Femme Fatale
by Britney Spears
  • Record Label: Jive
  • Release Date: Mar 29, 2011
User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 707 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 535 out of 707
  2. Mixed: 69 out of 707
  3. Negative: 103 out of 707
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  1. Satellites
    Jun 28, 2011
    0
    This album is horrible just like her, and her fans. She is too grown to be singing about little teenage girl things and she needs to grow up and make a brilliant album like Beyonces '4' if she wants my time and money.
  2. swiftie13
    Aug 31, 2011
    8
    Not her best album but not her worst. All of the songs are good enough and most could serve as singles. Some tracks are refreshing while others seemed recycled. Overall a strong album. Her voice is the only real "problem". All the effects could and should go away. Criminal, Inside Out, and He's About To Lose Me are the best racks and most refreshing on the album.
  3. RSter
    Oct 25, 2011
    10
    It is truly wonderful. "Circus" was very good, but "Femme Fatale" is exceptional. It's uptempo, seductive and the purest form of pop music you can find. I recommend it without hesitation.
  4. Caique
    Feb 18, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Muito bom, como sempre Britney, mostra que é digna de ser chamada princesa do Pop, album com influencia eletro-pop, dupstep, um trabalho maravilhoso, um dos melhores albuns de sua carreira, Parabéns, como sempre inovando.… Expand
  5. rxqueen
    Dec 13, 2011
    9
    a great, catchy, fun pop album. Ms. Spears still has it. a few of the b-sides and latter portion of the album I could do without, but mostly from start to finish, this album will make you want to dance.
  6. Matheus_
    Mar 24, 2013
    8
    Femme Fatale is a great pop album. An that's much about it. We can't see in this album much input from the artist herself, which was exactly what built Britney's early career. In the past years, after her "dark" period, Britney hasn't been able to produce or even write tracks, which has a direct result in what comes out as an artist product. There are a lot of "masterminds" behind theFemme Fatale is a great pop album. An that's much about it. We can't see in this album much input from the artist herself, which was exactly what built Britney's early career. In the past years, after her "dark" period, Britney hasn't been able to produce or even write tracks, which has a direct result in what comes out as an artist product. There are a lot of "masterminds" behind the production process and this reflects in non-reflexive and non-personal tracks. I'm not saying that I wish she wrote about war, ocidental thought or anything like that, but I hope for the next few years she and her team realise that what real fans are looking for is her, and not just success.
    Throughout the album, "Britney" delivers a clearer (not as edited as Blackout's) and upbeat sound. We can hear her voice (as far as we can call that) and "Inside Out" contains a small resemblance of what Britney used to be as a child: a great and potent singer.
    As far as it comes to lyrics, it follows the Circus' style of the nonexistence of patterns nor (much) sexual heat. The exception here is "Big Fat Bass", which has metaphors to male erection.
    The music style is more cohesive than her last album as well. Femme Fatale follows a motive (expressed in its title) and, even if is not as explored as in "In The Zone" or "Blackout", we cannot say that it doesn't exist.    … Expand
  7. ElectroShot
    Nov 10, 2012
    0
    Terrible album, wonder when is she going to start singing or making music with actual lyrics not everything in life is about partying. The only solid track is Criminal. I wish she could stop trying to be Kesha.
  8. marcost12
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    I guess they don't even bother showcasing her voice anymore, do they? I wonder when will we get to hear the real Britney Spears telling us how she really feels, you can tell she's no longer living the dancer's life so why is asking me to keep on dancing till the world ends?

    It's a pity cuz she looked like she had potential 10 years ago.
  9. Viainfinito
    May 14, 2013
    10
    Femme Fatale is a great album to work-out and dance to. The album is meticulously produced and very cohesive as a dance-pop record. The introduction of dub-step in "Hold It Against Me" is a trendsetter to all the mainstream pop songs after 2011. This song is responsible for the dub-step bridge structure that we often hear nowadays. Although the lyrics could be more diverse on its subject,Femme Fatale is a great album to work-out and dance to. The album is meticulously produced and very cohesive as a dance-pop record. The introduction of dub-step in "Hold It Against Me" is a trendsetter to all the mainstream pop songs after 2011. This song is responsible for the dub-step bridge structure that we often hear nowadays. Although the lyrics could be more diverse on its subject, overall it's neglect-able since the direction for the album is to create fun dance tracks. Britney sounds very confident and sassy on the album compared to her previous record "Circus". The tracks that I would recommend are "Till The World Ends", "Hold It Against Me", Inside Out", How I Roll", "Trouble For Me", "He About To Lose Me" and "Criminal".
    Overall, I think this album is a must for general pop listeners who look for fun dance tracks to dance to and have a genuine great time.    … Expand
  10. miguelandrade1
    Oct 25, 2013
    6
    Femme fatale is a good album, but is too predictable. There is no innovation, it is always the same eletronic music with a bit of auto-tune, definitely not one of the best works made my pop princess Britney Spears. There is no comparison with her previous works, such as blackout and circus, but it has good songs like "criminal", "he about to lose me" and "hold it against me".
  11. GabrielRivalta
    Jun 21, 2014
    10
    Femme Fatale é o melhor álbum da Britney, mostra novamente seu grande retorno, o álbum simplesmente é perfeito, todas as músicas são ótimas e viciantes, além dos produtores serem ótimos, não consigo escolher uma faixa preferida, pois todas me encantam, realmente Britney sobe escolher as músicas, os singles e cantá-las, vocal impecável.
  12. MisterAviator
    Apr 4, 2011
    9
    Femme Fatale, in my opinion, is possibly the best album Britney Spears has released. Now granted In the Zone gave us "Toxic" and Circus, well it gave us "Womanizer" and "Circus"! But Femme Fatale is definitely up-to-date with the latest genres of music including, techno, electropop, synthpop, and even a touch of dubstep, which is new to the States (thankfully its Britney who is introducingFemme Fatale, in my opinion, is possibly the best album Britney Spears has released. Now granted In the Zone gave us "Toxic" and Circus, well it gave us "Womanizer" and "Circus"! But Femme Fatale is definitely up-to-date with the latest genres of music including, techno, electropop, synthpop, and even a touch of dubstep, which is new to the States (thankfully its Britney who is introducing dubstep to us!). Some of the hallmarks of the albums has to be:
    I Wanna Go: a very upbeat, catchy tune with lots of autotune and bounce! This song is definitely radio worthy and I feel it has potential to be the popular song of Summer 2011! When the song starts it just makes you want to get up and dance and sing along to it! It's a great song and is probably the best song on the album!

    Trip To Your Heart: Very dancy tune, with lots of catchy beats and an awesome chorus melody! Trip to Your Heart is probably one of the sweetest songs on "Femme Fatale" and, in my opinion, sounds like something that Britney would've sung on "...Baby One More Time" or "Oops I Did It Again" if both of the albums were released in 2011! How I Roll: When you first hear this, you'll immediately think that this song is sexy (heavy breathing at the beginning of the song)! Like most of the songs on "Femme Fatale" it has a catchy chorus ("Because I got 9 lives like a kitty cat!") which makes it very sexy and alluring for Britney to sing! Gasoline: This song is shockingly perfect for the age in which we live in (ahem! gas prices). Gasoline is a very sexy song that fits perfectly for Spears and might I add, make gasoline sexy again!

    Criminal: This song is a more ballad like song which features Britney falling in love with a criminal. Definitely, puts you in the shoes of Britney's mama! And how she would feel if Britney really were in love with a criminal. Although slow, it's a great addition to "Femme Fatale"'s lineup of nightclub dance worthy tracks

    Up N Down (only available on the deluxe version): I love this song! The beats are perfect, vocals are perfect, melody is perfect, everything in this song is perfect! Definitely a song you would hum in your head! Some of the other songs with honors would include:
    Inside Out,
    Drop Dead (Beautiful),
    Seal It With A Kiss,

