''Music of the Sun'' is the debut
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by Barbadian singer
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
. It was released on August 29, 2005, by
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The ...
. Prior to signing with Def Jam, Rihanna was discovered by record producer
Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
in Barbados, who helped Rihanna record
demo tapes
A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...
to send out to several record labels.
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, the former
chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
(CEO) and president of Def Jam, was given Rihanna's demo by Jay Brown, his
A&R at Def Jam, and invited her to audition for the label after hearing what turned out to be her first single, "
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is the debut single of Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her debut studio album ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Alisha "M'Jestie" Brooks, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers. The song was released ...
". She auditioned for Jay-Z and
L.A. Reid
Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...
, the former CEO and president of record label group
The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American recording music unit, formed on New Year's Eve 1998 by the Universal Music Group. It consists of labels devised and consisted under the basic operations of Island Records and Def Jam Recordin ...
, and was signed on the spot to prevent her from signing with another record label.
After Rihanna was signed by Jay-Z, she continued to work with Rogers and his production partner
Carl Sturken
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
, as well as other music producers such as
Poke and Tone
The Trackmasters are an American hip hop production duo composed of music producers Poke (Jean-Claude Olivier) and Tone (Samuel Barnes), best known for their commercial hit records in the mid-late 1990s and early 2000s. Frank "Nitty" Pimentel jo ...
,
D. "Supa Dups" Chin-quee, and
Stargate
''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...
. ''Music of the Sun'' features vocals from
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
rapper
Kardinal Offishall
Jason Drew Harrow (born May 11, 1976), better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall (), is a Canadian rapper, record producer, DJ, and record executive. Often credited as Canada's " hip hop ambassador", he is regarded as one of the country ...
, music group
J-Status
"Roll It Gal" (otherwise known as "Roll It") is a song written by Shontelle Layne and Sheldon Benjamin, containing a sample of Benjamin's "Big Love". The song was originally recorded by soca singer Alison Hinds and was taken from her debut album ' ...
, and
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
n singer
Vybz Kartel
Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976), better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall recording artist, composer, record producer, and entrepreneur. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as "Worl' Boss". As summarize ...
. ''Music of the Sun'' is a
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
,
dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
,
and
R&B album; it also incorporates
Caribbean music
Caribbean music genres are very diverse. They are each synthesis of African, European, Arab, Asian, and Indigenous influences, largely created by descendants of African slaves (see Afro-Caribbean music), along with contributions from other commun ...
and
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
.
''Music of the Sun'' received generally mixed reviews from music critics, some of whom complimented its dancehall and
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
-inspired songs, while others criticized some of the production. Commercially, the album was a modest success, debuting at number ten on the US
''Billboard'' 200 and number six on the US
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
. In addition, it peaked within the top 40 of album charts in Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It produced two singles – "
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is the debut single of Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her debut studio album ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Alisha "M'Jestie" Brooks, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers. The song was released ...
" and "
If It's Lovin' that You Want
"If It's Lovin' That You Want" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her debut studio album, ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written by Samuel Barnes, Scott La Rock, Makeba Riddick, Jean-Claude Oliver, Lawrence Parker, and produced b ...
" – the former of which peaked at number two on the US ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
and number one on the US
Dance Club Songs
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
. ''Music of the Sun'' was certified
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). Rihanna promoted the album along with her
next release with her debut concert tour,
Rihanna: Live in Concert.
Background
![Whitney Houston Welcome Heroes 7 cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Whitney_Houston_Welcome_Heroes_7_cropped.JPEG)
Before signing to
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The ...
, Rihanna was discovered in her home country
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
by
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
record producer
Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
. The two met in December 2003 through mutual friends of Rihanna's and Rogers' wife, while the couple was on vacation in Barbados. After meeting for the first time, Rogers asked Rihanna to come to his hotel room, where she performed renditions of
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...
's "
Emotion
Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definition. ...
" and
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
's "
Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...
". Rihanna's renditions impressed Rogers, who then took her to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, where she was accompanied by her mother to record some
demo
Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to:
Music and film
*Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release
* ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes
* ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
tapes which could be sent to
record labels
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produc ...
.
She recorded the demo over the next year intermittently, due to Rihanna only being able to record during school holidays.
At the age of 16, Rihanna was signed to Rogers' and
Carl Sturken
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
's production company, Syndicated Rhythm Productions, who assigned her a
lawyer
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...
and
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
, before the completed demo tape was distributed to various record labels around the world in late 2004. The first to respond to the demo tape was
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, who had recently been appointed as president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings. Rihanna auditioned for him and music mogul
L.A. Reid
Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...
in his office.
Looking back on the audition and meeting Jay-Z, Rihanna explained in an interview how she felt before walking into the room, saying: "That's when I really got nervous..... I was like: 'Oh God, he's right there, I can't look, I can't look, I can't look!' I remember being extremely quiet. I was very shy. I was cold the entire time. I had butterflies. I'm sitting across from Jay-Z. Like, Jay-Zee. I was star-struck."
During the audition, Rihanna performed
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
's cover of "
For the Love of You
"For the Love of You" (sometimes titled "For the Love of You (Part 1 & 2)") is a song recorded by the Isley Brothers, who released the song as the second single off their 1975 album, '' The Heat Is On''. The record showcased the two sides of the ...
", as well as "
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is the debut single of Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her debut studio album ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Alisha "M'Jestie" Brooks, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers. The song was released ...
" and "The Last Time", which were written and produced by Rogers and Sturken and would be included on her debut album ''Music of the Sun''.
Jay-Z was initially skeptical about signing Rihanna after he felt "Pon de Replay" was too big for her, saying "when a song is that big, it's hard
or a new artistto come back from. I don't sign songs, I sign artists".
The audition resulted in Rihanna signing a six-album record deal with Def Jam Recordings in February 2005, on the same day of the audition, with Jay-Z saying "There's only two ways out. Out the door after you sign this deal. Or through this window ...", meaning that he was not going to let her leave without signing a record deal.
After signing to Def Jam Recordings, Rihanna cancelled other meetings with record labels and relocated from Barbados to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
to live with Rogers and his wife.
Rihanna explained the concept behind the title of the album to Kidzworld, saying that the sun is representative of her native
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
culture as well as herself and that the album consists of music from her heritage.
Recording
Rihanna worked with various
producers
Producer or producers may refer to:
Occupations
*Producer (agriculture), a farm operator
*A stakeholder of economic production
*Film producer, supervises the making of films
**Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
for ''Music of the Sun'' and continued to work with
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
, who had previously written and produced "
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is the debut single of Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her debut studio album ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Alisha "M'Jestie" Brooks, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers. The song was released ...
" and "The Last Time" for Rihanna's
demo tape
A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...
. Although Rihanna stated that when she first heard "Pon de Replay", she did not want to record it, expressing that she felt the song was "sing-songy", but grew to like the song at the end of the recording process.
In an interview with Kidzworld, Rihanna learned how the pair helped her develop her song-writing abilities, talking about Rogers and Sturken, who had worked with
recording artists
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wr ...
including
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
,
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
and
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debu ...
.
Music and lyrics
''Music of the Sun'' is a
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
-influenced, "
urban
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of people ...
"
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
album.
Its dance-pop songs are complemented by contentional
R&B ballads. The
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
"Pon de Replay" was written by Rogers, Sturken and
Vada Nobles
Vada Nobles is an American record producer and songwriter. He provided production for " Lost Ones" on Lauryn Hill's debut solo album, ''The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' (1998).McLeod, Rodd"The reeducation of Lauryn Hill". Salon.com. May 10, 2000. ...
, and was produced by the first two. "Pon de Replay" is a simple dance-pop song with
dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
beats and
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
vocal cadence.
Lyrically, the song has its protagonist asking the
DJ to play her favorite song, as well as the fulfillment of dancing in a club.
"The Last Time", written and produced by Rogers and Sturken, is an
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
driven ballad, while "Now I Know" is a stripped down string driven song.
In addition to working with Rogers and Sturken for the majority of the album, Rihanna worked with production teams
Poke and Tone of Trackmasters and
Stargate
''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...
.
The former wrote and produced the second
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
released from the album, "
If It's Lovin' that You Want
"If It's Lovin' That You Want" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her debut studio album, ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written by Samuel Barnes, Scott La Rock, Makeba Riddick, Jean-Claude Oliver, Lawrence Parker, and produced b ...
", which Rihanna described as a "fun song".
A
R&B song,
"If It's Lovin' that You Want" is a song about a girl telling a boy that he should make her his girl, because she has what the boy wants.
A remix of the song, entitled "If It's Lovin' That You Want – Part 2", which features
rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
by
Cory Gunz
Peter Cory Pankey, Jr. (born June 22, 1987), better known by his stage name Cory Gunz, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York City.Jessica Koslow, "Interview: Cory Gunz: Youngest In Charge," February 1, 2005, found aHipHopDx website Acc ...
, was included as a bonus track on Rihanna's sophomore studio album, ''
A Girl like Me'' (2006).
Alongside Rogers and Sturken, Stargate co-wrote and co-produced "Let Me", which appears as the ninth song on the album. ''Music of the Sun'' also contains a remake of
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
n singer
Dawn Penn
Dawn Penn (born 11 January 1952) is a Jamaican reggae singer. She first had a short career during the rocksteady era, between 1967 and 1969, but is most known for her single "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" which became a worldwide hit in 1994.
...
"
You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)
"You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" is a song by Jamaican recording artist Dawn Penn, released in February 1994 as the first single from her first studio album, '' No, No, No'' (1994). The song's lyrics are credited to Penn, Bo Diddley and Will ...
", and features dancehall recording artist
Vybz Kartel
Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976), better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall recording artist, composer, record producer, and entrepreneur. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as "Worl' Boss". As summarize ...
.
Singles
"
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is the debut single of Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her debut studio album ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Alisha "M'Jestie" Brooks, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers. The song was released ...
" was released as the album's
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
on May 24, 2005. The song peaked at number one on the
New Zealand Singles Chart
The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
and at number two on the US ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
and the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
An accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
was directed by
Little X
Julien Christian Lutz (born October 31, 1975), known professionally as Director X, is a Canadian filmmaker, commercial director, music video director, and television director. Having directed more than 100 music videos, he is widely known as a pr ...
and features Rihanna in a nightclub setting.
Rihanna performed "Pon de Replay" complete with Barbados flags and colorful carnival attire at the
MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
pre-show in Miami, Florida on August 28, 2005. Rihanna also performed the song at the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with ...
in November 2005.
"
If It's Lovin' that You Want
"If It's Lovin' That You Want" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her debut studio album, ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written by Samuel Barnes, Scott La Rock, Makeba Riddick, Jean-Claude Oliver, Lawrence Parker, and produced b ...
" was released as the second and final single from ''Music of the Sun'' on December 2, 2005.
The song failed to replicate the chart success that "Pon de Replay" experienced, though managed to peak at number 36 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100
and inside the top 40 of multiple other
record charts
A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include rec ...
. An accompanying music video was directed by
Marcus Raboy
Marcus Raboy (born November 30, 1965) is an American film director, film and music video director.
Since the early 1990s, Raboy has amassed a large number music video credits directing music videos for Mary J. Blige, Dixie Chicks, Rihanna, Lut ...
and features Rihanna in an island setting.
