After six years of waiting, it’s finally happened: Chart-topper Rihanna has returned to music! In October, she released the single “Lift Me Up,” which was included in the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie soundtrack. The track reached the number-two spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with nearly eight million streams on the first day alone. Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the cinematographer of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed the music video.

It’s no easy feat to pull off a successful comeback in what is an incredibly competitive industry, so we’re looking back on some of the greatest musical comebacks of all time.

Cher

Without a doubt the Queen of Comebacks, Cher returned to music after a nine-year break with “Believe” in 1998, to great acclaim. It hit the top of the charts in more than 20 countries and sold over 10 million copies worldwide. It was her first Billboard number-one hit since “Dark Lady” in 1974, and it stayed in the charts for an impressive 31 weeks!

Elvis Presley

The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll staged his own comeback to live performances after a seven-year break with a special television broadcast in 1968, which would be remembered by the world as one of the most epic comeback performances ever. After this return, Elvis gave us hits such as “Suspicious Minds” and “Burning Love.”

ABBA

ABBA’s comeback is possibly the most unique in music history. Forty(!) years after their previous album, ABBA released Voyage in 2021. Virtual avatars of the band members as they appeared in 1977 can be seen in concert in a purpose-built venue in the U.K. A truly futuristic blast from the past.

Spice Girls

The Spice Girls have a rich history when it comes to comebacks. The group stopped performing together in 2000 but reunited to tour in 2007 — and then again in 2019 (without Posh this time), making them the top touring all-female group in 20 years. Talk about girl power!

Blink-182

Blink-182 is back! Announced in October, this comeback is hot off the press. After their number-one album Take Off Your Pants and Jacket in 2001, they announced an indefinite break in 2005. The band got back together in 2009 for a reunion tour that would stretch into the mid-2010s, until founder member Tom DeLonge announced his departure from the group. Now, Blink-182 has reunited with DeLonge, released their comeback single, “Edging,” and announced a tour for 2023.