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Disturbia (song)
Encyclopedia
"Disturbia" is a song by Barbadian
recording artist Rihanna
, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (2008), of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad
(2007). The song was released as the third single from the reloaded edition of the album, and seventh overall. "Disturbia" was sent to US Contemporary hit radio
on June 17, 2008, and was released as a CD single
in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2008. The song was written by Andre Merritt, Chris Brown, Brian Kennedy
and Rob. A
, with production of the song helmed by Kennedy.
"Disturbia" is an uptempo
dance-pop
and electro-pop song with a "sizzling" beat, which lyrically discusses the general experiences of anguish, anxiety and confusion. The song was well received by music critics
who generally praised its dark musical tone, lyrics and beat, and noted that it is reminiscent of Rihanna's previous single, "Don't Stop the Music
". "Disturbia" earned Rihanna an award for Best International Song at the 2009 NRJ Music Awards
and a nomination for Best Dance Recording
at the 51st Grammy Awards
.
"Disturbia" was a commercial success, and peaked at number one in Belgium (Flanders) and New Zealand and became a top-ten hit in more than twenty countries including Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100
chart for two consecutive weeks, and became Rihanna's third number-one single from Good Girl Gone Bad and fourth overall on the Hot 100. The accompanying music video for "Disturbia" was directed by Anthony Mandler
, which portrays Rihanna in various locations such as in a prison cell and gas chamber. "Disturbia" has regularly featured on the set list
s Rihanna's tours and live performances since its release.
"Disturbia" was originally written by Rihanna's then-boyfriend Chris Brown and his team which included Brian Kennedy
, Rob. A
and Andre Merritt, better known as the Graffiti Artizts. The track was considered to be part of the re-release edition of his album Exclusive
(2007). However, after finishing the song, Brown took preference to another song, "Forever
", which later became the lead single from his re-released album titled Exclusive: The Forever Edition (2008). He felt that "Disturbia" would be better suited for a female singer and instead forwarded the song to Rihanna. When writing the song, he was inspired "to go totally left and kind of weird". Speaking to USA Today
, Brown described his feelings with regard to him giving the song to Rihanna: "It's fun being creative and even if you have a concept in your head to write about, you can write it and give it and give it to someone else because it might not personally fit you, but it might be an idea you have."
"Disturbia" was recorded in 2008 at Rocky Mountain Recorders in Denver, Colorado
. Speaking to Nick Levine of Digital Spy
, she explained: "I went into the studio making music my way. I found myself all at once." In an interview on This Morning
, Rihanna said that the song is not necessarily about a specific personal experience, but rather the general feelings of mental anguish, anxiety and confusion. Rihanna further explained that she wanted to record the song because she felt that listeners would be able to relate to the subject matter. When Good Girl Gone Bad
was repackaged, Rihanna approached L.A. Reid, boss of Def Jam, suggesting to release "Disturbia" as a single and follow-up to "Take a Bow
". Speaking to MTV News
, Reid said, "It was the first time Rihanna actually came to me and said, 'Here's the song I want to put out.' She played me the song. That was her taking control [...] She understands what hits are, and she knows what she wants to say. She's at that place where she can do that."
and electropop song with a "sizzling" beat
. The song is reminiscent of Rihanna's previous single "Don't Stop the Music
" (2007). The rock
-tinged song opens with a horror movie-like scream
, followed by the hook
"Bum-bum-be-dum-bum-bum-be-dum-bum" which has been likened to the "Ella-ella-ella-ey-ey-ey" hook from "Umbrella" (2007). It then transitions into a spoken part, where Rihanna says What's wrong with me?/Why do I feel like this?/I'm going crazy now!, before the first verse begins. Bill Lamb from About.com
felt that the lyrics ring a bit of urban creepiness in a similar way that her 2006 single "Unfaithful
" did. However, other critics interpreted it as Rihanna singing about being frightened but felt that lyrically, it made no sense.
Fraser McAplpine from BBC Music
has claimed that the song's chorus can be likened to Eiffel 65
's "Blue (Da Ba Dee)
" (1999). According to digital music sheet published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
, "Disturbia" is composed in a key of B minor
and is set in common time
with a moderate techno-pop groove. Rihanna's vocal range spans from the lower note of F3 to the high note of D5 and the track follows a chord progression
of Bm-D-A-G in the verses and chorus. The song features various vocal effects, namely the use of Auto-Tune
and a vocoder
in contrast with the detached electronic bounce of the song and its weaving, winding melody
.
of Time
complimented the song's "rubber-ball melodies that bounce around your head". Bill Lamb
from About.com gave the track a four out five star rating and called it an "Instant dancefloor smash" with "exciting" lyrics and said that contains "the sound of an immediate hit". Lamb went on to say that "Disturbia" is Rihanna's most progressive and confident vocal to-date, displaying the authority of an established star. Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy
said that unlike the usual seventh single release by an artist, "Disturbia" is one Rihanna's stronger releases and that it proves that she is ruling '08 much like she did '07. He went on to described it as a "fun-packed electro treat filled with sizzling beats and crazy vocal effects." Fletcher further highlighted the song's strong intro hook and said that the chorus is her catchiest since "Umbrella". Spence D of IGN
felt that the track has an infectious "Bum-bum-be-dum-bum-bum" hook that sucks you into the detached electronic bounce of the track. Jaime Gill from Yahoo! Music
highlighted the song's "insistent hook, sturdy beat and weaving, winding melody." Fraser McAlpine from the BBC Music
deemed the song's plus points to be Rihanna's icy whine, the frosty-rave chorus and the Eiffel 65-like refrain.
