Hard (song)
Encyclopedia
"Hard" is a song by Barbadian
recording artist Rihanna
from her fourth studio album, Rated R
(2009). 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
and Tricky Stewart. "Hard" was released by Def Jam Recordings
on February 19, 2010 as the second United States single. It is a hip hop
song and features military horns, hissing synthesizer
s, sharp beats and piano chords. Critics commended "Hard" for Rihanna's vocal performance and her collaboration with Jeezy.
"Hard" became Rihanna's thirteenth top-ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100
, matching American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles
as the female artist with the most US top ten hits since 2000. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
. The accompanying music video was directed by Melina Matsoukas
, was filmed in Los Angeles
in December 2009. Rihanna commands an army while clothed in stylised military costumes. Critics commended the video and noted a difference from her previous videos. Following the release of the video, the song charted in other regions, including Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. "Hard" was performed at Jay-Z
's concert at UCLA Pauley Pavilion
and at the 2009 American Music Awards
. The song was also included on the set list
s of the Last Girl on Earth Tour
(2010–11) and the Loud Tour
(2011).
, producer Mikkel S. Eriksen of Stargate
confirmed "Wait Your Turn (The Wait is Ova)
" as the second single from Rated R; however, "Hard" was chosen instead. "Hard" (The Remixes) was made available for digital download
on January 19, 2010 in the United States. In an interview with MTV, Rihanna explained that Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and The-Dream played a few songs for her in Paris, which included "Hard". Rihanna decided to record the song because it was something different to her normal creative output. Stewart, in an interview with Rap-Up
, spoke about the song before the name or any details were released, describing the song as "edgy" and a "club banger". When asked if the song was bigger than Rihanna's commercially successful and critically acclaimed song "Umbrella
", he responded with "No, it's different. It's a superstar taking a step in a totally different direction." The song was the first in which Jeezy was credited thus, instead of under his enduring stage name "Young Jeezy".
"Hard" incorporates musical elements of hip hop
and is four minutes and ten seconds long. It features militant horns, hissing synths
, sharp beats and piano notes.
The song is written in the key of B minor
and is set in common time
with a Pop and R&B groove and a tempo of 100 beats per minute. Rihanna's vocal range in the song spans from the low note of G
3 to the high note of B
4. As noted by Ailbhe Malone of NME, Rihanna adopts Jay-Z's vocal style in the lyric "Brilliant, resilient, fan mail from 27 million." Lyrically, "Hard" is a song about emulating power and strength, and how Rihanna assumes a role of being the best at what she does. As noted by Ryan Dombell of Pitchfork Media
, the song delivers "a strutting statement of power" as its lyrical message.
wrote that Rihanna, "lashes out" on the song, with "help from an even harder-edged MC, Young Jeezy." Monica Herrerra of Billboard
magazine wrote: "Rihanna effectively assumes the hip-hop posture and even recruits the ultimate street cred-booster in rapper Young Jeezy, who provides the thrust needed to send a song with a somewhat inert chorus home". Herrerra continued, "Though 'Hard' doesn't find Rihanna in her typical comfort zone, the atypical is precisely what she has aimed for with her new material-and it works". Alexis Petridis of The Guardian
called "Hard" and "Rude Boy
" the highlights of Rated R, writing "both of which exploit Rihanna's most appealing vocal style, a sulky, icy, monotone". Petridis also noted that the song "undercuts the standard braggathon of Hard – 'fan mail from 27 million. Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly
commented on Rihanna's vocal style and the persona she adopts in the song, writing "Rihanna dons hip-hop swagger like borrowed armor, leaning heavily on her Caribbean accent and unleashing a string of baddest-bitch boasts via dancehall-riddim'd bangers like 'Hard,' 'G4L,' and 'Wait Your Turn. Ryan Dombell of Pitchfork Media wrote, "the bulletproof guise is good for the record's high point on 'Hard', a strutting statement of power bolstered by a roiling undertow of a beat from 'Umbrella' producer Tricky Stewart."
as the female artists with the most US top ten hit singles since 2000. "Hard" reached number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart on March 6, 2010, reached number nine on the US Pop Songs
, and number 14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
charts. "Hard" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA), denoting sales of over one million downloads.
