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"Don't Cha" is a song written by
Busta Rhymes and
CeeLo Green
Thomas DeCarlo Callaway - Burton (born May 30, 1975), known professionally as CeeLo Green (or Cee Lo Green), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. He is known for his work in hip hop and R&B, including the Gnarls ...
, and produced by the latter. The chorus is an interpolation of the song "
Swass
''Swass'' is the debut album by Sir Mix-a-Lot. It was released in 1988 on Nastymix and re-released on CD by Def American Recordings. The album featured the singles "Posse on Broadway", "Square Dance Rap", "Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero ...
", which was written and performed by
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Anthony L. Ray (born August 12, 1963), better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1992 hit song " Baby Got Back", which peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' ...
. The song was originally recorded and published by
Tori Alamaze, former
backing vocalist
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...
for the hip hop duo
OutKast, and was released as her debut single. After minor success and dissatisfaction with
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
, Alamaze gave up her rights to the song. Universal offered the song to the American burlesque dance troupe
the Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls were an American girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles, California, by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe. At the suggestion of Jimmy Iovine, Antin decided to take the burlesque troupe ...
, who were about to reinvent as a pop music
girl group. The group re-recorded "Don't Cha" with Busta Rhymes and released it as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from their debut studio album ''
PCD'' (2005).
The Pussycat Dolls' version received positive reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, many of whom highlighted it as a standout track from ''PCD''; however, some of them criticized Busta Rhymes' appearance. The song was a commercial success, peaking at number two on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and atop the
Dance Club Songs and
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009. It ranked songs based on airplay on Mainstream Top 40 radio stations, singles sa ...
charts. Outside the United States, "Don't Cha" topped the charts in 15 countries. An accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for the song was directed by
Paul Hunter
Paul Alan Hunter (14 October 1978 – 9 October 2006) was an English professional snooker player. He was a three-time Masters champion, winning the event in 2001, 2002, and 2004, recovering from a deficit in the final to win 10–9 on a ...
and featured the group doing various activities, including jumping on a trampoline and drag racing in
Jeeps.
Tori Alamaze version
Writing and production
In January 2004, American recording artist and producer
CeeLo Green
Thomas DeCarlo Callaway - Burton (born May 30, 1975), known professionally as CeeLo Green (or Cee Lo Green), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. He is known for his work in hip hop and R&B, including the Gnarls ...
finished writing and producing "Don't Cha", the chorus of which reprises the hook from "Swass" by
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Anthony L. Ray (born August 12, 1963), better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1992 hit song " Baby Got Back", which peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' ...
, taken from his
album of the same name (1988).
The song was recorded in a basement studio in Atlanta, Georgia by
Tori Alamaze, a former
backing vocalist
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...
for the
hip hop duo
OutKast.
Release
In November 2004, Alamaze signed a record deal with Green's Radiculture Records and
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
, a part of
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
, and released "Don't Cha" as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from her debut studio album.
As the song was gaining momentum, Alamaze grew dissatisfied with Universal Records and, in January 2005, agreed to release her rights to the song in order to get out of her contract as she felt that she "got caught up in the middle of egos and favors." Her debut album, which had already been completed, was shelved.
This decision did not help Green oversee Alamaze's career on a major label, but record executives were still interested in "Don't Cha".
Critical reception
Alamaze's version of "Don't Cha" received positive reviews from critics. Saptosa Foster of ''
Vibe
''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...
'' described it as "sultry", while
Salon's Thomas Bartlett commented that the song is "strange, sad and astonishingly good."
''
Stylus Magazine'' included it on their ranking of the best singles from 2005 at number 30, adding that "at the core, Alamaze remains defiantly sexy over a tight bump-n-grind rhythm."
Charts
The Pussycat Dolls version
In 2004, choreographer
Robin Antin
Robin Antin is an American actress, entrepreneur, dancer, choreographer and clothing designer. In 1995, she founded the modern burlesque troupe the Pussycat Dolls. By 2005, she diversified into various media including a pop recording group with i ...
had struck a joint venture with
Interscope Records to develop
the Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls were an American girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles, California, by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe. At the suggestion of Jimmy Iovine, Antin decided to take the burlesque troupe ...
