Music of the Sun is the debut album by
BarbadianBarbados , situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent West Indian Continental Island-nation in the western Atlantic Ocean. For over three centuries Barbados was a colony and protectorate of the United Kingdom; and still currently maintains Queen Elizabeth II as head of state...
singer
RihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , known as Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer and model. 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...
, released by Def Jam Records on August 30, 2005 in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Rihanna worked with several producers for her debut album, mainly
Carl Sturken and Evan RogersCarl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York-based songwriters and music producers who are business partners and friends. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera, and Rihanna's debut album...
who produced and penned most of the tracks on the album. Musically, the album incorporates the genres of
caribbean musicThe music of the Caribbean is a diverse grouping of musical genres. They are each syntheses of African, European, Indian and native influences. Some of the styles to gain wide popularity outside of the Caribbean include reggae, zouk, salsa, calypso, reggaeton and punta.Caribbean, Central American...
because of her background. The album was released to mixed reviews with some critics calling her as yet another R&B act and others calling the album a great Caribbean influenced album.
Music of the Sun peaked at number ten on the U.S.
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart—later being certified Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a group which represents the recording industry distributors in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors, which the RIAA say "create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate sound recordings...
(RIAA). Internationally, the album debuted at number seven in Canada on the
Canadian Albums ChartThe Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS Airplay...
. The album also managed peak in Countries like the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Germany and New Zealand. The album yielded two
singleIn music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats.-History:...
s, including the album's lead single, "
Pon de Replay"Pon de Replay" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The song was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Carl Sturken, and Evan Rogers for her 2005 debut album, Music of the Sun. Her debut single, the song peaked at number two on the U.S...
", which peaked at number two on the
Billboard Hot 100The 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...
in the United States, and the second single "
If It's Lovin' that You Want"If It's Lovin' That You Want" is a pop–reggae song written by Samuel Barnes, Scott La Rock, Makeba, Jean Claude Oliver, Alexander "Spanador" Mosely and Lawrence Parker for pop singer Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun .-Song history:...
", which was less successful, reaching the thirty-sixth position on the
Billboard Hot 100; including an unreleased third single, "Let Me." Worldwide, the album sold over two million copies.
Background
RihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , known as Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer and model. 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...
was fifteen-years-old when she formed a
girl groupA girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonize together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
with two other classmates. She met
record producerIn the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
Evan Rogers in 2003, while vacationing in
BarbadosBarbados , situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent West Indian Continental Island-nation in the western Atlantic Ocean. For over three centuries Barbados was a colony and protectorate of the United Kingdom; and still currently maintains Queen Elizabeth II as head of state...
, who was introduced by one of her friends and auditioned for him. After auditioning for Rogers, she shuttled back and forth to his home in
Stamford, ConnecticutStamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 118,475, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England Stamford is part of the New York metropolitan area.-Sister...
. When Rihanna turned sixteen, she relocated in the United States and moved in with Rogers and his wife. She spent the next year recording a four-song
demoA demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for musicians to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, which included her first hit "
Pon de Replay"Pon de Replay" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The song was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Carl Sturken, and Evan Rogers for her 2005 debut album, Music of the Sun. Her debut single, the song peaked at number two on the U.S...
", with the help of Rogers and his partner Carl Sturken. In January 2005, Rihanna moved to
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
along with Rogers to begin sending her four-song demo to various record labels. Within weeks she inked an audition with
Def JamDef Jam Recordings is a United States based hip-hop record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group...
and was invited to audition for rapper turned Def Jam president
Jay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name, Jay-Z is an American hip hop artist and businessman. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $150 million, shipping over 30 million copies of his albums in the United...
. Rihanna, who sang
Whitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American recording artist, actress, and former fashion model. A relative to several prominent soul singers, including her mother Cissy Houston, cousins Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick, and godmother Aretha Franklin, Houston began singing at her New Jersey church as a...
's "For the Love of You," was eventually signed in one day.
Conception
After signing with Def Jam in February 2005, she began working on her debut album with several producers including Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken,
StargateThis is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Singles produced by Stargate:-5ive - Invincible:*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"-Noora Noor - Curious:*01. "Curious"...
and Poke & Tone. Though, the album was primarily produced by
Carl Sturken and Evan RogersCarl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York-based songwriters and music producers who are business partners and friends. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera, and Rihanna's debut album...
