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from In the Zone
Released: October 14, 2003)
Released: January 13, 2004)
Released: May 10, 2004)
Released: July 20, 2004)
In the Zone is the fourth
by American recording artist . It was released on November 12, 2003, by . Its music incorporates , ,
styles with instrumentation from guitars, drums, synthesizers, strings, and
musical instruments. Its themes range from love, dancing, empowerment, and in the case of songs such as "Touch of My Hand", sex and . Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including , , , ,
With the conclusion of the
in July 2002 and the end of her relationship with , Spears planned to take a six-month b however, work for In the Zone began later that November. She began writing songs for the album while touring internationally, despite not knowing the direction of the album. She experimented with different producers, trying to find those with whom she had chemistry. The first song recorded was "", which Spears claims set the mood for the album. She co-wrote all but four tracks, and often changed the lyrics to suit herself. Spears stated she was an autobiographical songwriter, although not to the point where she felt self-exploited. She also explained that the sexual nature of In the Zone was subconscious and happened while she was in the process of developing the album. Spears collaborated with artists such as
in "" and the
in "(I Got That) Boom Boom".
In the Zone received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented its mix of different styles and Spears's songwriting, but criticized her vocals for being distant and processed. Commercially, In the Zone became an international success, debuting atop of the charts in France and the United States, and peaking inside the top ten in fifteen countries. In the United States, she became the first female artist to have four consecutive number-one albums. In the Zone went on to become the eighth best selling album of 2003.
Four singles were released from the album: "", "" and "" became worldwide hits, all peaking at number one in Australia and Ireland and reaching top five positions worldwide. To promote In the Zone, Spears performed the songs in a number of television appearances and also embarked on . The album and its music videos are largely seen by critics as the end of her transition from teen pop star to a more adult female artist. In 2009, Amy Schriefer of
listed In the Zone as one of The 50 Most Important Recordings of the Decade, calling it "a primer on the sound of pop in the '00s".
Spears performing "Me Against the Music" at the .
In November 2001, Spears released her third album, , which portrayed more adult and provocative themes and featured the lead single "". The album sold 4 million copies in the United S nevertheless, it was viewed as "poor-selling" in comparison to her previous efforts. The following year, her relationship of three years with pop singer
ended after months of speculation. After the
in support of Britney finalized in July 2002, Spears announced she would take a break from her career for six months. In November 2002, 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, [] she's gone..."
While in Europe, Spears met with
about possible collaborations, and originally confirmed
as producers. When asked by
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
in an effort to help evolve her sound. Elliott would also enlist in further production work with
for Spears' project, however none of the initial material saw the light of day.
was asked by Spears' management to submit material, and he wrote and produced three
tracks that were recorded by Spears in January 2003. However, after news of an affair between them broke, Durst told
he was not going to let them use the songs for the album. In March 2003,
spoke about the development of the album with , and likened their work with Spears to 's . Scott Spock, also from The Matrix, continued comparing her to Madonna, 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 [her fans] will be freaked out or upset. I think they'll be really into what's going to happen."
Spears also previewed several songs to Quddus Philippe of MTV in May 2003, including "", "Brave New Girl" and "". Spears commented, "I've really been able to take my time and have creative control and make [the new album] special, special, special." On August 27, 2003, Spears opened the
performing a medley of "/" with Madonna,
and . The performance started with Spears appearing on stage on top of a giant wedding cake while wearing a w 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 proceededing to kiss Spears and Aguilera on the lips. Missy Elliott came out from a
to sing her song "" halfway through the performance. The kiss generated strong reaction from the media. The performance was listed by
magazine as one of the twenty-five sexiest music moments on television history. MTV listed the performance as the number-one opening moment in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards.
Spears performing "Shadow" during the , 2004.
For In the Zone, Spears worked with hit producers such as , , , , ,
and The Matrix. She first started writing songs for In the Zone during the 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. [But] You 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
to her home in Los Angeles. They started writing songs at the piano, and shortly after, they traveled to
in . Among the tracks they worked on was "Everytime", which Artani confirmed to be written as a response to Justin Timberlake's "", as well as "Shine", written by Spears about her sister , which was left unfinished. Earnest recording of the album began in early 2003. 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", 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 , presented Spears with the third song they had written and produced, "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 has 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. 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". , Lisa Greene and Stephen Lee wrote "" at Metrophonic Studios in London, England. 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 , who kept most of the programming done by Anderson. With Taylor, Spears recorded "Breathe on Me" and "", which did not make the album. Before the album was released, Spears's manager
commented that it was important for Spears to continue moving away from a traditional pop sound, citing "I'm a Slave 4 U" and "" from Britney as departures from her previous music. , then-president of , 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." In the Zone was recorded at Battery Studios and The Dojo in New York City, 3:20 Studios, Decoy Studios, Pacifique Studios,
in Los Angeles, California, The Chocolate Factory, in , Triangle Sond {sic} Studios in , Metrophonic Studios and Olympic Studios in London, England, and Murlyn Studios in . Throughout the beginning of 2003, Spears started testing tracks by playing them in nightclubs such as Show in New York City.
