Synopsis of Pop Music

See Also
Saturday Morning
The All-New Mickey Mouse Club

"Oh, baby baby,
How was I supposed to know?"

Teen pop made a serious comeback at the end of the 1990’s as groups like the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync dominated the charts with their effervescent, danceable pop music. One of the most important trendsetters in this arena was Britney Spears, a pretty pop queen who ruled 1999 with her album Baby One More Time. Britney’s combination of a cute image, smartly-crafted pop tunes and dynamic dance skills helped her set new records in album sales and made her an international sensation overnight. In the process, she opened up the teen-pop market for future female teen-pop divas like Christina Aguilera.

According to her mother, Britney Spears was singing and dancing as soon as she was old enough to walk. She began performing in public at the tender age of four and was soon spending all her free time in ballet, dance and singing lessons. She also attended performing arts school, and at age 11, she joined the cast of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club. As she reached her teen years, she decided to become a singer after landing an audition for an all-girl group. She went to New York with a one-song demo and soon landed a record contract. In 1998, she began recording her debut album, Baby One More Time.

Britney Spears took a cue from former teen idol Tiffany, kick-starting her new career by doing a promotional tour of shopping malls in the fall of 1998. Buzz began to build as she performed her song-and-dance act and handed out free cassettes containing four of her songs. She also performed as an opening act for N’Sync, a group that included two old friends from her Mickey Mouse Club days, Justin Timberlake and J.C. Chasez. In October, she released her first single, “Baby One More Time,” which mixed Britney’s seductive cooing with rock-solid electronic beats to create a love lament you could dance to. As the year ended, it quickly moved up the charts.

In early 1999, the Baby One More Time album was released as the single was riding high on the charts. This clever blend of bubblegum pop hooks, state-of-the-art dance rhythms and sweet balladry immediately shot to the top of the charts and pushed the “Baby One More Time” single to the top, making Spears the first-ever new female artist to land a #1 album and single at the same time. Britney soon became a favorite on MTV, thanks to a string of videos that showed off her formidable dance skills and her eye-candy appeal. Britney Spears maintained her high profile as 1999 ended by appearing on television shows like The Famous Jett Jackson and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. She also lent a remixed version of her song “Drive Me Crazy” to a film of the same name starring Melissa Joan Hart.

Meanwhile, Britney Spears spent all her spare time on preparing a new album. The hard work paid off when Oops!… I Did It Again was released in the spring of 2000. It debuted at #1 and set new records for first-week sales of an album. Britney also dominated MTV with her video for the album’s title track, which featured her in a distinctive red-leather jumpsuit as she danced her way past several high-tech backdrops and brokenhearted young men. This continued success proves that Britney Spears is still the queen of teen-pop.

Artist Release History

1999 - Baby One More Time
2000 - Oops!… I Did It Again
2000 - Maximum Britney

Pop Sub Categories

pop
bubble gum

Essential Music Albums

Baby One More Time (Jive)

Band Members

Britney Spears  vocals

Other Pop Music Links