While Britney Spears is something akin to a blank canvas that producers and stylists paint to suit the needs of their songs, Rihanna is more like molding clay that resists, yields and gives in to her crafters, allowing to actually become what the songs represent.

Plus, she’s got way more personality than dead-eyed Britney.

However, one of my biggest complaints about RiRi is that her albums start off strong, then quickly goes off the rails, jumping tracks from genre to genre and losing steam. I didn’t even bother with her album Loud, because each single was vastly different from the previous one and, frankly, I didn’t like any of them.

With Talk That Talk, Rihanna finally finds more cohesion. All the songs boast a swagger that, fortunately for her, translates from four-on-the-floor house tracks like “We Found Love” and “Where Have You Been” to more reggae and hip hop inspired tracks, like “Talk That Talk” and “Cockiness (I Love It)”.

She even pulls off an impressive sample of The XX’s “Intro” for “Drunk On Love”.

While I could do without the ballads and while I’ll never understand why “Birthday Cake” is only half a song (is it supposed to be an interlude?), I have to recognize that this is Rihanna’s strongest album to date.

When I first heard "Man Down" by Rihanna, I rolled my eyes at her dip into reggae. I was just like "Girl, who you kidding?"

But, the accompanying video is actually really good. I mean, these days, music videos are either all about dancing, rocking out on stage, and crazy costumes. A video with an actual storyline is very rare. 

The video for "Man Down" starts of with RiRi shooting a man in the street. We then flashback to the previous day where we follow Rihanna having a carefree day in Jamaica before gonig to the club where a man tries to bump and grind with her. She rebuffs him and he follows her in to an alley and rapes her. Therefore, explaining why she shot him.

What's remarkable is Rihanna's acting chops. I really believed what she was going through. It's funny cuz usually she has a very unexpressive robot face. But, here we see her going through all sorts of emotions very convincingly.

Brilliant.

In Rihanna's new video for "California King Bed", she takes a minute from the raunch and eurphoria of past singles to address the insecurities everyone feels in a relationship.

Personally, I don't like Serious RiRi.

Especially in a video that's so pretty, it's boring.

Basically, Rihanna wakes up in a pretty room with a pretty view, looking pretty, with a pretty topless guy in bed with her, and she walks around all mopey and pretty and it's just pretty dull.

Two of pop's biggest music superstars have gotten together for a little S&M fun.

Rihanna and Britney Spears have released a remixed version of Rihanna's hit "S&M", which features Britney trading verses with the Bajan singer.

I didn't think Britney would be able to pull it off. After all, Rihanna has a much stronger voice that Britney. But, Britney actually pulls it off - perhaps with some studio help, but it's minimal. I can't remember the last time I heard Britney actually sing - with conviction, to boot!

The song comes just in time to be re-introduced as a dirty summer jam. It also is bound to help Rihanna out, who's been struggling to sell tickets to her tour. 

Take a listen to a leak of the track below!

Diddy, if you want to find a guy to sing a song about a broken heart, there are many, many alternatives to using Chris Brown. Because when Chris Brown sings about wishing he'd do it all different and how he gave his heart and how he can't get rid of her from his memory, I just think "Good, you deserve it!"

I also think that this is just another apology from a guy who's apologized countless times, to the point where it all sound insincere. 

I can't be completely surprised that Chris Brown is appearing on Diddy's track. After all, Diddy offered up his Florida home for Chris Brown and Rihanna to retreat to after the pre-Grammy beatdown. Thankfully, Rihanna snapped out of it. And hopefully seeing pics of Chris acting like king of the world when he should have his tail tucked between his legs played a role in that. Like this pic:

So, what I'm saying is, I still can't stomach Chris Brown and songs like this Diddy-Dirty Money track don't help his cause.

I don't know whatever happened to this video for Monster, which leaked a while back, but was never officially released. It's a shame, because that song is crazy good.

