Rihanna has released four video albums and appeared in 62 music videos, 12 films, 13 television programs, and several television commercials. In 2005, Rihanna signed a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings and released her debut single "Pon de Replay", taken from her first studio album Music of the Sun (2005). Like its lyrical theme, the music video for the song was inspired by disco and dance; it was directed by Little X. Three separate videos were released for "SOS", the lead single from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006), all of which contained various dance sequences. The same year, American director Anthony Mandler directed the accompanying music video for the second single "Unfaithful", which featured Rihanna in a dangerous love triangle with her lover and her husband. "Unfaithful" was Rihanna's first collaboration with Mandler; they later worked together regularly. Also in 2006, Rihanna played herself in the third installment of the Bring It On film series, entitled Bring It On: All or Nothing.
The music video for "Umbrella", the lead single from her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), was directed by Chris Applebaum and featured scenes of Rihanna naked and covered in silver paint. It won the Video of the Year accolade at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Seven more singles, accompanied with separate music videos directed by Mandler, were released from the album. Rihanna flew to Europe to shoot the music videos for the 2007 singles "Shut Up and Drive" and "Don't Stop the Music" in Prague. "Russian Roulette", the lead single from Rihanna's fourth studio album Rated R (2009), featured a cameo appearance by American actor and model Jesse Williams. The music video for the second single, "Hard", was directed by Melina Matsoukas, who also directed the videos for Rihanna's 2010 singles, "Rude Boy" and "Rockstar 101". The same year, Rihanna provided vocals for Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie". The song's accompanying music video features actors Dominic Monaghan and Megan Fox in a love-hate relationship while Eminem and Rihanna perform in front of a burning house. In 2010, Rihanna also filmed the scenes for her second film appearance in Battleship, which was released in April 2012.
In 2011, three of Rihanna's videos met with criticism and controversy. The Matsoukas-directed music video for "S&M" (Loud, 2010) faced a lawsuit from American photographer David LaChapelle and was banned in eleven countries due to its sexual content. The Parents Television Council (PTC) criticized Rihanna for her "cold, calculated execution of murder" in the video for her 2011 single "Man Down". In September 2011, Rihanna released "We Found Love", the lead single from her sixth studio album, Talk That Talk; its music video caused controversy from some activist groups, including The Rape Crisis Centre in the UK. Christian youth pastors and the Ulster Cancer Foundation also criticized the video for Rihanna's portrayal of sexual intercourse while under the influence of illegal drugs, not being a role model to young girls and women and for smoking in the video. Despite the criticism, the video won the awards for Video of the Year at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. Mandler directed the video for "Diamonds", the lead single from Rihanna's seventh studio album Unapologetic. It depicts Rihanna in four environments that represent the elements of earth, air, water and fire.
Music videos
As lead artist + List of music videos as lead artist, with other performers, directors, album title and showing year released Title Other performer(s) Director(s) Album Year Ref. "Pon de Replay" Music of the Sun2005 "If It's Lovin' that You Want" "SOS" A Girl like Me2006 "SOS" (Nike version) "Unfaithful" "We Ride" "Umbrella" Jay-Z Good Girl Gone Bad2007 "Shut Up and Drive" "Don't Stop the Music" "Hate That I Love You" Ne-Yo or David Bisbal "Take a Bow" Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded 2008 "Disturbia" "Rehab" Good Girl Gone Bad "Wait Your Turn" Rated R 2009 "Russian Roulette" "Hard" Young Jeezy "Rude Boy" 2010 "Rockstar 101" Slash "Te Amo" "Only Girl (In the World)" Loud "What's My Name?" Drake "S&M" 2011 "California King Bed" "Man Down" "Cheers (Drink to That)" "We Found Love" Talk That Talk "You da One" "Where Have You Been" 2012 "Princess of China" Coldplay Mylo Xyloto "Diamonds" Unapologetic "Stay" 2013 "Pour It Up" "What Now" "FourFiveSeconds"Kanye West Paul McCartneyInez & Vinoodh 2015 "American Oxygen" Jonathan Craven Jeff Nicholas "Bitch Better Have My Money" Megaforce "Work" Drake Director X Tim Erem Anti 2016 "Kiss It Better" "Needed Me" "Sledgehammer" Star Trek Beyond "Lemon" N.E.R.D No One Ever Really Dies 2017 "Lift Me Up" Autumn Durald Arkapaw Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 2022
