A Girl like Me: Deluxe Edition on November 17, 2006. Aside from the original track listing, the new edition features a bonus CD containing leftover tracks from A Girl like Me and Music of the Sun. There is also an enhanced CD
Enhanced CD
Enhanced CD, also known as CD Extra and CD Plus, is a certification mark of the Recording Industry Association of America for various technologies that combine audio and computer data for use in both Compact Disc and CD-ROM players....
featuring two of her music videos. In order to promote further the album, Rihanna embarked on the Rock Tha Block Tour and then toured with Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
on the PCD World Tour from November 2006 to February 2007 in the United Kingdom. She also recorded songs for advertising the Happy fragrance by Clinique and deodorant Secret of the company P&G.
Singles
"SOSSOS (Rihanna song)
"SOS" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her second studio album, A Girl like Me. The song was produced by J. R. Rotem and written by Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. It was released as the lead single from the album...
" was the first single released from the album on March 7, 2006. The song achieved considerable airplay throughout the United States and Canada and reached high peak positions on both airplay
Airplay (song)
Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay...
charts. It contains samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of the 1981 cover version of "Tainted Love
Tainted Love
"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of The Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1965. It attained worldwide fame after being covered by Soft Cell in 1981, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart, and has since been covered by numerous groups and...
" from Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret...
. "SOS" became Rihanna's first single to reach number-one 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...
. The song also became a success internationally reaching the top five in Canada, Australia, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
"Unfaithful
Unfaithful (song)
"Unfaithful" is a ballad written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen for R&B singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl like Me. It was produced by Stargate and released as the album's second single in mid-2006. The music also featured, with Tamil lyrics, as the song, "Unakenna Naan" in...
" was released as the second single from the album on July 17, 2006. The song achieved commercial success reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, however, internationally the song performed better peaking atop the charts in Portugal, Canada and Switzerland as well as reaching the top ten in countries like New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
"We Ride
We Ride
"We Ride" is a dancehall/R&B song written by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, and Makeba Riddick for R&B singer Rihanna's second studio album A Girl like Me . The song was confirmed as the album's third single by MTV and released in mid-2006 in the United States, where it failed to enter the...
" was released as the third single from the album in September 2006. The song was released to US radio on August 21, 2006 although the song was not nearly as successful as the previous two singles, not charting on the Billboard Hot 100; it peaked at number six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart. "We Ride", however, reached number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
and it charted in the top ten in New Zealand and Finland.
"Break It Off
Break It Off
"Break It Off" is a song written by D. Bennett, K. Ford, Sean Paul, and Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna. The song, which featured Sean Paul, was the fourth and final single from Rihanna's second album A Girl like Me and was released only in the United States, Canada, and select European territories...
" (featuring Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
), was fourth and the final single from the album, released in December 2006. The song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Rihanna's fourth top ten single in the United States. "Break It Off" was one of the few songs in many years to reach the Billboard Hot 100 without a music video.
Critical reception
A Girl like Me received generally mixed to positive reviews from most music critics. Songs including "SOSSOS (Rihanna song)
"SOS" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her second studio album, A Girl like Me. The song was produced by J. R. Rotem and written by Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. It was released as the lead single from the album...
", "Unfaithful
Unfaithful (song)
"Unfaithful" is a ballad written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen for R&B singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl like Me. It was produced by Stargate and released as the album's second single in mid-2006. The music also featured, with Tamil lyrics, as the song, "Unakenna Naan" in...
" and "Break It Off
Break It Off
"Break It Off" is a song written by D. Bennett, K. Ford, Sean Paul, and Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna. The song, which featured Sean Paul, was the fourth and final single from Rihanna's second album A Girl like Me and was released only in the United States, Canada, and select European territories...