ranked the song at number nine on its list of "Songs of the Summer of 2008". Time
Magazine has named the song on number two on its list of '10 Best Songs of the Summer', only behind Kid Rock
's "All Summer Long
". According to Caryn Ganz, a reviewer from the US-based magazine Rolling Stone
, "Disturbia" was the second best song of 2008, only behind MGMT's "Kids
". The song won the award for Best International Song at the 2009 NRJ Music Awards, however, after a miscommunication, Katy Perry accepted the award for her single "I Kissed A Girl". Later, the awards host Nikos Aliagas admitted that originally Rihanna won the award. The song also earned Rihanna a nomination for Best Dance Recording
at the 51st Grammy Awards
, but lost to Daft Punk
's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
".
Hot 100
at number eighteen on June 26, 2008, becoming Rihanna
's sixth top-twenty from Good Girl Gone Bad
. In the issue dated August 14, 2008 the song topped the chart, selling 148,000 downloads according to Nielsen SoundScan and replaced Katy Perry
's "I Kissed A Girl" after seven weeks reign. "Disturbia" became Rihanna's fourth number-one song on the chart only after "SOS
", "Umbrella
" and "Take a Bow
", and tied her with Beyoncé
and Mariah Carey
for most number-one singles of the decade. The single topped the chart for two consecutive weeks. For the Billboard issue dated September 13, 2008, "Disturbia" also topped both the Hot Dance Club Play
and Hot Dance Airplay
charts. The song also peaked at number one on the US Billboard Pop Songs, becoming her third number one on the chart, after "Unfaithful
" and "Take a Bow". By December 19, 2008, "Disturbia" had been certified triple-platinum for shipping over 3,000,000 digital sales by the RIAA. As of August 2011, the song has sold over 4,240,000 digital units in the US alone. The song was also successful in Canada, where it peaked at number two on the Canadian Hot 100
and stayed there for five weeks.
In the United Kingdom, after the release of Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded, "Disturbia" debuted on the UK Singles Chart
at number forty-seven due to strong digital sales. After the release of the music video, the song re-entered the chart at number forty-seven and ended up peaking at number three, from digital only sales giving Rihanna her eighth British top ten single. It spent eleven weeks in the top-ten on the UK Singles Chart and has sold more than 430,000 copies in the United Kingdom alone. "Disturbia" also became Rihanna's third longest charting single in the UK where it has spent 36 weeks in the Top 100, only being passed by two extra weeks from "Don't Stop the Music
" and her massive hit "Umbrella
" which spent 38 and 71 weeks respectively.
Elsewhere in Europe, "Disturbia" managed to reach the top ten in fifteen other countries. The song debuted on number three in France and stayed there for one week. Disturbia stayed on the French Singles Chart for 36 weeks, becoming Rihanna's second longest charting single on it, only after "Only Girl (In the World)
. The single was more successful in Belgium (Flanders) where it peaked at number one and managed to peak at number four in Belgium (Wallonia). It was later certified Gold by the Belgian Entertainment Association
for selling over 10,000 copies. In Spain, "Disturbia" reached a peak of ten and was also certified Gold by the Productores de Música de España. The song managed to reach number two in Finland, number three in Norway, number four in Austria, Denmark, Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland, number five in Germany, number seven in Slovakia and number ten in Czech Republic, and Netherlands. The song reached number one in New Zealand, becoming Rihanna's third number one single, and her first since "Umbrella". On August 23, 2009 "Disturbia" was certified Platinum, for selling over 15,000 copies. In Australia
, it managed to reach number six. It was certified Gold on the downloads alone, before the physical release several weeks later, when it was subsequently certified Platinum.
, California
. Originally, it was reported that the video was directed by American photographer and director, David LaChapelle
, who previously directed Christina Aguilera's "Dirrty
" (2002) and Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl
" (2004). However, later sources came on surface saying that the video was directed by Rihanna's long collaborator Anthony Mandler
, who previously directed her music videos for "Shut Up and Drive
" (2007), "Hate That I Love You
" (2007) and "Take a Bow
" (2008). Rihanna also co-directed the video, becoming her second work after the co-direction for the 2007 single "Don't Stop the Music
". The video was choreographed by Rihanna
's long time choreographer, Tina Landon
, who is best known for her work with Janet Jackson
. The "Disturbia" music video, was released exclusively on iTunes
on July 22, 2008. The video managed to reach the top spot on Total Request Live
in August, 2008 and stayed there for eleven days.
-esque dance routine. As the second verse starts, Rihanna is seen holding a column and fire is around her. As the song continues, Rihanna drags a man doll around a metal web. In the second chorus she wears a metal spines corset while one tarantula
is upon her arm. In the later scene, Rihanna is in a very tiny room, with her hands and legs been tied up. The video ends with Rihanna turning around on her chair.
According to Tamar Anitai from MTV Buzzworthy, "Disturbia" is "yin to the yang of Chris Brown's 'Wall to Wall
' which features creepy crawly chicks climbing the walls in latex." He later, listed the video at number five on the "Buzzworthy's Top 5 Most Paranoid Music Videos" stating: "In Rihanna's "Disturbia" video, obsession manifests itself in freaky-deaky tarantulas, wigs, wolves, and a creepy dude in an eye patch. And S&M-y corsets. Paranoia never looked so supernaturally sexy!". Simon Vozick-Levinson from Entertainment Weekly
also reviewed the video commenting: "It looks like she accidentally wandered into Nine Inch Nails 'Closer' video, or else some sort of freaky Victorian mental hospital". He later continued saying that the video is not what he expected from a dance-pop song, but it's also cool that Rihanna is trying something new.
