--- description: Her Drake collaboration "Work" isn't the kind of club-banger she's beloved for. Here are some alternatives title: 6 Songs You Wish Were the New Rihanna Single image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta905b258717f7b31/69887aba428a9e05fdcd11d9/rihanna-live.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 6 Songs You Wish Were the New Rihanna Single  by [Nolan Feeney](/author/nolan-feeney/)  ## Nolan Feeney Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 27, 2016 5:07 PM CUT  Rihanna performs on Oct. 24, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif. Rihanna performs on Oct. 24, 2015 in Hollywood, Calif.Christopher Polk—Getty Images  by [Nolan Feeney](/author/nolan-feeney/)  ## Nolan Feeney Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 27, 2016 5:07 PM CUT Rihanna’s long-awaited album _Anti_ took a step toward the finish line with the release of her [new Drake collaboration “Work,”](http://time.com/4195453/rihanna-work-drake-new-song-anti/ "undefined") on Wednesday. Given the three-plus year wait for a new Rihanna LP, any new material from the singer is welcome. But… “Work” is a tepid offering from a singer more beloved for her of-the-moment dance-pop bangers than her ballads. No matter how [“timeless”](http://time.com/3748430/rihanna-music-new-album/ "undefined") she promises her incoming album will be, sometimes [the Navy](http://www.answers.com/Q/When%5Fdid%5FRihanna%5Fstart%5Fcalling%5Fher%5Ffans%5Fthe%5FRihanna%5Fnavy "undefined") just wants to sweat. In that case, here are a few songs that will fill the void on your gym playlists: **“The Right Song” by Tiësto and Oliver Heldens featuring Natalie La Rose** If you’ve been asking [“Where have you been?”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBxt%5Fv0WF6Y "undefined") to Rihanna’s EDM days, you can find love with this all-star collaboration straight out of the Netherlands: Dutch DJ-producer Tiësto, his wunderkind protege, Oliver Heldens and “Somebody” singer Natalie La Rose offer up a spring-loaded club-thumper that’ll make you feel like the only girl (or boy) in the world for just a few minutes. **“I’m in Control” by AlunaGeorge featuring Popcaan** The English duo’s tropical new single features the kind of pulse-spiking bass drop more suited for hitting the beach, not a dark club. And yeah, it’s got some “Lean On” vibes going on, but Rihanna could have settled that territory first—[Diplo originally offered](http://time.com/4001153/diplo-interview/ "undefined") the Major Lazer track to her team before releasing the song with MØ’s vocals. **“Cheap Thrills” by Sia** Of all the songs on Sia’s new album _This Is Acting_, which is made up of rejected tracks Sia wrote for other artists, none announces its intended singer like “Cheap Thrills”—the buoyant party anthem couldn’t be more Rihanna-esque unless Rihanna sang it herself. Ultimately, neither party thought it was a perfect fit: “I realized just as soon as I was cutting it that it sounded a little bit too Brit-pop for her,” [Sia recently explained](http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/sias-reject-opus-songwriter-on-reclaiming-adele-rihannas-unwanted-hits-20151203?page=4 "undefined"). “It’s more Icona Pop.” **“Reaper” by Sia** Yup, another Rihanna reject. Sia admits that she didn’t think the song was up the par, [telling _Rolling Stone_](http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/sias-reject-opus-songwriter-on-reclaiming-adele-rihannas-unwanted-hits-20151203?page=3 "undefined"), “I thought there was something about the chorus that seemed fun about this song, but I never thought it would see the light of day.” That’s Rihanna’s loss: “Reaper,” co-produced and co-written by Kanye West, is actually one of the best songs on _This Is Acting_. **“Lush Life” by Zara Larsson** As TIME declared last June, this 18-year-old’s island-pop stunner “Lush Life” was [“the Rihanna-Style Summer Jam We Deserve.”](http://time.com/3937622/zara-larsson-lush-life/ "undefined") Though Larsson hails from Sweden, far, far away from Rihanna’s home country of Barbados, she’s been dealing with Rihanna comparisons since the beginning of her career: “It’s just funny to me, because I’ve never idolized Rihanna the way I do Beyoncé,” [she told PopCrush](http://popcrush.com/zara-larsson-interview-uncover-beyonce-condom-exclusive/ "undefined"). “When I first released my music I did get that comparison a lot … it’s a good thing.” **“Hello Bitches” by CL** This solo track from a member of K-pop group 2NE1 is more focused on highlighting CL’s rap abilities than her singing skills, but with so many references to a jet-setting life of luxury, it’s basically Rihanna’s Instagram in song form—one that’s probably best enjoyed on a pair of [$9,000 golden headphones](http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6851860/rihanna-selfie-anti-headphones "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4195618/new-rihanna-song-work-other-artists/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4195618/new-rihanna-song-work-other-artists/"},"headline":"6 Songs You Wish Were the New Rihanna Single","datePublished":"2016-01-27T17:07:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T14:28:46.386Z","description":"Her Drake collaboration \"Work\" isn't the kind of club-banger she's beloved for. 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