The song was originally recorded and published in 2004 by Tori Alamaze, former backing vocalist for the hip hop duo OutKast, and was released as her debut single.

The Pussycat Dolls, an American burlesque dance troupe who were poised to reinvent themselves as a pop music girl group, were offered the song from Universal.

The group recorded a new version of "Don't Cha" with raps from Busta Rhymes and released it in 2005 as the lead single from their debut studio album PCD.

An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Paul Hunter and featured the group doing various activities, including jumping on a trampoline and drag racing in Jeeps.

[1] The song was recorded in a basement studio in Atlanta, Georgia by Tori Alamaze, a former backing vocalist for the hip-hop duo OutKast in the same month.

[1][2] Billboard's Rashaun Hall described her version of "Don't Cha" as a "midtempo dance gem" that is "backed by a driving minimalist bassline".

Saptosa Foster of Vibe described it as "sultry", while Salon's Thomas Bartlett commented that the song is "strange, sad and astonishingly good.

[7] Stylus Magazine included it on their ranking of the best singles from 2005 at number 30, adding that "at the core, Alamaze remains defiantly sexy over a tight bump-n-grind rhythm.

"[8] In 2004, choreographer Robin Antin had struck a joint venture with Interscope Records to develop the Pussycat Dolls, a burlesque cabaret act that was performing in various venues in Hollywood, into a brand.

[13] At the suggestion of Doug Morris,[14]—then chairman of Universal Music Group—"Don't Cha" was given to the Pussycat Dolls as the label was trying to reinvent the girl group.

Maeve McDermott distinguished "Don't Cha" from other girl group songs like "Wannabe", "Independent Women" and "No Scrubs" which promote female camaraderie.

[24] Marisa Meltzer of The Daily Beast felt that the song's lyrics "put forward the belief that a woman's worth lies solely in her appearance and sexual permissiveness and just furthers the notion that women are in competition with one another over men.

Sal Cinquemani of described the song as "brassy and sassy" adding that, "the Pussycat Dolls have certainly carved a niche for themselves in 21st century pop history.

"[28] Spence D. from IGN wrote that the track's "sultry swagger-n-shuffle is the type of stuff that nasty boys and girls might enjoy grinding to.

However, he was critical stating: "not even Busta Rhymes' cameo appearance can prevent Don't Cha from seeming like nothing more than a promo for some generic product aimed at young males.

The video is inter-cut with sequences of close-ups of the girls and Rhymes performing the song, while impromptu dance routines are featured on the chorus.

"[77][78] The Pussycat Dolls' creator Robin Antin and the song's producer CeeLo Green make cameo appearances towards the end.

"[13] Naomi West of The Telegraph wrote that the video "is no more titillating than any of Jennifer Lopez's or Beyoncé's, and a good deal less than Christina Aguilera's sweat-drenched 'Dirrty' promo.

MTV's Brandee J. Tecson commented, "like a lot of the day's performers, the Dolls were newcomers to the Wango stage, but ended the night like veterans.

[86] On November 4, 2005, the group appeared at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards at the Pavilhão Atlântico in Lisbon, Portugal, and performed "Don't Cha" with a house remix at the end.

[87] On December 7, 2005, the Pussycat Dolls performed at the annual KIIS-FM Jingle Ball at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California with some members wearing "festive candy-cane-striped belly shirts and red-and-green capri pants."

[89] On June 30, 2006, The Pussycat Dolls performed on Good Morning America as part of its Summer Concert Series along with "Buttons" and "Stickwitu".

[91] On July 7, 2007, The Pussycat Dolls together with other artists performed at the Live Earth Concerts, which were held to raise awareness of global warming.

Maureen Ellis of the Evening Times said that the "high-energy encore of 'Don't Cha' and 'When I Grow Up' ensured the Dolls reigned supreme.

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

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

[96] American singer Colbie Caillat performed "Don't Cha" throughout her US tour in support of her second studio album, Breakthrough (2009).

[97] In 2019, Ezra Miller's band, Sons of an Illustrious Father, recorded their own version of "Don't Cha" with the intent to "ridicule and invert" the heterosexual nature of the tune.

The accompanying music video was filmed in an empty warehouse where the band members are dressed in black leotards and are dancing against dim, colorful neon lights.