Stars make music after kiss

Britney Spears is following up her live television kiss with Madonna by issuing a single with the racy pop icon.

According to Billboard magazine, Spears' first single from her forthcoming album will be a collaboration with Madonna called Me Against the Music.

The song comes from Spear's fourth album, to be called Get in the Zone, which is due for release on November 17. The album will feature 13 songs with contributions from P. Diddy, R. Kelly and Moby.

But industry watchers say the album may have more in common with Madonna than that duet - declining record sales.

While 2000's Oops! I Did It Again, sold 9.1 million copies, her 2001 follow-up, Britney, sold fewer than half that, and the predictions are that this year's album could fare far worse. Madonna's most recent album, American Life, debuted at No 1 in the United States but has sold only 578,000 copies there since.

- NZPA