"We Found Love" is a song 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 th ...
from her sixth studio album, ''
Talk That Talk
''Talk That Talk'' is the sixth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna, released on November 18, 2011, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. It was recorded while traveling for the Loud Tour between February and November 2011, and was origin ...
'' (2011). Scottish DJ
Calvin Harris
Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums.
His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
wrote, produced, and features on the song, which also appears on his third album ''
18 Months'' (2012). "We Found Love" premiered on September 22, 2011, on the
Capital FM radio station in the United Kingdom, and was made available to download on the same day as the lead single from ''Talk That Talk''. "We Found Love" is an uptempo
electro house
Electro house is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by heavy bass and a tempo around 130 beats per minute. The term has been used to describe the music of many ''DJ Mag'' Top 100 DJs, including Benny Benassi, Skrillex, Steve Ao ...
song, with elements of
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 ...
,
techno
Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...
and
Europop
Europop (also spelled Euro pop) is a style of pop music that originated in Europe during the mid-to-late 1960s and developed to today's form throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with revivals and ...
. The song's lyrics speak of a couple who "found love in a hopeless place".
The song was a major worldwide success. It topped the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 for ten non-consecutive weeks, becoming the longest running number-one single of 2011. The single also surpassed "
Umbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally use ...
" and became Rihanna's longest running number one single. It was the singer's eleventh song to top the Hot 100, placing her in third place among female recording artists amassing the most number one singles. Outside of the United States, "We Found Love" topped the charts in 25 other countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, Scotland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. According to Billboard it is the 29th most successful single of all time in the US. As of 2015, the single has sold 10.5 million copies worldwide,
thus being one of the
best selling singles of all time.
The
song's accompanying music video, directed by
Melina Matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas (born January 14, 1981) is an American music video, film, commercial and television director. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and four-time MTV Video Music Awards winner for her " We Found Love" and "Formation" music video ...
, depicts the singer as a drug-abusing thrill-seeker in a relationship that quickly spirals downward into addiction and domestic violence. The video won a
Grammy Award for Best Music Video
The Grammy Award for Best Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos. Hon ...
at the
55th Annual Grammy Awards
The 55th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ...
and
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
at the
2012 MTV Video Music Awards. The song has been performed on both the UK and US versions of ''
The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
'', as well as at the
54th Annual Grammy Awards
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles being broadcast on CBS honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. LL Cool J hosted t ...
and the
2012 Brit Awards. Multiple recording artists have covered "We Found Love" including British artists
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...
and
Jessie J
Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...
.
Background
Following the release and success of her album ''
Loud'' (2010), Rihanna originally revealed via
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
that the album would be re-issued with new songs and released in Fall 2011, writing that "
e
'Loud'' eracontinues with more new music to add to
ourcollection".
In September 2011, Rihanna again took to the
social networking
A social network is a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations), sets of dyadic ties, and other social interactions between actors. The social network perspective provides a set of methods for ...
site to confirm that the plans had been scrapped, with the singer tweeting "I
hought abouta
e-release but LOUD is its own body of work! Plus
ouguys work so hard that
oudeserve to act brand new". On September 19, 2011, Rihanna further provoked excitement amongst her followers when she posted that she was listening to the song, only to be re-tweeted by
Calvin Harris
Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums.
His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
, who replied "Sometimes it feels like we find love in the most hopeless place", suggesting that his response contained possible lyrics from the song.
In an interview with
Capital FM, Harris – who produced the track
– explained that followers of Rihanna had sent messages to him regarding their expectations of the song, saying "The song better not be rubbish", which he interpreted as slightly threatening, but went on to say that "it's all part of the fun". In an interview for Q magazine, Harris said of the lyric, "we found love in a hopeless place," "It could have been Jumpin Jaks in
Dumfries
Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from t ...
(Harris' home town), I don't know exactly what I was thinking about."
"We Found Love" premiered in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2011, on Capital FM,
and was sent for mainstream adds in the United States on October 11, 2011.
The song was released via
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
on September 22, 2011.
["We Found Love" digital single on various international iTunes stores on September 22, 2011:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*] During an interview with MTV News, Calvin Harris revealed, "'We Found Love,' is the most successful thing I've done ever... It's not strictly a song by me, obviously, it's by Rihanna. She sings it...It was great to work with her... No one could have taken it as far as she did. You can't escape it here
n America I've heard it a lot. I've heard it probably more times today than I did when I was mixing it. Which is a good thing... Ever since the Rihanna song did well, a lot of people want to do some stuff, which is great... That's what I enjoy doing. In terms of actual names, I've not done anything yet." In October 2012, British singer
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved natio ...
claimed that she was originally chosen to sing the song but ended up losing it to Rihanna when Harris went touring with the latter, commenting. "I didn’t commit to it because I wanted "
Trouble
Trouble may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Trouble'' (1922 film), an American silent comedy-drama film directed by Albert Austin
* ''Trouble'' (1933 film), a British comedy film
* ''Trouble'' (1977 film), a Soviet drama film
* ''Trouble'' ...
" to be my first single so I think that was another reason they went with Rihanna. It was the same version and production but mine’s better." In 2013,
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
claimed that she was the first artist given the song but ended up rejecting it, commenting. "I've got the demo of that song and I was busy at the time. They'd sent me a few dance tracks and I wasn't able to get to them and I was like, 'Oh there's so much dance and I want to take a break from it."
Artwork
The artwork for "We Found Love" was released by Rihanna's official
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dust ...
page on September 22, 2011.
Grady Smith 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 ...
''s The Music Mix criticized the song's artwork, writing "'We found love in a hopeless place,' Rihanna repeats over a
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta ( , ; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and music producer. He has over 10 million album and 65 million single sales globally, with more than 10 billion streams. In 2011, 2020 and 2021, Guetta was voted the number one D ...
