Rihanna May Be The Most Underrated Pop Star

Last week's Grammy snub sent the Rihanna Navy into a frenzy. The "Work" singer picked up quite a few nominations for her latest project Anti, but not scoring a single win totally undermined everything the pop princess has been working toward — recognition. Well, that tiny bit of acknowledgement followed a lot sooner than most of us would've bet. It was just announced that Rihanna beat Michael Jackson's record for top-10 Billboard hits, proving that the singer is, in fact, a serious threat and competition to her peers. Rihanna's "Love on the Brain" makes her 30th top-10 hit on the charts, and she follows behind Madonna with 38, and the Beatles with 34.

Without a doubt, Rihanna is one of my favorite artists. Not only does she consistently release music — staying super relevant in the industry — she's also a trendsetter... groundbreaker, even. From 2005's Music of the Sun to 2016's Anti, I can totally see her progression, and I can't say the same for a lot of other pop stars. Rihanna has left a massive imprint on the music industry, and has pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a "sensation." Who else could have the world enthusiastically singing a song in patois? (Someone cue "Work.")

Anti alone received seven Grammy nominations this year. Not only was it, in my opinion, one of Rihanna's most daring projects, it was innovative and fresh. The album really showcased Rih's depth and range as an artist. To date, Rih has been nominated for three Record of the Year Grammys over the course of her career. For a singer, with as much cultural influence as she has, to not take home a single Grammy for the category shows just how out of touch a lot of the decision makers at the top must be.

Can you imagine releasing music game changers such as "Umbrella" and "Work," and not being recognized? I sure can't. Especially when I was one of the many fans who couldn't stop singing either, no matter how hard I tried.

Bottom line: Rihanna is, and will always be, golden. She just doesn't get the love that she deserves.