. The song opened the show, and was performed after Britney Spears
' opening speech. Rihanna performed it while revealing a leather "goth inspired" outfit. Together with the dancer troops, she performed a Thriller
inspired dance, with glow sticks and leather props being used through the performance. About the performance, Brian Orloff from People
commented that "after Britney left, the stage was ceded to a futuristic-looking Rihanna, who launched into her hit 'Disturbia' with a goth-theme." In 2011, according to poll made by Billboard, the performance was the tenth best ever on the MTV Video Music Awards
. On September 19, 2008 Rihanna went to France, to perform "Disturbia" at Star Academy France. Following the performance of the song, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded soared from number forty-three to number eleven and peaked at number eight the following week, becoming Rihanna's first album to reach the top ten in France. Rihanna also performed "Disturbia" at the 2009 Super Bowl which was held at the Pepsi Center
in Denver, Colorado
. It was the first song on the set-list that also featured other songs from her latest release Good Girl Gone Bad. The performance of the song featured a sample from White Stripes song "Seven Nation Army
" and flames that shot up across the front of the stage.
Following the release of her fourth studio album Rated R
(2009), Rihanna held a Nokia
promotional concert at Brixton Academy in London
. Rihanna performed the song as part of a set list, which included some songs from the new release: "Russian Roulette
", "Wait Your Turn
" and "Hard
", the latter of which Rihanna was joined on stage by Young Jeezy
, to perform the song together. However, during the set, Rihanna also performed other songs from Good Girl Gone Bad, including "Don't Stop the Music
" and "Take a Bow
". "Run This Town
" and "Umbrella
" were performed with assistance of Jay-Z, who's vocals are featured on the songs. On February 5, 2010, Rihanna performed at the Pepsi Super Bowl in Miami, Florida
. She performed "Disturbia" in a medley with other songs including "Russian Roulette" and "Wait Your Turn". Rihanna performed the song while revealing a one-shoulder, one-leg catsuit that featured white trimming. In February 2010 she also recorded an AOL Sessions, where she performed the song together with other tracks including "Hard", "Rude Boy
" and "Take a Bow".
Rihanna performed "Disturbia" on her three major tours: Good Girl Gone Bad (2007—09), Last Girl on Earth
(2010—11) and the Loud Tour
(2011). The song was added on the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour set list during the Australasian leg of the tour. It was the opening song, performed only after the intro on the tour. Rihanna also performed "Disturbia" on her second major concert tour, Last Girl on Earth Tour. The song was performed as the sixth track, after "Fire Bomb". Rihanna performed a slower ballad remix tempo of the song, surrounded by three big four-legged insect monsters as she crawled on the floor to escape while singing it. About the performance Lisa Wilton from Calgary Sun
commented that: "Rihanna's goth side came out - and by 'goth side' I mean she sang alongside dancers dressed as freaky, giant spiders - during the darker dancefloor anthem, 'Disturbia'." On her Loud Tour, Rihanna performed "Disturbia" as second track, only after the opening song "Only Girl (In the World)
". Rihanna performed the song in a brightly colored sequined bikini, while partially been dragging on a moveable floor. Rob Williams from Winipeg Free Press stated: "Rihanna dropped her blue coat to reveal a jewel- encrusted bikini for 'Disturbia'. It was the first of numerous costume changes that showed off her fashion sense and plenty of skin."
Digital Remixes
FR Extended Play
UK and German CD single
Barbadian people
Barbadians are people originating on the Caribbean island of Barbados whether they live there or in the Barbadian diaspora.Rihanna is by far the most popular Barbadian on the planet.-Diaspora:...
recording artist 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...
, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (2008), of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad
Good Girl Gone Bad
Good Girl Gone Bad is the third studio album by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released May 30, 2007, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place during October 2006 to April 2007 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Rihanna worked with producers Christopher "Tricky"...
(2007). The song was released as the third single from the reloaded edition of the album, and seventh overall. "Disturbia" was sent to US Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
on June 17, 2008, and was released as a CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2008. The song was written by Andre Merritt, Chris Brown, Brian Kennedy
Brian Kennedy (producer)
Brian Kennedy Seals is an American songwriter, record producer and musician from Kansas City, MO. Revered as a piano prodigy, he has been making music tracks since 2001...
and Rob. A
Rob. A
Rob. A! is an American Singer-songwriter and Producer popular for layering soulful vocals on top of rhythmic Pop tracks, a unique vocal background and arrangement comprised through his special engineering style...
, with production of the song helmed by Kennedy.
"Disturbia" is an uptempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
and electro-pop song with a "sizzling" beat, which lyrically discusses the general experiences of anguish, anxiety and confusion. The song was well received by music critics
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
who generally praised its dark musical tone, lyrics and beat, and noted that it is reminiscent of Rihanna's previous single, "Don't Stop the Music
Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna song)
"Don't Stop the Music" is a dance-pop song performed by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. It was the third single from the album in most of Europe, the second single in Germany and Spain and the fourth single in the rest of the world...
". "Disturbia" earned Rihanna an award for Best International Song at the 2009 NRJ Music Awards
NRJ Music Awards
The NRJ Music Awards, created in 2000 by the radio station NRJ in partnership with the television network TF1 takes place every year in mid-January at Cannes as the opening of MIDEM...
and a nomination for Best Dance Recording
Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording
The Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the dance music genre...
at the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
.
"Disturbia" was a commercial success, and peaked at number one in Belgium (Flanders) and New Zealand and became a top-ten hit in more than twenty countries including Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. The song topped the US 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...
chart for two consecutive weeks, and became Rihanna's third number-one single from Good Girl Gone Bad and fourth overall on the Hot 100. The accompanying music video for "Disturbia" was 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...
, which portrays Rihanna in various locations such as in a prison cell and gas chamber. "Disturbia" has regularly featured on the set list
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
s Rihanna's tours and live performances since its release.
Background
Brian Kennedy (producer)
Brian Kennedy Seals is an American songwriter, record producer and musician from Kansas City, MO. Revered as a piano prodigy, he has been making music tracks since 2001...
, Rob. A
Rob. A
Rob. A! is an American Singer-songwriter and Producer popular for layering soulful vocals on top of rhythmic Pop tracks, a unique vocal background and arrangement comprised through his special engineering style...
and Andre Merritt, better known as the Graffiti Artizts. The track was considered to be part of the re-release edition of his album Exclusive
Exclusive (album)
Exclusive is the second studio album by American recording artist Chris Brown. The album was originally scheduled to be released August 28, 2007, but was pushed back to October 30, 2007, then pushed back even further to its final release date of November 6, 2007.The album was both critically and...
(2007). However, after finishing the song, Brown took preference to another song, "Forever
Forever (Chris Brown song)
"Forever" is a song by American R&B singer Chris Brown. It is produced by Polow da Don. It is the first single from the repackaged Exclusive: Forever Edition, and is the fifth overall single by Brown from his second studio album, Exclusive with uncredited backing vocals from Keri Hilson...
", which later became the lead single from his re-released album titled Exclusive: The Forever Edition (2008). He felt that "Disturbia" would be better suited for a female singer and instead forwarded the song to Rihanna. When writing the song, he was inspired "to go totally left and kind of weird". Speaking to USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, Brown described his feelings with regard to him giving the song to Rihanna: "It's fun being creative and even if you have a concept in your head to write about, you can write it and give it and give it to someone else because it might not personally fit you, but it might be an idea you have."
"Disturbia" was recorded in 2008 at Rocky Mountain Recorders in Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Speaking to Nick Levine of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
, she explained: "I went into the studio making music my way. I found myself all at once." In an interview on This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
, Rihanna said that the song is not necessarily about a specific personal experience, but rather the general feelings of mental anguish, anxiety and confusion. Rihanna further explained that she wanted to record the song because she felt that listeners would be able to relate to the subject matter. When Good Girl Gone Bad
Good Girl Gone Bad
Good Girl Gone Bad is the third studio album by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released May 30, 2007, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place during October 2006 to April 2007 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Rihanna worked with producers Christopher "Tricky"...
was repackaged, Rihanna approached L.A. Reid, boss of Def Jam, suggesting to release "Disturbia" as a single and follow-up to "Take a Bow
Take a Bow (Rihanna song)
"Take a Bow" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was written and produced by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen and Shaffer Smith, under their stage names Stargate and Ne-Yo...
". Speaking to MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
, Reid said, "It was the first time Rihanna actually came to me and said, 'Here's the song I want to put out.' She played me the song. That was her taking control [...] She understands what hits are, and she knows what she wants to say. She's at that place where she can do that."
Composition
Musically, "Disturbia" is an uptempo dance-popDance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
and electropop song with a "sizzling" beat
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
. The song is reminiscent of Rihanna's previous single "Don't Stop the Music
Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna song)
"Don't Stop the Music" is a dance-pop song performed by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. It was the third single from the album in most of Europe, the second single in Germany and Spain and the fourth single in the rest of the world...
" (2007). The rock
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...
-tinged song opens with a horror movie-like scream
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
, followed by the hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
"Bum-bum-be-dum-bum-bum-be-dum-bum" which has been likened to the "Ella-ella-ella-ey-ey-ey" hook from "Umbrella" (2007). It then transitions into a spoken part, where Rihanna says What's wrong with me?/Why do I feel like this?/I'm going crazy now!, before the first verse begins. Bill Lamb from About.com
About.com
About.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....
felt that the lyrics ring a bit of urban creepiness in a similar way that her 2006 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...
" did. However, other critics interpreted it as Rihanna singing about being frightened but felt that lyrically, it made no sense.
Fraser McAplpine from BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
has claimed that the song's chorus can be likened to Eiffel 65
Eiffel 65
Eiffel 65 is an Italian three-piece group formed in the late 1990s and best known for pioneering in pitch-correction and autotune, and for their international hit "Blue ". Their other hit singles include "Move Your Body" and "Too Much of Heaven", all of which appeared on their album Europop,...
's "Blue (Da Ba Dee)
Blue (Da Ba Dee)
"Blue " is a eurodance song released in 1999 by Italian group Eiffel 65, as a single from their debut album Europop ....
" (1999). According to digital music sheet published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing is a music publishing company co-owned by The Michael Jackson Family Trust and Sony. The organisation was originally founded as Associated TeleVision in 1955 by Lew Grade. In 1957, ATV acquired Pye Records as a wholly owned subsidiary...