, whom she previously worked with on her demo. The album completed within a three month period; from February 2005–May 2005. When recording the album's future lead single for her
demo recordingsA demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for musicians to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, she revealed that when she first heard the song she didn't want to record it. She stated; "when I first heard that song, I didn't want to do it, because it was very sing-songy and very... whatever [...] But after I started recording it, I went along with it and started liking it." While working on the album she recorded the song "The One" with label-mate
Memphis BleekMalik Thuston Cox, better known by his rap persona of Memphis Bleek or "Memphis Grillz" , is a New York rapper mainly known for his tenure with Roc-A-Fella Records and CEO of his own label Get Low Records...
for his fourth
studio albumA studio album is an original collection of new tracks by a recording artist.It usually does not contain live recordings and/or remixes, and if it does, those tracks do not make up majority of the album and are often "bonus tracks"...
534534 is the fourth album by rapper Memphis Bleek. Released by Roc-A-Fella Records on May 17, 2005. The album contains 14 songs, including the hit single "Like That" produced by Swizz Beatz. A single by Bleek's mentor and childhood friend Jay-Z entitled "Dear Summer" was produced by Just Blaze...
. After coming up with the album's title, Rihanna recorded the song "Music of the Sun," which was written by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, and co-written her. She developed her writing skills with the help of Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers and also co-wrote three other songs on the album including the song of the same title. She stated,
"Luckily I met two producers who discovered me in the first place and signed me to their production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions. They work with a lot of pop artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard. They are great guys and I really enjoyed working with them. They are excellent song writers so they really helped me develop my writing skills."
The album features twelve songs and a remix of "
Pon de Replay"Pon de Replay" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The song was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Carl Sturken, and Evan Rogers for her 2005 debut album, Music of the Sun. Her debut single, the song peaked at number two on the U.S...
" with Elephant Man. For her debut album, Rihanna stuck with her
CaribbeanThe Caribbean is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands , and the surrounding coasts...
background style. Her music at the time featured
socaSoca is a form of dance music which originated in the Islands of Trinidad and Tobago from calypso music. It originally combined the melodic lilting sound of calypso with insistent percussion and local chutney music...
and
reggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s.While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based...
genres due to her Caribbean descent.
Music of the Sun includes the
singleIn music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats.-History:...
s "
Pon de Replay"Pon de Replay" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The song was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Carl Sturken, and Evan Rogers for her 2005 debut album, Music of the Sun. Her debut single, the song peaked at number two on the U.S...
", "
If It's Lovin' That You Want"If It's Lovin' That You Want" is a pop–reggae song written by Samuel Barnes, Scott La Rock, Makeba, Jean Claude Oliver, Alexander "Spanador" Mosely and Lawrence Parker for pop singer Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun .-Song history:...
," and, in Japan, "Let Me". The album features guest appearances by Elephant Man, J-Status,
Vybz KartelVybz Kartel is a Jamaican dancehall, artist/singer and businessman. He is officially known as "Addi Di Teacha".-Biography:Adidja attended Calabar High School in Kingston but was expelled...
and
Kardinal OffishallJason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Biography:Harrow was born in Scarborough,...
.
Music and lyrics
Music of the Sun was musically inspired by the variety of
caribbean musicThe music of the Caribbean is a diverse grouping of musical genres. They are each syntheses of African, European, Indian and native influences. Some of the styles to gain wide popularity outside of the Caribbean include reggae, zouk, salsa, calypso, reggaeton and punta.Caribbean, Central American...
genres, which includes
socaSoca is a form of dance music which originated in the Islands of Trinidad and Tobago from calypso music. It originally combined the melodic lilting sound of calypso with insistent percussion and local chutney music...
,
dancehallDancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that developed in the late 1970s, initially as a more sparse and less political and religious variant of reggae than the roots style that had dominated much of the 1970s....
and
reggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s.While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based...
