"Anxiety" is a standalone single by the American rapper and singer Doechii, who originally released it on YouTube on November 10, 2019. The song was re-recorded in 2025 after it began to gain traction on the social media platform TikTok, and it was released to streaming platforms on March 4, 2025, through Top Dawg Entertainment and Capitol Records. "Anxiety" prominently samples the instrumental of the 2011 song "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye and Kimbra.
"Anxiety" peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Doechii's first top ten hit in the United States. Outside of the United States, "Anxiety" topped the charts in Australia, Greece, Latvia, New Zealand, and Switzerland, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in various countries, including Romania, Austria, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Billboard Global 200. It is certified Diamond in France as well as Gold or higher in thirteen additional countries.
Following its release, it was added as a bonus track on Alligator Bites Never Heal (2024), and it is the final track on the extended version. A music video for the song was released in April 2025.
Background and release "Anxiety" was originally recorded by Doechii in 2019 during the sessions for her debut mixtape, Coven Music Sessions. She originally self-released the song on her YouTube channel on November 10, 2019.
On September 15, 2023, American rapper Sleepy Hallow released a song of the same title featuring Doechii as a single from his studio album, Boy Meets World, with the song's chorus containing a sample of Doechii's 2019 demo. In early 2025, Doechii's original recording of the song went viral on the social media platform TikTok. Subsequently, she posted a video to the platform to suggest that the formal release of "Anxiety" was forthcoming. On March 4, 2025, the official version of the song was released to streaming services, containing re-recorded vocals from the original demo she posted to YouTube.
Composition "Anxiety" is a pop rap song. It prominently samples the 2011 song "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra, which in turn samples Luiz Bonfá's instrumental "Seville" (1967).
Critical reception Robin Murray of Clash wrote that the song "crosses multiple lands", stressing the "soul vocal, some revelatory lyricism, and hard-hitting flows" for which "the bluntest lines shine out". Murray also wrote that in the lyrics, the listener could find Doechii "working towards self-forgiveness, embracing a rounded maturity that can be lost amid the brash glare of the spotlight". Elias Andrews of HotNewHipHop wrote that in the 2025 version, the rapper "digs more into the nervy intensity of the single", appreciating the "irregular, somewhat goofy rhythm" from the sample because it "serves as a template for Doechii's vocal approach." Andrews also noted Doechii's versatility between rapping and singing, saying that "Anxiety" proves "that she do both masterfully". Rolling Stones editorial staff included it in their mid-year list of the best songs of 2025, labelling it "an especially clear testament to the potency of her creative instincts" that "finds Doechii deploying a dexterous yet playful flow as she navigates interior feelings surrounding the emotion in the song’s title." Billboard followed suit, ranking it at 22, with Mackenzie Cummings-Grady regarding it as "one of 2025’s most adventurous pop songs" which "crosses multiple lands, from rap to pop to classical and back again", proclaiming "it encapsulates everything Doechii is a master at: slick pop melodies, fiery bars, and bringing oodles and oodles of charisma to the microphone."
By contrast, Paste listed it as one of the worst songs of 2025, with writer Lydia Wei criticizing the mismatched melody, the lyrics, and the perceived overuse of the song online. Lauren Boisvert of Vice listed it among "popular songs that went viral for the wrong reasons", opining that the lyrics "lacked [Doechii's] usual cleverness" and "didn't quite hold up" in comparison to her current work. Joe Wicke of The Diamondback, while claiming that Anxiety "isn't a bad song" and is "far from the worst sample ever", criticized its lack of innovativeness, calling it "disappointing" compared to Doechii's other music and using it as an example, among other songs, of subpar sample usage.
Commercial performance "Anxiety" debuted at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. During its second week on the chart, "Anxiety" climbed to number 10, becoming her first top ten song and her highest-charting song to date. In the United Kingdom, "Anxiety" debuted at number four on the UK Singles Chart on March 14, 2025 – for the week ending date March 20, 2025 – becoming Doechii's highest-debuting song and first top ten song in Britain. The following week, "Anxiety" climbed one position to its peak of number three on the UK Singles Chart. Sleepy Hallow's version of "Anxiety" debuted at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, later peaking at number 15.