-ish synth beat. But judging by the single cover, her place doesn't look too hopeless, does it? Maybe there's a building on fire outside the frame, and that fire hydrant doesn't work. I guess that would be hopeless."
A reviewer for ''
Sugar Magazine'' wrote that "On anyone else this would be a pretty odd look but Rihanna somehow makes a denim overload look good."
A reviewer for Neon Limelight commented that Rihanna appeared to be adopting a
tomboy
A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...
image for the new project, writing, "She really is going for that sexy tomboy look this album era it seems; remember the laid back look she rocked on the single's cover art?".
Composition
"We Found Love" is an
electro house
Electro house is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by heavy bass and a tempo around 130 beats per minute. The term has been used to describe the music of many ''DJ Mag'' Top 100 DJs, including Benny Benassi, Skrillex, Steve Ao ...
song with elements of
Europop
Europop (also spelled Euro pop) is a style of pop music that originated in Europe during the mid-to-late 1960s and developed to today's form throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with revivals and ...
,
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' ( ...
,
techno
Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...
,
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 ...
,
trance
Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
, and
Euro disco
Eurodisco (also spelled as Euro disco) is the variety of European forms of electronic dance music that evolved from disco in the late 1970s, incorporating elements of pop and rock into a disco-like continuous dance atmosphere. Many Eurodisco ...
.
According to the digital music sheet published at musicnotes.com, the song is written in the
key of
F major and it is set at a tempo of 128
beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ...
.
The instrumentation of "We Found Love" consists of
alarm bells
''Alarm Bells'' (Italian: ''Campane a martello'') is a 1949 Italian drama film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Gina Lollobrigida, Yvonne Sanson and Eduardo De Filippo.
Location shooting took place on Ischia in the Gulf of Naples. The fil ...
, a
keyboard
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
* Mu ...
,
repetitive pumped-up
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
s and 4/4
beats.
Rihanna's vocal range in the song spans one
octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
, from the lower note of
C♯4 to the higher note of
C♯5.
Priya Elan of ''
NME'' commented that Rihanna sounds "extremely relaxed"
and Bill Lamb of
About.com wrote that her vocals are simple and unaffected.
Leah Collins of ''
The Vancouver Sun
The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published si ...
'' wrote that Rihanna's vocals on "We Found Love" were similar to her vocals on "
Fly
Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced ...
".
According to Elan, the keyboard work in the song bears resemblance to that in from "
Only Girl (In the World)
"Only Girl (In the World)" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her fifth album, '' Loud'' (2010). Serving as the album's lead single, it was released on September 10, 2010. Crystal Johnson wrote the song in collaboration with producers ...
" and the
melody
A melody (from Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combina ...
is similar to that of "
Complicated", a track included in Rihanna's 2010 studio album ''
Loud''.
Similarly, Michael Cragg of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' noted that "We Found Love" is in the same vein as "Only Girl (In the World)", with regard to its dance beat.
The lyrical content of the song is sparse and largely revolves around Rihanna chanting the song's
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
line,
"We found love in a hopeless place".
Jody Rosen of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' described it as "half-baked romantic".
Rihanna starts the song in a falsetto airy voice as she sings, "Yellow diamonds in the light / And we’re standing side by side / As your shadow crosses mine / What it takes to come alive."
Michael Cragg commented that the first chorus is almost being sidelined in favor of a large chunk of Harris's riff, before they join on the second chorus.
The hook repeatedly rings throughout the song.
Critical reception
The song received polarized reviews from music critics. Amanda Dobbins of ''
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
'' magazine praised the composition of the song, writing "Harris's electro fingerprints are all over this one — it plays like a straight house track, with some dreamy Rihanna vocals added in over the beat."
Robbie Daw of
Idolator commented on the song's lyrics, with particular emphasis on the line "We found love in a hopeless place", writing that it is possibly the best lyric in pop music so far in 2011.
A reviewer for ''
Instinct
Instinct is the inherent inclination of a living organism towards a particular complex behaviour, containing both innate (inborn) and learned elements. The simplest example of an instinctive behaviour is a fixed action pattern (FAP), in which a v ...
'' magazine praised the song, writing that "We Found Love" does not mark a departure from the dance-floor oriented material Rihanna debuted on ''Loud'', but it certainly boasts "a higher-energy, peak-hour vibe".
Similarly, Michael Cragg of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' commented that the song takes the dance direction Rihanna hinted at on "Only Girl (In the World)" and continues releasing similar songs, making reference to "We Found Love".
Cragg also likened the song to
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved natio ...
's recent single, "
Collide", but criticized the song's structure, writing "
tis slightly odd".
He ended his review writing, "Either way, she could have recited
Nick Clegg
Sir Nicholas William Peter Clegg (born 7 January 1967) is a British media executive and former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who has been president for global affairs at Meta Platforms since 2022, having previously been vicep ...
's conference speech from Wednesday over the sound of Harris cracking his knuckles and it would be a hit."
Priya Elan of ''NME'' commented, "By now it's pretty customary to have a jaw-on-the-floor reaction to the first single from a Rihanna album. 'Pon De Replay', 'SOS', 'Umbrella', 'Russian Roulette', 'Only Girl In The World'."
Despite complimenting Rihanna for sounding extremely relaxed and calling her vocal as "luxurious calling to mind the atmosphere", Elan concluded that the over-all effect is underwhelming.
She continued by writing that instead of re-inventing the pop wheel, "We Found Love" has "a whiff of treading-water about it" and that "if there is a 'goosebump' moment to be had it comes after many multiple plays and, dare we say it, a glass of something strong."
Awarding "We Found Love" two stars out of five, Jody Rosen of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' was critical, writing that it "is much ado about very little indeed" and that is "an insipid tune". He concluded that Rihanna repeats 'We found love in a hopeless place' "approximately 350 times, hoping it will start to mean something. It's the worst single of Rihanna’s career. It will probably top the Hot 100 anyway."
Leah Collins of ''
The Vancouver Sun
The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published si ...
