| "I'm a Slave 4 U" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Britney Spears | ||||
| from the album Britney | ||||
| B-side | "Intimidated" | |||
| Released | September 25, 2001 | |||
| Recorded | July 2001 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:24 | |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | The Neptunes | |||
| Britney Spears singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "I'm a Slave 4 U" on YouTube | ||||
"I'm a Slave 4 U" is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears for her third studio album, Britney (2001). Written and produced by Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, it was released on September 25, 2001, by Jive Records as the lead single from the album.[1] Marking a transition for Spears from the teen pop sounds of her previous singles, "I'm a Slave 4 U" is a dance-pop track with urban pop and R&B influences. The lyrics describes the plea of a young woman to be liberated and feel independent.
Heralding a new, provocative image for Spears, "I'm a Slave 4 U" garnered a mixed reception from music critics at the time of its release. Some argued it was the singer's most mature sound at the time, compared to her previous singles, while others noticed the video and the song's attempt to leave behind Spears' girl next door image to a more sexier image emulated then by many pop idols like Christina Aguilera. The song achieved commercial success worldwide, peaking within the top ten in almost every country that it charted in. The song peaked at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 85 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, both being the lowest chart positions of the single worldwide.
Since its release, "I'm a Slave 4 U" has become one of Spears' signature hits, as well as having been considered one of the defining songs of the early 2000s, the new millennium, and of the pop genre. The original dance choreography, from the music video and live performances, has also been widely praised and imitated, with Spears doing little to alter it for many years after the song’s release. Her 2001 MTV Video Music Awards performance of the song is considered amongst the greatest live performances in pop music history, as well as a career highlight for Spears, on-par with iconic past performances of artists such as Madonna and Janet and Michael Jackson. MTV summarized Spears' performance at the ceremony, saying, "draping herself in a python and slithering around a steamy garden setting – surrounded by dancers in zebra and tiger outfits – Spears created one of the most striking visuals in the 27-year history of the show."[2] In 2021, Billboard ranked "I'm a Slave 4 U" at number three in its list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of 2001".[3]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
radiowas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Vena, Jocelyn (August 25, 2011). "Britney Spears' Iconic VMA History: Snakes, Stripteases And Smooches". MTV. Retrieved March 6, 2012.[dead link]
- ^ Billboard Staff (May 4, 2021). "The 100 Greatest Songs of 2001: Staff Picks". Billboard.