Although the song was not released internationally, the song charted in several countries after the release of the music video. In Canada, the song peaked for one week at number nine on February 6, 2010. In New Zealand, "Hard" debuted at number 40 on January 11, 2010 and peaked at number fifteen in its fifth week, and it stayed in the top twenty for a further two weeks. "Hard" debuted and peaked at number 26 on the Swedish Singles Chart
on January 22, 2010. The following week, it dropped out of the chart but re-entered the next week at number 55. In the United Kingdom, "Hard" debuted at number 46 on the UK R&B Chart
on January 16, 2010, peaking at number 17 on January 23, 2010. The same day, the song debuted at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart
, and peaked at number 42 the following week. "Hard" spent another six weeks on the chart, descending to number 100 on February 24, 2010, and exiting on March 3, 2010. In the UK, it re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 64 on August 28, 2010, falling to 89 the following week. In total, "Hard" spent ten non-consecutive weeks on the UK singles chart.
, and was filmed in December 2009 in Los Angeles
. It was the first video Matsoukas directed for Rihanna; Matsoukas went on to direct other Rated R singles, "Rude Boy" and "Rockstar 101
". Before the premiere of the video, Rihanna told Kyle Anderson of MTV News: "It's couture-military. Everything is surrounded by the whole idea of something military. We have tanks, we have troops, we've got helicopters, we've got explosions ...Tight gear, lots of cute outfits, lots of bullets. Crazy."
The video begins in a desert at night, with Rihanna standing in front of an army wearing a garrison cap
, sunglasses, and a stylized white top. This scene is intercut with scenes of Rihanna in a bunker wearing an army hard hat
, pink lace up boots, and a skin-colored top with small black rectangles covering her breasts. Half way through the first verse, the scene changes to a daytime desert scene as Rihanna walks in a low cut, short black dress with spiked shoulder pads, as small explosions occur around her. As the first chorus begins, scenes from the start of the video are intercut with each other, showing Rihanna commanding her troops, firing a machine gun, and dancing in the bunker. As the second verse begins, Rihanna is seen wearing a slicked-back hair style, and a metal bikini top, rolling around in mud and surrounded by troops on a stone structure with a mountainous backdrop. She is shown gambling
with soldiers in another bunker, and wins her game. As the second chorus starts, Rihanna stands on a pink army tank wearing a bullet bra and a mouse-eared helmet similar to the ears of Mickey Mouse. During Jeezy's rap verse, Jeezy is seen in the middle of a crosshair, while explosions occur around Rihanna. For the bridge and final chorus of the song, scenes of Rihanna from all of the video are intercut with each other, and Rihanna wears a high-waisted black bikini, waving a large black flag with a white "R" in the middle of it.
's 'Rhythm Nation
' meets Christina Aguilera
's 'Dirrty
' phase – Rihanna vamps in dimly lit outposts, dodges explosions in the desert, and, quite enticingly, takes a break from boot camp to smother herself with mud. Morale-boosting, indeed!" James Dinh of MTV News showed the video, on a small player, to fans in Times Square
in New York City to ask their opinions. Most agreed that it was different to from previous videos, that it shows where she came from and where she is going in her personal life, and said that she looked "sexy" in the video. Bill Lamb of About.com
wrote, "I must confess that I do fail to understand the point of Rihanna humping the gun turret of a pink tank dressed in Mickey Mouse ears. It seems pains were taken to make the setting look like Afghanistan or Iraq with the other actors looking as close to real military personnel as possible." Lamb criticized the video's lack of sensitivity and respect for using an army and weapons of destruction to glamorize war, saying, "Does Def Jam, Rihanna's label, need to be reminded that this comes on the heels of sadly sending off an additional 30,000 troops from our country to real war? In my mind this is one of the most tasteless, offensive moves by a major pop artist in recent memory."
