Was ‘Me Against The Music’ going to be the first single even without Madonna?

[MeAgainstTheMusic_]

50 minutes ago, reVolution said:

Bish talk for yourself, Outrageous is a jam, and Britney was feeling that song, its one of the best songs from ITZ

Britney didn’t like Outrageous tho 

[MakeMeFweaky]

5 hours ago, J in the Mix said:

Agreed & honestly understand why Jive didn't want it as a single. Besides the iconic choreography it doesn't stand out.

If Toxic was the first single it would have went #1 easily.

I’m pretty sure though that Britney was still battling the radio ban until Clear channel was the announced as the sponsor for the onyx hotel so I feel like toxic being the second single was the right moment for it to get all the possible radio play it could get

[Spicechinodiva]

It was a great detour, but both Madonna fan bases and Britney fans most hate the song..

 

For Madonna,  it was her biggest global hit, But without Madonna,  the urban production would have failed overseas, as it wasn't european friendly. 

As for the US, it did stall at #35, two spots higher than Madonna's own American Life, but due to Madonna's views on Iraq, The controversy of the original video for her 2003 album, and overall views on Bush. 

 

Plus Jive only issuing a 7 track Maxi single on cd Priced at 7.99 like an ep.  

 

Of course it was gonna fail,  it wasn't going to have radio support cos of Madonna.  

[Alex_1991]

I love matm but I agree, toxic as single 1 would have slayed the world 

In my opinion... 

Toxic single 1

Matm single 2 

Everytime single 3

Then Breathe On Me

Outrageous is not bad but would have flopped and Britney knew 

Matm is not her strongest song ever but it was huge in europe

[MeAgainstTheMusic_]

22 hours ago, Frankie8 said:

Yes she moves so smooth, yet goes hard at the same time.

I think the label thought Toxic was too different. Of course Brit knew to think outside the box 

But I highly doubt TOMH would be released. A song about that would be too naughty for her brand to put that out.

We’re talking about Britney Spears who released If U Seek Amy 

[Crabo Lavender Turmeric]

It is great Britney could have a say and be happy with the final decisions back in the day. (And she escaped the 4th LP curse) ITZ is kinda timeless sound wise.

 

But can you imagine if Jive had picked all of the singles:

1. Boom Boom

2. Outrageous

3. ?

4. ?

 

 

[Frankie8]

8 hours ago, MeAgainstTheMusic_ said:

We’re talking about Britney Spears who released If U Seek Amy 

Yes, but that was later in her career which I think she was able to get away with it more than when she was 22, 23.  She could have gotten away with IUSA at that age if she still wasn't associated with a young fanbase and a squeaky clean image projected not too long before then.

Also, TOMH deals with a topic considered taboo to be put out there mainstream.

[SamanthaJadeFanGroup]

She was boycotted on radio back then so collaborating on the lead single of her fourth album with someone who was also boycotted on radio (Following the "American Life" era) wasn't the best idea, at least it was a hit in the rest of the World but could have done better in the US.

[MeAgainstTheMusic_]

21 minutes ago, Frankie8 said:

Yes, but that was later in her career which I think she was able to get away with it more than when she was 22, 23.  She could have gotten away with IUSA at that age if she still wasn't associated with a young fanbase and a squeaky clean image projected not too long before then.

Also, TOMH deals with a topic considered taboo to be put out there mainstream.

It’s such a shame because TOMH is so radio friendly and it’s such a unique song, it suits Britney to a T. She was so ahead of her time with it.

#TabooQween

[Alio]

Yes the song was supposed to be a single WITHOUT Madonna at first.

Promo CDs were printed without her voice. Maybe some people don't know that but the cups you see in the music video has a tiny CD inside the lid (you put the straw in the hole of the CD) and that CD was the first version without Madonna, I still have one of these cups with the tiny CD. 

[Hooked-On-Knee]

On 3/20/2021 at 5:58 AM, Isla said:

Jive wanted Outrageous (and/or possibly Boom Boom) as the lead single but Britney wanted Me Against the Music. They only agreed to let it be the lead once Madonna was able to appear on the song. Before then it MIGHT have been a single had Britney been able to win Jive over. 

 

On 3/20/2021 at 8:45 AM, J in the Mix said:

Agreed & honestly understand why Jive didn't want it as a single. Besides the iconic choreography it doesn't stand out.

If Toxic was the first single it would have went #1 easily.

 

On 3/20/2021 at 9:49 AM, HairFullOfSecrets said:

But someone correct me if im wrong I also remember Britney pushing for the Toxic single, i think her label wanted something else.

 

On 3/20/2021 at 10:19 AM, MeAgainstTheMusic_ said:

I had heard rumours that they actually wanted Shadow as the lead  Britney had to fight for MATM, Toxic and Everytime to be singles. Her label wanted to go with I Got That Boom Boom and Outrageous. 

I really don’t get their fascination with Outrageous it’s such a mediocre song!

 

On 3/20/2021 at 10:47 AM, Applejack said:

No, Jive had completely different plans for ITZ's single schedule. Britney fought for the MATM/Toxic/Everytime trio. Outrageous was the single Jive wanted.

 

On 3/20/2021 at 11:20 AM, G-unit said:

As someone pointed out, Jive was dead set on Outrageous.  Britney fought for the three singles and then agreed to do Outrageous as the fourth after they made a deal to make it the theme song for Catwoman.

Someone posted on here whose dad was working as one of the higher ups of JIVE (they posted proof too but I can't find the thread it was in) and In the Zone was pretty much almost the only work they were involved with Britney and they claimed their dad advocated for Toxic as lead, but that MATM was picked as lead because of the Madonna collab. 

[Isla]

1 hour ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

 

 

 

 

 

Someone posted on here whose dad was working as one of the higher ups of JIVE (they posted proof too but I can't find the thread it was in) and In the Zone was pretty much almost the only work they were involved with Britney and they claimed their dad advocated for Toxic as lead, but that MATM was picked as lead because of the Madonna collab. 

Wait what? That’s news to me...

[electricopop]

It's not your typical Britney song for a lead single and yeah, some of you were right,  "Toxic" would have been a stronger lead single.

[DignifiedLove]

5 hours ago, MeAgainstTheMusic_ said:

It’s such a shame because TOMH is so radio friendly and it’s such a unique song, it suits Britney to a T. She was so ahead of her time with it.

#TabooQween

In what world is TOMH radio friendly?

It's a gorgeous song but would have tanked as a single, let's not be delusional... 

[DignifiedLove]

No, but Madonna heard a sample of MATM and she loved it so she decided to record vocals, and well the rest is history. Had that whole Madonna VMA 2003 fiasco didn't occur, JIVE's plan was to go with either Boom Boom or Outrageous as the lead. Love MATM and its crisp production but Boom Boom would have been also been a great contender as a lead. Would have definitely given Britney some massive exposure to the urban community and the song probably would have been a bigger hit than MATM since that Southern crunk/hip-hop sound was a huge trend from around 2003-06.  I think Boom Boom released as a single would have been a game changer for her and could have created a whole sub-genre of Crunk-pop. A huge missed opportunity.  

[popprison]

Cannot believe they didn't make toxic the lead single looking back 

[Stefani]

Madonna being featured on it jinxed the song. 

[Spicechinodiva]

Without Madonna,  would have been huge in the US, But let's be honest. 

 

Not gonna lie, It would have failed in Europe, Madonna was still selling in markets that didn't support the war or the US.

Hollywood and other singles from American life fared better in Europe and international markets, plus hip hop wasn't huge in Europe with the exception of Enimem,  but still no way would have an urban based single ne huge from a US pop star. 

 

Madonna was why it was a huge international success despite the US lack support..

 

But, honesty US was pissed at Madonna cos of the video, even Matt Lauer told Madonna,  you pulled the original video, cos you saw what happened to the Chicks, who slammed Bush for being from their state of Texas,  and their career was never the same. 

[DignifiedLove]

56 minutes ago, Spicechinodiva said:

Without Madonna,  would have been huge in the US, But let's be honest. 

 

Not gonna lie, It would have failed in Europe, Madonna was still selling in markets that didn't support the war or the US.

Hollywood and other singles from American life fared better in Europe and international markets, plus hip hop wasn't huge in Europe with the exception of Enimem,  but still no way would have an urban based single ne huge from a US pop star. 

 

Madonna was why it was a huge international success despite the US lack support..

 

But, honesty US was pissed at Madonna cos of the video, even Matt Lauer told Madonna,  you pulled the original video, cos you saw what happened to the Chicks, who slammed Bush for being from their state of Texas,  and their career was never the same. 

Europe tasteless omg they're literally only into the same two genres. At least their house and trance music was always on point.

[Spicechinodiva]

1 hour ago, SUCCESSICA IS A QUEEN said:

Europe tasteless omg they're literally only into the same two genres. At least their house and trance music was always on point.

They say the same thing about us only into rap music and country and our pop isn't pop at all. 

 

So the feelings mutual..