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33⅓ Main Series #167
Blackout
Britney Spears barely survived 2007. She divorced her husband, lost custody of her kids, went to rehab, shaved her head and assaulted a paparazzo. In the midst of her public breakdown, she managed to record an album, Blackout. Critics thought it spelled the end for Britney Spears' career.
But Blackout turned out to be one of the most influential albums of the aughts. It not only brought glitchy digital noise and dubstep into the Top 40, but also transformed Britney into a new kind of pop star, one who shrugged off mainstream ubiquity for the devotion of smaller groups of fans who worshipped her idiosyncratic sound.
This book returns to the grimy clubs and paparazzi hangouts of LA in the 2000s as well as the blogs and forums of the early internet to show how Blackout was a crucial hinge between twentieth and twenty-first-century pop.
But Blackout turned out to be one of the most influential albums of the aughts. It not only brought glitchy digital noise and dubstep into the Top 40, but also transformed Britney into a new kind of pop star, one who shrugged off mainstream ubiquity for the devotion of smaller groups of fans who worshipped her idiosyncratic sound.
This book returns to the grimy clubs and paparazzi hangouts of LA in the 2000s as well as the blogs and forums of the early internet to show how Blackout was a crucial hinge between twentieth and twenty-first-century pop.
123 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 19, 2023
I like Britney and growing up throughout all of this made me so excited to read about it, because the stories surrounding the album made this book so fun to read. Hearing about the process with her producers and the label, along with trying to escape paparazzi and be who she wants to be, was so interesting. Even if you’re not a fan, it’s worth reading about.
December 16, 2022
What is interesting about Natasha Lasky's take on Britney Spears's album Blackout is that, outside of its historical reception, she feels comfortable enough to claim its classic status without any defensiveness. This is the correct position to attack a 33 1/3 book, but also one which I think is correct about this album. Even those who have knocked it at its time have come around to its status, and perhaps what is more interesting is how such an artist-specific and seemingly personal album is actually the one she is least involved in writing and even producing. Lasky explains that neatly, in amongst other seeming conundrums on the album (why is the biggest hit not written by the main produce despite to all intents and purposes sounding like it should be).
Britney is a fascinating topic here and this isn't as hyper-focussed on Blackout as some other 33 1/3's are on their subject album. There are even tracks that she doesn't even really discuss. In the end this turns out to be 50% on Blackout, 50% on Britney herself and her fandom. Initially, the extensive section on the internet wars of fansites and who her fandom had become seemed a little off-topic to me, but actually, it did all come back to the centre in the end (though I do think Lasky misses a group of mid-noughties fans who embraced Blackout, pop music nerds like myself). The proof of any of these books is listening to the album whilst reading the book and discovering (or rediscovering) aspects you previously overlooked. I know the Britney story, and it surprises me that the album is so much less personal (in as much as written and/or from Britney) than the lyrics and stance suggest, but that a team that intimately knew her, wanted to celebrate her and give her the ironically most personal statement makes sense for such an iconic noughties pop album.
Britney is a fascinating topic here and this isn't as hyper-focussed on Blackout as some other 33 1/3's are on their subject album. There are even tracks that she doesn't even really discuss. In the end this turns out to be 50% on Blackout, 50% on Britney herself and her fandom. Initially, the extensive section on the internet wars of fansites and who her fandom had become seemed a little off-topic to me, but actually, it did all come back to the centre in the end (though I do think Lasky misses a group of mid-noughties fans who embraced Blackout, pop music nerds like myself). The proof of any of these books is listening to the album whilst reading the book and discovering (or rediscovering) aspects you previously overlooked. I know the Britney story, and it surprises me that the album is so much less personal (in as much as written and/or from Britney) than the lyrics and stance suggest, but that a team that intimately knew her, wanted to celebrate her and give her the ironically most personal statement makes sense for such an iconic noughties pop album.
May 10, 2024
every pop girlie needs to read this NOW! KNOW YOUR HERSTORY!!!!
September 24, 2022
When I found out a book about Blackout was being written I was elated. It’s no secret I’m a huge Britney fan and Blackout is easily her most iconic work. I was excited to dive deep into the production and creative process…but that’s not at all what this book is. This is like 75% a rehashing if Britney’s troubles during the time, and much less of a testimony of the genius that is Blackout. While, yes, the struggles of the 2007-2008 era are something unavoidable to the creation of Blackout, how much time is spent on this is unnecessary. This read as an essay of Britney’s life during the her struggle, and much less of a deep dive into one of the greatest achievements in pop music. The only new or intriguing information we get surrounds Danja. Britney fans, skip this one. You’ll learn nothing new.