"I just think once you start being so self-serving with your music... I did a little bit of that with the last record, and I really didn't want to put myself out there that much. I understand [when musicians write about personal things]. But when everything is about you, I just think.... Like, on this record, some of the songs, like 'Brave New Girl', I can relate to that song, but It's how personal you go. This record is definitely personal, but it's not shockingly personal – put it that way."
— Spears talks writing about personal experiences
According to Billboard, In the Zone marks 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 , 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 '' 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." Amy Schriefer of
stated the album is a mix of , , ,
beats and . According to William Shaw of Blender, the main theme of In the Zone is "Spears’s awakening to her sexuality as a single woman." The first single from the album, "", features Madonna, but was constructed as a duet 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
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 -style hip hop track featuring the .
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A 22 second sample of the song's chorus, with
influences. The song was described as the most sensual of the album.
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A 24 second sample of the chorus of "Touch of My Hand". The instrumentation contains elements of
and its lyrics refer to .
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"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?" The fourth track, "", was described as the most sensual song of the record. Containing
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. "", which Spears later named as her favorite song from her career, was originally offered to . Released as the album's second single, it contains elements of
and , and features varied instrumentation, such as drums, synthesizers, high-pitched
and . Lyrically, "Toxic" talks about being addicted to a lover. "", the fourth and final single from the album, is a hip hop-inspired track that according to MTV features Spears "whisper[ing] and moan[ing] [...] with a
melody giving the song an exotic feel." The lyrics talk about materialism and amusement, with the singer referencing in the chorus a number of things that give her pleasure. In "Touch of My Hand", which Spears felt it was comparable to 's "" (1993), she sings in a lower register. The instrumentation contains elements of
and its lyrics refer to , "I will be bold/ Going to the places where I can be out of control/ Don't want to explain tonight/ All the things I try to hide."
The ninth track "The Hook Up" has a
feel and features Spears singing in a
accent. The ballad "Shadow" talks about how reminders of a lover can still linger after he’s gone. "Brave New Girl" lyrics talk about a young woman finding her passion and losing inhibitions. Backed by choppy,
beats, she sings in a bouncy near-rap, "She's going to find her passion, 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 song incorporates elements of the music of ,
and Madonna. "Everytime" begins with a piano introduction accompanying Spears's breathy vocals, which build from soft to strong throughout the song. "Everytime" lyrics are a plea for forgiveness for inadvertently hurting a former lover. In the song, the singer 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 about the song, "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 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
shouts. In "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?". In "Don't Hang Up", she pleads on the phone for her lover to keep her satisfied long-distance.
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A 22-second sample of "Me Against the Music", featuring the first verse where Spears and Madonna trade lines.
Problems playing this file? See .
"" was released as the lead single from In the Zone on October 20, 2003, by Jive Records. The label's choice for the first single was originally "Outrageous", but Spears convinced them to release "Me Against the Music". The song received mixed reviews from critics. Some felt it was a strong dance track of the album, while others referred to it as lackluster and disappointing. "Me Against the Music" achieved international success, peaking atop of the charts in countries such as Australia, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and Spain, as well as the . It also peaked at number two in Canada, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom, and inside the top five in many other nations. The song won the "Hot Dance Single of the Year" accolade at the 2004 . In the song's accompanying music video, Spears chases Madonna inside a nightclub. "" was released as the album's second single on January 12, 2004. After trying to choose between "(I Got That) Boom Boom" and "Outrageous", Spears selected "Toxic" instead. The song received positive reviews from critics. "Toxic" attained worldwide success, reaching the top-five in fifteen countries, while topping the charts in Australia, Canada, Hungary, Norway and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it became her first single to peak inside the top ten in almost four years. 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
for , and its often referred to as one of her defining songs.
