Rihanna may not know much about [article id="1697754"]shepherding journalists around the globe[/article], but when it comes to making smash hits, well, she's quickly becoming an expert of historical proportions.

"Diamonds," the first single off her brand-new [article id="1697202"] Unapologetic[/article] album, will rise to #1 on next week's Billboard Hot 100, giving Rihanna her 12th chart-topping single, a mark that ties her with Madonna and the Supremes for the fourth-most #1s in the 54-year history of the chart.

According to Billboard, Rihanna now trails only the Beatles (20 #1s), Mariah Carey (18) and Michael Jackson (13 solo #1s) for the most Hot 100 chart toppers of all time, and, given that she's just 24 -- and seemingly releases a new album every year -- well, we think she's got a pretty realistic shot at overtaking all of them.

Get a first-hand account of what went down on Rihanna's 777 tour

Rihanna also became the fastest female solo artist to accumulate 12 #1 singles, reaching the mark in six years and seven months ... that number trails only the Beatles (two years, four months) and the Supremes (five years, four months).

Rihanna scored her first #1 with 2006's "SOS," and has had several lengthy stays atop the Hot 100, including six weeks in the top spot with "Live Your Life," seven with "Umbrella," and the 10 she logged with 2011's "We Found Love." Her latest ascent to #1 took some time ... "Diamonds" had to overtake Maroon 5's ubiquitous "One More Night," which held the top spot on the chart for nine consecutive weeks.

Can Rihanna overtake Michael Jackson for most #1s? Let us know in the comments below!