This thread is inspired by the P!nk thread, there was some debate that pop girls cant lead era's with ballad and be successful, but people forgot that Rihanna lead UNA with a ballad and had an successful era also she lead Rated R with the dark Russian Roulette . Is Rihanna the only pop girl that can lead with a ballad successful?

No.

Diamonds isn't a ballad, it's midtempo IMO.

No.

Diamonds is not a ballad

Also, n o!

why not ?

and unlike Diamonds, this is actually a real ballad.

Yes. Obvs she did it twice

Yeah, Diamonds isn't a ballad.

Anyways, she can, but Adele does it better (and yes, Adele is considered pop too).

Bey did w/ IIWAB. I don't think Diamonds counts as a ballad tho
Russian Roulette, however >

No . Beyonce did with If I Were A Boy. Among several other artists have as well.

Because the entire point of this thread is about leading off with a ballad and having a successful era and most people, including the Navy, hardly consider Rated R to be one of her "successful" eras. Nor was "Russain Roulette" that big itself. It doesn't apply.

Diamonds would be more plausible but it's not a ballad.

Diamonds is a mid-tempo and Russian Roulette didn't go platinum.

Is 'Live To Tell' a ballad? If so, Madonna did.

Yep.

This is about the song starting off a successful era though, which in retrospect isn't the case here.
"Ballad elements" What does that even mean? Diamonds is a mid-tempo song.
If anything, like someone stated If I Were A Boy would be a way better comparison. It was a ballad, it was successful itself, it jump started a huge era.

Diamonds nor Russian Roulette apply to this.

Um. Have y'all forgotten the Top 90 smash hit that was "Through The Rain"?

yes, if we don't count Adele