. To promote Rated R in the UK, Rihanna performed the song at the launch of the Nokia X6
smartphone at Brixton Academy in London with Jeezy. Other songs on the set list were "Russian Roulette
", and "Wait Your Turn" from Rated R, and "Don't Stop the Music
", "Take a Bow
", "Disturbia
", and with Jay-Z, "Umbrella".
Rihanna performed "Hard" live at the 2009 American Music Awards
on November 22, 2009, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles
, California, as part of a medley with "Wait Your Turn". Gil Kaufman of MTV wrote that Rihanna was wearing a "skintight white catsuit bisected by cut-out lines that revealed horizontal lines of skin across her body, spiked shoulder pads, white studded cuffs and a barbed-wire bracelet snaking up her right forearm". The performance started with a sci-fi themed video clip, which featured Rihanna surgically operated on by robots. After finishing "Wait Your Turn," Rihanna began singing "Hard" while red lasers shone across the stage and audience, and from Rihanna's spiked shoulder pads. On December 5, 2010, Rihanna made her Saturday Night Live
debut performance, singing "Russian Roulette", and was joined on stage by Jeezy for her performance of "Hard". Rihanna appeared on BET
's 106 & Park
to sing "Hard" on December 10, 2009. Rihanna performed "Hard" at NBC
s "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly 2010".
To promote the song's release as a single in the US, Rihanna appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show
on February 1, 2010, where she sang "Hard" and "Don't Stop the Music". The following day, Rihanna recorded some video performances of her songs for "AOL
Music Sessions", which were made available to watch on AOL's website on February 23, 2010. The set included Rihanna's singles "Russian Roulette", "Hard", "Take a Bow", and a stripped down version of "Disturbia". On February 4, 2010, she performed "Hard" at the Super Bowl
Fan Jam on VH1
on a bill with Timbaland and Justin Bieber
.
On March 27, 2010, Rihanna performed the song as part of a medley with "Rude Boy" and "Don't Stop the Music" at the 2010 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards
at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion in Westwood, California. The performance featured a large camouflage tank and two robots, similar to those used for Rihanna's performance at the ECHO Awards, where she performed "Rude Boy." Rihanna performed the song at Radio 1's Big Weekend 2010 on May 23, 2010 in Bangor
, Wales, where she performed "Hard", "Madhouse", "Disturbia", "Rude Boy", "Te Amo
", "Russian Roulette", "Don't Stop the Music, "SOS
", and "Umbrella". Rihanna wore a reggae-inspired leather playsuit with red, green and yellow stripes. The song was included on the set list of Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour
, and her Loud Tour
.
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...
from 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). It was written by Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart, Rihanna and American rapper 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...
, who also provides featured vocals. Nash and Stewart produced the song under their respective stage names The-Dream
The-Dream
Terius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...
and Tricky Stewart. "Hard" was released by Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
on February 19, 2010 as the second United States single. It is a hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
song and features military horns, hissing synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, sharp beats and piano chords. Critics commended "Hard" for Rihanna's vocal performance and her collaboration with Jeezy.
"Hard" became Rihanna's thirteenth top-ten single on 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...
, matching American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles
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...
as the female artist with the most US top ten hits since 2000. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. The accompanying music video was directed by Melina Matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas is an American music video director.-Life and career:Matsoukas is of Greek, Jewish, Jamaican and Cuban descent. Both her name and surname are Greek: Μελίνα Ματσούκα. She is a graduate of the American Film Institute and New York University...
, was filmed in Los Angeles
Los 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...
in December 2009. Rihanna commands an army while clothed in stylised military costumes. Critics commended the video and noted a difference from her previous videos. Following the release of the video, the song charted in other regions, including Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. "Hard" was performed at Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
's concert at UCLA Pauley Pavilion
Pauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
and at the 2009 American Music Awards
American Music Awards of 2009
The 37th American Music Awards took place on November 22, 2009 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The nominees were announced on October 13, 2009. For the first time in history, there was no host for the year's ceremony. Instead, various celebrities introduced the performers similar...
. The song was also included 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 of the Last Girl on Earth Tour
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).
Background and composition
In an interview with MTV NewsMTV 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...
, producer Mikkel S. Eriksen of Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
confirmed "Wait Your Turn (The Wait is Ova)
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...
" as the second single from Rated R; however, "Hard" was chosen instead. "Hard" (The Remixes) was made available for 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...
on January 19, 2010 in the United States. In an interview with MTV, Rihanna explained that Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and The-Dream played a few songs for her in Paris, which included "Hard". Rihanna decided to record the song because it was something different to her normal creative output. Stewart, in an interview with Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
, spoke about the song before the name or any details were released, describing the song as "edgy" and a "club banger". When asked if the song was bigger than Rihanna's commercially successful and critically acclaimed song "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...
", he responded with "No, it's different. It's a superstar taking a step in a totally different direction." The song was the first in which Jeezy was credited thus, instead of under his enduring stage name "Young Jeezy".
"Hard" incorporates musical elements of hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and is four minutes and ten seconds long. It features militant horns, hissing synths
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, sharp beats and piano notes.
The song is written in the 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 Pop and R&B groove and a tempo of 100 beats per minute. Rihanna's vocal range in the song spans from the low note of G
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. For the harmonic minor scale, the F is raised to F. Its relative major is B-flat major, and its parallel major is G major....
3 to the high note of B
B (musical note)
B, also known as H, Si or Ti, is the seventh note of the solfège. It lies a chromatic semitone below C and is thus the enharmonic equivalent of C-flat....
4. As noted by Ailbhe Malone of NME, Rihanna adopts Jay-Z's vocal style in the lyric "Brilliant, resilient, fan mail from 27 million." Lyrically, "Hard" is a song about emulating power and strength, and how Rihanna assumes a role of being the best at what she does. As noted by Ryan Dombell of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
, the song delivers "a strutting statement of power" as its lyrical message.
Critical reception
"Hard" met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Greg Kot of the Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
wrote that Rihanna, "lashes out" on the song, with "help from an even harder-edged MC, Young Jeezy." Monica Herrerra of Billboard
Billboard (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...
magazine wrote: "Rihanna effectively assumes the hip-hop posture and even recruits the ultimate street cred-booster in rapper Young Jeezy, who provides the thrust needed to send a song with a somewhat inert chorus home". Herrerra continued, "Though 'Hard' doesn't find Rihanna in her typical comfort zone, the atypical is precisely what she has aimed for with her new material-and it works". Alexis Petridis of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
called "Hard" and "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...
" the highlights of Rated R, writing "both of which exploit Rihanna's most appealing vocal style, a sulky, icy, monotone". Petridis also noted that the song "undercuts the standard braggathon of Hard – 'fan mail from 27 million. Leah Greenblatt of 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...
commented on Rihanna's vocal style and the persona she adopts in the song, writing "Rihanna dons hip-hop swagger like borrowed armor, leaning heavily on her Caribbean accent and unleashing a string of baddest-bitch boasts via dancehall-riddim'd bangers like 'Hard,' 'G4L,' and 'Wait Your Turn. Ryan Dombell of Pitchfork Media wrote, "the bulletproof guise is good for the record's high point on 'Hard', a strutting statement of power bolstered by a roiling undertow of a beat from 'Umbrella' producer Tricky Stewart."
Chart performance
In the United States, "Hard" peaked at number eight on January 30, 2010. "Hard" became Rihanna's thirteenth US top-ten Hot 100 single, and Rihanna equaled Beyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé 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...
as the female artists with the most US top ten hit singles since 2000. "Hard" reached number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart on March 6, 2010, reached number nine on the US Pop Songs
Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs)
The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart...
