Hold Me Closer (Elton John and Britney Spears song)

"Hold Me Closer"
Cover art for "Hold Me Closer": Side-by-side pictures of Spears (left)—who is wearing a pink ballet costume with accessories of the same color—and John (right)—sitting at a piano wearing black winter wear—as children, placed against a light pink backdrop, with the single's title displayed at the center in the bottom area.
Single by Elton John and Britney Spears
from the album The Lockdown Sessions (reissue)
Released26 August 2022 (2022-08-26)
RecordedJuly 2022[1]
GenreDisco[2]
Length3:22
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Elton John singles chronology
"Sausage Rolls for Everyone"
(2021)
"Hold Me Closer"
(2022)
Britney Spears singles chronology
"Matches"
(2020)
"Hold Me Closer"
(2022)
"Mind Your Business"
(2023)
Music video
"Hold Me Closer" on YouTube
Music video
"Hold Me Closer (Joel Corry Remix)" on YouTube
Music video
"Hold Me Closer (Acoustic)" on YouTube

"Hold Me Closer" is a song recorded by English singer Elton John and American singer Britney Spears. It was released as a single on 26 August 2022, through EMI. The song combines elements from John's songs "Tiny Dancer" (1971), "The One" (1992), and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (1976). It appears on the digital reissue of John's collaborative album The Lockdown Sessions (2021). The song marked Spears' first new musical release in six years and her first release after the termination of her controversial conservatorship.

"Hold Me Closer" had a polarised critical reception while achieving commercial success upon release. It topped the charts in five countries, including Australia, Hungary and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and reached the top ten in 19 countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States.[3]

Background and release

[edit]

I'm so excited to be able to do it with [Britney] because if it is a big hit, and I think it may be, it will give her so much more confidence than she's got already and she will realise that people actually love her and care for her and want her to be happy [...] She's been away so long – there's a lot of fear there because she's been betrayed so many times and she hasn't really been in the public eye officially for so long. We've been holding her hand through the whole process, reassuring her that everything's gonna be alright.

— John on collaborating with Spears on the song and supporting and reassuring her, The Guardian[4]

News about a collaboration between the two artists first broke in late July 2022.[1] On 8 August, John confirmed the collaboration, calling it a remake of his 1972 single "Tiny Dancer".[5] He also released a promotional artwork featuring the song's title with a rose and rocket emoji – referencing Spears' regular use of the former on social media as well as her "Project 1 Rose" selfie montage, and John's popular nickname "Rocket Man"—and shared the song's pre-save link.[6][7][8] On 19 August, the single was officially announced, along with its release date.[9] On 22 August, John shared a snippet of the song on his social media.[10] He also performed a snippet of the song at the restaurant "La Guérite" in Cannes, on 23 August, as a surprise to diners, which he livestreamed on his social media.[11] The day after, Spears posted a snippet of the song on her social media, revealing new elements of John's 1992 single "The One" in the duet, and thanked him for having her on the record.[12] That same day, John released an animated teaser for the song's audio visualiser.[13][14]

Ahead of the song's release, Spears described it as "a big deal" and "pretty damn cool [to be] singing with one of the most classic men of our time". She stated that she felt "overwhelmed".[15] Spears reportedly completed recording her vocals for the song in less than two hours.[16] The duet also interpolates John's 1976 single "Don't Go Breaking My Heart".[17][18] The single marks Spears' first musical release since "Matches" (2020) as well as her return to music after the termination of her conservatorship.[19] John revealed that his husband, David Furnish, first suggested him to collaborate with Spears on the song; the former believed the project would "boost" her confidence after a "traumatic time".[20] Record producer Andrew Watt praised Spears's dedication towards the project, despite her musical hiatus, saying she "was so prepared. She had spent time with the record and knew how she wanted to do it." He further stated the song "meant so much to [Spears], and you can hear it in her vocal performance. She's singing her ass off."[4][21]

The single's artwork was unveiled on 19 August, with the song's official announcement.[9] It depicts both artists as children, with Spears in a ballet costume and John sitting at a piano.[22] The Evening Standard's Elizabeth Gregory thought that the artwork "points towards a desired spirit of innocence and freedom."[23]

