On May 9, 2024, a snippet of the song was shared on Instagram,[1] with a second snippet of the song being shared on June 19.[2] The following day, Del Rey performed at Fenway Park as part of her Festival Tour, where she brought out Quavo as a special guest and performed the song. After the song's release, a snippet of Del Rey and Quavo recording the song was shared by the latter on Instagram.[3]
Upon release, Billboard said of the song; "A little bit country, a little bit trap and alt-pop, the Andrew Watt- and Cirkut-produced track has a dreamy hook that's tough to quit humming when the song's over".[4]Clash described the song as a "country-trap masterclass", while giving it an 8/10.[5]
In the United States, "Tough" debuted at number thirty-three on the BillboardHot 100 for the week dated July 20, 2024, becoming Quavo's eighth top-forty song on the chart, and Del Rey's sixth.[6] On the BillboardGlobal 200, "Tough" debuted at number twenty-one, becoming Del Rey's highest entry on the chart since "Say Yes to Heaven" (2023) peaked in number eighteen in March 2023, and tenth overall, and Quavo's fourth entry.[7][8]
In the United Kingdom, "Tough" debuted at number thirty-two on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks in the top-fifty, and charted for a total of six weeks before departing. It also reached number one on the UK Physical Singles Chart and number two on the UK Singles Sales Chart, following its release on vinyl, for the week dated September 19, 2024.[9] Elsewhere, the song reached the top-twenty in Switzerland, Greece and Latvia, while reaching the top-forty in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and Suriname.[10]
The official music video for "Tough" was directed by Wyatt Spain Winfrey, Quavo, and Del Rey. It premiered via Quavo's Vevo channel on YouTube on July 3, 2024.[11] It contains clips of the two singing with each other in open fields, in front of cars. The video ends with Del Rey in the passenger seat smiling at Quavo who is driving a truck.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 28. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 28. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved July 15, 2024.