, a
burlesque, cabaret act that was performing in various venues in Hollywood, into a brand. In cooperation with then-chairman of
Interscope Geffen A&M Records
Interscope Geffen A&M Records (IGA), is an American umbrella label owned by Universal Music Group, consisting of record labels Interscope Records, Geffen Records, and A&M Records.
History
Interscope Geffen A&M Records was established in 1999, ...
,
Jimmy Iovine
James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...
and record producer
Ron Fair
Ronald Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several ar ...
, Antin formed a separate group consisting of six members—
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Maile Bachar ( he, כרמית בכר; born September 4, 1974), known professionally as Carmit, is an American singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. She is a member of the Pussycat Dolls. She is married to longtime partner Kevin Whita ...
,
Ashley Roberts
Ashley Allyn Roberts (born September 14, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, and media personality. She is a member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls.
Roberts released her debut solo studio album, ''Butterfly Ef ...
,
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
,
Jessica Sutta
Jessica Lynn Sutta (born May 15, 1982), previously known as J Sutta, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She is best known as a former member of the American girl group the Pussycat Dolls.
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Sutta devel ...
,
Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton (born September 28, 1984) is an American singer and television personality. After graduating high school, Thornton became one the main vocalists of the pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls and released the albums '' PCD'' (2005) an ...
, and
Kimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Kaye Wyatt (born February 4, 1982) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She is a former member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls. She is also a member of the ...
—based on the burlesque dance revue created by Antin. In order to successfully transition into a major-label, recording act, Fair felt it would be best to deviate from "straight-ahead burlesque" and transition into a more traditional, pop group with
contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhy ...
influences.
At the suggestion of
Doug Morris
Doug Morris (born November 23, 1938) is an American record executive. He is the current chairman of 12Tone Music Group. He previously served as chairman and CEO of the Universal Music Group from 1995 to 2011 and Sony Music Entertainment from 20 ...
,
—then chairman of Universal Music Group—"Don't Cha" was given to the Pussycat Dolls as the label was trying to reinvent the girl group.
They asked Green to rerecord the song with the Pussycat Dolls, who was initially skeptical. "I didn’t know too much about them, but when I found out that
niversal-ownedInterscope Records was involved, that was an alliance I didn’t hesitate to make."
"Don't Cha" was initially offered to both
Sugababes
Sugababes are a British girl group composed of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy. The lineup changed three times before returning to the original lineup in 2011.
Formed in 1998 by All Saints manager Ron Tom, Sugababes releas ...
and
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, socialite, model, and entertainer. Born in New York City, and raised there and in Beverly Hills, California, she is a great-granddaughter of Conrad ...
, but both declined. In 2006, Hilton claimed that she was presented with the track, but was not impressed with it. "I think I did hear the song, but not in the format that we all came to know and love. If I'd heard that, of course I'd have jumped at the chance".
Composition
"Don't Cha" is an
R&B song that lasts four minutes and thirty-two seconds.
The song was written by Thomas Callaway, Anthony Ray, and Trevor Smith and produced by Callaway.
According to the
sheet music published by
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony Music Publishing (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is the largest music publisher in the world, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021. US-based, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is itself owned ...
, "Don't Cha" was composed using
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...
in the
key of
B minor
B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative major is D major and its parallel major is B major.
The B natural minor scale is:
:
Changes need ...
, and set in a moderate hip hop
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
of 120 beats per minute. Naomi West described Busta Rhymes' rap as "garrulous".
Speaking of their collaboration, Scherzinger said, "He is so much fun. He's so humble and he just makes you feel good. We are so grateful that
usta
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, ...
did it and was a part of it with us. We feel blessed."
The song's lyrics are about "taunting a hapless man with the lyrics, "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me / Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me".
The chorus of the song is based on
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Anthony L. Ray (born August 12, 1963), better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1992 hit song " Baby Got Back", which peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' ...
's song "
Swass
''Swass'' is the debut album by Sir Mix-a-Lot. It was released in 1988 on Nastymix and re-released on CD by Def American Recordings. The album featured the singles "Posse on Broadway", "Square Dance Rap", "Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero ...
" (1988). Maeve McDermott distinguished "Don't Cha" from other girl group songs like "
Wannabe
"Wannabe" is the debut single by English girl group the Spice Girls. Written and composed by the group members in collaboration with Matt Rowe and Richard "Biff" Stannard during the group's first professional songwriting session, it was produ ...