June 8, 2023
maybe I just didn’t realize what type of book this was going to be. as a Britney stan i am all too familiar with the lore behind Original Doll and the Blackout processes, so i was hoping to gain a bit more insight besides what us fans already knew.
I was a bit confused because at first it’s written almost anti-Britney as there’s lots of mentions of Danja and the male production team, and Brit’s limited studio presence; until we introduce quotes from her collaborators defending her input on the album. the author also goes on random asides which had nothing to do with Blackout (for example there was a whole tangent about Dr Luke and Kesha). it just seemed quite messy
I was a bit confused because at first it’s written almost anti-Britney as there’s lots of mentions of Danja and the male production team, and Brit’s limited studio presence; until we introduce quotes from her collaborators defending her input on the album. the author also goes on random asides which had nothing to do with Blackout (for example there was a whole tangent about Dr Luke and Kesha). it just seemed quite messy
Read
September 3, 2022It is, indeed, Britney, bitch. And not that I'm saying the 33 1/3 list can lean a bit rockist or anything, but not before time. To the extent that I was a little worried this might just restate the general recent discourse about the shoddy treatment of Britney in particular and female celebrities in general by the noughties (though Lasky prefers 'aughts') media. Not so: where some entries in the series can be overwhelmed by their agenda (looking at you, Achtung Baby), this one remains rooted in close reading – of the album itself, Britney's finest; the CVs of its star and producers; the atmosphere in which it arrived; the response of the world at large and the fan culture. Lasky goes beyond the obvious talking points to look at how media mergers propelled the increasing ubiquity of celebrity coverage circa Britney's 'meltdown', and how the particular form that coverage took at the time was a function of a very specific technological moment, where digital cameras and gossip blogs were a thing, but Instagram et al had yet to give the famous the opportunity to manage their own story. And it's crazy to realise that this was all 15 years ago, and that as Lasky notes, so much of early online fan culture is already lost; we lived through this, and yet that shift from fandom being something reports would mock from outside, to people proudly asserting their fandom as a qualification, already exists in a massively incomplete form, the records of MySpace and old fora as incomplete as the lost libraries of antiquity.
Before we get to that point, though, we need to know how Britney got there, and here as throughout the difference to the endless think pieces and their generalities is immediately evident. I don't know how deep a dig it took Lasky to find, for instance, Britney's Mickey Mouse Club tutor talking about her implicit trust in authority figures, but however deep it was, I didn't know it, and none of the stuff people were posting around her emancipation seemed to have taken the trouble. But then, most of them were trying to stand up a take, and facts and nuance tend to get in the way of that, don't they? So I've definitely seen the quote before where Max Martin talks about how Britney's inexperience let him make the record he wanted to make with ...Baby One More Time, but not the one with her talking about how, even right back there at her debut, she stayed up late the night before so her voice would sound rougher and better fit the song. Or the other Max Martin quote, where he calls her a genius. Not that he worked on Blackout, but Lasky has been equally thorough when it comes to the producers who did, Danja (with his at the time uncharacteristic interest in the album as a form that can make a coherent statement) and the more reclusive Bloodshy & Avant.
The other big difference to those think pieces is that, as Lasky reminds us, discussion of pop stars has only advanced so far since those dark days over which the press have recently been weeping and rending clothes; Britney can be a victim now, instead of a figure of hate or fun, but that's still putting her in another, very limiting role, one predicated on notions of agency and authenticity that tend to favour creators of a particular type, and gender, and (not that Lasky emphasises this one to the same extent) class. Against which flattening, the book never lets Blackout become a victim impact statement, always emphasises the irreducibility of its mood/s: "Though Blackout is an album of club bangers, its subject – more than fucking or dancing or drinking – is the difficulty of establishing a self in public. Sometimes she gets off on the attention, like in Gimme More; sometimes she gets annoyed with it, like on Break The Ice. The record feels no need to resolve those inconsistencies." And, very wisely, nor does the book, giving us the detail to better understand the rainbow rather than attempting to unweave it. If I have one quibble, it's with the one time it does attempt to narrow Britney down by describing her as "about as straight as they come" bar the Madonna kiss, which at the very least requires a strictly MMF reading of 3 that I'm not sure the song supports. That's an uncharacteristic moment, though, especially when you compare the insightful section on how the personas Britney and Paris Hilton created have parallels to the constructed femininity of drag. That chapter, incidentally, has the wonderful title 'Bimbos of the Apocalypse", taken from a New York Post summary of the supposed unholy trinity the pair of them formed with Lindsay Lohan (a unit Lasky points out was barely even a set, much less the doom of Western civilisation). All three of the chapters proper having titles with a similar IDGAF energy, as befits the album: we also get "Just Real Bitches In A Fake-Ass World", derived from the fan who so famously insisted the world "leave Britney alone", and of all people Diamanda Galas is responsible for "A Sicko Producer's Dream". Which was obviously my favourite, simply because it's so easy to picture a mixing desk added at the bottom of that Onion pic. And wouldn't a "Yes...ha ha ha...yes!" fit right in with all those asides and little snatches of speech on Blackout?
