In The Zone

''In the Zone'' is the fourth studio album by American singer Britney Spears. It was released on November 15, 2003, by Jive Records. Spears began writing songs during her Dream Within a Dream Tour, not knowing the direction of the record. She stated she was an autobiographical songwriter, although not to the point where she felt self-exploited. During the process, she ended her highly-publicized relationship with singer Justin Timberlake. With the tour's conclusion in July 2002, Spears planned to take a six-month break from her career; however, recording for the album commenced in November.

For ''In the Zone'', Spears experimented with different producers, trying to find those with whom she had chemistry. She collaborated with artists such as Madonna and the Ying Yang Twins, while contributions came from a wide range of producers, including Bloodshy & Avant, R. Kelly, Trixster, Moby, Guy Sigsworth and the Matrix. Their final result was an eclectic record incorporating pop and urban music styles with instrumentation from techno and Middle Eastern genres. Its lyrical themes range from romance and partying to more explicit ones such as sex and masturbation. Spears explained that the album's sexual nature was subconscious and emerged while she was in the process of developing the album.

''In the Zone'' received positive reviews upon its release, with music critics widely praising its innovative production, aesthetics, lyricism and blend of eclectic genres, though some criticized Spears' vocals on certain tracks for being distant and processed. A global commercial success, it debuted atop the US ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 609,000 copies, making Spears the first female artist to have four consecutive number-one albums. Retrospectively, the album is widely considered a major turning point in Spears' artistic journey and a culmination in her transition from a teen pop star to a more adult artist. Various critics have considered it the album that pushed Spears past her contemporaries and establishing her as the definitive female artist of the 2000s.

''In the Zone'' was promoted with four singles. "Me Against the Music", featuring Madonna, reached the top ten in nearly every country except the United States, where it only peaked at number 35 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Toxic" peaked atop the charts in eight countries and at number nine on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Spears' first US top-ten hit since " Oops!... I Did It Again" (2000), and won Spears her first Grammy Award. "Everytime" peaked at number 15 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and within the top ten nearly everywhere else. " Outrageous" was plagued by a lack of promotion due to Spears injuring her knee while filming its accompanying music video, and only peaked at number 79 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. To further promote the album, Spears embarked on the Onyx Hotel Tour (2004).

Background and development

In October 2001, Spears released her third studio album '' Britney'', which portrayed more mature themes. Despite selling over four million copies in the United States, it was viewed as "poor-selling" in comparison to her previous efforts. The following year, her three-year relationship with pop singer Justin Timberlake ended after months of speculation. After the Dream Within a Dream Tour in support of ''Britney'' ended in July 2002, Spears announced a six-month break. In November, she revealed that she had started working on her next studio album. She explained: "Well, actually, I just said that I wanted two or three weeks off. ...And the whole world was like, 'Ohmigod, 'sic''.html" ;"title="sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''she's gone..."

While in Europe, Spears met with William Orbit and Daft Punk about possible collaborations, and originally confirmed previous collaborators Rodney Jerkins, Darkchild and the Neptunes as producers. When asked by ''The Hollywood Reporter'' about the direction of the record, Spears responded it was an organic evolution, adding: "It should just happen naturally from the way you feel. ..Whatever happens, happens". Additionally, Spears scheduled meet-and-greets with Timbaland and Missy Elliott in an effort to help evolve her sound. Elliott was enlisted in further production work with Nisan Stewart for Spears' project; however, none of the initial material was released. Spears also worked with James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, but their work was unproductive; Murphy said: "We were both lying on the floor, head-to head, working on lyrics in a notepad. She seemed eager to please, but it went nowhere. She went to dinner and just never came back." Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst wrote and produced three trip hop tracks recorded by Spears in January 2003. However, after news of an affair between them broke, Durst told Jive Records he would not let them use the songs. In March 2003, Lauren Christy from the Matrix spoke about the development of the album with MTV News, and likened their work with Spears to Madonna's album ''Ray of Light'' (1998). Scott Spock, also from the Matrix, continued comparing her to Madonna by saying:

She's taking it to the next level in her career. Madonna constantly takes what's in the club and puts what she does on top of it and makes it mainstream. I think Britney is starting to embrace that concept where she's looking to work on different stuff, instead of using the same familiar, and applying it to her. ..I don't think er fanswill be freaked out or upset. I think they'll be really into what's going to happen.

