"Bad Things" is a song by American rapper Machine Gun Kelly and American singer Camila Cabello of Fifth Harmony. The song was released on October 14, 2016, and was produced by The Futuristics. Its music video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis and premiered on December 1, 2016. The song features an interpolation of Fastball's 1999 single "Out of My Head". "Bad Things" peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming both Machine Gun Kelly and Cabello's first top ten single as solo artists, as well as the former's only top-ten hit to date.
"Bad Things" | ||||
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Single by Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello | ||||
from the album Bloom | ||||
Released | October 14, 2016 | |||
Recorded | 2016 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:59 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | The Futuristics | |||
Machine Gun Kelly singles chronology | ||||
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Camila Cabello singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Bad Things" on YouTube |
The song was nominated for Top Rap Collaboration at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards, and won Best Collaboration at the 2017 Radio Disney Music Awards.
Background and composition
editDuring her time as a student at New York University (NYU), American songwriter Madison Love conceived "Bad Things" with several songwriters while she was in a physics class.[2] "Bad Things" is a mid-tempo ballad that interpolates Fastball's 1999 song "Out of My Head".[3] It incorporates lyrical themes of pain-is-pleasure type of love.[4]
Critical reception
editGil Kaufman from Billboard called it an "instant earworm four-minute ode to dark pleasure."[4] For Fuse TV's Bianca Gracie the song shows rapper's "softer side", and highlights Cabello's "delicate vocals". She described the song opens with Cabello "softly crooning" the hook, and MGK then comes in with a "naughty rap flow that cruises over the piano melody."[3] In Idolator, Rachel Sonís described it as a "sleek" ballad with a "dreamy" hook.[5]
Chart performance
edit"Bad Things" debuted at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100 issued for November 5, 2016.[6] On December 24, 2016, the song moved from number 17 to number 10 and became Kelly's first (and only as of 2024) top-10 entry, and Cabello's first as a soloist, selling 58,000 digital downloads and earning 11.4 million streams.[7] It peaked at number four in its 13th week on the chart and spent 23 weeks in total.[8][9] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the single 5× platinum, which denotes four million units based on sales and track-equivalent on-demand streams.[10] On the Canadian Hot 100, "Bad Things" peaked at number 11.[11]
The song reached number 22 in Australia and was certified platinum.[12][13] In New Zealand, it peaked at number 11 and was certified gold.[14][15] "Bad Things" reached number 16 in the United Kingdom and was certified gold.[16][17] In Belgium, the song peaked at number 23 and was certified gold.[18][19] It reached number 47 in Italy and attained a gold certification.[20][21] "Bad Things" charted within the top 20 of national record charts, at number six in Malaysia,[22] number 13 in the Netherlands,[23] number 14 in Scotland,[24] number 16 in Czech Republic,[25] and number 19 in Finland,[26] Lebanon,[27] Portugal.[28]
Music video
editDirected by Hannah Lux Davis, the music video premiered on December 1, 2016, on Vevo.[29] It follows the pair as they lead a somewhat adventurous lifestyle, where they burn trash in barrels, steal, and make out in a barren apartment. MGK is the resident bad boy, getting into fights and racing cars while Cabello stays faithfully by his side. At one point in the video, flashbacks to younger versions of the musicians appear reassuring that their bond really has been unbreakable from the start. MGK and Cabello can be seen enjoying late nights at diners, gathering with friends and getting into trouble all while snuggling and fighting along the way. Their rebellious ways as the pair are chased by police after attempting to steal a car. Stuck at the top of a building with the police hot on their trail and nowhere else to go, the pair decide to die together by committing lover's suicide. As MGK looks longingly at Cabello, the police and their helicopters arrive to apprehend the couple and the lovers join hands and the video ends, leaving the outcome unknown.
As of April 2023, the music video has 458.3 million views on YouTube.
Live performances
editMGK and Cabello performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on November 23, 2016,[30] and on December 1, 2016, for The Late Late Show with James Corden. They later performed the song on January 30, 2017, on The Ellen DeGeneres Show following Cabello's exit from girl group Fifth Harmony.
The song was then performed at the 30th Annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on Nickelodeon on March 11, 2017.
Cabello also performed her verse as a support act at Taylor Swift's Reputation tour at Wembley Stadium, London on June 23, 2018.
Accolades
editYear | Organization | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Billboard Music Awards | Top Rap Collaboration | Nominated | |
Radio Disney Music Awards | Best Collaboration | Won |
Credits and personnel
editCredits adapted from the liner notes of bloom.[33]
Publishing
- For Casie Publishing / KOBALT (BMI) // Schweezy Beats Publishing (ASCAP) Artist Publishing Group West (ASCAP) Admin by Warner Chappell // Panic Attack Publishing (ASCAP) / Artist Publishing Group West (ASCAP) / Admin by Warner Chappell // Live Mad Love / Artist Publishing Group West (ASCAP) Admin by Warner Chappell // Sony/ATV Songs, LLC (BMI) // Bible Black c/o The Bicycle Music Company, Inc. (ASCAP).
Recording
- Recorded at Interscope Recording Studios, Santa Monica, California
- Mixed at Larrabee Studios, West Hollywood, California
Personnel
- Machine Gun Kelly – songwriting, lead vocals
- Camila Cabello – songwriting, lead vocals
- The Futuristics – songwriting, production, recording
- Madison Love – songwriting
- Tony Scalzo – songwriting
- Matt Beckley – recording
- Manny Marroquin – mixing
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit |
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[13] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA)[19] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[63] | 2× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI)[21] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[15] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[64] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP)[65] | Gold | 5,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[10] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References
edit- ^ "Bloom - Machine Gun Kelly | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ Hissong, Samantha (June 15, 2021). "Powerhouse Songwriter Madison Love — Future 25". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b Gracie, Bianca (October 14, 2016). "Stream Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello's 'Bad Things' Collab". Fuse. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
- ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (October 14, 2016). "Listen to 5H's Camila Cabello & Machine Gun Kelly's Complicated Love Song 'Bad Things'". Billboard. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
- ^ Sonís, Rachel (October 14, 2016). "Machine Gun Kelly And Camila Cabello's "Bad Things" Is Here: Listen". Idolator. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
- ^ "Hot 100 (November 5, 2016)". Billboard.
- ^ Trust, Gary (December 12, 2016). "Rae Sremmurd Rules Hot 100, Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello Hit Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
- ^ "Migos Hold Atop Hot 100, Alessia Cara Hits Top 10". Billboard. January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ a b "American single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello – Bad Things". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – Bad Things". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
- ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2017 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – Bad Things". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
- ^ a b "New Zealand single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello – Bad Things". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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is malformed: timestamp (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)[dead link]THE FIELD archive-url MUST BE PROVIDED for NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATION from obsolete website. - ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ a b "British single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly/Cabello – Bad Things". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – Bad Things" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
- ^ a b "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2017". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – Bad Things". Top Digital Download. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
- ^ a b "Italian single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello – Bad Things" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ a b "Top 20 Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles in Malaysia" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ a b "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 2017" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
- ^ a b "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 07. týden 2017 in the date selector. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly, Camila Cabello: Bad Things" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- ^ a b "The Official Lebanese Top 20 - MGK". The Official Lebanese Top 20. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
- ^ a b "Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – Bad Things". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly, Camila Cabello - Bad Things". YouTube. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
- ^ Cantor, Brian (November 23, 2016). "First Look: Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello Perform On "Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon"". Headline Planet. Cantortainment Company. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ^ "Drake, The Chainsmokers Lead Nominees for the 2017 Billboard Music Awards". Billboard. April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
- ^ "Camila Cabello Won Her First Award Since Leaving Fifth Harmony". Seventeen. April 29, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
- ^ bloom (liner notes). Machine Gun Kelly (rapper). US: EST 19XX / Bad Boy / Interscope. 2017. B0026678-02.
{{cite AV media notes}}
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- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – Bad Things" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
- ^ Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello — Bad Things. TopHit. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
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- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 03. týden 2017 in the date selector. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
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