" gained particularly good notices. David Jeffries of the Allmusic said that "Versatile urban dance-pop 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...
gracefully avoids the sophomore slump with A Girl like Me, a less tropical-flavored, more urban effort than her sun-and-fun debut." Jeffries compared the track "Kisses Don't Lie" to Damien Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock" and commented that "the album gets bolder and seamlessly bounces from genre to genre [...] Rihanna goes from a film noir song that elegantly uses murder as a metaphor for cheating ("Unfaithful") to an easy-flowing weekend cruiser ("We Ride
We Ride
"We Ride" is a dancehall/R&B song written by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, and Makeba Riddick for R&B singer Rihanna's second studio album A Girl like Me . The song was confirmed as the album's third single by MTV and released in mid-2006 in the United States, where it failed to enter the...
")." Ruth Jamieson of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
noted "Chuck in a bit of Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
-esque harmony, some M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
-style electro and a dollop of reggae, and you're even closer to getting Rihanna. If you liked last year's ridiculously catchy "Pon De Replay", there's more of the same here."
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 the album 3 out of 5 stars and compared the synth riffs and machine beats from Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret...
's Eighties classic "Tainted Love
Tainted Love
"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of The Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1965. It attained worldwide fame after being covered by Soft Cell in 1981, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart, and has since been covered by numerous groups and...
," to a 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...
-like melody. Walters felt that "the follow-up doesn't deliver anything else as ingenious as its lead single: Lightweight dancehall and R&B jams lack the single's ear-bending boldness. But the burning rock guitar of "Kisses Don't Lie" and haunted strings of "Unfaithful" help make "A Girl like Me much more likable." Sal Cinquemani from 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 most of the album as "a record that almost identically alternates between the sunny dancehall/dub-pop of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "Dem Haters," hip-hop-infused club bangers like "We Ride." Cinquemani felt that the "adult-oriented ballads were at least a decade too mature for the teenage singer's minor vocal talents." He also commented that "The album's infectious lead single, "SOS," rivals Rihanna's breakout, last summer'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...
," deftly using Soft Cell's 1982 hit "Tainted Love"—itself a revision of Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
& The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
' "Where Did Our Love Go"—as a bleepy backdrop and adding a full-bodied bottom to the original tinny mod-rock track [...] Comparatively gooey and spineless slow numbers like "Final Goodbye" and "A Million Miles Away" kill whatever momentum the album has."
Commercial performance
A Girl like Me debuted at number five 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...
selling 115,000 copies in its first week, nearly twice the debut sales of Music of the Sun
Music of the Sun
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...
which sold 69,000. The album has been certified platinum
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...
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) in the United States. As of July 23, 2010 the album has sold 1,330,000 in the U.S. The album debuted at number six in Ireland on the Irish Album Chart and then reached number six on the charts. A Girl like Me was later certified 2x platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:...
(IRMA). It also debuted at number six in the United Kingdom on the UK Album Chart with sales of 24,000 on the issue dated April 24, 2006. The album reached its peak of number five in July due to the popularity of new single "Unfaithful
Unfaithful (song)
"Unfaithful" is a ballad written by Ne-Yo, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen for R&B singer Rihanna's second album, A Girl like Me. It was produced by Stargate and released as the album's second single in mid-2006. The music also featured, with Tamil lyrics, as the song, "Unakenna Naan" in...
" and it has sold almost 600,000 copies in the United Kingdom. In Europe, the album has achieved a platinum certification. The album topped charts in Canada 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...
and was later certified platinum.
In Australia, the album debuted twelve on the ARIA Albums Chart. The album later reached the number nine position and remained on the chart for twenty-one weeks. It was certified platinum for shipping 70,000 by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA). In Switzerland, A Girl like Me peaked at number six remaining at the number six position for two consecutive weeks and on the chart for thirty-nine. The album was certified platinum selling over 30,000 copies. In 2006, the album ended the year as the 20th best-selling album in the world. In Belgium, A Girl like Me debuted at number forty-five on the Belgian Albums Chart in April 2006. The album further climbed up the chart to reach the top ten at number ten. A Girl like Me managed reached the top twenty in Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, France and Denmark.
Track listing
Musicians
- Rihanna – lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Evan Rogers – backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
- Mikkel S. Ericksen – multi-instrumentalistMulti-instrumentalistA multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
- Sue Pray – viola
- Donovan "Vendetta" Bennett – multi-instrumentalist
- Ann Leathers – violin
- Andy Bassford – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Yuri Vodovoz – violin
- John Beal – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Jill Jaffe – viola
- Luke McCaster – guitar
- Eugene Briskin – cello
- Kevin Batchelor – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Yana Goichman – violin
- Clark Gayton – tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Marti Sweet – violin
- Richard Locker – cello
- Tor Erik Hermanson – multi-instrumentalist
- Maura Giannini – violin
- Carl Sturken – guitar, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, multi-instruments - Abe Appleman – 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....
- Cenovia Cummins – violin
- Jeanne Ingram – violin
- Jan Mullen – violin
- Gene Moye – cello
- Crystal Garner – viola
- Richard Sortomme – violin
- Katherine LiVolsi Stern – violin
Production
- Carl Sturken – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, vocal producer - Evan Rogers – producer, executive producer, vocal producer
- The Carter Administration – executive producer
- Augustus "Gussie" Clarke – producer
- Don Corleon – producer
- Poke & Tone – producer
- Mike City – producer, mixer
- James Auwarter – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Donovan "Vendetta" Bennett – engineer, mixerAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Dawn Boonyachlito – stylist, wardrobe
- Jay Brown – A&RA&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
- Andrea Derby – production coordination
- Rob Heselden – production assistant
- Mikkel S. Ericksen – engineer
- Chris Gehringer mastering
- Franny "Franchise" Graham – engineer
- Jeremy Harding – engineer
- Al Hemberger – engineer, mixer
- Ted Hemberger – percussion
- Patrick Viala – mixer
- Doug Joswick – package production
- Ann Leathers – concert master
- Debbie Mounsey – production assistant
- Rob Mounsey – conductor, stringStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
arrangements - Adrienne Muhammad – A&R
- Malcolm Pollack – engineer
- Makeba Riddick – vocal producer
- J.R. Rotem – engineer
- Tippi Shorter – hair stylist
- Rob Skipworth – mixing assistant
- Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith – A&R
- Phil Tan – mixer
- Tiger Stylz – engineer
- Nichell Delvaille – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, art coordinator - Tracey Waples – marketingMarketingMarketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
- Alli Truch – art direction
- Tony Duran – photography
- Valerie Wagner – designDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
Chart positions
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian 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... |
9 |
| Belgian Albums Chart | 10 |
| 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... |
1 |
| Czech Republic Albums Chart | 7 |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
8 |
| Hungarian Albums Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
3 |
| 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... |
5 |
| 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.... |
36 |
| Japanese Oricon 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... Albums Chart |
3 |
| Mexican Albums Chart | 6 |
| 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... |
7 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
6 |
| 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... |
5 |
| 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... |
5 |
| 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... |
2 |
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) |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Platinum |
| 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... |
2x Platinum |
| France 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... |
Gold |
| Germany | Gold |
| Republic of Ireland Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... |
2x Platinum |
| 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 |
| Poland Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry The Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry is the organization that represents the interests of the music industry in Poland, and the Polish chapter of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry... |
Gold |
| Russia | Platinum |
| Switzerland | Platinum |
| United Kingdom 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... |
Platinum |
| United States 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... |
Platinum |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | April 19, 2006 | Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
| Europe | April 21, 2006 | |
| Italy | ||
| United Kingdom | April 24, 2006 | Mercury Records Mercury Records Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal... |
| Australia | April 25, 2006 | Universal Music |
| Canada | ||
| United States | 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... |
|
| Germany | April 28, 2006 | Universal Music |
| Re-release | ||
| Germany | November 17, 2006 | Universal Music |
External links
- A Girl like Me 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...
- Album Review at About.comAbout.comAbout.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
- Album Review at IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...