Song Information
About the Song
“Cheap Thrills” is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Sia from her 2016 studio album This Is Acting. Built around an upbeat rhythm and a memorable chorus, the track became one of the biggest commercial successes of Sia’s career.
The song presents a simple idea: enjoying a night out does not necessarily depend on spending large amounts of money. Instead, its focus is on music, dancing and enjoying the experience itself. This straightforward theme gives the song a lighter and more celebratory character than emotionally intense Sia recordings such as “Chandelier.”
Musically, “Cheap Thrills” combines mainstream pop production with a strong dancehall-influenced rhythm. The beat remains central throughout the recording, while Sia’s distinctive vocal delivery gives the track an immediately recognizable identity.
The song was written by Sia and Greg Kurstin, with Kurstin also handling production. Their collaboration resulted in a recording designed around a relatively economical arrangement, allowing the rhythm, vocal melody and chorus to provide most of the song’s impact.
“Cheap Thrills” originally appeared on This Is Acting as a solo Sia recording. A subsequent version featuring Jamaican artist Sean Paul became particularly successful internationally. His additional vocals strengthened the song’s dancehall character while retaining Sia’s original chorus and overall pop structure.
The success of the Sean Paul version represented an important commercial milestone for Sia. It became her first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 as a performing artist, following the major breakthrough she had experienced with “Chandelier.”
“Cheap Thrills” featuring Sean Paul also received a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards. This Is Acting itself received a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album.
The song demonstrates a different side of Sia’s music from her dramatic power ballads. Its dance-oriented production, accessible theme and memorable vocal hook helped it reach a broad international audience and become one of the defining hits of her mid-2010s career.