Discover the career path of Britney Spears, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Britney Spears, often called the "Princess of Pop," is an American singer who significantly impacted popular music. Credited with reviving teen pop in the late 1990s and early 2000s, she has sold over 150 million records globally, establishing herself as one of the best-selling music artists worldwide. Her influence on the pop music landscape is undeniable.
In December 1992, Britney Spears was cast in "The All-New Mickey Mouse Club", alongside future stars like Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake.
Britney Spears sang Houston's "I Have Nothing" (1992) for the executives, and was subsequently signed to the label.
In June 1997, Britney Spears was in talks with manager Lou Pearlman about joining the female pop group Innosense.
In 1997, after appearing in television shows, Britney Spears signed with Jive Records at the age of fifteen, marking the beginning of her professional music career.
From March to April 1998, half of Britney Spears' album was recorded at Cheiron Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, with producers Max Martin, Denniz Pop, and Rami Yacoub.
On September 29, 1998, Britney Spears released "...Baby One More Time" as the lead single from her debut album.
In December 1998, Britney Spears' single and video charted highly, sparking a teen pop explosion.
In 1998, Britney Spears emerged onto the scene with "...Baby One More Time", profoundly affecting the pop music genre.
On January 12, 1999, Britney Spears' debut studio album, "...Baby One More Time", was released. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified two-times platinum within a month.
In January-February 1999, Britney Spears' single "...Baby One More Time" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks.
On June 28, 1999, Britney Spears began her first headlining tour, the "...Baby One More Time Tour", in North America.
In September 1999, Jessica Simpson modeled her persona more maturely than Spears and released her charting song "I Wanna Love You Forever", creating more pop star competition.
In 1999, Britney Spears released her debut album "...Baby One More Time", which became one of the best-selling albums of all time and established her as a top teenage artist.
In March 2000, Britney Spears began the extension of her tour titled the "(You Drive Me) Crazy Tour."
In May 2000, Britney Spears released her second studio album, "Oops!... I Did It Again", which debuted at number one in the US and sold 1.3 million copies.
On September 7, 2000, Britney Spears performed at the MTV Video Music Awards, ripping off her black suit to reveal a sequined flesh-colored bodysuit, a performance considered by critics as a sign of her becoming a more provocative performer.
In 2000, Britney Spears gave an MTV Video Music Awards performance.
In 2000, Britney Spears released "Oops!... I Did It Again", her second album. It became one of the best-selling albums of all time and solidified her status as a pop icon.
In 2000, Britney Spears released a limited edition of sunglasses titled Shades of Britney, expanding her brand into fashion accessories.
In January 2001, Britney Spears hosted the 28th Annual American Music Awards, starred at Rock in Rio alongside NSYNC, and performed as a special guest in the Super Bowl XXXV halftime show headlined by Aerosmith and NSYNC.
In February 2001, Britney Spears signed a $7-8 million promotional deal with Pepsi, and released "A Mother's Gift", a book co-written with her mother.
On October 30, 2001, Britney Spears, alongside Bono and other artists, released an album under the name "Artists Against AIDS Worldwide" to benefit AIDS programs in Africa and other impoverished regions.
In November 2001, Britney Spears released her third studio album, "Britney", which debuted at number one in the Billboard 200.
Before turning 20 in 2001, Britney Spears had sold over 37 million albums worldwide and also marked for being the best-selling teenage artist.
In 2001, Britney Spears gave an MTV Video Music Awards performance.
In 2001, Britney Spears released her self-titled album "Britney", adopting a more mature style and further evolving her music.
In 2001, Britney Spears released her self-titled album, marking a shift from her innocent image towards a more mature and adult persona.
In 2001, Britney Spears signed a deal with shoe company Skechers, and a $7–8 million promotional deal with Pepsi, their biggest entertainment deal at the time.
In 2001, Britney Spears' MTV Video Music Awards performance, featuring a caged tiger and a large albino python, drew criticism from PETA, leading to controversy.
In February 2002, Britney Spears starred in her first movie, Crossroads. While the movie received largely negative reviews, Britney Spears' acting was praised. The film was a box office success.
In April 2002, through the efforts of Britney Spears and The Britney Spears Foundation, a grant of $1 million was made to the Twin Towers Fund to support the children of uniformed service heroes affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
In June 2002, Britney Spears opened her first restaurant, Nyla, in New York City.
On June 19, 2002, Britney Spears released her first multi-platform video game, Britney's Dance Beat, which received positive reviews.
In July 2002, Britney Spears announced that she would be taking a six-month break from her career.
In 2002, Britney Spears starred in the film "Crossroads,"
In August 2003, Britney Spears performed "Like a Virgin" with Christina Aguilera at the MTV Video Music Awards, during which they were joined and kissed by Madonna, causing a media sensation.