Spears previewed several songs to Quddus Philippe of MTV in May 2003, including "Touch of My Hand", "Brave New Girl" and "Everytime". Spears commented: "I've really been able to take my time and have creative control and make he new albumspecial, special, special." On August 27, Spears opened the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards by performing a medley of " Like a Virgin" and " Hollywood" with Madonna, Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott. The performance started with Spears appearing on stage on top of a giant wedding cake while wearing a wedding gown and veil; she sang the first few lines of "Like a Virgin" before Aguilera appeared from behind the cake and joined her. Madonna then emerged from the cake wearing a black coat and a hat and started singing "Hollywood" before proceeding to kiss Spears and Aguilera on the lips. Elliott came out from a wedding chapel to sing her song " Work It" halfway through the performance. The kiss generated strong reaction from the media. The performance was listed by ''Blender'' magazine as one of the 25 sexiest music moments in television history. In 2008, MTV listed the performance as the number-one opening moment in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards.

Recording and production

For ''In the Zone'', Spears worked with hit producers such as Bloodshy & Avant, R. Kelly, Diddy, Christopher Stewart, Moby, Guy Sigsworth and the Matrix. She first started writing songs for the album during her Dream Within a Dream Tour. Spears commented about writing while touring: "The only thing that was scary to me is that I didn't know if they were good. utYou can't trust anybody. You have to go with your feelings." Spears commented that she was an autobiographical songwriter, although not to the point she felt self-exploited. Following the end of the tour, Spears invited her friend and backing vocalist Annet Artani to her home in Los Angeles. They started writing songs at the piano, and shortly after, they traveled to Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy. Among the tracks they worked on was "Everytime", which Artani confirmed to be written as a response to Justin Timberlake's " Cry Me a River", as well as "Shine", written by Spears about her sister Jamie Lynn, which was left unfinished. Earnest recording of the album began in November 2002. Spears commented that although she did not know initially what direction she wanted to go with the album, she took time to work with different producers and to find those who she had chemistry with. The first song recorded for ''In the Zone'' was "Touch of My Hand", and Spears said it "really did provide a balance for the rest of the record. We just went from there." Following the recording sessions for "Everytime" at the Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles, Spears complimented Sigsworth, saying: "I just basically told him exactly how I wanted the song to sound. And he was so amazing because there's a lot of producers you tell them things and they don't get it. And you're like oh, that's not the right way. He got it just right. He was amazing."

Christopher Stewart and Penelope Magnet, known collectively as RedZone, presented Spears with the third song they had written and produced, titled "Pop Culture Whore". While her management liked the track, she rejected it, telling them the song "sucked". After bonding with Spears during a night in New York City to "get in her world", as Magnet explained, it was easier to "actually write and know what she would and wouldn't say, to know where her real vibe is". Stewart and Magnet began working on the first version of "Me Against the Music"; Stewart came up with the track, while Magnet developed the melody on a piano and some of the lyrics. During the recording sessions, Stewart recalls that the studio's air-conditioning died for three days, but Spears "didn't complain or anything, and for me that shows she's where she is for a reason." While rehearsing for their performance at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, Spears played a finished version of "Me Against the Music" to Madonna. After Madonna commented that she liked the track, Spears asked her to do the song with her. RedZone then handed "Me Against the Music" to Madonna, who arranged and recorded her vocal additions on her own, therefore making the song a duet. Spears, who had been a fan of Madonna for years, was "beyond surprised" when she heard Madonna's verse. She said "I just asked her to do a little thing, but she really went there. She did a lot of stuff to it." RedZone were then enlisted to work on several more songs for the album, including co-writing "Early Mornin'", recording background vocals for "Outrageous" and producing "The Hook Up".