", "
Independent Women
"Independent Women Part I" is a song recorded by American group Destiny's Child for the soundtrack to the 2000 film adaptation of the television program '' Charlie's Angels''. It was written and produced by production duo Poke & Tone, consisti ...
" and "
No Scrubs" which promote female camaraderie.
Marisa Meltzer of ''
The Daily Beast
''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008.
It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' felt that the song's lyrics "put forward the belief that a woman's worth lies solely in her appearance and sexual permissiveness and just furthers the notion that women are in competition with one another over men."
Reception
Reviews
"Don't Cha" received mainly positive reviews. Sal Cinquemani of described the song as "brassy and sassy" adding that, "the Pussycat Dolls have certainly carved a niche for themselves in 21st century pop history.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine also favored the song saying "there has never been a sex song quite as knowingly ironic yet undeniably sexy as this."
Writing for
musicOMH John Murphy described "Don't Cha" as "a silky, sexy little number that will become ubiquitous by the end of the month." However, he added that Busta Rhymes is annoying. "It's a shame that Busta Rhymes is as typically annoying as ever, but he doesn't spoil the song too much."
Spence D. from
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
wrote that the track's "sultry swagger-n-shuffle is the type of stuff that nasty boys and girls might enjoy grinding to." A reviewer from
Contactmusic.com
Contactmusic.com is an online magazine of cultural criticism based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, and ...
gave the song 4 out 5 stars favoring the "serious dose of high energy and raunchy message," while criticized the song for not having "any vocal talent." Lisa Haines from
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
described the track as "memorable". She continued saying "
t'sa groovy R&B duet with
Busta Rhymes, is easily the best."
Isaac McCalla from
About.com
Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
praised the song. "This single is a serious dose of high energy, wickedly fun and slammin' house music."
Azeem Ahmad also from musicOMH in a separate review commented, "strangely enough 'Don't Cha' isn't purely eye candy." However, he was critical stating: "not even Busta Rhymes' cameo appearance can prevent Don't Cha from seeming like nothing more than a promo for some generic product aimed at young males." Chuck Arnold and Ralph Novak of ''
People
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'' magazine wrote that the group is "responsible for
005'sguiltiest pleasure."
Accolades and recognition
The song was nominated for Top Selling Single of the Year at the
2005 ''Billboard'' Music Awards. At the 2006 ''Billboard'' R&B/Hip-Hop Awards the song won the award in the category for Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Sales. At the
21st International Dance Music Awards, the song was nominated in the Best R&B/Urban Dance Track and Best Pop Dance Track categories,
winning the former.
In May and August the song was listed as one of the recipients of the
Broadcast Music, Inc.
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 20.6 milli ...
(BMI) Pop Awards and Urban Awards. The same year, the song was nominated for
Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo at the
2006 Soul Train Music Awards
The 2006 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 18, 2006 at the Pasadena Conference Center in Pasadena, California and was hosted by Vivica Fox and Tyrese. The show marked the 20th Anniversary of the Soul Train Music Awards.
Special awards Q ...
.
VH1 ranked "Don't Cha" at number 96 on their list of the 100 Greatest Songs of the 2000s. ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was f ...
'' listed the song at number 58 on the "100 songs that defined the Noughties." ''Billboard'' magazine ranked "Don't Cha" at number 30 on their list of the 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time; Frank Digiacomo wrote that, despite Tori Alamaze exuding "the sinewy sexual tension that the song's refrain,
..It took the star power of the Dolls, to get it all the way to
umber two
Umber is a natural brown earth pigment that contains iron oxide and manganese oxide. In its natural form, it is called raw umber. When Calcination, calcined, the color becomes warmer and it becomes known as burnt umber.
Its name derives from '' ...
"
Based on chart performance on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, "Don't Cha" is the 29th most successful song by a girl group on the chart.
