Bittersweet World is the third studio album by American recording artist Ashlee Simpson. It was released in the United States on April 22, 2008. The project is Simpson's final release through Geffen Records. The album marked a departure for Simpson, who executive produced the record and shifted her sound in a more dance-pop direction. Wanting to experiment with new sounds to make a “fun party album”, Simpson enlisted multiple producers including Timbaland, Jerome Harmon, Chad Hugo of The Neptunes, and Kenna. The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States, Simpson's first to not reach the number 1 position. The album's lead single, "Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)", also became her first to not appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, though it was a moderate success in other territories. In early 2008, Simpson promoted the album with a small club tour. Plans for a summer tour were canceled when Simpson announced her pregnancy. Though the album did not achieve the commercial success of Autobiography or I Am Me, it has been lauded by critics for its eighties-infused electropop sound, which Simpson has admitted was “ahead of its time.” Background In November 2006, after completing her run as Roxie Hart in the London production of the musical Chicago, Simpson said that she was going to meet with record executives soon to begin work on her third album. Geffen chairman Ron Fair said in early December that plotting Simpson's musical direction would be "very tricky" because of press scrutiny, but that he would work with Simpson to overcome industry doubts about her musical credibility "because she deserves to be heard and she deserves a shot." In March 2007, Simpson said her next album would have "a more soulful sound" and that she was writing with a wider group of artists in comparison to her previous albums. Later that month, Simpson was reportedly writing with Timbaland, Kenna and Chad Hugo. She was also said to be working with John Legend, Beth Hart, and Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane. Though it was initially reported that Simpson was also working with The Cure frontman Robert Smith, both parties later denied a collaboration. Although Simpson said her sound would stay in the pop rock realm, she also said her music was changing and would have less focus on relationship troubles and breakups, saying, "This record is