Bang Bang
Three queens unite for a sonic explosion of revenge, attitude, and pop perfection.
"Bang Bang" is a song by English singer-songwriter Jessie J, American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande, and Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released by Lava and Republic Records on 28 July 2014 as the lead single from Jessie J's third studio album, Sweet Talker (2014). The song was written by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Rickard Göransson and Minaj, and produced by Martin, Göransson, and Ilya, with Kuk Harrell serving as a vocal producer. It is also included on the deluxe version of Grande's second studio album My Everything (2014), serving as the third single from that album. The song debuted at number six and later peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, and debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, becoming Jessie's third number-one, Grande's second number-one, and Minaj's first number-one single on that chart.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj
- Album
- Sweet Talker
- Released
- 28 July 2014
- Recorded
- 2013–2014
- Studio
- Metropolis (London, England)
- Conway (Los Angeles, California)
- Glenwood Place (Burbank, California)
- Genre
- Pop-soul
- Label
- Lava; Republic
- Writer
- Max Martin
- Savan Kotecha
- Rickard Göransson
- Onika Maraj
Lore & Background
The song was originally offered to and recorded by Grande, who did not like the result. Republic Records EVP Wendy Goldstein then sent it to EVP Rob Stevenson, who got a demo played to Jessie J, which she decided to record. Following her recording, Republic Records sent it to Minaj to record her verse. Goldstein then sent it to CEO Monte Lipman, who insisted that Grande should listen to it. Grande was impressed, surprised by Jessie J and Minaj also being on the song, and agreed to remain on the song. In a 2025 interview, Jessie J stated that she heard Grande's version and wanted to be on it too, then Minaj was also asked to join.
Reader's Guide
"Bang Bang" serves as a modern pop anthem about reclaiming power after betrayal. Lyrically, it frames revenge not just as anger, but as a liberating act where the protagonist takes charge of her destiny. Commercially, the track was a massive success worldwide, reaching the top ten in multiple countries including Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, and South Korea. In the US, it debuted at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and later peaked at number three, spending sixteen consecutive weeks in the top ten. In the UK, it debuted at number one with 92,000 downloads, becoming the first song by a lead female rapper to debut at the top spot. The music video, directed by Hannah Lux Davis and released on 24 August 2014, has over 2 billion views on YouTube as of July 2024. The song was nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards in 2015 and won Favorite Song of the Year at the 2015 Kids' Choice Awards, as well as Best Collaboration at the 2015 iHeart Radio Music Awards. In 2024, "Bang Bang" was certified diamond by the RIAA for selling over 10 million equivalent units in the US, becoming Jessie J's and Grande's first and Minaj's second song to achieve the milestone, and marking the first all-female collaboration in history to be certified diamond.
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