Panic Industry

After the introduction repeats the hook four times, Spears sings the first two verses, each one followed by the hook. After singing the bridge, she sings the chorus. Spears sings the third verse and then the chorus. Following a break she sings the chorus twice and closes the song with an outro.

Chart performance

"Toxic" became one of Spears' biggest U.S. hit since "...Baby One More Time", and her first top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2000's "Oops!...I Did It Again".

"Toxic" is Spears' fourth top-ten single in the U.S. reaching #9 on the Hot 100 chart. The single also experienced strong downloads, and became her first number one on the Hot Digital Tracks (it was the 4th most legally downloaded song of 2004); The single ranked at forty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End chart for 2004.

On Top 40 radio, the song reached number one for four weeks on the Mainstream Top 40 and number two on the Top 40 Tracks. "Toxic" also reached the top twenty on the Rhythmic Top 40.

"Toxic" became one of the biggest worldwide hits of 2004, and reached the top five or number one in nearly every country it charted in.

On the ARIA Chart in Australia, it went to number one, knocking Jamelia's "Superstar" off the top and being replaced by "Yeah!" by Usher. It ended up being one of the best-selling singles of the year there.

The single also became a huge success in the UK, selling 105,000 copies in its first week of release and debuting at number one, charting ahead of Kylie Minogue's "Red Blooded Woman" which entered the chart at #5. The chart battle between the two divas was highly popularized in the UK. Ironically, the song had originally been offered to Kylie for inclusion on her 9th studio album Body Language, but she turned it down. "Toxic" sold a total of 268,000 copies in the UK and became the 9th best selling single of 2004. In the United States the single sold over 800,000 downloads and has been certified platinum. The single has sold worldwide 5,355,000 copies.

The single ended the year as the 26th most played song in Latin America.

Music video

The music video debuted at number three on MTV's Total Request Live. It spent sixteen days at the top of the countdown and was retired after ten weeks on the program. The video was nominated in 4 categories at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video Of The Year, but didn't win any of them. Nevertheless "Toxic" was chosen as the Video of the Year in MTV's TRL and other TV music countdown shows.

Remixes and other versions

These are (official) remixes and other versions of "Toxic"

• Album Version 3:24
• Instrumental 3:24
• Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction Mix 8:01
• Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction Mix Edit 6:44
• Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction Mix Radio Edit 4:31 - only available on B in the Mix: The Remixes Deluxe Edition
• Bloodshy & Avant's Intoxicated Remix 5:34
• Felix Da Housecat's Club Mix 7:12
• Felix Da Housecat Remix 7:01
• Lenny Bertoldo Mixshow Edit 5:46
• Lenny Bertoldo Radio Mix 3:32
• Armand Van Helden Remix 9:34
• Armand Van Helden Remix Edit 6:25
• Armand Van Helden Radio Edit 3:46
• Yiannis Outstanding Tribal Mix
• Wave Group/Shoichiro Hirata Remix 1:52 - Cover of the original featured in beatmania, a music simulation game on the American PS2 game console
• The Bitch Virus' Shit Mix 3:33

There is also a mix by DJ Sat One going around featuring a rap by Bahamadia (who some confuse with P. Magnet) which is considered by some to be official; however, it's not a commissioned release.

There are a further 2 remixes, the first nicknamed "Toxic Rhythm" released in the UK on the club circuit and is still doing the rounds, which involves rap style lyrics. This is an unofficial remix produced by Edinburgh DJ John Marr and as such can only be found on p2p networks although due to its success in the clubs it is surprising it has not been actually released. The official title for this remix is John Marr - Toxic Rhythm. The second was released on MTV Mash Up and is a mix of Usher - Yeah with Britney Spears - Toxic

Mark Ronson uses a sample of Spears' "Toxic" in his own hip-hop version of the song (titled simply "Toxic"). It features Ol' Dirty Bastard, Tiggers and Nick Catchdubs and is on his album "Version"

Rapper Tony Yayo sampled Toxic for his song "Love My Style" from his album Thoughts of A Predicate Felon. Although in the album's liner notes the sample is not credited, if you listen closely to the beginning of the song, you can hear Tony Yayo say "this shit is Toxic."

Israeli singer Shiri Maimon has made her own version of this song in Hebrew, a video was also produced.

Cover versions

• The Jerusalem-based indie rock band missFlag (The Official website) regularly covers the song in concert missFlag performing Toxic live in concert and has a newer version on their MySpace page missFlag's official MySpace
• Indie band Hard-Fi covered the song for the Radio 1. Established 1967. The song is fused with The Clash's Brand New Cadillac. Lead singer Richard Archer is quoted as saying their cover will "send Britney mad".
• The song was covered by alternative rock band Local H and is available for free by clicking on the picture here
• The song was covered live by progressive rock band Marillion during their 2007 convention and is available as a b-side on their DVD-single Thankyou Whoever You Are/Most Toys.
• The PlayStation 2 video game Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 has a cover of the song, covered by WaveGroup Sound.
• The WaveGroup cover was remixed by Shoichiro Hirata for another PS2 game, beatmania.
• Alternative bluegrass group Nickel Creek is known to cover the song in concert, with mandolinist Chris Thile imitating Spear's dance moves at select parts of the song.
• The song was covered by producer Mark Ronson on his second album Version.
• The song was covered by Norwegian band Hurra Torpedo and is found on their album "Kollossus of Makedonia." Their version is played at roughly half speed on a variety of kitchen appliances.

Trivia

Bookmark with: