Lugano — Rihanna continues to redefine music industry records, becoming the first female artist to surpass 200 million RIAA-certified single units, ranking in third place, just behind Morgan Wallen at 215 million and Drake at 277.5 million.
Remarkably, Rihanna achieved this record despite not having released a studio album since 2016’s “Anti.”
This comes following years of global success recognised through a number of achievements including winning 9 awards at the Grammy Awards.
Her first win came in 2008 for “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration” with “Umbrella,” a defining moment that marked her global breakthrough.
She has also demonstrated her versatility across genres, winning “Best Dance Recording” for “Only Girl (In the World)” in 2011 and “Best Short Form Music Video” for “We Found Love” in 2013, two of her most commercially successful releases.
Rihanna expanded her presence beyond music through film and soundtrack work, contributing songs such as “Lift Me Up” for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
In addition, she has appeared on screen in projects like “Ocean’s 8,” where she was part of an ensemble cast, and “Battleship,” one of her early acting roles.
Beyond music, Rihanna has broadened her influence through her business ventures, most notably Fenty Beauty, launched in 2017.
Built on inclusivity, the brand helped reshape industry standards with its wide shade range and has expanded globally, operating in over 150 countries.
Her continued success across music, film, and business reinforces her status as one of the most influential global figures shaping contemporary culture today.
RIAA stands for the Recording Industry Association of America, the organization that tracks and certifies music sales in the US.
It awards Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum certifications based on combined physical sales, digital downloads, and streaming equivalents.
The RIAA certification system reflects changes in how music is consumed.
While the platform once measured physical sales of records, it now includes digital downloads and streaming, where 150 streams count as one unit, allowing long-standing hits to accumulate certifications over time.