(Netgalley ARC)
Before we get to that point, though, we need to know how Britney got there, and here as throughout the difference to the endless think pieces and their generalities is immediately evident. I don't know how deep a dig it took Lasky to find, for instance, Britney's Mickey Mouse Club tutor talking about her implicit trust in authority figures, but however deep it was, I didn't know it, and none of the stuff people were posting around her emancipation seemed to have taken the trouble. But then, most of them were trying to stand up a take, and facts and nuance tend to get in the way of that, don't they? So I've definitely seen the quote before where Max Martin talks about how Britney's inexperience let him make the record he wanted to make with ...Baby One More Time, but not the one with her talking about how, even right back there at her debut, she stayed up late the night before so her voice would sound rougher and better fit the song. Or the other Max Martin quote, where he calls her a genius. Not that he worked on Blackout, but Lasky has been equally thorough when it comes to the producers who did, Danja (with his at the time uncharacteristic interest in the album as a form that can make a coherent statement) and the more reclusive Bloodshy & Avant.
The other big difference to those think pieces is that, as Lasky reminds us, discussion of pop stars has only advanced so far since those dark days over which the press have recently been weeping and rending clothes; Britney can be a victim now, instead of a figure of hate or fun, but that's still putting her in another, very limiting role, one predicated on notions of agency and authenticity that tend to favour creators of a particular type, and gender, and (not that Lasky emphasises this one to the same extent) class. Against which flattening, the book never lets Blackout become a victim impact statement, always emphasises the irreducibility of its mood/s: "Though Blackout is an album of club bangers, its subject – more than fucking or dancing or drinking – is the difficulty of establishing a self in public. Sometimes she gets off on the attention, like in Gimme More; sometimes she gets annoyed with it, like on Break The Ice. The record feels no need to resolve those inconsistencies." And, very wisely, nor does the book, giving us the detail to better understand the rainbow rather than attempting to unweave it. If I have one quibble, it's with the one time it does attempt to narrow Britney down by describing her as "about as straight as they come" bar the Madonna kiss, which at the very least requires a strictly MMF reading of 3 that I'm not sure the song supports. That's an uncharacteristic moment, though, especially when you compare the insightful section on how the personas Britney and Paris Hilton created have parallels to the constructed femininity of drag. That chapter, incidentally, has the wonderful title 'Bimbos of the Apocalypse", taken from a New York Post summary of the supposed unholy trinity the pair of them formed with Lindsay Lohan (a unit Lasky points out was barely even a set, much less the doom of Western civilisation). All three of the chapters proper having titles with a similar IDGAF energy, as befits the album: we also get "Just Real Bitches In A Fake-Ass World", derived from the fan who so famously insisted the world "leave Britney alone", and of all people Diamanda Galas is responsible for "A Sicko Producer's Dream". Which was obviously my favourite, simply because it's so easy to picture a mixing desk added at the bottom of that Onion pic. And wouldn't a "Yes...ha ha ha...yes!" fit right in with all those asides and little snatches of speech on Blackout?
(Netgalley ARC)
January 19, 2023
Before I am an American, I am a Britney fan
February 19, 2023
33 1/3 has proven to be an exceptional series, detailing how a carefully curated selection of albums gets made, as well as their role in the zeitgeist and the music industry.
The little gem on Britney Spears’ Blackout is an excellent read, one that encapsulates both the music industry in the early aughts and Britney’s role in pop culture at the time. This is not the best album by the artist by any stretch, nor the most musically interesting, but it was probably the best choice for this kind of examination, and the resulting read is both a fascinating cultural exploration and a fun nostalgia trip. Even the infamous “Bimbo Summit” makes an appearance!
I expect this series varies a bit because it uses different authors for different albums, so all the credit to Lasky for putting together such a terrific read. It’s a good mix of music and pop cultural commentary, as well as a look back with the benefit of 2023 hindsight into some appalling revelations about our collective value system at the time the album dropped.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
The little gem on Britney Spears’ Blackout is an excellent read, one that encapsulates both the music industry in the early aughts and Britney’s role in pop culture at the time. This is not the best album by the artist by any stretch, nor the most musically interesting, but it was probably the best choice for this kind of examination, and the resulting read is both a fascinating cultural exploration and a fun nostalgia trip. Even the infamous “Bimbo Summit” makes an appearance!
I expect this series varies a bit because it uses different authors for different albums, so all the credit to Lasky for putting together such a terrific read. It’s a good mix of music and pop cultural commentary, as well as a look back with the benefit of 2023 hindsight into some appalling revelations about our collective value system at the time the album dropped.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
April 26, 2023
high 4
short & sweet
she really put some respect on the true beginnings of 2010s pop music that defined my teenagehood. her collaborators knew what they were doing. britney embraced it, and she ran w it.
the commentary on the fine line between fan-celebrity culture & fan/public-celebrity exploitation that the album is rooted in was well-explored and necessary to understand the sonic and aesthetic choices that were made.
couldn’t help but see parallels between britney’s celebrity experience and the product that came out of it and taylor’s celebrity experience and the product that came out of that.
nice to hear that gimme more made other people
gay too
short & sweet
she really put some respect on the true beginnings of 2010s pop music that defined my teenagehood. her collaborators knew what they were doing. britney embraced it, and she ran w it.
the commentary on the fine line between fan-celebrity culture & fan/public-celebrity exploitation that the album is rooted in was well-explored and necessary to understand the sonic and aesthetic choices that were made.
couldn’t help but see parallels between britney’s celebrity experience and the product that came out of it and taylor’s celebrity experience and the product that came out of that.
nice to hear that gimme more made other people
gay too
December 20, 2023
It was interesting having read this after reading Britneys memoir. I feel like the memoir answers so much of the ambiguity that made Britney the enigma that her fame became. I feel like now there’s a BB (before Britney) and AB (After Britney) with her memoir being in the mix and giving so much clarity to her timeline. I didn’t know as much about the producers and work behind the album as well as the tie ins with the fan clubs etc so this was an interesting perspective. It adds a different light to how I perceived things, growing up alongside all of these events.
December 5, 2022
I guess it makes sense that this would focus so much on the collaborators and actual production of Blackout, but I thought I’d get to read more about Britney’s life at this time. I thought the part about her fans at the end was kind of unnecessary. Overall, this was a very interesting read though.
September 21, 2022
This is my first experience with a 33 1/3 book. I definitely learned a few new things about Britney's life and career. It was written well and nicely summed everything up. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan. I will be reading about more artist from this publication in the future..
January 22, 2023
I was excited when I saw that the 33 1/3 series had decided to showcase "Blackout," a weird, fun, fascinating album that I've loved since it was released. But I found this pretty disappointing. I was expecting to read about what went into making the album along with an in-depth analysis of each track and its strange production flourishes. (Who, in 2007, was expecting Britney to release a song featuring Robyn on back-up and lyrics like "I'm Mrs. 'Most Likely to Get on the TV For Strippin' on the Streets When Gettin' the Groceries"? Not many of us! It was thrilling.) There is some of that, going deeper into "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me" to explore Britney's openness with her collaborators (and why Danja was the right producer for this moment) and her willingness to experiment with her voice--the book really shines in these moments when discussing the music. But there's not much about the other songs and Natasha Lasky uses the album more as a jumping off point to talk about mid-'00s culture, and Britney's life in general, than "Blackout" itself. Unfortunately, that stuff is just not very compelling (the chapter about internet fan culture was a real slog for me) and feels somewhat rehashed, which is a shame because it seems like Lasky does genuinely admire the album and could have taken this in a better direction.