    Now I can say the whole album is great, but there is one song that I don't particularly like, and most people can agree with me on this one, Big Fat Bass! It sounds... OK... but too much autotune and heavy beats. Will.I.Am is not at his best in this song and doesn't do a great job as he did in "The E.N.D." but despite it all, Britney's vocal are outstanding and fills the void of the not-so-great beats and "vocals" (if you would like to call them that) of Will.I.Am! Overall the album is fantastic, but leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to Big Fat Bass. Other than that, well worth every single penny. Great addition to any Britney fan's collection!
    I also suggest the Deluxe version, all of the bonus tracks are awesome, even though I didn't mention them, they're great!    … Expand
  13. BloodyMary
    May 20, 2011
    5
    The whole album is not the best album of Britney. There are some good and catchy songs like Hold It Against Me, Till the World Ends and I Wanna Go. However, I think Britney Spears should start write some songs and produce her own material and not leave the songwriting to others (for example I Wanna Go a song about her life isn't written by her, neither). The lyrics are catchy but lack ofThe whole album is not the best album of Britney. There are some good and catchy songs like Hold It Against Me, Till the World Ends and I Wanna Go. However, I think Britney Spears should start write some songs and produce her own material and not leave the songwriting to others (for example I Wanna Go a song about her life isn't written by her, neither). The lyrics are catchy but lack of Britney's involvement and something new. Her voice is so much robotic and has so much auto-tune and the listener doesn't enjoy the album. All in all, the album isn't interesting and lacks of new lyrics yet good choice for clubs only and nothing else.… Expand
  14. Vic
    May 31, 2011
    10
    This is the best Britney Spears' album that's for sure! I didn't even expect such outstanding result after her previous album! Almost every song has an easy, catchy melody and they're really fun to listen. Max Martin did an excellent job! This is the best pop release so far!
  15. Kallik
    Jan 30, 2012
    10
    Each song on Femme Fatale brings something new to the table. It seems to lead to the urban influences of Blackout, but still having the dance-pop elements of Circus! 1. Till The World Ends : Very catchy and fun, yes. It was my jam back in early summer. It was the first Britney song I actually liked, and brought me into her music. It's one of the most fun songs of the year! 5/5

    2. Hold    Each song on Femme Fatale brings something new to the table. It seems to lead to the urban influences of Blackout, but still having the dance-pop elements of Circus! 1. Till The World Ends : Very catchy and fun, yes. It was my jam back in early summer. It was the first Britney song I actually liked, and brought me into her music. It's one of the most fun songs of the year! 5/5

    2. Hold It Against Me : Dance-pop perfection. It was a really unique choice as the lead single with songs like World Ends and I Wanna Go, but it was a hit. I love the chorus. It's so fun and... just amazing! I loved it in the fall. Fantastic song! 5/5

    3. Inside Out : There are some artists who's slower songs just don't appeal to me. Britney is one of them. That being said, Inside Out is surprisingly great. It's a hugs fan favorite, but I think they overate it. What I like about it is the beat. It sounds great. 4/5

    4. I Wanna Go : From the first listen, I Wanna Go screamed single. It is really fun, and the most catchy song on the album. It was my summer song. It will have you dancing in a moment. The music video isn't bad either... even if a little dirty. One of my favorites 5/5

    5. How I Roll : Bubbly! Sizzling! Rolling Stone named it to be the song of the year! Is it the song of the year, no. But it's fantastic. It is very, very memorable. The bubbly nature and uniquness of the track will stay in your head. It's...real. She isn't trying to be anything on How I Roll. I'm conviced, though, that when she says "Thug" she really said something else. 4.5/5

    6. (Drop Dead) Beautiful : Probably the best song on Femme Fatale for dancing, which says a lot since it's a dance-pop album. Drop Dead Beautiful is top 40 material. It's catchy, fun. It's a little...repetitive though. You can only listen to it so much without getting bored of it. 4/5

    7. Seal It With A Kiss : I can't decide what to think of it as. It definetly sounds like a filler, but not all fillers are bad. It's really fun, and the beat is simply amazing. It's not neccesarily danceable, but it's just a nice song to listen to. 4/5

    8. Big Fat Bass : People seem to miss the point of this song. It's supposed to be a 'club song'. I don't think anyone would ever dare send it to top 40 radio. And it delivers what it tries to perfectly. I love Britney's verses (not the bass is getting better or you can be my bass). They're flawless. It's really fun and does what it was supposed to. 5/5 on delivery. 5/5 on the song, in fact.

