If you’re all out of TV shows and movies to watch while passing the time in coronavirus quarantine, don’t worry: A new onslaught of titles is coming this week to help. From the premiere of Ryan Murphy’s highly-anticipated Netflix series, Hollywood, to a Parks and Recreation reunion, there really is so much to look forward to.
Behold, all the TV shows and movies to earmark for this week:
Sunday, April 26
Penny Dreadful: City of Angels: A spinoff of the popular series Penny Dreadful. Here is the synopsis, per Showtime: “In darkness, everything comes to light. When a grisly murder shocks Los Angeles in 1938, Detective Tiago Vega and his partner Lewis Michener become embroiled in an epic story that reflects the rich history of the city. Starring Natalie Dormer, Daniel Zovatto, and Nathan Lane.” 10 P.M. ET on Showtime
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Monday, April 27
Cup of Joe: Joe Jonas stars in this new, eight-part travel docuseries in which we get to see the pop superstar travel the world while on his Happiness Begins tour with brothers Kevin and Nick. In each one of their tour stops, Jonas links up with a celebrity friend, and together they go sightseeing. Sounds like the ideal thing to watch while you’re stuck at home, right? Streaming on Quibi
Never Have I Ever: Here is Netflix’s official synopsis of this show: “Never Have I Ever is a new coming-of-age comedy about the complicated life of a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl. The series stars newcomer Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi, an overachieving high school sophomore who has a short fuse that gets her into difficult situations. Never Have I Ever is created by executive producer Mindy Kaling, with Lang Fisher serving as executive producer, showrunner and writer.” Streaming on Netflix
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Tuesday, April 28
The Photograph: When Mae Morton ( Issa Rae ) finds an old photograph of her mother, she’s sent on a journey that leads to a rising-star journalist, Michael Block (Lakeith Stanfield). Available for digital purchase
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Wednesday, April 29′
Normal People: Read Hulu’s description, below. Streaming on Hulu
“Based on Sally Rooney’s best-selling novel, Normal People is an exquisite, modern love story about how one person can unexpectedly change another person’s life and about how complicated intimacy can be. It follows Marianne and Connell over several years—both from a small west of Ireland town, but from very different backgrounds—as they embark on an on-again/off-again romance that starts at school and continues through college, testing their relationship as they explore different versions of themselves.”
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Thursday, April 30
A Parks and Recreation Special: Your favorites from Pawnee are coming back for a one-night special to raise money for coronavirus relief. 8:30 P.M. ET on NBC
Dangerous Lies: A Netflix thriller starring Camila Mendes that looks like Riverdale meets Lifetime? Sign me up. Streaming on Netflix
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Friday, May 1
Hollywood: Ryan Murphy’s glittery new series explores what classic Hollywood could have been if it weren’t in control by white, straight men. Streaming on Netflix
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Saturday, May 2
JoJo’s new album, Good to Know: The singer’s highly-anticipated follow up to 2016’s Mad Love is out now. Available on music streaming platforms
Britney Spears, the princess of pop, has—despite her stumbles—always delivered in music video form. These days she’s found a new source of creativity on Instagram, offering fascinating peeks into her world through short workout videos, Doolittlereviews, and fashion shots. And now that everyone’s at home with a lot of time on their hands, Britney included, it seems as good a time as any to look back at the singer’s iconic music video offerings to see how she—and we—have grown through the years.
Below, a complete history of Britney Spears’ music videos.
“…Baby One More Time” (1998)
As Fabolous would say, “Often imitated, never duplicated.” This video is a classic and was instantly iconic as soon as it premiered. “…Baby One More Time” is an incredibly catchy song on its own, but the music video is what truly put Britney on the map—and on the rocket ship to superstardom. What more can be said about the schoolgirl outfits, the fuzzy pink pigtail holders, the basketball, that hasn’t been covered? As far as first impressions go, they may never top this.
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“Sometimes” (1999)
Britney’s bare midriff continued on its hot streak in “Sometimes.” This video, I think, is singlehandedly responsible for crop tops becoming a huge thing in 1999. Even though “Sometimes” is a ballad, Britney managed to work in a white-clad dance troupe to bust some moves on a boardwalk—and that’s why she’s the world’s greatest entertainer.
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“You Drive Me Crazy” (1999)
At this point Britney was clearly ready to have some fun. It was finally time to see the goofy side of Britney in all her gum-chewing glory. The pigtails are back, the exposure is high, and Melissa Joan Hart and Adrian Grenier make the most 1999 cameos of all time. “Crazy” also offers what is now known as a Britney trademark: her signature “stop!” and slow swoop forward on a chair for optimal cleavage teasing.
