Baby Boomers aren’t Rihanna’s target market—she’s 28-years old and the youngest Boomer is 50-something BUT, as a generation, we are hip enough to know who she is, what she looks like, and that she sings Top 40.
She has a new song out, “Kiss It Better,” reminiscent of 70s-80s smooth, silky, sultry, steamy R&B, like 1985’s “Saturday Love” by Cherrelle and Alexander O’Neal.
Rihanna’s 21st century lyrics are edgier and more graphic than the almost quaint elegance of “Saturday Love,” but much of life and culture in the 21st century is also edgier and more graphic.
Rihanna’s song is about make up sex. Cherrelle and O’Neal’s “Saturday Love” is about two lovers that aren’t together anymore, but cherish what they had. The content is different but the vibes are the same.
To put Rihanna’s popularity and impact into perspective: she ties with The Beatles for the most weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Both a have logged 59 weeks at the top, surpassed only by Mariah Carey at 79 weeks.
She’s sold over 200 million records worldwide—making her one of the best-selling artists of all time.
“Kiss It Better” is almost Top 20.