"" was the third single released from the album, on May 17, 2004. It received positive appreciation from contemporary critics. "Everytime" was a commercial success, peaking inside the top five in most countries, while reaching the top of the charts in Australia, Hungary, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The music video for "Everytime" 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 reeincarnated. 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. "" was the fourth and last single from the album, released on July 13, 2004. The song was finally chosen as a single after it was selected as the
for the 2004 film . "Outrageous" received mixed reviews from critics. Some praised its funky sound, noting its influence from
and Janet Jackson, while others deemed it as "forgettable". The song only charted in the United States, entering many of Billboard? 's component charts and peaking at number seventy-nine on the Hot 100. The music video was being shot in New York City in June 2004, when Spears hurt her knee and had to undergo . The video was canceled, as well as The Onyx Hotel Tour and the feature in the Catwoman soundtrack.
Spears performing "Toxic" during the , 2011.
In November 2003, Barry Weiss spoke to Billboard and said that In the Zone was being promoted in a worldwide level, exhausting areas such as print and electronic media, TV, radio and video to raise awareness of the album's release. In addition, Jive worked with lifestyle marketer the Karpel Group to market the album to the . Other broader-based marketing efforts included a tie-in with marketing company LidRock, where after ordering a soda at , 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 2003, an updated LidRock disc included a remix of "Me Against the Music" without Madonna, as well as songs by fellow Jive acts
also showed a short film that included footage of the making of Spears's music videos. Two national TV advertising campaigns began on November 1, 2003, one with a teaser ad in American comedy show
and another exclusively on MTV. No sponsored cross-marketing campaigns were planned, as Larry Rudolph explained, "[This time] it's going to be more about the music than about corporate tie-ins." In terms of international exposure, during a fourth-month period Spears was featured in seven mini TV-specials and more than one-hundred and fifty interviews outside the US.
Spears first performed "Me Against the Music" at the
on September 4, 2003 at the . The performance segued into a medley of "...Baby One More Time" and "I'm a Slave 4 U", which included pyrotechnics. On September 14, 2003, Spears played a surprise concert at
in the , 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, 2003, Spears performed "Me Against the Music" and "Everytime" during the
season of Saturday Night Live. Spears opened the
telecast with a performance of "Me Against the Music". On November 17, 2003, a concert special titled Britney Spears: In the Zone aired in . The following day, she performed "Me Against the Music" and "(I Got That) Boom Boom" on the American music show
at . "Me Against the Music" was also performed on American late-night show
and American morning show
on November 17 and 24, 2003. She performed "Toxic", "Breathe on Me" and "Me Against the Music" as the headliner of the
on December 8, 2003, at the . On January 24, 2004, Spears opened the 2004
with a performance of "Toxic". On August 5, 2004, Spears performed "Everytime" at the British music chart show .
Main article:
The Onyx Hotel Tour to promote In the Zone was the fourth concert tour by Britney Spears. A tour to promote the album was announced in December 2003. Its original name was the In the Zone Tour, but Spears was sued for trademark infringement and banned from using the phrase 'in the zone'. 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 , 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
marketed the tour to a more adult audience than her previous shows while sponsor MTV highly promoted the tour on TV shows and the network's website. The tour was divided into seven segments: , , , , ,
and the encore. Check-In displayed performances with dance and advanced in the hotel theme. Mystic Lounge featured an homage to
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 . 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 [like] a 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. In June, Spears fell and hurt her knee again during a music video shoot. She underwent surgery and the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
In the Zone holds a score of 66 out of 100 (indicating "generally positive reviews") based on 13 critical reviews, according to the music review aggregator . Jason Shawhan of
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[here]'s 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 , for sure, but it feels like Ms. S. has been paying attention to La Ciccone. To put it another way, this is Britney's ."
said that the album "[is] all 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
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
called "Early Mornin'" the best track of the album, but added, "Sadly, her attempts to prove her new-found maturity are what overwhelm and cloud all that is good about In The Zone." Mim Udovitch of
commented, "This I’m-coming-out record is an unhesitant move from songs of the heart to songs of the groin [...] No longer a girl, freed from slavery, now fully a woman, she makes a pretty convincing mistress." David Browne of
called "Brave New Girl" and "Touch of My Hand" the best and most straightforward moments of the album, but added that "On a CD intended to celebrate her lurch into adulthood, Spears remains distant and submerged. For all her freedom, she's still finding her way."
