Britney Spears Pens Heartfelt Tribute To 'Baby One More Time' For Putting Her On The Map
Britney Spears penned an emotional tribute to the album which completely changed her life, ...Baby One More Time.
Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of her debut album, which put her on the map and on the road to becoming one of the most influential artists of all time.
She shared a photo of the album along with a caption on Instagram:
"Can you believe that this album was released 20 years ago today??!! I can't. It's definitely been the journey of a lifetime, full of ups and downs, but I'm grateful for every single moment of it all. Getting to know you all over the years has been such an incredible experience, and has made this all worth it."
She thanked all of her dedicated fans for the unwavering support she has gotten over the past two decades:
"Thank you for your support from 20 years ago, all the way to today. I am blessed ❤️ #20yearsofbritney"
...Baby One More Time earned her an instant spot on Billboard 200, and became one of the most popular albums of all time. It has sold more than 31 million copies, and has received a 14x platinum and diamond certifications, making Spears the youngest artist to earn those awards. Along with the infamous title track, some of the biggest hits from the album include "(You Drive Me) Crazy" "E-Mail My Heart" and "Sometimes."
Apple Music shared the special moment on social media, and asked fans about memories of first hearing ...Baby One More Time in 1999:
20 years later.
Where'd you hear @britneyspears' #BabyOneMoreTime for the first time? #20yearsofbritneyhttps://t.co/b1oFtgoTat
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) January 12, 2019
Most of the responses are a perfect example of how an entire generation has grown up listening to Spears:
From MTV to Hit Clips to Cassette Tapes and CD Players to iTunes to Spotify and Pandora, she has been there through it all and introduced many fans to music in the first place.
On MTV. I was 5 years old
— Kathleen Geurrandeno (@_kathleennkelli) January 12, 2019
At my Parents house 🏡 on MTV.
— Esther (@Estherpvh) January 12, 2019
on The Box music channel on my sisters 15in tv with a rabbit ear antenna. I was 11 and she was 10. pic.twitter.com/sFXHB7gXbY
— cat 🧬 (@mrsaj_mclean) January 12, 2019
At a friends house on mtv it was a day that would forever change my life 🤔
— Emojii (@Officialemojii) January 12, 2019
...Baby One More Time became the biggest debut album from a teenage female pop star ever and sold more than 30 million copies across the globe:
20 years ago today, Britney Spears released her debut album “...Baby One More Time".
The album went on to become the biggest debut album ever by a teenage female pop star, sold over 30 MILLION copies worldwide and left a legacy that changed pop music forever. #20YearsOfBritney pic.twitter.com/6dFudNExIh
— Pop Alarms 🚨 (@PopAlarms) January 12, 2019
Fans are taking time to thank and celebrate the pop singer and all she has accomplished:
Spears has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. And if that wasn't enough, she is one of the few artists who have had a number one studio album and a number one single in each of the three decades of their career - 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s.
Casual things.
A living legend THANK YOU BRITNEY #20YearsOfBritney #BabyOneMoreTime20
— B9 (@B9fan21) January 12, 2019
#BabyOneMoreTime is such a movement and an iconic moment in History. It launched a legendary career and legacy by the one and only Miss Britney Spears. Britney walked so your faves could run! 😍#20YearsOfBritney pic.twitter.com/zIDjiHN92l
— joshyyyy 🥀 (@brndnbtch) January 12, 2019
She has inspired countless people over the past two decades:
Because a generation grew up dancing and singing to the pop princess, and watched as she grew up through her music, she has one of the most loyal fanbases of any singer out there.
One of the POM Dancers on Instagram 😄 #20YearsOfBritney pic.twitter.com/NlE2VhGQ2R
— BritBrit (@BritBrit_FIN) January 12, 2019
This woman have now been in our lives for twenty years and there's not a day when I'm not thankful for her. #20YearsOfBritney #BabyOneMoreTime20 pic.twitter.com/Dvs2sknIiQ
— LOUVE (@annaterneborg) January 12, 2019
#BabyOneMoreTime is officially 20 years old omg, 20 years of one of the greatest popstars to ever grace music #20YearsOfBritney pic.twitter.com/mEfkZYATxq
— KingSpears (@GodneyIsBritney) January 12, 2019
And become an absolute legend in the face of music:
The 37-year-old singer songwriter and mother was dubbed the "Princess of Pop" early on during her career and honored as a game-changing force in music, alongside the likes of Madonna, who reigns as the "Queen of Pop" and Michael Jackson, who of course we know as the "King of Pop."
20 years ago Britney released her debut album. This album changed the face of the pop music forever.
It sold over 31m copies WW and became one of the most selling album in the world. She was only 18
The rest is a history 🌟#BabyOneMoreTime #BabyOneMoreTime20 #20YearsOfBritney pic.twitter.com/BneLPdPdi6
— #B10 🍎🍏🍎 (@britneyo9) January 12, 2019
It's crazy to think that when these pictures were taken... she probably had ZERO idea that she'll change pop music forever. A TRUE QUEEN. We truly stan. #BabyOneMoreTime20 #20YearsOfBritney pic.twitter.com/hkH6CQ4itA
— SAUFY (@saufydoffy) January 12, 2019
Spears continues to remain as relevant as she was when she first debuted in 1999:
In 2013, she began a two-year concert residency, called Britney: Piece of Me, at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The pop princess broke a box office record for a single show in Las Vegas, during the final performance which earned about $1.172 million. She went on to perform shows across North America and Europe in the Piece of Me Tour and sold out arenas in minutes, grossing $54 million and earning the title of the sixth highest-grossing female tours of 2018.
So, safe to say she isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Britney Spears at the start of her career talking about what sets her apart from everyone else. 20 years later were still talking about her & her forever relevant hit 👏🏻 #20YearsOfBritney #BabyOneMoreTime20 pic.twitter.com/JvJYSNmora
— Mr. Iconic 👔 (@MisterIconic) January 13, 2019
She is taking a hiatus, though, as she announced she made the devastating decision to cancel her second residency so she could spend time with her father Jamie Spears, who has fallen sick
Spears wrote the following explaining the cancellation on social media:
"I don't even know where to start with this, because this is so tough for me to say. I will not be performing my new show Domination. I've been looking forward to this show and seeing all of you this year, so doing this breaks my heart. However, it's important to always put your family first… and that's the decision I had to make. A couple of months ago, my father was hospitalized and almost died. We're all so grateful that he came out of it alive, but he still has a long road ahead of him. I had to make the difficult decision to put my full focus and energy on my family at this time. I hope you all can understand."
She added that those who purchased tickets will receive refunds, and thanked everyone for sharing love and support:
"More information on ticket refunds is available on britneyspears.com. I appreciate your prayers and support for my family during this time. Thank you, and love you all… always."
Sending a lot of love and well wishes to Britney and Jamie Spears. No doubt the princess of pop will continue to perform amazing shows and make more record-shattering singles and albums in the future! She has already accomplished so much.