“A&W” is a 7-minute rant track that splits into two sections with Lana narrating an anecdote that begins in her innocent childhood and climbs through her adulthood, where she becomes a sex addict, considering the track’s title is an abbreviation for “American Whore.” The single marks her second unanticipated single, which placed its spot on her ninth studio album.

On December 7, 2022, the single announcement was first declared via Jack Antonoff on an Instagram post, which followed onwards from unveiling Lana’s December 2022 track “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.” In the Instagram post, Antonoff claimed that this single was his favorite project:

did you know that there’s a tunnel under ocean blvd

! march 10th 2023 !!

can’t wait for everyone to hear this album – ‘american whore’ is my favorite we’ve ever done.

The track’s title was found online on a retailer’s website, which depicted the album’s vinyl. On January 13, 2023, the title was later affirmed when Lana Del Rey proclaimed the Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd’s tracklist.

On February 7, 2023, the song began being displayed on Apple Music, suggesting its upcoming release. On Valentine’s Day, an hour prior to its release, Del Rey’s manager Ben Mawson confirmed the release of the track.