The breakthrough yearThe year she turned 17, her debut single “Pon de Replay” came out, and by July it had climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2006 “SOS” went to No. 1 on the Hot 100. In 2007 “Umbrella,” featuring Jay-Z, rose from No. 42 to No. 1 in its first week of digital release and stayed there seven weeks.
In 2008 “Take a Bow” jumped from No. 53 to No. 1, and “Disturbia” became her fourth No. 1. In 2009 Def Jam announced her fourth studio album, Rated R. In 2010 she left her manager to join Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Management. In 2011 “S&M” became her 10th No. 1 on the Hot 100, and “We Found Love,” with Calvin Harris, her 11th.
In 2012 Unapologetic opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 238,000 copies sold, her first No. 1 album. In 2013 she passed 10 million albums sold in the United States, per Nielsen SoundScan. In 2014 the Council of Fashion Designers of America gave her its Fashion Icon Award. In 2015 the video for “FourFiveSeconds,” with Kanye West and Paul McCartney, premiered.
In 2016 she released Anti, and “Work,” featuring Drake, became her 14th No. 1 on the Hot 100. In 2017 she launched Fenty Beauty and received Harvard’s Humanitarian of the Year award. In 2018 “Loyalty,” Kendrick Lamar’s song featuring her, won a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Performance. In 2019 she announced Fenty, a fashion label with LVMH.
In 2020 she donated $5 million to coronavirus relief through her Clara Lionel Foundation. In 2021 Forbes put her net worth at $1.7 billion, and Barbados declared her a national hero. In 2022 her Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 premiered on Prime Video. The year she turned 35, she performed the Super Bowl LVII halftime show.
In 2024 she launched Fenty Hair, a line of nine hair care and styling products. In 2025 her foundation refocused its giving, and she announced the birth of her third child. In 2026 Fenty Beauty launched a new foundation in 50 shades to replace its original.
Rihanna released her debut single in 2005, the year she turned 17, and became known when “Pon de Replay” climbed to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in July 2005, the year she turned 17.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
The single came out on May 24, 2005, and was on her first studio album, Music of the Sun, Billboard reported.
Source 01 · Billboard · Rihanna celebrates 15 years of “Pon de Replay” · opens in a new tabBillboard reported the newcomer’s single moved 5-2 on the Hot 100, behind Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together.” It spent 12 weeks in the top 10, Billboard later reported.
The song rose 33 places to No. 1, ending the five-week run of Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day.” Billboard later called it her first No. 1.
Source 05 · Billboard · Rihanna’s “SOS” rockets to No. 1 on Hot 100 · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Billboard · Rihanna’s top 10 biggest career moments · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.The song, featuring Jay-Z, rose 42-1 in its first week of digital release. It spent seven weeks at No. 1, Billboard reported in 2011.
Source 06 · Billboard · Rihanna’s “Umbrella” rockets to the top of the Hot 100 · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Billboard · Rihanna’s “Love” her longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.The song went 53-1 on the Hot 100 after 267,000 opening-week downloads, the second-best leap to No. 1 in Hot 100 history, Billboard reported.
Source 08 · Billboard · Rihanna’s “Bow” soars 52 spots to lead Hot 100 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.The song rose 3-1 on the Hot 100, tying her with Beyoncé and Mariah Carey for the most No. 1s by a female artist in the decade, Billboard reported.
Source 09 · Billboard · Rihanna topples Katy Perry on Hot 100 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.Her fourth studio album was set for release on Nov. 23, with “Russian Roulette” as the first single.
Source 10 · Billboard · Rihanna’s new album is “Rated R” · opens in a new tabShe left her manager to join Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Management. Jay-Z had signed her to Def Jam in 2005, Rolling Stone reported.
Source 11 · Rolling Stone · Rihanna signs with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation · opens in a new tab Date is the Rolling Stone article date.The song rose 2-1. Billboard said the four years, 11 months and two weeks since her first No. 1 were the shortest span between a solo artist’s first and 10th No. 1s in the chart’s 52-year history.
Source 12 · Billboard · Rihanna’s “S&M” reigns on Hot 100 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.The song, featuring Calvin Harris, rose 2-1 for her 11th No. 1. Its eighth week at the top, reported in December, was the longest of any of her No. 1s to that point.
Source 13 · Billboard · Rihanna’s “Found” her way back to Hot 100 summit · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Billboard · Rihanna’s “Love” her longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.The song rose 2-1 on the Hot 100, replacing Maroon 5’s “One More Night” after nine weeks.
Source 14 · Billboard · Rihanna’s “Diamonds” shines atop Hot 100 · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.Her seventh album sold 238,000 copies in its first week, per Nielsen SoundScan, and was her first No. 1 album after six earlier top 10 albums.
Source 15 · The Hollywood Reporter · Rihanna gets first No. 1 album on Billboard 200 · opens in a new tab Date is the Hollywood Reporter article date; the release date is not in the source.Billboard reported that she surpassed 10 million albums sold in the United States the week before, per Nielsen SoundScan.
Source 16 · Billboard · Rihanna hits 10 million in U.S. album sales · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.The Council of Fashion Designers of America gave her the 2014 Fashion Icon Award at its annual ceremony.
Source 17 · CBS News · Rihanna honored for style at annual CFDA awards · opens in a new tab CBS News article updated June 3 describes Monday night.The video features Kanye West and Paul McCartney. Rolling Stone described the song as the first single from her upcoming album.
Source 18 · Rolling Stone · McCartney, Rihanna, Kanye shine in “FourFiveSeconds” video · opens in a new tab Date is the Rolling Stone article date.Her eighth album, and first full-length since 2012’s Unapologetic, was at first available only on Tidal.
Source 19 · Rolling Stone · Rihanna surprise-releases eighth album, Anti · opens in a new tab Date is the Rolling Stone article date.The song, featuring Drake, gave her a solo share of the third-most No. 1s all-time on the chart, breaking a tie with Michael Jackson.
Source 20 · Billboard · Rihanna & Drake rise to No. 1 with “Work” · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date; the chart is dated March 5.After entering at No. 27, the album reached No. 1 in early February and again that week. Vulture reported it was her first album to spend more than one week at the top.
Source 21 · Vulture · Rihanna’s Anti returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 · opens in a new tab Date is the Vulture article date.The Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations gave her the 2017 award at a ceremony that Tuesday.
Source 22 · Billboard · Rihanna receives Harvard’s Humanitarian award · opens in a new tabThe collection went on sale online in more than 150 countries at midnight EST and in Sephora stores and online later that day, Billboard reported.
Source 23 · Billboard · Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty collection has arrived · opens in a new tab Billboard’s Sept. 7 article gives the launch as midnight EST Friday.Kendrick Lamar’s song featuring her won Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 2018 Grammys, Billboard reported.
Source 24 · Billboard · Kendrick Lamar & Rihanna win best rap/sung performance · opens in a new tab Date is the Billboard article date.The BBC reported she would be the first woman of color to lead a house under LVMH, and that Fenty was the group’s first new label since 1987.
Source 25 · BBC News · Rihanna makes history with new fashion label Fenty · opens in a new tabThe money was to be distributed by her Clara Lionel Foundation, Harper’s Bazaar reported.
Source 26 · Harper’s Bazaar · Rihanna donates $5 million to coronavirus relief · opens in a new tab Date is the Harper’s Bazaar article update date.Forbes called her the wealthiest female musician in the world, with about $1.4 billion of her fortune coming from Fenty Beauty.
Source 27 · Forbes · Fenty’s fortune: Rihanna is now officially a billionaire · opens in a new tabShe received the honor at a ceremony in Bridgetown. Rolling Stone reported she was the second woman and the 11th person to be declared a national hero.
Source 28 · Rolling Stone · Barbados honors Rihanna as national hero · opens in a new tab Date is the Rolling Stone article date.The show included performances by Anitta, Burna Boy, Don Toliver and Maxwell, the Hollywood Reporter reported.
Source 29 · The Hollywood Reporter · Where to watch Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 · opens in a new tabA representative confirmed afterward that she was expecting her second child, Variety reported. The show earned five Primetime Emmy nominations, according to Billboard.
Source 30 · Variety · Rihanna is officially pregnant after Super Bowl performance · opens in a new tabSource 31 · Billboard · Rihanna “so grateful” for Super Bowl halftime show’s 5 Emmy nominations · opens in a new tabThe launch included nine hair care and styling products, the Hollywood Reporter reported.
Source 32 · The Hollywood Reporter · Fenty Hair launch is selling like wildfire · opens in a new tab The Hollywood Reporter article dated June 18 gives June 12 as the official launch.AP reported the foundation, named after her grandparents, would direct more funds to climate solutions and women’s entrepreneurship in East Africa, the Caribbean and the U.S. South.
Source 33 · AP · Rihanna’s expanding Clara Lionel Foundation · opens in a new tab Date is the AP article date.An Instagram post confirmed the birth of a daughter with A$AP Rocky on Sept. 13, Vogue reported.
Source 34 · Vogue · Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcome their third child · opens in a new tabThe new foundation comes in 50 shades and replaces the original Pro Filt’r foundation, ELLE reported.
Source 35 · ELLE · Rihanna’s new foundation replaces Pro Filt’r · opens in a new tab ELLE’s Aug. 19 article gives Sept. 4 as the launch date.END OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2005–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
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Music · Barbados
Feb 20, 1988 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1988: the year of the event minus 1988, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.30 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.