Critical reception
''Music of the Sun'' received generally mixed reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. Kelefa Sanneh of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' viewed that the album's combination of
dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
and
pop resulted in "["
Pon de Replay
"Pon de Replay" is the debut single of Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her debut studio album ''Music of the Sun'' (2005). It was written and produced by Vada Nobles, Alisha "M'Jestie" Brooks, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers. The song was released ...
" being] one [of] the summer's biggest and most seductive club tracks", but felt that Rihanna sounded "stranded" without a beat to sing along to.
Barry Walters of ''Rolling Stone'' found it lacking in replay value, ingenuity, and rhythm, with "generic vocal hiccups and frills" of US
R&B inflecting upon her "
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
charm".
Sal Cinquemani of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' called the album a "glut of teen R&B chanteuses" and described the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
"Pon de Replay" as "a
dancehall-pop
Dancehall pop is a sub-genre of the Jamaican genre dancehall that originated in the early 2000s. Developing from the sounds of reggae, dancehall pop is characteristically different in its fusion with western pop music and digital music producti ...
mixture that owes plenty of its sweat and shimmy to
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
's "
Baby Boy".
Evan Serpick of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' wrote that Rihanna's "vibrant
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
lift tracks like "That La, La, La" and "Let Me," but this bland
dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
/R&B debut is filled with chintzy production and maudlin arrangements that block out the ''Music of the Sun''."
Robert Christgau
Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
of ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...
'' rated the album a "dud",
indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought."
In a positive review, Jason Birchmeier of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
commented that the album presents Rihanna as "winsome rather than
wannabe," as well as how she managed to set herself apart from other
urban
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of people ...
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
artists such as
Ashanti, Beyoncé, and
Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
. Birchmeier further explained that "
..''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."
Chantal Jenoure of ''
The Jamaica Observer
''Jamaica Observer'' is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica. The publication is owned by Butch Stewart, who chartered the paper in January 1993 as a competitor to Jamaica's oldest daily paper, ''The Gleaner''. Its founding editor is ...
'' complimented the dancehall and
hip hop composition on several of the songs, including "Pon de Replay", "Rush", "Let Me", "Music of the Sun" and "That La, La, La", writing that they make the listener feel "happy" and "carefree".
Commercial performance
In the United States, ''Music of the Sun'' sold 69,000 copies in its first week and debuted and peaked at number ten on the
''Billboard'' 200 in the chart issue dated September 17, 2005.
The album spent a total of thirty-five weeks on the chart. ''Music of the Sun'' debuted on the US
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart at number six in the same chart issue, and spent a total of forty-four weeks on the chart.
After five months of release, the album was certified
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) on January 1, 2006, denoting shipments of over 500,000 copies.
By the time Rihanna released her third studio album ''
Good Girl Gone Bad
''Good Girl Gone Bad'' is the third studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on May 31, 2007, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. Rihanna worked with various producers on the album, including Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Neo d ...
'' (2007), the album had sold 539,000 copies,
making it a slower selling album than the others in her repertoire.
As of June 2015, the album had sold 623,000 copies in the United States. On August 28, 2020, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album Platinum. In Canada, ''Music of the Sun'' debuted and peaked at number seven on the Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocea ...
in the chart issue dated September 17, 2005, but dropped out of the top ten the following week. After four months of release, the album was certified Platinum by Music Canada
Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It a ...
for shipments of over 100,000 copies.
Internationally, ''Music of the Sun'' failed to achieve a comparable level of chart success. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted and peaked at number 35 on the UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
in the chart issue dated October 10, 2005. In its second week charting, ''Music of the Sun'' fell by three positions to number 38 and dropped out of the official UK Top 40 the following week. On May 12, 2006, the album was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI), denoting shipments of over 100,000 copies. Elsewhere in Europe, the album debuted on the Swiss Albums Chart
The Swiss Hitparade (german: link=no, Schweizer Hitparade) is Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the ...
at number 46 in the chart issue dated September 11, 2005, and peaked at number 38 four weeks later. In Austria, ''Music of the Sun'' debuted on the Austrian Albums Chart
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example ...