    9. Trouble For Me - Her best vocals on the standard album. This is one of the top-40-friendly songs. It's so catchy. The music is a turn off though. But the chorus will bring the song back to life. I love T4M. It could have easily been a hit! The song is so different from the rest... I remembered it. Great song 4.5/5

    10. Trip To Your Heart - It reminds me of Heavan On Earth, in a good way. It feels so much different from the rest of the CD. Instead of having the dance-pop-club feel, it has more of a pop feel. Her vocals are visible in this song. It's a lot more innocent than some of these songs, and the music is legendary. 4/5

    11. Gasoline - It's truely a unique song. It has a beachy feel, which I'm all here for. It doesn't have a radio or club feel, and is more risky than the other dance songs on the record. A risk worth taking, too. Because it's a flawless track. 4.5/5

    12. Criminal - It's a crime. So good it's a crime. Easily my favorite from the CD. From the first listen, I loved it. It was like it was my pet or something... I was so excited to watch it be a single and have so much success in Brazil (It peaked at #1) It's slower than the rest of the album, and houses amazing flutes. It's one of her favorites, too. It would rank very high on my top 10 of 2011 list. 5/5

    13. Up n Down - Top 40 material. Not sure how it didn't make the standard edition. It would just slay on the radio. The best deluxe song for dancing. It has a clubbish feel, and is danceable. 5/5

    14. He About To Lose Me - Like Criminal, it left me speechless. Easily the 2nd best on the album. Her vocals are about as real as you'll get in a Britney track right here, and her vocals sound flawless as Christina's before the autotuned-chorus. Legendney. 5/5

    15. Selfish - Mmkay... This was my song in late fall. It's just pure fun. I love the way she says selfish. It could have done decent on the radio, but it still boasts it's own quality, the undeniably catchy verses. Of all the dance songs of her career, her vocals shine on this. 5/5

