Sia hit #1 with “Cheap Thrills”

Cheap Thrills Sia with Sean Paul

Writer(s): Sia Furler, Greg Kurstin, Sean Paul Henriques (see lyrics here) Released: February 11, 2016 First Charted: March 5, 2016 Peak: 14 US, 18 BA, 16 RR, 2 AC, 17 A40, 2 UK, 14 CN, 6 AU, 21 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 8.0 US, 1.76 UK, 11.1 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 2032.0 video, 1623.43 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Australian singer Sia had been around as a performer for years and toyed with the idea of switching gears and just being a songwriter. She initially wrote “Cheap Thrills” with Rihanna in mind since the Barbados singer had already found chart-topping success with the Sia-penned “Diamonds.” However, Rihanna’s people wanted something more soulful and turned it down. Sia realized it “sounded a little bit too Brit-pop for her” but thought there was “something really uplifting about it that put me in a good mood.” SF Shen ended up recording it herself for her seventh album, This Is Acting. A remix of the song featuring reggae artist Sean Paul was released as the album’s second single. When Sia approached Paul, he listened to the song and thought, “What a big sound, nice hook and melody she had put down. I’m a huge fan of her voice. She spans generations.” SF The “synthpop and dancehall song” WK went all the way to #1 on the BillboardHot 100. It was her first chart-topper as a performer and Paul’s fourth trip to the pinnacle. “Cheap Thrills” was also a #1 in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Slovenia and a top 10 in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. WK It became the all-time best-selling song in Italy. WK It was the most “Shazamed” of the year, meaning more people used the music identification app Shazam to identify this song in 2016 than any other song. SF The song was nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos called the song a “bouncy party anthem” and NME’s Nick Levine said “there’s no denying this is another superior slab of on-trend ear candy from one of pop’s finest songwriters.” WK Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Sia DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Sean Paul SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Last updated 7/24/2023.

Sia released breakthrough hit “Chandelier”

Chandelier Sia

Writer(s): Sia Furler, Jesse Shatkin (see lyrics here) Released: March 17, 2014 First Charted: April 21, 2014 Peak: 8 US, 10 RR, 17 AC, 10 A40, 6 UK, 6 CN, 2 AU, 16 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 9.0 US, 1.8 UK, 11.39 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 2173.5 video, 1498.24 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: At the onset of 2014, Sia had charted a few minor hits in her native Australia and even mustered a top ten hit in the UK (2000’s “Taken for Granted”), but had never dented the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist. In 2010, she took a hiatus from performing and co-wrote songs for Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Flo Rida, David Guetta, and Rihanna. The result was a #1 song for Rihanna (“Diamonds,” 2012) and top ten hits featuring Sia for David Guetta (“Titanium,” 2011) and Flo Rida (“Wild Ones,” 2011). WK The set the stage for Sia’s U.S. breakthrough when she returned with sixth studio album, 1000 Forms of Fear. Lead single “Chandelier” not only landed Sia on the U.S. pop charts as a lead act for the first time, but took her all the way to the top ten. She originally wrote the song with Beyoncé or Rihanna in mind, but as she told Ryan Seacrest, “This time I was like, ‘Uh oh, I think I just wrote a full-blown pop song for myself by accident!” SF It worked. As Gigwise’s Andrew Trendall said, the song “springboards Sia from a behind-the-scenes genius into a superstar in her own right.” WK The electropop song featured “electronica, R&B, and reggae influences. Lyrically, [it] has a melancholic theme; detailing the demorilisation and rationalization of alcoholism through the typical thought process of a ‘party girl.’” WK As MTV Buzzworthy’s John Walker said, the song toes “the line between celebration and self-destruction.” WK VH1’s Emily Exton deemed it “the best song Sia had ever written.” WK MuuMuse’s Bradley Stern called it the best pop single of 2014, as did Billboard magazine. WK The song garnered Grammy nominations for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and Best Music Video. The video, directed by Sia and Daniel Askill and choreographed by Ryan Heffington, featured 11-year-old dancer Maddie Ziegler from Lifetime’s Dance Moms. SF She wore a medium-length blonde wig which matched the one Sia wore when promoting the album. Ziegler “performs an interpretive dance in a deserted, dirty apartment.” WK As she said, “It was really different and weird for me because I usually don’t…[get] to be a crazy person.” WK Time magazine said it might be the best dance routine of 2014. WK It received nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards for Video of the Year and Best Choreography, winning the latter. Rolling Stone and Spin named it the best video of 2014. WK She told Rolling Stone that the video was “the best thing I’ve ever done,” inspiring her to continue as a solo artist. SF Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Sia SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Last updated 7/21/2023.

Rihanna notched 12th #1 with "Diamonds"

Diamonds Rihanna

Writer(s): Sia Furler, Benjamin Levin, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen (see lyrics here) Released: September 27, 2012 First Charted: September 30, 2012 Peak: 13 US, 13 BA, 11 DG, 27 AC, 114 RB, 11 UK, 14 CN, 6 CN, 12 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 7.0 US, 1.8 UK, 10.89 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 2556.2 video, 1200.17 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Unlike her usual themes of unhealthy relationships, “Diamonds” finds the Barbadian singer crooning about love. She has said, “It gives me a great feeling when I listen to it. The lyrics are hopeful and positive.” SF She told MTV News, “I think a lot of people are afraid of being happy..They’re afraid to embrace that…and love themselves…and do what makes them happy.” SF Norwegian production duo Benjamin “Benny Blanco” Levin and Stargate produced the track. Blanco had never worked with Rihanna, but Stargate collaborated with Rihanna on hits such as “Don’t Stop the Music,” “Only Girl in the World,” “Take a Bow,” “Rude Boy,” and “What’s My Name?” SF They were looking for something different and tapped Australian singer/songwriter Sia Furler, who hit the top ten with David Guetta on “Titanium.” She wrote the song in fourteen minutes and when Rihanna recorded it, she so closely mirrored Sia’s demo that when Sia heard the recording she thought it was still her voice. WK Sia later hit #1 on her own with “Cheap Thrills.” The video, directed by Anthony Mandler, showcases Rihanna in a variety of settings representing the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Rihanna told MTV News the clip “concentrates more on emotion than any tangible storyline.” SF Mandler told MTV News, “We tried to bring up these deeper questions that relate to the song and her life and finding beauty in chaos.” SF The song topped the charts in over twenty countries, and in the U.S. marked Rihanna’s 12th trip to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, tying her with Madonna and The Supremes as the female acts with the second-most #1 songs (behind Mariah Carey’s 18 #1’s). SF As the lead single from her seventh album, Unapologetic, the song also meant giving up another record. Rihanna had landed more #1 songs than anyone without ever having a #1 album. Unapologetic finally gave her a #1 album. SF Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Sia SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: Last updated 7/28/2023.