In November 2003, Britney Spears released her fourth studio album, In the Zone. The album debuted at the top of the charts in the United States, France, and the top ten in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
In 2003, Britney Spears gave an MTV Video Music Awards performance.
In 2003, Britney Spears released "In the Zone", showcasing a continued evolution in her musical style.
In 2003, Britney Spears released "In the Zone", solidifying her transition into adulthood and aligning her with contemporaries like Christina Aguilera in embracing transparent sexuality.
In March 2004, Britney Spears started the Onyx Hotel Tour to promote her album In the Zone.
In June 2004, the Onyx Hotel Tour was canceled after Britney Spears injured her knee during the music video shoot for "Outrageous".
In October 2004, Britney Spears took a career break to start a family and released her first perfume, Curious, which broke Elizabeth Arden's first-week gross record for a perfume.
In November 2004, Britney Spears' first greatest hits compilation album, Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, was released.
In 2004, Britney Spears appeared in a Pepsi television commercial in the theme of "Gladiators" with singers Beyoncé, Pink, and Enrique Iglesias, continuing her partnership with the brand.
In 2004, Britney Spears released her first perfume, Curious, with Elizabeth Arden, which broke the company's first-week gross for a perfume.
On May 17, 2005, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's reality show, Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, premiered on UPN.
In August 2005, Britney Spears released "Someday (I Will Understand)", dedicated to her son, Sean Preston.
In November 2005, Britney Spears released her first remix compilation, B in the Mix: The Remixes.
In 2005, Britney Spears launched the fragrance "Fantasy" with Elizabeth Arden, Inc., generating over $1.5 billion in sales.
In 2005, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Britney Spears donated $350,000 to Music Rising, contributing to relief efforts for musicians affected by the disaster.
In August 2006, Britney Spears posed nude for the cover of Harper's Bazaar.
In May 2007, Britney Spears produced a series of promotional concerts at House of Blues venues, titled The M+M's Tour.
In October 2007, Britney Spears released her fifth studio album, Blackout, which received positive reviews and commercial success.
In 2007, Britney Spears gave an MTV Video Music Awards presentation which was widely panned by critics, as she "teetered through her dance steps and mouthed only occasional words".
In 2007, Britney Spears released "Blackout", her fifth studio album, for which she also served as executive producer. It is often regarded as her best work.
In 2007, the joint RCA/Jive Label Group (initially known as BMG Label Group) was formed.
The performance marked Britney Spears' first time returning to the VMA stage after her widely panned performance of "Gimme More" at the 2007 show nine years earlier.
In September 2008, Britney Spears opened the MTV Video Music Awards and won Best Female Video, Best Pop Video, and Video of the Year for "Piece of Me".
In December 2008, Britney Spears' sixth studio album, Circus, was released, debuting at number one in several countries.
In 2008, Blackout won Album of the Year at the MTV Europe Music Awards.
In 2008, Britney Spears released "Circus", returning to the top of the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.
In 2008, Britney Spears' appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards was seen as a sign of professionalism and poise after a previous disastrous performance, marking the beginning of a career comeback.
In March 2009, Britney Spears embarked on The Circus Starring Britney Spears tour.
In March 2009, Britney Spears was announced as the new face of clothing brand Candie's, marking a significant endorsement deal and career resurgence.
In November 2009, Britney Spears released her second greatest hits album, The Singles Collection. The album's lead and only single, "3", became her third number-one single in the U.S.
In December 2009, Billboard ranked Britney Spears as the 8th Artist of the 2000s decade in the United States, solidifying her place as a defining artist of the era.
By 2009, Britney Spears had released seven perfumes including Fantasy, extending her product line in the beauty industry.
In July 2010, Britney Spears designed a limited edition line for Candie's, further expanding her role with the brand.
In July 2010, Britney Spears' limited edition clothing line for Candie's was released in stores.
In September 2010, Britney Spears made a cameo appearance on a Spears-themed tribute episode of the television series Glee, titled "Britney/Brittany".
In 2010, Britney Spears released her eighth fragrance, Radiance, adding to her successful line of beauty products.
In April 2011, Britney Spears appeared in a remix of Rihanna's song "S&M", which reached number one in the US.
In June 2011, Britney Spears embarked on her Femme Fatale Tour.
In August 2011, Britney Spears received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
In September 2011, Britney Spears released "Criminal" as the fourth single from Femme Fatale, sparking controversy over the use of replica guns in the music video filmed in a London area affected by the 2011 England riots.
In November 2011, a DVD of Britney Spears' Femme Fatale Tour was released.