, "Disturbia" is composed in a key of B minor
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. The harmonic minor raises the A to A. Its key signature has two sharps .Its relative major is D major, and its parallel major is B major....
and is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
with a moderate techno-pop groove. Rihanna's vocal range spans from the lower note of F3 to the high note of D5 and the track follows a chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
of Bm-D-A-G in the verses and chorus. The song features various vocal effects, namely the use of Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune is a proprietary audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform apparently perfectly tuned vocal...
and a vocoder
Vocoder
A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
in contrast with the detached electronic bounce of the song and its weaving, winding melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
.
Critical reception
"Disturbia" received positive reviews from contemporary music critics. Josh TyrangielJosh Tyrangiel
Josh Tyrangiel is a journalist, and editor of Bloomberg Businessweek. He joined the magazine following its acquisition by Bloomberg L.P. in December 2009. Prior to joining Bloomberg Businessweek, Tyrangiel was deputy managing editor of TIME magazine and managing editor of TIME.com...
of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
complimented the song's "rubber-ball melodies that bounce around your head". Bill Lamb
Bill Lamb
The Hon. William Henry Lamb was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1938 until 1962 and, variously, a member of the Australian Labor Party and the Lang Labor Party...
from About.com gave the track a four out five star rating and called it an "Instant dancefloor smash" with "exciting" lyrics and said that contains "the sound of an immediate hit". Lamb went on to say that "Disturbia" is Rihanna's most progressive and confident vocal to-date, displaying the authority of an established star. Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
said that unlike the usual seventh single release by an artist, "Disturbia" is one Rihanna's stronger releases and that it proves that she is ruling '08 much like she did '07. He went on to described it as a "fun-packed electro treat filled with sizzling beats and crazy vocal effects." Fletcher further highlighted the song's strong intro hook and said that the chorus is her catchiest since "Umbrella". Spence D of IGN
IGN
IGN 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...
felt that the track has an infectious "Bum-bum-be-dum-bum-bum" hook that sucks you into the detached electronic bounce of the track. Jaime Gill from Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
highlighted the song's "insistent hook, sturdy beat and weaving, winding melody." Fraser McAlpine from the BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
deemed the song's plus points to be Rihanna's icy whine, the frosty-rave chorus and the Eiffel 65-like refrain.
Recognition and accolades
About.com listed the song at number two, behind "Umbrella", on its list 'Rihanna's Best Hit Songs' and at number eight on its list for 'The Best Uses of Auto-Tune in Pop Music'. BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
ranked the song at number nine on its list of "Songs of the Summer of 2008". Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
Magazine has named the song on number two on its list of '10 Best Songs of the Summer', only behind Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
's "All Summer Long
All Summer Long (Kid Rock song)
"All Summer Long" is the title of a song recorded by Kid Rock. It was released in 2008 as the third single from his ninth studio album Rock n Roll Jesus. The song contains musical and lyrical references to several hit songs of the 1970s, including Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and Lynyrd...
". According to Caryn Ganz, a reviewer from the US-based magazine 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...
, "Disturbia" was the second best song of 2008, only behind MGMT's "Kids
Kids (MGMT song)
"Kids" is the third single from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular. It was released as a single on October 13, 2008.The song was the center of a legal dispute with the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, over the "insulting" compensation he offered for his illegal use of the song during a party...
". The song won the award for Best International Song at the 2009 NRJ Music Awards, however, after a miscommunication, Katy Perry accepted the award for her single "I Kissed A Girl". Later, the awards host Nikos Aliagas admitted that originally Rihanna won the award. The song also earned Rihanna a nomination for Best Dance Recording
Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording
The Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the dance music genre...
at the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
, but lost to Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is a song by French duo Daft Punk. The single was first released on 13 October 2001. A live version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was released as a single from the album Alive 2007 on 15 October 2007. This version won a Grammy Award for Best Dance...
".
Chart performance
"Disturbia" debuted on the US BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
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...
at number eighteen on June 26, 2008, becoming 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...
's sixth top-twenty from Good Girl Gone Bad
Good Girl Gone Bad
Good Girl Gone Bad is the third studio album by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released May 30, 2007, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place during October 2006 to April 2007 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Rihanna worked with producers Christopher "Tricky"...
. In the issue dated August 14, 2008 the song topped the chart, selling 148,000 downloads according to Nielsen SoundScan and replaced Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
's "I Kissed A Girl" after seven weeks reign. "Disturbia" became Rihanna's fourth number-one song on the chart only after "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...
", "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
" and "Take a Bow
Take a Bow (Rihanna song)
"Take a Bow" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was written and produced by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen and Shaffer Smith, under their stage names Stargate and Ne-Yo...
", and tied her with Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
and Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
for most number-one singles of the decade. The single topped the chart for two consecutive weeks. For the Billboard issue dated September 13, 2008, "Disturbia" also topped both the 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 Hot Dance Airplay
Hot Dance Airplay
Dance/Mix Show Airplay is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is featured weekly in Billboard magazine. The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic dance music on the radio in the United States and the stations that program it...
charts. The song also peaked at number one on the US Billboard Pop Songs, becoming her third number one on the chart, after "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 "Take a Bow". By December 19, 2008, "Disturbia" had been certified triple-platinum for shipping over 3,000,000 digital sales by the RIAA. As of August 2011, the song has sold over 4,240,000 digital units in the US alone. The song was also successful in Canada, where it peaked at number two on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
and stayed there for five weeks.
In the United Kingdom, after the release of Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded, "Disturbia" debuted on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number forty-seven due to strong digital sales. After the release of the music video, the song re-entered the chart at number forty-seven and ended up peaking at number three, from digital only sales giving Rihanna her eighth British top ten single. It spent eleven weeks in the top-ten on the UK Singles Chart and has sold more than 430,000 copies in the United Kingdom alone. "Disturbia" also became Rihanna's third longest charting single in the UK where it has spent 36 weeks in the Top 100, only being passed by two extra weeks from "Don't Stop the Music
Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna song)
"Don't Stop the Music" is a dance-pop song performed by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. It was the third single from the album in most of Europe, the second single in Germany and Spain and the fourth single in the rest of the world...
" and her massive hit "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
" which spent 38 and 71 weeks respectively.
Elsewhere in Europe, "Disturbia" managed to reach the top ten in fifteen other countries. The song debuted on number three in France and stayed there for one week. Disturbia stayed on the French Singles Chart for 36 weeks, becoming Rihanna's second longest charting single on it, only after "Only Girl (In the World)
Only Girl (In the World)
"Only Girl " is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fifth studio album, Loud . The song was released as the album's lead single on September 10, 2010 through Def Jam. It was written by Crystal Johnson, Norwegian production duo Stargate and Sandy Vee, and produced by Stargate and Vee...
. The single was more successful in Belgium (Flanders) where it peaked at number one and managed to peak at number four in Belgium (Wallonia). It was later certified Gold by the Belgian Entertainment Association
Belgian Entertainment Association
The Belgian Entertainment Association is the organization that represents the interests of the music, video and video game industries in Belgium...
for selling over 10,000 copies. In Spain, "Disturbia" reached a peak of ten and was also certified Gold by the Productores de Música de España. The song managed to reach number two in Finland, number three in Norway, number four in Austria, Denmark, Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland, number five in Germany, number seven in Slovakia and number ten in Czech Republic, and Netherlands. The song reached number one in New Zealand, becoming Rihanna's third number one single, and her first since "Umbrella". On August 23, 2009 "Disturbia" was certified Platinum, for selling over 15,000 copies. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, it managed to reach number six. It was certified Gold on the downloads alone, before the physical release several weeks later, when it was subsequently certified Platinum.
Background
The music video for "Disturbia" was filmed on July 1, 2008 in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Originally, it was reported that the video was directed by American photographer and director, David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle is a photographer and director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique, sexualized, and often humorous style.-Early life:...
, who previously directed Christina Aguilera's "Dirrty
Dirrty
"Dirrty" is a song performed by American singer Christina Aguilera featuring rapper Reggie "Redman" Noble. The song was written by Aguilera and Redman along with Jasper Cameron, Balewa Muhammad, and Rockwilder for Aguilera's fourth studio album Stripped...
" (2002) and Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl
Rich Girl (Gwen Stefani song)
"Rich Girl" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. . Produced by Dr. Dre, the track features rapper Eve, and is a remake of Louchie Lou & Michie One's 1993 song of the same name, which was in turn an adaptation of the Fiddler on the...
" (2004). However, later sources came on surface saying that the video was directed by Rihanna's long collaborator 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...
, who previously directed her music videos for "Shut Up and Drive
Shut Up and Drive (Rihanna song)
"Shut Up and Drive" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, from her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . Released as album's second single, the song was solicited to the US radios on June 12, 2007 and was physically released on August 27, 2007 in the United Kingdom...
" (2007), "Hate That I Love You
Hate That I Love You
"Hate That I Love You" is a song by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released as the third single from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad on August 21, 2007. It features R&B singer Ne-Yo, who had worked with Rihanna previously, contributing to her 2006 hit "Unfaithful". The song was produced...
" (2007) and "Take a Bow
Take a Bow (Rihanna song)
"Take a Bow" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was written and produced by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen and Shaffer Smith, under their stage names Stargate and Ne-Yo...
" (2008). Rihanna also co-directed the video, becoming her second work after the co-direction for the 2007 single "Don't Stop the Music
Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna song)
"Don't Stop the Music" is a dance-pop song performed by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. It was the third single from the album in most of Europe, the second single in Germany and Spain and the fourth single in the rest of the world...
". The video was choreographed by 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...
's long time choreographer, Tina Landon
Tina Landon
Tina Landon is an award-winning Mexican-American choreographer based in Los Angeles who has worked with Prince, Anastacia, Mýa, Pink, Jay-Z, Marc Anthony, Kristi Yamaguchi, Aerosmith, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Shakira, Pussycat Dolls, Tina...
, who is best known for her work with Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
. The "Disturbia" music video, was released exclusively on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on July 22, 2008. The video managed to reach the top spot 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...
in August, 2008 and stayed there for eleven days.
Synopsis and reception
The music video for "Disturbia" begins in a surrealistic torture chamber where Rihanna is seen dressed in black, wearing a dark make-up and having long black nails while she presses the keys of a big dark piano and looks into the camera. As the song starts different images of Rihanna are shown. In one of the scenes she is seen imprisoned wearing lenses that make look as if her eyes have rolled into the back of her head. Rihanna stays in the prison with two men watching on her from the both sides. Other scenes include Rihanna sitting on a throne chair and singing the song, while two strange women are around her. Then, multiple people around her are holding her in front of a gas chamber. As the chorus starts Rihanna is seen tied up in a bed from which she can't get out. At the bridge of the song Rihanna and her dancers are performing a ThrillerThriller (music video)
Michael Jackson's Thriller is a 14-minute music video for the song of the same name released on December 2, 1983 and directed by John Landis, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jackson....
-esque dance routine. As the second verse starts, Rihanna is seen holding a column and fire is around her. As the song continues, Rihanna drags a man doll around a metal web. In the second chorus she wears a metal spines corset while one tarantula
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
is upon her arm. In the later scene, Rihanna is in a very tiny room, with her hands and legs been tied up. The video ends with Rihanna turning around on her chair.
According to Tamar Anitai from MTV Buzzworthy, "Disturbia" is "yin to the yang of Chris Brown's 'Wall to Wall
Wall to Wall (song)
"Wall to Wall" is a song by American singer Chris Brown, released as the first single from his second studio album, Exclusive. The song was produced by Sean Garrett and features a riff similar to "Release the Beast" by Breakwater.-Music video:...
' which features creepy crawly chicks climbing the walls in latex." He later, listed the video at number five on the "Buzzworthy's Top 5 Most Paranoid Music Videos" stating: "In Rihanna's "Disturbia" video, obsession manifests itself in freaky-deaky tarantulas, wigs, wolves, and a creepy dude in an eye patch. And S&M-y corsets. Paranoia never looked so supernaturally sexy!". Simon Vozick-Levinson from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
also reviewed the video commenting: "It looks like she accidentally wandered into Nine Inch Nails 'Closer' video, or else some sort of freaky Victorian mental hospital". He later continued saying that the video is not what he expected from a dance-pop song, but it's also cool that Rihanna is trying something new.
Live performances
Rihanna performed "Disturbia" for first time at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards2008 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 7, 2008 live from Paramount Pictures Studios , honoring the best music videos from the previous year. Nominations for a majority of the categories were announced on the MTV program FNMTV after being selected through viewer online voting at...
. The song opened the show, and was performed after Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
' opening speech. Rihanna performed it while revealing a leather "goth inspired" outfit. Together with the dancer troops, she performed a Thriller
Thriller (song)
"Thriller" is a song recorded by American recording artist Michael Jackson, composed by Rod Temperton, and produced by Quincy Jones. It is the seventh and final single from his sixth studio album Thriller. It was released on January 23, 1984 by Epic Records...
inspired dance, with glow sticks and leather props being used through the performance. About the performance, Brian Orloff from People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
commented that "after Britney left, the stage was ceded to a futuristic-looking Rihanna, who launched into her hit 'Disturbia' with a goth-theme." In 2011, according to poll made by Billboard, the performance was the tenth best ever on the MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
. On September 19, 2008 Rihanna went to France, to perform "Disturbia" at Star Academy France. Following the performance of the song, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded soared from number forty-three to number eleven and peaked at number eight the following week, becoming Rihanna's first album to reach the top ten in France. Rihanna also performed "Disturbia" at the 2009 Super Bowl which was held at the Pepsi Center
Pepsi Center
Pepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League...
in Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. It was the first song on the set-list that also featured other songs from her latest release Good Girl Gone Bad. The performance of the song featured a sample from White Stripes song "Seven Nation Army
Seven Nation Army
"Seven Nation Army" is the first track on the album Elephant by American alternative rock band The White Stripes. It was released as a single in 2003. "Seven Nation Army" reached #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks for three weeks and won 2004's Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. The song is known for its...
" and flames that shot up across the front of the stage.
Following the release of her fourth studio album Rated R
Rated R (Rihanna album)
Rated R is the fourth studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, first released November 20, 2009, on Def Jam Recordings. The album is a musical distance from her previous effort Good Girl Gone Bad , which contained up-tempo and ballad-oriented songs, and it heavily incorporated pop and...
(2009), Rihanna held a Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
promotional concert at Brixton Academy in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Rihanna performed the song as part of a set list, which included some songs from the new release: "Russian Roulette
Russian Roulette (song)
"Russian Roulette" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album Rated R . The song premiered on radio stations on October 20, 2009 and was released as the album's lead single on October 26, 2009 through Def Jam Recordings. It was written and produced by...
", "Wait Your Turn
Wait Your Turn
"Wait Your Turn" is a song performed by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was written by StarGate and Chase & Status, James Fauntleroy II, Takura Tendayi and Rihanna, and produced by the first two of these production teams...
" and "Hard
Hard (song)
"Hard" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R . It was written by Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart, Rihanna and American rapper Jeezy, who also provides featured vocals. Nash and Stewart produced the song under their respective stage names The-Dream...
", the latter of which Rihanna was joined on stage by Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
, to perform the song together. However, during the set, Rihanna also performed other songs from Good Girl Gone Bad, including "Don't Stop the Music
Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna song)
"Don't Stop the Music" is a dance-pop song performed by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. It was the third single from the album in most of Europe, the second single in Germany and Spain and the fourth single in the rest of the world...
" and "Take a Bow
Take a Bow (Rihanna song)
"Take a Bow" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was written and produced by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen and Shaffer Smith, under their stage names Stargate and Ne-Yo...
". "Run This Town
Run This Town
"Run This Town" is a 2009 song performed by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West. The song features Rihanna. The track was produced by Kanye West alongside No I.D. It is released as the second single of Jay-Z's eleventh studio album The Blueprint 3...
" and "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
" were performed with assistance of Jay-Z, who's vocals are featured on the songs. On February 5, 2010, Rihanna performed at the Pepsi Super Bowl in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. She performed "Disturbia" in a medley with other songs including "Russian Roulette" and "Wait Your Turn". Rihanna performed the song while revealing a one-shoulder, one-leg catsuit that featured white trimming. In February 2010 she also recorded an AOL Sessions, where she performed the song together with other tracks including "Hard", "Rude Boy
Rude Boy (song)
"Rude Boy" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the third single from the album on February 19, 2010, through Def Jam. It was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Ester Dean, Makeba Riddick, Rob Swire...
" and "Take a Bow".
Rihanna performed "Disturbia" on her three major tours: Good Girl Gone Bad (2007—09), Last Girl on Earth
Last Girl on Earth Tour
The Last Girl on Earth Tour was the third concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. Visiting Europe, Asia, North America and Australia, the tour supported her fourth studio album, Rated R . The tour was announced through MTV News in December 2009...
(2010—11) and the Loud Tour
Loud Tour
The Loud Tour is the fourth concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. Performing in over twenty countries in the Americas and Europe, the tour supports Rihanna’s fifth studio album, Loud...
(2011). The song was added on the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour set list during the Australasian leg of the tour. It was the opening song, performed only after the intro on the tour. Rihanna also performed "Disturbia" on her second major concert tour, Last Girl on Earth Tour. The song was performed as the sixth track, after "Fire Bomb". Rihanna performed a slower ballad remix tempo of the song, surrounded by three big four-legged insect monsters as she crawled on the floor to escape while singing it. About the performance Lisa Wilton from Calgary Sun
Calgary Sun
The Calgary Sun is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.First published in 1980, the tabloid-format daily replaced the long-running broadsheet newspaper, The Albertan soon after it was acquired by the publishers of the Toronto...
commented that: "Rihanna's goth side came out - and by 'goth side' I mean she sang alongside dancers dressed as freaky, giant spiders - during the darker dancefloor anthem, 'Disturbia'." On her Loud Tour, Rihanna performed "Disturbia" as second track, only after the opening song "Only Girl (In the World)
Only Girl (In the World)
"Only Girl " is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fifth studio album, Loud . The song was released as the album's lead single on September 10, 2010 through Def Jam. It was written by Crystal Johnson, Norwegian production duo Stargate and Sandy Vee, and produced by Stargate and Vee...
". Rihanna performed the song in a brightly colored sequined bikini, while partially been dragging on a moveable floor. Rob Williams from Winipeg Free Press stated: "Rihanna dropped her blue coat to reveal a jewel- encrusted bikini for 'Disturbia'. It was the first of numerous costume changes that showed off her fashion sense and plenty of skin."
Formats and track listing
Digital download- "Disturbia" (Album Version) — 4:00
- "Disturbia" (Instrumental) — 3:58
Digital Remixes
- "Disturbia" (Jody Den Broeder Remix) — 7:45
- "Disturbia" (Craig C's Master Vocal Mix) — 9:17
- "Disturbia" (Craig C's and Nique's Tribal Mayhem Mix) — 8:21
- "Disturbia" (Jody Den Broeder Bum Bum Dub) — 8:15
- "Disturbia" (Craig C's Disturbstramental Mix) — 9:17
FR Extended Play
- "Disturbia" (Album Version) — 4:00
- "Disturbia" (Jody den Broeder Radio Edit) - 3:52
- "Disturbia" (Instrumental) — 3:58
UK and German CD single
- "Disturbia" - 3:58
- "Disturbia" (Jody den Broeder Radio Edit) - 3:52
- "Disturbia" (Instrumental) - 3:58
- "Disturbia" (Music video) - 4:20
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded liner notes.- Vocals by Rihanna
- Backing vocals by Andre Meritt and Chris Brown
- Written and composed by Andre Meritt, Chris Brown, Brian Kennedy and Rob A.
- Produced by Brian Kennedy
- Recorded at the Rocky Mountain Recorders in Denver, Colorado
- Recorded by Andrew Vastola
- Vocal Production by Makeba Ridick
- Mixed by Phil Tan
- Assistant (s): Carlos Oyanedel
Weekly charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Belgium | Gold |
| Denmark | Platinum |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Platinum |
| Spain PROMUSICAE Spanish Music Producers is a trade group representing the Spanish recording industry... |
Gold |
| Sweden | Gold |
| 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... |
Silver |
| 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... |
3× Platinum |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles 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... |
22 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
45 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
23 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... (Wallonia) |
71 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
8 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 38 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 17 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
49 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
18 |
| New Zealand Singles 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... |
21 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 36 |
| Swiss Singles 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... |
21 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
18 |
| Charts (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Singles Chart | 74 |
| US 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... |
77 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–09) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 Best of the 2000s | 64 |
Chart precession and succession
Radio and release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
June 17, 2008 | Mainstream airplay Contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts... |
The Island Def Jam Music Group 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... |
| June 24, 2008 | Rhythmic Rhythmic Contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may... airplay |
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| 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... |
July 22, 2008 | CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... |
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... |
| United States | August 5, 2008 | Digital remix Remix A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song .... es |
The Island Def Jam Music Group |
| United Kingdom | |||
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
September 26, 2008 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
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| Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
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| Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
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| France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
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| France | EP Extended play An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact... |
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| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Digital download | ||
| Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
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| 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... |
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| Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
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| New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
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| Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
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| Portugal Portugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... |
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| Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
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| Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
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| Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
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| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
October 3, 2008 | CD single | Universal Music |
External links
- Rihanna "Disturbia" music video on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....