Britney Spears's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Britney Spears. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Britney Spears, dubbed the "Princess of Pop," is a highly influential American singer celebrated for her impact on 21st-century music and credited with reviving the teen pop genre. Recognized for her captivating stage presence and genre-bending explorations across pop, R&B, electropop, and adult contemporary, she remains a prominent figure in popular music.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

February 1999: "...Baby One More Time" Tops Billboard Hot 100

In January-February 1999, Britney Spears' single "...Baby One More Time" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks.

2001: Highest-Paid Female Musician

In 2001, Forbes listed Britney Spears as the world's highest-paid female musician.

2001: Recognition as Best-Selling Teenage Artist

In 2001, before turning 20, Britney Spears was recognized as the best-selling teenage artist, having sold over 37 million albums worldwide.

February 2002: Release of Crossroads

In February 2002, Britney Spears starred in the film Crossroads, which, despite receiving mixed reviews, became a box office success, grossing over $61.1 million worldwide with a $12 million budget. Critics lauded Spears' performance in the film.

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September 2002: Ranked on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists list

In September 2002, Britney Spears was ranked number eight on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists list, acknowledging her image as a sex symbol.

2003: Named One of People's 50 Most Beautiful People

In 2003, People magazine cited Britney Spears as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People.

2003: VH1 Pop Culture Icon

In 2003, VH1 recognized Britney Spears as one of the 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons.

2004: Ranked number one on FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World list

In 2004, Britney Spears was ranked number one on FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World list.

2007: Britney Album Recognition

In 2007, Entertainment Weekly named Britney's album, Britney, as one of the best albums of the preceding 25 years.

July 2008: Regaining Visitation Rights

In July 2008, Britney Spears regained some visitation rights to her sons after coming to an agreement with Kevin Federline and his counsel.

December 2008: Release of Circus Album

In December 2008, Britney Spears released her sixth studio album, Circus, which debuted at number one in Canada, Czech Republic, and the United States. The release occurred two months after her conservatorship was extended indefinitely.

2008: Media Attention after MTV Video Music Awards

In 2008, Britney Spears received media attention for her appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards, which was seen as a sign of recovery after a difficult period.

2008: MTV Lists Performance as Number One Opening Moment

In 2008, MTV listed Britney Spears' August 2003 performance at the MTV Video Music Awards as the number-one opening moment in the history of the show, while Blender cited it as one of the 25 sexiest music moments on television history.

December 2009: Billboard's Artist of the Decade Ranking

In December 2009, Billboard ranked Britney Spears as the 8th Artist of the 2000s decade in the United States, marking a significant achievement in her career.

2009: "3" Reached Number One

In 2009, Britney Spears had one of her US Top 40 songs, the number one hit, "3".

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2009: Named Most Searched Person in Guinness World Records

In 2009, Britney Spears was named as Most Searched Person in the Guinness World Records, solidifying her status as a prominent public figure.

2011: Fantasy Fragrance Sales

By 2011, Britney Spears' 2005 fragrance Fantasy with Elizabeth Arden, Inc. had generated over $1.5 billion in sales.

December 2012: Ranked on Complex's 100 Hottest Female Singers of All Time list

In December 2012, Britney Spears was ranked 12th on Complex's 100 Hottest Female Singers of All Time list.

2012: VH1 Recognition

In 2012, Britney Spears was ranked fourth on VH1's 50 Greatest Women of the Video Era and was also cited in VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music.

2012: Highest-Paid Female Musician (Again)

In 2012, Forbes listed Britney Spears as the world's highest-paid female musician for the second time.

2012: VH1 Ranking as Fourth Greatest Woman of the Video Era

In 2012, VH1 ranked Britney Spears as the fourth Greatest Woman of the Video Era, highlighting her impact on music videos.

2015: Forbes Ranking

In 2015, Forbes named Britney Spears the sixth-highest-earning female musician.

2016: MTV Video Music Awards Comeback Performance

Britney Spears' 2016 MTV Video Music Awards performance was described by Billboard as an "effective, but not entirely glorious, bid to regain pop superstardom".

2016: Billboard's Top Dance Club Artists Ranking

In 2016, Britney Spears ranked at number twenty on Billboard's Greatest Of All Time Top Dance Club Artists list.

January 2017: People's Choice Awards Wins

In January 2017, Britney Spears won four awards at the 43rd People's Choice Awards, including Favorite Pop Artist, Female Artist, Social Media Celebrity, and Comedic Collaboration for a skit with Ellen DeGeneres on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

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April 29, 2017: Icon Award at Radio Disney Music Awards

On April 29, 2017, Britney Spears was the first recipient of the Icon Award at the 2017 Radio Disney Music Awards.

December 31, 2017: Final Show of Britney: Piece of Me

On December 31, 2017, Britney Spears performed the final show of Britney: Piece of Me. The performance reportedly grossed $1.172 million, setting a new box office record for a single show in Las Vegas, breaking the record previously held by Jennifer Lopez. Performances of "Toxic" and "Work Bitch" were aired on ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

April 12, 2018: GLAAD Vanguard Award

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".

2018: GLAAD Vanguard Award Recipient

In 2018, Britney Spears received the GLAAD Vanguard Award for her role in promoting acceptance for the LGBTQ community. Spears thanked her LGBTQ fans for their unwavering loyalty and inspiration.

2020: Billboard Ranking as Eight Greatest Music Video Artist of All Time

In 2020, Billboard ranked Britney Spears as the eighth Greatest Music Video Artist of All Time, emphasizing her creativity in music videos.

2020: Billboard Ranking

In 2020, Billboard ranked Britney Spears eighth on its 100 Greatest Music Video Artists of all-time list.

2020: '...Baby One More Time' Ranked #1 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Debut Singles

In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked Britney Spears' debut single '...Baby One More Time' at number one on their list of the 100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time, calling it a game-changer for pop music.

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September 15, 2021: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2021

On September 15, 2021, Britney Spears was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2021, recognizing the impact of her fight against her conservatorship and the #FreeBritney movement.

October 2021: Spears thanks fans and #FreeBritney movement

In October 2021, Britney Spears thanked her fans and the #FreeBritney movement for freeing her from her conservatorship.

2021: Conservatorship Dissolved and Documentary Release

In 2021, Britney Spears' conservatorship was dissolved after she publicly testified against her management team and family for abuse. The documentary Framing Britney Spears was released.

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