On December 10, 2011, Britney Spears' Femme Fatale Tour ended in Puerto Rico, after 79 performances.
In 2011, Britney Spears released the album "Femme Fatale", which also topped the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.
In 2011, Britney Spears teamed up with Sony, Make Up For Ever, and Plenty of Fish to release her music video for "Hold It Against Me", earning her $500,000 for the product placement.
In 2011, Jive Records disbanded, leading to the release of Britney Jean through RCA Records.
In 2011, Radiance was reissued as a new perfume titled Cosmic Radiance. Worldwide, Britney Spears sold over one million bottles in the first five years, with gross receipts of $1.5 billion.
The song marked Britney Spears' highest sales debut since her 2011 number-one single "Hold It Against Me".
With "Hold It Against Me" in 2011, Britney Spears became the second artist after Mariah Carey in the Hot 100's history to debut at number one with two or more songs.
In May 2012, Britney Spears was hired as a judge for the second season of The X Factor.
In December 2012, Britney Spears began work on her eighth studio album, Britney Jean.
In December 2012, Forbes named Britney Spears music's top-earning woman of 2012, with estimated earnings of $58 million.
In 2012, Britney Spears teamed up with Hasbro to release an exclusive version of Twister Dance, which included a remix of "Till the World Ends", and she appeared in a commercial to promote the game.
In May 2013, will.i.am was enlisted as the executive producer for Britney Spears' album, Britney Jean.
In June 2013, Britney Spears released the song "Ooh La La" for the soundtrack of The Smurfs 2.
In September 2013, Britney Spears released "Work Bitch" as the lead single from Britney Jean.
In October 2013, Britney Spears was featured as a guest vocalist on the song "SMS (Bangerz)" by Miley Cyrus.
In November 2013, Britney Spears' single, "Perfume", premiered.
On December 3, 2013, Britney Spears' album Britney Jean was released in the United States.
In 2013, "Scream & Shout" was among the best-selling songs of the year, with sales of over 8.1 million worldwide.
In 2013, Britney Spears began her four-year concert residency, "Britney: Piece of Me", and also released the album "Britney Jean".
In 2013, Britney Spears referred to her reality show, Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, as "probably the worst thing I've done in my career".
On January 8, 2014, Britney Spears won Favorite Pop Artist at the 40th People's Choice Awards.
As of February 2014, Britney Spears' album Femme Fatale had sold 2.4 million copies worldwide.
In August 2014, Britney Spears announced via Twitter that she would be releasing an intimate apparel line called "The Intimate Britney Spears".
In August 2014, Britney Spears confirmed she had renewed her contract with RCA and that she was writing and recording new music for her next album.
On September 9, 2014, Britney Spears' intimate apparel line was available to be purchased in the United States and Canada.
On September 25, 2014, Britney Spears confirmed that she extended her contract to perform her Britney: Piece of Me concert residency at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas for two additional years.
Britney Spears performed a total of 100 shows throughout 2014 and 2015 as part of her Britney: Piece of Me residency.
On May 14, 2015, Britney Spears released a single, "Pretty Girls", with Iggy Azalea, and they performed it live at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.
On June 16, 2015, Giorgio Moroder released the album Déjà Vu, which featured Britney Spears on "Tom's Diner".
On October 9, 2015, "Tom's Diner", featuring Britney Spears, was released as the fourth single from Giorgio Moroder's album Déjà Vu.
In November 2015, Britney Spears confirmed she had begun recording her ninth studio album.
In November 2015, Britney Spears guest-starred as a fictionalized version of herself on the CW series Jane the Virgin.
Britney Spears performed a total of 100 shows throughout 2014 and 2015 as part of her Britney: Piece of Me residency.
In 2015, Forbes named Britney Spears the sixth-highest-earning female musician, highlighting her financial success and continued relevance in the music industry.
On March 1, 2016, V announced that Britney Spears would appear on the cover of its 100th issue.
On March 8, 2016, Britney Spears appeared on the cover of V Magazine's 100th issue.
In May 2016, Britney Spears launched a casual role-play gaming application, Britney Spears: American Dream.
In May 2016, Britney Spears officially launched her own role-playing game, Britney Spears: American Dream, created with Glu Mobile, available on iOS and Android.
On May 22, 2016, Britney Spears performed a medley of her past singles at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards and was honored with the Billboard Millennium Award.
On June 17, 2016, Britney Spears announced the release of her twentieth fragrance, Private Show, adding to her successful line of beauty products.
On July 15, 2016, Britney Spears released the lead single, "Make Me", from her ninth studio album, featuring guest vocals from G-Eazy.
On August 16, 2016, MTV and Britney Spears announced that she would perform at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, marking her return to the VMA stage after nine years.