, although the album incorporates some American genres, using a mixture of
dance-popDance-pop is a style of electronic dance music and a subgenre of pop music that evolved from post-disco era, circa 1981, that combines dance beats with a pop, House and/or R&B song structure. Because there is such an emphasis on fully-formed songs in dance-pop, it is often viewed as a separate...
and
contemporary R&BContemporary R&B is a music genre of western popular music. Although the acronym “R&B” originates from its association with traditional rhythm and blues music, the term R&B is today most often used to define a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in the 1980s...
. The music on the album showcases her musical roots and also reflects on the album's title. Rihanna explained that the word "sun" represents her culture where she's from, the Caribbean. "It represents me. So the album consists of
Music of the Sun." The songs in the album are varied with the first half of the album containing a reggae sound. With songs about the effect of love, the album falls into the contemporary R&B influence. The second half of the album starts off with
dancehallDancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that developed in the late 1970s, initially as a more sparse and less political and religious variant of reggae than the roots style that had dominated much of the 1970s....
up-tempo songs, however, the album's closing tracks contain ballads-oriented songs.
"Pon de Replay", which features production from Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, is the opening track of
Music of the Sun. Set as the album's
lead singleA lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band from a given album. Sometimes, the lead single is not the first single . The first single could be a radio promotion that ends up being part of an EPK...
, the song helped introduced the tradition of mixing reggae and dance-pop. The album starts off with an aptly breezy start with reggae oriented songs like "Here I Go Again," "
If It's Lovin' that You Want"If It's Lovin' That You Want" is a pop–reggae song written by Samuel Barnes, Scott La Rock, Makeba, Jean Claude Oliver, Alexander "Spanador" Mosely and Lawrence Parker for pop singer Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun .-Song history:...
" and "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)."
In the song "Here I Go Again," the second track, Rihanna sings being in love and having the same feeling towards the guy—not being able to get over the guy. The album's second single, "If It's Lovin' That You Want", is a mid-tempo song and samples the beat of "
The Bridge Is Over"The Bridge Is Over" is a 1987 song by Boogie Down Productions from their debut album Criminal Minded, performed by rapper KRS-One and produced by DJ Scott LaRock and KRS-One.-History:...
" by
Boogie Down ProductionsBoogie Down Productions was a hip hop group originally comprised KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album Criminal Minded....
." Following the album's fourth track, the middle stretch of the album contains a
contemporary R&BContemporary R&B is a music genre of western popular music. Although the acronym “R&B” originates from its association with traditional rhythm and blues music, the term R&B is today most often used to define a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in the 1980s...
sound, which includes songs like "That La, La, La," "The Last Time" and "Willing to Wait." The song of the same title of the album—"Music of the Sun"— talks about the focal point of the album's title. With the following songs, "Rush" and "Let Me," dancehall is introduced to the album.
Music of the Sun ends with the slow and moody songs, "There's a Thug In My Life" and the ballad-oriented "Now I Know." Although the slower ballad, "Now I Know," was panned by critics calling it too-mature for a young hip artist. The album's closing track is a
remixA remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. This name is also used for any alterations of medias other than a song ....
to the abum's lead single which features
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n artist
Elephant ManElephant Man, also known as the Energy God, is a dancehall musician.-Biography:...
.
Release and promotion
The album's lead
singleIn music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats.-History:...
, "
Pon de Replay"Pon de Replay" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The song was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Carl Sturken, and Evan Rogers for her 2005 debut album, Music of the Sun. Her debut single, the song peaked at number two on the U.S...
", was released on August 22, 2005. The song was a commercial success peaking at number two on the
Billboard Hot 100The 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...
and
Pop 100The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It ranked songs based on airplay on mainstream top 40 radio stations, singles sales, and digital downloads.-History:...
, being held off the top spot by
Mariah CareyMariah Carey is an American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut in 1990 under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, and became the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart...
's "
We Belong Together"We Belong Together" is a song recorded by Mariah Carey for her tenth studio album The Emancipation of Mimi and released as the album's second single in 2005. Written and produced by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin, the song was inspired by 1980s R&B and soul...
," and by the
Pussycat DollsThe Pussycat Dolls is an American pop quintet. The current musical lineup is composed of Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton, Jessica Sutta, Ashley Roberts, and Kimberly Wyatt....
