She was a member of The Mickey Mouse Club along with Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake when she was 11. She was turned down 3 years earlier because she was too young.
She won the 1999 American Music Award for Favorite New Artist, but lost the Best New Artist Grammy to Christina Aguilera.
In 2000, a Britney Spears museum was created in her home town in Louisiana.
In 2001, disc jockeys Keith Kramer and Tony Longo at Dallas radio station KEGL were fired after they announced she had been killed in a car accident. They were quickly hired by Detroit station WKRK.
Britney starred in her first movie, Crossroads, in 2001. She played a teenager from Georgia off to California on a road trip where she tries to become a singer. Most critics didn't hate it as much as they thought they would. (thanks, Maria - Atlanta, GA)
For years, she claimed to be a virgin, but in 2003, she admitted that she had sex with Justin Timberlake, who she went out with for 2 1/2 years. Britney thought they would get married someday, and called their breakup the most painful thing she's ever been through.
Britney's heritage is half Italian on her father's side, and half French on her mother's side. (thanks, Britney - Calabasas, CA)
In early 2004, Britney secretly wed a lifelong friend in a tiny Las Vegas Chapel. The marriage was annulled 55 hours later. Later that year, she married backup dancer Kevin Federline in a private surprise ceremony. (thanks, Maria - Atlanta, GA)
She married dancer Kevin Federline on September 18, 2004, and took a break from her career to start a family. Their first child, Sean Preston Federline, was born September 14, 2005. Britney filed for divorce on November 7, 2006 less than 2 months after the birth of their second child Jayden Federline.
Spears and Federline had their own reality TV show for a short time in 2005 called Britney And Kevin: Chaotic. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2)
i agree with maria and karen! you all that are saying that she is so bad in public and is so messed up are insane! The bands you are all describing are messed up to! like all of them are on drugs and are in and out of rehab all the time!!!!! Also you claim that it is good music but guess what?their voices are just as retouched!!!! no one these days sings with their real voices, or at least very few people!!! so back off britney ok? she has made some wrong desicions but she has soooo much pressure on her from the media her family her fans and shes trying to start a family! do you think its easy handeling all that??? id like to see you try! she is a good artist! just as good as all the others! and she trys! oh by the way Nate, you say " Britney doesn't write her own music, she doesn't play her own music, and everything she has become is because of something someone else did for her. Some manager put her on a stage, some producer made her CD..." well yes a manager put her on stage and a producer made her cd BECAUSE THATS THEIR JOB! thats what they doooo everyones manager puts them onstage and everyones producer puts out their cd!!!! but britney made the music that so many lve! she spent the long hours in her studio recording analyzing and fixing sheeeeee spent the long hours! she might have had some one there with her advising her but all artists have advisors! ok? and i bet that some of your favorite bands dont write their music either!! and im sorry but for your information britney does record and play her own music! so just back off!!!!!!! - Jackie, Raleigh, NC
I have a few things to say and hear me out guys. I saw clips of Britney onStar Search. They were used for documentaries and behind the music shows on her. Okay this is where your going to think I'm crazy. On these clips, she sounded like a great singer, and she was singing songs lie "Love Can Build A Bridge", and people who sing that have to have some talent that's a hard one to sing. I think Britney sings the way she does because it was somebody elses idea. I don't knnow if it was her idea to sing like that, but what I do know is that if she sounded better as a 10-year-old than she does now, then that's pathetic. Granted I'm not a fan of Britney or her music, and some of my favorite bands and artists are from the sixties and seventies such as Jimi Hendricks, Led zeppelin, the Beatles, Jonie Mitchell... etc. I just wanted to post my thoughts. I wish that Britney Spears behaved better in public though. - Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC
I agree Maria...First of all Britney just wrote a beautiful song for her baby so what are u talkin about Nate? Britney Spears plays the piano...and so what if she doesn't play her own music? Lots of artist don't. I can't stand people today...You guys don't even know her so why you hatin'? Im not a really big fan of brit...but i like her songs...The only things i hate about britney is that she can't control herself in public...(if u know what i mean). I also dis-like madonna she made brit believe in (Kalahbah I think thats what its called)Britney used to be a christain/baptist
