...Baby One More Time (album)

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...Baby One More Time is the debut studio album by American singer Britney Spears. It was released on January 12, 1999, by Jive Records. Spears had been a child performer on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to 1994, and was looking to expand her career as a teen singer. After being turned away by several record companies, Spears signed with Jive for a multi-album deal in 1997. She travelled to Sweden to collaborate with producers Max Martin and Rami Yacoub, who had been writing songs with producer Denniz Pop and others, for ...Baby One More Time. Their collaboration created a pop, bubblegum pop, dance-pop, and teen pop record, with Spears later saying that she felt excited when she heard it and knew it was going to be a hit record. The album was completed in June 1998.

Upon its release, ...Baby One More Time garnered mixed reviews from music critics, with many praising its commercial appeal but deeming it silly and premature. Despite its initial mixed reception, it helped Spears receive a nomination for Best New Artist at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards (2000). Retrospectively, it has been hailed for its major impact on pop culture, and has been deemed one of the most influential pop records of all time. A massive global commercial success, it made Spears the fifth artist under the age of 18 to top the US Billboard 200. It has been certified 14× platinum (diamond) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Spears's best-selling album, it has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, as well as the best-selling debut album by a teenage female artist.

...Baby One More Time produced five singles. The lead single, "...Baby One More Time", brought Spears tremendous global success, reaching number one in most countries it charted in and becoming one of the best-selling physical singles of all time. In 2020, it was named the greatest debut single of all time by Rolling Stone. Subsequent singles "Sometimes" and "Born to Make You Happy" peaked within the top ten in most international countries while "(You Drive Me) Crazy" became Spears's second US Billboard Hot 100 top-ten hit. Spears heavily promoted the album through interviews and televised performances. Furthermore, she embarked on her first headlining concert tour, entitled ...Baby One More Time Tour (1999) and later continued with (You Drive Me) Crazy Tour (2000).

Recording and productionEdit

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In June 1997, Spears was in talks with then-manager Lou Pearlman to join the female pop group Innosense. Her mother, Lynne Spears, asked family friend and entertainment lawyer Larry Rudolph for his opinion and submitted a tape of Spears singing over a Whitney Houston karaoke song along with some pictures. Rudolph decided to pitch her to record labels, which required a professional demo. He sent Spears an unused song from Toni Braxton; she rehearsed for a week and recorded in a studio with an audio engineer. Spears traveled from her hometown Kentwood, Louisiana, to New York City with the demo and met executives from four labels, returning to Kentwood the same day. Three rejected her, arguing audiences wanted pop bands such as the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls, and "there wasn't going to be another Madonna, another Debbie Gibson or another Tiffany." Two weeks later, executives from Jive Records returned calls to Rudolph.<ref name="hughes145">Template:Harvnb</ref> Jive's senior vice president of A&R Jeff Fenster stated: "It's very rare to hear someone that age who can deliver emotional content and commercial appeal. [...] For any artist, the motivation—the 'eye of the tiger'—is extremely important. And Britney had that."<ref name="rs1">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Jive soon appointed Spears to work with producer Eric Foster White for a month, who reportedly shaped her voice from "lower and less poppy" delivery to "distinctively, unmistakably Britney."<ref name="Hughes 2005 147">Template:Harvnb</ref> One of the first songs Spears recorded with Foster White was "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart", which was released as the album's 4th single. Foster White also produced "Autumn Goodbye", which was the B-side to Spears' debut single "...Baby One More Time". During the same session for "Autumn Goodbye", Spears and Foster White also worked on a song called "Love Is On", which ultimately did not make the album and was later given to Sharon Cuneta. Spears recorded a lot of material with Eric Foster White, such as "Autumn Goodbye", "E-Mail My Heart", "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart", "I'm So Curious", "I Will Still Love You", "Way It Is Loving You", "I'll Be There For You", "Soda Pop", "Thinkin' About You", "Nothing Less Than Real", "Wishing on a Falling Star" and a cover of "You Got It All" by the Jets.<ref name="liner">Template:Cite AV media</ref> She also recorded a cover of Sonny & Cher's 1967 single "The Beat Goes On".<ref name="liner" /> White was responsible for the vocal recording and song production, while additional production was handled by English electronic music group All Seeing I.<ref name="liner" /> After hearing the material, Jive Records president Clive Calder ordered a full studio album.<ref name="Hughes 2005 147" />

