Somethin' Bad

"Somethin' Bad"
Single by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood
from the album Platinum
Released May 19, 2014
Format Music download
Genre Country rock
Length 2:49
Label RCA Nashville
Arista Nashville
Writer(s) Chris DeStefano
Brett James
Priscilla Renea
Producer(s) Frank Liddell
Chuck Ainlay
Glenn Worf
Miranda Lambert singles chronology
"Automatic"
(2014)
"Somethin' Bad"
(2014)
"Little Red Wagon"
(2015)
Carrie Underwood singles chronology
"See You Again"
(2013)
"Somethin' Bad"
(2014)
"Something in the Water"
(2014)

"Somethin' Bad" is a song recorded as a duet by American country music artists Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. The song was written by Chris DeStefano, Brett James and Priscilla Renea. It was released as the second single from Lambert's fifth studio album Platinum in advance of the album's release two weeks later. The song premiered at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards on May 18, 2014, and was released for sale the next day.

"Somethin' Bad" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, becoming Underwood's thirteenth number one on the chart and Lambert's fifth. The song is the first number one by teamed-up solo women in more than two decades on this chart.

On December 5, 2014, the collaboration received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

Background

The song was written by Chris DeStefano and Brett James along with Priscilla Renea while they were at a writing retreat in France for ASCAP.[1] The song was originally intended to be a male/female duet, but was later tweaked so that it could be performed by two females.[2]

The song is seen as a female take on the bro-country genre.[3] According to Lambert, when she heard "Somethin’ Bad", "the song just popped," and it "really struck a chord."[4] Lambert said she had wanted to do a duet with Carrie Underwood, and that "It's been too long since two girls in our genre have come together like that, especially on a song that's kind of in your face."[5] She sent Underwood an email to request a collaboration, which was accepted as they had wanted to sing together for some time.[2][6]

The song made its debut on the 2014 Billboard Music Awards on May 18, 2014 with a performance by Lambert and Underwood.[7] They performed the song again at the CMT Music Awards on June 4, 2014.[8]

Reception

The song received generally favorable response from the critics. Matt Bjorke of Roughstock thought the song playful, fun, and "sure to be a fast-selling hit."[9] Jason Scott of AXS called it "a fun, beat-driven summer anthem" and rated it four stars out of five.[10] Taste of Country said that the song's "ready-for-anything lyrics and the way that Lambert and Underwood belt them out with such power, make ‘Somethin’ Bad’ a catchy girl-power anthem."[11]

Commercial performance

"Somethin' Bad" debuted at No. 39 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and at number five on the Hot Country Songs chart, after it was released for sales on May 19, 2014 (chart dated June 7, 2014).[12] The song debuted on the radio chart at No. 48 on the Country Airplay for the same week, before it was due to be officially released onto radio on June 16, 2014.[13] It also debuted at number one on the Country Digital Songs chart, with 107,000 downloads sold in its debut week.[12] "Somethin' Bad" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs in its sixth week, becoming Underwood's 13th number one on the chart and Lambert's fifth. The same week, the song vaulted to No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is the first number one by teamed-up solo women in more than two decades on the Hot Country Songs.[14] As of April 2015, the song has sold 1,080,000 copies in the United States.[15]

The song also debuted on the Canadian Hot 100 chart at No. 33 on its first week of release.[16]

Music video

The music video was directed by Trey Fanjoy and released on June 25, 2014. It features Lambert as Belle Boyd and Underwood as Priscilla Parker, a pair of jewel thieves. The video is presented as a trailer for a film where the pair play poker, ride Indian motorcycles and engage in a jewel heist in which they flee in a luxury Bell Helicopter.[17][18]

Miranda purchased the two Indian Motorcycles keeping one for herself, while giving the other to Carrie as a "thank you" for doing the song with her. Carrie tweeted a pic of her on the bike. The bikes and the helicopter were part of a product placement arrangement organized by CMS Nashville.

As of December 10, 2014 the music video has accumulated over 22 million views on Vevo and was nominated for a 2014 CMA for "Video of the Year."