"Hold Me Closer" was released on 26 August to digital download and streaming platforms;[19][24][25] an animated audio visual was uploaded to John's YouTube channel.[26][27] The single was sent for radio airplay in Italy by Universal Music that same day.[28] On 29 August, it was serviced to adult contemporary radio and its hot AC and modern AC sub-formats, in the United States by Interscope Records.[29] The song further impacted contemporary hit radio in the U.S. via Interscope, the day after.[30]

An animated lyric video for the song featuring a CGI rocket flying in the air while ejecting roses, was released on 6 September 2022.[31]

Critical reception

[edit]

Upon release, "Hold Me Closer" had a polarised reception from music critics[15][32] and fans.[33] The Guardian's Michael Cragg rated the song four out of five stars, praising Spears' "engaged delivery coating the ghostly shimmers of John's original vocals". He further wrote: "Both 'The One', which makes up the verses, and 'Tiny Dancer' evoke a sense of having found someone, or something, with the power to transform a life. A totem to hold on to and believe in. On 'Hold Me Closer', Spears seems to hint at finding that for herself again in music."[34] Mary Siroki of Consequence called the song "dreamy and delightful", saying that it "strikes as an instant-classic because, in the literal sense, it already is — we all know the melody and the key lyrics by heart, but the new contributions from Spears provide a present-day spin that gives a new life to the original tune."[35] According to Robin Murray of Clash, the track is "a neat, astute, carefully finessed piece of pop music".[36] Billboard's Stephen Daw opined that the "dance floor-ready production" make the song "an excellent jam worthy of the icons performing it", and highlighted Spears's vocals as "phenomenal".[37] In the Evening Standard, Elizabeth Gregory found it "an emotional summer-end hit", which is "defiant in its breeziness. There's an undercurrent of sadness but here the good times triumph."[23] Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times described it as "a bop, a banger, a vibe. [...] That you can’t really tell their voices apart thanks to the buckets of Auto-Tune only makes their pairing that much sweeter."[38]

Calling it "one of the most pointless records in pop history", The Daily Telegraph's Neil McCormick rated the song one out of five stars, saying that it misses "Britney's signature sass and with her vocals barely audible, this horrible mash-up of two Elton songs is a baffling 'comeback'." He also compared the song unfavourably to John's duet with Dua Lipa, "Cold Heart (Pnau remix)" (2021), which also mashed up older songs by John, thinking that "lightning has not struck twice".[39] In another one-star review, Will Hodgkinson of The Times thought that "Hold Me Closer" was "a massive opportunity wasted", where "all the soul has been stripped away" from John's "Tiny Dancer" and "John and Spears's voices have been treated in a way that makes them sound like they might dissolve into the background entirely".[40] Ed Power of The Irish Times also deemed it "a missed opportunity" which "sounds like dance-floor fodder from a regional nightclub circa 1997", while finding Spears' "vocals so low in the mix that you have to check twice to confirm she's there. Britney is the ghost haunting her own comeback."[41] Chloe Stilwell on Mic opined that the track "isn't necessarily bad", but "leaves a lot to be desired", saying that "putting 'Tiny Dancer' through an autotune car wash wasn't what we needed. That's probably the biggest problem with the song: it's so edited that John and Spears both sound like robots, and using that effect on such a classic song comes across as jarring and lazy."[42] Lyric Waiwiri-Smith of New Zealand news media Stuff found it "uninspring", and "a glitchy rework of John's classic Tiny Dancer with some barely audible Spears vocals".[43] For The A.V. Club's Gabrielle Sanchez, "Hold Me Closer" is "a tepid offering that fails to utilize everything Spears brings to the table as a pop star", nevertheless she noted that it "serves as a triumphant victory lap regarding the end of her lengthy conservatorship".[44]

Commercial performance

[edit]

"Hold Me Closer" was met with commercial success upon release. It debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart on the week ending 2 September 2022, becoming Spears' 24th top-ten single and highest-charting song since "Scream & Shout" (2012), while earning John his 35th top-ten single.[3] As of 31 August 2022, "Hold Me Closer" has sold 22,295 copies in the United Kingdom.[45] In June 2023, it was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for track-equivalent sales of 400,000 units.[46]

In Australia, the song debuted at number one, becoming Spears' first number-one single in the country since "Everytime" (2004), as well as her sixth overall, and it marked John's fifth number-one single on the chart.[47]