Spears flew to Cheiron Studios in Stockholm, where half of ...Baby One More Time was recorded from May 1998,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with producers Max Martin and Rami Yacoub, and contributions from others, including songwriting from Denniz Pop, who was too ill to attend any recording sessions.Template:Efn<ref name="rs1" /><ref name="rsintw">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=Seabrook2015>Template:Harvnb</ref> Martin showed Spears and her management a track titled "Hit Me Baby One More Time", originally written for American group TLC, who had rejected it. Spears later said that she felt excited when she heard it and knew it was going to be a hit.<ref name="especial">Template:Cite AV media</ref> "We at Jive said, 'This is a fuckin' smashTemplate:'", revealed the label's A&R executive, Steven Lunt;<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> however, other executives were concerned that the line "Hit Me" would condone domestic violence, and later revised it to "...Baby One More Time".<ref name="especial" /> Spears revealed that she "didn't do well at all the first day in the studio [recording the song], I was just too nervous. So I went out that night and had some fun. The next day I was completely relaxed and nailed it. You gotta be relaxed singing '... Baby One More Time'."<ref name="blender">Template:Cite magazine</ref> By June 1998, the album had been completed.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>

Music and lyricsEdit

Spears originally envisioned "Sheryl Crow music, but younger – more adult contemporary" for ...Baby One More Time, but acquiesced to the wishes of her label, since "It made more sense to go pop, because I can dance to it—it's more me."<ref name="rs1" /> The album opens with its lead single, "...Baby One More Time", a teen pop and dance-pop song beginning with a three-note motif in the bass range of the piano. Its opening was compared to many other songs, such as "We Will Rock You" (1977), "Start Me Up" (1981), "These Words" (2004) and the theme song of the film Jaws due to the fact the track "makes its presence known in exactly one second".<ref name="blender" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> According to Blender, "...Baby One More Time" is composed of "wah-wah guitar lines and EKG-machine bass-slaps".<ref name="blender" /> Claudia Mitchell and Jacqueline Reid-Walsh, authors of Girl Culture: Studying Girl Culture: A Readers' Guide (2008), observed that the lyrics of the song "gesture toward [Spears] longing for the return of an ex-boyfriend."<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> "(You Drive Me) Crazy" runs through a moderately slow dance beat,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and has an R&B melody mixed with edgy synthesized instrumentals.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> "Sometimes" is a ballad,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which Spears begins with the lines "You tell me you're in love with me / That you can't take your pretty eyes away from me / It's not that I don't wanna stay / But every time you come too close I move away".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic noted the song has "a catchy hook and endearing melody, with a reminiscent euro-dance rhythm."<ref name="allmusic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

"Soda Pop" draws influences from bubblegum pop and ragga,<ref name="allmusic" /> and features background vocals from co-writer Mikey Bassie.<ref name="liner" /> Spears' vocals on the fifth track, "Born to Make You Happy" span more than an octave.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its lyrics allude to a relationship that a woman desires to repair, not quite understanding what went wrong, as she comes to realize that "I don't know how to live without your love / I was born to make you happy".<ref name="popology">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart" is a sentimental slow-tempo teen pop ballad.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "I Will Be There" is a pop rock song featuring a guitar riff similar to Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" (1997), with a "rousing chorus about standing by your man (or a best friend or a house pet)", as noted by Kyle Anderson of MTV. "E-Mail My Heart" is a sensitive piano ballad on which Spears sings: "E-mail me back / And say our love will stay alive".<ref name="popology" /> The cover of Sonny & Cher's 1967 single "The Beat Goes On" is influenced by bossa nova and trip hop,<ref name="popology" /><ref name="toronto">Template:Cite news</ref> and features a sound similar to spy film themes.<ref name="popology" /> Among the bonus tracks included on select editions of the album is a cover of J'Son's 1996 song "I'll Never Stop Loving You".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Release and promotionEdit

