Britney Spears: the 7th anniversary of "In The Zone"
Me Against The Music featuring Madonna
(I Got That) Boom Boom featuring The Ying Yang Twins
Showdown
Breathe On Me
Early Mornin'
Toxic
Outrageous
Touch Of My Hand
The Hook Up
Shadow
Brave New Girl
Everytime
The Answer
Don't Hang Up
Today 7 years ago, on November 18th, 2003, Britney's fourth album, "In The Zone," was released. "In The Zone" is an experimental, eclectic collection of songs, featuring collaborations with the Ying Yang Twins and Madonna, with production from Moby, RedZone, Bloodshy & Avant & The Matrix. "In The Zone" debuted at #1 worldwide and went on to sell over 10 million, becoming the 83rd best-selling album of the decade, and gave Britney three worldwide #1 singles. Only three singles were released worldwide, due to Britney injuring her knee, whilst shooting the video for "Outrageous."
The album received generally favorable reviews:
E! 4/5
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She finally delivers an album that's more fun than filler.
Entertainment Weekly 4/5
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"In the Zone" may be Britney Spears' most revealing album. Sex-princess-on-the-loose. Spears grows wistful, abandoning her pinched delivery.
The Guardian 4/5
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Unlike previous Britney albums, "In the Zone" has no filler. There is southern hip-hop, deep house, Neptunes-style R&B, the ubiquitous Diwali beat and, most importantly, oodles of Madonna.
Blender 3.5/5
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Spears is growing up, and if she’s a little too abrupt about it in places — “We’re going to the club to get crunk with Britney,” the opening line of “(I Got That) Boom Boom,” featuring the Ying Yang Twins — she does it with style. As a career move, it’s a transition from pop poppet to adult woman, living large and in charge. Unlike her parent-friendly past work, this is neither safe nor coy. Spears has her hand not only on herself, but also to some extent on the wheel — she has cowriting credits on nine of the record’s 12 tracks. No longer a girl, freed from slavery, now fully a woman.
Vibe 3.5/5
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A supremely confident record that also illustrates Spears's development as a songwriter.
All Music Guide 3/5
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If 2001's "Britney" was a transitional album, capturing Spears at the point when she wasn't a girl and not yet a woman, its 2003 follow-up, "In the Zone," is where she has finally completed that journey and turned into Britney, the Adult Woman. "In the Zone" is Britney indulging herself, to prove that she's an adult. She has completely shed the sugarcoated big hooks and sappy love songs that drove her stardom, concentrating on music that glides by on mellow grooves or hits hard with its hip-hop beats. Production-wise, these tracks are not only accomplished but much more varied than any of her previous albums, irresistible ear candy in what is surely Britney's most ambitious, adventurous album to date.
After a year long sabbatical, Britney returned with a new single, premiered at the NFL Superbowl Half-Time show. Despite reluctance from her record label, who wanted "Outrageous," co-written by Britney with RedZone, "Me Against The Music" became the first single from "In The Zone," when Britney appeared with Madonna at the MTV VMAs and asked her to appear on the track. It topped the worldwide top 40 chart for 4 weeks, becoming her 5th #1 single, the 27th most successful single of 2003 and 33rd most successful single of 2004.
British songwriter, Cathy Dennis, co-wrote the infectious electropop-infuenced Grammy-winning second single from "In The Zone," "Toxic," produced by Swedish duo, Bloodshy & Avant. The track, complete with a fitting futuristic video, directed by Joseph Kahn, sold over 105,000 copies in the UK in its first week alone. "Toxic" became Britney's biggest hit worldwide since "Oops!... I Did It Again," rocketing to #9 on the USA Billboard Hot 100, and giving Britney her fourth UK #1 single. It topped the worldwide top 40 chart for 5 weeks, becoming her 6th #1 single, the 5th most successful single of the year and 2004's most successful single by a female artist.
"Everytime," the third single from "In The Zone," showcased Britney at her most mature; a haunting piano-led ballad, with introspective, personal lyrics, written by Britney & produced by Guy Sigsworth, one half of Frou Frou. The song gave Britney her fifth #1 in the UK, released shortly after her sell-out Onyx Hotel tour, which hit Europe in May, another #1 in Australia, and reached #15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (it reached #7 on the US download chart), selling steadily and propelling sales of "In The Zone" worldwide. It topped the worldwide top 40 chart, becoming her 7th #1 single, the 12th most successful single of the year and 2004's 3rd most successful single by a female artist.
DATES: March 2, 2004 - June 6, 2004 LEGS: 2 Shows SHOWS: 110 (55 canceled)
The Onyx Hotel Tour supported the album. The tour was canceled after the second leg due to Britney's knee injury on the set of the "Outrageous" music video. Despite the fact that half of the shows were canceled, The Onyx Hotel Tour grossed over $48.7 million dollars worldwide, becoming one of the highest grossing tour of the year and was seen by over 600,000 fans in North America and Europe.
The tour received generally favorable reviews:
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Her current Onyx Hotel Tour, which visited KeyArena last night for a 90-minute screamfest, was a throbbing, special-effects extravaganza loaded with songs from her current, Madonna-inspired dance-pop album, "In the Zone." Skimpy, Victoria's Secret-style outfits and racy choreography ruled the night. The Vampress was in top form.
MTV
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An explosion of pyrotechnics signals the entrance of a leather-clad, brunette Britney, flames ignite around the stage and she launches into an energetic rendition of Toxic. She's simultaneously performing a vigorous dance routine, ascending moving staircases and descending fireman poles. It's easy to see where the new sexed-up Britney gets her inspiration, not since Madonnas 93 tour, The Girlie Show, did a performance cause such controversy.
The New York Times
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With a suggestive, racy show, she seems to have outdone even her mentor, Madonna.
"In The Zone" takes you one-step closer to Britney, as she makes and promotes her fourth album, "In The Zone." Come into Britney's professional and private life: meet her family, the "inner circle" and witness pop music's most dynamic partnership, "Me Against The Music," featuring Madonna, not to mention some stunning live performances on her ABC special, MTV's "TRL,", live in Times Square, NYC, and music videos. The DVD also comes with a bonus CD, featuring previously unreleased tracks and remixes.
In 2003, Britney joined forces with P!nk, Beyoncé and Enrique Iglesias to launch Pepsi's "Gladiator" theme campaign, starring in a special advertisement, filmed in September 2003, in Italy, set to a special cover of Queen's hit, "We Will Rock You." The campaign was worldwide and followed through into 2004, with a special CD being available, from special Pepsi-licensed outlets (such as KFC), featuring tracks from each artist included, their label acts, the advertisement video, and the special rendition of "We Will Rock You."
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Perfect album, perfect era, perfect singles, perfect tour and perfect videos.
I love that is so experimental, this was really her time to shine, and she sure did.
And i am always a fan of Up tempo songs, but this album was really made from her mid tempo songs...Breathe On Me, Touch Of My Hand, Showdown, are just all EPIC...
One of the many Britney Spears' masterpieces. This was it! This was the album that turned me into a die hard stan! :heart: So proud of it! My first real overplayed CD!
