Walks Like Rihanna

2013 single by The Wanted

"Walks Like Rihanna"
Single by The Wanted
from the album Word of Mouth
B-side"Drunk on Love"
Released10 May 2013
Recorded2012
GenreDance-pop
Length3:22
LabelGlobal Talent
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Electric
  • Dr. Luke
  • Cirkut
The Wanted singles chronology
"I Found You"
(2012) 		"Walks Like Rihanna"
(2013) 		"We Own the Night"
(2013)
Music video
"Walks Like Rihanna" on YouTube

"Walks Like Rihanna" is a song by the British-Irish boy band The Wanted. It was released in Australia on 10 May 2013, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 23 June 2013, as the third single from their third studio album Word of Mouth (2013). The song was written by Andy Hill, Henrik Michelsen, and Edvard Førre Erfjord, and it was produced by Dr. Luke and Cirkut, with additional production by Michelsen and Erfjord under their stage name Electric.

The title of the song is a reference to Barbadian singer Rihanna. It peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart and number three in the Republic of Ireland.

In a press conference announcing their reunion in September 2021, band member Tom Parker said that he did not like the song, saying "That song just should not exist. Go in the bin forever. It’s the f****** worst song ever."[1] Bandmates Nathan Sykes and Jay McGuiness countered that "without being hateful, it is a fan favourite, it’s part of our history – and Rihanna liked it!" and "She was very flattered, which is nice."[1]

Music video

The music video premiered on 7 May 2013, at a total length of three minutes and thirty-four seconds.[2] It features parodies of three other well-known boy bands' videos: "Bye Bye Bye" by NSYNC, "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys, and "Back for Good" by Take That.

Track listing

CD single / digital EP[3][4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Walks Like Rihanna"
  • Henrik Michelsen
  • Edvard Førre Erfjord
  • Andy Hill
  • Electric
  • Dr. Luke
  • Cirkut
3:22
2."Walks Like Rihanna" (7th Heaven Club Mix)
  • Henrik Michelsen
  • Edvard Førre Erfjord
  • Andy Hill
  • Electric
  • Dr. Luke
  • Cirkut
  • 7th Heaven*
6:41
3."Walks Like Rihanna" (Denim Colla and M-X Mix)
  • Henrik Michelsen
  • Edvard Førre Erfjord
  • Andy Hill
  • Electric
  • Dr. Luke
  • Cirkut
  • Denim Colla*
  • M-X*
5:20
4."Drunk on Love"
  • Tom Parker
  • Jack McManus
  • Harry Sommerdahl
Harry Sommerdahl3:23
5."Walks Like Rihanna" (Karaoke Version)
  • Henrik Michelsen
  • Edvard Førre Erfjord
  • Andy Hill
  • Electric
  • Dr. Luke
  • Cirkut
3:22
German CD single[5]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Walks Like Rihanna"
  • Henrik Michelsen
  • Edvard Førre Erfjord
  • Andy Hill
  • Electric
  • Dr. Luke
  • Cirkut
3:23
2."Walks Like Rihanna" (7th Heaven Club Edit)
  • Henrik Michelsen
  • Edvard Førre Erfjord
  • Andy Hill
  • Electric
  • Dr. Luke
  • Cirkut
  • 7th Heaven*
6:38