The Matrix commented that after they presented songs to Spears, she tailored them to suit herself, especially the lyrics. Member Lauren Christy said: "... she really knows what she wants. She knows if she's trying something on that doesn't fit right for her. She's like, 'No, that's not me.' She's not one to strap on some sort of fake image." Christy also claimed to be impressed with Spears's vocal ability during the recording of "Shadow". Steve Anderson, Lisa Greene and Stephen Lee wrote "Breathe on Me" at Metrophonic Studios in London. Before meeting with the other writers, Anderson thought of two concepts for songs specifically for Spears: one he had worked on "for ages", and "Breathe on Me", which he drafted on the morning of the sessions. Greene and Lee did not like the first concept, and they wrote "Breathe on Me" with Anderson. The song was produced by Mark Taylor, who kept most of the programming done by Anderson. With Taylor, Spears recorded "Breathe on Me" and " And Then We Kiss", latter of which did not make the album. Other recording locations for the album included the Battery Studios, Daddy's House Recordings and The Dojo in New York City; 3:20 Studios, Decoy Studios, Pacifique Recording Studios, Record Plant and Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles; The Chocolate Factory, in Chicago, Triangle Sound Studios in Atlanta, Olympic Studios in London, and Murlyn Studios in Stockholm. Throughout 2003, Spears started testing tracks by playing them in nightclubs such as Show in New York City. Before the album was released, Spears' manager Larry Rudolph commented that it was important for Spears to continue moving away from a traditional pop sound, citing " I'm a Slave 4 U" and "Boys" from ''Britney'' as departures from her previous music. Barry Weiss, then-president of Jive Label Group, added: "She has achieved what she set out to achieve, which was to make a mature album that didn't sound like something she would have done three years while still making a commercial album that has hit singles. ..It's the kind of record she should be doing right now, and it came down to her to make it."

Music and lyrics

According to '' Billboard'', ''In the Zone'' marked a musical departure for Spears. Instead of traditional pop, the album is darker and more dance-oriented. Spears talked about the overall sound of the album with ''Rolling Stone'', saying: "I'd describe it as trance-y, kind of vibe record—something you could listen to that's no so song-structured ..Of course I'm not doing ' ...Baby One More Time' and those massive hits anymore. I think this record is where I am at right now in my life. It's sensual, it's sexual. I'm probably writing about that subconsciously because I don't have that right now." Sal Cinquemani of '' Slant Magazine'' described the record's sound as "bold mix of hip-hop and dance music", while Amy Schriefer of NPR stated the album "mix sdance, house, crunk, Diwali beats and Neptunes-style hip hop". Tom Bishop of BBC News stated that the record combines bhaṅgṛā, R&B and hip hop. Caroline Sullivan of ''The Guardian'' deemed ''In the Zone'' "a happy collision of house, dreamy electro-pop and Britney’s lyrical preoccupations ..which have her perched on the cusp between teen poppet and sexually confident woman." According to William Shaw of ''Blender'', the main theme of ''In the Zone'' is "Spears’s awakening to her sexuality as a single woman."

''In the Zone'' opens with "Me Against the Music", constructed as a duet with Madonna after she was added to the track. Spears and Madonna trade lines during the verses, and Madonna sings solo in the bridge. The instrumentation in the song includes influences of hip hop and funk guitars. The song's lyrics feature Spears and Madonna singing of the pleasures of letting go on the dancefloor, in "I'm up against the speaker / Trying to take on the music / It's like a competition". The second song, "I Got That (Boom Boom)", is an Atlanta-style hip hop track featuring the Ying Yang Twins. "Showdown" has "bubbly" beats and its lyrics, about "fighting and making up with carnal relations", include the lines "I don't really want to be a tease / But would you undo my zipper, please?" ''Rolling Stone'' classified the song pop- dancehall. "Breathe on Me" was described as the most sensual song of the record and compared to Madonna's 1992 studio album ''Erotica''. On the Euro trance and ambient-techno song with trip hop influences, Spears sings: "Oh, it's so hot, and I need some air / And boy, don't stop 'cause I'm halfway there" and "Just put your lips together and blow." "Early Mornin'" depicts Spears looking for men at a club in New York City. The song has a percolating beat and featured subdued vocals from Spears, who purrs and yawns through the track. The nightclub Show is referenced. "Toxic", which Spears later named her favorite song from her career, was originally offered to Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It contains elements of hip hop, electropop, and bhangra music, and features varied instrumentation, such as drums, synthesizers, high-pitched strings and surf guitars. Lyrically, "Toxic" talks about being addicted to a lover.

" Outrageous" is a hip hop-inspired track which, according to MTV, features Spears "whisper ngand moan ng ..with a snake charmer melody giving the song an exotic feel." The lyrics address materialism and amusement, with the singer referencing in the chorus a number of things that give her pleasure. On "Touch of My Hand", which Spears felt it was comparable to Janet Jackson's " That's the Way Love Goes" (1993), she sings in a lower register. The instrumentation contains elements of music from the Far East, particularly in its use of the Chinese instrument the erhu, and its lyrics refer to masturbation: "Into the unknown, I will be bold / I'm going to the places I can be out of control / And I don't want to explain tonight / All the things I've tried to hide." "The Hook Up" has a reggae feel and features Spears singing in a Jamaican Patois accent. The power ballad "Shadow" talks about how reminders of a lover can still linger after he's gone. The lyrics of "Brave New Girl" talk about a young woman finding her passion and losing inhibitions. Backed by choppy, electro-funk beats, she sings in a bouncy near-rap: "She's gonna pack her bags, she's going to find her way, she's going to get right out of this / She don't want New York, she don't want L.A., she's going to find that special kiss." The Eurodance and pop song was inspired by No Doubt, Blondie and Madonna. "Everytime" begins with a piano introduction accompanying Spears's breathy vocals, which build from soft to strong throughout the song. Its lyrics are a plea for forgiveness for inadvertently hurting a former lover. In the song, Spears explains she feels unable to continue in lines such as "Everytime I try to fly I fall / Without my wings I feel so small". During an interview with MTV, Spears said: "It's about heartbreak, it's about your first love, your first true love. That's something all people can relate to, because you all have that first love that you think you're going to be with the rest of your life." When asked if "Everytime" was about Justin Timberlake, she responded: "I'll let the song speak for itself." The Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha Remix of "Me Against the Music" removes the original melody of the song and adds a clattering backbeat and Punjabi shouts. On the international editions bonus track "The Answer", Spears sings that her lover is the answer to all her needs: "Who can hold me tight, keep me warm through the night? / Who can wipe my tears when it's wrong, make it right? / Who can give me love till I'm satisfied? / Who's the one I need in my life?". On the Australian, Japanese and UK editions bonus track "Don't Hang Up", she pleads on the phone for her lover to keep her satisfied long-distance.

Release and promotion

To promote ''In the Zone'', Spears first performed the lead single "Me Against the Music" at the 2003 NFL Kickoff Live on September 4, 2003. The performance segued into a medley of " ...Baby One More Time" and " I'm a Slave 4 U", which included pyrotechnics. On September 14, Spears played a surprise concert at Rain Nightclub in the Palms Casino Resort, and performed "Me Against the Music", "Breathe on Me" and a medley of "...Baby One More Time" and "I'm a Slave 4 U". On October 18, she performed "Me Against the Music" and "Everytime" on ''Saturday Night Live''. Spears opened the 2003 American Music Awards on November 16 with a performance of "Me Against the Music". The following day, a concert special titled ''Britney Spears: In the Zone'' aired on American Broadcasting Company (ABC). On November 18–the day ''In the Zone'' was released in the United States–she performed "Me Against the Music" and "(I Got That) Boom Boom" on ''Total Request Live'' at Times Square. The ABC special and ''Total Request Live'' performances would later be included on video album '' Britney Spears: In the Zone'', released on April 6, 2004. The video debuted atop the US Music Video Sales and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "Me Against the Music" was also performed on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' on November 17, 2003, and on ''Live with Regis and Kelly'' on November 24. She also performed "Toxic", "Breathe on Me" and "Me Against the Music" as the headliner of the Jingle Ball on December 8, at the Staples Center.

