Rihanna has never sold a record.
In the United States , the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets . Rihanna . After releasing four consecutive platinum studio albums , including the Grammy Award winner Unapologetic ( 2012 ) , she was recognized as a pop icon . Unapologetic . It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 238,000 copies , becoming Rihanna 's first number one album on the chart and best-selling debut week of her career .