Jon Pareles of
said, "[Spears's] voice is so processed, its physicality almost disappears. [...] In the Zone offers strip-club, 1-900 sex, accommodating and hollow. Beyond the glittering beats, Spears sounds about as intimate as a blowup doll." Sal Cinquemani of
stated, "Britney's fourth album, In The Zone, finds the pop tart coming of age with a bold mix of hip-hop and dance music, wiping clean the last traces of her bubblegum-pop past. [...] For the most part, In The Zone is a big, fat, thumping love letter to the dancefloor, which makes Madonna's involvement [...] even more appropriate." Dorian Lynskey of
commented, "Unlike previous Britney albums, In the Zone has no filler and no shoddy cover versions, just 57 varieties of blue-chip hit-factory pop. There is southern hip-hop, deep house, Neptunes-style R&B, the ubiquitous Diwali beat and, most importantly, oodles of Madonna." Jason King of
deemed it as "A supremely confident dance record that also illustrates Spears's development as a songwriter." "Toxic" won Spears her only
Spears performing "Touch of My Hand" in Sacramento during the , 2009.
According to , In the Zone sold 609,000 during its first week of availability in the United States, debuting at the top of the . The album had the second highest debut sales of 2003 by a female artist (only behind 's ), as well as the fifth highest debut sales of the year. Spears also became the first female artist in Billboard's history to have four consecutive number-one albums. By its third week, In the Zone had already sold 1 million copies in the country. The album was certified two-times
(RIAA) on December 16, 2003, for shipments of 2 million copies in the United States. It has sold over 3,000,000 copies there according to Nielsen SoundScan. In Canada, the album debuted at number two in the
with sales of 31,000 units. It was certified three-times
(CRIA) for shipments of 300,000 copies.
In Australia and New Zealand, In the Zone debuted at number ten and twenty-five in the official charts, respectively. It was certified platinum by the
(ARIA) indicating shipments of 70,000 units. The album debuted at number three on the
weekly album chart in Japan, selling around 59,128 copies. In Mexico, In the Zone was certified platinum on December 17, 2003, by the
(AMPROFON) for shipments of 150,000 copies. The album was also certified platinum in Argentina by the
(CAPIF) for shipments of 40,000 copies in total. In the Zone debuted at number fourteen on the , staying on the chart for forty-three weeks and jumping to its peak of number thirteen on its thirty-fourth week in the chart. It was certified platinum by the
(BPI) for shipments of 300,000 copies. The album also debuted at the top of the charts in France. In April 2004, it was certified platinum by the
(IFPI) for shipments of a million copies in Europe. In the Zone was the eighth best selling album of 2003.
"I’m not the type of person to put blame on other people, but I do feel that some things which were done for me were not always in my best interests. Looking back, I feel now that on my 4th album 'less is more' should have been the way to go."
—Spears reflects on In the Zone in November 2004.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic commented, "If 2001's Britney was a transitional album, capturing Spears at the point when she , its 2003 follow-up, In the Zone, is where she has finally completed that journey and turned into Britney, the Adult Woman." Erlewine compared Spears to her peer , explaining that both equated maturity with transparent sexuality and the pounding sounds of nightclubs, but while Aguilera "comes across like a natural-born skank, Britney is the
cutting loose at college, drinking and smoking and dancing and sexing just a little too recklessly, since this is the first time she can indulge herself." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine stated, "For a girl who's always seemed too sexed-up for her age, In The Zone finds Britney finally filling her britches, so-to-speak. Her little girl coquettishness actually works now—maybe because, at 21, she's finally a woman." Jason King of Vibe said the album showcased a transformed Spears, "no longer a girl, and all the woman any man can handle." In 2009, Amy Schriefer of
listed the album on The 50 Most Important Recording of the Decade list. Calling it "a primer on the sound of pop in the '00s", she deemed Spears as the ideal vehicle for a futuristic sound, since she was still trying to break away from her
past. Schriefer praised "Toxic" and "Everytime", and also stated, "While the decade's history of celebrity obsession, paparazzi voyeurism and conflicted constructions of female sexuality and motherhood are written on Spears' body, the decade's history of impeccably crafted pop is written on her body of work."
Julie Andsager in Sex in consumer culture (2006) said that the music videos from In the Zone presented a different Spears, and that although the album was intended to target the gay market, the videos were clearly designed for heterosexual men. Andsager suggested that Spears took cues more directly from sexual fantasies, and that the use of sanitized images of attractive young women posed in sexual ways (lesbian chic) serves two audiences: primarily, it sought to fulfill heterosexual fantasies, but as a secondary function, it may also serve young women as a source of instruction in attracting males. From a marketing perspective, the fantasy-fulfillment purpose of the album was apparent not only on the videos, but also in the kiss between Spears at Madonna at the Video Music Awards. Finally, Andsager explained that "[Spears] has, perhaps, taken her sexuality to its extreme—for network television, at least—at the age of 22".