On 6 September 2022, the song debuted at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Spears' 14th top-ten single on the chart, as well as John's 29th. With this, Spears became the 12th artist to have top-ten entries in four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s).[48] The single debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, becoming the third song in the history of the chart to do so. It managed to sell 48,000 copies in its first week of release, followed by another 11,000 copies in its second week of release.[citation needed] As of 15 May 2023, "Hold Me Closer" has sold 111,000 digital downloads and has generated 124.6 million streams in the United States.[49]

Music videos

[edit]

The original music video for "Hold Me Closer" premiered via John's YouTube channel on YouTube on 27 September 2022.[50][51] It was directed by Ukrainian director Tanu Muino, who described her experience working on the visual an "emotional" moment; she grew up listening to both artists. She further said that the music video of Spears' 2001 single "I'm a Slave 4 U" inspired her to become a music video director.[52] A second music video was released for the English DJ Joel Corry remix of the song on 23 October 2022. It was directed by Rebekah Creative and produced by Greatcoat Films.[53] On 18 November 2022, a third music video was released for the acoustic version of "Hold Me Closer". It was directed by Tristan Nash and features American ice skater Nathan Chen.[54]

Accolades

[edit]
Accolades received by "Hold Me Closer"
Year Award Category Results Ref.
2022 NRJ Music Awards International Collaboration of the Year Nominated [55]
2022 People's Choice Awards The Collaboration Song of 2022 Nominated [56]
2023 Electronic Music Awards Dance Song of the Year (Radio) Nominated [57]
Remix of the Year Won
2023 Billboard Music Awards Top Dance/Electronic Song Nominated [58]
2023 BreakTudo Awards International Collaboration Nominated [59]

Usage in media

[edit]

A portion of "Hold Me Closer" was featured in the first episode of the second season of the HBO Max series, And Just Like That... (2023).[60]

Track listings

[edit]
  • Digital download and streaming
  1. "Hold Me Closer" – 3:22
  1. "Hold Me Closer" (Joel Corry remix) – 4:08
  • Streaming (Joel Corry remix)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" (Joel Corry remix) – 4:08
  2. "Hold Me Closer" – 3:22
  1. "Hold Me Closer" (Purple Disco Machine remix) – 3:38
  2. "Hold Me Closer" (Purple Disco Machine extended mix) – 5:54
  • Streaming (Purple Disco Machine remix)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" (Purple Disco Machine remix) – 3:38
  2. "Hold Me Closer" (Purple Disco Machine extended mix) – 5:54
  3. "Hold Me Closer" – 3:22
  • Digital download (Pink Panda remix)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" (Pink Panda remix) – 3:01
  2. "Hold Me Closer" (Pink Panda extended mix) – 3:52
  • Streaming (Pink Panda remix)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" (Pink Panda remix) – 3:01
  2. "Hold Me Closer" (Pink Panda extended mix) – 3:52
  3. "Hold Me Closer" – 3:22
  • Digital download (acoustic)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" (acoustic) – 3:22
  • Streaming (acoustic)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" (acoustic) – 3:22
  2. "Hold Me Closer" – 3:22
  • CD single 1 (with extended mix)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" – 3:22
  2. "Hold Me Closer" (extended mix)
  • CD single 2 (with Joel Corry remix)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" – 3:22
  2. "Hold Me Closer" (Joel Corry remix) – 4:08
  • CD single 3 (with Purple Disco Machine remix)
  1. "Hold Me Closer" – 3:22
  2. "Hold Me Closer" (Purple Disco Machine remix) – 3:38

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Certifications and sales for "Hold Me Closer"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[161] Gold 35,000
Austria (IFPI Austria)[162] Platinum 30,000
Belgium (BEA)[163] Gold 20,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[164] Gold 20,000
Canada (Music Canada)[165] Gold 40,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[166] Gold 45,000
France (SNEP)[167] Platinum 200,000
Italy (FIMI)[168] Platinum 100,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[169] Platinum 30,000
Poland (ZPAV)[170] Platinum 50,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[171] Platinum 60,000
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[172] Gold 10,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Gold 400,000
United States (RIAA)[173] Platinum 1,000,000 / 111,000[49]