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File:Britney Spears 'Piece of Me' - Las Vegas IMG 6676 (26906264843) (cropped).jpg

Spears performing "(You Drive Me) Crazy" at her Las Vegas residency show, Britney: Piece of Me, in February 2016

Promotion for ...Baby One More Time began in May 1998, when Spears performed "...Baby One More Time", "Sometimes" and "You Got It All" at the Singapore Jazz Festival.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Subsequently, she embarked on the L'Oréal-sponsored promotional tour titled L'Oreal Hair Zone Mall Tour, visiting malls and food courts across North America from August 1998 to January 1999.<ref name="blandford28">Template:Harvnb</ref> In December, "...Baby One More Time" first showed up on MTV's and The Box's most-requested video charts.<ref name="britneyfirstperformances">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United States, ...Baby One More Time was originally set for an October 1998 release, but was pushed back to January 12, 1999, due to marketing issues, with its international release occurring within the following three months.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Spears had appeared on Ricki Lake, The Howie Mandel Show, and was a presenter at the 1999 American Music Awards prior to the release.<ref name="britneyfirstperformances" /> However, after hurting her knee in February, she rescheduled appearances on several shows, such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.<ref name="sidelined">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Additionally, she appeared on MTV Spring Break and on the hundredth episode of Nickelodeon's All That.<ref name="sidelined" /> After recovering, Spears embarked on another promotional schedule, appearing at the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards on May 1, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee on May 3, MTV's FANatic on May 12, and The Rosie O'Donnell Show on May 25.<ref name="britneyfirsttour">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Outside the US, Spears visited the German shows Wetten, dass..? and Top of the Pops on June 25.<ref name="britneylateperformances" /> She also went to the United Kingdom, making appearances on programmes such as This Morning, CD:UK and National Lottery.<ref name="britneylateperformances" /> Spears visited the music variety show Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ in Japan, and performed at the Festival Bar in Italy.<ref name="britneylateperformances" /> Spears was also featured on an episode of the ABC sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, in which she played herself.<ref name="britneylateperformances">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> According to People, Spears was returning a favor to actress Melissa Joan Hart, who played a cameo role in Spears' music video for "(You Drive Me) Crazy".<ref name="britneylateperformances" /> The episode aired on September 24.<ref name="britneylateperformances" /> The same month, Spears performed on The Rosie O'Donnell Show on September 27, and visited Carson Daly on MTV's Total Request Live the following day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Spears also performed live with Joey McIntyre in the Disney Channel taped concert event titled Britney Spears & Joey McIntyre in Concert.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In November, Spears performed "...Baby One More Time" and "(You Drive Me) Crazy" at the 1999 MTV Europe Music Awards. Promotion for the album continued in early 2000, when Spears performed at the 2000 American Music Awards,<ref name="britneynewalbum" /> and also performed "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart" in a medley with "...Baby One More Time" at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.<ref name="britneynewalbum" />