like me...I would say something about it but im gonna respect everyones religion...anyways...it's brit's progative...let her do what she wants to do...it's her life. Oh and Tom I think ur funny. - Karen, orlando, FL
oh yeah, and everyone forgot Carole King. she is a good rock (well sort of rock, hey at least she hung out and wrote songs and stuff with the eagles) icon for girls. far better music than britney spears anyway... - Jeanette, Irvine, CA
Britney thinks her little sister Jamie-Lynn is a bigger diva than she is. - Sarah-Jane, Halifax, Canada
You forgot a really good female rock icon: Bonnie Tyler. - AJ, Cleveland, GA
I've read everyone's comments with great interest, especially considering the age range represented here. It may sound like a no-brainer, but I think there's a huge difference between glamor and talent. Britney Spears is beautiful, and one hell of a dancer. Why do we hate her? Because she makes piles of money on very little talent, while many with extraordinary talent go unnoticed, and this rankles those of us who wish things were fair. But the music business is extremely commercial; it has to be. It's all about money and fame. Why do we love Britney? Because she's beautiful, glamorous, sexy, and has great charisma, and that's the Hollywood hype that the entertainment industry is built on. When we as a society stop worshipping glamor and start appreciating real talent, the Britneys will just fade away, because no one will care about them. Trouble is, when people get famous, talented people and fluffballs alike end up turning to drugs and/or alcohol to help them cope with the madness of the exhausting life a star has to lead. The difference is that the real ones will endure. Think about who's still going strong after a zillion years of success (Elton John, the Rolling Stones), and who's still influencing music even beyond the grave, like the Beatles. Don't look to musicians as role models for your kids, though. They may not pick the same ones you do. - Dianne, Ft. Bening, GA
Aren't you guys being a little too harsh? I mean sure she is like 99% plastic and superficial, and like all of her songs are digitally enhanced,but she's not that bad, and Tom what you said about dancing on her grave, wayy harsh!!!! PLus some of her songs are good to hit the dance floor to - Holly, Voorschoten, Netherlands
OK some Britneys music is good but she dosent evn know how to play an instrument.lol - Alix, Red Hook, NY
Why is she so famous?!?!?! She is the queen of plastics, she should go back to her box on the shelf in the toy store along with the other ammetuer barbies...leave more room for true music like GnR, Foos, Iron Maiden, ac/dc, motley crue, velvet revolver...i could go on... - lottie, Huddersfield, England
If we're going to talk about positive female role models, why stick with pop and hard rock? Artists like Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Jewel (before she sold out), Sarah McLachlan, and Eva Cassidy are excellent musicians and promote positive images of women. - Chris, Santa Barbara, CA
Oh, I forgot to mention Nirvana...and GNR. Although they're a bit more modern than the others I mentioned, I feel they're the last time an artist came close to being rock. I can't believe that people close to my age like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Ac/Dc...it's really odd. But it's a good thing. You just have to pop in a few of their cd's when your friends come to visit. Hopefully you'll influence them too.Tom, don't worry about Britney selling more records than Black Sabbath. At least more people will respect Black Sabbath as soon as Britney dies, which will hopefully be soon. When Britney Spears dies, I'm going to dance on her grave...Maybe I'll have a band by that time and we'll play in that cemetary to make some sort of point...I don't know...Just anything to be disrespectful. When she dies, we're going to have to worry about getting rid of all her albums and her fans! Maybe after that, the world will be a bit more sane. - Grace, Liverpool, United States
The worrying thing is that Britney has sold 55 million records, which i think is more than Black Sabbath! - Tom, Trowbridge, England
It's crazy to say that I like Britney Spears. When I tell people I 'm a fan of hers they can't believe it. Since I'm also a huge GNR fan. But I don't care casue think she's real. How many people would walk into a public restroom barefooted? Can you tell me that? I know I would. But how many famous people. HUH? - Jammie, Deckerville, MI
whats better than a night listening to Led Zeppelin, Offspring, Nirvana, GnR, eagles, Radio head, Pink Floyd, Queen, the old Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Deep Purple etc. i think i made my point lol
how come almost no one says he is a fan? where does she get all the money if she is hated that much? please enlighten me on this question - Chris, Gzira, Europe
