Blackout is the fifth studio album by the American pop sensation Britney Spears. It was released October 30th 2007, ahead of it's planned release date to prevent any more illegal distribution due to numerous unauthorised online leaks. The album has a mixture of dance-pop and urban-pop genres with uptempo club beats and relationship inspired songs. Spears ran a competition on her website for fans to send suggestions for her new albums name. None of the sugestions were used. There were claims of the albums title to be Piece of Me - her second single. On October 5th 2007, a message was posted on Spears official website confirming the albums title to be Blackout. The title and theme behind the name was about "blacking out all negativity and embracing life".
In November 2007 US store Target released a special edition of the album featuring Outta This World as its bonus track, a bonus mobile wallpaper and a ringtone.
According to People magazine, Britney Spears reported her new music style could "reinvigorate the current pop scene" of which was "boring".
Spears began working with Nate "Danja" Hills during her second pregnancy with son Jayden James who helped produce the album along with Bloodshy & Avant, The Clutch, Kara DioGuardi, Freescha, Sean Garrett, Fredwreck and The Neptunes.
Spears won "Best International Album" for Blackout in France's NRJ awards in January 2008. She also won "Worst Album" at the Shockwaves NME Awards 2008, which took place in February 2008, at the IndigO2 venue in London.
Blackout is Spears first studio album to have no promotion before its release, with the exception of her performance of Gimme More at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Jive Records posted a commercial for the album on its official YouTube page.
Gimme More was to be the albums first single, released in September 2007 and was a top iTunes download.
The album debuted at number two in the United Kingdom on the UK's Album Chart. It is her highest debut since her sophomore album Oops!… I Did It Again, which debuted at number two. The album quickly fell out of the top forty, however, it managed to remain in the top seventy-five through continued sales, and has been certified Gold.
She had gone on to release Piece of Me and Break the Ice. Her worldwide release of Radar has been cancelled and she has reported that there will be no further releases from Blackout.
TRACKLISTING
1. Gimme More ~ Nate Hills, James Washington, Keri Hilson, Marcella Araica
2. Piece of Me ~ Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg, Klas Åhlund
3. Radar ~ Karlsson, Winnberg, Henrik Jonback, Balewa Muhammad, Candice Nelson, Ezekiel "Zeke" Lewis, Patrick Smith
4. Break the Ice ~ Araica, Hills, Hilson, Washington
5. Heaven on Earth ~ Nick Huntington, Michael McGroarty, Nicole Morier
6. Get Naked (I Got a Plan) ~ Ellis, Araica, Hills, Nigel Talley†, Washington†
7. Freakshow ~ Spears, Lewis, Smith, Karlsson, Winnberg, Asher
8. Toy Soldier ~ Sean Garrett, Karlsson, Winnberg, Magnus Wallbert
9. Hot as Ice ~ Hills, Araica, T-Pain
10. Ooh Ooh Baby ~ Farid Nassar, DioGuardi, Erick Coomes
11. Perfect Lover ~ Araica, Hills, Hilson, Washington
12. Why Should I Be Sad ~ Pharrell Williams
The Japanese version includes Get Back and Everybody.
Spears had recorded a vast amount of potential songs for the album including, Let Go, Kiss You All Over, Sugarfall, Love Is (A State of Grace) and ballad Untitled Lullabye also known as Baby Boy, where she sings to Ex-husband Kevin Federline.
Britney Spears is in the mist of recording for her new album, rumoured to be titled "Essence", which will be released early 2009.