On March 5, 1999, it was reported that Spears was planning her first headlining tour.<ref name="headlining">Template:Cite magazine</ref> She announced that the tour would start in July.<ref name="tuesday">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On May 12, Tommy Hilfiger was announced as the main tour sponsor, as Spears was being featured in the company's "AllStars" campaign at the time.<ref name="Hilfiger">Template:Cite press release</ref> On December 17, during the premiere of the music video of "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart" on Total Request Live, Spears called the show to announce the March 2000 US tour dates. The extension, entitled (You Drive Me) Crazy Tour, was considered a prelude to her future world tour, Oops!... I Did It Again Tour.<ref name="newtour">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="rolling">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The leg's main sponsor was Got Milk?, whose media director Peter Gardiner explained: "Britney is magic with teen-age girls, and that's an absolutely crucial target for milk". Spears shot an advertising campaign to be shown before her performances began.<ref name="milk">Template:Cite news</ref> The secondary sponsor was Polaroid, who released I-Zone as the tour's official camera. Spears used the I-Zone onstage to take pictures of the audience and further promote the product.<ref name="polaroid">Template:Cite press release</ref> The show was divided into segments, separated by interludes, and ended with an encore.<ref name="sfc" /> The set list consisted of songs from ...Baby One More Time and several covers.<ref name="sfc">Template:Cite news</ref> Some changes were made during the 2000 leg, with the covers replaced by songs from her second studio album Oops!... I Did It Again (2000). The tour received positive critical reception.<ref name="usatoday">Template:Cite news</ref> During the tour, Spears was accused of lip synching, although she denied those claims.<ref name="rolling" /> On April 20, the concert at Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu, Hawaii, was taped.<ref name="tusca">Template:Cite news</ref> It was slightly altered from its tour incarnation and featured different costumes. On June 5, it was broadcast on Fox,<ref name="fox">Template:Cite news</ref> airing several times during the year. On November 21, Jive Records released the video album Britney Spears: Live and More!, which included the Fox special.<ref name="herald">Template:Cite news</ref> It was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipping 300,000 units.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On August 14, 2017, 18 years after the release of ...Baby One More Time, it was announced that 2,500 pink-and-white-swirl copies of the album would be released on vinyl exclusively through Urban Outfitters on November 3.<ref name=PinkSwirl/> During the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Spears' debut single "...Baby One More Time", on October 19, 2018, Legacy Recordings announced the global release of the album on vinyl for November 23.<ref name="2018vinyl"/>

SinglesEdit

The title track was released as the lead single from ...Baby One More Time and Spears' debut single on September 29, 1998.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> It received generally favorable critical reviews, which mostly praised its composition.<ref name="rs1" /><ref name="allmusic" /> After its accompanying music video premiered in late November, the single attained worldwide success in early 1999, peaking atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and in most countries it charted in.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It received numerous certifications around the world, and is one of the best-selling singles of all time, selling over ten million copies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The music video, directed by Nigel Dick, portrays Spears as a high school student who starts to sing and dance around the school, while watching her love interest from afar.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2010, the video was voted the third most influential video in the history of pop music on Jam!.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

"Sometimes" was released as the second single from ...Baby One More Time on April 6, 1999.<ref name="britstory">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It achieved commercial success internationally, reaching number one in Belgium, the Netherlands and New Zealand.<ref name="sometimes">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the United States, however, it missed the top 20, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The song's accompanying music video was directed by Nigel Dick.<ref name="trl">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During rehearsals, on February 11, 1999, Spears injured her left knee and needed surgery.<ref name="injuree">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After recuperating in Kentwood, Louisiana,<ref name="injuree" /> the video was filmed on April 9–10 at Paradise Cove in Malibu, California.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It premiered on MTV's Total Request Live on May 6.<ref name="trl" />

In May 1999, Max Martin and Spears went to the Battery Studios in New York City to re-record the vocals of "(You Drive Me) Crazy",<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> for a reproduced version subtitled "The Stop! Remix", which was going to be included on the original motion picture soundtrack for the film Drive Me Crazy (1999).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The remix was subsequently released as the third single from ...Baby One More Time on August 24.<ref name="britstory" /> It features the addition of a stanza in which Spears yells "Stop!", then all sound cutting out, followed by a transition, while omitting the lines "Lovin' you means so much more, more than anything I ever felt before". The video was directed by Nigel Dick, and featured actors Melissa Joan Hart and Adrian Grenier.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

"Born to Make You Happy" was released as the fourth and final European single from ...Baby One More Time on December 6, 1999, to a mixed critical reception.<ref name="popology" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A commercial success, it peaked within the top five in 11 countries and atop the UK Singles Chart.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its accompanying music video was directed by Bille Woodruff,<ref>Template:Cite video</ref> and choreographed by Wade Robson.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite its success in Europe, the song was never released as a single in the US.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

"From the Bottom of My Broken Heart" was released as the fourth and final North American and Oceanian single from ...Baby One More Time on December 14, 1999.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The song received mixed critical reviews, which branded it a classic hit and competent single, despite considering it an unremarkable song referring only to kissing.<ref name="popology" /><ref name="sputnik" /> It achieved moderate commercial success, peaking at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In Oceania, it peaked at number 37 in Australia and number 23 in New Zealand.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 28, 2000.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The song's accompanying music video, directed by Gregory Dark, was released on December 17, 1999.<ref name="newtour" /> It elicited controversy due to the fact that Dark had previously directed pornographic films.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Critical receptionEdit

