Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” Finally Arrives: Was It Worth The Wait?

Robbie Daw | January 10, 2011 7:16 am

Put on your party hats and start rocking the noisemakers, Britney Spears fans, because after being teased last week with the demo and single cover, Brit’s new single “Hold It Against Me” has finally surfaced on the eve of its official release. What are you waiting for? Listen below! With “Hold It Against Me”, it seems as if Max Martin—who, along with his frequent accomplice Dr. Luke, executive-produced Spears’ upcoming seventh album—reached back to his Euro-pop roots to craft a throbbing dance jam with a chorus that wouldn’t sound out of place on a 1995 Ace Of Base album.

But given that Max and Luke whipped up more than a handful of last year’s catchiest hits, we were expecting a bit more in the way of melody when it came to the verses of the song. In fact, what we get is a driving, minimal (and almost menacing) bass beneath Brit’s vocals.

[wpaudio url=”//static.idolator.com/uploads/2011/01/Hold-It-Against-Me.mp3″ text=”Britney Spears – Hold It Against Me” dl=”0″] Speaking of which, vocally, the Spears is in top form while delivering the tongue-in-cheek lyrics about the pickup scene. (What is it about the way she utters the word “hazy” here that makes us so giddy?)

Overall, “Hold It Against Me” is a fine enough pop jam to heat up January while the winter doldrums have set in. And we’re definitely looking forward to the arrival of Brit’s album this March. (Not to mention the inevitable ridiculously sexy photoshoot.)

So what do you think: is this an instant classic right out of the gate or more of a grower?