"Pound the Alarm" | ||||||||
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Single by Nicki Minaj | ||||||||
from the album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded | ||||||||
Released | June 12, 2012 | |||||||
Format | Digital download, CD single | |||||||
Recorded | August–September 2011 | |||||||
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Length | 3:25 | |||||||
Label | Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Republic | |||||||
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Nicki Minaj singles chronology | ||||||||
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"Pound the Alarm" is a song by Trinidadian-American recording artist Nicki Minaj, serving as a single from her second studio album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The song was written by RedOne, Carl Falk, Rami Yacoub, Bilal Hajji, and Achraf Jannusi, with co-writing credits from Minaj, and production was handled by RedOne, Falk and Yacoub and was released as the fifth single, but third international single on June 12, 2012 by Young Money. The song was actually not to be released as a single, as Minaj posted a poll on her website asking fans to choose the next single. "Va Va Voom" originally won the poll, with "Whip It" second and "Pound the Alarm" as third. However, due to the amount of airplay requests, Minaj scrapped "Va Va Voom" and went ahead with "Pound the Alarm".
Musically, "Pound the Alarm" is a Eurodance song. The song talks about having a good time, and partying all night (as well as going to festivals/carnivals, as the music video portrays), however it does feature a verse with Minaj warning her lover. The song entered the top ten in countries including Finland, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. The song also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking inside the top twenty and inside the top three on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart.
The accompanying music video was shot in her native birth country, Trinidad and Tobago, where it featured Minaj performing at a national Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. It features many performances from locals in the video, including dancing and her in front of her relatives at the end of the video. The music video received positive reviews, many enjoying the fun atmosphere. The song was also featured on her Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour.