Rihanna - SOS

What this video is

Released February 13, 2006, as the lead single from Rihanna's sophomore album 'A Girl Like Me' on Def Jam Recordings, 'SOS' arrived during Rihanna's rapid commercial ascent managed by the label's then-president Jay-Z. The song's strategic sampling of Soft Cell's 1981 'Tainted Love' bridged 1980s synthpop nostalgia with mid-2000s dance-pop production, introducing a generation of young listeners to the source…

Why it matters

A landmark mid-2000s dance-pop/R&B crossover that demonstrated the commercial viability of synthpop sampling in contemporary pop production. The video's multi-set performance format, hyper-edited choreographic structure, and Applebaum's key-lit dark aesthetic became a template for Def Jam pop…

The director

Born 1970 in Los Angeles, CA; studied film at Hampshire College, Amherst, MA. Began directing music videos in college; became youngest director signed to Satellite Films (Propaganda division) at age 21, directing over 250 music videos. Won 2006 MuchMusic…