Songfacts®:

• "Criminals" is a sprightly mix of doo-wop and bubblegum pop that radiates playful irreverence. The song dances between love and mischief as Meghan Trainor cheerfully admits to a relationship so euphoric it feels illegal.
• The song's origins trace back to 2017 when Trainor, then newly enamored with her now-husband Daryl Sabara, penned it with songwriters Tyler Johnson and Josh Kear. Originally titled "Call Us Criminals," Trainor called it her favorite song during the early sessions for her Treat Myself album. However, the track didn't make the cut as the album pivoted toward pop polish, and "Call Us Criminals" slipped into the vault.
  
  In 2024 Trainor rekindled her doo-wop love affair thanks to the viral resurgence of "Title" and the chart success of "Made You Look." "Call Us Criminals," now re-named "Criminals," emerged as the lead single for the deluxe edition of her Timeless album.
• "Criminals" is a family affair. Trainor's brother Justin handled production duties, and the background vocals became a choral celebration involving another brother, Ryan, and the singer's husband, Daryl Sabara.
• "Criminals" serves as the theme song for the Netflix mystery drama miniseries The Perfect Couple. Director Susanne Bier seized on the track's toe-tapping energy and mischievous refrain, weaving it into the show's opening credits alongside a TikTok-inspired dance featuring the cast. The theme was so spot-on it practically winked at the audience, adding layers of speculation to the show's central murder mystery.
  
  "It has been a lifelong dream of mine to have one of my songs be used as the intro for a show and to have this many icons dancing along is just too good to be true," Trainor told Today.