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This article is about the album. To see alternate articles, check out Circus.

Circus is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Britney Spears. The album was first released on November 28, 2008,[1] by Jive Records. Spears started work on the album in March 2008[2] [3] with a range of producers, including long-time producers Bloodshy & Avant and Danja. The album consists of electropop and dance-pop. It received positive reviews from critics and was compared with her previous studio album, Blackout. Commercially, the album also performed very well. In the United States, the album debuted atop the Billboard 200 selling over half a million copies and 505,000 copies worldwide in first week. The feat also earned Spears a place on the Guinness Book of World Records due to Spears becoming the youngest female artist in history to have five number one albums. Elsewhere, the album had a good commercial response, topping charts in Canada and Europe.

Circus is Spears' second album since ...Baby One More Time to have two top-ten hits and three top-twenty hits. The album gained a Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording for "Womanizer," but lost to Lady Gaga's "Poker Face." It has become her biggest-selling album since In the Zone, selling over eight million combined sales of digital tracks and over four million copies worldwide.

Spears embarked on her fifth concert tour in support of the album, titled The Circus Starring Britney Spears. The tour kicked off on March 3, 2009, in New Orleans and finished in Adelaide's Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Spears embarked on four legs of the tour, visiting North America twice and also performing in Europe and Australia. The tour gained controversy in Australia due to accusations of lip-synching. Elsewhere, Spears promoted the album by performing on several television shows and releasing four music videos.

Background[]

In March 2008, Spears confirmed the process of recording her sixth studio album. With the announcement came the additional confirmation of the involvement of producers including Sean Garrett, Lil Jon, Rodney Jerkins, Guy Sigsworth, Danja and Bloodshy & Avant. During its development, Garrett and vocal producer Jim Beanz complimented Spears' work ethic after her much-publicized personal struggles the previous year. Spears chose to write much of the material for the album and worked to develop a record with several of her previous collaborators.

Spears initially said it would have a hip-hop sound, working with various hip-hop producers and describing it as a "more urban" direction. She claimed that Circus marked the longest time she had spent recording an album, adding, "I'm writing every day, right here at the piano in this living room" and considered it her best work to date.

Describing the album's title, Spears said, "I like the fact that you're always on the edge of your seat when you're at a circus. You're never bored [...] You're just really engulfed in what's going on around you. And you want to know what's going to happen next." Circus was initially scheduled to be released worldwide on December 2, 2008, on Spears' 27th birthday. However, after unauthorized online leaks, Imeem.com began streaming the album from their website on November 25. The album was released three days later.

Track Listing[]

Standard Version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Womanizer"Rafael Akinyemi • Nikeshia Briscoe3:43
2."Circus"Łukasz Gottwald • Claude Kelly • Benjamin Levin3:12
3."Out from Under"Arnthor Birgisson • Wayne Hector • Shelly Peiken3:54
4."Kill the Lights"Marcella Araica • Luke Boyd • Nathaniel Hills • James Washington3:59
5."Shattered Glass"Gottwald • Kelly • Levin2:53
6."If U Seek Amy"Max Martin • Savan Kotecha • Alexander Kronlund • Shellback3:37
7."Unusual You"Washington • Henrik Jonback • Christian Karlsson • Kasia Livingston • Pontus Winnberg4:27
8."Blur"Araica • Hills • Stacy Barthe3:09
9."Mmm Papi"Britney Spears • Adrien Gough • Peter-John Kerr • Nicole Morier • Henry Walter3:22
10."Mannequin"Spears • James Fauntleroy II • Rob Knox • Harvey Mason, Jr.4:06
11."Lace and Leather"Gottwald • Levin • Ronnie Jackson • Frankie Storm2:48
12."My Baby"Spears • Guy Sigsworth3:20
13."Radar"Henrik Jonback • Christian Karlsson • Ezekiel Lewis • Balewa Muhammad • Candice Nelson • J. Que • Pontus Winnberg3:49
Total length:46:15
German and Mexican Version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
14."Rock Boy"Araica • Hills • Michael Shimshack3:21
Total length:49:36
Deluxe Version
No.TitleLength
14."Rock Me In"3:57
15."Phonography"3:57
Total length:57:07
U.K. and Japanese Version
No.TitleLength
16."Amnesia"3:57
Total length:49:36
French Amazon Version
No.TitleLength
16."Trouble"3:34
Total length:56:41
European iTunes Version
No.TitleLength
16."Quicksand"4:05
Total length:57:12

Singles[]

"Womanizer", the album's lead single, became a worldwide hit and broke records for having the largest jump to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 after debuting at number ninety-six. It became her best-selling single in the US since her debut single "...Baby One More Time".

"Circus", the album's second single, debuted and peaked at number 3 in the US, becoming Spears' second top ten hit from the album. The song's music video received positive reviews from critics, but was criticized by PETA for featuring trained animals. However, the trainers opposed these claims.

"If U Seek Amy", the album's third single, peaked at number 19 in the U.S. It caused controversy for its double entendre that is interpreted as "F-U-C-K Me".

"Radar", the album's fourth single, was originally included on Blackout and was intended to be the album's fourth single, but was scrapped after Spears announced work on the album. It was featured as a bonus track on the album and was released as its final single.

"Mannequin" was considered to be the album's fifth single before deciding to release the compilation The Singles Collection.

Unreleased & Unused songs[]

Underlined can be found online.

  • Abroad - Written by Danja & The Clutch. Leaked in 2011.
  • Dangerous - Written by Nicole Morier & Greg Kusrtin. Leaked in 2011.
  • Every Day - Written by Britney Spears, Xandy Barry & Wally Gagel. Leaked in 2011.
  • Follow My Fingers - Written by Britney Spears, Cathy Dennis, Nicole Morier & Freecha.
  • Paradise - Written by Britney Spears, Xandy Barry & Wally Gagel.
  • This Kiss - Written by Darren Lewis. Nicole Morier & Iyiola Babalola. Leaked in 2012.
  • Take the Bait - Written by Danja & The Clutch.
  • Telephone - Written by Lady Gaga & Rodney Jerkins. Demo leaked in 2010.
  • Velvet Lipstick - Written by Chris Brown, Henrik Jonback, Bloodshy & Avant.
  • Whiplash - Later given to Selena Gomez & The Scene for their album When The Sun Goes Down.

Unknown if recorded:

  • Be Bad - Demo pitched by Danja, Marcella Araica, Luke Boyd & Britney Bereal.
  • Brave - Demo pitched by Cathy Dennis, Benny Blanco & Dr. Luke.
  • Back To Me Now - Demo pitched by Frankie Storm, Henrik Jonback, Bloodshy & Avant.
  • Compete - Demo pitched by Kasia Livingston, Henrik Jonback, Bloodshy & Avant.
  • Created A Monster - Demo pitched by Frankie Storm, James Fauntleroy, OAK & Harvey Mason Jr.
  • Entertainment - Demo pitched by Kasia Livingston, Frankie Storm, Henrik Jonback, Bloodshy & Avant.
  • Emotion Sickness - Demo pitched by Kasia Livingston, Frankie Storm, Henrik Jonback, Bloodshy & Avant.
  • Follow - Demo pitched by Danja, Marcella Araica, Luke Boyd & Britney Bereal.
  • Guilty Of innocence - Demo pitched by Frankie Storm & Rodney Jerkins.
  • Getcha - Demo pitched by Nicole Morier & Greg Kurstin.
  • Heartbeat - Demo pitched by Danja, Marcella Araica, Luke Boyd & Britney Bereal.
  • Hello Goodbye - Demo pitched by Frankie Storm, Henrik Jonback, Bloodshy & Avant.
  • I Don't Care - Demo pitched by Danja, Claude Kelly, Marcella Araica & Tina Parol.
  • I'll Take It From Here - Demo pitched by Frankie Storm, Henrik Jonback, Bloodshy & Avant.
  • Just For Kicks - Demo pitched by Nicole Morier & Greg Kurstin.
  • Just Don't - Demo pitched by Shelly Peiken, Bloodshy & Avant.
  • Liberate Me - Demo pitched by Cathy Dennis and Greg Kurstin.
  • Performance - Demo pitched by Frankie Storm & Rodney Jerkins.
  • Paint My Skies Blue - Demo pitched by Frankie Storm & Rodney Jerkins.
  • Replace Your Heart - Demo pitched by Cathy Dennis, Kasia Livingston & Greg Kurstin.
  • Venom - Demo pitched by Kasia Livingston, Crystal Johnson and JD Salbego.

CD Booklet[]

Physical Versions[]

References[]

Circuslogo
Discography
Artists Britney Spears
Releases Circus
Tracklist WomanizerCircusOut from UnderKill the LightsShattered GlassIf U Seek AmyUnusual YouBlurMmm PapiMannequinLace and LeatherMy BabyRadarRock Me InPhonographyRock BoyAmnesiaTroubleQuicksand
Non-Album AbroadDangerousEvery DayTelephoneThis Kiss
Other Eras
...Baby One More TimeOops!... I Did It AgainBritneyIn the ZoneBlackoutCircusFemme FataleBritney JeanGlory
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