Britney Spears’ Most Popular Collaborations Before ‘Hold Me Closer’
In case you haven’t been blessed by the sound of it yet, know that Britney Spears recently released a collaboration with Elton John called “Hold Me Closer,” an update on his classic song, “Tiny Dancer.” The internet as a whole has been abuzz about the collaboration if for no other reason than it has been so great to see Ms. Spears thriving and living her post-conservatorship life, all while collaborating with a fellow music icon.
No question, it’s great to hear Britney back on the collaboration train. Historically, collabs have ensured her some pretty great songs. Here’s a look back on some of her most popular collaborations before “Hold Me Closer.”
‘Till the World Ends’ was a huge hit for Spears, Kesha, and Nicki Minaj
As Billboard notes, “Till the World Ends” spent 24 weeks on the charts back in 2011. The song was everywhere because it was an absolute bop. Between the fierceness of the three ladies, the catchiness of the tune itself, and the ubiquity with which the song popped up throughout the following summer, it became one of Spears’ most successful songs ever. And it helped catapult then-up-and-comers Nicki Minaj and Kesha to even further success.
More than a decade later, the song is still on regular rotation at dance clubs the world over…and probably will be till the world literally ends.
Spears was featured on a remix of ‘S&M’ by Rihanna
The year 2011 was big for Britney. In addition to the success she had with “Till the World Ends,” she was also featured on a Rihanna remix. The Britney version never got quite as famous as the Rihanna original. But fans were nonetheless shook when Rihanna dropped the bomb that Britney Spears had collaborated with her on a remix of “S&M.”
Though we wish the two pop stars had made a music video together for it, the remix nonetheless gives fans a taste of what might happen if Spears and Rihanna were ever to collaborate more purposefully. To cap it off, the two also put on a stellar (and iconic) performance of their version at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards…chains and whips (plus a sultry pillow fight) included!
Will.i.am and Spears had big success with ‘Scream and Shout’
Another huge hit for Spears was her collaboration on Will.i.am’s track “Scream and Shout.” The track featured Spears crooning about walking into the club while performing what seemed to be a…British accent? Concerns about accent aside, people loved the song. It spent 24 weeks on the Billboard charts, making it one of Spears’ top 5 charting hits of all time.
Madonna popped up on Spears’s ‘Me Against the Music’
Though it wasn’t quite as popular as some of Spears’ other collabs, the 2003 song and video for “Me Against the Music” are notable for bringing together Britney and Madonna in a way that showcased why they are two of the most celebrated pop divas of all time. Who can forget the early aughts energy of that epic party music video, after all? Of course, the surprising kiss between Madonna and Spears at the VMAs that year probably solidified its place in people’s nostalgic memory even more than the song ever did.
Now that Spears is out of her conservatorship and making music decisions for herself again, fans are no doubt looking forward to seeing what other kinds of collaborations she might have up her sleeve. We’re here for it, Britney, and can’t wait to hear the next collab!
