Good as Hell
"Good as Hell" is a song recorded by American singer and rapper Lizzo. Written by Lizzo, Ricky Reed and produced by Reed, it was released on October 7, 2016, through Atlantic Records and Nice Life Recording Company as the lead single from her debut extended play Coconut Oil, and subsequently served as the namesake for her 2017 Good as Hell Tour, but then re-released in 2019 as a radio single, where it became a sleeper hit like her first hit, "Truth Hurts".[1]
"Good as Hell" | ||||
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Single by Lizzo | ||||
from the EP Coconut Oil | ||||
Released | March 8, 2016 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:39 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Ricky Reed | |||
Lizzo singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Good as Hell" (2016 version) on YouTube | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Good as Hell" (2019 version) on YouTube |
Following her performance of "Good as Hell" at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, it entered the US Billboard Hot 100, later reaching number three in November 2019 and the top ten in several other countries, including Australia, Belgium, New Zealand and the UK. Two music videos were released for the song; the first was set in a hair salon in 2016, and the second sees her playing in the marching band at Southern University for homecoming week in 2019. The single has received a triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Release
"Good as Hell" was originally recorded for the soundtrack of the 2016 film Barbershop: The Next Cut. It first made its premiere on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 Radio show.[2]
The song was released to digital retailers and streaming platforms on March 8, 2016.[3] A four-track dance remix EP was released on June 17, 2016.[4]
An official remix featuring American singer Ariana Grande was released on October 25, 2019.[5]
Music videos
The first music video was released on May 11, 2016.[6] It features Lizzo and multiple women of color going to a hair salon, getting their hair and nails done while having fun with the occasion. The music video also ties into the movie Barbershop: The Next Cut.[7]
On December 9, 2019, in the wake of the song's growing popularity, a new "official music video" was premiered on YouTube.[8] This music video, directed by Alan Ferguson, is set in Southern University, and also features the Baton Rouge HBCU.[7] In it, the university's marching band students have trouble with some regular classes in between preparation for an upcoming performance, with one of the university's marching band dancers looking heartbroken over a prior relationship she had with another student. Lizzo then shows up during one of the rehearsals and appears with the group throughout the video, performing her song and having fun with the group throughout the video.[9]
Critical reception
In a review for NPR, Hanif Abdurraqib praised the song's inspirational and motivational qualities, saying "[the song is] the anthem of both the night itself and of life in preparation for it: the saint that comes to you in the mirror when the lighting is bad, or the hair won't move the way you want it to, or when you've tried on all of the outfits and none of them seem right." Abdurraqib also called it "the rare song that can play at any point in a night out and resonate in each."[10]
In 2019, Billboard included "Good as Hell" on their list of the Top 10 Lizzo songs, saying "the song's message of self-love mixed with a melody that will worm its way inside your head make this track an absolute stunner."[11]
Chart performance
While "Good as Hell" never charted during Coconut Oil's release period, it began to gain traction in 2019 following Lizzo's continuing career trajectory and the chart climb of her 2017 hit "Truth Hurts". Following Lizzo's performance of the song at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, it entered the Billboard Hot 100 the following week at number 52, later peaking at number three, becoming Lizzo's second top 10 hit on the chart.[12][13]
The club mixes of "Good as Hell" gave Lizzo her first number one at Dance Club Songs and her second chart topper at Dance/Mix Show Airplay in December 2019.[14]
Following the release of the remix featuring Ariana Grande, "Good as Hell" reached new top 10 peaks in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia, becoming Lizzo's first top 10 single in each of these countries.
