Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN7s1q3L-S0
Song information
"4 Minutes" 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 an television advertisement for Sunsilk that began to air on March 17.
The song's lyrics and video suggests that both protagonists have got no more than four minutes to 'save the world', yet, the length of the song is not four minutes, but rather four minutes and four seconds.
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.
Credit
YouTube, Wiki
