This Day in Pop: Britney releases 'In the Zone' album in 2003 (November 12)

[PokemonSpears]

  

On November 12, 2003, Britney Spears released In the Zone, her fourth studio album, in the UK and Italy. It was released on November 18 in the United States.

 

The album showed a more mature sound and image compared to her previous three records, incorporating pop, dance, hip hop, electropop and Middle Eastern influences, among other genres, and lyrically, it talks about dancing, love, *** and even mas*******n. It features collaborations with Madonna and the Ying Yang Twins.

The producers that worked on this album were Bloodshy & Avant, Brian and Josh, Roy "Royalty" Hamilton, Jimmy Harry, Penelope Magnet, Moby, The Matrix, R. Kelly, Rishi Rich, Guy Sigsworth, Shep Soloman, Mark Taylor and Trixster. Britney co-wrote all but 4 songs. She started recording the album in November 2002 after her Dream Within a Dream Tour finished, being Touch of My Hand the first song she recorded, and the one that set the tone for the rest of the album. She then continued with the Everytime sessions, which she co-wrote with her backup vocalist Annet Artani (Annette Stamatelatos). Annet confirmed another song Shine which was about Britney's sister Jamie Lynn, but that song didn't make the cut.

It was precisely these two songs which she mentioned on an interview for hip to be the most personal of the album for her:

"I really love the vibe of “Touch of My Hand.” When I was in the studio it really came off as like such a natural process. And I love the subject that, you know, I’m touching on because no one’s really talked about some of those things in a lot of songs written lately because people are scared to go there and to express themselves in that way. And, you know, I think it’s an empowering thing for girls, you know.
And “Everytime” is just a really nice song because it’s just, you know, it’s kind of personal in a weird way. I just think the song — it’s one of the songs that when you hear, it’s like the kind of song when you go to heaven. It kind of takes you away. You know, it takes you in to a very cool consciousness I think."

However she also noticed that every song from the album is a representation of her in some way:

"I think every song. I mean you have to go through experiences in your life and go through day-to-day things to be able to write songs and to be able to express yourself and have something to be inspired to write about. So I think every song is a representation of me and like an art form. But it’s not completely too personal. Sometimes I write about fictitious things. You know, like I’ll make up a story in my head about someone going through an issue in life and I’ll be in the studio and we’ll have chemistry with people and we’ll go from there. So I think all of the songs are a representation of me."

When asked about her contributions in the lyrics and music of the album she commented:

"Well the main thing — like with “Everytime” I wrote the whole thing from scratch on the piano. Musically there was no track or anything. I was just at my house and I did the whole thing by myself. And then I went and I played it for (Guy Sigmouth) and 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. And so that song specifically, you know, I did everything. But as far as like, you know, the other songs I would go in to the studio and they would play me just a bunch of different tracks. And I would pick a track that I liked. And then I would basically do the melodies and the words and they would do the tracks. And like if I heard sounds here or there,in my head that thought should be there, they would elaborate on. And if they wanted streams here, and more of a baseline here they would do it. So that’s kind of how it worked. But musically, I didn’t do a lot of the tracks. That’s something that I really want to probably learn on the next album. But for the most part I did most of the melody and just the words."

Four singles were released in total to promote the album: Me Against the Music, Toxic, Everytime and Outrageous. Additionally, The Onyx Hotel Tour kicked off in 2004 in order to support In the Zone.

 

The songs that appear on the album across its different versions are

1. Me Against the Music (featuring Madonna)
2. (I Got That) Boom Boom (featuring Ying Yang Twins)
3. Showdown
4. Breathe on Me
5. Early Mornin'
6. Toxic
7. Outrageous
8. Touch of My Hand
9. The Hook Up
10. Shadow
11. Brave New Girl
12. Everytime
13. Me Against the Music (featuring Madonna) (Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha Remix)
14. The Answer
15. Don't Hang Up

The album went #1 on the US Billboard 200, as well as the Mexican, French and Greek charts. It was also Top 10 in almost every country it charted.

A fan favorite album, it's sold over 7 million copies worldwide. In 2019, it was sold as a vinyl for the first time through Urban Outfitters. It has over 1.1 billion streams on Spotify.

In May 2003, she had shown a little teaser for the album on MTV:

 

Besides the televised performances, including an ABC special, she also promoted the album at nightclubs.

 

 

 

 

 

[PokemonSpears]

 

[CHAOTIC STYLE.]

Touch of my hand & Breathe on me 

[lane j.]

Iconic AF. ❤️

[PokemonSpears]

On November 15, 2003, In the Zone was released in Japan.

A month later, Britney would travel there to do a press conference and a series of interviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[blonderoman27]

I remember dancing to MATM during madonnas part with a curtain rod. (mimics the cane) that is embarrassing reflecting back on

love this album! 

[Innate]

Without a doubt, this is her best album! Justice for Breathe On Me. 

[GarrettJames]

touch of my hand & breathe on me 

[PokemonSpears]

4 hours ago, blonderoman27 said:

I remember dancing to MATM during madonnas part with a curtain rod. (mimics the cane) that is embarrassing reflecting back on

love this album! 

that's very cool though lol it could've worked for the Stronger choreo too 

[blonderoman27]

2 hours ago, PokemonSpears said:

that's very cool though lol it could've worked for the Stronger choreo too 

this is true. ill remember it for the next time i dance on the wall!