...Baby
One More Time
Her
first album on Jive Records, ...Baby One More Time, debuted in the
number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Charts in early 1999, and
also topped the charts in the UK. The single of the same name was
also a number one hit in many countries, and was accompanied by
a music video in which Spears wore a schoolgirl outfit and danced
down a high-school corridor.
Spears broke the record for the youngest artist, at age 17, to have
their first single debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (This
record was broken in 2004 by 13-year-old JoJo, whose single "Leave
(Get Out)" debuted at #1.) Spears also broke the record for
the youngest artist, at age 17, to have their first single and first
album debut simultaneously at #1 on the Billboard charts. Spears
still holds this record. The album "...Baby One More Time"
is to date the greatest-selling album by a teenager.
In 2000, Spears was nominated for two Grammy awards: Best Female
Pop Vocal Performance for the single "...Baby One More Time",
and Best New Artist. She did not receive either award.
Oops!... I Did It Again
Her
followup album, Oops!... I Did It Again, released on May 16, 2000,
also debuted at number one, and was a similarly huge hit. It sold
over 1.3 million units its first week in the U.S., making it the
fastest-selling album by a female artist. The album sold 9 million
units in the U.S. and 19 million worldwide.
Following the success of her first two albums, Spears' career skyrocketed,
and a multimillion-dollar music, film, advertisement, concert and
TV-special "industry" sprang up around her. Her most popular
ads were for Pepsi, for which she earned a reputed $7-$8 million.
In 2003 there was media speculation that the soft drink behemoth
were planning to replace Spears with Destiny's Child frontwoman
Beyoncé Knowles. This speculation turned out to be false,
and Spears has gone on to sponsor other Pepsi products.
In 2001, Spears was again nominated for two Grammy awards: Best
Pop Vocal Album for Oops!...I Did It Again and Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance for the single of the same name. She did not receive
either award.
Britney
Her next album, Britney, was released on November 6, 2001, and debuted
at number one in the charts. The first single "I'm A Slave
4 U" was produced by The Neptunes, and its R'n'B stylings heralded
the starlet's attempt to grow with her audience, young and old.
Over 4 million copies of Britney were sold in the United States
alone, and the album went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide.
While the album was very much a hit by anyone else's standards,
these figures are low in comparison to the sales of her other albums.
In 2002, Spears starred in a movie, Crossroads, which reached number
two in the box office charts. Songs from the album Britney appeared
in the film. Spears' performance was poorly received by critics
and she netted herself a Razzie Award for worst performance of 2002.
In June 2002, Spears branched out as a restaurateur with the opening
of a New York City eatery, NYLA, but the venture was not a success
and the restaurant closed in 2003.
In September 2002, she took a break from the spotlight, and in 2003
many music industry critics speculated that her career was in decline.
Over the course of her first three albums, Britney Spears had sold
approximately 54 million copies worldwide.
In 2003, Spears was nominated for two Grammy awards yet again: Best
Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Overprotected", and
Best Pop Vocal Album for Britney. She did not win either award.
In
the Zone
Her fourth album, In the Zone, was released on November 18, 2003.
Jettisoning the Max Martin produced synth pop of her earlier releases,
the album took in lesser-known producers such as RedZone as well
as such big names as Moby and R. Kelly. Spears co-wrote eight of
the album's thirteen songs. In the Zone rose straight to the top
of the album charts in its debut week. Spears is the only female
in music history to have her first four albums debut at No. 1. After
an opening performance in which she kissed Madonna at the 2003 MTV
Video Music Awards in August, Madonna was also featured on the album's
first single, "Me Against the Music". The single only
reached No. 35 on the Hot 100, but was a No. 1 hit in other countries.
On January 3, 2004, Spears married her childhood friend Jason Allen
Alexander at The Little White Wedding Chapel on the Las Vegas Strip
in Las Vegas, Nevada. The couple promptly arranged for an annulment,
which was granted on January 5, ending their 55-hour marriage. Following
the wedding, Spears released the second single from In the Zone,
"Toxic", which became a worldwide hit and a No. 1 hit
in over twenty different countries. The single occupied the No.
1 slot in the US for four consecutive weeks.
In March, she embarked on her fourth world tour, "The Onyx
Hotel Tour", which grossed over $34 million dollars and was
seen by over 600,000 fans in North America and Europe. Meanwhile,
the album's third single, "Everytime", was starting to
receive radio play. While the song only reached No. 15 on the US
Billboard Hot 100 chart, it was a No. 1 hit overseas in such countries
as the UK and Australia. In June, she cancelled the remaining dates
of her tour after injuring her knee during the filming of a video
for her fourth single, "Outrageous". Shortly after returning
from hospital, Spears, 22, announced her engagement to dancer Kevin
Federline, 26. Federline was formerly linked with actress Shar Jackson,
with whom he has two small children.
In August, Spears won the Choice Single award for "Toxic"
at the Teen Choice Awards. She has also been nominated for four
Video Music Awards, including Best Female Video and Best Video Of
The Year. Since its release In the Zone has sold close to three
million copies in the United States, and over six million copies
worldwide.
In September 2004, Forbes estimated Spears' net worth at $123 million.
On the night of September 18, 2004, Spears married Federline before
20-30 guests in a private non-denominational ceremony at a residence
in Studio City, California. Spears wore an off-white dress and Federline
wore an off-white tuxedo. The men and women attending the ceremony
wore light blue and pink sweatsuits respectively. The legitimacy
of the marriage was initially questioned, but on November 18, 2004
a representative of the Los Angeles County registrar's office confirmed
that Spears and Federline did file their marriage license with the
county within ten days of their ceremony and were therefore legally
married.
Curious Fragrance Line
Spears
released her first fragrance, "Curious" in September 2004.
The fragrance is doing very well so far, reputedly out-selling many
big names.
Greatest Hits: My Prerogative
Spears released her first greatest hits collection, Greatest Hits:
My Prerogative, on November 9, 2004. The album debuted at #4 in
the US charts, selling 255,000 copies in its first week. Spears
also notched up the biggest selling first week for a greatest hits
compilation by a female artist in UK chart history (115,341 copies),
smashing the first week sales of previous high profile collections
from Whitney Houston, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Celine Dion, Mariah
Carey, Janet Jackson and Shania Twain. The collection includes "...Baby
One More Time", "Oops...I Did It Again" and "Toxic",
as well as two new songs and a cover of Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative".
Controversy
Spears' success has rested on a mixed fanbase. Millions of prepubescent
girls became enthusiasts for her work, adopting her as an idol.
It also appears that many young adult males are also fans. Writers
on popular music for the mainstream press, however, have generally
been dismissive of Spears' music, considering it to be commercial
and shallow.
Some parents of young daughters have ambivalent or even negative
feelings towards Britney Spears. To many critics, the singer has
combined a very "sexy" public image with a major marketing
"play" for the hearts, minds and pockets of prepubescent
girls, often as young as seven or eight. The sexualization of such
girls is arguably a trend that is visible elsewhere in popular culture,
for example in the film and fashion industries.
Some parents take the view that their daughters deserve a chance
to participate fully and happily in the pleasures of childhood before
being led into an early emotional adolescence. There is also an
open question as to whether young children are ready for the often
complicated feelings that come with sexual maturity. Lastly, parents
may worry that Britney Spears provides an unrealistic role model
for their daughters' life and career plans.
In October 2003, Maryland First Lady Kendel Ehrlich, the wife of
Governor Robert Ehrlich, was criticized for saying that she would
like to "shoot Britney Spears" in an address to a domestic
violence conference. After her comments made national headlines,
she was forced to apologize.
The sexual iconography of Britney Spears once again became a topic
of debate as a result of her 2003 semi-nude photo spread for the
men's magazine, Esquire. Prompted by this, Playboy reportedly offered
the star over a million dollars to pose nude for their magazine.
Spears has publicly declined the offer.
While young girls seldom address this debate in the same terms as
their parents, many are divided on whether they consider Britney
Spears appealing, especially in the light of more recent developments
in her career.
For her part, Spears has responded to their concerns by stating
that she is "not their babysitter. It's the parents' responsibility.
If you don't like it, turn the T.V. off. The only person I want
to be a role model is to my sister, Jamie Lynn." (From ABC's
Primetime interview with Diane Sawyer).
The criticisms leveled against Spears are similar to those Madonna
received at the start of her career. Indeed, Madonna's early fans
belonged to a similar demographic to Spears' current fanbase. Spears'
show-stealing kiss with Madonna received much media attention, as
have her her recent marriages. Her provocative image and seemingly
down-to-earth personality have contributed greatly to her success.
In common with a number of other popular female figures in show
business, Britney Spears' private life has attracted considerable
media attention. Indeed, some people feel that she has courted it
by cultivating, in her early years at least, a chaste, God-fearing
and "wholesome" image somewhat at odds not only with the
traditional pressures, temptations and opportunities of "pop
'n' roll" but with the increasingly sexualized content of her
own songs. Regardless of where the responsibility for the gossip
industry surrounding the pop star lies, Spears' public response
has been to repeatedly express regret and resentment at the intrusive
media coverage.
Trivia
Britney Spears' sister, Jamie Lynn or simply Jamie Spears, is currently
starting a career as an entertainer in the Nickelodeon show, All
That. Her brother, Bryan Spears, is her co-manager. Britney's parents,
Lynne and Jamie, have divorced.
One of Spears' best friends, Jenny, was in the unsuccessful girl-group
Innosense. Spears was also a member of the group, but left and debuted
as a solo artist before the band released their first record. One
of her closest friends is Felicia Culotta, her assistant.
In May 2004 Spears had a Hebrew tattoo (???) inked into the nape
of her neck. She was under the impression that it meant "new
era", while a more scholarly reading would be "protection".
A source said, "She's taken Kabbalah pretty seriously and this
was a big deal for her." This echoes a similar incident in
2003 when Spears was informed by her friend, actress Taryn Manning,
that her hip tattoo (the Japanese Kanji character ?) read "strange"
rather than "mysterious".
Spears publicly declared that she was a virgin early in her career,
but after her split from Justin Timberlake he revealed that this
was no longer true. Spears has been quoted as saying, "I thought
he was the one".
"...Baby One More Time" is the 24th best selling single
of all time in the UK.
Her favorite colors are baby blue and pink.
Lists
Albums
1999: ...Baby One More Time #1 US, #4 UK
2000: Oops!...I Did It Again #1 US, #2 UK
2001: Britney #1 US, #4 UK
2003: In the Zone #1 US, #13 UK
2004: Greatest Hits: My Prerogative #4 US, #2 UK
Singles
...Baby One More Time
"... Baby One More Time" — December 1998; #1 US,
#1 UK
"Sometimes" — June 1999; #21 US, #3 UK
"(You Drive Me) Crazy" (The Stop Remix) — September
1999; #10 US, #5 UK
"Born To Make You Happy" — January 2000 (Europe
only); #1 UK
"From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart" — January 2000
(U.S. only); #14 US
Oops!...I Did It Again
"Oops!...I Did It Again" — April 2000; #9 US, #1
UK
"Lucky" — August 2000; #23 US, #5 UK
"Stronger" — November 2000; #11 US, #7 UK
"Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know" — March 2001;
#12 UK
Britney
"I'm A Slave 4 U" — September 2001; #27 US, #4 UK
"I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman" — December 2001;
#2 UK
"Overprotected" (Europe — Album Version) — December
2001; #4 UK
"Overprotected" (U.S. — Darkchild Remix) — March
2002
"Boys" (Co-Ed Remix featuring Pharrell Williams)
— July 2002; #7 UK
"I Love Rock 'N Roll" (Europe only) — November 2002;
#13 UK
In the Zone
"Me Against The Music" (featuring Madonna) — October
2003; #35 US, #2 UK
"Toxic" — January 2004; #9 US, #1 UK
"Everytime" — April 2004; #15 US, #1 UK
"Outrageous" — June 2004
Greatest Hits: My Prerogative
"My Prerogative" — September 2004; #3 UK
Acting
1990s: Ruthless! (Off-Broadway)
1993/1994: The New Mickey Mouse Club (Television)
1999: Longshot (Movie/Cameo)
2000: The Simpsons "The Mansion Family" (Television) (Herself)
2002: Crossroads (Movie/Lead Actress)
2002: Austin Powers in Goldmember (Movie/Cameo)
Computer game
Britney's Dance Beat is a dance game featuring five of her songs,
for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance.
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