4 Minutes

"4 Minutes"
Song

"4 Minutes" is the first single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album Hard Candy and was released on March 17, 2008 by Warner Bros. Records. It features American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake and Timbaland who also co-wrote and co-produced the song.

Song information

The song is sometimes referred to as "4 Minutes to Save the World", including by Madonna herself. The song received its first airing when co-producer Timbaland played part of the song at a concert on December 16, 2007 in Philadelphia. After brief appearances on YouTube and Perez Hilton, Warner Bros. quickly acted to prevent further viewing. Additionally, part of the song was played on a French radio station on February 29, 2008, later leaking online as a radio rip from the broadcast.

The single officially debuted on radio on March 17, 2008, and was released digitally in the UK on the same day. It was released digitally worldwide (except USA) on March 18, 2008 and in the US on March 25 2008. The song was also used for a television advertisement for Sunsilk that began to air on March 17.

The photography used on the cover is by Madonna's manager Guy Oseary.

Music video

File:4MinutesVideo.PNG

Madonna in the music video.

The music video was filmed at Black Island Studios in London from January 30 to February 2, 2008 with Timberlake and Timbaland, directed by French duo Jonas & François (Justice's "D.A.N.C.E."), with choreography by Jamie King.

The music video begins with Timbaland rapping his opening lines, in front of a screen showing exactly four minutes in the format of minutes:seconds:frames (NTSC). After some brief scenes of Madonna and Timberlake standing faced back to the camera, it shows Madonna leaning on car while pushing it back into a house where Timberlake and Madonna both sing while a removing a piece of clothing as the black background follows them both, the people living in the house seem oblivious to the black background as it removes their skin and part of their flesh. Madonna and Timberlake then jump out the window and end up in car junk yard where they begin to dance and evade the black shapes at the same time. After this they both run into a supermarket while the same black background follows them, Madonna and Timberlake begin singing in the aisle of the supermarket while shoppers carry on as normal. Madonna and Timberlake move on to start dancing on the small treadmills at the checkouts. They then run into a bathroom and remove another piece of clothing while the black background follows outside, they then run out of the bathroom and appear to walk in to the same room Timbaland was seen in before, they immediately start performing choreography in front of the screen, now counting down from four minutes. They continually dance and remove a final piece of clothing from each other as the black background comes at them from both sides. The video ends with the black background finally catching up to them while they stop dancing and move closer to each other, as it starts to eat away at their skin and flesh.

The music video was released in some countries on iTunes Store on April 3, 2008. It also made a television premiere on MuchMusic at midnight on April 6, 2008 and on MTV's TRL on April 7, 2008.

• Directors: Jonas & François
• Producer: Greg Panteix
• Director of Photography: Dan Landin
• Editor: Danny Tull
• Production Company: Soixan7e Quin5e

Reception

Rolling Stone described the song as:

“4 Minutes” has a bit of a marching band aesthetic as blasting brass play a scale-like riff, a hard, clanging beat enters and Madonna sings that the “road to heaven is paved with good intentions.” Timberlake and Madonna trade verses, and he appears on the chorus, doing his best Michael Jackson impression while quickly crooning, “We’ve only got four minutes to save the world.” The track ends after a brief breakdown where everything drops out but one of Tim’s signature Bhangra beats, some stabs of brass and Madonna’s urgent tick-tock’s. It’s a loud, busy, energetic track.

Billboard magazine gave the song a spotlight review in their March 29, 2008 issue. Reviewer-editor Chuck Taylor said:

"It doesn't take anywhere close to '4 Minutes' to realize that Madonna is poised to score her first top 10 hit since 2005's 'Hung Up.' The launch single from upcoming 'Hard Candy'—her 11th and final studio album for Warner Bros.—co-stars Justin Timberlake, with production props from Timbaland. There's an awful lot going on in the busy dance track: sing-song verses, insistent foghorns, cowbells, chants of 'tick-tock' and a rap from Timbaland—but the trade-off chorus between Madge and Justin of 'We've only got four minutes to save the world' is hooky enough unto itself to sell the song. '4' qualifies as an event record between superpowers who not only share equal billing, but sound gangbusters together. Expect instantaneous penetration for this spring break '08 anthem."

Radio success

The single broke a record in Canada when it debuted at number one on the Canadian CHR Audience chart. This was the first time any single debuted at the top of the chart. The song entered Canada's CHR Spin's Chart at number 5, the second song to debut within the top ten. This song also entered Canada's All Format Audience chart at number 2, the highest debut ever on the chart.

"4 Minutes" debuted at number 23 on United States' CHR/Top 40 National Airplay radio chart. It was also that chart's most added song of the week, with over 70 new stations. "4 Minutes" debuted at #18 on the Radio & Records Pop Chart on March 26, 2008. The single currently sits at #13.