'' initially praised Rihanna's vocal performance in the song, writing that she "smoothes out her vocals", before adding, "Angelic as she sounds, though,
erperformance – which is mostly just her repeating the line 'We found love in a hopeless place' – seems to take second place to Harris' repetitive synth-based blare."
Similarly, Amos Barshad of
Grantland criticized the singer's vocal performance, calling it "a complete afterthought" before concluding, "People who regularly attend the
Electric Zoo festival: Rihanna wants your money!"
A reviewer for GlobalGrind commented on the song's lyrics, suggesting that there is perhaps an underlying message in the song for ex-boyfriend
Chris Brown
Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...
, in the line "We found love in a hopeless place".
This further raised suspicion when Brown re-tweeted one of Rihanna's posts on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, which read "Sometimes it feels like we find love in the most hopeless place".
Jessica Herndon of ''
People
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'' magazine praised the song, saying that "'We Found Love' had an amazing influence on people all across the world in 2012, becoming one of the most popular and most successful songs".
Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
commented, "Over a frantic, Calvin Harris-produced,
Guetta-meets-'
Sandstorm' beat on her sixth record's lead-off single, Rihanna repeats these words almost 20 times. 'We Found Love' ranks among Ri's best singles because it recognizes that there's not much more that needs to be said: in three and a half minutes, the line moves from being a great pop lyric to a triumphant mantra to something suggestive of a whole spectrum of unspoken emotion. The best pop music transports you to somewhere beyond words, and Rihanna's strongest singles all seem to be in on this secret."
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...
chose the song as a highlight on ''Talk That Talk'', and wrote about the "singer's ecstatic vocal than Calvin Harris' shrill, plinky production".
''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' commented that the song was an "ode for bad love" and added it "wouldn't be out of place at Electric Daisy Carnival".
''
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 ...
'' writer commented "'We Found Love' almost criminally recalls the swinging
Crystal Waters
Crystal Waters (born November 19, 1961) is an American house and dance music singer and songwriter, best known for her 1990s dance hits " Gypsy Woman", " 100% Pure Love", and 2007's "Destination Calabria" with Alex Gaudino. All three of her st ...
singles, with triumphant percussion somewhere between church and seventh-inning stretch."
''Billboard'' magazine also praised the song, saying that: "Through a haze of glitter and bliss, Rihanna emerges to let us find a gorgeous hook in a hopeless place, and Calvin Harris becomes a household name." As of January 2015, ''Billboard'' named "We Found Love" as the best song of the 2010s (so far). ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' considered the song to be a highlight on the set, commenting that Rihanna sings "bistfully".
''
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 ...
'' noted, "U.K. club king Calvin Harris trades Rihanna's usual somber synths for disco ecstasy on 'We Found Love,' a song that builds and builds to a climax that's so arena-ready it practically begs for someone to blow a vuvuzela".
Recognition and awards
MTV chose "We Found Love" as the third best song of 2011, and "Video of the Year" at the MTV Video Music Awards 2012. The writers of the website further commented, "The leadoff single from ''Talk That Talk'' is where Rihanna fully embraced EDM. Produced by Calvin Harris, 'We Found Love' is a swirling party track about love and loss, the rare song that manages to be sad and joyous all at once. And it is a pinnacle of the pop/dance crossover, a throwback to '90s raves that could make even the most stoic lover of pop want to break out a glow stick and just dance.
Rob Sheffield
Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author.
He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Ble ...
of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' put "We Found Love" at number eleven on his list of Top 25 Songs of 2011 commenting, "While her other hits tried to camouflage her spindly voice, here it just strains for that spindly melody." It was named the third biggest love song of all time by ''
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 adverti ...
''.
Critic lists
According to Acclaimed Music, "We Found Love" is statistically the 5th most acclaimed song from 2011 and the 45th most acclaimed in the 2010s.
Chart performance
Oceania
"We Found Love" made its chart debut 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 ...
on September 26, 2011, at number 14,
and in its fifth week, rose to number one.
It remained at the top for nine straight weeks, becoming Rihanna's longest-running single in the country, overtaking 'Umbrella' which reigned for six weeks in 2007.
The song has since been certified three-times platinum by the
RIANZ
Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded M ...
, denoting shipments of 45,000 copies.
In Australia, "We Found Love" debuted on the
Australian Singles Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
on October 9, 2011, at number three, before rising to number two for multiple weeks.
As of February 2013, the song has been certified six-times platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replac ...
, denoting shipments of 420,000 copies, marking Rihanna's best-selling single in the country as a lead artist.
North America
In the United States, the song debuted on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart on September 28, 2011, at number 16.
"We Found Love" became the singer's fourth highest debut on the chart out of her 31 Hot 100 chart entries,
with the highest being her collaboration with
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing Hip hop music, hip hop in Middle America (United Sta ...
, "
Love the Way You Lie", which debuted at number two in July 2010.
The following week, "We Found Love" rose to number nine, giving Rihanna the record for a solo artist to have amassed twenty top-ten singles in the history of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the shortest amount of time. Rihanna achieved the feat in a time span of six years and four months, surpassing the record previously held by
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
who managed the achievement in a time span of six years and nine months.
In its sixth week on the chart, the song reached number one, giving Rihanna her eleventh number-one single and Calvin Harris his first number-one single in the United States and making him the first British dance DJ to top the Billboard Hot 100 and the first Scottish solo act to top the chart since
Lulu
Lulu may refer to:
Companies
* LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer
* Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer
* Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia
* Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, ...
's "
To Sir with Love
''To Sir, with Love'' is a 1967 British drama film that deals with social and racial issues in an inner city school. It stars Sidney Poitier and features Christian Roberts, Judy Geeson, Suzy Kendall and singer Lulu making her film debut. ...
" in 1967.
thus tying her with
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...
in fifth place for the highest number of number-one singles in the 53-year history of the chart,
behind
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
(20),
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 w ...
