featured! Who Was The Bigger POP Culture Icon In 2003? Britney or JLO?

[RadicalOptimism]

So I was going down memory lane and remembered VHI’s: 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons from 2003 and I couldn’t believe JLO was ranked at #15 and Britney was at #20. I’m not denying that JLO has been a big part of pop culture, but in 2003 Britney had left her mark as well. I’m guessing Bennifer had a lot to do with Jlo ranking higher than Britney, but I’m still SHOCKED that they had Britney react to that and that she was placed lower than her competitor. So let’s take a look at their most iconic pop culture moments leading up to 2003 and see who was more deserving. Let me know if I missed any. 
 

BRITNEY

1998: Britney releases her mega successful debut single Baby One More Time and instantly becomes an international pop culture icon. 

1999: The release of Baby One More Time & Rolling Stones cover 

2000: Britney proved she was no one hit wonder and released another one of the most iconic videos and looks ever released. She followed up with her record setting sophomore album Oops...! I Did It Again.
Bonus: MTV VMAs 

2001: MTV VMA I’m a Slave 4 U performance Bonus: Britney & Justin Denim Outfits 

2002: Britney’s big screen debut 

Bonus: Britney and Justin split 

2003: Britney and Madonna kiss 

Bonus: Britney ties for youngest to get a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame 

JLO

1997: Jennifer Lopez becomes first Latina to make a million from her role in Selena 

1999: Joined exclusive group of females with #1 debut single (after Britney) with If You Had My Love 

2000: Versace dress at Grammys 

2001: JLO nickname and album of the same name. 
Bonus: First #1 remix album ever 

2002: Bennifer is born & Jenny From The Block 

2003: Gigli Box office bomb 

 

Video: 

So who was the biggest pop culture icon by 2003? Of course I’m voting for Britney 

 

Discuss 

[Roxxy]

VH1, for some reason, makes great Britney documentaries and specials - but always downplays her impact when it comes to their 'lists'. I remember VH1's Top 50 Most Fashionable Music Videos and they ranked Fighter by Xtina at #1 and I'm a Slave 4 U at #2 and i'm like in what world? I love both artists, both songs, and both videos though. 

But, we haven't lived in a universe yet where Britney Spears is outiconned by Jennifer Lopez. 

[NormaJeanSpears]

like up to that point who was bigger? britney with no competition. britney was the most famous person on earth for quite a few years y'all. i was a small child and even i remember hearing her music all the time, seeing her face and her music videos, and by the time i'm more cognizant of the world (2007-2008) she was going through a second wind of fame. she also has more international impact than JLO. shakira would've been a more ampt comparison. if shakira had a big movie career to tack on she could've actually uprooted britney in fame bc of her name recognition in spanish speaking countries but yea.

[PokemonSpears]

2 minutes ago, Roxxy said:

VH1, for some reason, makes great Britney documentaries and specials - but always downplays her impact when it comes to their 'lists'. I remember VH1's Top 50 Most Fashionable Music Videos and they ranked Fighter by Xtina at #1 and I'm a Slave 4 U at #2 and i'm like in what world? I love both artists, both songs, and both videos though. 

But, we haven't lived in a universe yet where Britney Spears is outiconned by Jennifer Lopez. 

yeah when they made the best songs of the 00's as well, Oops and Toxic ranked very low

[RadicalOptimism]

Just now, Roxxy said:

VH1, for some reason, makes great Britney documentaries and specials - but always downplays her impact when it comes to their 'lists'. I remember VH1's Top 50 Most Fashionable Music Videos and they ranked Fighter by Xtina at #1 and I'm a Slave 4 U at #2 and i'm like in what world. I love both artists, both songs, and both videos though. 

But, we haven't lived in a universe yet where Britney Spears is outiconned by Jennifer Lopez. 

Exactly. Like Britney reached an insurmountable amount of success in the first 5 years of her career. It’s crazy to think at the level of success she attained and how much they tried to downplay her efforts. It’s a sin that she didn’t win any VMA’s during that time yet she is what most of us think about when you utter or read that word. I love JLO and won’t downplay her career, but the fact Britney received the Vanguard over her years before is an indicator that Britney is and always will be the bigger pop icon  and I CAN’T at how low they places Janet 

[RadicalOptimism]

2 minutes ago, NormaJeanSpears said:

like up to that point who was bigger? britney with no competition. britney was the most famous person on earth for quite a few years y'all. i was a small child and even i remember hearing her music all the time, seeing her face and her music videos, and by the time i'm more cognizant of the world (2007-2008) she was going through a second wind of fame. she also has more international impact than JLO. shakira would've been a more ampt comparison. if shakira had a big movie career to tack on she could've actually uprooted britney in fame bc of her name recognition in spanish speaking countries but yea.

I’m still waiting for my Shakira and Britney collab  the fact she collabed with a Beyonce and Rihanna first I just can’t  imagine 2001 Britney and Shakira collab? Would’ve outimpacted and outsold Madonnas collab 

[RadicalOptimism]

2 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

yeah when they made the best songs of the 00's as well, Oops and Toxic ranked very low

A SIN I’m telling you 

[Lukas1896]

11 minutes ago, CrazyButItFeelsAllright said:

So I was going down memory lane and remembered VHI’s: 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons from 2003 and I couldn’t believe JLO was ranked at #15 and Britney was at #20.

Brit easily should be much higher than #20 and higher than J.Lo

[RadicalOptimism]

Just now, Lukass1896 said:

Brit easily should be much higher than #20 and higher than J.Lo

I was shooketh when I saw it tbh. And the audacity they got Britney to react to it? 

[Roxxy]

2 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

yeah when they made the best songs of the 00's as well, Oops and Toxic ranked very low

Yaaasss Pokie with the facts. Thank you. 💛 I'm also thinking of other VH1 lists but I can't think of the others right now. I just woke up from a 2 hour nap and I haven't had milk yet. 

[RadicalOptimism]

Just now, Roxxy said:

Yaaasss Pokie with the facts. Thank you. 💛 I'm also thinking of other VH1 lists but I can't think of the others right now. I just woke up from a 2 hour nap and I haven't had milk yet. 

Haven’t had milk? 

[Roxxy]

4 minutes ago, CrazyButItFeelsAllright said:

Exactly. Like Britney reached an insurmountable amount of success in the first 5 years of her career. It’s crazy to think at the level of success she attained and how much they tried to downplay her efforts. It’s a sin that she didn’t win any VMA’s during that time yet she is what most of us think about when you utter or read that word. I love JLO and won’t downplay her career, but the fact Britney received the Vanguard over her years before is an indicator that Britney is and always will be the bigger pop icon  and I CAN’T at how low they places Janet 

Tea. I love J.Lo to but omg I'm sorry it's just not. I guess that list was a little biased cause it was from 2003 and Jenny was at her peak then with Bennifer and This is Me... Then while Britney will not return yet until the 3rd quarter. 

[NormaJeanSpears]

news outlets are always clueless on who is going to be remembered and who the future icons are...who remembers that news article that was like "beyonce is good but she's no ashanti" from back in the day? it sums it up pretty well lmfao let's remember the two most famous women of the 2000s: jennifer lopez and ashanti. what's a brinty or a beyonka? never heard of a toxic or a crazy in love, we only know jenny from the block and foolish

[Lukas1896]

2 minutes ago, Roxxy said:

I just woke up from a 2 hour nap and I haven't had milk yet. 

Milk? Don't you mean: coffee?

[Britneyarmy8]

the fact that at my superbowl party all the people (aged 17-19) knew all of the shakira songs but none but one of jlos songs says something 

Quote

and yes they know most britney songs

 

[RadicalOptimism]

1 minute ago, Roxxy said:

Tea. I love J.Lo to but omg I'm sorry it's just not. I guess that list was a little biased cause it was from 2003 and Jenny was at her peak then with Bennifer and This is Me... Then while Britney will not return yet until the 3rd quarter. 

JLo had so many iconic songs at the time too. They both also had two of the most memorable couplings in pop culture history 

[RadicalOptimism]

2 minutes ago, NormaJeanSpears said:

news outlets are always clueless on who is going to be remembered and who the future icons are...who remembers that news article that was like "beyonce is good but she's no ashanti" from back in the day? it sums it up pretty well lmfao let's remember the two most famous women of the 2000s: jennifer lopez and ashanti. what's a brinty or a beyonka? never heard of a toxic or a crazy in love, we only know jenny from the block and foolish

To think Ashanti sang most of Jlo’s biggest hits 

[PokemonSpears]

14 minutes ago, NormaJeanSpears said:

like up to that point who was bigger? britney with no competition. britney was the most famous person on earth for quite a few years y'all. i was a small child and even i remember hearing her music all the time, seeing her face and her music videos, and by the time i'm more cognizant of the world (2007-2008) she was going through a second wind of fame. she also has more international impact than JLO. shakira would've been a more ampt comparison. if shakira had a big movie career to tack on she could've actually uprooted britney in fame bc of her name recognition in spanish speaking countries but yea.

Tbh that's why I always say that people in the US live in a parallel universe very different than what we live in the rest of the world, I think many Americans fail to understand how big Britney Spears was around the world, and in such a short period of time. Even today Britney is seen as a guilty pleasure, as an untalented girl that just lipsyncs and makes plastic music when in other countries she's still recognized as a serious and respected artist.

Jennifer Lopez might have been more popular because of her movies I guess? Even though all I read all the time is how bad her movies are, so idk.

And it's funny that they always mention her as this icon in the Latin music scene, when as a Latin myself didn't even know she was Latin until many years later seriously, all my life I thought she was American and her last name came from many generations back. I mean, she can barely speak Spanish and the songs that have made her more famous in here are the ones in English, unlike Shakira. Even Christina had more impact with her songs in Spanish.

It wasn't until after On the Floor that I started to see more people rooting for her

 

They also kept telling me the other day how much she deserved the Video Vanguard Award and for more that they quoted me, at any point they made me understand what did she specifically do, like, in videos or songs, to be considered any sort of icon, but anyways

 

Now, if the VH1 list was about the whole pop culture, and not just specifically about music, maybe that green dress DID have more impact at the moment

 

[RadicalOptimism]

3 minutes ago, Lukass1896 said:

Milk? Don't you mean: coffee?

Hot milk is what some people drink to help them sleep. I cannot function without coffee in the morning 

[RadicalOptimism]

1 minute ago, PokemonSpears said:

Tbh that's why I always say that people in the US live in a parallel universe very different than what we live in the rest of the world, I think many Americans fail to understand how big Britney Spears was around the world, and in such a short period of time. Even today Britney is seen as a guilty pleasure, as an untalented girl that just lipsyncs and makes plastic music when in other countries she's still recognized as a serious and respected artist.

Jennifer Lopez might have been more popular because of her movies I guess? Even though all I read all the time is how bad her movies are, so idk.

And it's funny that they always mention her as this icon in the Latin music scene, when as a Latin myself didn't even know she was Latin until many years later seriously, all my life I thought she was American and her last name came from many generations back. I mean, she can barely speak Spanish and the songs that have made her more famous in here are the ones in English, unlike Shakira. Even Christina had more impact with her songs in Spanish.

 

They also kept telling me the other day how much she deserved the Video Vanguard Award and for more that they quoted me, at any point they made me understand what did she specifically do, like, in videos or songs, to be considered any sort of icon, but anyways

 

Now, if the VH1 list was about the whole pop culture, and not just specifically about music, maybe that green dress DID have more impact at the moment

 

Omg you didn’t know she was Latina until much later in her career?  Deaddd but yeah you made very valid points. I still don’t understand how many people are still downplaying what an icon she is. I’m glad that at least some people are starting to realize and that’s why her most iconic hits are getting more and more plays recently