Till the World Ends
Encyclopedia
"Till the World Ends" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears
, released as the second single from her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale
. It was written and produced by Dr. Luke
and Max Martin
, with additional writing by Kesha
and Alexander Kronlund
, and additional production by Billboard
. Kesha explained that her main inspiration for the song was imagining Spears and any other female musicians touring the world. On March 2, 2011, the single's cover art and a snippet of the song surfaced online. "Till the World Ends" leaked online on March 3, 2011, and was released the following day.
"Till the World Ends" is composed as an uptempo dance-pop
and electropop song with an electro beat. It opens with sirens, and has elements of trance
and Eurodance
. The song features a chant
-like chorus, and lyrics in which Spears sings about dancing until the end of the world. "Till the World Ends" received comparisons to past hits by artists such as Kesha and Enrique Iglesias
. The song received mostly positive reviews, with critics calling it a catchy dance track and complimenting its anthemic nature.
The song was treated with different remixes, most notably The Femme Fatale Remix, featuring rapper Nicki Minaj
and Kesha, which was released on April 25, 2011. The remix adds a rap by Minaj at the beginning, new vocals by Kesha and a dubstep
breakdown. The Femme Fatale Remix received positive reviews from critics, with most complimenting the diversity of the group and Minaj's rap. "Till the World Ends" charted on the top-ten in several major music markets, including Australia, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland. The Femme Fatale Remix propelled the single to the top five on the Canadian Hot 100
and the US Billboard
Hot 100. However, "Till the World Ends" became her second lowest peaking single in the United Kingdom.
An accompanying music video for the song was released on April 6, 2011. It portrays Spears in an underground dance party set on December 21, 2012
. Critics noted the similarities with the music video for "I'm a Slave 4 U
" (2001), and predominantly gave positive reviews for it. A choreography cut was released on April 15, 2011. The video was also nominated for two categories at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
, and went on to win Best Pop Video
. Spears has performed "Till the World Ends" on television shows Good Morning America
and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and performed it with Minaj at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards
. She has also performed the song as the encore of the Femme Fatale Tour
(2011).
and Max Martin
, with additional writing by American recording artist Kesha
and Alexander Kronlund
, and additional production by Billboard
. In an interview with Spin
on February 11, 2011, Kesha announced she had co-written the song with Luke and Martin for Femme Fatale. She explained it was inspired by "me imagining [Spears] and any female musician touring the world. When you go out, and you're having an amazing, magical night and you don't want to go to sleep and you want it to last until the world ends." On March 2, 2011, the single's cover art, in which Spears appears sitting on a couch in a sweater and heels, was posted at Deezer.com
. This was followed by a 30-second snippet of the song, which appeared at Amazon.de
. "Till the World Ends" leaked online on March 3, 2011, which prompted Spears to post hours later on her Twitter
account, "Looks like the cat's out of the bag..." She formally premiered the single at On Air with Ryan Seacrest
, on March 4, 2011, at 10:00 EST
(15:00 UTC
). "Till the World Ends" was made available on iTunes
the same day, several days earlier than originally planned. Following the announcement, Kesha spoke to MTV News
stating that "I consider myself a songwriter before and above everything else, so it's an honor to write for one of pop music's biggest icons." During an interview with Seacrest
, Spears described "Till the World Ends" as "fun. I like it. It's good energy. [...] I'm a vibe person, and I think I love good-mood songs, and if it puts me in a good mood, it clicks for me."
and electropop song, with an electro beat and elements of trance
and Eurodance
. The song opens with sirens and a "sizzling" bassline. Spears delivers confident and breathy vocals, in lyrics such as "If you want this good shit / Sicker than the remix / Baby let me blow your mind tonight." In the chorus
, the song slows down while Spears sings "I can't take it take it take no more / Never felt like felt like this before / Come on get me get me on the floor / DJ what you what you waiting for?". The melody continues into a chant-like segment, in which "whoa-oh-oh-oh" is repeated. The bit was compared by Scott Shettler of AOL
to the "rapid word repetition" of Kesha. Keith Caulfield of Billboard
said the chorus "comes on hard like its the sexy spawn" of American recording artist Usher
's "OMG
" (2010) and Italian band Baltimora
's "Tarzan Boy
" (1985).
Gerrick Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times
stated that like her previous single "Hold It Against Me
", "Spears's main intention with her new single seems to be keeping the dance floor pulsating with sweaty bodies". Jason Lipshutz of Billboard said the song recalls past hits by English recording artist Taio Cruz
, Swedish recording artist Robyn
and Spanish recording artist Enrique Iglesias
. Allison Stewart of The Washington Post
felt the song was comparable to Iglesias' "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)
" (2010). Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine
and a reviewer from Popjustice
compared it to Kesha
's "Blow
" (2011). According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Kobalt Music Publishing Inc.
, "Till the World Ends" is set in the compound meter time signature
, with a moderate dance beat infused metronome of 132 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of C minor
; Spears' vocals range from the low-key of Bb3 to the high-note of C5. Lyrically, the song talks about dancing until the end of the world.
called it "amazing". Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone
gave the song three and a half out of five stars, stating, "You want a party song, call a partier" and describing it as "sky-sucking synth streaks, a beat that sounds like blimps fucking and a thousand shirtless drunken sailors chanting along on the chorus." Gerrick Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times called the song "catchy [...] [it] makes you want to grab some glow sticks and hit the clubs" and added that the Femme Fatale era "already shows an undeniably more confident Spears." Mike Collett-White of Reuters
deemed it as a dance anthem. Robert Copsey of Digital Spy
said that the song is unquestionably a Dr. Luke production, but "somehow it's Brit that manages to come out on top." Copsey went on to call it her most uplifting number since "Stronger
" (2000), and added that "for longtime Britney fans, is the comeback we've all been waiting for.
Bill Lamb of About.com
commented that the song would "sound solid on the radio and bring crowds to the dance floor," but when compared to "Hold It Against Me", it was much safer and not as innovative. Jed Gottlieb of the Boston Herald
gave the song a B+, saying that "pop fans always need a huge hook, catchy chorus and break-it-down-build-it-up bridge. This song’s got all three". Edna Gundersen of USA Today
called it "a sleek and impossibly catchy slab", and said that although the song is unmistakable Luke, Spears "holds her own with confident, kittenish vocals." Allison Stewart of The Washington Post stated that the track "is Spears's most joyously danceable track in a long time." Caryn Ganz of Spin named it "her first truly synapse-sizzling single since 'Toxic
. Andy Gill of The Independent
selected the song along with "Criminal
" as the download picks of the album. Kevin Ritchie of Now
stated that "Wannabe World Cup anthem
Till The World Ends kicks things off with an aura of pounding, Euro dance euphoria."
David Buchanan of Consequence of Sound
commented that "Till the World Ends", "Hold It Against Me" and "Inside Out" "simultaneously send Spears back to basics vocally, and into 2011 sonically." Rudy Klapper of Sputnikmusic
said that the song "throbs with trance-y synths, a thumping electro beat that is pure sex and a chorus that goes and goes as only the best club hits can do, sensible lyrics be damned." Evan Sawdey of PopMatters
said that "Till the World Ends" sets the pace of Femme Fatale, while calling it "a stadium-rocking pop anthem." Keith Caulfield from Billboard said that the song has a "roof-shaking chant-chorus", but criticized the lyrics, saying that they have "been echoed incessantly over the past year in countless Hot 100 top ten hits: dance until you drop from exhaustion." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine compared it to Kesha's "Blow", saying that the tracks "[are] so similar [...] that I can't decide which one I like more—or if I even like them at all." A reviewer from Popjustice also compared it to "Blow", but said "Till the World Ends" was not as good.
version of the song was done by Indian music producer duo Salim and Sulaiman Merchant
, and released on DesiHits.com, a website for South Asian music and entertainment news. The remix features a Punjabi breakdown with South Asian sounding vocals and includes some added Desi
flavors courtesy of dholki, dhol
and tumbi
beats, which are common instruments in Indian music. Baba Kahn of the production team Culture Shock stated, "Our goal was to take Britney's smash hit single and give fans a total Desi adrenaline rush. The result is a Culture Shock musical Desi roller coaster that hopefully everyone around the world will want to join." Mark Flaherty, senior vice president of Jive Label Group, said about the remix:
Michigan band Salem
released a slowed-down version of the song, and made a music video featuring seemingly underage strippers and military footage. A remix featuring R. Kelly
was leaked online on July 4, 2011. It features him singing the second verse, "Slide up in this club / This beat's got me in love / Till I just don't care / It's like I'm walking on air / It's a party right here", and a new hook, where he repeats the line "Party till the world ends". His vocals join those of Spears during the breakdown, and the song ends with Kelly doing runs
over the chorus. A reporter from Idolator
said, "We'd much rather listen to Britney's original than this uninspired remix when doomsday comes."
, was leaked online on April 22, 2011. The same day, three countdown
s with lines of the song appeared on the official websites of Spears, Kesha and Minaj. The Femme Fatale Remix was released on iTunes on April 25, 2011. The same day, Spears uploaded a picture of the cover art to her Twitter account. Kesha told MTV News, "I'm a massive fan of both the ladies I share the track with. I wrote 'TTWE' for Britney [...] and she killed it and I loved it, but I just thought a supergroup of three hot, strong women could just take over the airwaves." The remix adds heavier bass during the beginning, and starts with Minaj rapping with intensity about a female hater, in lines such as "Told you they'd revive your career, but somebody lied/ I ain't talkin' poultry when I say this chicken's fried." This continues by Spears singing the first verse, after which Minaj says "It's Britney, bitch.
I'm Nicki Minaj and that's Kesha!", and the first chorus is sung by the latter. Spears continues with the song and is accompanied by Kesha towards the end of the second verse and the bridge. The remix also features a dubstep
breakdown, reminiscent of "Hold It Against Me".
Tina Hart of MSN UK
stated that "[Minaj] maintain[s] her ‘badass’ demeanour. Britney’s familiar tones greet you on the verse and Kesha sounds perfectly at home on the chorus." Wesley Case of The Baltimore Sun stated that while Spears sounds processed, "Minaj's larger-than-life performance matches the in-the-red party production" and Kesha "adds an extra layer of dirt-under-the-nails sheen." He summarized his review by saying that the remix "is the perfect example of pop's current love affair with Euro dance and add-it-all-to-the-pot rules." Jordan Zakarin of The Huffington Post
commented the track "has enough star power to dwarf our own sun" and added that it "puts enough of a spin on the original version to make it worth a spin on its own." Samesame.com.au
stated that Minaj's rap was "fantastic", and that although Kesha's verse was "a little strange", it also "works, but [...] further emphasises what a poor choice for single Till The World Ends was in the first place, as the song sounds even more like a B-side to Ke$ha’s Cannibal
EP." Maura Johnston of The Village Voice
highlighted the breakdown and Minaj "who seems particularly energized here, stretching and bending her voice like it's a Plasticman doll." Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly said that "like most remixes, we’ll stick with the original". Anderson also stated that Kesha's contribution is "generally ignorable" and that Minaj's rap does not flow well with the rest of the song.
Hot 100 on the week of March 9, 2011. It became the fifth highest debut of her twenty-five entries on the chart. It also debuted at number ten on the Hot Digital Songs
chart, and at number sixty-eight on the Radio Songs
chart; on the latter chart, the song debuted at number sixty-eight with 16.8 million impressions on 145 stations. On the issue dated March 17, 2011, "Till the World Ends" sold 158,000 downloads (up 36%), peaking at number five on the Hot Digital Songs chart. On the Hot 100, it climbed to number nine, becoming her tenth top ten hit. The song also jumped to number forty-seven on the Radio Songs chart with 26 million impressions (up 56%), and debuted at number twenty-six on the Pop Songs
chart. The following week, "Till the World Ends" dropped out of the top ten of the Hot 100; it returned three weeks later at number eight, on April 13, 2011. Following the release of the remix featuring Nicki Minaj and Kesha, the song peaked at number three on the Hot Digital Songs chart, with combined sales of 246,000 downloads (up 102%). The remix accounted for 167,000 copies (68%) of the total sales. "Till the World Ends" also peaked at number three on the Hot 100, becoming Spears's eighth top-five hit and her third of 2011 after "Hold It Against Me" and the "S&M"
remix with Rihanna
. On the week of July 10, 2011, the song surpassed two million downloads in the United States. On May 11, 2011, it jumped to number six on the Radio Songs chart, with an audience of 87 million (up 10%), granting Spears the highest weekly audience of her chart career. On May 28, the song hit #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, coincidentally the same week as Harold Camping
's infamous 2011 end times prediction
.
The single debuted at number sixteen on the Canadian Hot 100
, and climbed to number seven the next week. Following the release of the remix, "Till the World Ends" peaked at number four. On March 14, 2011, the song debuted at number nineteen on the ARIA Charts
of Australia. It climbed to number eight on the week of April 25, 2011, where it stayed for two consecutive weeks. However, it became her lowest peaking single in the country since "If U Seek Amy
" (2009) and her lowest peaking second single since "Do Somethin'
" (2005). "Till the World Ends" stayed for sixteen weeks on the chart. It has since been certified platinum
by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) for sales of 70,000 units. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number ten on March 14, 2011. It stayed for seventeen weeks on the chart, but was also her lowest peaking second single since "Do Somethin'". On March 10, 2011, "Till the World Ends" debuted at number seven on the Irish Singles Chart
. In the United Kingdom, "Till the World Ends" debuted at number fifty-five on March 7, 2011, and moved to number twenty-one the following week. It became her second lowest peaking single behind "Radar
" (2009) and her lowest peaking second single from a studio release. Across Europe, the song has peaked at number two in Norway; number four in Sweden; number six in Belgium (Wallonia) and Finland; number seven in Denmark and Switzerland; number eight in France and Slovakia; and the top twenty in Brazil, Belgium (Flanders), Czech Republic, Greece and Spain.
and filmed inside a basement in Los Angeles, California
. On March 17, 2011, Spears posted on her Twitter account, "Day 1 of the #TTWE Videoshoot. Just wrapped my first big dance number. Taking a well deserved break people!" She also tweeted a picture of her on set, wearing ripped tights, a Burberry Prorsum
studded leather jacket and matching fingerless leather gloves. The making-of
was chronicled on the special Britney Spears: I Am the Femme Fatale, which aired on MTV
on April 3, 2011, at 21:00 EST (02:00 UTC). In the special, Spears is seen watching the playback
, as she later explained, "[It is] just to make sure it's right and that the costume looks right and the dancers are together and we all look in unison. It's an energy and it looks fresh. It has a certain vibe with it and it makes sense." She also went on to describe the set as "grimy and gross [...] It was sweat and it was disgusting sometimes". At a point in the shoot, Spears changed her heels to Ugg boots
during the shots that did not show her feet, stating that "[Dancing in heels] hurts ... but it looks good. It wasn't a full-length shot, so a girl's about comfort when it's not showing." "Till the World Ends" is nearly the 40th music video Spears made in her career. Spears said that she did not feel the need to top herself, saying that "I've made so many videos that I'm at the point that I genuinely want to enjoy myself, and I have such a good team of people with me. [...] I had never worked with Ray Kay before. I was really happy with the work we did." The video was choreographed by Brian Friedman
. On April 4, 2011, it was announced that two different versions of the music video would be released, a director's cut
and a choreography cut. The same day, Spears tweeted a 30-second preview of the video, announcing, "#TillTheWorldEnds video premieres THIS Wednesday on VEVO
. Cant wait to share it with you guys!"
and enter the sewer system to arrive to the party. This is followed by a dance routine in which Spears is wearing a sequined bodysuit and a small jacket with shoulder pads accompanied by female dancers. During the video, there are scenes of buildings burning and debris falling, as well as intercut scenes of Spears in front of an illuminated background. As the second verse begins, she dances provocatively with her male dancers. In the last chorus, the sun rises while water is sprayed through the dance floor and the earthquake and meteor shower subside. The video ends with Spears coming out of a manhole wearing the red bodysuit and smiling.
The director's cut premiered on April 6, 2011 at 03:00 EST (08:00 UTC). Kevin O'Donnell of Spin compared the "Till the World Ends" video to "I'm Slave 4 U" and added that it takes elements of classic Spears videos, such as "scantily-clad dancers, tightly executed choreography, ridonkulously sequined outfits, and pouty, overly sincere close-ups of Spears" and "places them in an apocalyptic, end-of-days scenario." Jocelyn Vena of MTV also highlighted the comparisons to "I'm a Slave 4 U", explaining that "the director's cut of the video is a sexy mash-up of Spears doing what she does best: groping half-naked guys, giving the camera bedroom eyes and being sassy in a number of leather jackets and skintight bodysuits." Chris Gayomali of Time
stated that the video "[i]s sweaty, at times blinding, yet undeniably enjoyable, adopting many of its key elements from Britney's coming-of-age
'I'm a Slave 4 U.'" Matthew Perpetua of Rolling Stone called it "a good, memorable video." Tanner Stransky of Entertainment Weekly
said it "is exactly what you’d expect for this song, and from Britney at this point in her career", and also complimented Spears for getting rid of the product placement
in the "Hold It Against Me" video.
Wesley Case of The Baltimore Sun
stated that video "is typical 2011 party-starter — sweaty bodies, futuristic DJ-gear, well-timed faulty sprinkler system — but it captures the track's raging mood perfectly." Gina Serpe of E! Online also compared the video to "I'm a Slave 4 U", saying, "[There's] nothing wrong with a little nod to vintage Britney. Plus, sweaty dancers in underground tunnels pulsing and writhing in sync to the music? Seems like as good a way as any to survive the apocalypse." Willa Paskin of New York
commented that Spears "tries hard not to make the same mistakes as the inadvertently depressing 'Hold It Against Me.' There's more dancing — though it's still largely arm-related — and much, much more smiling." The music video was nominated at the 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards
in the category of International Video of the Year — Artist, but lost to Lady Gaga
's "Judas
". It also received two nominations at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
in the categories of Best Pop Video
and Best Choreography
. Spears told MTV News she was "completely flattered" by the nominations. She lost Best Choreography to Beyoncé
's "Run the World (Girls)
", but won Best Pop Video.
commented, "sorry, Team Britney, but if any of you were hoping to pass off Spears’ anemic performance in the original as the result of unfortunate editing, this clip isn’t exactly going to bring anyone back on side."
in the Palms Casino Resort on March 25, 2011. After performances of "Hold It Against Me" and "Big Fat Bass", Spears appeared wearing a black latex bodysuit covered in red lights and surrounded by her dancers, while the stage was filled with ladders and LED
lighting. At the end, she ascended the ladders and ended up on a platform, gyrating from above the room. As fireworks lit the stage, Spears danced and tossed her hair as the song closed. She also taped performances of "Hold It Against Me", "Big Fat Bass" and "Till the World Ends" at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
on March 27, 2011, that aired on Good Morning America
on March 29, 2011. The same day, Spears performed the set on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. On May 22, 2011, she briefly performed the song at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards
in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. After Minaj performed "Super Bass
", she started to sing the rap verse of The Femme Fatale Remix. Spears emerged onstage for the chorus and performed alongside Minaj and her back up dancers while walking to a minor stage.
Spears also performed "Till the World Ends" at the Femme Fatale Tour
(2011). At the end of "Toxic", she goes below the stage and returns wearing a black sparkly bodysuit for "Till the World Ends". Halfway through the performance, Minaj appears on the backdrops rapping her verse of The Femme Fatale Remix of the song. She also joined Spears to perform the verse in select cities. After the song changes back to the original version, Spears starts flying in a platform with giant angel wings. The show ends with Spears and her dancers thanking the audience, as confetti falls and the "Femme Fatale" sign is lowered onstage. Jason L. Nelson of The Beaver County Times
said that "encore hits 'Toxic' and 'Till the World Ends' kept the crowd beaming."
Credits adapted from Femme Fatale booklet liner notes.
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, released as the second single from her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale
Femme Fatale (Britney Spears album)
Femme Fatale is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Britney Spears. The album was released on March 25, 2011 by Jive Records . Recorded between 2009 and 2011, the album featured Spears working mainly alongside longtime collaborators Max Martin and Dr. Luke, who served as the...
. It was written and produced by Dr. Luke
Dr. Luke
Lukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...
and Max Martin
Max Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...
, with additional writing by Kesha
Kesha
Kesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
and Alexander Kronlund
Alexander Kronlund
Alexander Kronlund is a Swedish producer and songwriter.Kronlund co-wrote Meja's one million selling debut album on Sony and co-wrote two songs for Britney Spears' second album, Oops I Did It Again. Kronlund co-wrote her hit single, "Lucky", with Max Martin and Rami and also co-wrote "Don’t Go...
, and additional production by Billboard
Billboard (producer)
Mathieu Jomphe, better known as Billboard, is a Canadian songwriter and record producer, and remixer from Montreal. His productions include dance-pop as well as dubstep influences. He has produced for international artists such as Britney Spears, Kesha and Robyn.-Discography:-External links:* at...
. Kesha explained that her main inspiration for the song was imagining Spears and any other female musicians touring the world. On March 2, 2011, the single's cover art and a snippet of the song surfaced online. "Till the World Ends" leaked online on March 3, 2011, and was released the following day.
"Till the World Ends" is composed as an uptempo dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
and electropop song with an electro beat. It opens with sirens, and has elements of trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
and Eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
. The song features a chant
Chant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
-like chorus, and lyrics in which Spears sings about dancing until the end of the world. "Till the World Ends" received comparisons to past hits by artists such as Kesha and Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
. The song received mostly positive reviews, with critics calling it a catchy dance track and complimenting its anthemic nature.
The song was treated with different remixes, most notably The Femme Fatale Remix, featuring rapper Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
and Kesha, which was released on April 25, 2011. The remix adds a rap by Minaj at the beginning, new vocals by Kesha and a dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
breakdown. The Femme Fatale Remix received positive reviews from critics, with most complimenting the diversity of the group and Minaj's rap. "Till the World Ends" charted on the top-ten in several major music markets, including Australia, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland. The Femme Fatale Remix propelled the single to the top five on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
and the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100. However, "Till the World Ends" became her second lowest peaking single in the United Kingdom.
An accompanying music video for the song was released on April 6, 2011. It portrays Spears in an underground dance party set on December 21, 2012
2012 phenomenon
The 2012 phenomenon comprises a range of eschatological beliefs that cataclysmic or transformative events will occur on December 21, 2012. This date is regarded as the end-date of a 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar...
. Critics noted the similarities with the music video for "I'm a Slave 4 U
I'm a Slave 4 U
"I'm a Slave 4 U" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written and produced by Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, for Spears' third studio album, Britney . It was released on September 24, 2001 by Jive Records, as the first single from the album...
" (2001), and predominantly gave positive reviews for it. A choreography cut was released on April 15, 2011. The video was also nominated for two categories at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...
, and went on to win Best Pop Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video was first given out in , as MTV began to put several teen pop acts in heavy rotation. Nominations, however, were not just limited to pop acts, as dance, R&B, pop/rock, and, most recently, reggaeton artists have also received Best Pop Video nominations...
. Spears has performed "Till the World Ends" on television shows Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and performed it with Minaj at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards
2011 Billboard Music Awards
The 2011 Billboard Music Awards were held May 22, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and hosted by Ken Jeong. The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from 2010....
. She has also performed the song as the encore of the Femme Fatale Tour
Femme Fatale Tour
The Femme Fatale Tour is the seventh concert tour by American singer Britney Spears, in support of her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. It was officially announced in March 2011, with dates for North American venues revealed. The tour was initially planned as a co-headlining tour with Enrique...
(2011).
Background
"Till the World Ends" was written and produced by Dr. LukeDr. Luke
Lukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...
and Max Martin
Max Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...
, with additional writing by American recording artist Kesha
Kesha
Kesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
and Alexander Kronlund
Alexander Kronlund
Alexander Kronlund is a Swedish producer and songwriter.Kronlund co-wrote Meja's one million selling debut album on Sony and co-wrote two songs for Britney Spears' second album, Oops I Did It Again. Kronlund co-wrote her hit single, "Lucky", with Max Martin and Rami and also co-wrote "Don’t Go...
, and additional production by Billboard
Billboard (producer)
Mathieu Jomphe, better known as Billboard, is a Canadian songwriter and record producer, and remixer from Montreal. His productions include dance-pop as well as dubstep influences. He has produced for international artists such as Britney Spears, Kesha and Robyn.-Discography:-External links:* at...
. In an interview with Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
on February 11, 2011, Kesha announced she had co-written the song with Luke and Martin for Femme Fatale. She explained it was inspired by "me imagining [Spears] and any female musician touring the world. When you go out, and you're having an amazing, magical night and you don't want to go to sleep and you want it to last until the world ends." On March 2, 2011, the single's cover art, in which Spears appears sitting on a couch in a sweater and heels, was posted at Deezer.com
Deezer
Deezer is a free music streaming service based in Paris, France. Deezer was launched on August 24, 2007. Deezer has negotiated rights to make 165,000 songs available for streaming legally via an agreement with Sony, as well as some of Universal's catalog...
. This was followed by a 30-second snippet of the song, which appeared at Amazon.de
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
. "Till the World Ends" leaked online on March 3, 2011, which prompted Spears to post hours later on her Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account, "Looks like the cat's out of the bag..." She formally premiered the single at On Air with Ryan Seacrest
On Air with Ryan Seacrest (radio)
On Air with Ryan Seacrest is the name of an American syndicated radio program hosted by Ryan Seacrest. As of 2010, the daily morning radio show airs on Los Angeles top 40 station KIIS-FM and was launched at the same time as the television show with the same name, although Seacrest had hosted a...
, on March 4, 2011, at 10:00 EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
(15:00 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
). "Till the World Ends" was made available on iTunes
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
the same day, several days earlier than originally planned. Following the announcement, Kesha spoke to MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
stating that "I consider myself a songwriter before and above everything else, so it's an honor to write for one of pop music's biggest icons." During an interview with Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
, Spears described "Till the World Ends" as "fun. I like it. It's good energy. [...] I'm a vibe person, and I think I love good-mood songs, and if it puts me in a good mood, it clicks for me."
Composition
"Till the World Ends" is an uptempo dance-popDance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
and electropop song, with an electro beat and elements of trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
and Eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
. The song opens with sirens and a "sizzling" bassline. Spears delivers confident and breathy vocals, in lyrics such as "If you want this good shit / Sicker than the remix / Baby let me blow your mind tonight." In the chorus
Chorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
, the song slows down while Spears sings "I can't take it take it take no more / Never felt like felt like this before / Come on get me get me on the floor / DJ what you what you waiting for?". The melody continues into a chant-like segment, in which "whoa-oh-oh-oh" is repeated. The bit was compared by Scott Shettler of AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
to the "rapid word repetition" of Kesha. Keith Caulfield of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
said the chorus "comes on hard like its the sexy spawn" of American recording artist Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
's "OMG
OMG (song)
"OMG" is a song by American recording artist Usher. The song features will.i.am, who also wrote and produced the song. It uses the auto-tune effect in several lines, as well as Jock Jams-esque sports arena chanting. It was released on March 22, 2010 as the first worldwide single off his sixth...
" (2010) and Italian band Baltimora
Baltimora
Baltimora were an Italian New Wave dance outfit active in the mid to late 1980s. The group comprised Jimmy McShane , Maurizio Bassi , Giorgio Cocilovo , Claudio Bazzari , Pier Michelatti and Gabriele Melotti...
's "Tarzan Boy
Tarzan Boy
"Tarzan Boy" is the title of a song recorded by Italy-based act Baltimora. It was the group's debut single, released in April 1985, from its first album Living in the Background, on which it features as first track...
" (1985).
Gerrick Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
stated that like her previous single "Hold It Against Me
Hold It Against Me
"Hold It Against Me" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, released as the first single from her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. It was written and produced by Max Martin, Dr. Luke and Billboard, with additional writing by Bonnie McKee. Luke explained that he wanted "Hold It...
", "Spears's main intention with her new single seems to be keeping the dance floor pulsating with sweaty bodies". Jason Lipshutz of Billboard said the song recalls past hits by English recording artist Taio Cruz
Taio Cruz
Taio Cruz is a British singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional rapper, and entrepreneur. In 2008, he released his debut album Departure, which Cruz wrote, arranged and produced himself. It achieved initial success in the UK and earned him a MOBO Award nomination...
, Swedish recording artist Robyn
Robyn
Robin Miriam Carlsson , better known by her stage name Robyn, is a Swedish recording artist, singer, and songwriter. Robyn became known in the late nineties for her worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know " from her debut album Robyn Is Here . She co-wrote the song "Du gör mig hel igen" for...
and Spanish recording artist Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
. Allison Stewart of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
felt the song was comparable to Iglesias' "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)
Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)
"Tonight ," also known as "Tonight " when played on radio during daytime, is a song by Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias. It features American rapper Ludacris and producer DJ Frank E. The song was released to the US radio on November 1, 2010, and it was released digitally on November 22, 2010...
" (2010). Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
and a reviewer from Popjustice
Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others....
compared it to Kesha
Kesha
Kesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
's "Blow
Blow (song)
"Blow" is a song by American recording artist and songwriter Kesha, from her first extended play , Cannibal. The song was released as the EP's second single on February 8, 2011. It was written by Kesha, along with Klas Åhlund, Lukasz Gottwald, Allan Grigg, Benjamin Levin and Max Martin, with...
" (2011). According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Kobalt Music Publishing Inc.
Kobalt (tools)
Kobalt is a line of tools operated by the American home improvement chain Lowe's as their house brand.Lowe's and manufacturing partner J.H. Williams launched Kobalt in 1998, with the intention of competing against rival retailers Sears and The Home Depot and their respective Craftsman and Husky...
, "Till the World Ends" is set in the compound meter time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
, with a moderate dance beat infused metronome of 132 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of C minor
C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
; Spears' vocals range from the low-key of Bb3 to the high-note of C5. Lyrically, the song talks about dancing until the end of the world.
Critical reception
The song received positive reviews from critics. Ryan Brockington of the New York PostNew York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
called it "amazing". Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
gave the song three and a half out of five stars, stating, "You want a party song, call a partier" and describing it as "sky-sucking synth streaks, a beat that sounds like blimps fucking and a thousand shirtless drunken sailors chanting along on the chorus." Gerrick Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times called the song "catchy [...] [it] makes you want to grab some glow sticks and hit the clubs" and added that the Femme Fatale era "already shows an undeniably more confident Spears." Mike Collett-White of Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
deemed it as a dance anthem. Robert Copsey of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
said that the song is unquestionably a Dr. Luke production, but "somehow it's Brit that manages to come out on top." Copsey went on to call it her most uplifting number since "Stronger
Stronger (Britney Spears song)
"Stronger" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, taken from her second studio album Oops!... I Did It Again . It was released on November 13, 2000, by Jive Records as the third single of the album. After meeting up with producers Max Martin and Rami in Sweden, the singer recorded...
" (2000), and added that "for longtime Britney fans, is the comeback we've all been waiting for.
Bill Lamb of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
commented that the song would "sound solid on the radio and bring crowds to the dance floor," but when compared to "Hold It Against Me", it was much safer and not as innovative. Jed Gottlieb of the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
gave the song a B+, saying that "pop fans always need a huge hook, catchy chorus and break-it-down-build-it-up bridge. This song’s got all three". Edna Gundersen of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
called it "a sleek and impossibly catchy slab", and said that although the song is unmistakable Luke, Spears "holds her own with confident, kittenish vocals." Allison Stewart of The Washington Post stated that the track "is Spears's most joyously danceable track in a long time." Caryn Ganz of Spin named it "her first truly synapse-sizzling single since 'Toxic
Toxic (song)
"Toxic" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, co-written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, from her fourth album, In the Zone. It was released on January 12, 2004, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. After trying to choose between " Boom Boom" and "Outrageous" to...
. Andy Gill of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
selected the song along with "Criminal
Criminal (Britney Spears song)
"Criminal" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. The Radio Mix of the song was released as the fourth single from the album. "Criminal" was written and produced by Max Martin and Shellback, with additional writing by Tiffany Amber...
" as the download picks of the album. Kevin Ritchie of Now
NOW (magazine)
Now is a free weekly newspaper in Toronto, Canada. It was first printed on September 10, 1981 by Michael Hollett and Alice Klein. Now is an alternative weekly mixing arts and entertainment news with political coverage....
stated that "Wannabe World Cup anthem
FIFA World Cup official songs
FIFA World Cup championship theme songs are songs adopted officially to be used as warm-ups to the event, to accompany the championships during the event and as a souvenir reminder of the events as well as for advertising campaigns leading for the World Cup, giving the singers exceptional universal...
Till The World Ends kicks things off with an aura of pounding, Euro dance euphoria."
David Buchanan of Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound, also known often as CoS, is a Chicago-based music website featuring news, album and concert reviews, and editorials. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook micro-site, which serves as an on-line database for music festival news and rumors...
commented that "Till the World Ends", "Hold It Against Me" and "Inside Out" "simultaneously send Spears back to basics vocally, and into 2011 sonically." Rudy Klapper of Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
said that the song "throbs with trance-y synths, a thumping electro beat that is pure sex and a chorus that goes and goes as only the best club hits can do, sensible lyrics be damned." Evan Sawdey of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
said that "Till the World Ends" sets the pace of Femme Fatale, while calling it "a stadium-rocking pop anthem." Keith Caulfield from Billboard said that the song has a "roof-shaking chant-chorus", but criticized the lyrics, saying that they have "been echoed incessantly over the past year in countless Hot 100 top ten hits: dance until you drop from exhaustion." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine compared it to Kesha's "Blow", saying that the tracks "[are] so similar [...] that I can't decide which one I like more—or if I even like them at all." A reviewer from Popjustice also compared it to "Blow", but said "Till the World Ends" was not as good.
Remixes
A BollywoodBollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
version of the song was done by Indian music producer duo Salim and Sulaiman Merchant
Salim-Sulaiman
Salim Merchant And Sulaiman Merchant are a musical duo of brothers, born and brought up in Bhuj, Kutch, India. They belong to Ismaili Muslim family and are inspired by their father Sadruddin Merchant, who used to lead Ismaili Scouts Orchestra in India..Steeped in a family tradition of music as the...
, and released on DesiHits.com, a website for South Asian music and entertainment news. The remix features a Punjabi breakdown with South Asian sounding vocals and includes some added Desi
Desi
Desi or Deshi refers to the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent and, increasingly, to the people, cultures, and products of their diaspora. Desi countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh...
flavors courtesy of dholki, dhol
Dhol
Dhol can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent and nearby regions. Its range of distribution in India and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Assam Valley, Bengal, Gujarat,...
and tumbi
Tumbi
The Tumbi or Toombi is a traditional North Indian instrument from Punjab. The tumbi was invented and popularized by the renowned folk-singer of Punjab "Lal Chand Yamla Jatt". In the 1960s, 70s and 80s most of the Punjabi singers used the Tumbi...
beats, which are common instruments in Indian music. Baba Kahn of the production team Culture Shock stated, "Our goal was to take Britney's smash hit single and give fans a total Desi adrenaline rush. The result is a Culture Shock musical Desi roller coaster that hopefully everyone around the world will want to join." Mark Flaherty, senior vice president of Jive Label Group, said about the remix:
"We wanted to build an even greater connection between the world's biggest pop star and one of the world's largest audiences. Britney has been engaged with South Asian culture for many years. From the groundbreaking Bollywood-inspired remix of 'Me Against the MusicMe Against the Music"Me Against the Music" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her fourth album, In the Zone, featuring American recording artist Madonna. It was released on October 20, 2003 as the lead single from the album by Jive Records. After bonding with Spears during a night in New York...
' to her recent collaboration with Indian fashion designers Falguni and Shane Peacock on the 'Hold It Against Me' video, she has embraced the incredible sights and sounds of this vibrant community throughout her career."
Michigan band Salem
Salem (Michigan band)
Salem is a US-midwest band from Traverse City and Chicago, composed of John Holland, Heather Marlatt, and Jack Donoghue. The band's debut release, Yes I Smoke Crack, was released on Acéphale in summer 2008 - the EP, gaining fast popularity, sold out in pre-sales. Salem formed in Chicago in 2006,...
released a slowed-down version of the song, and made a music video featuring seemingly underage strippers and military footage. A remix featuring R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
was leaked online on July 4, 2011. It features him singing the second verse, "Slide up in this club / This beat's got me in love / Till I just don't care / It's like I'm walking on air / It's a party right here", and a new hook, where he repeats the line "Party till the world ends". His vocals join those of Spears during the breakdown, and the song ends with Kelly doing runs
Melisma
Melisma, in music, is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referred to as melismatic, as opposed to syllabic, where each syllable of text is matched to a single note.-History:Music of ancient cultures used...
over the chorus. A reporter from Idolator
Idolator (website)
Idolator is a music blog. Created by the blog network Gawker Media in August 2006, Idolator was later sold to rival blog network Buzz Media, which also owns music blog Stereogum. From the 2007 departure of original head writer Brian Raftery until November 2009, the blog's head writer was Maura...
said, "We'd much rather listen to Britney's original than this uninspired remix when doomsday comes."
Femme Fatale Remix
A remixed version of "Till the World Ends", featuring Kesha and rapper Nicki MinajNicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
, was leaked online on April 22, 2011. The same day, three countdown
Countdown
A countdown is a sequence of counting backward to indicate the seconds, days, or other time units remaining before an event occurs or a deadline expires. Typical events for which a countdown is used include the launch of a rocket or spacecraft, the detonation of a bomb, the start of a race, and the...
s with lines of the song appeared on the official websites of Spears, Kesha and Minaj. The Femme Fatale Remix was released on iTunes on April 25, 2011. The same day, Spears uploaded a picture of the cover art to her Twitter account. Kesha told MTV News, "I'm a massive fan of both the ladies I share the track with. I wrote 'TTWE' for Britney [...] and she killed it and I loved it, but I just thought a supergroup of three hot, strong women could just take over the airwaves." The remix adds heavier bass during the beginning, and starts with Minaj rapping with intensity about a female hater, in lines such as "Told you they'd revive your career, but somebody lied/ I ain't talkin' poultry when I say this chicken's fried." This continues by Spears singing the first verse, after which Minaj says "It's Britney, bitch.
Gimme More
"Gimme More" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her fifth studio album, Blackout. It was released on September 27, 2007 by Jive Records as the lead single of the album. The song was written by Jim Beanz, Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica, Nate "Danja" Hills and Keri Hilson...
I'm Nicki Minaj and that's Kesha!", and the first chorus is sung by the latter. Spears continues with the song and is accompanied by Kesha towards the end of the second verse and the bridge. The remix also features a dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
breakdown, reminiscent of "Hold It Against Me".
Tina Hart of MSN UK
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
stated that "[Minaj] maintain[s] her ‘badass’ demeanour. Britney’s familiar tones greet you on the verse and Kesha sounds perfectly at home on the chorus." Wesley Case of The Baltimore Sun stated that while Spears sounds processed, "Minaj's larger-than-life performance matches the in-the-red party production" and Kesha "adds an extra layer of dirt-under-the-nails sheen." He summarized his review by saying that the remix "is the perfect example of pop's current love affair with Euro dance and add-it-all-to-the-pot rules." Jordan Zakarin of The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
commented the track "has enough star power to dwarf our own sun" and added that it "puts enough of a spin on the original version to make it worth a spin on its own." Samesame.com.au
Samesame.com.au
Samesame.com.au is an Australian LGBT website created by Tim Duggan and a partner. The website is run by Sound Alliance in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills...
stated that Minaj's rap was "fantastic", and that although Kesha's verse was "a little strange", it also "works, but [...] further emphasises what a poor choice for single Till The World Ends was in the first place, as the song sounds even more like a B-side to Ke$ha’s Cannibal
Cannibal (EP)
Cannibal is the first extended play by American recording artist Kesha, released on November 19, 2010. The EP is a followup companion to her previous record, Animal. Originally the record was believed to only be released as a deluxe edition of Animal, but was instead sold and released as both an...
EP." Maura Johnston of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
highlighted the breakdown and Minaj "who seems particularly energized here, stretching and bending her voice like it's a Plasticman doll." Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly said that "like most remixes, we’ll stick with the original". Anderson also stated that Kesha's contribution is "generally ignorable" and that Minaj's rap does not flow well with the rest of the song.
Chart performance
"Till the World Ends" sold 117,000 copies after its first three days of sales in the United States, debuting at number twenty on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 on the week of March 9, 2011. It became the fifth highest debut of her twenty-five entries on the chart. It also debuted at number ten on the Hot Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
chart, and at number sixty-eight on the Radio Songs
Radio Songs
Radio Songs is an album of duo Robin and Linda Williams on the Red House Records label, released in 2007.Radio Songs consists of recordings made when performing on Garrison Keillor's NPR radio program A Prairie Home Companion. Although Robin and Linda first appeared on the show regularly in 1976,...
chart; on the latter chart, the song debuted at number sixty-eight with 16.8 million impressions on 145 stations. On the issue dated March 17, 2011, "Till the World Ends" sold 158,000 downloads (up 36%), peaking at number five on the Hot Digital Songs chart. On the Hot 100, it climbed to number nine, becoming her tenth top ten hit. The song also jumped to number forty-seven on the Radio Songs chart with 26 million impressions (up 56%), and debuted at number twenty-six on the Pop Songs
Mainstream Top 40 (Pop Songs)
The Mainstream Top 40 is an airplay chart from Billboard magazine, and is also known as Pop Songs on billboard.com. It was often mistaken for and confused with the now discontinued Pop 100 Airplay chart...
chart. The following week, "Till the World Ends" dropped out of the top ten of the Hot 100; it returned three weeks later at number eight, on April 13, 2011. Following the release of the remix featuring Nicki Minaj and Kesha, the song peaked at number three on the Hot Digital Songs chart, with combined sales of 246,000 downloads (up 102%). The remix accounted for 167,000 copies (68%) of the total sales. "Till the World Ends" also peaked at number three on the Hot 100, becoming Spears's eighth top-five hit and her third of 2011 after "Hold It Against Me" and the "S&M"
S&M (song)
"S&M" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fifth studio album, Loud . The song was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Corey Jackson Carter, Sandy Wilhelm and Ester Dean, with production helmed by Eriksen and Hermansen of Stargate and Sandy Wilhelm under her...
remix with Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
. On the week of July 10, 2011, the song surpassed two million downloads in the United States. On May 11, 2011, it jumped to number six on the Radio Songs chart, with an audience of 87 million (up 10%), granting Spears the highest weekly audience of her chart career. On May 28, the song hit #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, coincidentally the same week as Harold Camping
Harold Camping
Harold Egbert Camping is an American Christian radio broadcaster. He served as president of Family Radio, a California-based radio station group that broadcasts to more than 150 markets in the United States, since 1958. In 2011 he retired from active broadcasting following a stroke, but still...
's infamous 2011 end times prediction
2011 end times prediction
The 2011 end times prediction made by American Christian radio host Harold Camping stated that the Rapture and Judgment Day would take place on May 21, 2011, and that the end of the world would take place five months later on October 21, 2011. The Rapture, in a specific tradition of premillennial...
.
The single debuted at number sixteen on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
, and climbed to number seven the next week. Following the release of the remix, "Till the World Ends" peaked at number four. On March 14, 2011, the song debuted at number nineteen on the ARIA Charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
of Australia. It climbed to number eight on the week of April 25, 2011, where it stayed for two consecutive weeks. However, it became her lowest peaking single in the country since "If U Seek Amy
If U Seek Amy
"If U Seek Amy" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her sixth studio album, Circus. It was released on March 13, 2009 by Jive Records as the third single of the album, and was chosen by a poll on Spears's official website. "If U Seek Amy" was co-written and produced by Max...
" (2009) and her lowest peaking second single since "Do Somethin'
Do Somethin'
"Do Somethin" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her first greatest hits compilation, Greatest Hits: My Prerogative. It was released on February 14, 2005 by Jive Records as the second single from the album worldwide except North America...
" (2005). "Till the World Ends" stayed for sixteen weeks on the chart. It has since been certified platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) for sales of 70,000 units. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number ten on March 14, 2011. It stayed for seventeen weeks on the chart, but was also her lowest peaking second single since "Do Somethin'". On March 10, 2011, "Till the World Ends" debuted at number seven on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
. In the United Kingdom, "Till the World Ends" debuted at number fifty-five on March 7, 2011, and moved to number twenty-one the following week. It became her second lowest peaking single behind "Radar
Radar (song)
"Radar" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. It was written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant and The Clutch in November 2006 as a record that did not relate to any of her personal problems at the time. The recording sessions took place the day after Spears filed for divorce from...
" (2009) and her lowest peaking second single from a studio release. Across Europe, the song has peaked at number two in Norway; number four in Sweden; number six in Belgium (Wallonia) and Finland; number seven in Denmark and Switzerland; number eight in France and Slovakia; and the top twenty in Brazil, Belgium (Flanders), Czech Republic, Greece and Spain.
Development
The music video for "Till the World Ends" was directed by Ray KayRay Kay
Ray Kay is a Norwegian director and photographer, based in Los Angeles.He is one of the most sought-after music video & commercial directors in the world now, and has directed the most watched video on YouTube, Justin Bieber's "Baby" . All in all, his videos have been viewed more than 1 billion...
and filmed inside a basement in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. On March 17, 2011, Spears posted on her Twitter account, "Day 1 of the #TTWE Videoshoot. Just wrapped my first big dance number. Taking a well deserved break people!" She also tweeted a picture of her on set, wearing ripped tights, a Burberry Prorsum
Burberry
Burberry Group plc is a British luxury fashion house, manufacturing clothing, fragrance, and fashion accessories. Its distinctive tartan pattern has become one of its most widely copied trademarks. Burberry is most famous for its iconic trench coat, which was invented by founder Thomas Burberry...
studded leather jacket and matching fingerless leather gloves. The making-of
Making-of
In cinema, a making-of, also known as behind-the-scenes, is a documentary film that features the production of a film or television program...
was chronicled on the special Britney Spears: I Am the Femme Fatale, which aired on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
on April 3, 2011, at 21:00 EST (02:00 UTC). In the special, Spears is seen watching the playback
Recording
Recording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
, as she later explained, "[It is] just to make sure it's right and that the costume looks right and the dancers are together and we all look in unison. It's an energy and it looks fresh. It has a certain vibe with it and it makes sense." She also went on to describe the set as "grimy and gross [...] It was sweat and it was disgusting sometimes". At a point in the shoot, Spears changed her heels to Ugg boots
Ugg boots
Ugg boots are a unisex style of sheepskin boots, made of twin-faced sheepskin with fleece on the inside and with a tanned outer surface, often with a synthetic sole....
during the shots that did not show her feet, stating that "[Dancing in heels] hurts ... but it looks good. It wasn't a full-length shot, so a girl's about comfort when it's not showing." "Till the World Ends" is nearly the 40th music video Spears made in her career. Spears said that she did not feel the need to top herself, saying that "I've made so many videos that I'm at the point that I genuinely want to enjoy myself, and I have such a good team of people with me. [...] I had never worked with Ray Kay before. I was really happy with the work we did." The video was choreographed by Brian Friedman
Brian Friedman
Brian L. Friedman, is an American dancer and choreographer, and has created the choreography for many popular music artists - such as Britney Spears, Beyoncé Knowles and Mariah Carey - as well as for music videos, concert tours and television and film productions.-Early life:Friedman was born in...
. On April 4, 2011, it was announced that two different versions of the music video would be released, a director's cut
Director's cut
A director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
and a choreography cut. The same day, Spears tweeted a 30-second preview of the video, announcing, "#TillTheWorldEnds video premieres THIS Wednesday on VEVO
Vevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
. Cant wait to share it with you guys!"
Director's cut
The video begins with the words "December 21st, 2012" flashing on screen, while Spears appears strutting in an underground party wearing a studded leather jacket and stockings. Several people are seen running to a manholeManhole
A manhole is an opening used to gain access to sewers or other underground structures, usually for maintenance.Manhole may also refer to:* Manhole , a metal band from Los Angeles* The Manhole, a computer game...
and enter the sewer system to arrive to the party. This is followed by a dance routine in which Spears is wearing a sequined bodysuit and a small jacket with shoulder pads accompanied by female dancers. During the video, there are scenes of buildings burning and debris falling, as well as intercut scenes of Spears in front of an illuminated background. As the second verse begins, she dances provocatively with her male dancers. In the last chorus, the sun rises while water is sprayed through the dance floor and the earthquake and meteor shower subside. The video ends with Spears coming out of a manhole wearing the red bodysuit and smiling.
The director's cut premiered on April 6, 2011 at 03:00 EST (08:00 UTC). Kevin O'Donnell of Spin compared the "Till the World Ends" video to "I'm Slave 4 U" and added that it takes elements of classic Spears videos, such as "scantily-clad dancers, tightly executed choreography, ridonkulously sequined outfits, and pouty, overly sincere close-ups of Spears" and "places them in an apocalyptic, end-of-days scenario." Jocelyn Vena of MTV also highlighted the comparisons to "I'm a Slave 4 U", explaining that "the director's cut of the video is a sexy mash-up of Spears doing what she does best: groping half-naked guys, giving the camera bedroom eyes and being sassy in a number of leather jackets and skintight bodysuits." Chris Gayomali of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
stated that the video "[i]s sweaty, at times blinding, yet undeniably enjoyable, adopting many of its key elements from Britney's coming-of-age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
'I'm a Slave 4 U.'" Matthew Perpetua of Rolling Stone called it "a good, memorable video." Tanner Stransky of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said it "is exactly what you’d expect for this song, and from Britney at this point in her career", and also complimented Spears for getting rid of the product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
in the "Hold It Against Me" video.
Wesley Case of The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
stated that video "is typical 2011 party-starter — sweaty bodies, futuristic DJ-gear, well-timed faulty sprinkler system — but it captures the track's raging mood perfectly." Gina Serpe of E! Online also compared the video to "I'm a Slave 4 U", saying, "[There's] nothing wrong with a little nod to vintage Britney. Plus, sweaty dancers in underground tunnels pulsing and writhing in sync to the music? Seems like as good a way as any to survive the apocalypse." Willa Paskin of New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
commented that Spears "tries hard not to make the same mistakes as the inadvertently depressing 'Hold It Against Me.' There's more dancing — though it's still largely arm-related — and much, much more smiling." The music video was nominated at the 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards
2011 MuchMusic Video Awards
The 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at MuchMusic's headquarters on June 19, 2011. The awards were aired on MuchMusic, CP24, E!, MuchHD and Fuse. Along with the MuchMusic VJ's, it was confirmed on the MuchMusic website that Selena Gomez will host the show...
in the category of International Video of the Year — Artist, but lost to Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
's "Judas
Judas (song)
"Judas" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga, taken from her second studio album Born This Way . The song was released worldwide on April 15, 2011, four days ahead of its scheduled release, by Interscope Records. Written and produced by Lady Gaga and RedOne, "Judas" is a dance song that...
". It also received two nominations at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
2011 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2011 MTV Video Music Awards took place on August 28, at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. On July 20, the nominees were announced...
in the categories of Best Pop Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video was first given out in , as MTV began to put several teen pop acts in heavy rotation. Nominations, however, were not just limited to pop acts, as dance, R&B, pop/rock, and, most recently, reggaeton artists have also received Best Pop Video nominations...
and Best Choreography
MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography
The following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Choreography in a Video....
. Spears told MTV News she was "completely flattered" by the nominations. She lost Best Choreography to Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
's "Run the World (Girls)
Run the World (Girls)
"Run the World " is a song performed by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles. It was written by Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Knowles, Nick "Afrojack" van de Wall, Wesley "Diplo" Pentz, David "Switch" Taylor, and Adidja Palmer and produced by Switch, The-Dream, Knowles and Shea Taylor...
", but won Best Pop Video.
Choreography cut
The video is similar to the director's cut, but has a few differences. The choreography cut offers lengthier shots of Spears and her dancers, and much of the apocalypse storyline is edited out. The clip's ending is also different from the original: instead of emerging from the manhole Spears just looks into the camera, apparently still hiding in the underground party and hinting at a darker ending in which the world does end. On April 9, 2011, Spears tweeted that she had seen the final cut of the dance version, and was not sure which one she liked best. Ray Kay tweeted on April 14, 2011, that the original version of the video was better, "but it's fun to watch the choreography too." The video, titled "DANCE Till the World Ends" premiered on April 15, 2011. Leah Collins of DoseDose (magazine)
Dose is a daily Canadian news website and former daily print magazine.Dose was a mixture of standalone features and coverage of daily news, sometimes from an irreverent perspective...
commented, "sorry, Team Britney, but if any of you were hoping to pass off Spears’ anemic performance in the original as the result of unfortunate editing, this clip isn’t exactly going to bring anyone back on side."
Live performances
Spears first performed "Till the World Ends" at Rain NightclubRain Nightclub
Rain Nightclub, at the Palms Casino Resort, opened in the 2001 by the N9NE Group. The club is or has been known as Rain Las Vegas and Rain in the Desert. A variety of celebrities have been spotted at Rain, including Jerry Bruckheimer, Nicky Hilton and David Katzenberg. Rain was the first mega club...
in the Palms Casino Resort on March 25, 2011. After performances of "Hold It Against Me" and "Big Fat Bass", Spears appeared wearing a black latex bodysuit covered in red lights and surrounded by her dancers, while the stage was filled with ladders and LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
lighting. At the end, she ascended the ladders and ended up on a platform, gyrating from above the room. As fireworks lit the stage, Spears danced and tossed her hair as the song closed. She also taped performances of "Hold It Against Me", "Big Fat Bass" and "Till the World Ends" at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is a multi-purpose arena in San Francisco, California, currently named after promoter Bill Graham...
on March 27, 2011, that aired on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
on March 29, 2011. The same day, Spears performed the set on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. On May 22, 2011, she briefly performed the song at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards
2011 Billboard Music Awards
The 2011 Billboard Music Awards were held May 22, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and hosted by Ken Jeong. The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from 2010....
in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. After Minaj performed "Super Bass
Super Bass
"Super Bass" is a song by Trinidadian-American recording artist and songwriter Nicki Minaj, from her debut album, Pink Friday. The song impacted radio as the album's seventh single on April 5, 2011 and was released on May 13, 2011. Written by Minaj, along with Daniel Johnson and Ester Dean, the...
