After Spears first listened to the song, she felt it was different and unlike anything she had heard before. She posted a snippet of it online on March 2, , prior to the album's release. The artwork for the single was released on September 14, It is considered one of the few ballads on Femme Fatale , and is less aggressive than the other songs of the album. In the song, Spears sings about being in love with a bad boy and outlaw , and pleads to her mother to not worry about their relationship.
The accompanying music video for the song was filmed at Dalston and Stoke Newington , London. It features Spears as a woman in upper society and follows her relationship with a criminal, played by her then real-life boyfriend Jason Trawick.
Prior to its release, London officials criticized Spears for shooting scenes with a replica gun and glamorizing violence. The video received a positive response from critics, with some calling it the best music video from Femme Fatale. Reviewers also perceived parallels between the video and Spears's personal life. A revival in interest for the song occurred when it went viral on TikTok , particularly with the "Mugshot Challenge". It has since become Spears' fourth most liked music video on YouTube; and in October , the single reached a new peak of daily listeners on Spotify with , streams occurring on October 2.
He gets exactly what I am saying when I tell him what I want and don't want musically". On August 5, , she launched a poll on her Facebook page asking fans whether her next single should be "Criminal", " Inside Out " or " Drop Dead Beautiful.
It was just cool to give something back to them and see what they would appreciate. It features Spears looking out into the distance, with her wavy hair falling on her bare back. A mysterious hooded man is also featured on the cover. Oh, just kidding β we love red and blue! Makes us think of sex and, uh, ice-cold criminals. Or something. Billboard described it as the only ballad on the album. Gill also said that the album sounds more programmed than natural, commenting that "indeed, such is the shock when the final track, 'Criminal', opens with a little folksong-style flute and guitar figure that one's immediate reaction is that a Midlake soundfile has been accidentally appended to Britney's running-order.
