While Britney is an icon, her lack of control doomed her career

[mzncb 332]

Despite my posts defending her, I never got into Britney's music until 2016-way after her popularity, 8 of her 9 albums were released, all her personal problems etc...  To me that shows how badly she was managed from an artistic standpoint; which matters since she was/is actually in the MUSIC INDUSTRY, after all.

Larry Rudolph is a great manager at making money.  He knows it, I know it, everyone on this board knows it . Britney and her parents sure as hell know it.  But Larry and artistic expression have nothing to do with one another because he knows exactly what he did which, again, matters because she was/is in the MUSIC INDUSTRY.

It's fine for the first two albums that Britney was managed the way she was.  She was a teen star after all.  Many have preceded  her and many came after her.  BUT since they did decide to keep it going after that...

The third album/era was HORRIBLE  and shows how her reputation/career would take a nosedive afterward. 

I'm a Slave 4 U as the first single was fine.  A new sound/image is not a problem.  Following this, "I'm not a girl/Overprotected" tired Max Martin fed songs should have never been next, as they did absolutely NOTHING for her.  What should have followed I'm a Slave was this...

As a commenter on youtube on this song said, "Ahead of its time, a good pop song, and would have made a great, groundbreaking single for her. The combination of the emotional chorus, the acoustics, and the deep techno beat are brilliant. This is what artists are doing in music now. This was 15 years ahead of its time. I consider not releasing this as a lead single (and instead grossly sexualizing her at the VMAs with the “Slave”/snake performance) to be one of the greatest mistakes her management made in her career. There was a real opportunity to hear the real Britney here, to allow her to mature and grow. What a waste."

The rest of her singles after Slave did NOTHING FOR HER in terms of her audience. "I love Rock and Roll"?  Anticipating? Boys?   I'm A Slave 4 U was/is not enough. 

The (mostly) pathetic Crossroads was just a cash crab for her handlers/label other greedy idiots.

The next single after Before The Goodbye should have been Lonely then Cinderella and/or Let Me Be Me...

Regardless of any radio ban, she was getting ENDLESS publicity anyway and it was wasted on terrible single choices because Britney's artistic ambitions were never at the forefront of her brand, despite being in the MUSIC INDUSTRY.

The other thing besides lack of artistic expression in this era  that led to her doomed artistic reception was her lip-syncing.  In her first two eras it appeared she sung live and/or used convincing pre-recorded tracks.  But that mostly stopped in her third era.  Why?

Even Aaliyah had a similar limited live voice like Britney but Aaliyah sung live.  Why didn't her stupid handlers like Larry help encourage her to train for that.

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Then her fourth era -In The Zone, despite being easily her BEST EVER STUDIO ALBUM- was also terrible.  Obviously the era was launched from the Madonna vma kiss because she lost popularity after the Timberlake break-up,  and the rise of Avril Lavine, Beyonce, Vanessa Carlton Michelle Branch, P!nk, Alicia Keys etc... and also teens moving on.  

While apparently Britney  pushed for Me Against The Music  to be the lead single (in light of the publicity but not artistic Madonna Rappaport) , it wasn't over Toxic but over her stupid label's/handler's choice of  Outrageous and I Got That Boom Boom.  However...

Her seemingly overriding her stupid handlers/label's single choices for a line up of Me Against the Music, Toxic, and Everytime was PERFECT at that point. 

Yes, ideally Toxic, the greatest song she's ever recorded and released as a single, would be the first smash single released.  But making Toxic the second single probably sustained interest in In The Zone, unlike if it was the first single were the danger is interest might die off (Although one could argue people would anticipation for the next single could be high because of a surprise smash like Toxic.)

Everytime is the SECOND greatest song she has ever recorded and released a single.  Why? Because it shows her Artistic expression.

Outrageous is where it all went downhill.  Apparently, she  seriously injured her knee TWICE in 2004.  Once earlier on her tour and second during this shoot. (Again, showing how her lack of control doomed her career because her dancing was never the same;

This in addition to Larry/her mom stupidly forcing her to cancel her first wedding to her childhood friend, paving the way for the terrible Federline situation; can you imagine Justin Bieber being forced to cancel his   )

We all know what SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED AS THE 4TH SINGLE...

How the f**k can you miss this?

"It sure was a close call, but for me ‘Breathe On Me’ is the ultimate album track that should have been a massive hit. This track brings sex straight through your speakers, but definitely not in a sleazy way. The almost futuristic (especially for that time!) synth production creates a mysterious atmosphere and Britney’s breathy vocals have never fitted a track better than ‘Breathe On Me’. The seductive whispering and those soaring high notes are heavenly. This is hands down Britney’ most hypnotic and addictive tune and in a world of pop justice, it would have been an international number 1 hit. For weeks. Or months!"

https://abitofpopmusic.com/2018/10/17/britney-spears-her-best-album-tracks/

While  I think its great in the context of the album, Outragous released as the 4th single was an obvious attempt to pander to Urban audiences. And a huge mistake.   As it did NOTHING for her and got her INJURED (only to propose to Kevin Federline) 

Breathe on Me would have definitely been another opportunity to get people to see her differently, avoided the injury (and delay or not get engaged to Federline at all).

Next Singles released could have been I Got That Boom Boom, Shadow, Touch of My Hand, The Hook Up, Showdown in any order

And this is where the critique of her the management/handling of her career stops.  Why? Because Blackout and the drama surrounding it did not (and probably shouldn't) need to happen.

This is when in 2004, 2005 or 2006 Is the point where Britney should have started her own record label.  She made PLENTY PLENTY of money up until this point to do whatever she wanted.

As GREAT as Blackout is, it really is a PRODUCERS album.  This is not the type of album you're credited for being an artist.  is it?

Britney said it herself in 2003...

3:55

The next album is something she would want to do :on her own" with 1 producer.

Blackout maybe the best produced album of the 21st Century, but what does that really mean for Britney as an artist?  (It's basically the greatest album with her name attached to it, a brilliant selection of producers for each song, she definitely worked hard but does it showcase HER as an artist in the best way?)

This is also where all those SCORES OF UNRELEASED TRACKS from that time WHICH CLEARLY SHOWCASE HER TALENT come into play.  These are actually from HER VISION.

The fact that she has SO MUCH GREAT unreleased material proves how poorly she was managed/promoted from an artistic standpoint, which matters since she was/is in the MUSIC INDUSTRY.

As for Circus and Femme Fatale, while great production,  it's mostly just her as a vessel (With the former as 'damage control' following her breakdown).  Glory is obviously her best in a decade and shows that she still wants to make music.

On the other hand, the route she went still made her an icon and seen as the best vessel for pop music for over a decade in the 21st Century, maximized her commercial viability and helped her make a lot of money,  but she still gets lots of criticism and simply did not best showcase her as an artist, despite being in the MUSIC INDUSTRY.

Larry (and Britney) have to know she deserves lots of the scrutiny and criticism she's gotten musically throughout her entire career.  The choices he, her label (and Britney herself) made that 100% justified.  They suppressed her artistic expression/growth in favor of commercial viability.

Britney is a 'survivor' but what are people  really celebrating when they celebrate Larry Rudolph's work?  

I'm not suggesting Britney should fire Larry Rudolph now.  All of the aforementioned is in the past.  If she needs more money (or her parents to support their lifestyle) she should keep him and keep performing in Vegas and shut down her haters and make that coin etc...  She probably wants to get back to her career with albums, her musical etc...

But while there are some hints of artistry besides the songs (choreographing Piece of Me video etc...) the way she was managed/promoted deserves 100% the scrutiny she has gotten because they clearly suppressed her artistic endeavors.

 

 

 

[DC 25,164]

Not to mention Trouble for Me would've been a PERFECT single for 2011! 

[Guest]

Britney already fired Larry 3 times and her father forced her to work with him! Its not up to Britney to fire him as shes under a conservatorship!

Her best albums are Blackout and Glory because they allowed her to have some artistic freedom. And we can see from her unreleased tracks that she had the potential to created something way better than any of her work.

The problem with the "Britney" album is not her single choices, its more with the album itself not having good songs. They thought making her sound like NSYNC was enough, but Britney pushed to have RNB songs. But still, that era was Britney's most iconic and memorable era. By the way, Britney extremely hated Outrageous and did not even want it on the album.

I wish she sang live, but to be honestly, when she stopped is when her performances and dance started being amazing.

[mzncb 332]

1 hour ago, ProjectJoanne said:

Not to mention Trouble for Me would've been a PERFECT single for 2011! 

Yeah, well under my premise Blackout till Glory would have never happened (Or if they did it would be done under her own record label; which would be the better scenario)

I'm mostly looking at the peak of her career from 1999-2004.  Had her artistic endeavors been at the forefront of her management/label, then her post 2004 reputation in music would be almost unanimously high.