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“Born to Make You Happy” (1999)
In what mostly seems like foreshadowing to “Oops!…I Did It Again,” Britney serves a lot of leather LOOKS, some slightly awkward choreography, and very random (but much appreciated) cutaways to a ripped male torso. Watching this video, it’s easy to see why we all thought metallic eyeshadow was a totally appropriate daytime look.
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“From the Bottom of My Broken Heart” (1999)
Maybe Britney was tired of showing off her dance moves in music videos, because “From the Bottom of My Broken Heart” marks a shift into focusing on her acting. The now overused music video cliché of lip syncing and longingly looking into the camera was basically invented by Britney in this video. “From the Bottom of My Broken Heart” also cemented the singer as a style chameleon: As soon as I saw her pull off a green fleece bucket hat, I knew she was a star to be reckoned with.
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“Oops!…I Did It Again” (2000)
Rewatching the “Oops!” video is like taking a time machine to a world where everything was right and nothing hurt. Britney in a red leather jumpsuit is how we all deserve to be remembered: vivacious, silly, lusted after by a hot astronaut. This is a perfect song, a perfect video, and a perfect encapsulation of why Britney had the worldwide impact she did. If you didn’t attempt to learn Britney’s “Oops!…I Did It Again” arm choreography, did you ever truly live?
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“Lucky” (2000)
“Lucky” was our first taste of biographical emo Britney. This video has a fabulously meta plot that seemingly took place in the 1940s, which meant we got to see Britney in sweeping Sunset Boulevard sleeping gowns and Veronica Lake–inspired hair. Looking back, “Lucky” was an almost too obvious cry for help—maybe that’s why we ignored it for so long? Or maybe we were just distracted by the star swipes.
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“Stronger” (2000)
“Stronger” demonstrated Britney’s growth in music videos from a codependent basket case (“…Baby One More Time”) to…well, stronger. So strong, in fact, that we learned Britney didn’t even need backup dancers! All we need is Britney, a chair, and an all-black room to make our lives a little bit better for three and a half minutes.
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“Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know” (2001)
Previously, all Britney got to share with her onscreen beaus were a few chaste kisses, some hand-holding, and a weird pillow fight. “Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know” was Britney telling us that not only did she know what sex was, she was having it—often—on the beach! Of course, Britney was infamously coy in real life about sex stuff (as she had every right to be—everyone’s obsession with her virginity was gross).
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“I’m a Slave 4 U” (2001)
This video cemented what Britney fans already knew was brewing: Britney was done with the cutesy kid-friendly pop star stuff and ready to be unveiled as a smoking hot sex symbol. The sweat, the orgy, the lowest cut pants of all time, the abs! This is what passed as controversial and “too hot” in 2001. How far we’ve come.
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“Overprotected” (2001)
At this point Britney dropped the pretense of “Lucky” and was full-on telling us how fed up she was with being a media sensation for doing little more than growing up. She did so with her tried-and-true formula: Britney. Chair. Dancing. She mixed it up a little by dancing on a chaise longue as well!
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“I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” (2002)
An accompanying piece to the Shonda Rhimes–penned Crossroads, “Not a Girl” was an anthem for young women everywhere who found themselves in that strange space between girl and adulthood. This is a notable video for the “bleached blonde hair and eyebrows” look Britney popularized. Also, doesn’t it seem as though this is where The Bachelor got the idea for leaving contestants on majestic, abandoned natural wonders?
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“I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” (2002)
Another Crossroads soundtrack fulfillment, the music video for “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” was Britney’s chance to feel like a true rock star. She fronts a band (!)—something that has never before been seen in her videos—writhes on a motorcycle, and demonstrates some pretty impressive cat/cow positions on the ground. What a limber lower back!
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“Boys” (2002)
“Boys” is an extremely underrated video in Britney’s canon. It has everything: awesome dancing, a CGI castle, Pharrell whispering sweet nothings, cameos by Austin Powers and DJ Qualls, Britney being all horny, and multiple zebras. How fun is it to see Britney goof around with Mike Myers? Why aren’t there more movie-character cameos in music videos? As usual, Britney is a pioneer.
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“Me Against the Music” (2003)
Britney’s love for Madonna was well-publicized, and in “Me Against the Music,” she finally had her chance to collaborate with the pop veteran. At the time, this video was thought of as somewhat lackluster, considering it contained two of the biggest singers-who-dance of all time, and it’s clear they were never on set at the same time. There’s only so much that body-double work and camera angles can make up for, and the lack of sizzle from Britney and Madonna’s true chemistry shows. Britney’s dancing in the flophouse is fun, though!