(19),
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
(13), and a fourth place tie between Madonna and
The Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...
(both with 12).
Rihanna also tied with Houston as the female artists with the third most number-one singles on the chart, behind Carey and Madonna.
"We Found Love" spent 10 non-consecutive weeks at the top of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, surpassing "
Umbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally use ...
" as Rihanna's longest number-one single in the country, and was the longest-running number one of 2011. It was certified nine times platinum 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/ ...
(RIAA) for shipping more than 9 million copies.
As of June 2015, the song has sold 5.4 million digital copies in the US.
On August 1, 2013, ''Billboard'' announced that "We Found Love" is the 24th biggest Hot 100 hit of all time in the chart's 55-year history.
"We Found Love" debuted at number seven on the US
Hot Digital Songs
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally starte ...
chart, with digital download sales of 117,000 after only four days according to Nielsen SoundScan.
In its fifth week, the song rose to number one, with sales of 231,000 copies, giving Rihanna her eleventh number-one song on the chart, further extending her record as the artist with the most number ones. The song spent a second week at number one on the chart, with sales of 243,000 copies, bringing total sales to 1,057,000 copies sold, marking Rihanna's twentieth download to reach the million-selling milestone, extending her record for the most such downloads among women.
On October 12, 2011, the song debuted at number 39 on the US
Hot 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 ...
chart and number 21 on the
Pop Songs
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/ CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played on a panel of Top 40 radio stations in the Un ...
chart.
It eventually reached number one on both charts.
It was, until 2013, the most recent song to spend at least two consecutive weeks atop the US Hot Dance Club chart, until
Daft Punk
Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...
's "
Get Lucky". "We Found Love" also peaked at numbers three and two on the US
Latin Songs
The ''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks and Hot Latin 50) is a record chart in the United States for Latin songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Since October 2012, chart rankings are based on digital sales, ra ...
and
Latin Pop Songs charts, becoming Rihanna's highest-charting single on both charts.
Furthermore, the song reached the top spot on the
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record ...
chart.
Europe
In Harris's native United Kingdom, "We Found Love" debuted at the top of 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 ...
,
UK Dance Chart
The UK Dance Singles Chart and the UK Dance Albums Chart are music charts compiled in the United Kingdom by the Official Charts Company from sales of songs in the dance music genre (e.g. house, trance, drum and bass, garage, synthpop) in record s ...
and
UK Singles Download Chart
The UK Singles Downloads Chart is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the music industry. Since July 2015, the chart week runs from Friday to Thursday, with the chart date given as the following Thursday.
The main chart con ...
on October 9, 2011 – for the week ending date October 15, 2011 – with 87,000 copies sold,
despite only having been on sale for four days.
With "We Found Love" debuting at the top of the UK Singles Chart, Rihanna set a record by becoming the first female solo artist to top the chart six times in five consecutive years, having previously held pole position with "Umbrella", "Take a Bow", "Run This Town", "Only Girl (In the World)" and "What's My Name" between 2007 and 2011. It was also Rihanna's sixth and Harris' third number one in the UK.
The song retained its number-one position on all three charts for three consecutive weeks, selling 92,000 copies in its third week. Total sales for "We Found Love" in the United Kingdom stood at 372,268 after just 24 days.
In its fifth week, the song fell a place to number two but then in its sixth week, the song returned to number-one for a fourth non-consecutive week and eventually topped the chart for six weeks, resulting in Rihanna overtaking
Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...
as the artist with the most cumulative weeks at number one in 2011 for a solo female artist, with a total of seven weeks between "We Found Love" and her January release "What's My Name?". In addition, in its sixth week at number one, Rihanna scored her second "chart double" of the year when ''
Talk That Talk
''Talk That Talk'' is the sixth studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna, released on November 18, 2011, by Def Jam Recordings and SRP Records. It was recorded while traveling for the Loud Tour between February and November 2011, and was origin ...
'' and "We Found Love" placed at number one on the
albums
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records col ...
and singles charts, respectively. This achievement had not been achieved since 1979 and made Rihanna the first female artist in chart history to score two "chart doubles" in the same year, with the singer's previous album ''
Loud'' and its second single, '
What's My Name?' topping both charts earlier in 2011. By February 2012, the single had racked up 1,006,460 copies in 19 weeks, making it Rihanna's second solo track (third overall) to reach the million sales plateau since October 2011, following "Love the Way You Lie" and "
Only Girl (In the World)
"Only Girl (In the World)" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her fifth album, '' Loud'' (2010). Serving as the album's lead single, it was released on September 10, 2010. Crystal Johnson wrote the song in collaboration with producers ...
". In November 2012, it was included on 'The Million Sellers' list by the
Official Charts Company
The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France.
In the United Kingdom, its charts inc ...
, consisting of the best-selling singles in the UK that have sold at least one million copies since 1952. It charted at number 76 out of a total 123, having sold 1.13 million copies. As of February 2016, the song has sold 1.39 million copies in the UK, making it Rihanna's biggest-selling single there. "We Found Love" is the 9th best-selling song of all time by a female artist in Britain.
Elsewhere in Europe, the song topped the charts in
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
,
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
,
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...
and
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 federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
and attained top-five positions in the
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
and
Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—al ...
regions of Belgium at numbers three and two, and reached number two in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
and
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
and three in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. In Germany "We Found Love" entered the
single chart at number one on October 28, 2011, becoming Rihanna's fourth number one in the country. After being deposed for a week, the track rebounded to take the lead spending three further weeks at the top, becoming Rihanna's second longest-running number one hit in the country after "Umbrella" in 2007.
The song topped certain European charts for lengthy periods, including in Norway for nine non-consecutive weeks,
Ireland for seven consecutive weeks
and Denmark for six weeks.
Music video
The music video for "We Found Love" was shot in Northern Ireland in late September 2011, in
County Down
County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to th ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...
and the
New Lodge area of North Belfast.