In September 2011, ''Billboard'' ranked "Don't Cha" third best song of the Summer of 2005. To acknowledge the most popular films, television shows, celebrities and music of the 2000s decade, "Don't Cha" was featured in VH1's ''
I Love the 2000s''. ''Billboard'' also ranked the song number 29 on the list of Top 40 Girl Group Songs Of All Time, and third on the Favorite Girl Group Single poll the same week. "Don't Cha" has appeared on multiple
Fuse countdowns including number 41 on Girls Who Run The World, number 51 on Top 100 Pop Breakthroughs, number 14 on Top 100 Sexy Beats. and number 17 on
4Music
4Music is a British music television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. The original incarnation was launched on 15 August 2008, and until 29 June 2022, showed a mix of music and entertainment programming. I ...
's Biggest R&B Hits of the
Naughties.
Chart performance
In the United States, "Don't Cha" debuted at number 95 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 on the issue dated May 7, 2005. In its tenth week, "Don't Cha" entered the top ten at number eight.
The track reached number two in its sixteenth week, becoming their highest-charting single in the country. The song stayed there for three consecutive weeks, being held off the top spot by
Mariah Carey's "
We Belong Together
"We Belong Together" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her 10th studio album, ''The Emancipation of Mimi'' (2005). The song was released on March 15, 2005, through Island Records, as the second single from the album. ...
", which spent a total of 14 non-consecutive weeks at number one. Despite the song not reaching the top position on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, it reached number one spot on the
Hot Dance Club Play
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as th ...
and
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009. It ranked songs based on airplay on Mainstream Top 40 radio stations, singles sa ...
and charts for three and seven consecutive weeks respectively.
"Don't Cha" set the record for the highest-charting single by a girl group on ''Billboards
Hot Digital Songs
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally starte ...
. "Don't Cha" took three-and-a-half years to reach the two million mark in paid downloads, and by May 2011 the song has sold three million copies according to
Nielsen Soundscan.
The song was certified
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Pla ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipment of a million copies of the single.
In Australia, "Don't Cha" debuted at number one on the
ARIA Singles Chart and remained in the pole position for seven non-consecutive weeks between August and September earning the group a distinction for having the longest stay at number one since
Eminem's "
Lose Yourself
"Lose Yourself" is a song by American rapper Eminem from the soundtrack to the 2002 motion picture '' 8 Mile''. The song was composed and produced by Eminem, longtime collaborator Jeff Bass, one half of the production duo Bass Brothers and Lui ...
" which topped the chart for 12 weeks in 2002–03. Moreover, it was one of the three songs to remain in the top ten for 14 weeks.
It has been certified double times platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing ...
(ARIA).
In New Zealand, the song reached number one in its first week and spent more than half of its time on the chart in the top ten.
It was certified gold, selling over 7,500 copies, according to the
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).
Across Europe, "Don't Cha" was a massive hit, topping the
European Hot 100 Singles for four weeks. In the United Kingdom, prior its single release "Don't Cha" peaked at number 44 on import.
The following week, the song peaked at the top of the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, making the Pussycat Dolls the first American female group to top the UK Singles Chart since
Destiny's Child's "
Survivor" (2001) and the first single under
A&M Records
A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...
to reach number one since
The Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim Hi ...
' "
Where Is the Love?
"Where Is the Love?" is a song by American hip hop group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on May 12, 2003, as the lead single from their third album, ''Elephunk''. The song was written by will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, Justin Timberlake, Prin ...
(2003). It sold 85,021 copies, displacing the
Gorillaz' "
Dare" by nearly four times as many sales.
In its second week, the song the single had a decline in sales of 23% to 65,122 copies, but remained on the top outselling the rest of the singles by a margin of greater than two to one as ''PCD'' debuted at number eight on the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
. In its final week atop, sales dipped by 31.1% selling 44,897 copies, surpassing 195,164 copies after 20 days, and becoming the seventh highest seller of the year at that point. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) awarded a platinum certification to the track for shipping 600,000 copies in the UK. According to the
Official Charts Company
The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France.
In the United Kingdom, its charts in ...
(OCC), "Don't Cha" is the 147th best-selling single of the 21st century.
As of November 2019, "Don't Cha" remains the group's best-selling single, with combined sales of 915,000.
In Ireland, the song debuted at number one on the
Irish Singles Chart and stayed for four consecutive weeks.
The song has also reached the peak in a number of European countries including Belgium (Flanders), Germany, Norway and Switzerland.
According to Nielsen Soundscan, by the end of 2005 "Don't Cha" was the tenth best selling song in digital downloads across Europe.
Music video
The music video for "Don't Cha" was filmed during the week of April 11, 2005 by
Paul Hunter
Paul Alan Hunter (14 October 1978 – 9 October 2006) was an English professional snooker player. He was a three-time Masters champion, winning the event in 2001, 2002, and 2004, recovering from a deficit in the final to win 10–9 on a ...
. During an interview with
MTV News, Scherzinger elaborated that the video focuses on confidence and fun. "The lyrics are: 'Don't Cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me,' But if you see the video, it's all about being who you are, having fun and being confident — and feeling hot. It's not so much about looking hot ... although looking hot is important." Scherzinger further praised Busta Rhymes for their collaboration on the set of music video, saying ""Busta Rhymes is pretty phat, man. He is so much fun. He's so humble and he just makes you feel good. When you're around him, you feel magical.
..We are so grateful that
usta
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, ...
did it and was a part of it with us."
The video begins with the Pussycat Dolls drag racing on jeeps, which one of them is a
Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco is a model line of sport utility vehicles manufactured and marketed by Ford. The first SUV model developed by the company, five generations of the Bronco were sold from the 1966 to 1996 model years. A sixth generation of the mo ...
in an abandoned waterway. Then, the group is seen arriving at an underground party where they do different activities such as jumping on a trampoline. The video is inter-cut with sequences of close-ups of the girls and Rhymes performing the song, while impromptu dance routines are featured on the chorus. Inspired by pole-dancing, the dance routine also includes a move called the
slutdrop Slutdrop is a dance move. The move involves squatting as quickly and as low as possible and immediately popping back up. A hand is often put straight up to steady oneself, and the move is often performed whilst grinding a dance partner that the dro ...
. The music video is credited as the origin of the slutdrop, which later became popular among contemporary female artists. Throughout the video Scherzinger is seen wearing a hoodie that emblazons the song's lyrics are emblazons across the top while the other members are wearing "barely there miniskirts and bare midriffs."
The Pussycat Dolls' creator Robin Antin and the song's producer CeeLo Green make cameo appearances towards the end.
Reception and accolades
The music video was widely popular, receiving heavy rotation on
MTV, and established the group as mainstays for subsequent videos.
VH1 listed "Don't Cha" as the fourteenth most viewed video of 2005.
Billy Johnson Jr. of
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music was a brand under which Yahoo! provided a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming. Previously, users with Yahoo! accounts could gain access to hundreds o ...
wrote that the video is "a fantasy come true" adding "front and center, the stunning Nicole Scherzinger, surrounded by good company, pranced around in tank tops and short shorts while drag racing in convertible jeeps. They raised the bar."
Richard Harrington of ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' described the video as "hot-hot-hot."
''
The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
's'' Ethan Smith commented that the video "is somewhat less racy than the average hip-hop video."
Naomi West of ''
The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' wrote that the video "is no more titillating than any of
Jennifer Lopez's or
Beyoncé's, and a good deal less than
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
's sweat-drenched '
Dirrty
"Dirrty" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera featuring American rapper Redman, released as the lead single from her fourth studio album ''Stripped''. Despite Aguilera's first three years of commercial success, sh ...
' promo."
''Billboard'' regarded it as the best music video of the Pussycat Dolls career.
In 2005, it won Best Video at the
Smash Hits Poll Winners Party
The Smash Hits Poll Winners Party was a British awards ceremony which ran from 1979 (as the Smash Hits Readers' Poll) to 2005. Each award winner was voted by readers of the '' Smash Hits'' magazine. It ended with the closure of the magazine in F ...
. The following year, it earned nominations for Best R&B Video at the
2006 MTV Australia Video Music Awards, Best International Video - Group and People's Choice: Favourite International Group at the
2006 MuchMusic Video Awards
The ''2006 MuchMusic Video Awards'' were held on June 18, 2006 and featured performances by Fall Out Boy, Hedley, Rihanna, City and Colour, Simple Plan and others. The most nominated artists were Billy Talent, Kardinal Offishall f. Ray Robi ...
, and Best Dance Video at the
21st Annual International Dance Music Awards.
''Billboard's'' Andrew Unterberger included the music video on its list of "Top 10 Most Iconic Girl Group Music Videos" commenting that "it was inevitable that the song and video would become massive, and become massive they did" as "Don't Cha" presented them "as a virtually unstoppable army of seduction."
Live performances
On May 14, 2005, the Pussycat Dolls closed
KIIS-FM's Wango Tango at the
Angel Stadium
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a baseball stadium located in Anaheim, California. Since its opening in 1966, it has served as the home ballpark of the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB), and was also the home stadium to the Los An ...
in Los Angeles, California with "Don't Cha". Prior their performance Scherzinger said, "We are so psyched
o play tonight We can't wait. It's going to be amazing."
MTV's Brandee J. Tecson commented, "like a lot of the day's performers, the Dolls were newcomers to the Wango stage, but ended the night like veterans." On August 14, 2005, The Pussycat Dolls performed "Don't Cha" at the
2005 Teen Choice Awards
The 2005 Teen Choice Awards ceremony was held on August 16, 2005, at the Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, California. The awards celebrate the year's achievements in music, film, television, sports, fashion, comedy, video games, and the Inte ...
. On November 4, 2005, the group appeared at the
2005 MTV Europe Music Awards
The 12th annual MTV Europe Music Awards were held at Pavilhão Atlântico,
Lisbon, Portugal.
The show was opened by Madonna, performing "Hung Up". Other performers included Pussycat Dolls, The Black Eyed Peas, Robbie Williams and Foo Fighters ...
at the
Pavilhão Atlântico in Lisbon, Portugal, and performed "Don't Cha" with a house remix at the end. On December 7, 2005, the Pussycat Dolls performed at the annual
KIIS-FM Jingle Ball
The KIIS-FM Jingle Ball (also referred to as just Jingle Ball) is an annual concert produced by the Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM that takes place in early-to-mid December. Since 2000, the concert series has been staged at various venues aro ...
at the
Shrine Auditorium
The Shrine Auditorium is a landmark large-event venue in Los Angeles, California. It is also the headquarters of the Al Malaikah Temple, a division of the Shriners. It was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument (No. 139) in 1975, and ...
in Los Angeles, California with some members wearing "festive candy-cane-striped belly shirts and red-and-green capri pants." The set list included "Don't Cha", '
Stickwitu" and "
Wait a Minute".
On January 27, 2006, during the results show of ''
Dancing with the Stars'' the Pussycat Dolls performed "
Sway" and "Don't Cha". On June 30, 2006, The Pussycat Dolls performed on ''
Good Morning America'' as part of its ''Summer Concert Series'' along with "
Buttons
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood ...
" and "Stickwitu".
Busta Rhymes included the song on his set list while opening for
Mariah Carey's
The Adventures of Mimi
The Adventures of Mimi was a 2006 concert tour of arenas by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was one of a few tours in her then-sixteen-year career and was named after a fan's "Carey-centric" diary of the same name. The bus tour starte ...
tour. On July 7, 2007, The Pussycat Dolls together with other artists performed at the
Live Earth
Live Earth was an event developed to increase environmental awareness through entertainment.
Background
Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, ''Live Earth'' was built upon the be ...
Concerts, which were held to raise awareness of
global warming
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
. They performed "Don't Cha", "
Stickwitu", and "
Buttons
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood ...
". The group then performed the song at the
Walmart Soundcheck
Walmart Soundcheck was a series of musical performances and interviews released exclusively by Walmart, starting in 2006. Each recording consisted of a four-to-six-song set performed live, plus an interview, and was released as a digital album as ...
, along with "
I Hate This Part
"I Hate This Part" is a song by American girl group the Pussycat Dolls from their second album, '' Doll Domination'' (2008). The song was written by Wayne Hector, Lucas Secon, Jonas Jeberg, Mich Hansen and produced by the latter two along with R ...
", "Buttons", "
When I Grow Up" and "Takin' Over the World".
The Pussycat Dolls also performed "Don't Cha" at the
Doll Domination Tour
The Doll Domination Tour was the second concert tour by American girl group The Pussycat Dolls. It was launched in support of their second studio album, ''Doll Domination'' (2008). The tour was announced in October 2008 with dates in Europe and ...
(2009). Maureen Ellis of the ''
Evening Times'' said that the "high-energy encore of 'Don't Cha' and 'When I Grow Up' ensured the Dolls reigned supreme."
