Rated R [Edited]

1	Mad House
2	Wait Your Turn
3	Hard / Jeezy
4	Stupid in Love
5	Rockstar 101
6	Russian Roulette
7	Fire Bomb
8	Rude Boy
9	Photographs
10	G4L
11	Te Amo
12	Cold Case Love
13	The Last Song

Barnes & Noble

Rated X, Rihanna's follow-up to 2007’s multiplatinum Good Girl Gone Bad, features the controversial first single, "Russian Roulette." The dark ballad was written and produced by Ne-Yo, and is Rihanna's first solo single since her altercation with then-boyfriend Chris Brown before the Grammys on February 8, 2009. According to Rolling Stone, Rhianna also recruited producers The-Dream & “Tricky” Stewart, Chase & Status, Stargate and Justin Timberlake for Rated R.

All Music Guide

"Russian Roulette," released weeks prior to Rated R, just hinted at Rihanna's sudden desire to provoke. Even with the realization that it is metaphorical, the song startles with its hesitant gasps, spinning cylinders, and verses that are glacially paced, where a cold piano line and the slight inflections in Rihanna's voice are front and center. And then there†s an audible shudder followed by a discharged bullet -- the abrupt end to one of Rated R†s most restrained moments. It†s not the only instance where Rihanna†s rise in fame, combined with being the victim in the decade†s highest-profile felonious assault, added up to a perfect-storm scenario for a creative overhaul. Rated R is more like Good Girl Gone Evil, or Abused Girl Full of Vengeful Rage, not Good Girl Gone Bad, where the only casualties were some dishes. The closest the set gets to upbeat pop is "†Rude Boy,†" and by any standard it is stern; needless to say, there is quite a difference between †Can you get it up?† and †You can stand under my umbrella.† Much of this daring album is absolutely over the top, bleak and sleek both lyrically and sonically, but it†s compelling, filled with as many memorably belligerent lines -- two of which, †I pitch with a grenade/Swing away if ya feeling brave† and †I†m such a fuckin† lady,† set the tone early on -- as a rap album made ripe for dissection. "†G4L,†" over a low-slung and sleek production, is the most fantastical of all, in which Rihanna leads a band of homicidal women, opening with †I lick the gun when I†m done †cause I know that revenge is sweet† and †Any mothaf*cka wanna disrespect/Playin† with fire finna get you wet.† The breakup song, "†Fire Bomb,†" even though it is also metaphorical, is a close second in terms of lyrical extremity: †I just wanna set you on fire so I won†t have to burn alone.† Some of the breathers -- the songs that are less intense -- hold the album back since Rihanna sounds detached from them. The one exception is the wistful, bittersweet "†Photographs,†" a rare instance of the singer dropping her guard, but it really sticks out since it is surrounded by material that has her taking the variably authentic roles of abused lover, dominatrix, and murderer. Whether the album seems ridiculous or spectacular (or both), Rihanna†s complete immersion in the majority of the songs cannot be disputed. That is the one thing that is not up for debate. [A clean version of the album was also released.] Andy Kellman

New York Times

It’s a bleak, adamant album that’s both brave and skillful. Its love songs are about breakups and passion’s destructive power, leaving listeners to read into them what they will. Meanwhile, in the power-chorded “Rockstar 101,” Rihanna announces, “I never play the victim.” Jon Pareles

Rolling Stone

The songs are etched in somber shades and minor chords, with Rihanna belting over synths and booming beats. The results are a musical match for the black-on-black CD cover — goth R&B. Jody Rosen