Rihanna & Jay-Z’s “Umbrella” Surpasses 2 Billion Streams on Spotify

Rihanna’s 2007 single “Umbrella,” featuring Jay-Z, has surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify, marking a new milestone for both artists. The track, released on March 29, 2007, through Def Jam Recordings, was the lead single from Rihanna’s third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad.

It is Jay-Z’s first song to cross the 2-billion-stream threshold on the platform and Rihanna’s third, following “We Found Love” and “Love on the Brain.” The milestone adds another chapter to a song that reshaped the direction of contemporary pop music in the late 2000s.

From Demo to Defining Hit

“Umbrella” was written and produced by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Terius “The-Dream” Nash and Kuk Harrell, with a guest verse by Jay-Z. The song’s path to release was far from straightforward. It was first offered to Britney Spears, whose label declined it while she was recording Blackout. The track was later sent to Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid, who believed it suited Rihanna, then 19 and preparing to transition from Caribbean-pop newcomer to a more mature sound.

Rihanna recorded the song at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Her delivery of the now-famous refrain—“ella, ella, eh, eh, eh”—impressed the producers immediately. Jay-Z contributed a revised opening verse that tied the song’s theme of protection to the literal and metaphorical image of an umbrella.

Chart Success and Reception

Upon its release, “Umbrella” reached No. 1 in 19 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. In Britain, it remained at the top of the singles chart for 10 consecutive weeks, the longest run of the 2000s. It also spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the year’s most played songs worldwide.

At the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, the single won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and received nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Its accompanying video, directed by Chris Applebaum, won Video of the Year at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.

Legacy and Longevity

Over time, “Umbrella” has come to represent a turning point in Rihanna’s career. It established her as one of pop’s leading figures and demonstrated Jay-Z’s ability to bridge hip-hop and mainstream radio. The song’s mix of R&B, pop, and rock elements became a blueprint for a new wave of crossover hits in the late 2000s.

The track’s longevity has persisted through changing eras of music consumption. It re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2023 after Rihanna performed it during her Super Bowl LVII halftime show, peaking again at No. 37.

In 2021, Rolling Stone placed “Umbrella” at No. 332 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The Recording Industry Association of America has certified it Diamond for more than 10 million units in the United States.