SHE may be releasing her seventh album in seven years next month but controversial pop star Rihanna is really the queen of singles.
The 24-year-old has amassed a record 38 singles on the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) charts over her career from her 2005 debut single Pon De Replay to her most recent top-10 hit Diamonds.
Whether it is her own song or another artist’s release which features her on guest vocals, Rihanna has proven to be airplay and chart gold.
Since the advent of iTunes, singles have become the dominant format with more songs likely to achieve gold and platinum status even if they don’t make the top 50.
Those artists who release something new every few months and maintain their presence on commercial radio stations have the greatest chance for success.
It is predominantly pop artists who have excelled in the latest singles era with Snoop Dogg, Pink and Beyonce – before their maternity breaks – as well as Usher among the most prolific hitmakers.