Wow Jennifer, I've never met a girl with such similar music tastes as me. If you were a few years older (I'm 17) and if we didn't live so far apart, I'd go out with you without a second thought; I don't give a damn what you look like, you've already done enough! My e-mail's scratchy1987@hotmail.com if you want to talk; I'm not a weirdo, I promise! - Tom, Trowbridge, England
Tom I agree with you. Im 13 and I only listen to AC/DC, GNR, Led Zeppelin, and Van Halen, sometimes Janis Joplin too. If there's a decent female role model out there right now it's Fefe Dobson. A)She's so underrated, B)she actually sings, C)she worked her ass off to get a record deal, D)she's not famous because she dresses like a stripper(see A) She doesn't talk about her sex life in public (see A)(Justin Timberlake thing)and much more, too much to
list here
- Jennifer, Fredericton, Canada
Can't understand much of what you've written, Audrey. I see what you mean about Beyonce though; she's more famous for wiggling her bum than singing! - Tom, Trowbridge, England
Britney Spears has just got married (again!) and she has sunk to new lows in the process. She wore a white tracksuit, offered mini burgers and chicken strips as appetisers and the guests had to pay for their own drinks at the reception! Can someone PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE put her out of her misery!!!!!!!! I don't care how it's done; it can be as slow and brutal as you want. I mean, 'hate' is a very strong word to use but I HATE Britney Spears from the darkest recesses of my soul! Then again, I hate most manufactured acts but Britney's different because I hate a lot more than just her music. To be honest, I don't even think she's that attractive. - Tom, Trowbridge, England
chuck mauri,a dj for a pop radio station in the philippines, claims that he's the biggest fan of britney spears. - rod, davao city, Other
A much better role model for young girls would be someone like Anastacia or even Beyonce(to a lesser extent). But there would be no harm in giving artists like Janis Joplin or Bonnie Raitt a try. Who else is there? Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, The Supremes, etc. But hey, girls don't have to listen to just female artists! Stick some AC/DC, Zeppelin, GN'R, Sabbath, etc in your stereo; that's a little something called REAL music! And there's nothing to stop them from being young girls' role models as well! - Tom, Trowbridge, England
from a straight females point of view, britney is one of the most beautiful and encouraging people in pop, because yeah she may go out and get wrecked but thats why we love her, she is just like every other young person out there! and if you didnt see her onyx tour..., then you were missing out, maybe she didnt sing live all through it yeah, but the show was amazing, it was all so sexual and just amazing! - danalyn, beach lake, PA
Thanks Don, at least we agree on one artist! - Tom, Trowbridge, England
I agree totally with Tom from England and Nate from MN. Men we must be honest, Britney is a beautiful,sexy woman who can dance, that is it,that is all she can do. Period.End of story. It has been said that with digital processing one's voice can be altered and made to sound better than it really is. A mediocre talent can be made into a better product. Britney, does not owe me anything, but she does owe the young people she influences a more complete role model. She portrays to young woman to praise the dollar and the material aspect of life. I feel sorry for the young generation, they have no one in the music business to really aspire to. Let's take it a step further, it's the so-called record producers who should be beaten with a lead pipe, and left to bleed in the moonlight who are truly to blame. Anyway to make a buck. Hey Maria, theirs you're educated opinion. Music is just a business and Money is their God. They are really not interested in putting good music out there. Stop wasting your hard-earned money. - Don, Pittsburgh, PA
a lot of people may hate on her but lets face it now a lot of people love her . shes sooo famous and she does have everything a girl could ask for - haley, cleveland, OH
Built an empire? This girl is one of the most hated people in the world. Britney doesn't write her own music, she doesn't play her own music, and everything she has become is because of something someone else did for her. Some manager put her on a stage, some producer made her CD, the list goes on. She is nothing but a marketing tool, and not a musician at all. Indeed she is famous. But I guess some people win the lottery too. - Nate, Pelican Rapids, MN
You may dislike her, but tlet's try to have an educated opinion. This woman has built an empire. I think these celebs get a really bad rep because they have money. I think she is cute and rich,a nd more power to her. This is her life, I think that we sometimes forget that. She doesn't ahve to do thisng that the public thinks she should do anymore than you and I should - Maria, Atlanta, GA
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