Entertainment

Rihanna makes first woman to cross 200M RIA single certifications

Rihanna breaks records in music 10 years after her last album

Published April 16, 2026

Rihanna has made history yet again with her glittering musical career.

The 38-year-old has become the first woman to cross 200 million RIAA single certifications.

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The "Higher" singer, 38, is in third place with 200.5 million units.

The achievement comes despite releasing her last album almost 10 years ago with 2016's ANTI.

Speaking to Harper’s bizarre about her upcoming work back in 2025, the mother of two said: "There's no genre now. That's why I waited. Every time, I was just like, ‘No, it's not me. It's not right. It's not matching my growth. It's not matching my evolution. I can't do this. I can't stand by this. I can't perform this for a year on tour.’”

Rihanna continued, "After a while, I looked at it, and I was like, this much time away from music needs to count for the next thing everyone hears. It has to count. It has to matter. I have to show them the worth in the wait. I cannot put up anything mediocre."

Eleen Bukhari
Eleen Bukhari is a London-based journalist and MSc graduate from Brunel University with over five years of experience. Specialising in the British Royal Family and global entertainment, she provides expert analysis of monarchy traditions, celebrity culture, and the evolving media narratives surrounding the world’s most high-profile figures.
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