The song was released as the lead single from the soundtrack to the 2015 film Fifty Shades of Grey and was included on the Weeknd's second studio album Beauty Behind the Madness (2015).

The song's popularity earned the soundtrack to Fifty Shades of Grey two concurrent top-ten singles, with Ellie Goulding's "Love Me like You Do" also peaking at number three.

On February 16, 2023, it was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling more than ten million copies in the United States.

[6] Critics praised "Earned It" upon release, with Mitchell Bozzetto of Renowned for Sound writing, "Tesfaye definitely has one of the best modern day R&B voices and it certainly shows in this track, his pitch and tone are spot on which makes this a soothing listen.

"[7] Tom Breihan of Stereogum wrote, "With its streaking, soundtracky strings, "Earned It" almost sounds like it could come from one of the '80s erotic thrillers that clearly inspired Fifty Shades.

[9] Kitty Empire of The Guardian called the song "a genre curveball that nevertheless sat comfortably with the Weeknd’s depraved brand identity, cultivated over three mixtapes.

The music video, directed by the film's director Sam Taylor-Johnson,[15] was shot at the Palace Theater in Los Angeles.