It was written by David Schmitt, Kyle Even, Eric Armenta, Joshua Aragon, and Luis Bonet, whilst production was handled by Ian Kirkpatrick.

The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, with some commending its catchiness.

It was also certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling more than 1 million copies.

[7] Musically, "Blackout" is a synthpop[1] and dance-pop song that also blends house, Italo disco and electro genres[6] and features a "chugging bassline" and "punchy beats", while Schmitt's vocals have been described as "nasal".

[1] It has also been described as having heavy influences of pop punk, and has been compared to the music of Cobra Starship.

[8] Lyrically, the song mentions references to alcohol intoxication and partying, singing "I'm only getting started/I won't blackout" throughout the chorus.

Jason Newman of MTV called the track, "anthemic" stating, "The heavily effected vocals mask the motivational hook, which is perfectly suited to a night out.

"[1] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy compared the song to Kesha and You Me at Six stating, "The cut is a rebellious combo of '80s power synths and rock-ready beats.

"[11] The music video for the song premiered on September 20, 2011 on the duo's official VEVO channel via YouTube.

[17] A lyric video was also uploaded onto the duo's official YouTube channel and has since garnered more than 16 million views.