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...Baby One More Time received mixed reviews from music critics upon its release.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The editors of AllMusic gave the album four out of five stars.<ref name="allmusic"/> Paul Verna from Billboard considered the album "a top 40-ready workout filled with hook-laden songs from the same bag as the title cut".<ref name="spotlightbill">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau highlighted the title track and "Soda Pop" while summing the album up as a "girl next door" version of Madonna.<ref name="christgau"/> Kyle Anderson of MTV said he "was surprised in more ways than one" with his first listening of ...Baby One More Time, commenting he "expected there to be a lot of filler (there sort of is), though I didn't expect it to be as odd (at least sonically) as it ended up being. There has never been any mystery to why Spears became such a superstar, but these songs probably would have been huge even if Britney wore burlap sacks in all of her videos."<ref name="popology" />

Barry Walters of Rolling Stone gave the album two stars out of five,<ref name="...Baby One More Time Album Review" /> and compared the album's sound to early hits of Debbie Gibson, Mariah Carey and Samantha Fox.<ref name="...Baby One More Time Album Review" /> Walters also said that "while several Cherion-crafted kiddie-funk jams serve up beefy hooks, shameless schlock slowies, like 'E-Mail My Heart', is pure spam."<ref name="...Baby One More Time Album Review" /> An NME reviewer rated ...Baby One More Time one out of ten, saying that "we seem to have reached crisis point: pubescent pop is now so rife that 17-year-old Britney 'lizard-lounge' Spears is already halfway through her lucrative showbiz career".<ref name="nme">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also found the album premature, commenting: "hopefully, if she starts to live the wretched life that we all eventually do, her voice will show the scars, she'll stop looking so fucking smug, she'll find solace in drugs and we'll be all the happier for it. Now grow up, girl. Quick!"<ref name="nme" /> Amanda Murray of Sputnikmusic felt that "with the exception of the terrific title track, ...Baby One More Time is a collection of either competent pop songs underwhelmingly executed or underwhelmingly written pop songs competently executed."<ref name="sputnik">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2024, Paste listed the album among its picks for "The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time", with critic Olivia Abercrombie praising the album's iconic status and influence in pop music.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

AccoladesEdit

Template:Awards table |- ! scope="row"| 1999 | Juno Award | Best Selling Album (Foreign or Domestic) | rowspan="2"| ...Baby One More Time | Template:Nom | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1999 | Teen Choice Award | Choice Music – Album | Template:Won | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1999 | YoungStar Award | Best Young Recording Artist or Musical Group | rowspan="2"| Britney Spears | Template:Won | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1999 | Billboard Music Award | Female Albums Artist of the Year | Template:Won | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>Template:Cite speech Template:Cbignore</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 2000 | Guinness World Record | Best Selling Album in the US by a Female Artist | rowspan="5"| ...Baby One More Time | Template:Won | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 2000 | American Music Award | Favorite Pop/Rock Album | Template:Nom | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 2000 | Blockbuster Entertainment Award | Favorite CD | Template:Nom | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 2000 | Hungarian Music Award | Foreign Pop Album of the Year | Template:Nom | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 2003 | Guinness World Record | Best Selling Album by a Teenage Solo Artist | Template:Won | style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="folkard"/> |}

Commercial performanceEdit

File:Femme Fatale Vancouver 13.jpg

Spears and some of her dancers performing lead single "...Baby One More Time" during her 2011 Femme Fatale Tour

