When the album Britney was released in 2001, Britney Spears was already one of the world's biggest pop stars, but the album marked an important turning point in her career. With a more mature and confident expression, she moved away from the teen pop that had made her world-famous and explored a more R&B-inspired sound. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and cemented her status as one of the absolute biggest pop phenomena of the time.

With huge hits like "I'm a Slave 4 U", "Overprotected" and "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman", Britney became another massive commercial success and has since achieved multi-platinum status in several countries. Today, the album stands as one of the most significant releases in her discography and an important chapter in the pop history of the 00s.