circus britney_spears album circus sixth studio album american recording artist britney_spears released november looking transition darker urban fifth studio album spears wanted project little bit lighter incorporating electropop dance pop styles spears recorded record summer publicized personal struggles saw placement temporary earlier year executive producers whites enlisted collaborators including spears longtime colleague hills release circus received generally favorable reviews music critics complimented production ambivalent lyrical content debuted number billboard week sales copies making fifth album reach chart album topped charts additional countries record eventually exceeded sales million copies million digital tracks spears best selling album fourth studio album zone project promoted series television performances spears fifth concert tour circus starring britney spears singles released album international successes lead single peaked atop billboard hot registered largest jump chart debuting number ninety spears best selling song country baby time gained grammy award nomination best dance recording second singles circus peaked numbers nineteen country respectively circus spears second album debut effort baby time singles hits hits united_states charting songs hot like sixth album features technology includes pages bonus features exclusive video performance photos complete album lyrics downloadable graphics hidden links addition packaging album recycled materials background development summer confirmed spears process recording sixth studio album album announcement came additional confirmation involvement producers development vocal producer complimented spears work ethic publicized personal struggles previous year spears chose write material album worked develop pop influenced record collaborators worked earlier career stated circus marked longest time spent recording album adding think urban writing day right piano living room described album best work date producer kelly discussed album initial lack concept saying went luke knew going maybe write britney concept knowing style knowing produced spears hit baby time produced album atlanta based production team produced album single worked bonus songs spears reported worked tracks los_angeles spears recorded burbank canadian trio let war wrote produced track announced working spears tracks included official track listing spears commented album title like fact edge seat circus bored going want know going happen album shared release date similarly titled album circus british group circus initially scheduled released worldwide december spears 27th birthday unauthorized online leaks began streaming album website november composition circus described sequel spears fifth studio album taking influence pop genres including electropop dance described album lighter urban sounding fiery lyrics compared predecessor album compared works janet_jackson songwriting prince circus incorporates themes acknowledged spears earlier work circus kill lights discuss fame previously seen piece talk man circus opens lead single features synth repetitive chorus lyrically discusses cheating man described spears girl anthem circus addresses feelings entertainer performing highlighted lines eyes centre ring like circus crack whip everybody gon trip like circus electronic dance elements compared spears earlier single break ice ballad incorporates acoustic guitar gathered comparisons track girl woman kill lights dance pop song talks spears conflict critics noted similarities works madonna spears piece utilizes dark electronic beats details non relationship glam rave elements traditional pop styles gained controversy double title sounds like electropop track unusual deals woman finding unexpected love compared musical themes 1980s 1990s noted ballad song drawing comparisons mood popularized janet_jackson sees inclusion urban influences lyrically recalls morning party lyrics remember night got head right hell night drew similarities spears prior song early draws elements 1960s rock guitar latin pop dance hall themes despite fun nature criticized appearing persona baby time suggested lyrics deal spears father dance pop song trip hop influence noted risky futuristic nature suggested spears vocals sounded lace leather gained comparisons control era janet_jackson prince works 1980s featured unknown backing vocalist baby described having faux janet_jackson vocal written spears sons closes album singles released september album lead single song met positive response critics complimented hook empowering lyrics deemed return form comeback single spears debuted billboard hot number ninety jumping week number song broke record largest leap position record later broken life suck song considered spears biggest hits covered artists sold digital downloads united_states music video premiered october sequel hit single toxic portrays spears woman different costumes follows boyfriend daily activities expose end circus released december album second single day earlier planned unauthorized leaks debuted peaked number billboard hot circus sold digital downloads united_states accompanying music video portrays spears circus accompanied different performers features scenes spears different circus settings video received positive reviews critics criticized featuring trained animals claims dismissed won best video award released march album single stated spears recorded new version song new edit provided threatened file complaints station played song song peaked number nineteen hot music video released march depicts spears fun american culture radar originally included released fourth final single release canceled spears began work circus instead released promotional single radar included bonus track circus released album fourth final single june music video portrays spears polo mansion involved love triangle men polo players radar originally entered songs chart number digital downloads confirmed single entered billboard hot number ninety peaked following week number eighty promotion promote album set fans leave message spears received return phone songs previewed website new_york radio station mtv aired minute documentary britney record november documenting return career official website held britney spears global fan fiction contest required fan submit word story based songs circus public allowed vote favorite short story produced animated music video winning story based song kill lights video premiered july spears live comeback began november cameo appearance stadium madonna midway performance human nature spears joined madonna stage week prior album release spears performed countries november spears performed live awards germany received award addition performed song france following day factor united_kingdom november performance factor watched average citizens spears premiered second single circus good morning america new_york performed december 27th birthday release album december performed japan best artist circus starring britney spears performing december spears announced fifth worldwide concert tour titled circus starring britney spears revealed leg dates united_states united_kingdom longtime manager stated tour blow people minds promises britney fans forget later adding goes speed hour half pretty intense blown britney spears everybody spears expressed excitement including songs setlist tour promote tour began march finished legs tour visiting north_america twice europe australia stage composed rings set round resemble actual circus fashion designers dean created costumes giant cylinder screen set stage showcase videos backdrops effects provided set list composed generally albums zone circus june britney announced tour australia time rumored tour south_america manager denied despite efforts controversy arose australian leg tour fans walked performances spears alleged lip claims later denied spears management promoters tour ranked fourth highest grossing tour year north_america highest grossing tour year solo artist february released worldwide concert tours tour ranked fifth highest grossing tour worldwide year gross million ranked tour fifth position profitable female tours list critical reception release circus received generally favorable reviews music critics metacritic assigns normalized rating reviews mainstream critics circus received average score based reviews indicating generally favorable reviews stephen_thomas_erlewine provided favorable review describing friendly remake preferred predecessor addictive circus appreciated spears appeared real effort circus performances flat sounding felt writing digital spy nick_levine opined spears sounds confident entertainment_weekly appreciated overall production circus critical spears recently established pattern putting albums titles promise self revelation ultimately able provide robert_christgau gave circus star honorable mention stating fun new_york_times expressed enjoyment crisp material incorporated catchy melodic rolling_stone opined adventurous pop included album satisfactory successor fourth album zone writing usa today applauded spears knowing singer time searching artistic direction appeal village_voice considered better worse janet_jackson discipline alexis_petridis guardian gave mixed review suggesting spears appeared frequently sounds disconnected bit bored record relentless risky album woman obituary apparently prepared associated_press writer independent gave negative review opining spears vocal delivery sounded mid tempo ballad paced tracks slant_magazine shared similar sentiment suggesting album self gave hollow feel majority record los_angeles_times felt circus served bang job stating spears young woman trying manage impossible situation writing nme disappointed spears simply rubbish sexy adding circus attempt turn perceived chaos britney transition adulthood week adult pop product commercial performance circus debuted billboard week sales copies album spent weeks making spears longest running album spent weeks circus certified platinum recording_industry_association_of_america january according nielsen soundscan march album sold million copies united_states units sold album opened number canadian albums_chart best sales effort sold copies month circus ninth best selling album copies selling digital albums year downloads march circus certified platinum denoting shipped copies retailers mexico album debuted international chart number overall chart selling copies going gold week oceania album success debuting number australia certified platinum weeks shipments units gone certified platinum shipments units united_kingdom album debuted peaked number united_kingdom albums chart spending thirty weeks chart album certified platinum united_kingdom france album sold copies days release debuting number french weekly album charts asia album charted japanese oricon albums chart peaking number albums chart gaining gold certification despite released singles songs circus appeared billboard component charts album release peaked number seventy billboard hot higher album fourth single radar peaked number hot peaking number thirty song entered pop chart peaking number seven lace leather peaked number eighty billboard pop peaked number ninety chart charted sweden song debuted number week august reaching number thirty following stayed chart weeks track listing notes signifies vocal producer signifies producer credits personnel credits adapted allmusic charts certifications release history
Circus (Britney Spears album)