Boys (Britney Spears song)

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"Boys"
Single by Britney Spears featuring Pharrell Williams
from the album Britney and Austin Powers in Goldmember: Music from the Motion Picture
B-side"I'm a Slave 4 U"
ReleasedJune 24, 2002 (2002-06-24)
Recorded2001
Genre
Length
  • 3:26 (album version)
  • 3:45 (The Co-Ed Remix)
LabelJive
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)The Neptunes
Britney Spears singles chronology
"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"
(2002)
"Boys"
(2002)
"Anticipating"
(2002)
Pharrell Williams singles chronology
"Formal Invite"
(2002)
"Boys"
(2002)
"When the Last Time"
(2002)
Music video
"Boys" on
YouTube

"Boys" is a song by American singer

funk influences. The remix carries a slower tempo than the album version, and both versions were noted by critics to be reminiscent of music by American artist Janet Jackson
. Some critics praised Spears and Williams' chemistry, as well as the production on the track, while others did not think the song worked well.

While the song did not perform well on the Billboard charts in the United States, it reached the top ten on the Belgian charts and in Ireland and the United Kingdom, and charted in the top 20 in Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. The song would later be certified gold in Australia. The song's accompanying music video, directed by Dave Meyers, was nominated at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video from a Film. The clip features Spears and Williams at a party. Spears has performed "Boys" a number of times including at the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, on Saturday Night Live, and on several of her concert tours.

Background

"Boys" was originally recorded by

AOL Music premiered the new track on June 13, 2002, and it was streamed more than 1.35 million times, setting a new record an AOL Music "First Listen."[2]

Composition

"Boys" is a song that combines

Prince's music.[8] According to Alex Needham of NME, the track takes influence from Janet Jackson.[6] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said the song was "cut-rate '80s Janet Jackson."[9] Lyrical content sees Spears eying a guy with an intent to "get nasty."[10]

Critical reception

Critics were divided concerning the production of Pharrell Williams (pictured) and Chad Hugo on "Boys."

Calling the song "a decidedly lubricious duet", Alex Needham of

New Musical Express said that "She sings about boys, he sings about girls. A simple concept, but an effective one, resulting in Britney's best single [in] ages."[6] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said that The Neptunes' productions on the album, "I'm a Slave 4 U" and "Boys" "swaddle her in writhing, kick-the-can beats, but never have a groove and a verse been so betrayed by a limp chorus."[9] Nicki Tranter of PopMatters said that the remainder of the album was "tried and tested" dance-pop, noting "Boys" and "Cinderella" revisiting "old Britney territory exploring predictable issues including her love being irreplaceable, her use of the dance floor as an appropriate courting place, and her much-loved girl-ness."[11] Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly called it a "popping, Janet-esque groove."[12] Yale Daily News writer Catherine Halaby considered the song "an envelope-pushing (when you consider her claims of wholesomeness) smutfest."[13]

The staff from Entertainment Weekly placed "Boys" at number 21 on their ranking of Spears' songs, writing that "anyone who ever fantasized about a mash-up of Britney and Janet Jackson got their wish with this track. [...] ['Boys'] sounds a lot like Miss Jackson's 1986 smash '

Pink News, deemed it "one of her most sleek and sharp pop hits. The single remix adds an effortlessly cool Pharrell rap that takes it to the next level".[17] Spin's Caryn Ganz ranked it as the singer's 20th greatest song; "the Neptunes' magical collaborations with the Princess of Pop – a chic bass line, bare-bones beat, and three and a half minutes of Spears cooing about those nasty boys".[18] Complex magazine listed "The Co-Ed Remix" as the 33rd best R&B song by a white artist from the 2000s decade, deeming it "another creative success for The Neptunes and Britney who gave each other more credibility in the hip-hop and pop worlds, respectively".[19]

Chart performance

The song failed to make much of an impact in the United States, only appearing on the

ARIA Singles Chart in Australia, the song spent 12 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 14.[23] "Boys" would go on to be certified Gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association.[24] Furthermore, it peaked in the top 20 of the charts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.[25]

Music video

The music video for "Boys" was directed by

Mike Myers as Austin Powers. Actors Jason Priestley, Justin Bruening and Taye Diggs also make cameo appearances in the video. The video was nominated at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Video from a Film, but lost to Eminem's "Lose Yourself."[28]

Live performances and usage in media

Spears performing "Boys" at Britney: Piece of Me in 2014

Spears performed "Boys" on multiple occasions. On the 2001

In the Zone (2003).[32]

On The Onyx Hotel Tour in 2004, it featured male dancers pushing her while she was standing in luggage carts.[33] During her performance of the song on The Circus Starring Britney Spears, the singer performed wearing a military costume, while surrounded by her dancers, some of them riding bicycles.[34] The rendition was described as a "Rhythm Nation-like military stomp."[35] On 2011's Femme Fatale Tour, Spears wears a golden cape for a snake charming number of the song.[36] Spears included "Boys" on the setlist of her 2013–17 Las Vegas residency, Britney: Piece of Me. During this performance, she and her dancers wear neon outfits. Sophie Schillaci from MTV considered the performance "crowd-pleasing".[37]

The song has been performed in a mashup with Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend" by Kevin McHale and Darren Criss (respectively as their characters Artie Abrams and Blaine Anderson) in the musical TV series Glee in the second episode of season four, "Britney 2.0" (aired on September 20, 2012), the show's second tribute episode to Spears.[38]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Boys"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[24] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Boys"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States June 24, 2002
  • rhythmic contemporary radio
Jive
United Kingdom July 29, 2002 RCA
Japan August 7, 2002 Maxi CD Avex Trax
Australia September 2, 2002 BMG
Germany September 30, 2002
France October 22, 2002 CD Virgin

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