It sure as hell is not today. (And wasn't even then; she was just a big star but dismissed musically, and this matters because she is in the MUSIC INDUSTRY.)

47 minutes ago, Faysalaaa said:

Britney already fired Larry 3 times and her father forced her to work with him! Its not up to Britney to fire him as shes under a conservatorship!

Her best albums are Blackout and Glory because they allowed her to have some artistic freedom. And we can see from her unreleased tracks that she had the potential to created something way better than any of her work.

The problem with the "Britney" album is not her single choices, its more with the album not having good songs. They chose the best from whats on the album, I disagree with your single choices. They thought making her sound like NSYNC was enough, but Britney pushed to have RNB songs. But still, that era was Britney's most iconic and memorable era! By the way, Britney extremely hated Outrageous and did not even want it on the album!

I wish she sang live, but to be honestly, when she stopped is when her performances and dance started being amazing!

Well In The Zone arguably beats both Blackout and Glory because she actually contributed musically and decided on what sounds she wanted but Glory did show passion from her.

In The Zone is definitely her artistic peak.

Before The Goodbye would obviously be a better single choice than all the singles from Britney besides I'm a Slave 4 U.  Like I said, it would have showed a much different artistic side from her as the second single from the album.

[Quartz 11,923]

Oh, wow. What an interesting place your mind must be.

[ChromaticPrincess 1,346]

Wow I don’t think I’d ever read a post filled with so much ****ING FACTS AND TEA.

i have to go rn, but I’m coming hack tmrw to voice my full opinion 

 

 

[Reject False Icons 4,434]

i can’t say if Britney is to blame for her lack of control in her career but this situation involves many factors, what I can say is that at some point she could have freed herself from her label. 

Robyn was the original Britney who was going to follow the same path but she had her limit and fought hard until she freed herself to found her own label and look at her now, she could show all of her artistic potential, and it’s greatly appreciated by critics and fans 

[Jose P 23,341]

24 minutes ago, Reject False Icons said:

i can’t say if Britney is to blame for her lack of control in her career but this situation involves many factors, what I can say is that at some point she could have freed herself from her label. 

Robyn was the original Britney who was going to follow the same path but she had her limit and fought hard until she freed herself to found her own label and look at her now, she could show all of her artistic potential, and it’s greatly appreciated by critics and fans 

I think what prevented Britney from rebelling and finding artistic freedom were her personal problems that eventually led to her breakdown. After that the conservatorship happened and well that made it impossible for her to be free. It’s a miracle she had so much creative control over Glory tbh.

[Lord Temptation 11,209]

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Reject False Icons said:

i can’t say if Britney is to blame for her lack of control in her career but this situation involves many factors, what I can say is that at some point she could have freed herself from her label. 

Robyn was the original Britney who was going to follow the same path but she had her limit and fought hard until she freed herself to found her own label and look at her now, she could show all of her artistic potential, and it’s greatly appreciated by critics and fans 

Once you reach a certain point in your career like Beyonce, usually labels give you full control. Britney did have alot of control from label during Blackout and before that. But Britney is controlled by her conservatorship, not her label. 

2 hours ago, mzncb said:

Well In The Zone arguably beats both Blackout and Glory because she actually contributed musically and decided on what sounds she wanted but Glory did show passion from her.

In The Zone is definitely her artistic peak.

 would obviously be a better single choice than all the singles from Britney besides I'm a Slave 4 U.  Like I said, it would have showed a much different artistic side from her as the second single from the album.

In The Zone is my personal favorite, and I think she had creative freedom but I dont think she was ready to take control. I think she started wanting control after In The Zone was released.

Im looking at the "Britney" album tracklist, I dont see any song that is single material other than Slave 4 U. Boys and Overprotected can be singles, but as a bonus to end the era, not the main singles. I Run Away could be a good single choice. But the rest of the album sound like demo tracks for NSYNC, which is why she remixed Overprotected to sound more R&B. "Britney" used to be my favorite album because of nostalgia but now I think its one of her worst albums after Britney Jean!!

I think she can release Breath On Me as a single today with a Music video, and it would go #1 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Reject False Icons said:

i can’t say if Britney is to blame for her lack of control in her career but this situation involves many factors, what I can say is that at some point she could have freed herself from her label. 

Robyn was the original Britney who was going to follow the same path but she had her limit and fought hard until she freed herself to found her own label and look at her now, she could show all of her artistic potential, and it’s greatly appreciated by critics and fans 

Why dont big artists today do this? Specially today, I dont think artists need labels specially if you are already big.