On August 26, 2016, Britney Spears' ninth studio album, Glory, was formally released.
In November 2016, Britney Spears confirmed she had already begun work on her next album during an interview with Las Vegas Blog.
In 2016, Britney Spears gave an MTV Video Music Awards performance that Billboard called her "comeback" performance at the show "an effective, but not entirely glorious, bid to regain pop superstardom".
In 2016, Britney Spears ranked at number twenty on Billboard's Greatest Of All Time Top Dance Club Artists list, recognizing her contributions to dance music.
In 2016, Britney Spears released the album "Glory."
In January 2017, Britney Spears received four wins at the 43rd People's Choice Awards, including Favorite Pop Artist and Female Artist.
In March 2017, Britney Spears announced that her residency concert would be performed abroad as a world tour, Britney: Live in Concert, with dates in select Asian cities.
In April 2017, the Israeli Labor Party announced that it would reschedule its July primary election to avoid conflict with Britney Spears' sold-out Tel Aviv concert.
In December 2017, Britney Spears publicly showed support for the DREAM Act, posting a photo of herself wearing a "We Are All Dreamers" T-shirt.
In 2017, Britney Spears concluded her four-year concert residency, "Britney: Piece of Me."
On December 31, 2017, Britney Spears performed the final show of "Britney: Piece of Me". The performance reportedly brought in $1.172 million, setting a new box office record for a single show in Las Vegas.
In January 2018, Britney Spears released her 24th perfume, "Sunset Fantasy", with Elizabeth Arden and announced the "Piece of Me Tour", expanding her brand and performances.
As of January 2018, Britney Spears has released 24 fragrances through Elizabeth Arden, marking a significant milestone in her entrepreneurial ventures.
In March 2018, it was revealed that Britney Spears would be the face of Kenzo, a contemporary French luxury clothing house, marking a high-fashion endorsement deal.
On March 20, 2018, Britney Spears was announced as part of a campaign for French luxury fashion house Kenzo, showcasing her influence in fashion.
On April 12, 2018, Britney Spears was honored with the 2018 GLAAD Vanguard Award at the GLAAD Media Awards for her role in "accelerating acceptance for the LGBTQ community".
On April 27, 2018, Epic Rights announced a new partnership with Britney Spears to debut her own fashion line in 2019, expanding her business ventures.
In July 2018, Britney Spears released her first unisex fragrance, "Prerogative", expanding her brand with a more inclusive product.
In July 2018, Britney Spears' "Piece of Me Tour" began in North America and Europe, showcasing her continued popularity with sold-out shows and high demand.
On October 18, 2018, Britney Spears announced her second Las Vegas residency show, "Britney: Domination", which was set to launch at Park MGM's Park Theatre on February 13, 2019, indicating continued success.
On October 21, 2018, Britney Spears performed at the Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, marking the final performance of her "Piece of Me Tour".
In 2018, Britney Spears received the GLAAD Vanguard Award for her role in promoting acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
On January 4, 2019, Britney Spears announced an indefinite hiatus and the cancellation of her Las Vegas residency due to her father's illness, marking a pause in her career.
In February 2020, an interactive pop-up museum dedicated to Britney Spears, dubbed "The Zone", opened in Los Angeles, showcasing her legacy.
In March 2020, Britney Spears participated in the #DoYourPartChallenge during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering supportive words to fans and helping those in need.
In May 2020, Britney Spears released "Glory's" Japanese-exclusive bonus track, "Mood Ring" as a single, and debuted a new cover of the album to streaming and digital platforms worldwide, showing continued activity in her career.
In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked "...Baby One More Time" at number one on a list of the 100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time, recognizing it as a pop manifesto that changed the sound of pop forever.
In 2021, Britney Spears was regarded as the "Princess of Pop", having led the teen pop revival and solidifying her impact through both musical achievements and personal struggles.
On July 21, 2023, Britney Spears and will.i.am released their single, "Mind Your Business", marking her return to music.
On October 24, 2023, Britney Spears' memoir, "The Woman in Me", was released, detailing her life and experiences.
As of 2023, Britney Spears has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
In January 2024, reports circulated that Charli XCX and Julia Michaels had been asked to write songs for Britney Spears, creating speculation about her return to the music industry.
In February 2024, Britney Spears partnered with New York City dessert shop Glace, to create the "Britney Brûlée" dessert, with a portion of the proceeds from its sales being donated to The Trevor Project.
In May 2024, Charli XCX confirmed in an interview that she was indeed asked to write for Britney Spears and travelled to Malibu for it, but that she did not know if Spears was a part of the process explaining that "the team were present... But she didn't record it. She obviously didn't."