", she started to sing the rap verse of The Femme Fatale Remix. Spears emerged onstage for the chorus and performed alongside Minaj and her back up dancers while walking to a minor stage.
Spears also performed "Till the World Ends" at the Femme Fatale Tour
Femme Fatale Tour
The Femme Fatale Tour is the seventh concert tour by American singer Britney Spears, in support of her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale. It was officially announced in March 2011, with dates for North American venues revealed. The tour was initially planned as a co-headlining tour with Enrique...
(2011). At the end of "Toxic", she goes below the stage and returns wearing a black sparkly bodysuit for "Till the World Ends". Halfway through the performance, Minaj appears on the backdrops rapping her verse of The Femme Fatale Remix of the song. She also joined Spears to perform the verse in select cities. After the song changes back to the original version, Spears starts flying in a platform with giant angel wings. The show ends with Spears and her dancers thanking the audience, as confetti falls and the "Femme Fatale" sign is lowered onstage. Jason L. Nelson of The Beaver County Times
The Beaver County Times
The Beaver County Times is a daily newspaper published in Beaver, Pennsylvania, United States. The Times is a direct descendant of many of Beaver County's newspapers, starting with the Minerva, first published in 1807, and generally believed to have been the county's first newspaper...
said that "encore hits 'Toxic' and 'Till the World Ends' kept the crowd beaming."
Track listings
-
- Digital download
- "Till the World Ends" – 3:58
-
- Digital download – The Remixes
- "Till the World Ends" – 3:58
- "Till the World Ends" (The Bloody BeetrootsThe Bloody BeetrootsThe Bloody Beetroots is an Italian electronica and dance music project. The Bloody Beetroots were formed in late 2006 by producer Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo . In 2008, their EP Cornelius was in the Top 100 International iTunes downloads. This album was a complete art project composed of music, videos,...
Extended Remix) – 4:06 - "Till the World Ends" (White Sea Extended Club Remix) – 4:50
- "Till the World Ends" (Kik Klap Radio Remix) – 3:41
- "Till the World Ends" (Alex Suarez Radio Remix) – 3:56
- "Till the World Ends" (Friscia and Lamboy Club Remix) – 9:57
- "Till the World Ends" (Varsity Team Radio Remix) – 4:15
- "Till the World Ends" (Karmatronic Extended Club Remix) – 6:47
-
- German CD single
- "Till the World Ends" – 3:57
- "Till the World Ends" (Instrumental) – 3:57
-
- French CD single
- "Till the World Ends" – 3:57
- "Till the World Ends" (The Femme Fatale Remix) featuring Nicki MinajNicki MinajOnika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
and KeshaKeshaKesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
– 4:44
-
- Digital download – Remix
- "Till the World Ends" (The Femme Fatale Remix) featuring Nicki MinajNicki MinajOnika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
and KeshaKeshaKesha village is a small village nestled in the mountains of Yongshun County, northwestern Hunan province, China, located at latitude 29 05' 50", longitude 109 57' 9". The name is pronounced in Standard Chinese. The official language is Manderin Chinese....
– 4:44
-
- Digital download – Four Pack
- "Till the World Ends" (The Femme Fatale Remix) featuring Nicki Minaj and Kesha – 4:44
- "Till the World Ends" (Culture Shock Remix) – 4:02
- "Till the World Ends" (Dance Version Video) – 3:52
- "Till the World Ends" (Culture Shock Remix) (Video) – 3:59
Personnel
- Dr. LukeDr. LukeLukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...
– songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, instrumentsMusical instrumentA musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
and background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Alexander KronlundAlexander KronlundAlexander Kronlund is a Swedish producer and songwriter.Kronlund co-wrote Meja's one million selling debut album on Sony and co-wrote two songs for Britney Spears' second album, Oops I Did It Again. Kronlund co-wrote her hit single, "Lucky", with Max Martin and Rami and also co-wrote "Don’t Go...
– songwriter, instruments and programming - Max MartinMax MartinMartin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...
– songwriter, producer, instruments, programming and background vocals - Kesha Sebert – songwriter
- BillboardBillboard (producer)Mathieu Jomphe, better known as Billboard, is a Canadian songwriter and record producer, and remixer from Montreal. His productions include dance-pop as well as dubstep influences. He has produced for international artists such as Britney Spears, Kesha and Robyn.-Discography:-External links:* at...
– producer, instruments and programming - Serban GheneaSerban GheneaSerban Ghenea is a four-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award-winning mixer. He has mixed songs for such artists as Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Jewel, Santana, Ozomatli, Shakira, Jill Scott, R. Kelly, Rod Stewart, and Dave Matthews Band...
– audio mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Emily Wright – engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
and vocal production - Sam Holland – engineering and background vocals
- Aniela Gottwald – assistant engineer
- John Hanes – mix engineer
- Tim Roberts – assistant mix engineer
- Stacey Barnett – background vocals
- Myah Marie – background vocals
- Bonnie McKeeBonnie McKeeBonnie Leigh McKee is a North American singer-songwriter, formerly signed to Reprise Records. She released her debut album Trouble in 2004, which was a minor success. The single "Somebody" was included in the soundtrack to the 2004 comedy film Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!...
– background vocals - Patrizia Rogosch – background vocals
- Tom Coyne – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
Credits adapted from Femme Fatale booklet liner notes.
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... ) |
8 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75) | 43 |
| Brazil (Billboard Billboard Brasil Billboard Brasil is a monthly Brazilian magazine launched on October 10, 2009, with a print-run of over 40,000 copies. It is distributed nationwide by Brazil's biggest distributor Dinap... Hot 100 Brasil Hot 100 Airplay Brasil Hot 100 Airplay is the official music singles charts in Brazil. It has been compiled by Crowley Broadcast Analysis and published monthly by Billboard Brasil since the release of the magazine, in October 2009.... ) |
19 |
| Brazil (Billboard Hot Pop Songs Billboard Brasil Billboard Brasil is a monthly Brazilian magazine launched on October 10, 2009, with a print-run of over 40,000 copies. It is distributed nationwide by Brazil's biggest distributor Dinap... ) |
3 |
| Greece (Billboard Greek Airplay Billboard Greek Airplay The Billboard Greek Airplay is the is the Greek music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard Greece. It is powered by Media Inspector and IFPI Greece ever since March 2011. Media Inspector monitors a total of 150 radio stations around Greece, and compiles a combined... ) |
13 |
| Italy (FIMI Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... ) |
30 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... ) |
10 |
| Poland (ZPAV) | 1 |
| Slovakia (IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... ) |
8 |
| South Korea (GAON Gaon Chart The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts... ) (International Chart) |
2 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
4 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
3 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
1 |
| US Pop Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
4 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
2x Platinum |
| Belgium | Gold |
| Denmark | Gold |
| Sweden | Platinum |
| Switzerland | Gold |
Radio dates and release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | March 4, 2011 | Radio premiere | Jive Records Jive Records Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African... |
| Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
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| Digital download | |||
| United Kingdom | |||
| United States | March 7, 2011 | Mainstream radio | |
| Germany | March 11, 2011 | Digital download | |
| April 15, 2011 | CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... |
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| United States | Digital download – remixes | ||
| Brazil | April 18, 2011 | ||
| United States | April 22, 2011 | Digital download – remix single |