exhale The revival of teen pop in the late 90's

[Guest]

Britney Spears - born December 2, 1981

• October 23, 1998 - debut single, "...Baby One More Time"
• January 12, 1999 - debut album, ...Baby One More Time

 

Quote

“…Baby One More Time” didn’t just launch Britney’s career: It kicked off the teen pop boom of the late ‘90s, clearing the way for a fleet of Britney also-rans and boy bands to dominate TRL and the airwaves pretty much until teenagers stopped watching TRL and listening to the radio. (source: 'Britney Spears wanted to be a star': An oral history of '...Baby One More Time')

 

Christina Aguilera - born December 18, 1980

• June 22, 1999 - Debut single, "Genie in a Bottle"
• August 24, 1999 - debut album, Christina Aguilera

 

Jessica Simpson - born July 10, 1980

• August 31, 1999 - debut single, "I Wanna Love You Forever"
• November 23, 1999 - debut album, Sweet Kisses

 

Mandy Moore - born April 10, 1984

• August 17, 1999 - debut single, "Candy"
• December 7, 1999 - debut album, So Real

 

Quote

Joe Levy, Rolling Stone editor:  The public perception is that this is all created, that the record company created this — the artist, the music, the image. I have to tell you, if the record company could have created more than one Britney Spears, they would have done it, and they tried! And people, Mandy Moore is an actress. (source: 'Britney Spears wanted to be a star': An oral history of '...Baby One More Time')

 

Willa Ford - born January 22, 1981

• May 29, 2001 - debut single, "I Wanna Be Bad"
• July 17, 2001 - debut album, Willa Was Here

 

Brooke Allison - born September 26, 1986

• April 3, 2001 - debut single, "The Kiss-Off (Goodbye)"
• June 19, 2001 - debut album, Brooke Allison

 

Quote

John Ivey: There were a thousand Britney Spears wannabes.  (source: 'Britney Spears wanted to be a star': An oral history of '...Baby One More Time')

 

As a die-hard fan since the beginning, I cannot express enough how awesome it has been seeing Britney withstand the test of time to become a legit pop culture icon.  In retrospect, that whole Britney prime era (1998-2004) really felt like a pop music Renaissance, sparked by the meteoric rise of Britney.  Critics assumed it was a trend that wouldn't last more than 1 or 2 years, that Britney wouldn't survive the sophomore slump of a second album.  A fad.  Instead, it became a full-on phenomenon.  A Britney explosion.  Suddenly, record labels from all over the world rushed to find their own Britneys and cash in on the lucrative teen pop business.  More blond female pop singers emerged on TRL.  20 years later, and Britney is the last one standing as the ultimate pop icon.

I'm interested in hearing Exhalers discuss what is it about Britney that sets her apart from the others? Honestly, her personality has been a large part of it for me.  Despite what Exhalers may say about Currentney's odd and awkward personality, I still see a certain charm there, social anxiety and all.  Of course that's just one of many reasons for me... 

 

[Joshyworld]

OT but who tf is Brooke Allison? Never heard of that woman in my life. 

Anyways...I always loved that era of music, not only because it resonates with my childhood and innocence, but the pop music was invigorating, melodic and fresh like nothing that was done before.

What set Britney apart from so many other acts was that she literally had everything it took to be a star, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a fan. To top it off, she was strikingly beautiful and embodied this class of beauty which was so rare to see for someone her age. Just watch any of her videos before her meteoric rise to fame and you can tell why. Also, she was way ahead of her years for someone so young. I look at some of her old videos/performances before she even hit 20 and I'm just in awe at how someone that young was able to showcase so much composure and maturity. This girl was doing Broadway shows in NYC at age 11, became the youngest person to be casted for the MMC that season, then went on to be the highest-selling teenager of all time with just one album under her belt. By age 19, she was pop royalty.

All she ever hoped and dreamed of was being a star since she learned how to talk, according to interviews and old home videos. Then again, I've always wondered -- how much of it was her own mother who pushed/influenced her to take gym, dance and singing lessons and/or how much of it was actually Britney herself behind the scenes? Either or, she had a destiny and it was ultimately fulfilled. 

Also, justice for Willegend Ford and Successica Legendon. The two pop underdogs who deserved more than they achieved.  Not to mention, Willa was so f**king hot. 

 

[WilderWein]

I always found the wannabes annoying and at times even pathetic.

 

what sets her apart? I think she was just the best at everything and she just had that x factor. She was also the most beautiful and had her athletic dancing. Also Britney was just being Britney. The others were modeled after her and an original is ALWAYS better than a copy.

[MissSpearsSaysSo]

I tried to listen to Mandy Moore the other day and I just couldn’t take it. Her music is terrible, especially her first 2 albums. They’re so bad. Only Candy and that other song are passable. 

[jordeezy]

Spice Girls started it although they weren't teens

[nonoiseplz]

1 hour ago, jordeezy said:

Spice Girls started it although they weren't teens

I remember the Spice Girls during their prime and their fans were of a different era than Britneys fanbase and the music was also different. My sister is a year and a half older than me and she was a huge Spice Girls fan. Me? I didn't care about them. I knew their songs and danced to them when they was on the radio like I would any other song. But Spice Girls were not making "Baby One More Time..." type music; they were making "(You Drive Me) Crazy" album version music.

[rawbrit]

1 hour ago, jordeezy said:

Spice Girls started it although they weren't teens

iconic indeed

[Guest]

Oh yes, Spice Girls, and BSB, laid the foundation for that specific type of teen pop that Britney ushered in. The thing with Britney at her debut was that she was seen as one of the millennial teens at the time. A people’s pop princess.

[jordeezy]

1 hour ago, nonoiseplz said:

I remember the Spice Girls during their prime and their fans were of a different era than Britneys fanbase and the music was also different. My sister is a year and a half older than me and she was a huge Spice Girls fan. Me? I didn't care about them. I knew their songs and danced to them when they was on the radio like I would any other song. But Spice Girls were not making "Baby One More Time..." type music; they were making "(You Drive Me) Crazy" album version music.

I was 9 when Spice Girls got popular but then Geri quit, SG took a break and Britney exploded within 6 months... it was as if we all moved on to her

[jordeezy]

1 hour ago, nonoiseplz said:

I remember the Spice Girls during their prime and their fans were of a different era than Britneys fanbase and the music was also different. My sister is a year and a half older than me and she was a huge Spice Girls fan. Me? I didn't care about them. I knew their songs and danced to them when they was on the radio like I would any other song. But Spice Girls were not making "Baby One More Time..." type music; they were making "(You Drive Me) Crazy" album version music.

And its not about the music style, its the marketing style

[Kartofelek]

Actually, it was Jennifer Paige who started it with "Crush", but she came way too soon and disappeared after one song. There was also this "I Love You Always Forever" chick, that was all pop, but disappeared quickly. Then Natalie Imbruglia came with "Torn", but she wasn't all that. Then came Britney and it boomed.....

But after 2000 and dozens of failed wannabes (Mikaila? Jeannette? who else?), it all started to fade. I think the last teen to be manufactured into something she wasn't was Stacie Orrico, but she disappeared after two albums. All the pop ladies that came in 1999 were already grown up and sexualized to the max, things started changing... though Disney created a lot of "popstars", though none had the talent nor charisma that Britney brought.

[Kartofelek]

2 hours ago, nonoiseplz said:

I remember the Spice Girls during their prime and their fans were of a different era than Britneys fanbase and the music was also different. My sister is a year and a half older than me and she was a huge Spice Girls fan. Me? I didn't care about them. I knew their songs and danced to them when they was on the radio like I would any other song. But Spice Girls were not making "Baby One More Time..." type music; they were making "(You Drive Me) Crazy" album version music.

That's funny cos The Spice Girls were recording an album in early 1999 which sounded like this, but was scrapped and an r'n'b album was recorded instead:

Does it remind you of something - certain musical pattern - that was massive in 1999 and 2000...

 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Kartofelek said:

Actually, it was Jennifer Paige who started it with "Crush", but she came way too soon and disappeared after one song. There was also this "I Love You Always Forever" chick, that was all pop, but disappeared quickly. Then Natalie Imbruglia came with "Torn", but she wasn't all that. Then came Britney and it boomed.....

But after 2000 and dozens of failed wannabes (Mikaila? Jeannette? who else?), it all started to fade. I think the last teen to be manufactured into something she wasn't was Stacie Orrico, but she disappeared after two albums. All the pop ladies that came in 1999 were already grown up and sexualized to the max, things started changing... though Disney created a lot of "popstars", though none had the talent nor charisma that Britney brought.

I mean, “teen pop” as a whole has been around since before the 90s, and has varied in sounds with each cycle. Britney ushered in a distinct type of teen pop that was more in the vain of Spice Girls and BSB. Natalie Imbruglia was pop too, but her sound was different.

[jordeezy]

3 hours ago, Khoazie said:

I mean, “teen pop” as a whole has been around since before the 90s, and has varied in sounds with each cycle. Britney ushered in a distinct type of teen pop that was more in the vain of Spice Girls and BSB. Natalie Imbruglia was pop too, but her sound was different.

Britney was the first teen to overtly sexualize Pop music

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, jordeezy said:

Britney was the first teen to overtly sexualize Pop music

Queen of Lolita teen pop

[Brat]

You picked a horrible picture of j Simpson 

[Isla]

14 hours ago, WilderWein said:

what sets her apart? I think she was just the best at everything and she just had that x factor. She was also the most beautiful and had her athletic dancing. Also Britney was just being Britney. The others were modeled after her and an original is ALWAYS better than a copy.

Maybe that's what Mona Lisa is about. 'She's been cloned, she's been cloned' 

[jordeezy]

4 hours ago, Khoazie said:

I mean, “teen pop” as a whole has been around since before the 90s, and has varied in sounds with each cycle. Britney ushered in a distinct type of teen pop that was more in the vain of Spice Girls and BSB. Natalie Imbruglia was pop too, but her sound was different.

Oh.. so the "style" you are referring to is called "Max Martin" it was like ABBA meets RnB lol

[solo]

who's brooke allison?

[Ringleader34]

19 hours ago, Khoazie said:

Britney Spears - born December 2, 1981

• October 23, 1998 - debut single, "...Baby One More Time"
• January 12, 1999 - debut album, ...Baby One More Time

 

 

The only one that matters.