I also wonder if this was rushed to production, because it's one of the most shoddily edited books I've read in some time. Beyond the many typos, there are a lot of factual errors. For example, we're told that in June 2003, Britney broke her knee while rehearsing for her "In the Zone" tour. This is wrong--she injured her knee in June 2004 while filming a video for "Outrageous" with Snoop Dogg. She had already completed a leg of that tour, the Onyx Hotel, and then had to cancel the rest of it. (I wasn't even much of a fan at the time, but everything to do with Britney was big news then, so I remember the timing and a simple Google search confirmed it.) And in a discussion of Britney's music video for "Everytime," a song famously about her relationship with Justin Timberlake, Lasky calls her love interest a "Kevin Federline look-alike." "Everytime" was released as a single in early May 2004. She may have met K-Fed by then, but their relationship wasn't a big thing until later that summer and Stephen Dorff is clearly meant to be a stand-in for Timberlake. There are also incorrect song titles and dates and, I don't know, it feels like the copy editor, if there was one, decided to phone it in. Maybe none of this sounds like a big deal, but getting basic, well-known facts wrong makes it feel like the people who produced this book didn't take its subject very seriously, and that's a bummer when pop music is often already thought of as less worthy of examination and respect compared to other genres.
So, a miss for me, but I'm glad it was at least chosen for the series.
I also wonder if this was rushed to production, because it's one of the most shoddily edited books I've read in some time. Beyond the many typos, there are a lot of factual errors. For example, we're told that in June 2003, Britney broke her knee while rehearsing for her "In the Zone" tour. This is wrong--she injured her knee in June 2004 while filming a video for "Outrageous" with Snoop Dogg. She had already completed a leg of that tour, the Onyx Hotel, and then had to cancel the rest of it. (I wasn't even much of a fan at the time, but everything to do with Britney was big news then, so I remember the timing and a simple Google search confirmed it.) And in a discussion of Britney's music video for "Everytime," a song famously about her relationship with Justin Timberlake, Lasky calls her love interest a "Kevin Federline look-alike." "Everytime" was released as a single in early May 2004. She may have met K-Fed by then, but their relationship wasn't a big thing until later that summer and Stephen Dorff is clearly meant to be a stand-in for Timberlake. There are also incorrect song titles and dates and, I don't know, it feels like the copy editor, if there was one, decided to phone it in. Maybe none of this sounds like a big deal, but getting basic, well-known facts wrong makes it feel like the people who produced this book didn't take its subject very seriously, and that's a bummer when pop music is often already thought of as less worthy of examination and respect compared to other genres.
So, a miss for me, but I'm glad it was at least chosen for the series.
September 14, 2022
Britney Spears's Blackout by Natasha Lasky is an excellent addition to the 33 1/3 series, highlighting both the production, reception, and influence of the album.
I'll state upfront that I don't have strong feelings either way about her music, there have been some songs I liked, some I didn't, and most fell in between in the "it's alright" category. So I am coming to this from a different place than either a fan of hers or someone who wants to badmouth her. I should probably add that this is actually the only album of hers I bought back at the time, it might have been new to US pop sensibility but had many elements that some other albums had that I was listening to at the time. Not as in the same but similar use of electronics, distorted vocals, what some called noise, etc. So, not a Spears fan but a fan of this album.
Since I tended to avoid gossip and innuendo as much as possible, I never followed all of the drama of the period surrounding her. I saw headlines and stories that would pop up but usually didn't read them. So this book filled in a lot of the gaps for me in a good way. It also covered, like many of the books in the series, the cultural context of the time. What some weak readers complain about as having "an agenda." Or, in other words, sociological and political context, which doesn't always agree with narrow minds. Oh well, just ignore whiny things like that.
I thought the timing, just after her release from the conservatorship, is great. The coda addresses this and looks to the future. No, it wasn't written yesterday so it isn't that up to date, but to expect that is unrealistic. As the public is beginning to understand what Spears was under, it helps in placing this album within the context of both the pop world at the time and Spears's life at the time. The books in the series are not just about the making of an album, it is about whatever else that album speaks to. Sometimes what came before it, sometimes what came after, and sometimes what was happening at the time. On both the artist's and the public's level. Lasky touches pretty much all bases and does so very well.
Recommended not only for fans but those who simply like music and understand that music is always so much more than just entertainment.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
I'll state upfront that I don't have strong feelings either way about her music, there have been some songs I liked, some I didn't, and most fell in between in the "it's alright" category. So I am coming to this from a different place than either a fan of hers or someone who wants to badmouth her. I should probably add that this is actually the only album of hers I bought back at the time, it might have been new to US pop sensibility but had many elements that some other albums had that I was listening to at the time. Not as in the same but similar use of electronics, distorted vocals, what some called noise, etc. So, not a Spears fan but a fan of this album.
