Los Angeles CA November 07th, 2023 (Shondaland) Britney Spears truly grew up at least musically — with the release of her electro-sleek classic In the Zone. Released November 1, 2003, the album saw the then-21-year-old Spears seeking to evolve her sound by co-writing the majority of the tracks and adding a variety of other genres, moods, and collaborators in search of her own Ray of Light moment.
And she largely succeeded: In the Zone debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, went triple platinum, and helped Spears win her first-ever Grammy. Although it couldn’t match her commercial zenith during the heyday of teen pop just a few years prior, it proved that everyone’s favorite gum-chomping goddess was still an important draw for fans of all ages, with an increasingly mature sound to match her moves. Most importantly, of course, is the music, and there are some essential jams in the Book of Britney, so let’s all give thanks to the Holy Spearit.
“Me Against the Music” featuring Madonna
The lead single off the album, this frenetic duet was positioned to be Britney’s big statement: Look, Madonna is officially anointing her the heir to the throne! Although it became a worldwide hit and topped the charts in multiple countries, the song failed to fully catch fire in the U.S. the way you might expect, especially after Madonna and Britney had scandalized the globe a couple months earlier with their now-iconic VMA kiss. Surprisingly, the song stalled on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at No. 35 and had more of an impact through some memorable parodies, both respectful and not so much. (Intriguingly, the first song its main writers pitched to Spears was a little ditty called “Pop Culture Whore” that the singer shot down. Gotta wonder what that would’ve sounded like!).
“(I Got That) Boom Boom” featuring Ying Yang Twins
Dedicated ostensibly to “all those Southern boys out there,” this countrified urban-banjo bop makes sense on paper, marrying Spears’ Louisiana heritage with dancey R&B pop and, of course, the singer’s unparalleled affinity for crooning sexy baby-did-a-bad-bad-thing lyrics like “boom boom.” Sadly, the Ying Yang Twins had already released their masterpiece the previous month, and so rather than achieving salty perfection for a second time, their bayou gumbo turned out a little flavorless. Still, it’s an interesting cut that seems as if it could turn into a perfect mash-up with “Alright” by Janet Jackson, one of Spears’ heroes. Let’s hope someone makes that happen.
“Showdown”
A Cathy Dennis co-write, this reggae-laced jam finds the normally uptempo Spears riding the beat with an appealing laid-back vibe. (Both her vocal and the song itself seem to prefigure this classic that would come out three years later.) Alluring in its coy way, the lyrics find Spears cooing slow-burning lines like “I don’t really wanna be a tease/But would you undo my zipper, please?” While the subject matter may not have been that unfamiliar to fans at the time, the song’s production feels a lot more grown-up. This is a respectable album cut; no shame in that.
“Breathe on Me”
Now, the album starts to get really interesting with arguably the sexiest song in the entire Spears oeuvre, where her restrained approach proves electrifying. Singing about an erotic connection so powerful that touch isn’t even required to get her off, Spears has never sounded so adult, confident, or exciting. With a languid production and vocal that builds and falls and builds and falls, this is a surprisingly classy ode to one of the most universal of urges. (Extra points for the shout-out to monogamy that feels like a tribute to a fellow song scholar of sex.) It’s a shame this was never a single.
“Early Mornin’”
Things take a bit of an electro left turn with this odd song produced and co-written by Moby, a woozy tribute to the post-all-night-sexy-partying feeling. (Or as the poetess herself robo-moans, “I was shaking my ass in the stress ’til mornin.’” Who hasn’t been there?) The burbling little touches that send the hungover beat and Britney spinning back into the next wild adventure get more irresistible with each listen, and just when you’re ready to dismiss this as a trifle, you find yourself hitting repeat one more time. A well-crafted slice of sleaze that goes down sweet, this is pop for grown-ups in the best way possible.