The video was directed by
Melina Matsoukas
Melina Matsoukas (born January 14, 1981) is an American music video, film, commercial and television director. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and four-time MTV Video Music Awards winner for her " We Found Love" and "Formation" music video ...
,
who had previously directed the videos for "
Hard" (2009), "
Rude Boy" (2010), "
Rockstar 101
"Rockstar 101" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her fourth studio album, '' Rated R'' (2009). The song features the British-American guitarist Slash of the rock group Guns N' Roses. It was released on May 18, 2010, as the fifth single fr ...
" (2010) and the controversial "
S&M" (2011). Anticipation for the video grew in the United Kingdom when the national news picked up on the story of sixty-one-year-old Northern Ireland farmer Alan Graham withdrawing his permission to film in his barley field in Bangor, County Down after taking issue with Rihanna's clothing, focusing on her appearing topless and also wearing a red bikini top which he thought was an "inappropriate state of undress".
Rihanna and her film crew departed amiably after Graham advised them to "be acquainted with God and to consider His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and His death and Resurrection."
The video begins with a monologue about love and heartbreak by an unseen
narrator
Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the ...
, fashion model
Agyness Deyn.
Multiple scenes of Rihanna and boxer
Dudley O'Shaughnessy are intercut throughout the narration, depicting them in different love and hate situations with each other. The two are shown as completely enamored with each other while engaging in fun activities together, including enjoying their time at an indoor skating centre and eating in fast food restaurants. During the chorus, the video shows the romance to be somewhat warped, as images of
drugs
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalati ...
, various pills and dilated pupils are shown, while brief scenes of Rihanna and her boyfriend preparing to engage in sexual intercourse and their various stages of undress are shown. The chorus continues and the video abruptly cuts to Rihanna and other people at an outdoor
rave
A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mu ...
, dancing to music. Calvin Harris features as the
DJ during this scene.
From the second verse, Rihanna and her boyfriend are seen happily running amok in a supermarket, pushing each other in a shopping cart and spraying canned drinks at each other. This scene is interrupted with Rihanna in a
Pontiac Trans Am outside with her boyfriend who begins to
recklessly drive in circles, resulting in Rihanna asking him to stop the car which ensues into an argument between the pair. The video then progressively shows the couple experiencing mounting difficulties in their relationship. Rihanna removes herself from the car and returns moments later where we see her boyfriend grab her chin to look at him, suggesting that he is
domestically violent towards her. During the final chorus Rihanna can be seen vomiting what appears to be pink and white streamers; she is also seen passed out on the street while her boyfriend tries to revive her. In another scene, Rihanna is seen lying on a couch while her boyfriend tattoos the word 'MINE' on her backside. Eventually, Rihanna decides to leave her boyfriend after finding him passed out on the floor of his apartment – and most likely due to the previous events shown throughout the video. The clip ends with Rihanna curled up in the corner of a room, crying.
The video generated controversy for its depiction of violence and drug use, as well as for Rihanna's removal of her clothes during filming. One journalist wrote, "The song is probably one of the most talked about in the country following the Barbadian being told to 'find God' after running naked through a Northern Irish farmer's field."
It was described as a "disgrace" by an anti-rape campaigner,
and Christian commenters worried about the effects of the video and that "Rihanna is damaging the moral and self-worth of young impressionable teens."
However, ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'' praised the video for being different in its time period and called it "a very British music video", comparing it to UK TV series, ''
Skins''.
The video won a Grammy Award for 'Best Short-Form Music Video. As of January 2015, ''
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 adverti ...
'' named the video as the second best music video of the 2010s (so far).
Live performances
![Rihanna - We Found Love - Birmingham Loud Tour](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Rihanna_-_We_Found_Love_-_Birmingham_Loud_Tour.jpg)
Rihanna performed "We Found Love" for the first time on November 14, 2011, during a concert of her
Loud Tour
The Loud Tour was the fourth overall and third world concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. Performing in over twenty countries in the Americas and Europe, the tour was launched in support of Rihanna's fifth studio album '' Loud'' ...
in London.
The song was then added to the setlist as the closing song for the rest of the tour until it ended on December 22. On November 17, 2011, Rihanna performed the song on
first season of ''
The X Factor USA''. The performance featured Rihanna wearing torn jeans and a bomber jacket with neon signs also present on the stage.
On November 20, 2011, Rihanna performed the song on the
eighth season of ''
The X Factor UK
''The X Factor'' is a British reality television music competition, created by Simon Cowell. Premiering on 4 September 2004, it was produced by Fremantle's Thames and Cowell's production company Syco Entertainment for ITV, as well as simulca ...
'', featuring Rihanna wearing a small tartan dress.
On February 12, 2012, Rihanna performed "We Found Love" at the
54th Annual Grammy Awards
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles being broadcast on CBS honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. LL Cool J hosted t ...
held at the
Staples Center
Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it w ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, followed by her duet single "
Princess of China" with
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...
for first time. John Mitchell from
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
said he thought Rihanna looked "gorgeous" and that she gave "off a
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...
vibe — Rihanna rocked the blond locks she introduced recently, wearing a tight, belly-baring ensemble."
''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
''s writer Ed Masley, praised the performance, describing it as "shout in shout-out". ''
The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' also noted that the performance had "a twinge of Tina Turner". ''Time'' magazine graded the performance with an A, saying that "Rihanna never disappoints. Her pop songs are always danceable, often catchy and consistently awesome — sometimes they even have some substance to them. Similarly, her Grammy performance wasn't the flashiest or craziest, and she didn’t bust out dance moves the way other entertainers did, but it was one of the most enjoyable."
Later that month, the singer performed the song at the
Brit Awards
The BRIT Awards (often simply called the BRITs) are the British Phonographic Industry's annual popular music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain", or "Britannia" (in the early days the awards were sponsored ...
held on February 21, 2012, at
the O2 Arena
The O2 Arena, commonly known as the O2 (stylised as The O2 arena), is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of the O2 entertainment complex on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the ...
in London. The performance began with Rihanna, in only an old grandad-style jumper covering her body, in a clear cage as colourful paint began to be thrown inside with her, although none was thrown onto the singer herself. Dancers were also present as Rihanna emerged from the cage and began dancing along the broad stretch of stage. The performance concluded with big multi-coloured balloons pouring down red
confetti
Confetti are small pieces or streamers of paper, mylar, or metallic material which are usually thrown at celebrations, especially parades and weddings. The origins are from the Latin ''confectum'', with ''confetti'' the plural of Italian ''co ...
from the ceiling as they burst, finalizing with Rihanna returning to the paint-covered cage and smearing it over herself ending with her
silhouette
A silhouette ( , ) is the image of a person, animal, object or scene represented as a solid shape of a single colour, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject. The interior of a silhouette is featureless, and the silhou ...
being broadcast through the cage. At the ceremony, Rihanna also won the award for Best International Female Solo Artist.
Whilst promoting her first feature film appearance in ''
Battleship
A battleship is a large armour, armored warship with a main artillery battery, battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1 ...
'', Rihanna made a visit to
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, performing "We Found Love" on the Japanese music television program
Music Station
is a Japanese music television program. Broadcasting live weekly on TV Asahi since October 24, 1986, it currently airs from 9PM-10PM on Fridays. The program is also colloquially known as , , and . The show is currently syndicated throughout th ...
. She donned a traditional
kimono
The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
and concluded the performance by
crowd surfing
Crowd surfing is the process in which a person is passed overhead from person to person (often during a concert), transferring the person from one part of the venue to another. The "crowd surfer" is passed above everyone's heads, with everyone's ...
into the audience.
On April 24, 2012, Rihanna performed a special acoustic version of the song at the Time 100 gala for ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
''s selection of that year's 100 most influential people of which Rihanna was listed. Rihanna later performed "We Found Love" at
Radio 1's Hackney Weekend on May 24, 2012, as the seventeenth and final song on the set list.
The performance featured a giant
sphinx
A sphinx ( , grc, σφίγξ , Boeotian: , plural sphinxes or sphinges) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of a falcon.
In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the head of a woman, the haunches of ...
on the stage. On September 9, 2012, Rihanna performed the single (along with "Princess of China" and "
Run This Town
"Run This Town" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z. The song also features Rihanna and Kanye West. It was released on July 24, 2009. It was written by the performing trio, with assistance from Ernest Wilson and Jeff Bhasker. Production of t ...
") with Coldplay and
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 o ...
at the
closing ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. of the
2012 Summer Paralympics
The 2012 Summer Paralympics, branded as the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were an international multi-sport parasports event held from 29 August to 9 September 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. They were the 14th Summer Paralympic Ga ...
in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, entering on a
steampunk
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian ...
pirate ship and also suspended in the air on a metal bench. On December 9, 2012, Rihanna performed "We Found Love" in a medley with a solo version of "
Stay
Stay may refer to:
Places
* Stay, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the US
Law
* Stay of execution, a ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a court judgment
* Stay of proceedings, a ruling halting further legal process in a tri ...
" on the final of
ninth season of ''The X Factor UK''. She also performed the song at the
2016 MTV Video Music Awards.
Cover versions
American singer
Tinashe
Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe ( ; born February 6, 1993), known mononymously as Tinashe, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Tinashe moved to Pasadena as a child to pursue a career in entertainment. Her notab ...
uploaded a music video for her cover on her YouTube account on October 21, 2011. British
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial ...
band
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...
, with whom Rihanna would later collaborate on their song "
Princess of China", covered "We Found Love" on October 27, 2011, during a performance at
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance ...
's
Live Lounge.
Jocelyn Vena of
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
called the performance "flawless", writing "Lead singer
Chris Martin
Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Uni ...
's haunting vocals and the band's acoustic rendition, using drums, piano and guitar, play up the sadness of the track."
Jason Lipshutz of ''Billboard'' magazine also noted that the band used "piano flourishes, a kick drum and a simple guitar lick to convey the song's romantic declaration", while making a ballad which was "reminiscent of
Bruno Mars
Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical ...
emotional reworking of
Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her campy style, she has been referred to ...
's '
California Gurls.
Matthew Perpetua of ''Rolling Stone'' wrote: "It may surprise that their rendition is actually pretty good. Whereas Rihanna's version is a thumping rave anthem, Chris Martin and company transform it into a lovely piano ballad nearly indistinguishable from many of their own songs."
A writer for ''The Hollywood Reporter'' said: "Martin's vocals blend with the piano for a slightly softer take on the tragic love story."
On February 17, 2012, British singer
Jessie J
Jessica Ellen Cornish (born 27 March 1988), known professionally as Jessie J, is an English singer. Born and raised in London, she began her career on stage, aged 11, with a role in the West End musical '' Whistle Down the Wind''. She studied ...
made a cover of the song on BBC Radio1's Live Lounge.
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati (; born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and author. She began her career as a child actress on Broadway, appearing in productions of ''Les Misérables'' (1995–1996), ''Ragtime'' (1997–1999) ...
and
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera (; January 12, 1987July 8, 2020) was an American actress, singer, and model. Recognized for her work on the popular musical comedy-drama series '' Glee'', she received various awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and ...
covered the song in the climax of the
third season's tenth episode of ''
Glee'', "
Yes/No".
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
n
X Factor contestant
Diana Hetea performed "We Found Love" in the "Public's Choice Gala" on December 10, 2011. Even though ill of
laryngitis
Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx (voice box). Symptoms often include a hoarse voice and may include fever, cough, pain in the front of the neck, and dysphagia, trouble swallowing. Typically, these last under two weeks.
Laryngitis is c ...
, Hetea's performance was praised all three judges that called it "
hePerfect match for her!" both visually and vocally.
Kris Allen also covered the song mashing it with other songs by Katy Perry and other female artists.
