How popular was Blackout really in 2007?

[A.a.A]

I'm surprised at these comments tbh. I guess it depends where you were at the time. 

I was in high school in Canada and it was literally everywhere. Every TV music station (MuchMusic, etc..) on the radio, Gimme More & Piece of Me were playing constantly, especially on the nightly charts - it was forever in the top 3 since they were user voted.

In my high school they used to play the songs during lunch over the speakers so the whole school literally listened to a lot of the album, not just singles for weeks, I remember them playing Piece of Me the most, everyone in the school liked that song (even jocks, goth, nerds, etc..).

It wasn't a smash success like OIDIA or BOMT but it was one of her big releases. In my opinion the controversy made the album more popular with the GP around me. Everyone knew she had an album out, I remember kids in high school praising the Gimme More video and actually buying the album. The hype over the demo's were huge on the pop music forums.

So I guess it really does depend on where you were at the time.

[PieceofBritney]

Gimme more was very popular. I joined exhale at the same year Blackout leaked and I remember all of her singles went to #1 without a doubt to a point that we did not even think much about it. It was given for her songs to reach number one instantly. I remember it was also true during FF era. We never actually cared about charts anymore because they were always on number one. 

[Hooked-On-Knee]

45 minutes ago, A.a.A said:

The hype over the demo's were huge on the pop music forums.

 

If you don't mind me asking, was there really any complaints or discussion about how the demos were more laid back ballad/midtempo-esque songs (well at least, the ones that are most known now. There was certainly stuff that mirrored/hinted at Blackout's final direction) or did people not really care? Were people expecting a more raw album filled with songs like those? 

[PokemonSpears]

34 minutes ago, A.a.A said:

So I guess it really does depend on where you were at the time.

It really does. In Latin America they played Gimme More and Piece of Me a lot on MTV, but that's not a huge achievement, because even up to that point it was the norm with every Britney release, even Someday (I Will Understand) got a lot of play on MTV.

But with no tv promo performances (besides the infamous VMA's), no tour, no MTV specials like back in the day, no interviews, etc, I don't think the public was really into the album tracks, or the album itself.

This is where I personally noticed the shift in her fanbase. First of all, there was a huge gap between ITZ and Blackout, the media had completely changed her image for the worse (this was not her fault), and Blackout itself was completely different than anything she had done before, so at least where I live and the people I know, that's when I noticed the "general public" started to turn away from her music, but in return, she gained a whole new audience, mostly teen gays. This was even more pronounced with the Leave Britney alone video. People always talk about the video itself, or the guy, but it actually had a huge impact of how people perceived Britney's fanbase. At that time if you admitted to be a Britney fan you'd automatically transform into Chris Crocker in front of everyone's eyes. It became a joke to stan Britney. Though that kinda faded away by the time Circus was out, because Womanizer and Circus were amazing.

 

But independently of that, yeah, it's not like people thought the album was bad, I think most people just weren't even aware there was an album out. Now, we also have to consider that the album came at the end of 2007, so it wasn't huge in 2007 in general, but by 2008 that's when she was placed under the conservatorship, they truncated the promotion after BTI single, so it's like, it never really got the chance to shine.

That's what I've always said that instead of rushing her to the studio to record Circus, they should've re-released Blackout instead, maybe in the spring or summer, with a new cover, and other singles where she looked great, to kind of make up for GM and POM videos.

 

 

 

[Spicechinodiva]

It was a bad time to be a Britney spears  fan, she was expected by Friday announced on HLN's Showbiz tonight to get her fifth number one album, only for the news to come out she was denied due to a last minute rule changed, which allowed the wal mart exclusive eagles album to debut at #1, but blackout debuted at #2..

 

At that time she was mocked, and as one reporter said, it didn't flop, but it didn't go platinum either. 

 

The shift did change this is where Beyonce started her take over thanks to irreplaceable, rihanna, it almost felt like at the end of the 00s decade, Britney wasn't as popular as she was in her prime..

 

It definitely seems after the circus era, her career was never the same and neither were the sales. 

 

Not one Britney album in the 2010s sold a Million especially femme fatale, which was the last few years where pure sales still existed. 

[MX3]

IMO the release of blackout separated the true fans from the fake. 

people who wanted to see her downfall thought the vibe of the album was just her being tacky, slutty and robotic. 

true fans saw the innovative production, rebellious nature of the lyrics and the edgy darker side of her, and appreciated the bangers.

For me, the album came out when I was in grade 10 or 11. I remember bringing it to put in the CD player while student council set up for a dance and another popular girl making fun of it. But lots of other people I knew also had the album and thought every song was incredible. 

The music videos were def not up to par with what she has been releasing up to that point. (although I love the gimme more video and think it suits the grittiness of the song). I honestly think if the album had better visuals it would have had a better run and even better legacy. 

[Spicechinodiva]

20 hours ago, Blackout2006 said:

I think this can give you a fair understanding

 

Perez Hilton and the leak cos of him ****ed her over a number one album. 

 

Though alicia Keys had her album on the 13th of November (the original blackout release date), she probably would have debuted at #4. 

 

Behind Celine Dion, Alicia Keys and the eagles being at #2. 

 

 

[A.a.A]

7 hours ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

If you don't mind me asking, was there really any complaints or discussion about how the demos were more laid back ballad/midtempo-esque songs (well at least, the ones that are most known now. There was certainly stuff that mirrored/hinted at Blackout's final direction) or did people not really care? Were people expecting a more raw album filled with songs like those? 