On November 30, 2019, the Pussycat Dolls reunited on ''
The X Factor: Celebrity'' finale, marking their first live performance together in a decade and performed a medley of "Buttons", "When I Grow Up", "Don't Cha", and "
React REACT or React may refer to:
Science and technology
*REACT (telescope), a telescope at Fenton Hill Observatory, New Mexico, US
Computing
* React (JavaScript library) , a JavaScript library for building user interfaces, from Facebook
** React Nati ...
". Shortly after, British media regulator
Ofcom received 400 complaints from viewers who criticized band's revealing outfits and provocative choreography.
On February 22, 2020, the group appeared on
series sixteen of ''
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
''Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway'' (referred to simply as ''Saturday Night Takeaway'' or ''SNT'') is a British television variety show, created and presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloquially known as Ant & Dec), an ...
'', and performed "Don't Cha as part of a medley with "Buttons", "
Beep
The Blocks Extensible Exchange Protocol (BEEP) is a framework for creating network application protocols. BEEP includes building blocks like framing, pipelining, multiplexing, reporting and authentication for connection and message-oriented pe ...
" and "React". The performance was set within the context of a comedy sketch where they poked fun at the controversy that aroused following their ''The X Factor: Celebrity''. As part of the performance, a TV
test card
A test card, also known as a test pattern or start-up/closedown test, is a television test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no program is being broadcast (often at sign-on and sign-off).
Used since the ea ...
flashed up on screen from
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
reading "we're sorry for the disruption... we're working hard to fix the issue and will return to normal family-friendly, not at all sexy, uncontroversial programming soon." The test card was revealed to be a backdrop which the group jumped through.
Cover versions
American singer
Colbie Caillat
Colbie Marie Caillat (; born May 28, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to fame through social networking website Myspace. At that time, she was the number one unsigned artist of her genre.
After signing with Universal Republic ...
performed "Don't Cha" throughout her US tour in support of her second studio album, ''
Breakthrough'' (2009). In 2019,
Ezra Miller
Ezra Matthew Miller (born September 30, 1992) is an American actor. Their feature film debut was in '' Afterschool'' (2008), which they followed by starring in the drama '' We Need to Talk About Kevin'' (2011) and '' The Perks of Being a Wallf ...
's band, Sons of an Illustrious Father, recorded their own version of "Don't Cha" with the intent to "ridicule and invert" the heterosexual nature of the tune. The accompanying music video was filmed in an empty warehouse where the band members are dressed in black leotards and are dancing against dim, colorful neon lights.
In 2006,
"Weird Al" Yankovic covered part of the song as part of one of his polka parodies,
Polkarama.
Track listings and formats
*;Australian, German and UK maxi CD single
#"Don't Cha" (main mix) (featuring
Busta Rhymes) – 4:47
#"Don't Cha" (More Booty Mix) (featuring Busta Rhymes) – 4:48
#"Don't Cha" (radio edit) – 4:02
#"Don't Cha" (music video)
*;German and UK CD single
#"Don't Cha" (main mix) (featuring Busta Rhymes) – 4:47
#"Don't Cha" (radio edit) – 4:02
*;US CD single and 12-inch vinyl
#"Don't Cha" (radio edit) (featuring Busta Rhymes) – 3:40
#"Don't Cha" (radio edit) – 4:02
*;US maxi CD single
#"Don't Cha" (
Ralphi's Hot Freak Radio Mix) – 4:17
#"Don't Cha" (
Kaskade
Ryan Gary Raddon (born February 25, 1971), better known by his stage name Kaskade, is an American DJ, record producer and remixer. ''DJ Times'' voted Kaskade "America's Best DJ" in 2011 and 2013. ''DJ Mag'' named Kaskade fifty-first on its 20 ...
Radio Edit) – 3:34
#"Don't Cha" (Ralphi's Hot Freak 12" Vox Mix) – 9:52
#"Don't Cha" (Kaskade Club Mix) – 6:48
#"Don't Cha" (DJ Dan's Sqweegee Dub) – 8:20
*;UK 12-inch vinyl
#"Don't Cha" (main mix) (featuring Busta Rhymes) – 4:47
#"Don't Cha" (radio edit) – 4:02
#"Don't Cha" (instrumental) – 4:43
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''PCD''.
