Britney Spears unveils radical new album cover for Glory

Singer shared the album art to her Instagram account and wrote a message thanking fans for their support

Britney Spears has unveiled brand new artwork for her 2016 album, Glory, as a “thank you” to fans who helped the record make it to the top of the iTunes chart last week.

A discussion broke out on social media this month as a number of Spears fans said they believed the singer’s ninth album was underrated.

The new artwork, which has appeared on streaming services and was shared by Spears on her Instagram account.

It shows her lying on her back in the desert while wearing a gold two-piece and surrounded by chains.

“You asked for a new Glory cover and since it went to number one we had to make it happen!” Spears wrote in the caption. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”

Glory received a number of positive reviews from critics, who said Spears' vocal work was a "vast improvement" from her previous albums, while one compared it favourably to her "Toxic" era.

Entertainment Weekly described the album as "her most engaging vocally" in a decade and noted Spears as sounding "more present and enthusiastic than she has in years".

Upon its release, Glory became Spears' highest-charting album since her 2007 comeback album, Blackout.