, and number 14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
charts. "Hard" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA), denoting sales of over one million downloads.
Although the song was not released internationally, the song charted in several countries after the release of the music video. In Canada, the song peaked for one week at number nine on February 6, 2010. In New Zealand, "Hard" debuted at number 40 on January 11, 2010 and peaked at number fifteen in its fifth week, and it stayed in the top twenty for a further two weeks. "Hard" debuted and peaked at number 26 on the Swedish Singles Chart
Sverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association ....
on January 22, 2010. The following week, it dropped out of the chart but re-entered the next week at number 55. In the United Kingdom, "Hard" debuted at number 46 on the UK R&B Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
on January 16, 2010, peaking at number 17 on January 23, 2010. The same day, the song debuted at number 55 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 ...
, and peaked at number 42 the following week. "Hard" spent another six weeks on the chart, descending to number 100 on February 24, 2010, and exiting on March 3, 2010. In the UK, it re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number 64 on August 28, 2010, falling to 89 the following week. In total, "Hard" spent ten non-consecutive weeks on the UK singles chart.
Background and synopsis
The music video for "Hard" was directed by Melina MatsoukasMelina Matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas is an American music video director.-Life and career:Matsoukas is of Greek, Jewish, Jamaican and Cuban descent. Both her name and surname are Greek: Μελίνα Ματσούκα. She is a graduate of the American Film Institute and New York University...
, and was filmed in December 2009 in Los Angeles
Los 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...
. It was the first video Matsoukas directed for Rihanna; Matsoukas went on to direct other Rated R singles, "Rude Boy" and "Rockstar 101
Rockstar 101
"Rockstar 101" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the album's fourth overall single on June 2, 2010 through Def Jam. "Rockstar 101" was written by Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Rihanna,...
". Before the premiere of the video, Rihanna told Kyle Anderson of MTV News: "It's couture-military. Everything is surrounded by the whole idea of something military. We have tanks, we have troops, we've got helicopters, we've got explosions ...Tight gear, lots of cute outfits, lots of bullets. Crazy."
The video begins in a desert at night, with Rihanna standing in front of an army wearing a garrison cap
Garrison cap
A Side cap is a foldable military cap with straight sides and a creased or hollow crown sloping to the back where it is parted. It is known as a garrison cap , a wedge cap , or officially field service cap, , but it is more generally known as the side cap.It follows the style which...
, sunglasses, and a stylized white top. This scene is intercut with scenes of Rihanna in a bunker wearing an army hard hat
Hard hat
A hard hat is a type of helmet predominantly used in workplace environments, such as construction sites, to protect the head from injury by falling objects, impact with other objects, debris, bad weather and electric shock. Inside the helmet is a suspension that spreads the helmet's weight over the...
, pink lace up boots, and a skin-colored top with small black rectangles covering her breasts. Half way through the first verse, the scene changes to a daytime desert scene as Rihanna walks in a low cut, short black dress with spiked shoulder pads, as small explosions occur around her. As the first chorus begins, scenes from the start of the video are intercut with each other, showing Rihanna commanding her troops, firing a machine gun, and dancing in the bunker. As the second verse begins, Rihanna is seen wearing a slicked-back hair style, and a metal bikini top, rolling around in mud and surrounded by troops on a stone structure with a mountainous backdrop. She is shown gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
with soldiers in another bunker, and wins her game. As the second chorus starts, Rihanna stands on a pink army tank wearing a bullet bra and a mouse-eared helmet similar to the ears of Mickey Mouse. During Jeezy's rap verse, Jeezy is seen in the middle of a crosshair, while explosions occur around Rihanna. For the bridge and final chorus of the song, scenes of Rihanna from all of the video are intercut with each other, and Rihanna wears a high-waisted black bikini, waving a large black flag with a white "R" in the middle of it.
