On A Good Note

By Logan Hampsey

Hi again! 

Welcome back to my new music column! Previously, we covered some spooky music for us to enjoy for the Halloween season that I have listened to and recommended for those in search of some seasonal tunes. In this chapter of “On a Good Note”, I will go over some things going on in the music world, and share my post-Halloween pop music I have been listening to, and jamming out to, and I want to share it with you guys! 

● It’s Britney Bitch! A topic that has shockingly been circulating the Internet a lot this year has been the media-generated hashtag “#FreeBritney”. Now, everyone remembers Britney Spears’ public breakdown that happened back in 2007. Well, ever since 2008, she’s been placed under a conservatorship by her father and mainly controlled by him as well. A conservatorship is when a court appoints a guardian of sorts to an individual who is deemed unable to care for themselves. Fans of the popstar have not been shy to vocalize their support for the singer. Ms. Spears said she will not make any music until she is living under her terms without a conservatorship, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. I was brought to this topic because of the rise in public awareness of this tragic ongoing situation. I feel like shedding more light on her situation will help people see that her impact on the music industry is super important; hopefully one day she can go back to living her life as she chooses. Some of her albums within the past few weeks have had their anniversaries, so in honor of some of her records turning a year older and the rise of the #FreeBritney Movement, I will briefly go over some of her records with recent birthdays, (because there’s quite a few) and breakdown their significance in pop culture. 

○ Britney Spears’ third studio album, “Britney” was released almost 20 years ago on November 6th, 2001. This album went straight to #1 on the charts. This album has more of a darker feel to it, so if you are into more edgy-pop, this album is for you! It also feels like more of a personal album due to Britney’s writing credits on a majority of the songs.Some of the most popular tracks from this album include “I’m a Slave 4 U” (#27 on the charts) and “Overprotected” (#86 on the charts). She also did a very memorable VMA performance with a live python and

other wild animals that set the bar high for future performers to live up to! 

○ Britney’s fourth record, “In the Zone”, was released on November 12th, 2003 and it is a favorite across all types of fans around the world. This album, being almost 18 years old, still holds as one of the most influential pop albums to date and has Britney’s (debatably) most popular song on it. Some of the most popular tracks are “Toxic” (#3 on the charts) and “Everytime” (#15 on the charts). This album shows her growth as a singer/songwriter because not only does she have writing credits on most of the songs, the lyrics are much more risque and spicy for her at the time. A lot of these songs have even been said to be some of Britney’s favorites herself. This is the type of album you would want to hear with all your friends on a dark car ride. 

○ “Greatest Hits: My Prerogative”, released on November 3rd 2004, is Britney’s first compilation album and it went to #4 on the charts. This album has all of her “hits” from 1998-2004 along with some remixes and new songs. Although she was criticized at the time for releasing this album because some felt her career was not long enough for an album like this, this compilation album is for you if you want to hear and get to learn Ms. Spears’ older works. Some popular songs from this album are “My Prerogative” (Bobby Brown Cover) (#4 on the charts) and “Do Somethin’” (#100 on the charts). 

○ “Blackout” is Spears’ most controversial work to date. Being released almost 14 years ago on October 25, 2007, her fifth album was released during a very dark time in the singer’s life. This era is pretty much what kicked off her ongoing conservatorship. Much like the “Britney” record, “Blackout” features many edgy and dark pop songs and this is much due to the events going on in her life at the time. This is significant because this happens to be the only album of hers she has co-produced. Some of the most popular songs from this record are “Gimme More” (#3 on the charts) and “Piece of Me” (#18 on the charts). Reflecting back on this album, consider it to be Britney’s best album and it even made the list of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. This is my personal favorite Britney album because I feel its energy, I get how personal and big this album was and still is to her. I recommend this album for those who want to get a better understanding of Britney’s personal life and for those who just

want to get up and dance! This is more of a record you want to listen to at a club or at a party with all your friends. ○ At the time of its release, “Circus” seemed like it was Britney’s “comeback” album and it felt like the acceptance and ending of her personal struggles. Just by listening to the songs on the album, you can tell this record is trying to paint Britney’s life in a better light because of all the negativity surrounding “Blackout”. This album was released about 12 years ago on November 28th, 2008 and some of its most popular tracks are “Womanizer” (#1 on the charts) and “Circus” (#3 on the charts). I recommend people listen to this album who enjoy more happier sounding pop music because you feel almost on Cloud 9 while listening. This is probably another one of her most famous albums, and although may not be the most personal record of hers, it is full of bops that will not keep you still! 

○ Almost 5 years on the day of “Circus” being released, Spears’ eighth studio record “Britney Jean” was released on November 29th, 2013. Some of the most popular songs from this album are “Work Bitch” (#12 on the charts) and “Perfume” (#76 on the charts). Britney herself admitted this album was really hard for her to work on due to how personal some of the songs are. This is one of Britney’s more dance-pop/EDM records and the beats in this album just make you want to get up and dance! I recommend listening to this album anywhere you can jam out with your friends because the production on this album will make you feel like you are at a party!