Carmen Smith
Carmen Smith (born 1984) is an Australian singer/songwriter who rose to prominence after appearing in the first season of ''The Voice Australia''.
Early career
Since 2002, Smith has been a back-up singer for a number of Australian performers, ...
also performed "We Found Love" for her battle round in the Australian Version of the Voice which saw her through to next round.
In September 2012,
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 de ...
performed the song during a concert in Virginia Beach. In October 2012, British singer
Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently re ...
did an acoustic cover of the song for
Sirius XM Radio
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is an American broadcasting company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City that provides satellite radio and online radio services operating in the United States. It was formed by the 2008 merger of Sirius Sat ...
.
Lindsey Stirling
Lindsey Stirling (born September 21, 1986) is an American violinist, songwriter, and dancer. She presents choreographed violin performances, in live and music videos found on her official YouTube channel, which she created in 2007.
Stirling pe ...
covered it in a music video filmed in a Kenyan village.
British pop rock band
McFly
McFly are an English pop rock band formed in London in 2003. The band took their name from the '' Back to the Future'' character Marty McFly. The band consists of Tom Fletcher (lead vocals, guitar, and piano), Danny Jones (lead vocals, har ...
covered "We Found Love" on their "Keep Calm And Play Lounder" tour 2012.
Kele Okereke
Rowland Kelechukwu Okereke (born 13 October 1981), also known mononymously as Kele, is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the indie rock band Bloc Party.
Early life
Okere ...
sang a verse of the song as the intro to his band
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are an English Rock music, rock band, composed of Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, sampler), Russell Lissack (lead guitar, keyboards), Justin Harris (bass guitar, keyboards, saxophones, backing vocals) and Loui ...
's song "
Flux
Flux describes any effect that appears to pass or travel (whether it actually moves or not) through a surface or substance. Flux is a concept in applied mathematics and vector calculus which has many applications to physics. For transport ph ...
" on their June 2012 U.K. tour. In July 2014,
Tori Amos
Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...
covered the song on her ''
Unrepentant Geraldines Tour''. In 2011,
Boyce Avenue
Boyce Avenue is an American cover band formed in Sarasota, Florida, by brothers Alejandro Luis Manzano, Daniel Enrique Manzano, and Fabian Rafael Manzano. The brothers attended Pine View School in Osprey, Florida. The band is named after a co ...
, a pop rock band, also made an acoustic cover of the song and released it
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
and their
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel.
YouTubers
Tom Scott and Matt Gray spoofed the song in their video 'Ten Illegal Things To Do In London.' The parody, where the song's chorus lyrics are replaced with 'We Flew A Kite In A Public Place,' plays over footage of Gray flying a kite in a public place, which is illegal in the U.K. under the
Metropolitan Police Act 1839
The Metropolitan Police Act 1839 (2 & 3 Vict c 47) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act enlarged the district of, and gave greatly increased powers to the Metropolitan Police established by the Metropolitan Police Act 1829. ...
.
Remixes
![Flo Rida Cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Flo_Rida_Cropped.jpg)
In November 2011,
R3hab
Fadil El Ghoul ( ar, فضيل الغول; born 2 April 1986), performing under the stage name R3hab (stylized in all caps as R3HAB; pronounced "rehab"), is a Dutch-Moroccan disc jockey and music producer.
Ranked at number 12 on the DJ Mag Top 1 ...
released a remix of "We Found Love" with a "Halloween" sound. He explained "I made two versions ... one version is more melodic and euphoric. This
irst
An infrared search and track (IRST) system (sometimes known as infrared sighting and tracking) is a method for detecting and tracking objects which give off infrared radiation, such as the infrared signatures of jet aircraft and helicopters.
IR ...
one is more dark because the lyrics
o'We Found Love' can also be seen as something dark. 'We are at the end of the world/ And I still found love.' So from there came the more darker chord progression and the more darker atmosphere, like Dracula is coming to get you. It's just got a lot of emotion and that worked out great for me."
On January 13, 2012, ''
Rap-Up
''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
'' released a remix of "We Found Love" featuring American rapper
Flo Rida
Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida (, ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 breakout single " Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the record for digital dow ...
.
Flo Rida's parts overlap Calvin Harris' produced dance beats.
In the opening lines, Flo Rida introduces himself and raps tongue twisters about Rihanna and
The Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
, "You know I got love for you/ See what happened was we in Bahams/ I remember it was the ox summer, oh so pretty I/ ..Girl nice to meet you what's the honour/ Yeah she tap me told me she Rihanna.". He also references singer
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
singing that he is "rocking a party 'like I'm Mick Jagger."
Flo Rida, himself in an interview with ''NME'' revealed that it was an honor for him to work with Rihanna. He also revealed that "We Found Love" was one of his favorite songs and that's why he decided to make a remix with Rihanna. He added that Calvin Harris' production impressed him and heavily influenced him on his future work. Rihanna also noted that she decided to work with Flo Rida because of his "wild" productions on his songs.
Andrew Unterberger of the website PopDust wrote that Flo Rida was "exactly" what the original version of "We Found Love" was missing. He added, "No Rihanna, you got it backwards—it's Flo Rida who needs to have other, more talented people on his songs in order to turn them into hits, not the other way around... At least this remix does feature a sizeable contribution from Flo, as he shows up on both the intro and over the song's primary instrumental hook with his trademark unintelligible yammering, though he gets in at least one reference to rocking a party 'like I'm
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
.'"
Matthew Perpetua of ''Rolling Stone'' praised the remix of the song, saying that "once again, Flo Rida shows his true rapping skills over the beat of Rihanna's 'We Found Love'". Both ''Billboard''s Erika Ramirez and ''Spin''s Marc Hogan praised the remixed version calling it "refreshing" and "interesting". However, Becky Bain of the website Idolator was more negative towards the remix. She noted, "Being that Rihanna's 'We Found Love' has enough beats and synths to be its own remix, not to mention it couldn't possibly be even more popular on the Hot 100... we find it pointless to release a new version of the single with Flo Rida."
