“Problem” was the first single off of Ariana Grande’s sophomore album, My Everything. It’s an uptempo dance-pop/R&B song with a retro-feel thanks to its use of saxophone loops. The song features a spoken intro and a rapped verse by Iggy Azalea and uncredited, whispered-vocals on the chorus from rapper (and ex-Grande-flame) Big Sean.
“Problem” received acclaim from music critics for its throwback sound and 90’s influence, with Rap-Up calling it an “infectious horn-heavy jam.” Grande told Billboard that the song “represents the feeling of being absolutely terrified to re-approach a relationship that’s gone sour – but you want to more than anything.” She also confirmed that the narrative is based on her relationship with an ex: “In the song, it ends on a sappy, negative note, but in [real] life, we’re hoping it’s going to end on a positive one. I feel like it’s all very honest and human.”
The song debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 438,000 copies in its first week and earning Grande her biggest digital song sales week ever. The song peaked at number two, surpassing “The Way” as her biggest hit single in the United States. “Problem” also made British chart history upon its debut as the first song to top the charts in Britain based on both sales and streaming. The music video won “Best Pop Video” at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, and the song itself won “Best Song” at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards. The song is featured in the video game Just Dance 2015.