With a flavor-filled hook that gets sweeter when she flips the melody into patois, "Work" immediately satisfied as the album's lead single — a triumph because of the immense anticipation that built during Rihanna's long gap between albums.
ANTI featured Rihanna effortlessly spreading herself across a variety of styles, yet the album's most recognizable moment — and its lone No. 1 hit — is the one where she returns to her Caribbean roots. With a flavor-filled hook that gets sweeter when she flips the melody into patois, "Work" immediately satisfied as the album's lead single — a triumph because of the immense anticipation that built during Rihanna's long gap between albums. Both 2016 and 2017 saw a lot of pop songs attempting to recreate Caribbean vibes; unsurprisingly, few stuck like "Work" did. — B.J.