Stripe’s Song of the Day: Britney Spears – Toxic

The dramatic, sinister strings and relentless beat have kept the song an iconic part of the pop music rotation

After a run of more mainstream picks, it seemed time to delve into one of the more obscure artists of the 2000s, Britney Spears. Jokes aside, who hasn’t heard ‘Toxic’? The sinister strings, Bond-esque guitar riffs, Spears’s smoky, breathy delivery. Can you believe it only peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100? Insulting if you ask me.

‘Toxic’ feels like it influenced the direction of dark, whimsical pop songs for two decades, especially when Britney’s previous single was her collaboration on ‘Me Against the Music’ with 90s Queen of Pop Madonna.

While it may not have achieved the success it deserved at the time, ‘Toxic’ is now a fixture of pop and one of the most beloved songs of Spears’s entire career. It was a successful departure from her usual pop image and freed her to act and make music how she wished. Well, at least that’s how it seemed at the time. We’re all aware by now of how that story went.

But ‘Toxic’ remains a classic, as tight and undeniable as its driving beat. It’s bold, fun, and, yes, essential.

This article is part of Stripe, bdnews24.com's special publication focusing on culture and society from a youth perspective.