Sample
*Contains interpolations of "Swass" performed and written by
Sir Mix-a-Lot
Anthony L. Ray (born August 12, 1963), better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1992 hit song " Baby Got Back", which peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' ...
.
Personnel
*Steve Baughman –
mixing
*Bill Churchville – trumpet
*The Pussycat Dolls – primary artist
*
CeeLo Green
Thomas DeCarlo Callaway - Burton (born May 30, 1975), known professionally as CeeLo Green (or Cee Lo Green), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. He is known for his work in hip hop and R&B, including the Gnarls ...
–
songwriter
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...
,
producer
*John Goux – guitar
*
Ray Herrmann
Ray Herrmann (born September 3, 1960) is an American saxophonist & flutist from Chicago, Illinois, United States. He's currently the saxophonist for the band Chicago since taking over for the retired original saxophonist/flutist and group founder ...
– saxophone
*Nick Lane – trombone
*Ethan Mates –
engineer
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...
*
Anthony "Sir Mix-a-Lot" Ray – songwriter
*
Busta Rhymes – songwriter, featured artist
*Chris Tedesco – trumpet and horn contractor
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Century charts
Certifications and sales
Release history
See also
*
List of number-one singles of 2005 (Australia)
*
List of best-selling singles of the 2000s in Australia
The highest-selling singles in Australia are ranked in the Australian Recording Industry Association singles chart, also known as the ARIA Charts, published by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The data are compiled from a sa ...
*
List of number-one singles of 2005 (Ultratop 50)
*
List of European number-one hits of 2005
This is a list of the European Hot 100 Singles and European Top 100 Albums number ones of 2005, as published by ''Billboard'' magazine.
Chart history
References
{{European record charts
Europe
2005
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, ...
*
List of number-one hits of 2005 (Germany)
*
List of number-one singles of 2005 (Ireland)
*
List of number-one singles from the 2000s (New Zealand)
In New Zealand, the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) compiles the top forty singles chart each week. Sales of songs determined 75% of the sorting information, and radio airplay figures were responsible for 25%. From 18 April ...
*
List of number-one hits of 2005 (Switzerland)
This is a list of singles that reached number one on the Swiss Hitparade from the years 2000 to 2009 by week each reached the top of the chart.
Number-one singles
See also
*2000s in music
References
{{SwissNumber1s
Number-one singles
Sw ...
*
List of number-one dance singles of 2005 (U.S.)
These are the '' Billboard'' Hot Dance'' ''Club Play and Singles Sales number-one hits of 2005.
See also
*List of number-one dance airplay hits of 2005 (U.S.)
*2005 in music
*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
*List of artists who ...
*
List of number-one singles from the 2000s (UK)
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the British record industry. In the 2000s the chart week ran from Sunday to Saturday, and the top 40 singles were revealed each Sunday on BBC Radio 1. Before the ...
*
List of Romanian Top 100 number ones
Founded in 1995, the Romanian record charts, Romanian Top 100 was the national record chart, music chart of Romania. It was compiled by broadcast monitoring services Body M Production A-V (1990s and 2000s) and by Media Forest (2010s), and measure ...
*
List of Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles in 2005
This is a list of singles that have peaked in the Top 10 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 during 2005.
50 Cent scored six top ten hits during the year with "Disco Inferno", " How We Do", "Candy Shop", "Hate It or Love It", "Just a Lil Bit", and " O ...
*
List of number-one dance airplay hits of 2005 (U.S.)
These are the ''Billboard'' magazine Hot Dance Airplay number one hits of 2005.
Note that ''Billboard'' publishes charts with an issue date approximately 7–10 days in advance.
See also
*2005 in music
*List of number-one dance singles of 20 ...
*
List of top 10 singles in 2005 (UK)
*
References
External links
*
{{authority control
2004 songs
2004 debut singles
2005 singles
The Pussycat Dolls songs
Busta Rhymes songs
Music videos directed by Paul Hunter (director)
Number-one singles in Australia
Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles
Canadian Singles Chart number-one singles
European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
Number-one singles in Germany
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Number-one singles in New Zealand
Number-one singles in Norway
Number-one singles in Romania
Number-one singles in Scotland
Number-one singles in Switzerland
UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Songs written by CeeLo Green
Songs written by Busta Rhymes
Songs written by Sir Mix-a-Lot
Universal Music Group singles
A&M Records singles