Rated R: Remixed is the second
remix album by Barbadian singer
Rihanna. It was released on May 8, 2010, in Brazil and Europe and on May 24, 2010, in the United States by
Def Jam Recordings. It contains remixes from her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The songs were solely remixed by
Chew Fu. The majority of the remixes were remastered to incorporate influences from the genre of
house music, and incorporate heavy usage of
synthesizers as part of their
instrumentation.
Rated R: Remixed received a mixed review from Jean Goon for
MSN Entertainment. She praised Fu for remixing some of the dark and sombre songs into upbeat dance songs, but criticized the album as it did not provide memorability. The album peaked at number four in Greece and number six on the US
Dance/Electronic Albums chart; it peaked at number 33 on the US
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 158 on the US
Billboard 200 chart. As of July 2010, Rated R: Remixed has sold 13,000 copies in the US, according to
Nielsen SoundScan.
Background and release
Following the release and success of Rated R (2009) and its singles "
Russian Roulette", "
Hard" and "
Rude Boy", it was confirmed on April 14, 2010, by
Def Jam Recordings that Rihanna was going to release her second remix album entitled Rated R: Remixed.[1] The singer's first remix album was Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes in January 2009.[2] The project was announced as something for fans to bridge the gap while Rihanna was still on the
Last Girl on Earth Tour (2010–11) and her fifth studio album, Loud, was not yet released.[1][3]Rated R: Remixed was exclusively remixed by New York-based electronic
record producer,
remixer and
DJ,
Chew Fu.[3] Although the track list on Rated R consists of 13 songs, Rated R: Remixed consists of 10 songs; "Cold Case Love", "The Last Song" and "
Te Amo" were not remixed by Fu and were therefore not included.[1][3]Rated R: Remixed was released on May 8, 2010, in Brazil and various European territories in a
digital download format.[4] It was released in the same format on May 24, in the United States.[5]
A 26 second sample of "Wait Your Turn (Chew Fu Can't Wait No More Fix)". Originally a
dubstep and
hip hop song,[6][7] Fu remixed the track into a
house song.[8]
Rated R: Remixed includes elements of
house music.[8] "Russian Roulette", "Photographs", "Rude Boy" and "
Stupid in Love" feature "heavy
electro and
synth beats".[8] "
Wait Your Turn", originally a
dubstep and
hip hop song,[6][7] was remastered to a house song.[8] "Stupid in Love", which was originally a
pop[9] and
R&B[10]power ballad,[9][11] was also changed to an uptempo house track.[8] Jean Goon for
MSN Entertainment gave a mixed review for the album, and awarded it 2.5 stars out of five.[8] Goon was complimentary of how Fu changed some of the more sombre and
downtempo songs to incorporate "catchy, upbeat touches."[8] She noted that Goon noted that "Photographs" had undergone a "groovy" transformation, and that the composition complemented Rihanna's vocal performance.[8] With regard to "Stupid in Love", Goon described the remix as "classy enough to be played in a trendy boutique or cafe."[8]
However, Goon was critical of "Russian Roulette"'s production, writing that Fu appeared to have "got a little carried away" and criticising him for applying electro beats to every song, not all of which may have needed them.[8] The critic noted that "Russian Roulette" was a "mess to listen to."[8] With regard to "Rude Boy", originally an uptempo dance song that incorporates elements of the
dancehall,
ragamuffin,[12][13]pop and
R&B genres,[14] Goon stated that Fu's production was an attempt to try and "outdo the already upbeat original."[8] Goon concluded although she thought some of the remixes "weren't too bad on the ears," there were not any outstanding or memorable tracks.[8] Furthermore, Goon criticised the remixes for being too heavily distorted with electronic synths which "seemed to compete for our attention rather than complement Rihanna’s vocals."[8]
Commercial performance
In Greece, Rated R: Remixed debuted at number 11 on May 17, 2010.[15] The following week, the album peaked at number four.[15] The album spent a total of two weeks on the album chart.[15] In the United States, the album debuted and peaked at number 158 on the
Billboard 200 on June 12, 2010.[16] The album stayed on the chart for one week.[16]Rated R: Remixed debuted and peaked at number six on the US
Dance/Electronic Albums on June 12, and stayed on the chart for 11 weeks.[16] It debuted and peaked at number 33 on the US
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums on June 12, and stayed on the chart for 13 weeks.[16] As of July 2010, Rated R: Remixed has sold 13,000 copies in the US, according to
Nielsen SoundScan.[17]
Track listing
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Rated R: Remixed.