In November 2003, Zomba Label Group president Barry Weiss had spoken to '' Billboard'' and said that ''In the Zone'' was being promoted on a global level, exhausting areas such as print and electronic media, television, radio and video to raise awareness of its release. In addition, Jive worked with lifestyle marketer the Karpel Group to market the album to the gay community. Other broader-based marketing efforts included a tie-in with marketing company LidRock, where after ordering a soda at Sbarro, customers received a cup featuring the artwork and a three-inch disc in the lid featuring "Brave New Girl" and songs by two other artists; in December, an updated LidRock disc was made available, including a remix of "Me Against the Music" without Madonna, as well as songs by fellow Jive acts Nick Cannon and Bowling for Soup. Regal Theaters also showed a short film that included footage of the making of Spears's music videos. Two national television advertising campaigns had begun on November 1–one with a teaser ad on ''Saturday Night Live'' and another exclusively on MTV. No sponsored cross-marketing campaigns were planned, as Larry Rudolph explained: "his timeit's going to be more about the music than about corporate tie-ins." In terms of international exposure, during a four-month period Spears was featured in seven mini TV-specials and over 150 interviews outside the US. Among the international performances were Spears opening the NRJ Music Awards in France with "Toxic" on January 24, 2004, and a performance of "Everytime" on the June 25 episode of ''Top of the Pops'' in the United Kingdom, which became the final televised performance in support of the album.

A tour to further promote ''In the Zone'' was announced in December 2003, originally titled In the Zone Tour. However, Spears was sued for trademark infringement by the San Diego company Lite Breeze, Inc. and was banned from using the phrase "in the zone", hence the tour's title was changed to The Onyx Hotel Tour. It commenced on March 2, 2004 at the San Diego Sports Arena. Spears felt inspired to create a show with a hotel theme which she later mixed with the concept of an onyx stone. The stage, inspired by Broadway musicals, was less elaborate than her previous tours. The setlist was composed mostly by songs from ''In the Zone'' as well as some of her past songs reworked with different elements of jazz, blues and Latin percussion. Tour promoter Clear Channel Entertainment marketed the tour to a more adult audience than her previous shows, while sponsor MTV highly promoted the tour on television shows and the network's website. The tour was divided into seven segments: ''Check-In'', '' Mystic Lounge'', '' Mystic Garden'', '' The Onyx Zone'', ''Security Cameras'', ''Club'' and the encore. ''Check-In'' displayed performances with dance and advanced in the hotel theme. ''Mystic Lounge'' featured an homage to ''Cabaret'' and other musicals, while remixing some of Spears's early hits. ''Mystic Garden'' displayed a jungle-inspired stage. ''The Onyx Zone'' displayed a ballad performance with acrobats. ''Security Cameras'' was the raciest part of the show, with Spears and her dancers emulating different sexual practices. ''Club'' displayed a performance with urban influences. The encore consisted of a system malfunction interlude and Spears performed wearing a red ensemble. The tour received mixed reviews from contemporary critics, who praised it for being an entertaining show while criticizing it for looking "more ikea spectacle than an actual concert". The Onyx Hotel Tour was commercially successful, grossing $34 million. In March, Spears suffered a knee injury onstage which forced her to reschedule two shows. On June 8, Spears fell and hurt her knee again while filming the accompanying music video for " Outrageous". She underwent surgery and the remainder of the tour was cancelled.

