Upon its release, "Beep" received mixed reviews frommusic critics. In the United States, the song failed to replicate the commercial success of its predecessors, peaking at number 13 on theBillboard Hot 100. Internationally, it peaked atop the charts in Belgium and New Zealand, while reaching the top ten in Australia, Austria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
IGN's Spence D. noted that "the song is a mixed bag, tossing together slick strings for that orchestrated pop vibe, then mixing that up with a loping, though downplayed, funk groove. It's like two songs in one, though one of the songs feels like a throwback to '80s sterile pop."[6] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com bySony/ATV Music Publishing, the "girl-empowerment song"[7] has atime signature set incommon time, with atempo of 104 beats per minute.[5] The melody is mainly composed with cinematic strings. The bridge changes the song dramatically, featuring a sitar and introducing an Indian or Bollywood-style influence (as was popular in music of the early 2000s), with a stomping, custom-made beat.[7]
The spoken-word,staccato chorus is accented by repeatedbleep-censor sounds—hence the title, "Beep". At the end of each line, where an explicit or sexual word is likely expected by the listener, a bleep censor is heard instead, leaving the "missing" word open to interpretation. For example, will.i.am., from the male perspective in the chorus, says: "It's funny how a man only thinks about (bleep)" and "You got real big brains, but I'm lookin' at your (bleep)". The females then respond with: "I don't give a (bleep), keep lookin' at my (bleep), 'cause it don't mean a thing if you're lookin' at my (bleep). I'mma do my thang while you're playin' with your (bleep)".
The verses use harmonic laughter from the Dolls, rather than bleep censors, to cover any scandalous lyrics. The bulk of the song primarily critiques the male objectification of women, and asserts that a man cannot always have what he wants, sexually. Nicole Scherzinger, the group’s lead vocalist, opines that "Every boy's the same, since up in the seventh grade; they've been tryin' to get with me, trying to ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha" and "I keep turnin' 'em [men] down, but they always come around, askin' me to go around; that's not the way it's goin' down". She then reasserts female dominance in the song, "…they [men] only want what they want, my ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha; they only want what they want, but nah-uh-uh, nah-uh-uh". The second verse explains that "Yes means yes; no means no, and I don't wanna go".
In his consumer guide forMSN Music,Robert Christgau selected "Beep" as one of the album's highlights.[8]Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic indicated the song as one of the standout tracks of the album.[9] When reviewing forPCD, Lisa Haines described "Beep" as a standout tune.[10] Nick Butler from Sputnikmusic wrote that the song may even be better than "Don't Cha." "'Beep', [is] pretty much the only thing here that stands up to 'Don't Cha' (it's quite possibly better, actually)."[11]People's Chuck Arnold described the song as "naughty".[12]
Sal Cinquemani fromSlant Magazine wrote that the song is a "degrading material".[13]musicOMH's John Murphy described the song as "oddly sexless", "bland", "dull" and "just so damn safe."[14] Senior editor ofBillboard magazine,Chuck Taylor described the song as "cliched and overwrought." He ended his review writing "We had higher hopes."[15] Miriam Zendle ofDigital Spy described awarded the song 1 out 5 stars criticizing will.i.am for "making it sound pretentious and too try-hard" and noted that the "terrible rapping and incredibly short and repetitive sample the song" ruins any "attempt to make the song in any way sexual." She said the group miserably fail as they "go in yet another undefined direction."[16]
"Beep" debuted at number 93 on the USBillboard Hot 100, and eventually peaked at number 13, becoming the Pussycat Dolls' third consecutive top-20 hit, but failed to match the success of its predecessors "Don't Cha" and "Stickwitu", which both became top-five hits. In Canada, "Beep" was not a commercial success, peaking at number 48 on theCanadian Singles Chart and number 45 on the Canadian BDS Airplay Chart.
On theUK Singles Chart, "Beep" debuted and peaked at number two, with first-week sales of 29,212 copies.[17] "Beep" was also a success in Ireland, where it peaked at number two on theIrish Singles Chart. In Europe, it peaked at number two on theEuropean Hot 100 Singles, while performing best in Belgium, where it topped the singles chart for a week and became the Pussycat Dolls' second number-one single there after "Don't Cha".[18] The song was also a commercial success in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number two for two consecutive weeks, becoming the group's third consecutive number-two song, following "Don't Cha" and "Stickwitu".[19] Elsewhere, "Beep" reached the top five in Norway, top ten in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France, and the top 20 in Sweden.
"Beep" was also successful across Oceania. In Australia, it debuted and peaked at number three for two non-consecutive weeks on theARIA Singles Chart, becoming the group's third consecutive top-three hit there, and was certified gold byAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales in excess of 35,000 copies.[20] The song was ranked as the 24th best-seller of 2006 in Australia, and was one of the group's four songs to enter the ARIA Year-End Singles Chart for 2006, alongside "Stickwitu", "Buttons" and "I Don't Need a Man". In New Zealand, "Beep" debuted at number 25 on theRIANZ Singles Chart, and the following week ascended to its peak at number one, where it spent seven consecutive weeks, becoming the group's third consecutive number-one hit there. "Beep" ended as the year's second best-seller, and is the group's most successful single there to date.[21]
The accompanyingmusic video for "Beep" was directed byBenny Boom. It starts withNicole Scherzinger meeting will.i.am in an elevator. will.i.am explains his attraction, to which Scherzinger replies by implying she doesn't care about him looking at her. She then enters the Pussycat Dolls' apartment and, concluding the chorus, the group begins a dance routine throughout the second verse. will.i.am then enters the room, but quickly exits asCarmit Bachar throws a bottle of water at him. The Pussycat Dolls are then seen at a nightclub and a dance break ensues. They are then seen in solo dance spots in front of a large set of speakers. Scherzinger, Bachar andMelody Thornton are seen with will.i.am, as the video comes to a close.
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
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