The song was written and produced by , Paul Oakenfold , Ian Green , and Ciaran Gribbin . It was born during the Sticky & Sweet Tour , when Madonna asked Oakenfold for material to write to; she eventually selected "Celebration" and "Broken" from a batch of 15 demos.
While it was initially intended for the Celebration album, it did not appear on any commercial versions. A finished version leaked online on September 6, 2010, quickly becoming a favorite among fans who felt its sleek, electro-trance style fit perfectly with the Confessions-era sound. Official (But Limited) Release Madonna - Broken (Unrealesed Song From Celebration Sessions)
The lyrics are widely interpreted as a defiant "sorry, not-sorry" message to a former lover. Fans have noted a specific lyrical nod to her 2008 track "Miles Away" from the Hard Candy album: "I've woken from a fuzzy dream, you never would believe the things that I have seen" . The song was written and produced by ,