's "
Don't Cha"Don't Cha" is a 2005 song written by Cee-Lo, Sir Mix-a-Lot and Busta Rhymes. First recorded by Tori Alamaze in 2004, it was then a hit cover version in 2005 for the Pussycat Dolls and Busta Rhymes...
." To promote the album, Rihanna performed at the pre-show of the
2005 MTV Video Music AwardsThe 2005 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 28, 2005, honoring the best music videos from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. The show was hosted by Diddy at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida....
, two days before the album's release. The album was released on August 30, 2005 in the United States through Def Jam Records. After the album's release, she continued her promotion by performing at the
NFL Opening KickoffThe NFL Kickoff game, and related festivities, mark the start of the National Football League season. The first game of the season falls typically on the Thursday following Labor Day. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. Since the 2004 season, the defending Super Bowl...
pre-game concert and also giving fans a free concert at
City Place MallCity Place Mall, at the intersection of Fenton Street and Colesville Road in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, is a 400,000-square-foot, five-story shopping mall that opened on April 2, 1992...
in
Silver Spring, MarylandSilver Spring is an urbanized, unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. After Baltimore and Columbia, the Silver Spring CDP is the third most populous place in Maryland....
. The album's second single, "
If It's Lovin' that You Want"If It's Lovin' That You Want" is a pop–reggae song written by Samuel Barnes, Scott La Rock, Makeba, Jean Claude Oliver, Alexander "Spanador" Mosely and Lawrence Parker for pop singer Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun .-Song history:...
", was released on November 28, 2005, peaking at number thirty-six on the
Billboard Hot 100. The album's ninth track, "Let Me," was supposed to the third single, but was only released in Japan, peaking at number eight.
Critical response
The critical response to
Music of the Sun was mixed. Some critics, who enjoyed the summer catchy hit single "
Pon de Replay"Pon de Replay" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The song was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Carl Sturken, and Evan Rogers for her 2005 debut album, Music of the Sun. Her debut single, the song peaked at number two on the U.S...
", gave the album a positive review, while others described Rihanna as yet another Beyoncé-
CiaraCiara Princess Harris , who performs under the mononym Ciara , is an American recording artist, producer, dancer, fashion model, and actress. Born in Austin, Texas, Ciara made her debut in the summer of 2004 with the Billboard number-one single "Goodies"...
-
AshantiAshanti Shequoiya Douglas is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, dancer, and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s. Ashanti is most famous for her eponymous Grammy Award-winning debut album Ashanti which featured the hit song "Foolish", and sold over 503,000 copies in its...
cash-in. Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic commented on the album's lead single calling it a "booming dancehall-lite beats and a reggae vocal cadence [...] it's a simple dance-pop song at its core, with standard English-language singing as well as a can't-miss singalong hook." Birchmeier described most of the album by saying; "
Music of the Sun descends into faceless slow jams after a while, overall consistency not being among its attributes, but thankfully it picks up the pace toward the end [...] The result is one of the more engaging urban dance-pop albums of the year."
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, 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. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
magazine rated it 2.5 out of 5 stars and described as lacking the replay value, ingenuity and rhythm of the single with "generic vocal hiccups and frills" of US R&B inflecting upon her "Caribbean charm". Walters found "Pon de Replay" to be "a poppy piece of dancehall reggae with slapping, syncopated beats recalling big-band jazz." Sal Cinquemani of
Slant MagazineSlant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, DVDs and TV shows, as well as interviews with actors, directors and musicians...
described the album as a "glut of teen R&B chanteuses " and described her lead single "Pon de Replay" as "a dancehall-pop mixture that owes plenty of its sweat and shimmy to Beyoncé's "Baby Boy"." Cinquemani also commented that while most of the album coasts atop its lite Caribbean influence, the middle stretch of the record sinks like a
JanetJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, California, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians...
album and compared the track "Willing To Wait" to Jackson's "
Let's Wait Awhile"Let's Wait Awhile" is the fifth single from Janet Jackson's third studio album, Control .-Song information:Written by Jackson, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Melanie Andrews, and produced by Jam and Lewis, the song talks about waiting until the right moment to have sexual intercourse...
".