In late March 2025, "Anxiety" topped the charts in Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Latvia. In France, the song debuted at number 17, becoming Doechii's first entry there and the highest entry for a female rapper since "Fefe" by Nicki Minaj and 6ix9ine, whicb debuted at number 16 in 2018. The next week, the song entered in the top ten, at number 7, becoming Doechii's first top ten and the first rap song to do so since Doja Cat's "Paint the Town Red" (2023). The song is certified platinum for 200,000 units gold, becoming the rapper's first gold certification.
Music video On April 18, 2025, a music video for the song directed by James Mackel was released. The video makes a reference to the music video for "Somebody That I Used to Know".
Usage in media The song was used extensively in marketing material for the film Final Destination Bloodlines.
Accolades + Awards and nominations Organisation Year Category Result MTV Video Music Awards 2025 Song of the Year Best Hip Hop Video for Good Best Choreography NRJ Music Awards 2025 Social Hit Grammy Awards 2026 Record of the Year Song of the Year Best Rap Performance Best Rap Song Best Music Video iHeartRadio Music Awards 2026 Song of the Year Best Lyrics NAACP Image Awards 2026 Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album Music Awards Japan 2026 Best International Hip Hop/Rap Song in Japan BET Awards2026Video of the Year
Charts
Weekly charts + Chart (2025) Peakposition Bulgaria Airplay (PROPHON) 1 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) 2 Canada Hot AC (Billboard) 8 Colombia Anglo Airplay (National-Report) 1 Croatia International Airplay (Top lista) 2France Airplay (SNEP) 1 Greece International (IFPI) 1 Iceland (Tónlistinn) 21 Israel (Mako Hitlist) 1 Jamaica Airplay () 8 Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan) 9 Latin America Anglo Airplay (Monitor Latino) 1 Latvia Airplay (LaIPA) 1 Latvia Streaming (LaIPA) 1 Lebanon (Lebanese Top 20) 4 Lithuania (AGATA) 4 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) 3 Luxembourg (Billboard) 2 Malaysia International (RIM) 14 Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100) 53 North Macedonia Airplay (Radiomonitor) 1 Philippines (Philippines Hot 100) 26 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) 7 Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) 4 Portugal (AFP) 21 Romania (Billboard) 25 Romania Airplay (UPFR) 4 San Marino Airplay (SMRTV Top 50) 1 Serbia Airplay (Radiomonitor) 1 Singapore (RIAS) 30 Slovenia Airplay (Radiomonitor) 9 South Africa (Billboard) 21 South Korea (Circle) 175 Suriname (Nationale Top 40) 7 Turkey International Airplay (Radiomonitor Türkiye) 6 Ukraine Airplay (TopHit) 107 Venezuela Airplay (Record Report) 42
Monthly charts + Chart (2025) Position Belarus Airplay (TopHit) 26 CIS Airplay (TopHit) 4 Estonia Airplay (TopHit) 3 Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit) 19 Latvia Airplay (TopHit) 2 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) 4 Romania Airplay (TopHit) 5 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 17
Year-end charts + Chart (2025) Position Argentina Anglo Airplay (Monitor Latino) 34 Australia (ARIA) 64 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 34 Belarus Airplay (TopHit) 63 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 60 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 11 Bulgaria Airplay (PROPHON) 4 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 44 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) 26 Canada Hot AC (Billboard) 36 CIS Airplay (TopHit) 29 Estonia Airplay (TopHit) 76 France (SNEP) 45 Germany (GfK) 38 Global 200 (Billboard) 89 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40) 100 Hungary (Single Top 40) 98 Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit) 107 Latvia Airplay (TopHit) 30 Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 96 Romania Airplay (TopHit) 37 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 118 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 39 UK Singles (OCC) 70 US Billboard Hot 100 39 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard) 21 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 13 US Pop Airplay (Billboard) 12 US Rhythmic Airplay (Billboard) 10
Certifications
Release history + Region Date Format Label Various March 4, 2025 Germany April 18, 2025 CD Capitol United Kingdom Polydor July 18, 2025 7" Various Capitol
References