It was written by Sean Garrett, Jamal Jones, Jason Perry and group member Nicole Scherzinger, and produced by the former two alongside Ron Fair.

It is a hip hop-influenced pop and R&B track featuring synthesizers and a Middle Eastern rhythm, with the group pleading a reluctant man to help them undress whilst adopting a submissive stance.

The accompanying music video, directed by filmmaker Francis Lawrence, is an ode to the group's burlesque origin and features multiple dance sequences, including a Bollywood-inspired routine towards the end.

[1] Following the success of "Don't Cha" and "Beep", which featured American rappers Busta Rhymes and will.i.am respectively, Snoop Dogg was recruited for its single release.

"[11][12] The remix version of "Buttons" featuring rapper Snoop Dogg was released on April 11, 2006, via digital download, as the fourth single from PCD.

[15] In his review of PCD, Spence D. of IGN commented that the Middle Eastern elements in "Buttons" may be "familiar and funky, but it doesn't present anything new to the realm of female soul pop.

"[17] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani described the song as "degrading material" noting "[they] are a bit easier to swallow thanks, in part, to the group's cartoonish image.

"[18] Miriam Zendle of Digital Spy was unimpressed with "Buttons" labelling "as awful as [their] debut single, 'Don't Cha'," adding the song's sexual vibe "leaves the listener feeling somewhat sullied.

[37][38][39][40] In July 2007, it received a platinum mastertone certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for ringtone sales of one million units.

[42] In January 2010, "Buttons" surpassed digital sales of two million units, following "Don't Cha" (2005) and "When I Grow Up" (2008), making the Pussycat Dolls the first girl group in history to have three songs achieve that feat.

[52] Following its physical release, the song peaked at number three, selling 25,718 units and giving the Pussycat Dolls their fourth consecutive top-three hit.

[70] After supporting the Peas in the UK, they flew back to the US on June 30, 2006, and appeared on Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series to perform the song along with "Don't Cha" and "Stickwitu".

[73] On November 9, 2006, the Pussycat Dolls performed the song in sparkly, sequined mini-dress on 2006 American Music Awards, in which they included routines involving chairs and pyrotechnics during their dance breakdown.

[10] The Daily Telegraph's Adam White wrote the group did a "messy rendition" of the song highlighting Thornton crashing the performance and Jessica Sutta falling of her chair.

[75] Following the performance going viral in 2020, Thornton explained to Entertainment Tonight that travelling issues caused her to miss rehearsals and the only solution was for her to appear at the end and do her part.

[78] The song was included on their Doll Domination Tour and The Circus Starring Britney Spears (both in 2009); their dance routine consisted of "full of stomping and syncopated strutting.

"[80] Scherzinger performed the song as part of a Pussycat Dolls medley during concerts of her first solo tour in support of her debut studio album, Killer Love (2011).

[81] On November 30, 2019, the Pussycat Dolls reunited on The X Factor: Celebrity finale, and performed a medley of "Buttons", "When I Grow Up", "Don't Cha", and their first new song in over a decade, "React".

[82] Shortly after, British media regulator Ofcom received 400 complaints from viewers who criticized band's revealing outfits and provocative choreography.

[83] On February 22, 2020, the group appeared on series sixteen of Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, and performed "Buttons" as part of a medley with "Don't Cha", "Beep" and "React".

As part of the performance, a TV test card flashed up on screen from ITV reading "we're sorry for the disruption... we're working hard to fix the issue and will return to normal family-friendly, not at all sexy, uncontroversial programming soon."