Awards and nominations

Academy of Country Music Awards

Year Recipient Award Result
2015 "Somethin' Bad" Video of the Year style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated
Vocal Event of the Year style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated

Country Music Association Awards

Year Recipient Award Result
2014 "Somethin' Bad" Musical Event of the Year style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated
Music Video of the Year style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated

Grammy Awards

Year Recipient Award Result
2015 "Somethin' Bad" Best Country Duo/Group Performance style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated

Teen Choice Awards

Year Recipient Award Result
2014 "Somethin' Bad" Choice Country Song style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[19] 33
Canada Country (Billboard)[20] 6
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[21] 91
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 19
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[23] 7
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[24] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2014) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[25] 99
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[26] 47
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[27] 10

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
United States (RIAA)[28] Platinum 1,080,000[15]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Preceded by
"Play It Again" by Luke Bryan
Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one single
July 12, 2014
Succeeded by
"Beachin'" by Jake Owen

References

  1. Matt Bjorke (March 25, 2014). "Story Behind The Song: Miranda Lambert & Carrie Underwood's "Something Bad"". Roughstock.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Cindy Watts. "Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood talk 'Somethin' Bad'". The Tennessean.
  3. Joseph Hudak (June 25, 2014). "Miranda Lambert Gives a Woman's Take on 'Bro Country'". RollingStone.
  4. "Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood Channel Thelma & Louise In ‘Somethin’ Bad’ Video". Radio.com. June 25, 2014.
  5. Christina Vinson (March 12, 2014). "Miranda Lambert: Dueting With Carrie Underwood Is ‘Very, Very Intimidating’". Taste of Country.
  6. "Lambert & Underwood Battle Bro-Country w/ ‘Somethin’ Bad’". Saving Country Music. May 18, 2014.
  7. Denise Warner (May 18, 2014). "Miranda Lambert & Carrie Underwood Debut 'Somethin' Bad' at the Billboard Music Awards". Billboard.
  8. "Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood Ace "Something Bad"". CMT. June 4, 2014.
  9. Matt Bjorke (May 18, 2014). "Review: Miranda Lambert & Carrie Underwood - Something Bad". Roughstock.
  10. Jason Scott (May 19, 2014). "Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert's 'Somethin' Bad' is something really good".
  11. "Miranda Lambert (Feat. Carrie Underwood), ‘Somethin’ Bad’ [Listen]". Taste of Country. June 17, 2014.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Gary Trust (May 29, 2014). "Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood Soar Onto Hot Country Songs In Top Five". Billboard.
  13. "R&R :: Going For Adds :: Country". Radio & Records. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  14. Gary Trust (July 3, 2014). "Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood Vault To No. 1 On Hot Country Songs". Billboard.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Matt Bjorke (April 15, 2015). "Country Music’s Top 30 Digital Singles: Week of April 15, 2015". Roughstock.
  16. Fred Bronson (May 30, 2014). "'American Idol' on the Charts: 'Bad' News is Good for Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert". The Hollywood Reporter.
  17. "Miranda Lambert And Carrie Underwood Get Criminal In The ‘Somethin’ Bad’ Video", MTV, June 25, 2014
  18. Zach Johnson (June 26, 2014). "Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood Find Trouble in "Somethin' Bad" Music Video—Watch Now!". Eonline.
  19. "Miranda Lambert Album & Song Chart History" Canadian Hot 100 for Miranda Lambert. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  20. "Miranda Lambert Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Canada Country for Miranda Lambert. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  21. "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 292014 into search. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  22. "Miranda Lambert Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Miranda Lambert. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  23. "Miranda Lambert Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Country Airplay for Miranda Lambert. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  24. "Miranda Lambert Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Miranda Lambert. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  25. "Best of 2014: Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  26. "Best of 2014: Country Airplay". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  27. "Best of 2014: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  28. "American single certifications – Miranda Lambert – Somethin%27 Bad". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 21, 2014. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH