Guest Maura Johnston discusses Britney Spears' impact on pop music, highlighting her voice and sound that ushered in a new era. They explore Britney's use of wordless vocalization, embrace of technology, and rejection of 90s grunge rock. The podcast also discusses Britney's album Blackout, her personal struggles, and her cultural significance. They explore the brilliance of her hit song 'Oops, I Did It Again', emphasizing its lasting influence on pop music.
Britney's music showcased cyborgian authenticity, combining augmented vocals with technology to create a lasting impact in pop music.
Britney's collaboration with Madonna in 'Me Against the Music' symbolized her role as the heir apparent to Madonna and highlighted her importance in the pop world.
Deep dives
Britney Spears' Music as a Soundtrack to Many Lives
Britney Spears' music has become an integral part of the soundtrack to many people's lives. From her commanding opening statement in '...Baby One More Time' to the futuristic and infectious 'Toxic,' Britney's songs have stood the test of time. Her ability to make even the weirdest songs work is evident in hits like 'Oops!...I Did It Again,' which showcases brilliant counterpoint and impeccable song structure. Despite critics initially labeling it as bad, the song is now recognized as one of the best pop songs of our time. Britney's music embodies cyborgian authenticity, where her voice, augmented by technology, still resonates with listeners and proves her lasting impact.
The Power of Britney and Madonna's Collaboration
One of Britney's notable moments in her career is her collaboration with Madonna in the song 'Me Against the Music.' This groundbreaking conjunction symbolized the passing of the torch from one pop star to another. In the song, both singers trade metaphoric lyrics about being subject to the ways of the beat, and the track represents Britney's central role in the pop world at that time. Alongside the iconic VMA performance, this collaboration reinforced Britney's status as the heir apparent to Madonna and highlighted her importance to the fabric of pop music.
The Underrated Brilliance of 'Blackout' and 'Piece of Me'
Britney's album 'Blackout' surprised many with its experimental and glitchy sound, showcasing her willingness to push boundaries in pop music. The track 'Piece of Me' served as a rebuke to the paparazzi storm surrounding her and revealed her playful side with clever lyrics. Although 'Blackout' was an unconventional album, it featured oddities that ultimately made it fantastic and demonstrated Britney's ahead-of-her-time instincts. The album's Halloween-tinged vibes and its cyborg-like persona solidified Britney's position as a pop icon unafraid to venture into new territories.
Britney Spears' memoir The Woman in Me is out today. But we're taking this moment instead to revisit the songs we never stopped listening to — and what she was trying to tell us all along, through the music. Sam talks with writer and critic Maura Johnston about what Britney gave to her body of work, and how her voice and sound — augmented, auto-tuned, yet authentic — ushered in a new era of pop music and pop stardom.