Having assumed an integral position in its production, she co-wrote each track and collaborated with songwriters and producers including Sia and will.i.am to achieve her desired sound.

Upon its release, Britney Jean received mixed reviews from music critics, who felt the album was impersonal despite its marketing, and were ambivalent towards its dated production.

In 2012, while serving as a judge on the second season of the American version of The X Factor, Spears was spotted in the recording studio with producer Rodney Jerkins.

He described that his recording process differed from his past experience with the Black Eyed Peas, elaborating that "[he and Spears] had these juicy sessions, where [they had] been bonding, building the trust and comfort.

[18][19] She stated that her experiences in recent years, including her break-up with ex-fiancé Jason Trawick,[18] encouraged her to "dig deeper and write songs that [she thinks] everyone can relate to.

"[22] The opening track "Alien" deems celebrity an isolating experience that Spears describes in terms of feeling like an extraterrestrial[23] over synth bleaps,[24] which according to some critics, "it echoes William Orbit work with Madonna on Ray of Light.

"[27] The third track "Perfume" is a 1980s-influenced power ballad, which Spears described as "incredibly special to me because it hits close to home, and I think the story is relatable to everyone.

"[28][29] The fourth track "It Should Be Easy", which features will.i.am, insists that love "shouldn't be complicated," with Spears imagining a bright-normal-future with a man who's stolen her heart,[23] with "robotized" voice and EDM beats.

[25] It was described as a "club banger" and "the closest the album comes to bringing Blackout 2.0 to life," featuring a "sex-drenched" appearance from rapper T.I.

[22][35] With the eighth track "Passenger,” which noodles around with some EDM impulses before imploding into "brooding" pop-rock,[30] Spears emotes about finding happiness after being willing to cede control.

[36] "Chillin' with You" features Spears's younger sister Jamie Lynn into a song about grasping at happiness over lush trap, EDM and country pop sound.

[26] The album's closing track on the standard edition, "Don't Cry", opens with a spaghetti Western-esque whistle,[30] and it finds Spears refusing to give in to post-relationship grief.

"[31][36] On October 15, 2013, during an appearance on Capital London, she announced that the record would be titled Britney Jean, a nickname used affectionately by her family and friends.

"[39] A writer for The Huffington Post later suggested that the neon-style typography was inspired by the cover of Miley Cyrus' fourth studio album Bangerz (2013), which itself depicts a blonde Cyrus wearing a short black coat with the title "Bangerz" stylized in fluorescent neon lighting in front of palm trees.

Byron Flitsch of MTV News shared a similar sentiment, and added that the artwork was reminiscent of Spears’s fourth and seventh records In the Zone (2003) and Femme Fatale (2011).

"[44] On August 20, 2013, Spears relaunched her website with a countdown ending on September 17, originally speculated to be the release date of her then-unannounced lead single.

[45] On September 17, Spears announced on Good Morning America that her album would be released on December 3, 2013, in the United States, the day after her 32nd birthday.

[47] Spears revealed the track listing for Britney Jean on November 12, which she implied was earlier than she planned after hackers "[tried] to ruin [her] surprises.

However, she appeared on Good Morning America to announce her two-year residency show at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, titled Britney: Piece of Me, on September 17.

[62] "Work Bitch" was released as the lead single from Britney Jean on September 15, 2013, one day earlier than expected after a low-quality version was leaked by "one bad apple".

[68] However, Spears herself commented that she felt forced into maintaining her provocative image, elaborating that she "cut out half the video because I am a mother and because, you know, I have children, and it's just hard to play sexy mom while you're being a pop star as well".

[70] It received generally favorable reviews from music critics, and was compared to Spears's earlier song "Everytime", taken from her fourth studio album In the Zone (2003).

[30] Nick Catucci of Entertainment Weekly shared a similar sentiment, stating that he "treasures" Spears for "[remaining] as enigmatic as the Disney-groomed, emotionally insulated teen who greeted us in the late '90s", and adding that will.i.am's production "happily indulges the fantasies of endorphin-seeking EDM festival goers.

"[32] Writing for Rolling Stone, Rob Sheffield described Britney Jean as a "concept album about the loneliness of pop life – with a high-profile broken engagement behind her, Brit gets personal and drops her most bummed-out music ever.

Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine provided a mixed review, criticizing the album's "dated production and vocals that hark back to the days when Brit was selling 10 million [records].

"[35] Barry Walters from Spin criticized will.i.am's production on the album, claiming that the songs he produced "replace[d] melody with repetition and familiarity," but praised Spears's vocal delivery on "Don't Cry".