Reception
Peter Gaston of Spin wrote that the video for "Hard" resembles "Janet JacksonJanet 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...
's 'Rhythm Nation
Rhythm Nation
"Rhythm Nation" is the second single from American R&B and pop singer Janet Jackson's fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 .-Background:...
' meets Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
'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...
' phase – Rihanna vamps in dimly lit outposts, dodges explosions in the desert, and, quite enticingly, takes a break from boot camp to smother herself with mud. Morale-boosting, indeed!" James Dinh of MTV News showed the video, on a small player, to fans in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
in New York City to ask their opinions. Most agreed that it was different to from previous videos, that it shows where she came from and where she is going in her personal life, and said that she looked "sexy" in the video. Bill Lamb of 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....
wrote, "I must confess that I do fail to understand the point of Rihanna humping the gun turret of a pink tank dressed in Mickey Mouse ears. It seems pains were taken to make the setting look like Afghanistan or Iraq with the other actors looking as close to real military personnel as possible." Lamb criticized the video's lack of sensitivity and respect for using an army and weapons of destruction to glamorize war, saying, "Does Def Jam, Rihanna's label, need to be reminded that this comes on the heels of sadly sending off an additional 30,000 troops from our country to real war? In my mind this is one of the most tasteless, offensive moves by a major pop artist in recent memory."
Live performances
Rihanna performed "Hard" live for the first time on November 8, 2009, at Jay-Z's concert at UCLA Pauley PavilionPauley Pavilion
Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion, commonly known as Pauley Pavilion, is an indoor arena located in the Westwood Village district of Los Angeles, California, on the campus of UCLA. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams...
. To promote Rated R in the UK, Rihanna performed the song at the launch of the Nokia X6
Nokia X6
The Nokia X6 is a music-oriented capacitive touchscreen smartphone and portable entertainment device by Nokia. It was announced in early September 2009 during Nokia World 2009 in Germany.The X6 replaces the Nokia 5800 as Nokia's flagship music-centred model...
smartphone at Brixton Academy in London with Jeezy. Other songs on the set list were "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...
", and "Wait Your Turn" from Rated R, and "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...
", "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...
", "Disturbia
Disturbia (song)
"Disturbia" 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 released as the third single from the reloaded edition of the album, and seventh overall...
", and with Jay-Z, "Umbrella".
Rihanna performed "Hard" live at the 2009 American Music Awards
American Music Awards of 2009
The 37th American Music Awards took place on November 22, 2009 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The nominees were announced on October 13, 2009. For the first time in history, there was no host for the year's ceremony. Instead, various celebrities introduced the performers similar...
on November 22, 2009, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California, as part of a medley with "Wait Your Turn". Gil Kaufman of MTV wrote that Rihanna was wearing a "skintight white catsuit bisected by cut-out lines that revealed horizontal lines of skin across her body, spiked shoulder pads, white studded cuffs and a barbed-wire bracelet snaking up her right forearm". The performance started with a sci-fi themed video clip, which featured Rihanna surgically operated on by robots. After finishing "Wait Your Turn," Rihanna began singing "Hard" while red lasers shone across the stage and audience, and from Rihanna's spiked shoulder pads. On December 5, 2010, Rihanna made her Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
debut performance, singing "Russian Roulette", and was joined on stage by Jeezy for her performance of "Hard". Rihanna appeared on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
to sing "Hard" on December 10, 2009. Rihanna performed "Hard" at NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
s "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly 2010".
To promote the song's release as a single in the US, Rihanna appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
on February 1, 2010, where she sang "Hard" and "Don't Stop the Music". The following day, Rihanna recorded some video performances of her songs for "AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
Music Sessions", which were made available to watch on AOL's website on February 23, 2010. The set included Rihanna's singles "Russian Roulette", "Hard", "Take a Bow", and a stripped down version of "Disturbia". On February 4, 2010, she performed "Hard" at the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
Fan Jam on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
on a bill with Timbaland and Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
.