at number 61 in the chart issue dated September 18, 2005, and peaked at number 45 the following week. The album debuted and peaked at number 93 on the French Albums Chart
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...
in the chart issue dated September 24, 2005. In the Netherlands, ''Music of the Sun'' debuted and peaked at number 98 on the Mega Album Top 100
The Dutch Album Top 100 or Album Top 100 is a weekly hit list of music albums, compiled by Dutch Charts. List shows the 100 best-selling music albums of the moment in the Netherlands. The list has passed through various name changes and has expand ...
in the chart issue dated April 29, 2006, and spent one week on the chart. In New Zealand, the album debuted on the New Zealand Albums Chart
The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
at number 40 in the chart issue dated September 26, 2005. Between September 29 and October 10, 2005, ''Music of the Sun'' dropped out of the album chart's top 40, but made a re-entry at number 40 on October 10, 2005. In its fourth week charting, the album peaked at number 26.
Track listing
Notes
* denotes a co-producer
* denotes a vocal producer
* denotes an additional producer
* "If It's Lovin' That You Want" contains interpolations from the composition "The Bridge Is Over", written by Scott La Rock
Scott Monroe Sterling (March 2, 1962 – August 27, 1987), known by the stage name DJ Scott La Rock, was an American hip-hop disc jockey and music producer from the Bronx, New York. He was a founding member of the East Coast hip hop group Boogi ...
and Lawrence Parker.
* "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" is a cover of a song with the same name by Dawn Penn
Dawn Penn (born 11 January 1952) is a Jamaican reggae singer. She first had a short career during the rocksteady era, between 1967 and 1969, but is most known for her single "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" which became a worldwide hit in 1994.
...
.
* "Willing to Wait" contains interpolations from the composition "Free", written by Cotton Greene, Henry Redd, Nathan Watts and June Deniece Williams.
* "Music of the Sun" contains interpolations from "Rhythm of the Night", written by Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren (born September 7, 1956) is an American songwriter. She has received several awards including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three ''Billboard'' Music Awards and an Honorary Academy Award.
Wa ...
.
* "There's a Thug in My Life" contains interpolations from the composition "A Dream", written by Etterlene Jordan.
Personnel
Credits for ''Music of the Sun'' are adapted from AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
and the album's liner notes.
Recording locations
* Bassmint Studios (Bronxville, New York
Bronxville is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States, located approximately north of Midtown Manhattan. It is part of the town of Eastchester. The village comprises one square mile (2.5 km2) of land in its entirety, a ...
)
* The Loft Recording Studios (Bronxville, New York)
* Avatar Studios
Power Station at BerkleeNYC, formerly known as Avatar Studios (1996–2017) and Power Station, is a recording studio at 441 West 53rd Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. The bui ...
(New York City, New York
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
)
* Forceful Boondog Studios (New York City, New York)
* RMP Studios (Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
)
Mixing locations
* The Loft Recording Studios (Bronxville, New York)
* Forceful Boondog Studios (New York City, New York)
* Sony Music Studios
Sony Music Studios was an American music recording and mastering facility in New York City. The five-story building was a music and broadcasting complex located at 460 W. 54th Street, at 10th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. I ...
(New York City, New York)
Vocals
* Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
– main vocals, background vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used ...
* Full Force
Full Force is an American music group of hip hop and R&B singers and producers from Brooklyn, New York.
Members
*B-Fine (Brian George) - drums and drum programming, backing vocals
*Shy Shy (Hugh Junior Clark) - bass guitar, backing vocals ...
– background vocals (track 5)
* Sharina Sharpe – background vocals (track 5)
* Elephant Man
Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890), often erroneously called John Merrick, was an English man known for having severe deformities. He was first exhibited at a freak show under the stage name "the Elephant Man" and then wen ...
– featured vocals (track 13)
* J-Status
"Roll It Gal" (otherwise known as "Roll It") is a song written by Shontelle Layne and Sheldon Benjamin, containing a sample of Benjamin's "Big Love". The song was originally recorded by soca singer Alison Hinds and was taken from her debut album ' ...
– featured vocals (tracks 2, 11)
* Kardinal Offishall
Jason Drew Harrow (born May 11, 1976), better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall (), is a Canadian rapper, record producer, DJ, and record executive. Often credited as Canada's " hip hop ambassador", he is regarded as one of the country ...
– featured vocals (track 10)
* Vybz Kartel
Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976), better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall recording artist, composer, record producer, and entrepreneur. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as "Worl' Boss". As summarize ...
– featured vocals (track 4)
Musicians
* Larry Glazener – bass (track 12)
* Stephanie Cummins – cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
(track 6)
* Richard Locker – cello (track 12)
* Mark Shumann – cello (track 12)
* Richard Sortomme – concertmaster
The concertmaster (from the German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band). After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most signifi ...
(track 5)
* Carl Sturken
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
– guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
(tracks 4, 6, 8), keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
(tracks 1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10, 11, 13), piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
(track 12), additional keyboards (track 9)
* Tor Erik Hermansen
Tor, TOR or ToR may refer to:
Places
* Tor, Pallars, a village in Spain
* Tor, former name of Sloviansk, Ukraine, a city
* Mount Tor, Tasmania, Australia, an extinct volcano
* Tor Bay, Devon, England
* Tor River, Western New Guinea, Indonesia
Sc ...
– instruments
Instrument may refer to:
Science and technology
* Flight instruments, the devices used to measure the speed, altitude, and pertinent flight angles of various kinds of aircraft
* Laboratory equipment, the measuring tools used in a scientific lab ...
(track 9)
* Mikkel Storleer Eriksen
Stargate is a record producing and songwriting team composed of Tor E. Hermansen (born 14 October 1972) and Mikkel S. Eriksen (born 10 December 1972), based in Los Angeles. The team's genres include R&B, pop and hip hop. Stargate was establis ...
– instruments (track 9)
* Rob Mounsey
Rob Mounsey (born December 2, 1952) is an American musician, composer, and arranger.
Music career
Mounsey was born in Berea, Ohio, and grew up in Seattle, Washington, spending a few years each in Findlay and Granville, Ohio. At the age of 17, ...
– string arrangement and string conductor (track 12)
* Ken Burdward-Hoy – viola
The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...
(track 12)
* Vincent Lionti – viola (track 12)
* Sue Pray – viola (track 12)
* Debra Shuffelt-Dine – viola (track 6)
* Avril Brown – violin
The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...
(track 12)
* Cenovia Cummins – violin (track 12)
* Yana Goichman – violin (track 12)
* Ann Leathers – violin (track 12)
* Jan Mullen – violin (track 12)
* Elizabeth Nielson – violin (track 6)
* Marti Sweet – violin (track 12)
* Uri Vodoz – violin (track 12)
* Carol Webb – violin (track 12)
Production
* Jay Brown – A&R
* Adrienne Muhammad – A&R
* Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith – A&R
* D. Emile – arrangements
In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestr ...
and producer (track 5)
* Full Force – arrangements, mixing, producer, recording engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...
, and vocal production (track 5)
* Tai Linzie – art coordination, photography
Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...
* Andy West – art direction
Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games.
It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the visi ...
* Jason Agel – assistant engineer (track 1)
* Val Brathwaite – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 13)
* Julius Díaz – assistant engineer (track 13)
* Blake Douglas – assistant engineer (track 1)
* Roy Matthews – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 13)
* Alex Pinto – assistant engineer (track 13)
* Ian Allen – business affairs
* Heath Kudler – business affairs
* Antoinette Trotman – business affairs
* The Carter Administration
Jimmy Carter's tenure as the 39th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 1977, and ended on January 20, 1981. A Democrat from Georgia, Carter took office after defeating incumbent Republican President G ...
