There are two kinds of popstars in the ever-changing marketing machine that is the world of pop music: those that command a certain moment in pop culture, churning out hit after hit, until eventually, their career runs its course, and those that steer their way into new eras, presenting new musical styles and personas, once again stealing their moment in the spotlight before they retire back into the abyss, drawing board in tow. Britney Spears fits into neither of those categories– she is the pop exception.
Brtiney has had hit singles in the 90’s, 2000’s and 2010’s. She’s outlived a cheating scandal with one of the most famous popstars on earth, survived two divorces, a child-custody battle and a universally covered public meltdown. Yet, she can still put out fairly successful albums and singles, bring in high box office revenue through concert tours and residencies, and make headlines with inadvertently cryptic Instagram posts. In fact, of all the pop girls that came out of the 90’s, Britney Spears is pretty much the only one that people still check for.
Everyone wants this woman to succeed. She’s like the younger sister that the whole family’s hard on because of all the potential they see in her. Sing live, sis. Dance harder, sis. Smile more, sis. Wait, actually, stop smiling, sis. Be more natural in interviews, sis. Stop aging, sis. Be more like the old you, sis. There is absolutely no other popstar on the face of the earth that is scrutinized more than Britney Jean Spears. But, as the saying goes, it comes from a place of love. People want this woman to come out on top. They root for her. After all, Britney’s family.
Interestingly enough, Britney is not talked about within the same respect of other artists that have secured grand pop legacies. Believe it or not, that’s actually a good thing. People still see her as someone that can get out there and compete with the new kids. They see her as more than just a walking nostalgia act. Britney is currently Madonna’s age when she released Bedtime Stories. She still has a potential Ray Of Light, a Music and a Confessions On A Dancefloor in her future. Don’t right her (team) off just yet.
Pop music is a gloriously unpredictable business. Selena Gomez has more followers on Instagram than Beyonce and Britney put together. Jennifer Lopez is doing a Vegas residency. Mariah Carey has a reality show. Lady Gaga is a legacy artist. P!nk is selling more albums than Christina Aguilera, who is now a retired vocal coach doing Oreo commercials. Madonna can’t crack the top 40. Hereby issuing a search warrant for Jessica Simpson.
The fact of the matter is, the music industry is a game– you either become an expert at it, like the Taylor’s and the Beyonce’s of the world, carefully calculating your way through the business, or, you coast off the backs of your publicists and managers, trusting them to guide you through the changing times until their tricks to keep you relevant are no longer sufficient. Last we checked, Britney is happy, posting a hundred google-searched images a day on her Instagram page, hitting the gym, and enjoying life with her kids and new model boyfriend. Which basically means, #B10 is coming, you guys.
