# 4 Minutes
**4 Minutes** is a 2008 dance-pop song by Madonna featuring [Justin Timberlake](https://www.edgepedia.org/justin-timberlake) and [Timbaland](https://www.edgepedia.org/timbaland), released as a single from her album *Hard Candy*.[1](https://musicbrainz.org/release/b02bc35f-9889-42f9-95bb-483d5529d778) Its hook, "We only got 4 minutes to save the world," is the source of the alternate title by which the song is sometimes known, "4 Minutes to Save the World"; Madonna's official site lists it simply as "4 Minutes."[2](https://www.madonna.com/pages/song/4-minutes)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Artists | Madonna feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland[1](https://musicbrainz.org/release/b02bc35f-9889-42f9-95bb-483d5529d778) |
| Writers | Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Timothy (Timbaland) Mosley, and Nate (Danja) Hills[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes) • [4](https://www.allmusic.com/song/4-minutes-mt0009448321) |
| Producers | Danja, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland, with additional production by Demacio "Demo" Castellon[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes) |
| US chart peak | Number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100; 20 weeks on the chart, 11 in the top 10[5](http://www.kcixonline.com/database/detail.asp?f=Song&i=24335) |
| First release | European CD single, Warner Bros. Records (9362-49868-2), April 11, 2008[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes) |
| Streaming | Over 105 million streams (album version) and over 117.8 million (music video version) on Spotify[6](https://open.spotify.com/track/1dDNz8h95Gsu0W4QdxVVln) • [7](https://open.spotify.com/track/3eWDOu7vGcD5LbnP8VyNJE) |
## Background and release
The single was credited to "Madonna feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland" and rolled out across formats and territories in April 2008. The European CD single appeared on Warner Bros. Records (catalog number 9362-49868-2) on April 11, 2008, in Electronic and Pop styles (House, [Dance-pop](https://www.edgepedia.org/dance-pop)).[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes) Other 2008 formats included a UK promo maxi-single of remixes, a French cardsleeve CD (5439199394), a European CD single (5439-19939-5), and a US promo (PRO-CDR-446652).[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes) Spotify dates the album version to April 19, 2008, and AllMusic dates the single/EP release to April 29, 2008, with a total duration of 41:30.[6](https://open.spotify.com/track/1dDNz8h95Gsu0W4QdxVVln) • [8](https://www.allmusic.com/album/4-minutes-mw0000786550) The release carries © ℗ 2008 Warner Bros. Records Inc. (U.S.) and WEA International Inc. (world ex-U.S.).[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes)
## Writing and production
The song is credited as written by J. Timberlake, Madonna, and T. Mosley on the single's credits, with AllMusic adding Nate Hills as a fourth composer.[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes) • [4](https://www.allmusic.com/song/4-minutes-mt0009448321) Production is credited to Danja, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland, with additional production by Demacio "Demo" Castellon.[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes) Production, mixing, and mastering took place at Computer Hell Cabin.[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes)
## Composition and lyrics
The song is built on an urgency theme. Timbaland opens with the spoken line "I'm outta time / And all I got is 4 minutes, 4 minutes," and the hook runs "Time is waiting / We only got 4 minutes to save the world / No hesitating." Timbaland also sings a verse line, "We've only four minutes to save the world," confirming his featured vocal role alongside Timberlake's.[2](https://www.madonna.com/pages/song/4-minutes)