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for "Hold Me Closer"
Region Date Format(s) Version(s) Label(s) Ref.
Various 26 August 2022 Original [174]
Italy Radio airplay Universal [28]
United States 29 August 2022 Interscope [29]
30 August 2022 Contemporary hit radio [30]
Various 7 October 2022
  • Digital download
  • streaming
Joel Corry remix
  • EMI
[175]
21 October 2022 Purple Disco Machine remix [176]
4 November 2022 Pink Panda remix [177]
18 November 2022 Acoustic [178]
CD
  • Original
  • extended
[179]
  • Original
  • Joel Corry remix
[180]
  • Original
  • Purple Disco Machine remix
[181]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Wagmeister, Elizabeth; Jem, Aswad (25 July 2022). "Britney Spears Returning to Music? Singer Reportedly Records New Version of 'Tiny Dancer' With Elton John". Variety. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  2. ^ Breihan, Tom (4 September 2023). "The Number Ones: Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me". Stereogum. Retrieved 16 December 2023. ...to release "Hold Me Closer," basically a disco-inflected remake of Elton's 1971 song "Tiny Dancer
  3. ^ a b Damshenas, Sam (5 September 2022). "Britney lands highest-charting single in the UK in 10 years with Elton John duet". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b Snapes, Laura (25 August 2022). "'Britney was broken. I've been broken and it's horrible': Elton John on helping Britney Spears sing again". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  5. ^ Aswad, Jem (8 August 2022). "Britney Spears' Duet With Elton John, 'Hold Me Closer,' Confirmed, Coming Soon". Variety. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  6. ^ Wood, Becca (8 August 2022). "Elton John and Britney Spears are officially collaborating on a new song". Today. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  7. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (8 August 2022). "Britney Spears And Elton John's Collaborative Single 'Hold Me Closer' Is Officially On The Way". Uproxx. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  8. ^ Campbell, Erica (8 August 2022). "Britney Spears and Elton John duet 'Hold Me Closer' officially confirmed". NME. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  9. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (19 August 2022). "Hold on Tight: The Britney Spears and Elton John Duet 'Hold Me Closer' Is About to Drop". Billboard. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  10. ^ Daw, Stephen (22 August 2022). "Elton John Offers First Snippet of Britney Spears Collab 'Hold Me Closer': Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  11. ^ Garcia, Thania (23 August 2022). "Elton John Previews Britney Spears 'Hold Me Closer' Collab at Restaurant in Cannes". Variety. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  12. ^ Aniftos, Rania (24 August 2022). "Britney Spears Posts Snippet of 'Hold Me Close' & It Features a Verse From Elton John's 'The One'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  13. ^ Mendez; Reece, Adrianne (9 August 2022). "Finally! Britney & Elton's New Song Is Coming Friday". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Britney Spears shares extended clip of Elton John collab "Hold Me Closer"". Movin' 92.5. KQMV. 24 August 2022. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  15. ^ a b Savage, Marc (25 August 2022). "Hold Me Closer: Britney Spears releases first new music since 2016". BBC. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  16. ^ Richards, Will (25 August 2022). "Listen to Elton John and Britney Spears' new collaboration 'Hold Me Closer'". NME. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  17. ^ Ruggieri, Melissa (26 August 2022). "Britney Spears, Elton John hit the dance floor with synths and Auto-Tune for 'Hold Me Closer'". USA Today. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  18. ^ Burton, Jamie (26 August 2022). "The 3 Elton John songs reworked in 'Hold Me Closer' with Britney Spears". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  19. ^ a b Aniftos, Rania (26 August 2022). "Britney Spears & Elton John Team Up for 'Hold Me Closer': Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  20. ^ Owoseje, Toyin (26 August 2022). "Britney Spears and Elton John duet on 'Hold Me Closer'". CNN. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  21. ^ Schonfeld, Alexandra (26 August 2022). "Elton John Opens Up About Helping Britney Spears Return to Music: 'There's a Lot of Fear There'". People. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  22. ^ Whitaker, Marisa (26 August 2022). "Hear Elton John And Britney Spears Team Up On 'Hold Me Closer'". Spin. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  23. ^ a b Gregory, Elizabeth (26 August 2022). "Hold Me Closer: Britney and Elton John's Tiny Dancer remake is an emotional summer-end hit". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  24. ^ Garcia, Thania (25 August 2022). "Britney Spears and Elton John Finally Drop 'Hold Me Closer' Duet". Variety. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  25. ^ Mier, Tomás (26 August 2022). "It's Britney, Bitch! Britney Spears Returns with Elton John Collab, 'Hold Me Closer'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  26. ^ White, Abbey (26 August 2022). "Britney Spears and Elton John Release "Hold Me Closer" Duet". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  27. ^ Elton John & Britney Spears 'Hold Me Closer (Official Audio)' (Audio visual). EltonJohnVEVO. 26 August 2022. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  28. ^ a b Seminara, Emanuela Ali (26 August 2022). "Elton John & Britney Spears - Hold Me Closer (Radio Date: 26-08-2022)" (Press release) (in Italian). EarOne. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  29. ^ a b "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases | Hot Adult Contemporary Rock Songs and Release Dates". All Access. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  30. ^ a b "Top 40/M Future Releases | Mainstream Hit Songs Being Released and Their Release Dates". All Access. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  31. ^ Elton John, Britney Spears - Hold Me Closer (Lyric Video) (Song lyric video). EltonJohnVEVO. 6 September 2022. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  32. ^ Owoseje, Toyin (26 August 2022). "Britney Spears and Elton John duet on 'Hold Me Closer'". CNN. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  33. ^ Shah, Neil (26 August 2022). "With 'Hold Me Closer,' Britney Spears Tiptoes Toward a Comeback". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022. ...the song quickly jumped to No. 1 on iTunes, with some fans applauding Ms. Spears's return and others debating the track's aesthetic merits.