From what I remember everyone was just really excited to get new music, whether it was on the final album or not. There were some who wanted a more raw/less filtered album with her raw voice. 
 

But in all honesty everyone was the most intrigued by and more interested and loved the the dark and mysterious vibe of the album. Because she was basically dark and mysterious at the time in real life. 
 

From what I remember it was one of her most well rounded and most well-praised album to date. 
The only thing I remember being upset about is that Hot as Ice was originally titled Cold as Fire. 

[Hooked-On-Knee]

On 6/15/2021 at 1:16 AM, Blackout2006 said:

I know u dislike Blackout but anyone can agree that one-minute change was a literal scam

Their album sold more, how is that a scam? 

If Britney's album sold more and didn't debut at #1, y'all would have been saying the opposite.

[BanMeBoop]

On 6/15/2021 at 8:18 AM, Blackout2006 said:

I think this can give you a fair understanding

 

Wait she went out the night of the release? Would’ve been so dope had she went to that store to see fans 

[rik]

1 hour ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

Their album sold more, how is that a scam? 

If Britney's album sold more and didn't debut at #1, y'all would have been saying the opposite.

Sweeetie ily but were u even born when blackout came out  

It did in fact sell more, it was a last minute change to ensure she didn’t meet the cut off. Sales were transferred from first week to subsequent which is weird. It was supposed to debut at #1 and the fact that the rule was quickly switched back shortly after blackouts release indicates that it was a mass scam

 

[britnostalgia]

The album itself probably only us and pop culture stans were really here for.

Gimme More and POM were HUGE though. A lot/the majority were just not here for Britney at the time but they were here for the music. The MVs were never off music channels in UK. Also that was back in the day just before smartphones. And when people would set the latest/fave tune as their phone ringtone. I remember shopping one day and hearing the distinctive intro coming from some other girl's phone and giving her a look of approval.

[Blackout2006]

1 hour ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

Their album sold more, how is that a scam? 

If Britney's album sold more and didn't debut at #1, y'all would have been saying the opposite.

The other album was sold in ONE retail only. Blackout had a much wider reach as it was released everywhere, and it was unfair from Billboards side to suddenly make exclusive CD sales acceptable in the chart which thus, defeated an album that had a bigger push and reach than an exclusive CD released in one retail only. Nobody can convince me that Billboard totally didn't know what they were doing

[Hooked-On-Knee]

6 hours ago, Blackout2006 said:

The other album was sold in ONE retail only. Blackout had a much wider reach as it was released everywhere, and it was unfair from Billboards side to suddenly make exclusive CD sales acceptable in the chart which thus, defeated an album that had a bigger push and reach than an exclusive CD released in one retail only. Nobody can convince me that Billboard totally didn't know what they were doing

Had a much wider reach and yet still sold less.

Britney's vinyls still counts towards the charts, should they not because they're a UO exclusive?

[Hooked-On-Knee]

7 hours ago, Rik said:

Sweeetie ily but were u even born when blackout came out  

It did in fact sell more, it was a last minute change to ensure she didn’t meet the cut off. Sales were transferred from first week to subsequent which is weird. It was supposed to debut at #1 and the fact that the rule was quickly switched back shortly after blackouts release indicates that it was a mass scam

 

Lies. Blackout didn't sell more. It's literally confirmed. The rule didn't affect the sales numbers at all

[rik]

Just now, Hooked-On-Knee said:

Lies. Blackout didn't sell more. It's literally confirmed. The rule didn't affect the sales numbers at all

 

[Britney'sBish]

I remember waiting in line with a bunch of other people at Target waiting to get my physical copy, even though I had the leak.

Britney is the ONLY artist that I religiously get the physical copy every single release day.

That's been since ...Baby One More Time (which I originally had on cassette).

[Midnight]

3 hours ago, Britney'sBish said:

I remember waiting in line with a bunch of other people at Target waiting to get my physical copy, even though I had the leak.

Britney is the ONLY artist that I religiously get the physical copy every single release day.

That's been since ...Baby One More Time (which I originally had on cassette).

dayum BB a cassette?    jk jk 

[ralphcornio]

I find it really interesting to see it wasn't as popular as in here, but in Brazil it was a huge success. It was the first real pop musical 'era' I lived and payed attention to. She was everywhere, MTV would play her non-stop, radios would play her non stop, at school everybody would talk about her, from students to teachers. I vividly remember this big dept. store having lots of copies of it around, since she was so popular. We'd all go to Ares / emule / Name your favorite p2p here, and get her tracks onto our mp3 players. Good times :')

I was a bit too young and naive to comprehend all happenings at the time, and I remember watching the VMA performance and not thinking it was that bad (I still don't). I didn't even make the connection to mental health / crisis and the head-shaving at the time, I used to think it was all promo and part of the game. 

[Blackout2006]

7 hours ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

Had a much wider reach and yet still sold less.

Britney's vinyls still counts towards the charts, should they not because they're a UO exclusive?

Blackout's release was completely overshadowed by her personal struggles in 2007 and that album that kept her from #1 was from a rock band highly respected by the GP and critics.  And despite all the backlash, hate and criticism she received in that era, she still sold nearly 300k copies in her first week. One would think, that an album from one of the most hated celebrities at the time would pull below 150k.

Also, regarding your last question, the rule still applies