Good as Hell
2016 single by Lizzo
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"Good as Hell" is a song recorded by American rapper and singer Lizzo. Written by Lizzo and producer Ricky Reed, it was released on March 8, 2016, by Atlantic Records and Nice Life Recording Company as the lead single from her first extended play, Coconut Oil, and subsequently was the namesake for her 2017 Good as Hell Tour. It was re-released in 2019 as a radio single, when it became a sleeper hit like her first hit, "Truth Hurts".[2] The song was later included as a bonus track on the super deluxe edition of her third studio album, Cuz I Love You (2019), alongside its remix.
September 17, 2019 (re-released)
| "Good as Hell" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Lizzo | ||||
| from the EP Barbershop: The Next Cut and Coconut Oil | ||||
| Released | March 8, 2016 (original) September 17, 2019 (re-released) | |||
| Studio | Elysian Park[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:39 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Ricky Reed | |||
| Lizzo singles chronology | ||||
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| Music videos | ||||
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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, Canada, 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 5× 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.[3]
The song was released to digital retailers and streaming platforms on March 8, 2016.[4] A four-track dance remix EP was released on June 17, 2016.[5]
An official remix featuring American singer Ariana Grande was released on October 25, 2019.[6]
Music videos
The first music video was released on May 11, 2016.[7] It shows Lizzo and several women of color going to a hair salon, having their hair and nails done while having fun with the occasion. The music video also ties into the movie Barbershop: The Next Cut.[8]
On December 9, 2019, in the wake of the song's growing popularity, a new "official music video" was premiered on YouTube.[9] This music video, directed by Alan Ferguson, is set in Southern University and features the Baton Rouge HBCU.[8] 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.[10]
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."[11]
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."[12]
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.[13][14]
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.[15]
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.[16] 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".[17] 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".[18]
Lizzo performed "Good as Hell" as her second song 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.[19][20] She also performed a medley of "Cuz I Love You", "Truth Hurts", "Good as Hell" and "Juice" at the 2020 Brit Awards.[21]
In other media
"Good as Hell" was heard at the end of the films A Bad Moms Christmas, I Feel Pretty, and Blockers,[22] as well as successive adverts for JD Williams, Garnier and My Little Pony: Pony Life.[23][24] 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 was a guest judge in the episode.[25]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Editing | Nominated | [26] |
| Billboard Music Awards | Top R&B Song | Nominated | [27] | |
| BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards | Award-Winning Songs | Won | [28] | |
| Soul Train Music Awards | Video of the Year | Nominated | [29] |
Track listing
Digital download[4]
- "Good as Hell" – 2:39
Spotify version[30]
- "Good as Hell" – 2:39
- "Truth Hurts" – 2:53
Digital Remix EP[5]
- "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 |
Monthly charts
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[89] | 6× Platinum | 420,000‡ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[90] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| Belgium (BRMA)[91] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[92] | 8× Platinum | 640,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[93] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[94] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[95] | 4× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[96] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[97] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[98] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Ariana Grande remix
| "Good as Hell" (Remix) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.png) | ||||
| Single by Lizzo featuring Ariana Grande | ||||
| from the album Cuz I Love You (Super Deluxe) | ||||
| Released | October 25, 2019 | |||
| Recorded | July 2019 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:39 | |||
| Label |
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| Composers | ||||
| Lyricists |
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| Producer | Ricky Reed | |||
| Lizzo singles chronology | ||||
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| Ariana Grande singles chronology | ||||
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| Lyric video | ||||
| "Good as Hell" (Remix) on YouTube | ||||
A remix of the song featuring the American singer Ariana Grande was released on October 25, 2019.[100][101]
Track listing
Digital download[100]
- "Good as Hell" (featuring Ariana Grande) [Remix] – 2:39
Streaming[102]
- "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 | [103] |
Charts
| Chart (2019–2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Greece (IFPI)[104] | 26 |
| Lebanon (The Official Lebanese Top 20 English Chart)[105] | 20 |
| Lithuania (AGATA)[106] | 26 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[107] | 28 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[108] | 50 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[109] | 10 |
| Portugal (AFP)[110] | 94 |
| Romania (Airplay 100)[111] | 96 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[112] | 29 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[113] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[114] | Platinum | 200,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[115] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway)[116] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | March 8, 2016 | Original |
|
[4] | |
| June 17, 2016 | Remixes | [5] | |||
| United States | September 17, 2019 | Rhythmic contemporary | Original | [117] | |
| Various | October 25, 2019 |
|
Ariana Grande remix | [100] | |
| Italy | November 8, 2019 | Radio airplay | Warner | [118] | |
| United States | November 11, 2019 | Hot adult contemporary radio | Original |
|
[119] |