In honor of Blackout’s 18th birthday, let’s revisit an iconic album that stood the test of time as evidence that you’ll never be able to keep Britney Spears down.
2007 was a busy year for Britney Spears. In February, she walked into Esther’s Haircutting Studio in California, shaved her head for the world to see and had a major public meltdown involving a green umbrella and car window. In July of that year, Spears finalized her divorce with dancer Kevin Federline, to whom she was married for less than three years. The following September, she would be criticized for delivering what would be considered a “lackluster” performance of her brand new single, “Gimme More,” at the MTV Video Music Awards.
However, it was on October 25, 2007, after being told her career was over, that she would release what would be called her most influential body of work to date, Blackout.
In its entirety, Blackout is about clubbing, being horny, sexual liberation and dealing with the media’s opinion all at the same time. It’s an avant-disco electro dance-pop album about making bad decisions that you may regret later, but still having a lot of fun in the moment.
It’s about taking poppers with friends, making out with a stranger for the heck of it and not caring what happens tomorrow.
It’s the only album on which Spears is credited as an executive producer. She also worked with other talented producers like Danja, Bloodshy & Avant, Sean Garrett and The Neptunes, among others.
Although producers were told not to write about Spears’ personal struggles, the album is more representative of her life than any other piece. With the album coming out earlier than anticipated due to leaks online, the reviews were mixed. Some described it as very progressive, while others discredited it due to its controversies at the time.
Reflectively, it’s been able to stand the test of time and is considered “one of the best albums of the 21st century,” according to Rolling Stone. What came out of a difficult time was something beautiful that pushed Spears artistically.
In her book, The Woman In Me, Spears considered the album her “battle cry” and said that “after years of being meticulous, trying to please my mom and my dad, it was my time to say ‘F–k you’… Something about where I was in my head made me a better artist. I felt an exciting rush making the Blackout album.”
With that being said, let’s break down three important songs off the album that paint the picture of the reality Spears was facing at the time. (Sidenote: My favorites are “Hot as Ice,” “Ooh Ooh Baby” and, obviously, the first two mentioned below.)
“Gimme More”
The song starts with the phrase: ““It’s Britney, B*tch.” This phrase, whichwas put in as a joke, would go on to change pop culture forever. Arguably the most iconic song on the album, “Gimme More” proves that sometimes you just need a synthetic blond wig and a pole to make history. Produced by Danja, the track can be a reference to the media’s public obsession (“Gimme, gimme”) with Spears. She makes it clear that if they want more, she’ll give it to them. Although Spears thought the music video was “tacky,” it ultimately worked for what it was. She didn’t need to pull out all the choreography to make a statement, because she IS the statement.
“Piece of Me”
The second single of the album was produced by Bloodshy & Avant, who broke away from that impersonal rule. Here, Spears takes shots at the media narrative surrounding her with lyrics like “I’m Mrs. ‘Oh my God, that Britney’s shameless’” and “I’m Mrs. ‘She’s too big, now she’s too thin.’” With paparazzi following her everywhere, the music video uses this and sets the stage for a fun night out with the girls, paired with a fiercely choreographed dance routine in the bathroom. With the chorus stating, “You wanna piece of me,” Spears is mixing a threat, invitation and accusation all wrapped up in one. She was not scared of breaking away from the box that society had put her in.
“Why Should I Be Sad”
Much like the previous one, this track is indicative of the struggles Spears was facing at the moment, the dissolution of her marriage. “I just dove inside it blind, couldn’t see what swam inside, thought that’d be romantic for you,” Spears sang, once realizing whom she really married all along. Over a Neptunes beat, Spears questions, “Why should I be sad? Heaven knows from the stupid freaking things that you do?” The breathiness and desperation in her voice makes up for the lack of video, as it helps envision someone who finally chooses themselves after heartache.
One soldier from the Britney Army, César Maguiña, calls Blackout the turning point in her career and believes that while the public may have wanted her to fail, she proved them wrong and created something that changed the music world forever.
Maguiña runs the Instagram fan page britneyonline.
“For me, Blackout was more than just an album, it was a statement that she could be scrutinized by everyone and still reign [over] the pop music world,” Maguiña said. “As a fan, I was proud and more than delighted to hear such a cohesive track list and how well produced it all was. It definitely set the tone for how pop music evolved from 2007 to where we are now.”
Many dismiss the pop genre as a quick “cash grab” that’s insincere, but Blackout is a benchmark of how much impact an amazing pop album can actually have. Sonically to thematically, it’s a cohesive production that has inspired the works of other artists like Charli XCX and Julia Michaels.
If anything, the album sends an inspirational message to many fans. If Britney could make something so powerful at her lowest, then so can you.
Finding strength in the midst of a terrible moment can be hard, but if you take a secon,d you could create something so touching that you wouldn’t expect.
Spears hasn’t released new music since her Elton John collaboration in 2022. Many fans, including myself, are in no rush to see her back in the studio. In 2007, Britney was able to get out of an era that would’ve been career-ending for anyone else, though her misfortune undoubtedly wouldn’t end.
After a 13-year mentally and emotionally abusive conservatorship, she took a step back from the media to live the private life she deserved.
Blackout is more than just an inventive album. It’s a story of perseverance and confidence when it feels like the whole world is against you. What is referred to as the “pop bible” will go down in history as the story of what happens when you underestimate an artist.
Just always remember, it’s Britney, b*tch.
Header Image by Julia Staufer-Kaminski
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