## Versions and remixes
The album version on *[Hard Candy](https://www.edgepedia.org/hard-candy-madonna-album)* (Warner Bros., 2008) is listed by AllMusic at 4:03, while Spotify lists it at 4:05 and Discogs at 4:06; the chart database KCIX lists 4:04. These small discrepancies are unresolved across databases.[4](https://www.allmusic.com/song/4-minutes-mt0009448321) • [6](https://open.spotify.com/track/1dDNz8h95Gsu0W4QdxVVln) • [3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes) • [5](http://www.kcixonline.com/database/detail.asp?f=Song&i=24335) An extended 8:54 version appeared on the single, and a 3:22 remix appears on the 2022 compilation *Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones* (Rhino).[4](https://www.allmusic.com/song/4-minutes-mt0009448321) KCIX also lists a radio edit of 3:15.[5](http://www.kcixonline.com/database/detail.asp?f=Song&i=24335)
Official remixes include the *Bob Sinclar Space Funk Remix* (with Cutee B) and the *Junkie XL Remix*, running 5:40 and 6:13 respectively, with remix A&R by Orlando Puerta.[3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes)
## Commercial performance
On the Billboard Hot 100, "4 Minutes" debuted on the chart dated April 5, 2008, and peaked at number 2 the week of April 12, 2008. It spent 20 weeks on the chart, 15 of them in the top 40 and 11 in the top 10.[5](http://www.kcixonline.com/database/detail.asp?f=Song&i=24335)
Streaming figures document the song's continued reach: the album version had over 105 million Spotify streams at retrieval, and the music-video version had over 117.8 million.[6](https://open.spotify.com/track/1dDNz8h95Gsu0W4QdxVVln) • [7](https://open.spotify.com/track/3eWDOu7vGcD5LbnP8VyNJE)
## Music video and live performances
An official music video exists on Madonna's official YouTube channel and has been reissued in a 4K restoration; it opens with the lyric "I'm out of time and all I've got is four minutes."[9](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAQZPBwz2CI) A live recording of the song appears on Madonna's album *The Sticky & Sweet Tour* (Warner Bros., 2010).[4](https://www.allmusic.com/song/4-minutes-mt0009448321)
## By the numbers
- Billboard Hot 100: peak number 2, week of April 12, 2008; 20 weeks on chart, 11 in the top 10[5](http://www.kcixonline.com/database/detail.asp?f=Song&i=24335)
- Spotify stream counts recorded at retrieval: 105,043,506 (album version, 4:05) and 117,827,574 (music video version, 4:06)[6](https://open.spotify.com/track/1dDNz8h95Gsu0W4QdxVVln) • [7](https://open.spotify.com/track/3eWDOu7vGcD5LbnP8VyNJE)
- Track durations: album version 4:03–4:06 depending on the database; single version 8:54; radio edit 3:15; remixes 5:40 and 6:13[4](https://www.allmusic.com/song/4-minutes-mt0009448321) • [5](http://www.kcixonline.com/database/detail.asp?f=Song&i=24335) • [3](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes)
- Remix EP: released April 29, 2008, total duration 41:30[8](https://www.allmusic.com/album/4-minutes-mw0000786550)
## References
1. [Release "4 Minutes" by Madonna feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland – MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/release/b02bc35f-9889-42f9-95bb-483d5529d778)
2. [4 Minutes – Icon Community (Madonna official site)](https://www.madonna.com/pages/song/4-minutes)
3. [Madonna & Justin* – 4 Minutes (Discogs release)](https://www.discogs.com/release/1306284-Madonna-Justin-4-Minutes)
4. [4 Minutes – Madonna | AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/song/4-minutes-mt0009448321)
5. [KCIX Music Database – Song Detail](http://www.kcixonline.com/database/detail.asp?f=Song&i=24335)
6. [4 Minutes (feat. Justin Timberlake and Timbaland) – Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/track/1dDNz8h95Gsu0W4QdxVVln)
7. [4 Minutes (feat. Justin Timberlake and Timbaland) [music video version] – Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/track/3eWDOu7vGcD5LbnP8VyNJE)
8. [4 Minutes – Madonna | Album | AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/album/4-minutes-mw0000786550)
9. [Madonna – 4 Minutes feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland (Official Video) [4K] – YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAQZPBwz2CI)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Compositions and songs › Pop, rock, and metal songs › Pop songs › Pop songs of the 2000s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license