– executive producer
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
* Evan Rogers
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York–based songwriters and record producers. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera and Evelyn Champagne King and helped build the career of Rihanna. In addition to ...
– co-executive producer, co-producer (track 9), producer (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10-13), additional vocal production (tracks 3, 5)
* Carl Sturken – co-executive producer, co-producer (track 9), producer (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6-8, 10-13), programming (tracks 2, 4, 6-8, 10, 11), additional vocal production (tracks 3, 5), additional programming (track 9)
* D. "Supa Dups" Chinquee – co-producer (track 4)
* Johnny "Too" Nice – co-producer, mixing, and recording engineer (track 5)
* Spanador – co-producer (track 3)
* Rudy Maya – drum programming
Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices and computer software, such as sequencers and workstations or hardware synthesizers, sampler and sequencers, to generate sounds of musical instruments. These mus ...
and additional production (track 11)
* Tippi Shorter – hairstyling
A hairstyle, hairdo, haircut or coiffure refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human scalp. Sometimes, this could also mean an editing of facial or body hair. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal groomin ...
* Scott Felcher – legal counsel
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solicitor, ...
* Evan Freifeld – legal counsel
* Marc Jordan – management
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
* Mylah Morales – make-up
Cosmetics are constituted mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources, or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protect ...
* Tracey Waples – marketing
Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...
* Chris Gehringer
Chris Gehringer (born May 27, 1962) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered recordings such as Gwen Stefani's '' Love. Angel. Music. Baby.'' (2004), Rihanna's '' Loud'' (2010), Lady Gaga's '' Born This Way'' (2011) and Drake' ...
– mastering
* Al Hemberger – mixing (tracks 2, 4, 6-12), recording engineer (all tracks), additional mixing (track 3)
* Jason Goldstein – mixing (track 3)
* Jason Groucott – mixing (tracks 1, 13)
* Vada Nobles
Vada Nobles is an American record producer and songwriter. He provided production for " Lost Ones" on Lauryn Hill's debut solo album, ''The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' (1998).McLeod, Rodd"The reeducation of Lauryn Hill". Salon.com. May 10, 2000. ...
– mixing and producer (tracks 1, 13)
* Michelle Graf – packaging
Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a co ...
* Mark Mann – photography
* Ivan Otis – photography
* Poke and Tone
The Trackmasters are an American hip hop production duo composed of music producers Poke (Jean-Claude Olivier) and Tone (Samuel Barnes), best known for their commercial hit records in the mid-late 1990s and early 2000s. Frank "Nitty" Pimentel jo ...
– producers (track 3)
* Stargate
''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...
– producers (track 9)
* Andrea Derby – production manager
In the cinema of the United States, a unit production manager (UPM) is the Directors Guild of America–approved title for the top below-the-line staff position, responsible for the administration of a feature film or television production. Non- ...
* Rob Heselden – production manager assistant
* Matt Noble – recording engineer (tracks 3, 10)
* Deborah Mannis-Gardner – sample clearance
In sound and music, sampling is the reuse of a portion (or sample) of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may comprise elements such as rhythm, melody, speech, sounds or entire bars of music, and may be layered, Equalization (audio), ...
* Malcolm Pollack – strings recording engineer (track 12)
* Ms. Cee Gee – studio assistant
* Charlene Curry – studio assistant
* Lou$tar – studio assistant
* Raphaela St. Vil – studio assistant
* Crystal Streets – stylist
* Makeba – vocal production
Accolades
Charts
Certifications
Release history
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Music Of The Sun
2005 debut albums
Albums produced by Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers
Albums produced by D'Mile
Albums produced by Trackmasters
Albums produced by Stargate
Albums produced by Supa Dups
Albums produced by Full Force
Def Jam Recordings albums
Rihanna albums