Commercial performance
Music of the Sun debuted at number ten on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and at number two on the
Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums, selling 69,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a group which represents the recording industry distributors in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors, which the RIAA say "create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate sound recordings...
(RIAA) on November 1, 2006, selling 500,000+ copies in the United States. In
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the album managed peak within the top ten debuting at number seven on the
Canadian Albums ChartThe Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS Airplay...
. The album was later certified platinum, with a total sales of 100,000 in the country alone. Although, internationally
Music of the Sun failed to reach the top ten in other countries. The album peaked at number thirty-five in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
on the
UK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
and was awarded a Gold certification by the
British Phonographic IndustryThe British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association. 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 representing...
. In
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
, the album debuted at number twelve on the
Irish Albums ChartThe Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums 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...
and in New Zealand the album reached number twenty-six on the
New Zealand Album ChartThe Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists in New Zealand. Membership of RIANZ is open to any record label operating in New Zealand.-Piracy:...
.
Music of the Sun has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.
Track listing
Standard Edition
- "Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna. The song was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Carl Sturken, and Evan Rogers for her 2005 debut album, Music of the Sun. Her debut single, the song peaked at number two on the U.S...
" (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Alisha Brooks, Vada NoblesVada Nobles is a record producer and songwriter. He co-produced Lauryn Hill's debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill . He co-wrote the Rihanna song "Pon de Replay" and co-wrote and co-produced two tracks on Hilary Duff's 2007 album, Dignity....
) – 4:06
- "Here I Go Again" (featuring J-Status) (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, J-Status, Rihanna Fenty) – 4:11
- "If It's Lovin' That You Want
"If It's Lovin' That You Want" is a pop–reggae song written by Samuel Barnes, Scott La Rock, Makeba, Jean Claude Oliver, Alexander "Spanador" Mosely and Lawrence Parker for pop singer Rihanna's debut album, Music of the Sun .-Song history:...
" (Jean Claude Oliver, Samuel BarnesSamuel Barnes may refer to:*Samuel Barnes, one half of the Trackmasters and a rapper known also as Red Hot Lover Tone*Samuel Barnes , former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta*Sam Barnes , baseball player...
, Alaxsander Mosely, Scott Larock, Lawrence Parker, Makeba Riddick) – 3:28
- "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (featuring Vybz Kartel
Vybz Kartel is a Jamaican dancehall, artist/singer and businessman. He is officially known as "Addi Di Teacha".-Biography:Adidja attended Calabar High School in Kingston but was expelled...
) (Ellas McDanielBo Diddley , born Ellas Otha Bates, was an American rock & roll singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was known as "The Originator" because of his key role in the transition from blues music to rock & roll, influencing a host of legendary acts including Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton...
, Willie Cobbs) – 4:20
- "That La, La, La" (Full Force, D. Emile) – 3:45
- "The Last Time" (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken) – 4:53
- "Willing to Wait" (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Nathan Watts, Henry Redd, Cotton Greene, June Deniece Williams, Rihanna Fenty) – 4:37
- "Music of the Sun" (Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren is an American country and pop music singer-songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, four Golden Globe nominations, and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
, Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Rihanna Fenty) – 3:56
- "Let Me" (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Mikkel SE, Tor Erik Hermansen, Makeba Riddick) – 3:56
- "Rush" (featuring Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Biography:Harrow was born in Scarborough,...
) (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken) – 3:09
- "There's a Thug in My Life" (featuring J-Status) (E. Jordan, Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken) – 3:21
- "Now I Know" (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Rihanna Fenty) – 5:01
Bonus tracks
- "Pon de Replay" (Remix featuring Elephant Man) (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Alisha Brooks, Vada Nobles) – 3:37
- "Should I?" (Japanese & UK editions only) (featuring J-Status) – 3:06
- "Hypnotized" (Japanese edition only) (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Rihanna Fenty) – 4:15
Release history
| Country |
Date |
| Europe |
August 26, 2005 |
| United Kingdom |
August 29, 2005 |
| Canada |
August 30, 2005 |
| Japan |
| United States |
| Germany |
September 5, 2005 |
| Australia |
September 26, 2005 |
Musicians
- Robyn Fenty (Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , known as Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer and model. 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...
) - Vocals
- Rob Mounsey
Rob Mounsey is an award-winning composer, music producer, and musician. He was born in in Berea, Ohio and grew up in Seattle, Washington and several Ohio towns. At the age of 17, he was awarded a BMI Student Composer's Award in New York. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1971 to...
- Arranger/Conductor
- Avril Brown – Violin
The violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello....
- Kenneth Burward-Hoy – Violin
- Cenovia Cummins – Violin
- Stephanie Cum – Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument. The word derives from the Italian violoncello. A person who plays a cello is called a cellist. The cello is used as a solo instrument, in chamber music, and as a member of the string section of an orchestra...
- Lawrence Glazener – bass
Bass is a family of musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
- Tristan Hart – Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.The casual observer may mistake the viola for the violin because of their similarity in size, closeness in pitch range , and nearly identical playing position...
- Yana Goichman – Violin
- Ann Leathers – Violin
- Vince Lionti – Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.The casual observer may mistake the viola for the violin because of their similarity in size, closeness in pitch range , and nearly identical playing position...
- Richard Locker – Cello
- Jan Mullen – Violin
- Elizabeth Nielson – Violin
- Mark Orrin Shuman – Cello
- Sue Pray – Viola
- Debra Shufelt – Violin
- Marti Sweet – Violin
- Uri Vodoz – Violin
- Carol Wener – Violin
- Kez Chan - Beats
- Meg Wong- Beats
- Lian Truffle - Cello
Production
- Executive producers: Carter Administration
- Co-executive producers: Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken
- Vocal producer: Full Force, Evan Rogers
- Vocal assistance: Full Force
- Engineers: Al Hemberger, Matt Noble, Malcolm Pollack
- Assistant engineers: Jason Agel, Roy Matthews, Alex Pinto
- Mixing: Jason Goldstein, Jason Groucott, Al Hemberger
- Mastering: Chris Gehringer
- A&R: Jay Brown, Adrienne Muhammad, Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith
- Design: Tai Linzie
- Art Direction: Andy West
- Photography: Tai Linzie, Mark Mann, Ivan Otis
Charts
- These are the peak positions and certifications from chart providers.
| Chart (2005) |
Provider |
Peak
position |
Certification |
Sales |
| Australian Hitseekers Albums Chart 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...
|
ARIA 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...
|
18 |
|
|
| Austrian Albums Chart |
Media Control The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband der phonographischen Wirtschaft...
|
45 |
|
|
| Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS Airplay...
|
CRIA The Canadian Recording Industry Association is a non-profit trade organization that was founded in 1964 to represent the interests of companies that create, manufacture and market sound recordings in Canada. The organization is based in Toronto....
/Nielsen SoundScanNielsen SoundScan is an information system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
|
7 |
Platinum |
100,000+ |
| Germany Album Chart |
Media Control |
31 |
|
30,000 |
| Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
|
IRMAThe Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. They are a for profit association set up by record companies and companies carrying on associated trades in the Republic of Ireland, to provide members with a means to discuss matters of common interest between...
|
12 |
|
|
| Italian Albums Chart |
FIMI |
22 |
|
40,000 |
| Japanese Albums Chart |
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
|
14 |
|
280,000 |
New Zealand Album ChartThe Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists in New Zealand. Membership of RIANZ is open to any record label operating in New Zealand.-Piracy:...
|
RIANZ |
26 |
|
|
| Swiss Albums Chart |
Media Control |
38 |
|
10,000 |
| UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
|
BPI The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association. 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 representing...
/The Official UK Charts CompanyThe Official Charts Company , previously called the Chart Information Network and then The Official UK Charts Company, compiles various "official" UK record charts, including the UK Singles Chart, the UK Albums Chart, and the UK Official Download Chart, as well as genre-specific and music video...
|
35 |
Gold |
200,000+ |
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
|
Billboard |
10 |
Gold |
500,000+ |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
|
2 |
Barbados Music Awards
- Best Reggae/Dancehall Album (2006)
- Album of the Year (2006)
- Best Dance Single — "Pon de Replay" (2006)
- Song of the Year — "Pon de Replay" (2006)