Since I tended to avoid gossip and innuendo as much as possible, I never followed all of the drama of the period surrounding her. I saw headlines and stories that would pop up but usually didn't read them. So this book filled in a lot of the gaps for me in a good way. It also covered, like many of the books in the series, the cultural context of the time. What some weak readers complain about as having "an agenda." Or, in other words, sociological and political context, which doesn't always agree with narrow minds. Oh well, just ignore whiny things like that.
I thought the timing, just after her release from the conservatorship, is great. The coda addresses this and looks to the future. No, it wasn't written yesterday so it isn't that up to date, but to expect that is unrealistic. As the public is beginning to understand what Spears was under, it helps in placing this album within the context of both the pop world at the time and Spears's life at the time. The books in the series are not just about the making of an album, it is about whatever else that album speaks to. Sometimes what came before it, sometimes what came after, and sometimes what was happening at the time. On both the artist's and the public's level. Lasky touches pretty much all bases and does so very well.
Recommended not only for fans but those who simply like music and understand that music is always so much more than just entertainment.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
May 15, 2025
I always liked Britney Spears, but never dove into her discography after finding 1999's "...Baby One More Time" fairly unremarkable. But I liked the singles I heard and always appreciated her as a pop star. But I didn't even know that during the time of her lowest moments in the 2000s, she worked on an album called "Blackout," (even though I did know the song "Gimme More") which in ways almost feels like Spears commenting on her public persona, even though it seemed like her involvement in the final product was fairly minimal.
I really love how Natasha Lasky structures this book in the 33 1/3 series. She starts with the album, getting into how it stands out from Spears' other work, how the album speaks to who Spears was at the time, but also pointing out that it almost feels like a way for different producers to use her for their own means. It's commentary in some ways, but it's also not really, because Spears doesn't have that much involvement in what comes out.
But then, Lasky slowly zooms out. First, she looks at Spears' life at the time and how the constant criticisms and treatment from the world led to her understandably struggling with the fame. Then Lasky zooms out even further, exploring the paparazzi and publicity that pop stars had to deal with in the 2000s and how that escalated the worst sides of pop culture. I love when the books in this series focus on the album, but then explore everything that caused this album to exist in the first place, putting the context into the product. In doing this, it always makes me appreciate the album more.
This is a very strong 33 1/3 book that really gets to the heart of Spears, as someone who has been in the public eye for most of her life, yet is someone we still don't quite know who she is. This really hits on every angle I could want from a book about "Blackout".
I really love how Natasha Lasky structures this book in the 33 1/3 series. She starts with the album, getting into how it stands out from Spears' other work, how the album speaks to who Spears was at the time, but also pointing out that it almost feels like a way for different producers to use her for their own means. It's commentary in some ways, but it's also not really, because Spears doesn't have that much involvement in what comes out.
But then, Lasky slowly zooms out. First, she looks at Spears' life at the time and how the constant criticisms and treatment from the world led to her understandably struggling with the fame. Then Lasky zooms out even further, exploring the paparazzi and publicity that pop stars had to deal with in the 2000s and how that escalated the worst sides of pop culture. I love when the books in this series focus on the album, but then explore everything that caused this album to exist in the first place, putting the context into the product. In doing this, it always makes me appreciate the album more.
This is a very strong 33 1/3 book that really gets to the heart of Spears, as someone who has been in the public eye for most of her life, yet is someone we still don't quite know who she is. This really hits on every angle I could want from a book about "Blackout".
June 10, 2024
A solid deep dive and analysis of Britney Spears' notorious 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵 era, circa 2007. Despite the occasional typo or factual error, Lasky provides abundant information about the production and songwriting process that took place--enough to settle the insatiable cravings of a pop herstorian and assuage any grievances that there should have been a copywriter involved prior to the book's publication.
Its most memorable sections include Lasky's contemplation of the oft-rigid intersectionalism of it-girls with their thousand-yard-DUI-stares and the importance of 2000s online forums on the further development of [i-]Queer culture. Lastly, an analysis-cum-apologia of Cara Cunnigham's "Leave Britney Alone" is compared in tandem with Britney Spears' performance of "Gimme More" at the 2007 VMAs.
As if 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵's mark on pop culture wasn't apparent enough, the coda stretches this sentiment a little too thin. Britney Spears' short-lived reality TV show 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯: 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤 (2005) seems to predate the rise of vloggers with their handheld cameras. The sensual, autotune-to-the-point-of-artifice production of 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵 catalyzes the rise of hyperpop-- a sound / aesthetic / genre categorization that Gen Z queer musicians get lumped into on the basis of their identity [?]-- which has since been overtaken by industry zombies [not cool anymore].
Thankfully, it is a read that [generally] left me with more answers than questions.
Its most memorable sections include Lasky's contemplation of the oft-rigid intersectionalism of it-girls with their thousand-yard-DUI-stares and the importance of 2000s online forums on the further development of [i-]Queer culture. Lastly, an analysis-cum-apologia of Cara Cunnigham's "Leave Britney Alone" is compared in tandem with Britney Spears' performance of "Gimme More" at the 2007 VMAs.
As if 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵's mark on pop culture wasn't apparent enough, the coda stretches this sentiment a little too thin. Britney Spears' short-lived reality TV show 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯: 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤 (2005) seems to predate the rise of vloggers with their handheld cameras. The sensual, autotune-to-the-point-of-artifice production of 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵 catalyzes the rise of hyperpop-- a sound / aesthetic / genre categorization that Gen Z queer musicians get lumped into on the basis of their identity [?]-- which has since been overtaken by industry zombies [not cool anymore].
Thankfully, it is a read that [generally] left me with more answers than questions.
October 23, 2022
This book is a great exploration of the beginning of the time right before Britney was placed in her conservatorship.
We see that the signs of Britney's eventual breakdown were before us the whole time. Like many people, when I saw the picture of Britney, shaven headed and swinging an umbrella at a car, I thought she was a full on crazy person. But this reductive way of thinking discounted the pain and anguish Britney experienced as someone who was unable to live a happy life. We should have seen how deeply unhappy she was instead of clicking on the links painting her as out of control. Lasky does a great job of painting Britney as a weary, tired person whose life wasn't her own. Hindsight is 20/20, but the signs were all there for us to see.
Lasky also does a great exploration of early Internet fandom. She is able to contrast two different people, Jordan and Cara. Jordan was able to create the number one Britney fan site and is still seen as a prominent Britney expert. Cara was the one who put herself out there with the "Leave Britney Alone" video. Lasky used their stories to explore both early Web and YouTube fandom. Every movement has a beginning, and these early stories are always interesting to read.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who's interested in the music of the mid 2000s. You won't regret it.
We see that the signs of Britney's eventual breakdown were before us the whole time. Like many people, when I saw the picture of Britney, shaven headed and swinging an umbrella at a car, I thought she was a full on crazy person. But this reductive way of thinking discounted the pain and anguish Britney experienced as someone who was unable to live a happy life. We should have seen how deeply unhappy she was instead of clicking on the links painting her as out of control. Lasky does a great job of painting Britney as a weary, tired person whose life wasn't her own. Hindsight is 20/20, but the signs were all there for us to see.
Lasky also does a great exploration of early Internet fandom. She is able to contrast two different people, Jordan and Cara. Jordan was able to create the number one Britney fan site and is still seen as a prominent Britney expert. Cara was the one who put herself out there with the "Leave Britney Alone" video. Lasky used their stories to explore both early Web and YouTube fandom. Every movement has a beginning, and these early stories are always interesting to read.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who's interested in the music of the mid 2000s. You won't regret it.
September 8, 2022
As a millennial, I have followed Britney since she came out which was around middle school-age for me. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for her, and I honestly felt like I grew up along with her. Blackout has continued to be my favorite album of hers, so I was stoked when I saw someone write about this era of Britney's discography. I learned so much from this book that I didn't already know! I loved hearing about Britney's vision, and it really drove home how tragic the conservatorship has always been for her, even from the start. She truly has never been able to do what she wanted in any way. It was great to hear about all the producers, engineers, and writers that contributed to the album. I did feel that the chapters about the Britney fans (especially the ones that ran the blogs, and Cara Cunningham aka Chris Crocker) ran too long. However, I suppose they added to the reasons why Blackout has become somewhat of a "cult favorite" nowadays. Blackout was not successful and got panned when it first came out. I enjoyed this book, and I think any Britney fan would love to read this. Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!
December 12, 2022
“Britney Spears’s Blackout” is a slim, concise volume that nevertheless gives interesting, well-researched context to Britney Spears’ career and “Blackout” album (Jive Records, 2007.)
In moving from her early days of sweet pop songs to the harsher tones of “Blackout,” Spears herself aged and evolved, heavily influenced by the way that she was treated by her family, management team and producers, each who had an idea of who Britney was and should be, and each who had different methods of controlling her toward their desired outcome.
This book explores deeper into the reasons why that might be. The author’s research is presented against not only the final version of the album, but also the personalities and motives of the people who made it, fans and online media.
Lasky explores Spears' creative journey and its milestones in relation to “Blackout,” leaving the reader to understand that it represents Spears’ attempt to assert herself in a world that increasingly constrained her, as an artist and as a person.
**This book was provided on loan from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
In moving from her early days of sweet pop songs to the harsher tones of “Blackout,” Spears herself aged and evolved, heavily influenced by the way that she was treated by her family, management team and producers, each who had an idea of who Britney was and should be, and each who had different methods of controlling her toward their desired outcome.
This book explores deeper into the reasons why that might be. The author’s research is presented against not only the final version of the album, but also the personalities and motives of the people who made it, fans and online media.
Lasky explores Spears' creative journey and its milestones in relation to “Blackout,” leaving the reader to understand that it represents Spears’ attempt to assert herself in a world that increasingly constrained her, as an artist and as a person.
**This book was provided on loan from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
May 8, 2023
Another entertaining entry to the series about an album I knew nothing about. But what I did know was that Britney Spears was a cultural phenomenon who was put under extreme pressure and (in my opinion) treated very unfairly by media and her own family. This book delved into her twisted relationship with the paparazzi, all the money they made from hounding her every move, and the album that was supposed to heal but instead pushed her towards the inevitable breakdown that led to her losing freedom for far too long. Fun fact: I once won tickets to see Britney Spears by having my name pulled out of a hat during a Drag Bingo event... best prize ever. (I didn't go, my daughter did and had a great time... they were good tickets!)
September 3, 2022
I have always seen but never read any of the 33 1/3 books but I am so glad that my first one is for Blackout by Britney Spears, an iconic childhood favorite album tied to some major pop culture events. Natasha Lasky misses no bases diving deep into behind the scenes production, the pop culture surrounding the album at the time, paparazzi and gossip media’s damaging effects on it’s reception, etc. I loved the analysis of the importance of this album to the LGBTQ+ community and how it became a cult classic by resonating with many of us. Very informative and interesting read which has me interested to check out more of the 33 1/3 collection! Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the e-ARC.
August 25, 2023
natasha is a friend of mine so i am totally biased but i think this is a truly transcendant analysis of 2000s culture. it dissects britney’s career, while also diving into mini-histories about tabloids, paparazzi, ke$ha suing d*ctor l*ke, raunch culture, all while being so fascinating and accessible. i’m not even a britney fan (i haven’t even listened to the whole album) but i learned so much on every page, and came away with new appreciation for this singular pop artist. yay britney! yay natasha!
July 17, 2023
Really fun and in-depth analysis of the album and the pop stars role in shaping raunch culture, music culture , and fandom. One star off because it isnt completely about the album itself (only half of the album’s’ tracks are mentioned in the book itself). Written with a lot of respect to the artist and album itself which is always the correct way to write music criticism. Highly recommend for music enthusiasts
July 26, 2023
Unfortunately, this book seemed a jumble from the start. It comments more on the fandom and the world around celebrity, as opposed to any real discussion on the album itself. There's a brief chapter, but even that digresses completely off topic...this happens more often than not in this book. That said, the discussion pop culture and stardom is important, so I credit that bit, albeit not really seeing it entirely tied to Blackout.
July 28, 2023
I really enjoyed most of this essay, the information and ideas presented in the first two sections were interesting, well considered and well synthesised. Unfortunately, the last section was a complete drag. Reading 30 pages of 2000s fan drama was tedious and the points Lasky was trying to make with it should have been much more succinctly articulated. I still enjoyed this overall, but I have to dock my rating for ending on such a weak note. 3.75/5
October 13, 2022
a damn good analysis !! best when it's bridging early 2000s fan chat culture to stan twitter; wished it gotten deeper into the actual lyrics/music but then again the whole point is that they're sort of besides the point
April 17, 2023
Three essays taking in Britney as a 'raunchy' young girl and the public reaction to her (gossip sites, young gay people) with a little bit of cultural studies but a lot of love and respect for a woman who was the Michael Jackson of her era.
March 14, 2024
I LOVE BRITNEY, BUT CASUALLY, WHICH MEANT I NEVER LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM IN FULL! WHAT A TREAT TO PUT IT ON FROM START TO FINISH AND READ THIS BOOK TO PUT MYSELF BACK INTO THE CONTEXT OF A BRITNEY SPEARS TRYING TO EXPRESS HERSELF BEYOND THE NARROW BOX SHE'D BEEN PUT IN
May 23, 2023
I love britney and this was very fascinating and holistic.
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