Live performances
Lizzo performed a medley of "Truth Hurts" and "Good as Hell" at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. Wearing a neon yellow leotard, she transitioned into "Good As Hell" after opening with "Truth Hurts", with digital clouds in the background.[15] During the performance, Lizzo took a shot of tequila and gave a self-acceptance speech. In Rolling Stone, Angie Martoccio opined that she "[took] the crowd to church" with a set that "[resembled] a hip-hop heaven".[16] In NPR Music, Stephen Thompson opined that the performance "was a huge standout for the night—a win that'll do a lot more for her staying power than some statuette".[17]
Lizzo performed "Good as Hell" on December 21, 2019 on Saturday Night Live. Accompanied by dancers, the Christmas-themed performance included trees, fake snow and candy-cane-painted stripper poles.[18][19] She also performed a medley of "Cuz I Love You", "Truth Hurts", "Good as Hell" and "Juice" at the 2020 Brit Awards.[20]
In other media
"Good as Hell" has been featured in the films Barbershop: The Next Cut, A Bad Moms Christmas, I Feel Pretty, Blockers and Brittany Runs a Marathon,[21] as well as successive adverts for JD Williams and My Little Pony: Pony Life.[22][23] It was also used in Season 10 of the television show RuPaul's Drag Race in "lip sync for your life" between Kameron Michaels and Monét X Change. Lizzo herself served as a guest judge in the episode.[24]
Awards and nominations
Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Editing | Nominated | [25] |
Billboard Music Awards | Top R&B Song | Nominated | [26] | |
Soul Train Music Awards | Video of the Year | Pending | [27] |
Track listing
Digital download[3]
- "Good as Hell" – 2:39
Spotify version[28]
- "Good as Hell" – 2:39
- "Truth Hurts" – 2:53
Digital Remix EP[4]
- "Good as Hell" (Bad Royale Remix) – 3:33
- "Good as Hell" (Nick Catchdubs Remix) – 3:56
- "Good as Hell" (BNDR Remix) – 3:43
- "Good as Hell" (Two Stacks Remix) – 2:57
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[83] | 3× Platinum | 210,000 |
Belgium (BEA)[84] | Gold | 20,000 |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[85] | Platinum | 40,000 |
Canada (Music Canada)[86] | 2× Platinum | 160,000 |
France (SNEP)[87] | Gold | 100,000 |
Italy (FIMI)[88] | Gold | 35,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI)[89] | Platinum | 600,000 |
United States (RIAA)[90] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000 |
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Version | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Various | March 8, 2016 | Original |
|
[3] | |
June 17, 2016 | Remixes | [4] | |||
United States | September 17, 2019 | Rhythmic contemporary | Original | [91] |
Ariana Grande remix
"Good as Hell (Remix)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Lizzo and Ariana Grande | ||||
from the album Cuz I Love You (Super Deluxe) | ||||
Released | October 25, 2019 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:39 | |||
Label |
| |||
Composer(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Ricky Reed | |||
Lizzo singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Ariana Grande singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lyric video | ||||
"Good as Hell (Remix)" on YouTube |
A remix of the song featuring American singer Ariana Grande was released on October 25, 2019.[92][93]
Track listing
Digital download[92]
- "Good as Hell" (featuring Ariana Grande) [Remix] – 2:39
Streaming[94]
- "Good as Hell" (featuring Ariana Grande) - Remix – 2:39
- "Good as Hell" – 2:39
Accolades
Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | iHeartRadio Music Awards | Best Remix | Nominated | [95] |
Weekly charts
Chart (2019-2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Greece (IFPI)[96] | 26 |
Lebanon (The Official Lebanese Top 20 English Chart)[97] | 20 |
Lithuania (AGATA)[98] | 26 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[99] | 28 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[100] | 50 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[101] | 10 |
Portugal (AFP)[102] | 94 |
Romania (Airplay 100)[103] | 96 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[104] | 29 |
Year-end charts
Chart (2019) | Position |
---|---|
Portugal (AFP)[105] | 1645 |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | October 25, 2019 |
|
[92] | |
Australia | Contemporary hit radio | Warner Bros. Australia | [106] | |
Italy | November 8, 2019 | Warner | [107] | |
United Kingdom | November 22, 2019 | Warner Bros. UK | [108] |
References
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First released in 2016, Good As Hell became better known as the bed to a JD Williams TV commercial, and nibbled at the chart earlier this year.
- Aquilina, Tyler (November 13, 2019). "My Little Pony to launch new animated series and toy line — see exclusive first look". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
The video above offers an exclusive first look at both the new toys and the newly designed animated characters, set (appropriately if somewhat oddly) to Lizzo‘s “Good as Hell.”
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