As featured artist + List of music videos as featured artist, with directors, album title and showing year released Title Performer(s) Director(s) Album Year Ref. "Live Your Life" T.I. Anthony Mandler Paper Trail 2008 "If I Never See Your Face Again" Maroon 5 It Won't Be Soon Before Long Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded "Shy Ronnie" 2009 "Run This Town" Jay-Z Anthony Mandler The Blueprint 3 "Love the Way You Lie" Eminem Recovery 2010 "Who's That Chick?" (Day and Night versions) David Guetta One More Love "Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie & Clyde" Turtleneck & Chain "All of the Lights" My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 2011 "Fly" Pink Friday "Take Care" Drake Take Care 2012 "The Monster" Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP 2 2013 "Can't Remember to Forget You" Shakira Shakira 2014 "Famous" The Life of Pablo 2016 "This Is What You Came For" "Wild Thoughts" DJ Khaled Bryson Tiller Grateful2017 "Loyalty" Kendrick Lamar & the little homies Damn
Guest appearances + List of music videos as guest appearances, with directors, album title and showing year released Title Performer(s) Director(s) Album Year Ref. "Like That" R. Malcolm Jones 534 2006 "Paranoid" Mr Hudson Nabil Elderkin 808s & Heartbreak 2009 "Can't Get Enough" Cole World: The Sideline Story 2011 "Fashion Killa"A$AP Rocky A$AP Rocky, Virgil Abloh Long. Live. ASAP 2013 "Gangstas Don't Live That Long" Dah Dah That's My Work Volume 3 2014 "Plain Jane" A$AP Ferg Hidji Still Striving 2017 "D.M.B." A$AP Rocky A$AP Rocky Don't Be Dumb 2022
Video albums Title Album details Certifications Good Girl Gone Bad Live Released: June 9, 2008 Label: Def Jam, SRP Formats: Blu-ray, digital download, DVD ARIA: Platinum RIAA: Gold Good Girl Gone Bad: The Videos"iTunes - Music - Good Girl Gone Bad - The Videos by Rihanna". iTunes Store (UK). Apple Inc. Retrieved September 9, 2013 Released: December 12, 2008 Label: Island Def Jam Format: Digital download Loud Tour Live at the O2 Released: December 13, 2012 Label: Def Jam, SRP Formats: Blu-ray, digital download, DVDABPD: Gold"Brazilian single certifications – Rihanna – Loud Tour Live at the O2" (in Portuguese). Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos. Retrieved August 31, 2013. Rihanna 777 Documentary... 7Countries7Days7Shows Released: May 7, 2013 Label: Def Jam, SRP Formats: Digital download, DVDABPD: Gold
Film + Appearances by Rihanna in motion pictures Film Year Director Character Description Bring It On: All or Nothing 2006 Herself Cameo appearance Battleship 2012 Petty Officer Cora Raikes Rihanna stars in the film as a weapons specialist aboard a navy ship who fights aliens on the coast of Hawaii. Katy Perry: Part of Me Herself Cameo appearance Live 2012 Herself Cameo appearance This Is the End 2013 & Herself The comedy action film features several celebrities attending a party at James Franco's house, while The Apocalypse breaks out. Annie 2014 Moon Goddess Cameo appearance Home 2015 Tim Johnson Gratuity “Tip” Tucci An animated film based on the book The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. The film features friendly aliens invading the Earth and using it as a hideout from their enemies. Voice role Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping 2016 Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone Herself Cameo appearance Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets 2017 Luc Besson Bubble The film is based on a French graphic novel set in the 28th century. Ocean's 8 2018 Gary Ross Nine BallThe film is both a continuation and a spin-off from Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's trilogy and features an all-female ensemble cast. Guava Island 2019 Hiro Murai Kofi Lead role in Amazon Studios film, produced by Childish Gambino and marketed through his set at Coachella Festival in 2019 Smurfs 2025 Chris Miller Smurfette Main role, voice role, also producer
Television + Appearances by Rihanna on television Television show Year Character Description Las Vegas 2005 Herself "The Real McCoy" (season 3: episode 6) My Super Sweet 16 2006 "Darnell" (season 3: episode 7) All My Children (episode of July 25) Punk'd (season 7: episode 8) Saturday Night Live 2009201020122015 "Blake Lively/Rihanna" (season 35: episode 8)"Jon Hamm/Rihanna" (season 36: episode 5)"Eli Manning/Rihanna" (season 37: episode 20)"Anne Hathaway/Rihanna" (season 38: episode 7)"Louis C.K./Rihanna" (season 40: episode 21) Chelsea Lately 2011 (episode of March 10) Extreme Makeover: Home Edition "The Jubilee House/Marshall Family" (season 9: episode 1) The X Factor Guest judge (season 1, episodes 7, 8 and 9) Styled to Rock 2012 Executive producer Oprah's Next Chapter "Rihanna" (season 2: episode 1) Styled to Rock 2013 Executive producer The Voice 2015Contestant mentor (The Knockouts round; season 9) Bates Motel 2017 Marion CraneRecurring role (season 5) Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons 2022 Herself Episode: "Part Three: Tarnished Angels" (archive footage); Television documentary series Power Book II: Ghost 2023 Episode: "Land of Lies" (archive footage)
References
External links Rihanna's official Vevo channel on YouTube Rihanna videography at MTV.com