On March 27, 2010, Rihanna performed the song as part of a medley with "Rude Boy" and "Don't Stop the Music" at the 2010 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards
2010 Kids' Choice Awards
Nickelodeon's 23rd Annual Kids' Choice Awards were held on March 27, 2010 on the Nell and John Wooden Court of Pauley Pavilion, on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California...
at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion in Westwood, California. The performance featured a large camouflage tank and two robots, similar to those used for Rihanna's performance at the ECHO Awards, where she performed "Rude Boy." Rihanna performed the song at Radio 1's Big Weekend 2010 on May 23, 2010 in Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
, Wales, where she performed "Hard", "Madhouse", "Disturbia", "Rude Boy", "Te Amo
Te Amo (Rihanna song)
"Te Amo" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, James Fauntleroy II and Rihanna, with production helmed by Eriksen and Hermansen under their production name, Stargate...
", "Russian Roulette", "Don't Stop the Music, "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...
", and "Umbrella". Rihanna wore a reggae-inspired leather playsuit with red, green and yellow stripes. The song was included on the set list of Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour
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...
, and her 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...
.
Format and track listing
The Remixes - Digital EP- "Hard" (Jump Smokers Radio Edit) - 3:10
- "Hard" (Chew Fu Granite Fix Radio Edit) - 3:43
- "Hard" (Jody den Broeder Radio Edit) - 3:30
- "Hard" (Jump Smokers Extended) - 3:36
- "Hard" (Chew Fu Granite Fix Extended) - 5:27
- "Hard" (Jody den Broeder Club Remix) - 6:43
- "Hard" (Jody den Broeder Dub) - 6:45
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Rated R.- Terius "The-Dream" NashThe-DreamTerius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...
, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Robyn "Rihanna" Fenty and Jay JenkinsYoung JeezyJay 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...
– SongwritingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer... - Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The-Dream" Nash – ProductionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Ross Parkin – Assistant recorder
- Makeba RiddickMakeba RiddickMakeba Riddick is a singer-songwriter who has been active since 2005. She is originally from West Baltimore, United States. Currently she is managed by Jay-Z's record label and production house, Roc Nation...
– Vocal production - Marcos Tovar, Brian "B-LUV" Thomas, Andrew Wuepper, Chris "TEK" O’Ryan and Pat Thrall for Rihanna. – EngineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Cédric Culnaërt, Sébastien Salis, Luis Navarro, Tyler Van Dalen, Jason Sherwood and Steven Dennis – Assistant EngineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Jaycen Joshua at Penua Project at Larrabee Studios, Universal CityUniversal City, CaliforniaUniversal City is a community in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, that encompasses the 415 acre property of Universal Studios...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia 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...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
– MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Giancarlo Lino – Assistant mixerAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Monte Neuble – Additional keysKey (instrument)A key is a specific part of a musical instrument. The purpose and function of the part in question depends on the instrument.On instruments equipped with tuning machines, violins and guitars, for example, a key is part of a tuning machine. It is a worm gear with a key shaped end used to turn a cog,...
- Studios Devout, ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe 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...
; The Boom Boom Room, BurbankBurbank, CaliforniaBurbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, California, United States; Legacy Recording Studios, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States and Triangle Sound Studios, Atlanta, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States. – RecordingRecordingRecording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
Weekly charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (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... ) |
9 |
| UK R&B (The Official Charts Company | 23 |
| 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... |
8 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard Billboard (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... ) |
1 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... (Billboard Billboard (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... ) |
14 |
| US Pop Songs (Billboard Billboard (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... ) |
9 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Billboard charts The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine... Hot 100 |
49 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 30 |
Certifications
| Region | Provider | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| United States | RIAA | Platinum |
Radio and release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | November 10, 2009 | 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... and urban Urban contemporary Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music... airplay |
Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group... |
| November 23, 2009 | Mainstream 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... airplay |
||
| January 19, 2010 | The Remixes – Digital 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... |