About Sledgehammer (From "Star Trek Beyond")

"Sledgehammer" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on June 27, 2016 as a single to promote Star Trek Beyond. It plays during the film's closing credits but is not included on the film's soundtrack. Rihanna co-wrote the song with Sia Furler and Jesse Shatkin. A music video for the song was released on June 30, 2016, and shows Rihanna performing magical acts on a foreign planet. The video was shot entirely on IMAX cameras.

On June 26, 2016, Rihanna hinted that she would release a new song, stating on Instagram, "Got something for y'all tomorrow". Over two years prior, Rihanna tweeted, "You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer", hinting that she had been working on the song since 2014. The song was written collaboratively by Rihanna, Sia Furler and Jesse Shatkin. Rihanna and Sia had previously worked together on the former's 2012 song, "Diamonds". A new trailer for Star Trek Beyond featuring "Sledgehammer", was released on June 27, 2016, the same day that the song was released. Rihanna subsequently said that she had been a fan of the Star Trek franchise since she was a child, after being introduced to it by her father. She explained that "This is something that's been a part of me since my childhood, it's never left me, I love Star Trek. It was automatic. I would do anything in terms of music. It's such a big deal not only as a fan, as a musician... because Star Trek is such a big deal across the globe.