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“Toxic” (2004)
The “Toxic” music video was the dizzying high Britney reached before it all came crashing down. “Toxic” had several great set pieces (airplanes! Paris! motorcycles! the side of a skyscraper!), phenomenal outfits, and wigs that were to die for. And Britney writhing in an all-diamond outfit is still the Halloween costume we wish we were ballsy enough to wear. “Toxic” looks still get referenced by fans today (ahem, Taylor Swift) and this is without a doubt the best music video of 2004.
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“Everytime” (2004)
Another ballad, another cry for help in music video form that we ignored. We follow Britney through Vegas as she’s hounded by the paparazzi, a bad boyfriend, and her own demons. This video was dark. Britney gets a piece of glass lodged in her head and then drowns in a bathtub, people. And she still gets no peace from the public. Looking back on this video, Britney needed a break, y’all.
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“Outrageous” (2004)
As fun as it is to see Britney love up on Snoop Dogg, this video feels like a bit of an afterthought—a “why not” video for the last single from In the Zone.
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“My Prerogative” (2005)
At this point, Britney and Kevin Federline had become a thing, and the Britney we had come to know and love began to flounder. Emboldened by her second marriage, Britney started the more rebellious part of her career and life, as visualized in the “My Prerogative” video. Britney crashes her car into a pool at a spooky house (which feels weirdly prescient to the theatrical experience “Sleep No More”), is filmed bed-dancing for some exhibitionist, and more.
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“Do Somethin’” (2005)
This should have been Britney’s big moment, but it was more of a tepid shrug. It’s same old, same old. Fans began to wonder: Is Britney spending too much time with Kevin to evolve?
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“Gimme More” (2007)
Aaaaand here was our answer: Britney evolved all right—at this point, she was a mother of two, had a reality show, was hounded by increasingly dangerous and volatile paparazzi, shaved her head, and had been to rehab twice. The video for “Gimme More” is not quite the disaster that was her 2007 VMAs performance, but it’s also not the return to form everyone was hoping for after such a tumultuous period in Britney’s life.
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“Piece of Me” (2007)
Luckily “Piece of Me” came along and salvaged the Blackout era. Britney’s most personal and specific song to date, “Piece of Me” showed Britney having fun with her all-blonde gal pals, making fun of photographers and tabloids, and had some solid dancing that helped erase “Gimme More” from our memories.
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“Break the Ice” (2008)
“Break the Ice” is entirely animated, so it doesn’t feel as though it should count as a Britney video. I’m guessing she was too busy with motherhood to participate in a proper shoot. That’s okay, Britney. We all need breaks…
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“Womanizer” (2008)
…especially if that break leads up to a video as fabulous as “Womanizer.” This bit of filmmaking is why you should never count Britney Spears out. Along with the great “catch the cheating boyfriend” concept, we got to see Britney as we had never seen her before: in an office! “Womanizer” feels like a natural sequel to “Toxic” (some of the wigs even look similar) and hits all the right notes. At this point, we were all screaming, “Welcome back, queen!!!”
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“Circus” (2008)
Britney starts this video with not one but two beats of obvious product placement. Hey, get that money. What follows is an extremely literal circus theme, including elephants and Britney as a lion-tamer. It’s not exactly pushing the envelope as far as videos are concerned, but “Circus” is a solid follow-up to “Womanizer.”
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“If U Seek Amy” (2009)
Ah yes, the controversial F-U-C-K. In one of Britney’’ weirdest videos, we start at the morning after a hotel room party, segue into an almost Kubrick-esque couch dance while drugged-out partiers watch, and then segue to Britney’s “happy housewife” look in the suburbs, where she’s hosting an apple-pie fueled orgy. It’s extremely ambitious for a relatively simple dance song—and for that, we must give Britney props.
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“Kill the Lights” (2009)
Another animated yawner. Nothing more to say.
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“Radar” (2009)
“Radar,” or “Britney goes to a polo match,” is mostly notable for its first-generation iPhone. Was this video that long ago?!
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“3” (2009)
A simple white backdrop and plunging neckline was all this single about threesomes really needed, and Britney delivered.
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“Hold It Against Me” (2011)
With this video we return to a theme that has worked well for Britney in the past: outer space. Again, the product placement (this time Makeup for Ever and Plenty of Fish (????)) is so egregious that it distracts from an otherwise cool and futuristic treatment.
