2 0 1 0 , ▁before ▁the ▁album ▁Michael ''' s ▁release , ▁the ▁song ▁premier ed ▁on ▁The ▁Ellen ▁De Gener es ▁Show . ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁first ▁released ▁as ▁a ▁single ▁to ▁radio ▁stations ▁in ▁Italy , ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁first ▁listed ▁on ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁ 2 ' s ▁play list ▁A ▁one - day ▁later . ▁In ▁Poland , ▁the ▁song ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁A ▁later ▁announ cement ▁from ▁the ▁official ▁Jackson ▁website ▁stated ▁that ▁" Be hind ▁the ▁M ask " ▁would ▁be ▁released ▁as ▁a ▁radio ▁single ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁Canada , ▁Japan ▁and ▁France , ▁with ▁" Hol lywood ▁Ton ight " ▁taking ▁its ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁world . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁" Hol lywood ▁Ton ight " ▁was ▁released ▁to ▁urban ▁contemporary ▁and ▁adult ▁contemporary ▁radio ▁stations ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁on ▁April ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁ ▁The ▁song ▁received ▁generally ▁positive ▁reviews ▁from ▁music ▁critics . ▁Ted dy ▁R iley , ▁the ▁producer ▁said , ▁" I ▁was ▁looking ▁at ▁just ▁doing ▁the ▁next ▁level ▁of ▁" B ill ie ▁Jean " ▁meets ▁" D anger ous " ▁or ▁" Le ave ▁Me ▁Al one ." ▁It ' s ▁like ▁one ▁of ▁those ▁driving ▁bass ▁lines ▁that ▁you ▁will ▁remember ." ▁ ▁Joe ▁Vog el ▁of ▁The ▁H uff