    16. Don't Keep Me Waiting - I don't like the song itself, but it has elements that I like. It's edgy. It holds it's place on the CD. It doesn't just blend in with all of the dance tracks. Even if the song itself is so... bleh, it's a fantastic way to end the CD. I have to give it a 4/5 for it's edginess and difference from the rest of the CD.    … Expand
  16. GuilhermeV
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I loved this album, he's sexy, interesting and unlike anything Britney Spears has done. Bold in the footsteps of Madonna every album Britney she gets more and more audience.… Expand
  17. Circles
    Nov 21, 2012
    0
    This is a really bad album, full of autotune, and bad songs, all the album sounds old, the same sound as always, i just find this so boring. Thank god i dont have to hear this anymore.
  18. joalmeciga
    Jun 16, 2017
    8
    What a good album. You can tell that Britney's team was completely worth. A happy album that make you forget your problems, but she needs to get more personal.
  19. Medstar558
    Mar 29, 2011
    10
    Hands down Britney's best work since Blackout (which still remains her masterpiece and perfection in album form if ever there was one). Femme Fatale delivers in what it's meant to do: Get listeners to get up and dance and let loose. This is a great, fun record to listen to for various occasions. Driving in your car, getting ready for a nite out, lounging around the house. The list goes onHands down Britney's best work since Blackout (which still remains her masterpiece and perfection in album form if ever there was one). Femme Fatale delivers in what it's meant to do: Get listeners to get up and dance and let loose. This is a great, fun record to listen to for various occasions. Driving in your car, getting ready for a nite out, lounging around the house. The list goes on and on. Haters can hate and say what they want, but they are only kidding themselves. Its Godney, ****… Expand
  20. foxaylove
    Mar 29, 2011
    10
    Britney returns to the pop spectrum right where she left off with Blackout, continuing to be an advocate for Electro Pop's continual explosion. With hard hitting dubstep beats and an exploration of European dance music, we are treated with one excellent Dance album in Femme Fatale that is sure to leave listeners begging for more. Dare we say, the bar has been elevated? Bravo Ms. Spears, BRAVO!!!
  21. AlexShor
    Mar 29, 2011
    7
    Britney's contribution to this album is minimal. On most of the songs she does not sing at all but rather chants and recites the lyrics. It is interesting that you can actually hear her sing on the songs which were NOT produced by Dr. Luke and his team, one of which is the Darkchild-produced bonus track "Don't Keep Me Waiting." Why that song, as well as "Selfish" (produced by Stargate) didBritney's contribution to this album is minimal. On most of the songs she does not sing at all but rather chants and recites the lyrics. It is interesting that you can actually hear her sing on the songs which were NOT produced by Dr. Luke and his team, one of which is the Darkchild-produced bonus track "Don't Keep Me Waiting." Why that song, as well as "Selfish" (produced by Stargate) did not make the standard edition is beyond me. Nevertheless, the album is a non-stop dance party filled with many potential Britney classics, but the lack of her involvement should not go unnoticed. Should we blame Dr. Luke for making her sound like almost like Ke$ha, or Spears herself for not "feeling it" or her management team for not letting her have her own say? This album is hardly her best but at the end of the day, it is good. Top track: Inside Out.… Expand
  22. cyborobin
    Mar 29, 2011
    4
    So disappointed. There's barely anything in this album that remotely tells me that this is Britney's best album like she said it was. Now, I love Britney as much as anyone else could, but I love her for a totally different reason than most. I loved her for her innovation and originality that she brought to pop music; she seemed like the first person to bring in different elements ofSo disappointed. There's barely anything in this album that remotely tells me that this is Britney's best album like she said it was. Now, I love Britney as much as anyone else could, but I love her for a totally different reason than most. I loved her for her innovation and originality that she brought to pop music; she seemed like the first person to bring in different elements of different genres into her music and that what drew me to her during her "Britney" and "In the Zone" era, but now it seems like she's settled on a sound and isn't giving it up.

    The writing seems lackluster; there's definitely a theme, but it's so transparent that it doesn't pop like before. I know 12-year-olds that could write better songs than Till the World Ends or Hold It Against Me, but there is no way they could've done the production. The composition on most of these songs are top-notch and that's what really sells the album, which, on its own merits, is an accomplishment but a vague one at the least. This album is definitely "POP GOLD", but whose pop, because it's not Britney's? Actually, it sounds like the pop album of twelve different artists' rejects fused together.

    The only highlights I can find are "Inside Out", the dubstep-influenced monster it is, and "I Wanna Go", the disco/electro, Kylie Minogue-esque hit that was obviously skipped as a single choice. I'm not saying that this doesn't reek of Britney or pop fantasy, it's just disappointing.    … Expand
  23. JustSayin
    Mar 29, 2011
    2
    There are about two good songs on here. The rest are some of Britney's worst songs to date. I feel that as a fan, we need to be honest when things aren't good. Big Fat Bass featuring Will.I.Am has to be THE worst song by Britney I've ever heard. TERRIBLE. "I can be your treble baby, you can be my bass", Britney sings. Oh and by the way whoever produced this DESTROYED Britney's sweet voice.There are about two good songs on here. The rest are some of Britney's worst songs to date. I feel that as a fan, we need to be honest when things aren't good. Big Fat Bass featuring Will.I.Am has to be THE worst song by Britney I've ever heard. TERRIBLE. "I can be your treble baby, you can be my bass", Britney sings. Oh and by the way whoever produced this DESTROYED Britney's sweet voice. It's barely recognizable behind all the autotune. I can understand it's a technique, but by doing that it takes away the artist's personality on a record. Seeing that Britney neither wrote nor produced ANYTHING on the album (She wrote some songs, which didn't make the final tracklist unfortunately), the least they could do was let us hear HER voice; not some robotic, cold, slightly grating voice. There are two great songs on here, which I'm sure Britney had to fight to keep on the album. "Inside Out" is the best Britney song I've heard since Blackout! The instrumental is RICH, DEEP, etc. Just breathtaking! Meanwhile Britney's vocal delivery is amazing from what I can tell. The "Inside Out" lyrics are pretty clever and could be interpreted a number of ways so take your pick ;)

    The other highlight is "How I Roll". Probably because it's the song that's most unlike the others. I've never heard a song like this. It's so bubbly, but it's dancy...but it has a piano too. I can't get enough of this song and hope it's a single at some point. There's some intentional mispronunciation of words that's sure to cause controversy, but what is Britney without controversy?