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“Till the World Ends” (2011)
At the time, post-apocalyptic was all the rage—Hunger Games was huge—and Britney cashed in with this video. It’s a much hotter take on the underground orgy from The Matrix Reloaded, and the visual effects are actually pretty good for a music video.
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“I Wanna Go” (2011)
Finally, a return to Britney’s considerable comedic timing! Wearing a cut-off Mickey Mouse T-shirt, Britney kicks off this video in high style by hilariously shutting down haters in the press and poking fun at herself. This video even has a subtle Crossroads 2: Cross Harder joke and a nod to Thriller. It’s perfect.
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“Criminal” (2011)
“Criminal” is a way better video than it has any right to be and is incredibly underrated. The song is pretty mediocre, but the video follows Britney as a put-upon domestic violence survivor who breaks free and moves on with a hot affair with her real-life boyfriend at the time, Jason Trawick.
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“Ooh La La” (2013)
You can’t really expect a masterpiece video for a song on the Smurfs 2 soundtrack, but Britney nonetheless delivers her first family-friendly effort in years. It’s cute. Her kids are cute. It’s fine.
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“Work Bitch” (2013)
Britney at her capitalist best! “Work Bitch” was just the shot in the arm that Britney’s career needed in 2013. The dominatrix persona suits the singer, and the desert/pool visuals are truly stunning. This video gave us some glorious GIFs, and for that we must be eternally grateful.
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“Perfume” (2013)
I don’t doubt that perfume is an important presence in Britney’s life, as she’s spritzed some on in approximately 12 of her videos previous to this one. But despite some decent Americana road trip looks, “Perfume” is a bit of a filler song and video.
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“Pretty Girls” (2015)
The “Pretty Girls” song and music video were a bit of a stumble for both Iggy Azalea and Britney. Hastily put together and cheap looking, this video is not up to what we’ve come to expect from Ms. Britney Jean Spears. Luckily we know that if there’s one thing Britney can do, it’s a comeback. We look forward to many more music videos for years to come.
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“Make Me…” (2016)
The concept of the video is simple but effective: Britney and her friends audition hot guys for the very music video we’re watching. It’s nice to see the star looking so easy and breezy. And fun fact: The guy who “wins” would later star on U.K.’s Love Island.
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“Slumber Party” (2016)
This isn’t the most memorable of Britney’s videos, but it does feel like a return to form. So many of her signatures are here! There’s a sexy, mysterious house party, a love interest with chiseled abs, dancing in the shortest skirt available in Wardrobe—all things we’ve come to expect from Britney, and a solid way to end this list.
Music has always played such an important role in your life. How does it factor into your mental health?
LeAnn: Creating is the most joyous thing in my book. Creativity gives me a place to express my depth and complexity. I’ve learned that creative energy, left untapped, shows up in my body as anxiety and anger, and I have a lot of creativity that needs to move through me somehow on a daily basis. Music has been my go to outlet since I can remember. It has been the space where I feel I can be the fullest expression of myself. These days, along with music, I am exploring other ways to create with my voice. Everything from writing for my blog, “Soul Of EverLe,” to public speaking, acting, leading chanting and meditation, and candle making. My whole life is one big creation, at least that is the way I view it. Every moment can be art if we treat it as such.
Selena Gomez is another singer in the public eye who’s been open about her mental health. I know you covered her song “Lose You to Love Me.” Have the two of you ever connected on this topic?
LeAnn: I mean, the two of us are two of many who have experienced challenges with mental health in the music industry. One of the reasons why I covered “Lose You To Love Me” for the LovE Sessions is how painfully honest and raw the lyrics are. What beautiful art was made, out of a heart, being broken open. It takes dredging through a certain amount of darkness to create something that authentic and true. Thank God for art and courage.
You’re open about how important self-care is in your life. Do you have any self-care tips?
LeAnn: Find what brings you joy and make it non-negotiable. Do at least one thing that brings you joy every day. It can be as simple as a piece of dark chocolate, taking a walk in nature, taking the time to cook a meal or lighting candles throughout your house… which is my personal favorite and I create my own!
Any self-care products you swear by?
LeAnn: I carry Doterra Siberian Fir oil with me wherever I go. It helps me stay grounded and come back into my body. I also really love the Insight Timer app for on-the-go, guided meditations. I am a contributor and a teacher on the app too. I create and share meditation and chanting. It’s been a very cathartic way of using my voice to help others relax and heal.
What would you say are the most important things to you right now?
LeAnn: My husband [Eddie Cibrian], stepsons, our dog Fleetwood, my own spirit and bringing its authentic expression out into the world, my connection to the divine, growth, being a conduit for creation to flow through, music, wholeness, connection, space, rest, joy, nature, quiet.