  34. ^ Cragg, Michael (26 August 2022). "Britney Spears and Elton John: Hold Me Closer review – a star is reborn". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  35. ^ Siroky, Mary (26 August 2022). "Song of the Week: Elton John and Britney Spears Make a Triumphant Return to the Dance Floor with "Hold Me Closer"". Consequence. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  36. ^ Murray, Robin (26 August 2022). "Elton John And Britney Spears Share 'Hold Me Closer'". Clash. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  37. ^ Daw, Stephen (26 August 2022). "Elton John's 20 Best Collaborations of All Time: George Michael, Dua Lipa & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  38. ^ Wood, Mikael (26 August 2022). "Britney Spears makes a triumphant return with Elton John on 'Hold Me Closer'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  39. ^ McCormick, Neil (26 August 2022). "Britney and Elton's new single is the most pointless pop record in history". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  40. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (26 August 2022). "Britney Spears and Elton John review — Oops, we did it again and ruined song". The Times. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  41. ^ Power, Ed (26 August 2022). "After enduring years of gaslighting and vilification, Britney's back with a new song. So what's it like?". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  42. ^ Stilwell, Chloe (26 August 2022). "Elton John and Britney Spears's "Hold Me Closer' is... Fine!". Mic. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  43. ^ Waiwiri-Smith, Lyric (21 July 2023). "Britney Spears has dropped her worst song ever - mind your business (and don't listen)". Stuff. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  44. ^ Sanchez, Gabrielle (26 August 2022). "Read This: Britney Spears steps back into the studio for the first time since conservatorship ended". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 6 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  45. ^ Lucy Thraves (31 August 2022). "Can Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal unseat LF System for this week's No.1 single?". Music Week. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  46. ^ a b "British single certifications – Elton John & Britney Spears – Hold Me Closer". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  47. ^ "It's Britney". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 1 September 2022. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  48. ^ "Harry Styles' 'As It Was' Holds Atop Hot 100, Elton John & Britney Spears' 'Hold Me Closer' Launches in Top 10". Billboard. Archived from the original on 6 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  49. ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (15 May 2023). "5 Ways Britney Spears Fans Are Consuming Her Music Since the Conservatorship Ended". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  50. ^ Elton John [@eltonofficial] (23 September 2022). "🌹🚀Hold Me Closer with @britneyspears 🚀🌹Official Music Video Premiere: 27 September [...]" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 October 2022 – via Twitter.
  51. ^ Aniftos, Rania (27 September 2022). "Elton John & Britney Spears' 'Hold Me Closer' Music Video Is a Colorful Display of Intimacy". Billboard. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  52. ^ Richards, Bailey (27 September 2022). "'Hold Me Closer' Music Video Director Wanted to 'Make Elton and Britney Proud'". People. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  53. ^ Mitchell Peters (23 October 2022). "Elton John & Britney Spears Drop Video for Joel Corry Remix of 'Hold Me Closer': Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  54. ^ Rania Aniftos (18 November 2022). "Elton John & Britney Spears Unveil Acoustic Version of 'Hold Me Closer'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  55. ^ "NRJ Music Awards 2022 – Collaboration internationale de l'année" (in French). NRJ. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  56. ^ Piña, Christy (6 December 2022). "People's Choice Awards: Doctor Strange 2, Don't Worry Darling Take Top Prizes". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  57. ^ "EDM Awards Announced Nominees For 2023 With Names Like Rezz, David Guetta, Tiësto, And More". T.H.E Music Essentials. Los Angeles. 2 March 2023. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  58. ^ Irvin, Jack; Michaud, Sarah (19 November 2023). "Billboard Music Awards 2023: See the Complete Winners List!". People. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  59. ^ "Colaboração Internacional – BreakTudo Awards". 6 September 2023. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  60. ^ Moser, Zachary (22 June 2023). "And Just Like That Season 2 Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When It Plays". Screen Rant. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  61. ^ "Elton John – Chart History (Argentina Hot 100)" Billboard Argentina Hot 100 Singles for Elton John. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  62. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  63. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  64. ^ "Top Radio Hits Belarus Weekly Chart: Jan 12, 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  65. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  66. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  67. ^ "Top 20 Bolivia – General – Del 24 al 30 de Octubre, 2022" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  68. ^ "Top 100 Brasil: 26 September 2022 - 30 September 2022" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Crowley Broadcast Analysis. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2022. Note: In SEMANA REFERÊNCIA select 26/09/2022 - 30/09/2022. To access the full Top 100, click on "VER TOP 100 COMPLETO" and enter your name and email. Then enter the code you received by email.
  69. ^ "PROPHON – Charts". PROPHON. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  70. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  71. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  72. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  73. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  74. ^ "Top 20 Chile – General – Del 19 al 25 de Septiembre, 2022" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  75. ^ Elton John & Britney Spears — Hold Me Closer. TopHit. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  76. ^ "ARC 100 - datum: 19. rujna 2022". HRT. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  77. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 35. týden 2022 in the date selector. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  78. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 35, 2022". Hitlisten. Archived from the original on 6 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  79. ^ "Estas son las 10 canciones más escuchadas en El Salvador en la última semana" (in Spanish). Asociación Salvadoreña de Productores de Fonogramas y Afines. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  80. ^ "Top Radio Hits Estonia Weekly Chart: Feb 16, 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  81. ^ "Elton John & Britney Spears: Hold Me Closer" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  82. ^ "Top Singles (Week 35, 2022)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  83. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  84. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  85. ^ "IFPI Charts". ifpi.gr. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  86. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  87. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  88. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  89. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  90. ^ "Media Forest charts". Media Forest. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  91. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 44" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  92. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of September 21, 2022". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  93. ^ "Top Radio Hits Kazakhstan Weekly Chart: Jan 12, 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  94. ^ "Latvijas radio stacijās spēlētākās dziesmas TOP" (in Latvian). LAIPA. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  95. ^ "OLT20 - Combined Chart - Week of Sunday October 30th, 2022". The Official Lebanese Top 20. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  96. ^ "2022 36-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 9 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 September 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  97. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Weekly Chart: Jan 19, 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  98. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  99. ^ "Top 20 Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles In Malaysia". Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  100. ^ "Top 20 Mexico – Anglo – Del 12 al 18 de Septiembre, 2022" (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  101. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 48, 2022" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  102. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  103. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  104. ^ "TurnTable Nigeria Top 100: 9 September 2022 – 15 September 2022". TurnTable. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  105. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer". VG-lista. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  106. ^ "Top 20 Paraguay del 23 al 29 de Enero, 2023". Monitor Latino. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  107. ^ "TOP 50 INTERNACIONAL BMAT-PRODUCE DEL 30 A EL 06 DE ENERO 2023" (in Spanish). Sociedad Panameña de Productores Fonográficos. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  108. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  109. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  110. ^ "Top Radio Hits Romania Weekly Chart: Jan 26, 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  111. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Sep 29, 2022". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  112. ^ "Top 50 – Radio San Marino RTV – 17/12/2022" (in Italian). San Marino RTV. 17 December 2022. Archived from the original on 17 December 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  113. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 41. týden 2022 in the date selector. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  114. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 41. týden 2022 in the date selector. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  115. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 35-2022". The Official South African Charts. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  116. ^ "Top 50 Radios – Semana 36: del 03.09.2022 al 09.09.2022". Productores de Música de España. Archived from the original on 12 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  117. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 35". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  118. ^ "Britney Spears / Elton John – Hold Me Closer". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  119. ^ "Top Radio Hits Ukraine Weekly Chart: Sep 15, 2022". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  120. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  121. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  122. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  123. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  124. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  125. ^ "Elton John Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  126. ^ "Top 100 - Record Report". Record Report. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  127. ^ "Top Radio Hits Belarus Monthly Chart: January 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  128. ^ "Top Radio Hits Global Monthly Chart: October 2022". TopHit. Archived from the original on 16 February 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  129. ^ "Top Radio Hits Estonia Monthly Chart: February 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  130. ^ "Top Radio Hits Kazakhstan Monthly Chart: January 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  131. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Monthly Chart: January 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  132. ^ "Enero Top #100 Canciones (SGP)" (in Spanish). Sociedad de Gestion de Productores Fonograficos del Paraguay. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  133. ^ "Top Radio Hits Romania Monthly Chart: January 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  134. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Monthly Chart: October 2022". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  135. ^ "Top Radio Hits Ukraine Monthly Chart: September 2022". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  136. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2022" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  137. ^ "Rapports annuels 2022" (in French). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  138. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  139. ^ "Top 100 Chile Anual". Monitor Latino. 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  140. ^ "Top Radio Hits Global Annual Chart 2022". Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  141. ^ "Croatia ARC TOP 100". HRT. Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  142. ^ "Single Top 100 – eladási darabszám alapján – 2022" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  143. ^ "2022 המצעד הבינלאומי השנתי" [2022 Annual International Chart]. Galgalatz (in Hebrew). 28 December 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  144. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2022" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  145. ^ "Airplay 2022 – najpopularniejsze radiowe single" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  146. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Annual Chart 2022". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  147. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2022". hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  148. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  149. ^ "Adult Pop Airplay Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  150. ^ "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  151. ^ "Top Radio Hits Belarus Annual Chart 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  152. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2023" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  153. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  154. ^ "Top Radio Hits Global Annual Chart 2023". Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  155. ^ "Top Radio Hits Estonia Annual Chart 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  156. ^ "Dance Top 100 - a hazai DJ-k játszásai alapján - 2023" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  157. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Annual Chart 2023". TopHit. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  158. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  159. ^ "Adult Pop Airplay Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  160. ^ "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  161. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  162. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Britney Spears & Elton John – Hold Me Closer" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  163. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2023". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  164. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Elton John – Hold Me Closer" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  165. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Elton John and Britney Spears – Hold Me Closer". Music Canada. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  166. ^ "Danish single certifications – Elton John and Britney Spears – Hold Me Closer". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  167. ^ "French single certifications – Elton John & Britney Spears – Hold Me Closer" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  168. ^ "Italian single certifications – Elton John & Britney Spears – Hold Me Closer" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 5 February 2024. Select "2024" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Hold Me Closer" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  169. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Elton John and Britney Spears – Hold Me Closer". Radioscope. Retrieved 13 December 2024. Type Hold Me Closer in the "Search:" field.
  170. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 September 2023. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Hold Me Closer in the search box.
  171. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Elton John / Britney Spears – Hold Me Closer". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  172. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Hold Me Closer')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  173. ^ "American single certifications – Elton John and Britney Spears – Hold Me Closer". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  174. ^
  175. ^ "Hold Me Closer (Joel Corry Remix) - Single by Elton John and Britney Spears". 6 October 2022. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022 – via Apple Music.
  176. ^ "Hold Me Closer (Purple Disco Machine Remix) - Single by Elton John and Britney Spears". 20 October 2022. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022 – via Apple Music.
  177. ^ "Hold Me Closer (Pink Panda Remix) - Single by Elton John and Britney Spears". 3 November 2022. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022 – via Apple Music.
  178. ^ "Hold Me Closer (Acoustic) - Single by Elton John and Britney Spears". 17 November 2022. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022 – via Apple Music.
  179. ^ "'Hold Me Closer': CD Single 1". Elton John – Official Store. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  180. ^ "'Hold Me Closer' CD Single 2 With Joel Corry Remix". Elton John – Official Store. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  181. ^ "'Hold Me Closer' CD Single 3 With Purple Disco Machine Remix". Elton John – Official Store. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.