    As a Britney fan I regret buying this because there is barely anything here that is distinctly "Britney". The producers tried their best to make her fit into this Ke$ha/Katy Perry pop world, but they failed to realize Britney doesn't need to follow these trends. Songs like "Hold It Against Me" and "Till The World Ends" are so below Britney's standards and don't really work as singles for me. Where is the "Britney" spark that makes it stand out? Overall I'd say pass on this album and buy "Inside Out" and "I Wanna Go" on iTunes.

    **Sorry if this doesn't make sense. After listening to the album over 20 times (yes I listened to the leak), I just pretty much blurted out all my thoughts here and don't feel like going back to re-edit.    … Expand
  24. predatr3
    Apr 6, 2011
    10
    This album is very dancy and catchy at the same time. Britney Spears may have not contributed (writing at least) to this album and is very autotuned, but the music is very catchy and i enjoy every song! keep it up! (and please dance instead of standing like a robot during live performances!)
  25. maestraretirada
    Apr 15, 2011
    10
    THE LEGENDARY MS. BRITNEY SPEARS PROVES SHE'S STRONGER THAN EVER AND SHE'S THE NEW QUEEN OF POP!!!!!!! FAVORITE TRACKS ARE: HIAM, INSIDE OUT, HOW I ROLL, I WANNA GO, DROP DEAD BEAUTIFUL, CRIMINAL AND GASOLINE, i love them all but these are my favs
  26. JustinC
    Apr 21, 2011
    10
    Probably the best album Britney has released to date. The album has a much more mature and darker sound than one is used to with Britney. The songs featured are well produced, with heavy electropop beats, often on the verge of dubstep.
  27. thienbrand
    May 25, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This albuum is nothing. i can't believe that she is talentless now. She can't dance, her music in this album is awful and she can't sing live either. This album is a shame for pop.… Expand
  28. dp2007
    May 24, 2011
    1
    Whoever said this album is good must be deaf. I've been a Spears fan for a while, but this is gross. Born This Way > Femme Fatale for sure, but what else can you expect from a hasbeen. It's very sad, I actually expected a lot more from Femme Fatale.
  29. jamesmanalili
    May 24, 2011
    10
    This album is the perfect reflection on modern pop music. Britney provides dance music that is not only traditionally catchy, but at some points taking some risks. Her voice is playfully constructed throughout the album to fit each song, and she does it well. Her voice ranges from playful, to light, to serious, to seductive. Great balance of songs that are cohesive. Good job, Britney.
  30. Demon199230
    Jul 4, 2011
    10
    Great pop album, Best album of 2011? maybe not. I like most of the tracks but wish there were 2 or 3 ballads. Britney should experiment with her voice to prove her critics wrong.
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Awards & Rankings

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#6 Most Discussed Album of 2011
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#21 Most Shared Album of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
67

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 25
  3. Negative: 1 out of 25
  1. Hartford Courant
    May 24, 2011
    80
    Despite a slew of hit singles and eye-popping sales figures, Britney Spears has never released an album as coherent from start to finish as her latest, Femme Fatale.
    Read full review
  2. Expert Witness (MSN Music)
    Apr 15, 2011
    83
    The poppers keep on coming right through the bonus tracks of porn-lite funk-lite that's quirky and clever front to back.
    Read full review
  3. No Ripcord
    Apr 5, 2011
    70
    Femme Fatale equips Britney with material which is strong enough to enable the original all-American Pop Princess to hold her own in such an overcrowded context.
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