Britney Spears: 10 Songs to Play After Her Court Victory
See which songs of hers really drive people crazy!
November 22, 2021
Global pop sensation Britney Spears is free! After 13 years of conservatorship by her father, the courts ruled in her favor by terminating her father’s control over her finances, business and personal life. In honor of her victory, I’ve decided to revisit what I think are her 10 best songs in chronological order (Spoiler alert: “Blackout” supremacy ahead!).
Notable for its synthesized cowbell, “(You Drive Me) Crazy” is bubblegum pop at its catchiest and most memorable. What’s also pretty awesome about this cut is the brief guitar solo in the bridge, elevating it above her other hits from the “…Baby One More Time” era.
This and “…Baby One More Time” were arguably her biggest hits from her earlier days, but this one is far superior no matter how many times you hear it on the radio. Like with “Crazy,” this one also features a cool bridge, and what makes it cool is some dialogue in it that sounds like it was lifted from an old soap opera. Plus, the funky bass and dance-pop beats pack more of a punch on this song than in “…Baby.”
Easily the most robust of singles from “Oops!… I Did It Again,” “Stronger” is one of her best Max Martin-produced songs. Even though it was written and released in 2000, the song’s universal message of self-empowerment remains more relevant than ever, especially now that Britney is once again free.
“Toxic” is one of those songs that leaves an indelible mark on you even before you find out who Britney Spears is. The sinister, yet memorable, string section loop helps to cement its place in pop culture. Of course, it’s not just the iconic instrumentation that matters in this piece. Britney’s message of love being so addicting that it’s almost toxic is just as decadent as its groundbreaking composition.
Known for being the song that introduced the phrase, “It’s Britney, bitch,” this “Blackout” track is peak Britney. Buzzing synths and crisp handclaps make up the backbone of this 2000s disco anthem, and Spears sounds more cool and confident than ever before.
Auto-Tune was all the rage back in the mid to late 2000s, and “Piece of Me” is an interesting example of that. If you want proof of singers who seem to transform themselves into a robot, look no further than this glitchy electropop gem about the pressures of being a celebrity.
Despite never being released as a single, this is the closest Britney has gotten to creating an industrial atmosphere. Percolating retro synths and deathly percussion give way to the album track’s main hook, and it is just as sexy as one would think it is before hearing it.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the lyrics of “If U Seek Amy” play around with innuendo. After this one was released, Britney Spears was met with a cavalcade of controversy. But that couldn’t stop the song from being played in middle school dance parties across the nation! And when it sounds this glitzy and glamorous, who can blame them?
Well, it was only a matter of time before Spears would dive head first into the dance pool! Even after toying with smooth-as-ice electropop on “Blackout” and “Circus,” “Femme Fatale” is easily her clubbiest, most rave-like album, and nowhere are the EDM elements more prominent than in “Till the World Ends.”
Meanwhile, “Hold It Against Me” keeps the momentum going by adding in a steady kick drum pulse. Despite what some critics say about the synths being “industrial,” they’re still menacing enough to pack a punch. It’s just that the menace is a bit downplayed by angelic keys and pads during the chorus. Not to worry, though, because Britney still delivers with her vocal bravado.