Tracklistings and formats

U.K. CD Single
(slimline jewelcase)(2-471292 0-5439-19939-5-3)

1. "4 Minutes" (Album Version) — 4:04
2. "4 Minutes" (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix) — 5:39

International CD Single
(babypak)(2-471356 0-5439-19939-4-6)

1. "4 Minutes" (Album Version) — 4:04
2. "4 Minutes" (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix) — 5:39

International Maxi CD Single
(slimline jewelcase)(2-471420 0-9362-49868-2-9)

1. "4 Minutes" (Album Version) — 4:04
2. "4 Minutes" (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix) — 5:39
3. "4 Minutes" (Junkie XL Remix) — 6:16

International Digital Maxi Single
(6-471420 0-9362-49868-1-2)

1. "4 Minutes" (Album Version) — 4:04
2. "4 Minutes" (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix) — 5:39
3. "4 Minutes" (Junkie XL Remix) — 6:16

U.S. Maxi CD Single
(2-463036 0-9362-49871-2-3)

1. "4 Minutes" (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix) — 5:39
2. "4 Minutes" (Junkie XL Remix) — 6:16
3. "4 Minutes" (Tracy Young House Mix) — 7:55
4. "4 Minutes" (Peter Saves Paris Remix) — 8:37
5. "4 Minutes" (Rebirth Remix) — 7:57
6. "4 Minutes" (Junkie XL Dirty Dub) — 4:52

U.S. 2 x 12" Vinyl
(Special Jacket)(0-463228 0-9362-49870-9-3)

• A1. "4 Minutes" (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix) — 5:39
• A2. "4 Minutes" (Peter Saves Paris Remix) — 8:37
• B1. "4 Minutes" (Tracy Young House Mix) — 7:55
• B2. "4 Minutes" (Junkie XL Dirty Dub) — 4:52
• C1. "4 Minutes" (Album Version) — 4:05
• C2. "4 Minutes" (Rebirth Remix) — 7:57
• D1. "4 Minutes" (Junkie XL Remix) — 6:16

U.K. 12" Vinyl
(Picture Disc)(0-9362-49860-1-0)

• A1. "4 Minutes" (Radio Edit) — 3:10
• A2. "4 Minutes" (Bob Sinclar Space Funk Edit) — 4:57
• B1. "4 Minutes" (Junkie XL Remix Edit) — 4:39
• B2. "4 Minutes" (Tracy Young House Radio) — 3:33

Official versions

Original versions

• Album Version – 4:04
• Radio Edit – 3:10

Official remixes

• Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix – 5:39
• Bob Sinclar Space Funk Edit – 4:57
• Junkie XL Remix – 6:16
• Junkie XL Remix Edit – 4:39
• Junkie XL Dirty Dub – 4:52
• Peter Saves London Remix
• Peter Saves Paris Remix – 8:37
• Peter Saves Paris Mix Edit – 4:48
• Peter Saves The World Remix
• Rebirth Remix – 7:57
• Rebirth Mix Edit – 3:42
• Tracy Young House Mix – 7:55
• Tracy Young Mixshow – 6:19
• Tracy Young House Radio – 3:33
• Tracy Young House Dub – 7:55

Release history

Region	Date	Format
Germany	April 11 2008	CD
France	April 14 2008	CD
Australia	March 17 2008	Digital download
	April 19 2008	CD
United Kingdom	March 17 2008	Digital download
	April 21 2008	CD
Worldwide	March 18 2008	Digital download
United States	March 25 2008	Digital download

Chart performance

4 Minutes has already topped the charts in Canada, Denmark, Finland, and Norway and reached the top 5 in the United Kingdom, United States, Israel and Poland.

The song made its debut on the Official UK Singles Chart at number seven on 23 March 2008 based on download sales alone, reaching 21,106 within a week of it being released. Based on its first week of airplay, the song made its debut on the U.S. Mediabase Top 40/Pop Airplay Chart at number 23 with an airplay bullet of over 2000. The single debuted at number three on the Australian Digital Tracks chart, and reached number one in its third week . On April 14, 2008, the song debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at number three, based on digital downloads alone.

In Latin America, the song scored the highest debut of the year in Brazil, entering the local Top 100 at number 22 and is currently #28 in its second week on the Brazilian Dance Club Play chart. In Mexico the song debuted at number five on the Digital Sales Chart, reaching number one on its third week of being available.

In the Billboard issue dated April 12, 2008, Madonna surpassed Elvis Presley as the artist with the most U.S. top ten hits in the Rock Era with 37. "4 Minutes" went from number 68 to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 , spurred by digital download sales, and is now her highest-charting single since "Music" went number one in 2000. The song sold 217,000 in its first week of wide release and entered the Hot Digital Songs chart at number two. The single has reached #1 on both Hot Digital Songs and Hot Digital Tracks the following week. "4 Minutes" also sold the most one-week digital sales in Canada, moving her to number one on the Canadian Hot Digital Songs chart.

"4 Minutes" has also been a success on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay chart, peaking at #4.

Charts

Chart (2008)	Peak Position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	3
Austrian Singles Chart	8
Brazilian Hot 100 Songs & Tracks	9
Bulgaria Singles Top 40	16
Canadian Hot 100	1
Danish Singles Chart	1
Dutch Singles Chart	1
European Hot 100	14
Finnish Singles Chart	1
French Download Chart	1
Hong Kong Singles Chart	1
Irish Singles Chart	6
Israeli Singles Chart	1
Italian Singles Chart	1
European Hit Radio Top 40 (Latvia)	9
Malaysian Singles Chart	29
Mexican Download Chart	1
New Zealand Singles Chart	14
Norwegian Singles Chart	1
Polish National Top 50 Chart	5
Spanish Digital Singles Chart	6
Swedish Singles Chart	2
Turkish Billboard Top 20	1
UK Singles Chart	4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	3
U.S. Billboard Pop 100	2
United World Chart	2