Good afternoon everyone, and thank you all for tuning in for America's favorite pastime: speculating on when Britney Spears will release her next album. Unfortunately, this is a game we get to play pretty often, given that our gal, A, doesn't crave the spotlight, B, doesn't need the money from an album because she has a super lucrative residency in Vegas right now, and C, doesn't given any effs what the critics think. Spears basically knows her fan base is here to stay — I mean, of course we're all in it for the long haul — and that the longer she waits to put out new music, the more excited we'll be for it when it gets here.
And in the meantime, don't expect Spears to be checking in with us, because girl's got a life to lead! She's got her boys Jayden James and Sean, her aforementioned residency, rehearsals, shoots, interviews, and then presumably also some time to eat and sleep. If possible.
So it's left up to us, the fans, to do some digging around and see what we can turn up in the way of clues as to the release date of her next album. (And while I don't want to spoil it for you, I will say that all signs are pointing to sometime in 2015 — so within the year. Whooo, got excited, need to sit down.)
Here's the rest of the evidence:
It's Been A Minute Since She Released New Music
And actually even more than a minute, if we're being scientific about it. Britney Jean came out in Nov. 2013, so it's been a year and a half since we've had anything new from her. That's more than enough time.
We Have Photo Proof She Was In The Studio
As far back as Sept. 2014, Spears posted a photo of herself in the studio. She didn't say what for, but we can put two and two together.
And We Know Of At Least One Track She Recorded
And it's even easier to figure things out when Iggy Azalea helps us! Azalea has spoken a lot about a track that the two of them recorded together — "Pretty Girls" — and seemed to think its release would be in early 2015, possibly as a prelude to a full album. From Inquisitr:
We have a song, which is going to be her first single, coming out next year. She said she would like to work with me in an interview and they reached out. We recorded a few different things and then one of those just ended up being, I think, undeniably great. Hopefully everybody will get to hear it at the beginning of next year. I think people are really going to love and enjoy it. It’s a really fun track.
She's Also Made A Video
We now know that the song Azalea referenced above is "Pretty Girls," because the two women were spotted filming the video, and Spears shared photos of herself on set.
... And Will Be Performing The Song At The Billboard Music Awards
As if you needed more proof, Spears and Azalea will be performing "Pretty Girls" at the BBMAs, Spears' first appearance at the awards show since 2011. And if the photo she posted of herself and some female dancers with the caption "aren't these girls pretty" is any indication, she may already be in rehearsals.
She Promised!
In an interview with Billboard last month, Spears acknowledged that she is "slowly but surely" working on a new album, although she also admitted that it isn't her first priority right now.
She's Extending Her Residency In Vegas
All the way to 2017! So if she doesn't want it to be four years between albums, she's gotta find a way to get new music out while also doing the whole Vegas thing. Multitasking!
Her Manager Is Trying To Throw Us Off The Trail
Here's what Larry Rudolph had to say about Spears putting anything new out. According to E! Online:
Right now we're just concentrating on putting out a few great singles as they come. We're not really talking seriously about a new album yet. Albums just aren't as important in the digital age as they used to be. Britney will get to one eventually, but not right now.
Albums aren't important anymore? Uh-huh. Tell that to Beyonce and Taylor Swift. But first... put another album out, Brit!