Singles

"Me Against the Music" was released as the lead single from ''In the Zone'' on October 14, 2003. Jive Records' choice for the first single was originally "Outrageous", but Spears convinced them to release "Me Against the Music". The song received mixed reviews from music critics; some felt it was a strong dance track, while others referred to it as lackluster and disappointing. "Me Against the Music" achieved international commercial success, peaking atop of the charts in countries such as Australia, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and Spain, as well as the European Hot 100 Singles. It also peaked at number two in Canada, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom, and inside the top five in many other countries; however, it peaked at number 35 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, being Spears' lowest-charting lead single. The song won the Hot Dance Single of the Year award at the 2004 ''Billboard'' Music Awards. In the song's accompanying music video, directed by Paul Hunter, Spears chases Madonna inside a nightclub.

"Toxic" was released as the second single from ''In the Zone'' on January 12, 2004, to widespread critical acclaim. After trying to choose between Jive's suggestions "(I Got That) Boom Boom" and "Outrageous", Spears selected "Toxic" instead. It attained worldwide commercial success, reaching the top five in 15 countries, while topping the charts in Australia, Canada, Hungary, Norway and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it peaked at number nine on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming her first single to peak inside the top ten since " Oops!... I Did It Again" (2000). Directed by Joseph Kahn, the accompanying music video for the song portrays Spears as a secret agent in the search of a vial of green liquid. After she steals it, she enters an apartment and poisons her unfaithful boyfriend. The video also includes interspersed scenes of Spears naked with diamonds over her body. "Toxic" won Spears her first Grammy Award, for Best Dance Recording ( 2005), and is often referred to as one of her signature songs.

"Everytime" was released as the third single from ''In the Zone'' on May 10, 2004, to critical acclaim. A commercial success, it peaked within the top five in most countries, while reaching the top of the charts in Australia, Hungary, Ireland and the United Kingdom, and number 15 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Its accompanying music video, directed by David LaChapelle, portrays Spears as a star hounded by paparazzi, who drowns in her bathtub when she starts bleeding from a wound in her head. In the hospital, doctors fail to resuscitate her while a child is born in the next room, implying she reincarnated. The original treatment would have had Spears killing herself from a drug overdose, but the plot was removed after it received criticism by several organizations, who perceived it as a glamorization of suicide.

" Outrageous" was released as the fourth and final single from ''In the Zone'' on July 13, 2004. The song was finally chosen as a single after it was selected as the theme song for the film ''Catwoman'' (2004). It received mixed reviews from critics, as some praised its funky sound, noting its influence from Michael and Janet Jackson, while others deemed it "forgettable". Plagued by low promotion, the song became the album's lowest-charting single, peaking at number 79 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Directed by Dave Meyers, its accompanying music video was being filmed in New York City on June 8, when Spears injured her knee and had to undergo arthroscopic surgery. The video was cancelled, as well as the remainder of the Onyx Hotel Tour and the feature in the ''Catwoman'' soundtrack.

Critical reception

Upon its release, ''In the Zone'' received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, based on 13 reviews. Jason Shawhan of About.com gave a positive review, saying that while the album's vibe is sexy, the result is a personal statement from Spears. He also added: "T eres another thing about Spears' new record, as none of her previous albums ever managed to produce any kind of sustained emotional response than the pleasure that comes from a good pop record. I miss Max Martin, for sure, but it feels like Ms. S. has been paying attention to La Ciccone. To put it another way, this is Britney's '' True Blue''." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said that the album " sall club-ready, but despite some hints of neo-electro and the Neptunes, it doesn't quite sound modern—it sounds like cuts from 1993 or Madonna's '' Bedtime Stories'' and ''Ray of Light''. Production-wise, these tracks are not only accomplished but much more varied than any of her previous albums." Ruth Mitchell of the BBC
...