"Problem" | |||||||||||
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Single by Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea | |||||||||||
from the album My Everything | |||||||||||
Released | April 28, 2014 | ||||||||||
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Recorded | Conway Studios (Los Angeles), Wolf Cousins Studios () | ||||||||||
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Length | 3:13 | ||||||||||
Label | Republic | ||||||||||
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Ariana Grande singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"Problem" is a song recorded by American singer Ariana Grande, featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. The song was released by Republic Records on April 28, 2014, as the lead single from Grande's second studio album My Everything (2014). The track was written by Savan Kotecha, Iggy Azalea, Ilya, and Max Martin; the latter two co-produced it with Shellback and Peter Carlsson. "Problem" is an uptempo dance-pop song with influences of R&B music, which comprises a melody based on drums, saxophone loops, and trumpets. The chorus features uncredited background vocals from American hip hop artist Big Sean. Lyrically, Grande has stated that the song is about "the feeling of being absolutely terrified to re-approach a relationship that's gone sour – but you want to more than anything."
The song debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 selling 438,000 copies in its first week on sale, earning Grande her biggest digital song sales week ever. The song later peaked at number two, surpassing "The Way" as her highest-charting single in the United States. It also became Azalea's second-highest charting single in the US, after her own single "Fancy". "Problem" remained in the top ten of the Hot 100 for the first sixteen weeks of its chart run, making its number three debut on May 7, 2014 and dropping out of the top ten on August 27, 2014. It topped the US Mainstream Top 40 and Rhythmic charts. Internationally, the single debuted at the top of the charts in Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and the United Kingdom, while peaking within the top ten of the charts in most other territories, including Australia, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, and Greece. "Problem" became the first song to top the UK Singles chart based on both sales and streaming.