Was "Im a Slave 4U" the wrong B3 Lead?

[JaimePrince]

I am obsessed with the song but it honestly didn't fit the album; lyrically it was too ***ual so sticks out like a sore thumb, whereas the rest of the album is matures yes, but still quite wholesome.I think she should've started with Overprotected first then INAGNYAW ballad second! 

 

 

[Bigno]

I think so. I would have gone for Lonely first, then Slave. Not a girl should have never happened. 

I love the whole Lonely mojo and attitude. This defiance and eff you attitude. Strong.  Lonely was cool, anthemic and more lively than Slave. Also the breakdown was a treat in the DWAD tour. I think both would have been perfect as first and second single.

[agustinmalandra]

On 12/17/2022 at 11:55 AM, Rik vs Exhale said:

we do know…… It was anticipating 

 

horrid song.

 

for me, it was an iconic single, but radios and stupid media decided to censor her.

[stanLOONA]

I disagree. It was the perfect lead single for Britney. It marked the before and after with no afterthoughts or "maybe not", it was crystal clear.

I have to say that the album itself it's a mess, mostly because it turned out to be a mix of soundtrack/third album, in that scenario maybe Not A Girl was the best to represent that, but a ballad as a lead? I don't think, especially when the album itself isn't just that.

Plus, Lonely, Boys, What It's Like to Be Me, Overprotected, Rock N Roll, all align with Slave 4 U, and 3 of those songs turned out to be singles.

To me, Britney is an experimental album, the cover represents that and the lead-single told us that too.

[devilsadvocate]

Crossroads needed an EP

Britney she wrote all but two songs on the Britney album, meaning there’s like 5-6 songs that she wrote that didn’t make the album and instead they added the crossroad songs.

 

Also September 11th happened like a week after the slave release 

 

crossroads soundtrack ep should’ve come out first and the album should’ve come after … 

so it should’ve been 

overprotected 

not a girl 

what it’s like to be me 

slave 4 you

boys 

[bas che]

I think Pharell was a last minute addition to change things up rather than build on the tried and tested bubblegum pop established in her first two albums. Pharrell produced Slave and Boys and his homeboy Justin wrote Whats It Like To Be Me.

 

the relatively weaker sales are attributed to the radio censorship. Not her new sound. 

it’s personally my fav album but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to noticd that, on one hand, some tracks were intended for the Crossroads film like I’m Not A Girl and I Love Rock N Roll. And on the other, you have Overprotected, Lonely, Cinderella and Anticipating which are the essentials and most “on theme” for the third self titled album.