“Toxic”
Maybe the best Britney song — perhaps even of that entire era and to some, even across history — “Toxic” achieves the kind of iconic status that makes it hard to imagine there was ever a time before those Casio keyboard flute settings were menacing us all. Winning Spears her first Grammy, topping charts around the world, and reaching No. 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, this the kind of career-defining song any artist would kill for, and it’s hard to imagine any other artist doing it justice — or looking more iconic as a flight attendant. That includes Kylie Minogue, who turned it down for some reason, despite it being written by Cathy Dennis. Dennis had contributed to Minogue’s Body Language album, which came out a little more than a week after In the Zone. (Ironically, Minogue’s most recent single when “Toxic” debuted was almost its dark mirror image, the sleek “Slow.”) Ultimately, Britney Spears was the only choice to record this, and pop just does not get any better.
“Outrageous”
While filming the basketball-themed video for this song, Spears injured her knee during a dance number and had to be rushed into surgery. Her recovery ended up canceling the remainder of the shoot as well as the rest of the run of the Onyx Tour; the song itself only made it to No. 79 on the Billboard Hot 100. A slinky jam built around a throbbing refrain, “Outrageous” was actually Jive Records’ top choice for lead single, which boggles the mind. I mean, it’s a fine thumper, but far superior is the track that replaced it as the theme song for Halle Berry’s Catwoman. (Although some Spears purists reworked the scene as it would have been.).
“Touch of My Hand”
With a Middle Eastern-tinged production that stings softly but hits hard, Spears warbles about the pleasures of self-love, dipping her vocals in and out of the autotune robo effect that had worked such magic for Cher five years prior. Although Spears chooses to glide toward ecstasy where Cyndi Lauper opted to aggressively she-bop, she sounds fully adult, completely in control, and very sensual. It’s a great look for Spears, who was frequently criticized for performing sexuality for the benefit of audiences rather than authentically owning her own experience — she sounds completely empowered and present on this supple jam.
“The Hook Up”
This reggae-lite number suits Spears to a tee, pulsing and twirling and writhing around her as her vocals go from girlish to growling. As winning as this charmer is, however, this is definitely a track that would have really slapped if it had been delivered by a more authentic island icon who would debut two years later. Still, this song adds another element to help round out the overall sound of the set and goes down very smooth no matter how many times you choose to (pon de) replay it.
“Shadow”
Something of a power ballad — although it stays in graceful yearning mode rather than busting out into full-on emoting — this song lets Spears belt some big notes. Something of a cousin to the Shania Twain co-penned “Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know,” this is the musical tale of a lover who keeps pulling away so much that they barely ever fully existed in the relationship. For those who feel that Spears’ throaty singing is too strained or that she’s too much of a studio creation, it’s interesting to check out her live vocals on this challenging number during the Onyx Hotel tour. There’s something moving about the combination of song and singer, flaws and all, and it hits home how Spears seems to really connect with the sadder music and messages in her work.
“Brave New Girl”
This uptempo electro anthem of independence has an unusual distinction. It inspired the title of the 2004 movie version of the 2001 novel A Mother’s Gift, co-written by Spears and her mother, Lynne. In so many ways a theme song for Spears herself, she memorably celebrated being released from her conservatorship in 2021 with a dance video to this tune. (Oh, the doctoral dissertations that have yet to be written about the multivalent meanings behind this video!) While the song itself doesn’t really stand out all that much, it will always be precious to Spears fans for its importance to the singer, both metaphorically and literally.
“Everytime”
A delicate, devastatingly powerful music-box response to Justin Timberlake’s syncopated first solo single, this is my vote for the greatest song in the entire Spears catalog. Not only did she single-handedly compose the music, but she also co-wrote the lyrics with her backing singer Annet Artani. Both the vocal and the production are so achingly raw, sad, and vulnerable that it totally tracks that Spears’ original treatment for the controversial music video was for her thinly veiled alter ego to commit suicide.
With apologies to the later Britney Jean promo, this is truly the most personal song Spears or any of her peers has ever recorded. This song showcases just how far Spears had come as a performer, pop culture figure, and true musician since the (likable) trifles of her early days. Maybe one day we’ll get her sadcore album.
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