Me Against the Music

"Me Against the Music"
File:BritneySpears-MATM.jpg
Single by Britney Spears featuring Madonna
From the album In the Zone
Released	2003
Format	CD maxi single 12" single
Genre	Pop/R&B
Length	3:43
Label	Jive
Writers	Britney Spears Madonna Chris "Tricky" Stewart Penelope Magnet T. Nikhereanye T. Nash G. O'Brien
Producers	Britney Spears Madonna Chris "Tricky" Stewart Penelope Magnet
Director	Paul Hunter
Chart positions	#35 (U.S.) #2 (U.K.) #2 (Canada) #1 (Australia)
Britney Spears singles chronology
"Boys (The Co-Ed Remix)" (2002)	"Me Against the Music" (2003)	"Toxic" (2004)
Madonna singles chronology
"Nobody Knows Me" (2003)	"Me Against the Music" (2003)	"Nothing Fails" (2003)

"Me Against the Music" is the first single from Pop singer Britney Spears released from the album In the Zone during the fourth quarter of 2003.

The song is different from any previous singles released by Spears in a number of ways. For one, this became her first to have both co-writing and co-producing credits from herself (along with many others, including Madonna who is also featured on vocals for the song). The song shows Spears explaining how she feels even the music confines her individuality and her desire to express herself, as she gets competitive.

In 2004, "Me Against the Music" gained a Billboard Music Award for Hot Dance Sales Single of the Year.

Music video

Directed by Paul Hunter, the video for "Me Against the Music" starts out with Britney driving up to a club. After entering the building, she begins a short dance scene in the entranceway; at the same time, we see several video screens about the different rooms in the club. In one room with several older men is Madonna sitting in a chair being taped by a camera. Her face appears on the video screens while Britney begins a dance in another part of the club. At this point, Madonna sees Spears and is immediately intrigued to find this girl, so she leaves the room to search for her; the same scenario occurs with Spears, as she, too, is intrigued to find out who this woman appearing on the screens is.

File:BritMadge.jpg

Madonna and Britney meet at the video's climax.

Throughout the video, there are cuts of Britney and Madonna in a section of the club that has wooden strips covering the walls. Madonna makes her way here and begins to look for Spears. At one point, she drops her jacket, and Britney picks it up, realizing this the same one the woman on the screen (Madonna) was wearing. Cuts of Spears dancing in a room with neon lights intrude this part of the video, as do scenes of Britney and Madonna dancing together in a filthy room on an iron bedframe.

Another part of the video has Spears and Madonna in two rooms separated by the same wall. As Spears begins a dance segment on her side of the wall, Madonna craves to get on the other side to find out who this girl is. Cuts of Madonna swinging in a courtyard with leaves on the ground are also included. The climax has Britney finally finding Madonna. She pushes her up against the wall, and moves in to kiss her; this piece is obviously a play on their now-infamous lip-lock at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. However, before Spears can reach her lips, Madonna disappers, leaving Britney very confused.

Released remixes

"Me Against The Music" was one of Britney's best mixed single songs.

1. Me Against The Music (B.E.D. Club Mix) – 3:47
2. Me Against The Music (Bloodshy & Avant Dubbie Style Remix) – 5:15
3. Me Against The Music (Bloodshy & Avant "Chix" Remix) – 5:15
4. Me Against The Music (Bloodshy & Avant’s Chix Mix Lidrock Edit) - 3:31
5. Me Against The Music (Barry Harris Tribal Bootleg) – 6:54
6. Me Against The Music (Gabriel & Dresden Club Mix) – 8:51
7. Me Against The Music (Gabriel & Dresden Dub) – 7:41
8. Me Against The Music (Gabriel & Dresden Radio Mix) – 3:43
9. Me Against The Music (Junior Vasquez Set Edit) – 5:22
10. Me Against The Music (JUSTICE Extended Remix) – 4:07
11. Me Against The Music (Kayne West Remix) – 3:43
12. Me Against The Music (Passengerz Vs. The Club Mix) – 7:34
13. Me Against The Music (Peter Rauhofer's Electrohouse Dub) – 6:49
14. Me Against The Music (Peter Rauhofer's Radio Mix) – 3:43
15. Me Against The Music (Peter Rauhofer's Electrohouse Club Mix) – 8:27
16. Me Against The Music (Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha Remix) – 4:29
17. Me Against The Music (Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha Remix Ft. Penelope Magnet) – ???
18. Me Against The Music (Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha Remix Instrumental) – 4:29
19. Me Against The Music (Rishi Rich's Punjabi Club Mix) – 5:34
20. Me Against The Music (Scott Storch Remix) – 3:38
21. Me Against The Music (Taan’s Dragon Man Remix) – 3:44
22. Me Against The Music (Terminalhead Vocal Mix) – 7:07
23. Me Against The Music (The Mad Brit Mixshow) – 5:55
24. Me Against The Music (The Mad Brit Radio Mix) – 3:37
25. Me Against The Music (The Trak Starz Remix) – 3:31
26. Me Against The Music (Video Mix Instrumental) – 3:35

Chart performance

"Me Against the Music" was marked to become Britney's comeback single after a year-long hiatus from the music scene and no substantial U.S. hits since back two years prior in 2001. While the song didn't break records of any sorts, it made Spears' musical presence known once again.

The single reached a modest peak of number thirty-five on the Billboard Hot 100; Britney's first top forty hit since "I'm a Slave 4 U". On the component charts, it peaked within the top five of the Hot 100 Singles Sales and at number thirty-eight on the Hot 100 Airplay. At Top 40 radio, it became her first truly successful track in years, going top twenty on both the Top 40 Tracks and Mainstream Top 40.

"Me Against the Music" was a huge international success, reaching the top five in nearly every country in which it charted. It became her first song not to hit #1 on The Philippine Top 20.

Chart (2003)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	35
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	38
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales	3
U.S. Billboard Hot Digital Tracks	3
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	1 (2 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Dance Radio Airplay	9
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales	1 (13 weeks)
U.S. Billboard Top 40 Tracks	15
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Top 40	11
Australian ARIA Top 50	1 (2 weeks)
Austrian Top 75	12
Canadian Billboard Top 100	2
French Top 100	11
German Top 100	5
Irish Top 50	1 (1 week)
Italian Top 50	2
New Zealand Top 50	13
Singapore Top 20	1 (3 weeks)
Philippine Top 20	1 (4 weeks)
Swedish Top 60	5
Swiss Top 100	4
U.K. Top 40	2
World Chart Show	1 (1 week)

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart trajectory
Week	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Chart position	50	43	38	38	44	35	40	51	78	81	83	91	95

Official versions

• Video mix
• Video mix instrumental
• Risci Rich's Desi Kulcha remix
• Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha remix instrumental
• Rishi Rich's Punjabi dub
• Peter Rauhofer Electrohouse mix
• Peter Rauhofer's Electrohouse dub
• Peter Rauhofer radio Mix
• The Passengerz club mix
• Terminalhead vocal
• The Mad Brit Mixshow
• Gabriel & Dresden Club Mix
• Gabriel & Dresden Club Mix Edit
• Gabriel & Dresden Dub
• Bloodshy & Avant Dubbie Style remix
• Kanye West remix
• Scott Storch mix
• Trak Starz mix
• B.E.D Club mix
• Justice Remix