"" (featuring )
Thabiso "Tab" Nikhereanye
Penelope Magnet
Gary O'Brien
"(I Got That) Boom Boom" (featuring )
Chyna Royal
Deongelo Holmes
Eric Jackson
"Showdown"  
Stephen Lee
Lisa Greene
"Early Mornin'"  
Bloodshy & Avant
"Touch of My Hand"  
"The Hook Up"  
Nikhereanye
"Shadow"  
"Brave New Girl"  
Josh Schwartz
Brian and Josh
"Me Against the Music" (featuring Madonna) (Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha Remix)
Nikhereanye
Total length:
"The Answer"  
"Don't Hang Up"  
Brian and Josh
Total length:
"The Answer"  
"Toxic" (Music video)
"Everytime" (Music video)
"Chris Cox Megamix" (Music video)
Various directors
"Me Against the Music" (Music video)
"Toxic" (Music video)
"Photo Gallery"  
"On-Screen Lyrics"  
signifies a co-
signifies a vocal
signifies a
Algozee – performing ensemble
Ed Alton – string arrangements
– composer, instrumentation, programming
BlackCell – background vocals
– arranger, programming, producer, engineer, digital editing, instrumentation
DaCorna Boyz – keyboards
B.U.D. – background vocals
Courtney Copeland – background vocals
Tom Coyne – mastering
– composer
– background vocals
Roxanne Estrada – background vocals
Chris Fudurich – engineer
Andy Gallas – engineer
Abel Garibaldi – programming, engineer
Roy Gartrell – banjo, guitar
Brad Gilderman – engineer
– arranger, producer, background vocals, instrumentation
John Hanes – digital editing, Pro-Tools
Dug Hanes – Pro-Tools
– arranger, programming, producer, guitar, keyboards
Emma Holmgren – background vocals
Janson & Janson – conductor
Henrik Jonback – composer, guitar
Jennifer Karr – background vocals
– composer, programming, producer, engineer, vocal engineer, vocal editing, guitar, keyboards
Kyron Leslie – background vocals
Thomas Lindberg – bass
Steve Lunt – arranger, producer
Donnie Lyle – guitar
Sean Magee – engineer
Penelope Magnet – arranger, composer, producer, vocal arrangements, vocal producer, background vocals
– composer
Sean McGhee – engineer
Ian Mereness – programming, engineer
C. Midnight – composer
– composer, programming, producer, engineer, instrumentation
Pablo Munguia – engineer
Kendall D. Nesbitt – keyboards
– composer, producer, background vocals
– remixing
Emma Roads – background vocals
Chyna Royal – background vocals
Joshua M. Schwartz – composer, producer, engineer, guitar
– producer, instrumentationn
– producer
– vocals, composer, producer, Background vocals
– engineer, vocal engineer
– producer, vocal arrangements, vocal producer, arranger, composer, programming, background vocals, instrumentation
Stockholm Session Strings – strings
Rich Tapper – engineer
David Treahearn – engineer
– producer, engineer
– producer, engineer, background vocals
Brian "B Luv" Thomas – engineer, digital editing, vocal engineer
Mike Tucker – vocal engineer, vocal editing
Tumbi – performing ensemble
Peter Winnberg – composer
P-Dub Walton – digital editing
– background vocals
Dan Yashiz – digital editing
– background vocals
Charts (2003)
Austrian Albums Chart
(Flanders)
(Wallonia)
Danish Albums Chart
Charts (2003)
Swiss Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
Charts (2004)
Australian Albums Chart
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)
Hungarian Albums Chart
Swiss Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
US Billboard 200
US Billboard 200
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. . December 1, .
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(in German).
Austria 2014. Enter Britney Spears in the field Interpret. Enter In the Zone in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch 2014.
(in Portuguese).
. IFPI - Denmark. 9 June .
The first web page presents the sales figures, the second presents the certification limits:
(in Finnish).
(in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland 2014.
(in French).
. Syndicat National de l'?dition Phonographique. Info Disc. 5 November .
(in German).
(in Hungarian).
(in Japanese).
(in Spanish). . .
. IFPI - Norway. .
(in Russian).
from the original on January 24, .
. PROMUSICAE. Week 15, .
(PDF) (in Swedish).
Sweden 2014.
. Hung Medien 2014.
2014. Enter In the Zone in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
Justin Myers (13 June 2015). . Official Charts 2015.
2014. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Reichert, T Lambiase, Jacqueline (2006). Sex in consumer culture: the erotic content of media and marketing. .  
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