Matches (Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys song)
Matches is a song by Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys. It appears on the 2020 deluxe edition of Spears’ ninth album, Glory (originally released in 2016). The track was released as a single on December 18, 2020, and runs 2 minutes 52 seconds. It was written by Asia Whiteacre and Justin Tranter, and produced by Michael Wise and Ian Kirkpatrick. Musically, it blends dance, electropop, and glitch pop with electronic sounds and processed vocals about a dangerous romance.
The song was initially written for the Backstreet Boys’ 2019 album DNA but didn’t appear there. Britney later re-recorded it with the Backstreet Boys’ vocals, making it their first official collaboration together, though they had sung on a charity cover in 2001.
The Glory deluxe reissue, released in December 2020, added two new songs—“Swimming in the Stars” and “Matches”—along with “Mood Ring” and remixes. On December 18, 2020, Italy’s radio released “Matches” as the third single from the reissues.
Critics gave positive notes, describing a late 1990s vibe and calling it catchy and sexy. On the charts, “Matches” appeared on digital sales lists in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other places. It reached the top five on Malaysia’s RIM chart, and it scored notable placements such as US 11 and Canada 7 on digital song sales, UK 48 on the Download chart, Germany 22, Hungary 22, and New Zealand 40, with Malaysia at number five.
Credits (from Tidal): producers Michael Wise and Ian Kirkpatrick; writers Asia Whiteacre and Justin Tranter; performers Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys. AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys spoke positively about the release, joking about a future quarantine-style video.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 09:17 (CET).