But, my favourite track on his excellent album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is "All Of The Lights" and he just released the video for it.

Warning - if you're prone to headaches or seizures, don't watch this video. 

After starting off with a gorgeous black and white interlude starring the cutest little girl walking to school (was I the only one who was worried something bad would happen to her?), the video becomes a technicolour strobe light.

We have lyrics flashing on the screen in all sorts of different graphics. There's Kanye doing his best Kanye on top of cop cars. We have Rihanna looking the best I've seen her since this whole red hair fiasco. And Kid Cudi makes a quick appearance. 

It's a shame that for a song that's so anthemic, that the video seems to fall a little flat. I mean, the song features vocals by Kanye, Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Tony Williams, The-Dream, Charlie Wilson, John Legend, Elly Jackson (La Roux), Alicia Keys, Elton John, Fergie, Ryan Leslie, Drake, Alvin Fields, and Ken Lewis. That's impressive.

And how amazing would it have been to see all of them in the video. I know that's logistically impossible, but it still would have been epic. It would have been the music video to shut down all other music videos.

Oh well, I guess this is better than nothing.

Rihanna's released her latest music video "S&M" and it's chock full of all sorts of freaky bondage gear. But, it's all made a little less frightening because it's all done in baby pinks and blues.

Awww, isn't that ball gag cute? I wonder if it comes in tangerine?

Anyway, it's an interesting look at the relationship between celebrity and the press. After all, it really is a sado-masochistic one, where one party can't really is at the mercy of the other.

But, while this is the first single from Rihanna's latest album, Loud, that doesn't make me cringe, RiRi is just trying way to hard to be edgy. Hog-tied in a onesie? Walking Perez Hilton on a leash? Baby pink leather gear? We get it, Rihanna. You're a girl in charge of her sexuality. But, it was way more interesting when you were more genuine about your dark side, like your Rated R phase. Nothing in this new video will be more graphic and bold as the image from Rated R's booklet of Rihanna naked, wrapped in barbed wire.

Also, it doesn't help that this video is really just a mash up of Spice Girls, Madonna and Beyoncé.

Because it seems Willow is running after her title as funky dance-pop star with crazy hair. And we all know that in this business, the younger, newer model always comes out on top.

Listen to a preview of Willow's new single "Only Girl (In The World)" "21st Century Woman" below.

John Mellancamp's "Jack and Diane". Mashed up with Rihanna's "What's My Name". 

Who knew that these two songs would fit so perfectly together?

  <span>What's My Name Jack (Rihanna & Drake vs. John Mellencamp) by partyben</span>

Let's flashback to Summer of 2009. Madonna was prepping her third greatest hits album Celebration and I, along with many of my friends, was really excited.

Then, the title single was released. And we were all either puzzled, disappointed or outraged. Produced by Paul Oakenfold (and the remix used in the video by Benny Benassi), I remember comments ranging from "This sounds so dated" to "Are we back in 1997?"

Personally, I hated the original Oakenfold mix, but the Benassi mix holds up. But, either way, I was let down because I thought that Madonna, the Queen of musical innovation, was simply lazy and had dialed this song in.

Now, a year and a half later, I must apologize. Because it seems M was onto something. Whether it was her idea or the idea of her producers and team, it doesn't matter. Because, once again, Madonna had predicated what the new sound was going to be and she was ahead of the times.

Need proof? How about Black Eyed Peas? Usher? Swedish House Mafia? David Guetta and friends? Rihanna? Lady Gaga? Even Justin Bieber???

All of these artists have topped the charts internationally. And all of them have released songs that sound just like "Celebration". They're dance tracks, filled with synthesizers and swirling effects and thumping bass, that sound like they were directly lifted from 90s dance clubs.

This is the pattern I have with Madonna's music. When she releases a new album, I hate the first single. And it takes me a while to actually catch up to what is going on. In this case, a year and half later.

So, sorry M. Next time, I won't be so quick to judge.