Formats and track listings
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from CD single liner notes.
Recording
*Recorded at Fly Eye Studios,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
and
Westlake Recording Studios,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
Personnel
*
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 th ...
- vocals
*
Calvin Harris
Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums.
His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
– songwriter, producer, recording, mixing and instrumentation
*Marcos Tovar – vocal recording
*Alejandro Barajas – assistant recording engineer
*Phil Tan – mixing
*Damien Lewis – assistant mixing
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
Release history
Cover Girl version
Thanks to the later release date of "We Found Love" in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, a singer called "Cover Girl" was able to release a
pre-release cover version
In the music industry, a pre-release cover version is a type of cover version that arises when a cover artist releases a version of a song before the original artist does. This practise takes advantage of a 'release window'; it occurs when an upc ...
before Rihanna was due to release hers. This version charted at number 54 in 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 ...
.
See also
*
List of best-selling singles in the United States
This is a list of best-selling singles in the United States, some of which have been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In music, a single is a song considered commercially viable enough by the artist and record co ...
*
List of best-selling singles in Australia
This is a list of highest-certified singles in Australia according to the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Since 1983, ARIA certifies a single Platinum for shipment of 70,000 copies across Australia. Single figures can include "q ...
*
List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2011
*
List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2012
*
List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number ones of 2011
*
List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number ones of 2012
*
List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2011 (Brazil)
This is a list of number one singles on the '' Billboard'' Brasil Hot 100 chart in 2011. Note that ''Billboard'' publishes a monthly chart.
Chart history
See also
*Billboard Brasil
* List of number-one pop hits of 2011 (Brazil)
*Crowley Broadca ...
*
List of Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles of 2011
This is a list of the Canadian ''Billboard'' magazine Canadian Hot 100 number-ones of 2011.
Note that ''Billboard'' publishes charts with an issue date approximately 7–10 days in advance.
A Canadian flag denotes a Canadian artist.
Chart his ...
*
List of Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles of 2012
This is a list of the Canadian ''Billboard'' magazine Canadian Hot 100 number-ones of 2012.
Note that ''Billboard'' publishes charts with an issue date approximately 7–10 days in advance.
Chart history
See also
*List of number-one ...
*
List of number-one hits of 2011 (Denmark)
This article shows all the songs that has been number one on the official Danish singles chart, Tracklisten, in 2011, as compiled by Nielsen Music Control in association with the Danish branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic I ...
*
List of number-one singles of 2011 (Finland)
*
List of number-one singles of 2011 (France)
This is a list of the French SNEP Top 100 Singles & Top 200 Albums number-ones of 2011.
Number ones by week
Singles chart
From the chart edition of 30 January, digital and physical sales have been merged into a sole chart.
Albums chart
F ...
*
List of number-one hits of 2011 (Germany)
The Media Control charts are record charts compiled by Media Control on behalf of the German record industry. They include the "Single Top 100" and the "Album Top 100" chart. The chart week runs from Friday to Thursday, and the chart compilation ...
*
List of number-one singles of the 2010s (Hungary)
This is a list of the songs that have reached number one on the Mahasz ''Rádiós Top 40'' airplay chart during the 2010s. The issue date is the date the song began its run at number one.
References
*{{in lang, hu}Hungarian Airplay Chart- ...
*
List of number-one singles of 2011 (Ireland)
The Irish Singles Chart is a record chart compiled by Chart-Track on behalf of the Irish Recorded Music Association. The chart week runs from Friday to Thursday.
See also
* List of number-one albums of 2011 (Ireland)
References
{{Irish ...
*
List of number-one singles from the 2010s (New Zealand)
*
List of number-one songs in Norway
This list shows the songs which have been number one on the official chart list (VG-lista) in Norway. The single list started in 1958, and the albums list in 1967. The show is broadcast every Wednesday by NRK P3, one of Norwegian Broadcasting ...
*
List of number-one singles of 2012 (Poland)
This is a list of the songs that reached number-one position in official Polish single chart in ZPAV in 2012.
Chart history
Number-one artists
See also
* Polish Music Charts
* List of number-one albums of 2012 (Poland)
References
...
*
List of number-one singles and albums in Sweden
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
*
List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 2010s
The UK Singles Chart is a weekly record chart compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the British record industry. As of 10 July 2015, the chart week runs from Friday to Thursday with the chart-date given as the following Thu ...
*
List of UK Dance Singles Chart number ones of 2011
*
List of ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs number ones of 2011
*
List of number-one digital songs of 2011 (U.S.)
*
List of ''Billboard'' Mainstream Top 40 number-one songs of 2011
*
List of ''Billboard'' Mainstream Top 40 number-one songs of 2012
*
List of Radio Songs number ones of the 2010s
This is a list of songs which received the most airplay per week on radio stations in the United States as ranked and published by '' Billboard'' magazine on the Radio Songs chart (previously named Hot 100 Airplay) during the 2010s.
Number-one ...
*
List of UK top-ten singles in 2011
*
List of UK top-ten singles in 2012
The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom. Since 2004 the chart has been based on the sales of both physical singles and ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
2011 singles
Rihanna songs
Calvin Harris songs
Number-one singles in Denmark
Number-one singles in Finland
SNEP Top Singles number-one singles
Number-one singles in Germany
Number-one singles in Greece
Number-one singles in Honduras
Number-one singles in Israel
Number-one singles in New Zealand
Number-one singles in Norway
Number-one singles in Poland
Number-one singles in Russia
Number-one singles in Sweden
UK Singles Chart number-one singles
2011 songs
Electronic dance music songs
Dance-pop songs
House music songs
Eurodance songs
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles
Monitor Latino Top Inglés number-one singles
Record Report Pop Rock General number-one singles
Songs written by Calvin Harris
Number-one singles in Scotland