We all know Rihanna has mad hits, and is generally liked... there aren't too many "Rihanna haters" I've come across and I think that comes down to the expectations of her; no one sees her as a fantastic singer, or great dancer, good performer, or even cohesive album maker (ANTI was great tho). I also don't hear about rabid Rihanna fans as in some other fandoms. In other words, the expectations around her are tamed and therefore she isn't polarizing and easily consumable.

Comparing this with Beyonce when some people automatically won't give her a fair shake or are turned off because of the mass cultural god-like hype around her, high acclaim, huge fandom, in your face beauty, etc. I think all the components of Rihanna not being expected of much make her a safe option, easily palatable, enjoyable, and someone also mentioned she's one of the few female artists that men can listen to without judgement. Yeah that's my hot take.