Christopher Rosa is the staff entertainment writer at Glamour. Follow him on Instagram @chris.rosa92.
Taylor Swift dropped the music video for her song “The Man” off of Lover bright and early Thursday morning (February 27), after teasing it with a clip that showed what appeared to be a man looking out an office window.
Many fans surmised that the man was actually Swift—and they were right. Throughout the video, she portrays a male version of herself, Tyler Swift, a character walking through life with all the benefits afforded to men.
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The song is one of Swift’s most overtly feminist hits, with lyrics that dissect the double standards women face in the world—and in the music industry. Take the opening lines, for example: “I would be complex / I would be cool / They’d say I played the field before / I found someone to commit to / And that would be okay / For me to do / Every conquest I had made / Would make me more of a boss to you.”
Swift also directed the video, but this isn’t the first time she’s taken charge behind the camera. She co-directed the video for “Lover” and went solo for her holiday release, “Christmas Tree Farm.” It’s a pretty straightforward interpretation of the song, showing Taylor as Tyler being an angry boss but still receiving praise, manspreading, and smoking a cigar on the subway as if he owns the place.
Taylor Swift is the latest pop star to get personal in a documentary. Her new Netflix film, Taylor Swift: Miss Americana, offers an unprecedented look into the pop icon’s life—her career, her personal life, and everything in between. If you finish Taylor Swift: Miss Americana craving more deep dives into the lives of your favorite singers, you’re in luck: There are slew of similar documentaries, many which center on female pop stars. Here are just seven you should consider watching next (if you’re emotionally up for it).
Always the pioneer, Madonna was one of the first women in pop to offer a no-holds-barred look into her life. Filmed while she was on her legendary Blond Ambition Tour—and dating Warren Beatty—Truth or Dare is a sharp, humorous glimpse into the Material Girl’s material world.
This was the first big interview Spears did after her 2007 breakdown—and it is revealing. The singer, who was 26 (!) then, tackles all the questions fans wanted answered at the time, including why she shaved her head. You’ll finish this movie feeling buckets of empathy for Spears and completely understanding why Chris Crocker yelled at everyone to “leave Britney alone!”
Perry’s candy-colored Teenage Dream era ended with this concert film in which we learn more about her roots, artistry, and divorce from first husband Russell Brand.
Gaga tackles her music, “feud” with Madonna, and battle with fibromyalgia in this poignant Netflix documentary, which boasts an impressive 74% rating on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
Okay, so this is more of a concert movie than a full-blown documentary, but if you missed Bey’s spellbinding Coachella performance, now’s your chance to see it.
Arguably the most raw film on this list, Lovato gives her fans a deep look into her struggle with addiction and sets the record straight on a lot of rumors about her personal life and sobriety. (This was filmed and released before Lovato’s July 2018 relapse.)
This moving film offers archived footage of the late Winehouse and interviews from those close to her that paint a beautiful portrait of a legend gone too soon.
But Swift saved some of her harshest words for Braun, who acquired the rights to her masters when he purchased her former record label with backing from a private equity firm. “As your resident loud person, I feel the need to bring it up. That is the unregulated world of private equity coming in and buying up our music as if it is real estate, as if it’s an app or a shoe line. This just happened to me without my approval, consultation or consent,” she said. “After I was denied the chance to purchase my music outright, my entire catalogue was sold to Scoter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings in a deal that I’m told was funded by the Soros Family, 23 Capital and the Carlyle Group. Yet to this day, none of these investors have bothered to contact me or my team directly to perform their due diligence on their investment. On their investment in me, to ask how I might feel about the new owner of my art. The music I wrote. The videos I created. Photos of me, my handwriting, my album designs.”
“Of course, Scooter never contacted me or my team to discuss it prior to the sale or even when it was announced. I’m fairly certain he knew how I would feel about it, though. Let me just say that the definition of the toxic male privilege in our industry is people saying, ‘Well, he’s always been nice to me’ when I’m raising valid concerns about artists and their rights to own their music,” she continued. “Of course he’s nice to you. If you’re in this room you have something he needs.”
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She continued, “The fact is that private equity enabled this man to think, according to his own social media post, that he could ‘buy me.’ I’m obviously not going willingly. Yet the most amazing thing was to discover that it would be the women in our industry who would have my back and show me the most vocal support at one of the most difficult times and I will never, ever forget it. Like ever.”
Well, that’s indeed one powerful way to kick off your 30th year, Tay. We’re impressed.
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