Credits and personnel

Recording[6]
Personnel[6]
  • Dr. Luke – producer, instruments, programming, additional vocals
  • Cirkut – producer, instruments, programming, additional vocals
  • Andy Hill – songwriter
  • Henrik Michelsen – songwriter, additional production, instruments, programming
  • Edvard Førre Erfjord – songwriter, additional production, instruments, programming
  • Clint Gibbs – engineer
  • Eric Eylands – assistant engineer
  • Rachael Findlen – assistant engineer
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • John Hanes – mix engineer
  • Nathan Sykes – vocals
  • Tom Parker – vocals
  • Max George – vocals
  • Siva Kaneswaran – vocals
  • Jay McGuiness – vocals
  • Kyle Moorman – additional vocals
  • Chris Jones – additional vocals
  • Gavin Degraw – additional vocals
  • Martin Johnson – additional vocals
  • Dick Beetham – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Walks Like Rihanna"
Chart (2013) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 32
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 50
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[9] 2
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[10] 19
Brazil (Billboard Brasil Hot 100)[11] 95
Brazil Hot Pop Songs[11] 27
Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[12] 8
France (SNEP)[13] 82
Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 54
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[15] 33
Ireland (IRMA)[16] 3
Israel (Media Forest)[17] 6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 16
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 35
Russia Airplay (TopHit)[20] 10
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[21] 27
Scotland (OCC)[22] 2
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[23] 25
Slovenia (SloTop50)[24] 27
UK Singles (OCC)[25] 4
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[26] 9

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Walks Like Rihanna"
Chart (2013) Position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[27] 100
Russia Airplay (TopHit)[28] 76
UK Singles (OCC)[29] 96
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[30] 48

Certifications

Certifications for "Walks Like Rihanna"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Walks Like Rihanna"
Region Date Format Label
Australia 10 May 2013[32] Digital download
United States 28 May 2013[33]
United Kingdom[34] 23 June 2013
  • CD
  • digital download
Ireland[35]
Germany 28 June 2013

References

  1. ^ a b Female First. "The Wanted: Walks Like Rihanna is the worst song ever" 21 September 2021.
  2. ^ "The Wanted - Walks Like Rihanna". YouTube. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Walks Like Rihanna EP: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  4. ^ "iTunes - Music - Walks Like Rihanna - Single by The Wanted". Itunes.apple.com. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Walks Like Rihanna (2-Track): Amazon.de: Musik". Amazon.de. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  6. ^ a b Walks Like Rihanna (CD liner notes). The Wanted. Global Talent Records. 2013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ "The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  8. ^ "The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  9. ^ "The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  10. ^ "The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna" (in French). Ultratip.
  11. ^ a b "Billboard Brasil Hot 100 Airplay". Billboard Brasil. No. 44. September 2013. p. 88.
  12. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201328 into search.
  13. ^ "The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna" (in French). Les classement single.
  14. ^ "The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  15. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  16. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Walks Like Rihanna". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Media Forest Week 23, 2013". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest.
  18. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Wanted" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  19. ^ "The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  20. ^ "Russia Airplay Chart for 2013-07-08." TopHit.
  21. ^ "The Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna" Canciones Top 50.
  22. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  23. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201328 into search.
  24. ^ "SloTop50: Slovenian official singles weekly chart" (in Slovenian). SloTop50. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  25. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  26. ^ "Ukraine Airplay Chart for 2013-09-02." TopHit.
  27. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2013" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  28. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart 2013" (in Russian). TopHit. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  29. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2013". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  30. ^ "Top Radio Hits Ukraine Annual Chart 2013" (in Russian). TopHit. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  31. ^ "British single certifications – Wanted – Walks Like Rihanna". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  32. ^ "iTunes - Music - Walks Like Rihanna - Single by The Wanted". Itunes.apple.com. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  33. ^ "iTunes - Music - Walks Like Rihanna - Single by The Wanted". Itunes.apple.com. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  34. ^ "Walks Like Rihanna - Single". iTunes Store (UK). Apple. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  35. ^ "Walks Like Rihanna - Single". iTunes Store (IRE). Apple. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Studio albums
  • The Wanted
  • Battleground
  • Word of Mouth
Greatest hits albums
  • Most Wanted: The Greatest Hits
Extended plays
  • The Wanted
Singles
  • "All Time Low"
  • "Heart Vacancy"
  • "Lose My Mind"
  • "Gold Forever"
  • "Glad You Came"
  • "Lightning"
  • "Warzone"
  • "Chasing the Sun"
  • "I Found You"
  • "Walks Like Rihanna"
  • "We Own the Night"
  • "Show Me Love (America)"
  • "Glow in the Dark"
  • "Rule the World"
ToursRelated topics
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
  • MusicBrainz release group
  • MusicBrainz work