Switched on Pop Podcast: 4-part Britney Special - ALL EPISODES NOW RELEASED

[filmandstage13]

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/listening-2-britney-baby-one-more-time/id934552872?i=1000553284412

Not sure if anyone’s familiar with Switched on Pop, but it’s essentially two musicologists that nerd out to pop music and analyze the songs. They cover a wide range of pop from a lot of different eras, and Britney has come up several times, but this is their first deep dive into Brit’s music! 

I know there’s not tons of music news in the world of Britney right now, so it’s a nice change to have a special on her that is ALL about the music. And while you might wonder whether people who’ve studied and specialize in music are fans of Brit’s music, they absolutely are!

It’s only the first episode of a 4-part series, but they dive into Baby and Oops with a refreshing take on her particular genius. They are so deferential to her talents and acknowledge her agency in ways that I feel like most critics (especially when these albums came out) declined to do! In fact, they bring up old reviews and rip them apart for their s**ism.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys! And I hope that those who don’t think Baby or Oops are particularly good albums take a listen, because I think they make a great case! I can’t wait for the next episode!

[Tear the floor up up]

Ooh thank you! Don't think I've heard of them, but I love a podcast so I'll give it a go

[ZoneGirl]

T4p! I used to listen to this podcast. I just downloaded the episode to listen to!

[nostalgicvenom]

Cool find. I’m bookmark it

[JeniLeeSK8]

I loved how much they complimented her voice. Can't wait for the rest of the series!

[DonMegaX]

They actually broke down how she used/uses her voice instead of the lazy hand waving stuff people usually do. Respect.

[(You Drive Chris) Crazy]

I LOVED this podcast! They are giving Britney all the credit she rightfully deserves, it gave me chills listening to them break down her craft. Cant wait for the next episode 

[Moscow]

Thank you for sharing, it's one of the best! Just cannot wait for the next one.

[Forever222]

Yes! I love this! It’s time To give Britney her respect as an artist and singer. She is a living icon after all. Great podcast 

[Applejack]

I like what they say about the kind of critics she used to get for being likeable and marketable. "Dress-up doll meant to satisfy most fantasies." Pretty gross language. People were so nonchalantly misogynist and borderline ped****e.

[Urbanney]

Yaaaassss I’m so excited to listen to this. I’m even more excited it’s a 4-part series and not just a one time episode. I love BOMT and Oops, but my favorite Britney music is In the Zone and later. 

[filmandstage13]

Glad everyone is enjoying it!

Also dropping this here so we can soak in the genius

[Urbanney]

2nd episode is out! 

 

[Urbanney]

3rd episode is now out:

 

[Moscow]

Thank you for sharing, after work will play this while driving. 

[filmandstage13]

1 hour ago, Urbanney said:

3rd episode is now out:

 

Thought  it was a great episode! Sometimes I feel like Britney fans frown upon other fans thinking Toxic is her best song, but they make a great case for it! Truly one of a kind.

I wish they had given some props to Britney advocating for this song. They touch a little bit on how it almost didn’t make the album and was considered a “non-single” by her label, but they don’t mention that she was one of the songs biggest champions.

If Jive had their way, I’m guessing we would have seen Boom Boom or Outrageous as the second single. Come to think of it, they didn’t want MATM as the first of I’m remembering correctly.

[handmedown]

I've been enjoying this series a lot more than I thought I would.  It's been good to remove the drama of 'Britney Spears' and focus on her music for a minute.  Thanks for sharing.

[DonMegaX]

1 hour ago, filmandstage13 said:

Sometimes I feel like Britney fans frown upon other fans thinking Toxic is her best song

I find myself on an island saying it's not. Just because it's the most accessible (judging by the infinite amount of covers, which they covered) does not make it the best. I wish they had covered another song as well or just altogether; I personally learned nothing new about it. And I say that because it's been covered before.

[filmandstage13]

1 hour ago, DonMegaX said:

I find myself on an island saying it's not. Just because it's the most accessible (judging by the infinite amount of covers, which they covered) does not make it the best. I wish they had covered another song as well or just altogether; I personally learned nothing new about it. And I say that because it's been covered before.

Interesting! I’m curious to know what you think her best song is. Totally understanding that it’s an entirely subjective exercise, but I’d love to know!

There are definitely times when I’d rather listen to other Britney songs, but as a piece of work, I feel like it’s hard to beat. It’s not just that it’s accessible, it’s that it shouldn’t work, but somehow does. And that its sound is so unique and specific that it didn’t sound like anything at that time or really since then.

Being a Britney fan since BOMT, I feel like I’ve also seen the song covered by every critic and entertainment outlet, but I’ve never seen it broken down to its nuts and bolts like this and explored in a purely academic sense. I find these guys are like they’re writing a thesis on a historic piece of work, exploring its themes and the tools that Britney, the writers, and the producers use to achieve this sound. I still felt like I learned a lot. Maybe not new factoids (I knew the sample, etc.), but I at least gained a new and informed perspective.

I do also wish they had explored other songs on the album, if for no other reason then for added context to the era sonically. But I think to have skipped or ignored Toxic would have been a big mistake. To me it is like the Purple Rain album - extremely well-crafted and accessible while also very forward thinking and unique. While I have my own list of personal favorites, I have a hard time not putting Toxic or Baby One More Time at the top of her “best” songs. But certainly to each their own!

[DonMegaX]

16 minutes ago, filmandstage13 said:

I’m curious to know what you think her best song is.

What U Need. It's a full song of a Britney we have never heard on a type of song we haven't heard from her. It's a fun surprise.

16 minutes ago, filmandstage13 said:

It’s not just that it’s accessible, it’s that it shouldn’t work, but somehow does.

Not only that, it shouldn't work on the album, but it does. It sticks out like a sore thumb, but it does work, both on it's own as a song and as part of the album.

And yet, a part of me feels like it won a Grammy because it was the "safe" pick of the album. The rest of the album was "too urban" for the Recording Academy, Everytime too "controversial," so Toxic got nominated. And it was an (unexpected) hit. And you mean to tell me this is the only song she's released worthy of a Grammy win? But that's part of a larger "race and music" theorem I have about pop music in general and in no way colors my feeling of the song. I like it, I just think it's overrated because ANYBODY can cover it in ANY genre and it works.