In the United States, ...Baby One More Time debuted atop the Billboard 200 with sales of 121,000 copies in its first week, beating DMX's Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood.<ref name="britneyfirstweekstats">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Spears broke several records by doing so.<ref name="records" /> The singer became the first new female artist to have a number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one album on the Billboard 200 at the same time;<ref name="records" /> the first new artist (male or female) to have a single go to the number one spot the same week that the album debuted at number one;<ref name="records" /> and the first new female artist to have the first single and first album at number one the same week.<ref name="records" /> Spears is also the youngest female in Billboard history to have a simultaneous single and album at number one in the same week,<ref name="records">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and became the fifth artist under the age of 18 to top the Billboard 200.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> After fluctuating within the top five, the album went back to the summit in its fourth week.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It sold over 500,000 copies within its first month, according to Nielsen SoundScan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its fifth week became the album's highest-selling week with 229,000 copies sold, bringing the total to 804,000 copies. ...Baby One More Time spent a total of six non-consecutive weeks at number one,<ref name="britneyfirsttour" /> and sold over 1.8 million copies in the US within its first two months.<ref name="britneyfifthweek">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In its 47th week on the Billboard 200, the album held strong at number three, reaching the ten-million sales mark in the country.<ref name="diamond">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on December 9, 1999,<ref name="riaadiamond" /> making then-18-year-old Spears the youngest artist to receive that certification, breaking the record held by Alanis Morissette, who was 21 when her album Jagged Little Pill (1995) was certified diamond.<ref name="riaadiamond">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It became the 14th album since 1991 to sell over ten million copies in the US,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and Spears became the best-selling female artist of 1999.<ref name="riaadiamond" /> ...Baby One More Time spent a total of 51 weeks within the top ten on the Billboard 200. It was the second best-selling album of 1999 in the US, only behind Millennium by the Backstreet Boys.<ref name="britneynewalbum">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album has spent a total of 103 weeks on the Billboard 200.<ref name="bb200"/> ...Baby One More Time landed at number three on BMG Music Club's all-time best-sellers list, selling 1.6 million units through the club.<ref name="BMG">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of May 2020, it has sold 10.7 million copies in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan,<ref name=billboard2015>Template:Cite magazine</ref> with the BMG Music Club sales bringing its total to 12.3 million units.

...Baby One More Time debuted atop the Canadian Albums Chart, spending nine non-consecutive weeks at the summit.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> On December 12, 1999, the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) certified it diamond, for sales of over one million units.Template:Certification Cite Ref The album spent two weeks at number two on the European Top 100 Albums,<ref name="1990sbb" /> and sold over four million copies across Europe, being certified quadruple platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).<ref name="EuropeCertification"/> It peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart,<ref name="UK charts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and has been certified quadruple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).<ref name=BPI/> It peaked at number four in France,<ref name="French charts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> being certified double platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).<ref name="FranceCertification"/> In addition, it has been certified triple gold in Germany,Template:Certification Cite Ref and platinum by the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry (ZPAV).Template:Certification Cite Ref In Australia, it debuted at number nine on the ARIA Albums Chart, reaching number two nine weeks later.<ref name="ARIA charts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album became the seventh highest-selling album of 1999 in the country, and was certified quadruple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) the following year after shipping 280,000 copies to retailers.<ref name="AustraliaCertification"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album debuted at number three in New Zealand,<ref name="RIANZ">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Album Chart#1161</ref> later being certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).<ref name=NZBabyTableEntry/>

LegacyEdit

Spears was at the forefront of the female teen pop explosion starting in 1999 and extending through the 2000s, leading the pack of Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, and Mandy Moore.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> All of these performers had been developing material in 1998, but the market changed dramatically in December 1998 when Spears' debut single and video were charting highly. RCA Records signed Aguilera and rushed her debut single to capitalize on Spears' success, producing the hit single "Genie in a Bottle" in May 1999 and Aguilera's eponymous debut studio album in August.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Aguilera's album sold millions but not as many as ...Baby One More Time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Simpson consciously modeled her persona as more mature than Spears; her single "I Wanna Love You Forever" charted in September 1999, and her album Sweet Kisses followed shortly after.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Moore's first single, "Candy", hit the airwaves a month before Simpson's single, but it did not perform as well on the charts; Moore was often seen as less accomplished than Spears and the others, coming in fourth of the "pop princesses".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Fueling media stories about their competition for first place, Spears and Aguilera traded barbs but also compliments through the 2000s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Template:Quote box The Daily Yomiuri reported that "critics have hailed her as the most gifted teenage pop idol for many years, but Spears has set her sights a little higher-she is aiming for the level of superstardom that has been achieved by Madonna and Janet Jackson."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Rolling Stone wrote: "Britney Spears carries on the classic archetype of the rock & roll teen queen, the dungaree doll, the angel baby who just has to make a scene."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Rami Yacoub who co-produced Spears's debut album with lyricist Max Martin commented: "I know from Denniz Pop and Max's previous productions, when we do songs, there's kind of a nasal thing. With N' Sync and the Backstreet Boys, we had to push for that mid-nasal voice. When Britney did that, she got this kind of raspy, sexy voice."<ref name="billboard book">Template:Harvnb</ref> Chuck Taylor of Billboard observed, "Spears has become a consummate performer, with snappy dance moves, a clearly real-albeit young-and funkdified voice ... "(You Drive Me) Crazy", her third single ... demonstrates Spears' own development, proving that the 17-year-old is finding her own vocal personality after so many months of steadfast practice."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic referred to her music as a "blend of infectious, rap-inflected dance-pop and smooth balladry."<ref name="allmusic" /> Sputnikmusic writer Amanda Murray noted the album "offers a marker for Spears' progression as an artist, as a celebrity, and as a woman."<ref name="sputnik" /> In 2010, the album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>

Spears became an international pop culture icon immediately after launching her recording career. Rolling Stone wrote: "One of the most controversial and successful female vocalists of the 21st century," she "spearheaded the rise of post-millennial teen pop ... Spears early on cultivated a mixture of innocence and experience that generated lots of cash".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She is listed by the Guinness World Records as having the "Best-selling album by a teenage solo artist".<ref name="folkard">Template:Harvnb</ref> Melissa Ruggieri of the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, "She's also marked for being the best-selling teenage artist. Before she turned 20 in 2001, Spears sold more than 25 million albums worldwide".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Barbara Ellen of The Observer reported: "Spears is famously one of the 'oldest' teenagers pop has ever produced, almost middle aged in terms of focus and determination. Many 19-year-olds haven't even started working by that age, whereas Britney, a former Mouseketeer, was that most unusual and volatile of American phenomena — a child with a full-time career. While other little girls were putting posters on their walls, Britney was wanting to be the poster on the wall. Whereas other children develop at their own pace, Britney was developing at a pace set by the ferociously competitive American entertainment industry".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> ...Baby One More Time is Spears' most commercially successful album to date, with worldwide sales of 25 million copies.<ref name="BOMTsales"/> It was ranked at number 41 on the all-time US Billboard 200 chart,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and at number 16 on the Billboard 200 albums by women.<ref name=Billboard>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Track listingEdit

Template:Track listing Template:Track listing Template:Track listing Template:Track listing

Template:Track listing Template:Track listing

Notes

The very first pressings of the album feature a hidden spoken message by Spears after "The Beat Goes On". In it, Spears thanks fans and promotes the then-upcoming Backstreet Boys album, Millennium, with snippets of songs featured on the album.<ref name="popology" />
"Soda Pop" originally appeared on the soundtrack to the TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch in 1998, in a slightly longer version.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

^{<templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^a{{#if:| }}} signifies a co-producer
^{<templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^b{{#if:| }}} signifies an additional producer
^{<templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^c{{#if:| }}} signifies a remixer

PersonnelEdit

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of ...Baby One More Time, except where noted.<ref name="liner"/>

Template:Div col

Mikey Bassie – vocals (track 4)
Daniel Boom – engineering
Jimmy Bralower – drum programming
Jason Buckler – production
Larry Busacca – photography
Andreas Carlsson – backing vocals
Tom Coyne – mastering
Denniz Pop – production (uncredited)<ref name=Seabrook2015/>
Nikki Gregoroff – backing vocals
Nana Hedin – backing vocals
Andy Hess – bass
Dean Honer – production
David Kreuger – production
Tim Latham – engineering, mixing
Tomas Lindberg – bass
Kristian Lundin – production
Per Magnusson – keyboards, production, programming
Max Martin – backing vocals, engineering, keyboards, mixing, production, programming
Charles McCrorey – engineering assistance
Andrew McIntyre – electric guitar
Jackie Murphy – art direction, design
Lisa Peardon – photography
Dan Petty – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Doug Petty – keyboards
Don Philip – vocals (track 8)
Rami – production
Albert Sanchez – photography
Aleese Simmons – backing vocals
Britney Spears – vocals
Chris Trevett – engineering, mixing
Eric Foster White – arrangement, bass, drum programming, electric guitar, engineering, keyboards, mixing, production
Timothy White – photography

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ChartsEdit

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Weekly chartsEdit

Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart Template:Album chart

1999–2000 weekly chart performance for *...Baby One More Time*
Chart (1999–2000)	Peak position
Argentine Albums (CAPIF)<ref name="Billboard's Hits of the World (February 19, 2000)">Template:Cite book</ref>	8
Australian Dance Albums (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite journal Template:Cbignore</ref>	1
Canadian Top Albums/CDs (RPM)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	5
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	7
Estonian Albums (Eesti Top 10)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	4
European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	2
Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	5
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	4
Italian Albums (FIMI)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	8
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref name="Oricon">{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	9
Malaysian Albums (RIM)<ref name="Billboard's Hits of the World (September 11, 1999)">Template:Cite book</ref>	3
Mexican Albums (AMPROFON)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Portuguese Albums (AFP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Singapore Albums (SPVA)<ref name=sin>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	9
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	2
Taiwanese Albums (IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	1

2022 weekly charts for *...Baby One More Time*
Chart (2022)	Peak position
Greek Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	65

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Monthly chartsEdit

Monthly chart performance for *...Baby One More Time*
Chart (1999)	Peak position
South Korean Albums (RIAK)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	13

Year-end chartsEdit

1999 year-end chart performance for *...Baby One More Time*
Chart (1999)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	7
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	4
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	4
Canadian Top Albums/CDs (RPM)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	2
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	27
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11
European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	5
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	21
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	8
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref name="1999Japan">{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	85
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	15
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	14
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	2

2000 year-end chart performance for *...Baby One More Time*
Chart (2000)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	94
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	34
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	42
Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	71
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	64
European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	22
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	45
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	61
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	27
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	36
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	17

Decade-end chartsEdit

1990s decade-end chart performance for *...Baby One More Time*
Chart (1990–1999)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref name="1990sbb">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	29

2000s decade-end chart performance for *...Baby One More Time*
Chart (2000–2009)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	81

All-time chartsEdit

All-time chart performance for *...Baby One More Time*
Chart	Position
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	41
US Billboard 200 (Women)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	16

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Certifications and salesEdit

Release historyEdit

Release dates and formats for *...Baby One More Time*
Region	Date	Format(s)	Edition	Label	Template:Abbr
United States	January 12, 1999	Template:Hlist	Standard	Jive	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Japan	February 24, 1999	CD	Deluxe	Avex Trax	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Germany	March 8, 1999	CD	Standard	BMG	<ref name="Amazon.de">{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
United Kingdom	March 8, 1999	Template:Hlist		Jive	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Argentina	March 17, 1999	CD		EMI	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
France	April 9, 1999			Jive	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Australia	November 23, 1999		Deluxe	BMG	<ref name="aus"/>
Poland	May 8, 2003	Digital download			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>{{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters\|check\|unknown=\|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"\|ignoreblank=y\| 1 \| style }}
Germany	June 30, 2003	CD			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>{{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters\|check\|unknown=\|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"\|ignoreblank=y\| 1 \| style }}
France	October 14, 2003	CD		Jive	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>{{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters\|check\|unknown=\|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"\|ignoreblank=y\| 1 \| style }}
United States	December 25, 2007	Digital download		Jive	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
United States	November 3, 2017	Vinyl Template:Small	Standard	Legacy	<ref name=PinkSwirl>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Various	November 23, 2018	Template:Hlist Template:Small		Legacy	<ref name="2018vinyl">{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Australia	March 31, 2023	Opaque pink vinyl		Sony	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Germany					<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Mexico					<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Poland					<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
United Kingdom					<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
United States		Black vinyl		Legacy	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>