Today in Gay History
Today in Gay History: Britney Spears Released Her Debut Single
Today in Gay History: Britney Spears Released Her Debut Single
'...Baby One More Time' turns 15
September 30 2013 12:21 PM EST
February 05 2015 9:27 PM EST
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Today in Gay History: Britney Spears Released Her Debut Single
Swedish pop writer Max Martin was shopping around a song called "...Baby One More Time" and, after the Backstreet Boys and TLC passed on it, a young, former Disney songstress decided to take this song and make it her own.
On September 30, 1998, "...Baby One More Time" was officially released by Spears, who was only 16 herself at the time. "Hit me baby..." may be how you remember it--thanks in part to that now-iconic music video that launched countless Halloween costumes--because it changed millions of gay lives forever, but it took a few months for it to pick up steam on the radio. It eventually climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 (this was before Napster was changing the way we listened to, and owned, music forever).
Do you remember where you were the first time you saw that music video? The semi-virginal Spears clad in a midriff-revealing private school girl's outfit, evoking images of Lolita in disturbing ways for so many parents across America, as she danced in the hallway. Thank to ImWithKanye.tumblr.com for those GIFs below.
Although the song may have debuted 15 years ago today, it wasn't until December 12, 1998, when Spears's video debuted at number 10 on MTV's Total Request Live. The rest is history. Or is that herstory? Brit released "Work Bitch" this year, which will be on her eighth studio album, a far cry from her squeaky clean vixen image of 15 years ago. Hey her loneliness is killing her, so she'll soon take up residency in Vegas. Won't you hit her one more time?
Watch the video below: