“Baby One More Time” may have catapulted Britney Spears to fame, but did you know it was initially meant for another pop group? Yes, the catchy tune that became her debut single and one of her best-selling songs ever was actually offered to Backstreet Boys and TLC before landing in Britney’s hands.
Max Martin, a Swedish music producer who had worked with artists like Backstreet Boys and Robyn, wrote “Hit Me Baby One More Time”, inspired by a phrase that meant something like “call me back”. Max envisioned this song being performed by a boy band.
He initially pitched it to Backstreet Boys, who had already enjoyed success with their album “Backstreet’s Back”. Unfortunately, they rejected it due to similarities to past hits as well as lyrics that they felt were too childish and too similar to their image.
Max Martin then offered the song to TLC, an R&B trio who had achieved chart-topping status with their album “CrazySexyCool”. TLC turned down the song for various reasons – some found its lyrics too violent, while others preferred writing their own music rather than relying on outside producers.
Britney Spears was an aspiring 16-year-old singer when she auditioned for various record labels but was rejected due to being too young or similar to other pop stars. Finally, she signed with Jive Records, which sent her to Stockholm to work on her debut album with Max Martin and other Swedish producers.
Max Martin presented her with the demo of “…Baby One More Time”, and Britney immediately fell in love. In just 10 days, she recorded it along with six other songs – adding her own flair by altering melodies and adding some ad-libs, as well as giving the song new meaning by viewing it as an appeal for reconciliation rather than violence.
Britney Spears released this single as her debut single in October 1998, and it quickly became an instantaneous success. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks – becoming one of the only female artist debut singles since Whitney Houston’s “Saving All My Love for You” had done so in 1985 – while also reaching number one in 18 other countries worldwide and selling 10 million copies worldwide. As such, it earned Britney a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance while helping win several awards, such as MTV Video Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards.
Britney Spears became an instant icon, and her career soared from there, becoming one of the most prolific and groundbreaking artists ever. Since then, she released nine more albums, sold over 200 million records worldwide, headlined world tours and Las Vegas residencies, and inspired an army of followers, imitators, and parody-makers alike.
“Baby One More Time” has long been considered one of the greatest songs ever, being covered by artists including Ed Sheeran, Travis, Fountains of Wayne, Tori Amos, Bowling for Soup, and Ariana Grande – to name just a few. Additionally, it has also been featured in movies, TV shows, video games, and commercials.
Next time you hear “Baby One More Time”, recall that without Britney Spears’ talent and charisma, it would have become just another popular song. Instead, it became one of her signature tracks and an instant classic.
