The record incorporates genres of pop and R&B with influences of EDM and occasionally dips into disco, hip hop, rock, and electronica.

I Did It Again, which was released in May 2000 to global commercial success,[3] Spears collaborated with producers such as Rodney Jerkins, Rami Yacoub, and Max Martin;[4] all of them returned for Britney.

"[2] Spears was additionally set to record songs with Missy Elliott and Timbaland, which never came to fruition due to scheduling conflicts.

[7] While recording Britney, Spears wanted an "older generation to pick up on it", adding that she "had to change it up and pray people think that's cool".

She added that personally writing the album and developing its concept made the project "that much more special", elaborating of her intentions to "get better and grow" as a songwriter.

[8][9][10] It opens with the urban and Middle Eastern-influenced "I'm a Slave 4 U",[11] which showcases breathy, emotive noises,[12] and has been compared to "Nasty Girl" by Vanity 6.

[9] Lyrically, "Lonely" sees a girl moving on from a troublesome romance after being lied to and manipulated, being considered "a teenage version" of Janet Jackson's "What About".

[15] "Boys" incorporates R&B and hip hop styles,[16] and was criticized by David Browne of Entertainment Weekly as "cut-rate '80s Janet Jackson".

[9] The disco-inspired track "Anticipating" discusses the friendship and camaraderie between women,[17][18] and was described as reminiscent of Madonna's "Holiday" and "Kylie in disco mood.

[23] Similarly, "That's Where You Take Me" details the joy she gets from an emotionally fulfilling relationship,[24] amid Middle Eastern chimes and a collage of electronic beats and drum programming.

[27] On September 6, Spears premiered "I'm a Slave 4 U" at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards; the performance was criticized for her use of a yellow python as a stage prop.

[38] Spears also appeared on Live with Regis and Kelly, The View,[43] and the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, as well as the German talk show Wetten, dass..?.

Its Darkchild remix peaked at number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[46] while the original version reached the top ten in Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

[46] The song fared better internationally, peaking at number two in the UK,[47] and within the top ten in Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden.

It reached the top ten in Austria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Scotland and Slovenia,[56] whilst peaking at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart.

[47] Directed by Chris Applebaum, its accompanying music video shows Spears with her own band, a stack of speakers and flashing lights.

[47] Its accompanying music video, directed by Dave Meyers, features Spears, Williams, and Mike Myers as Austin Powers at a party inside a castle, with cameo appearances from actors Jason Priestley, Justin Bruening and Taye Diggs.

[69] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly found Spears's increasingly provocative image to be unnatural, noting "virginal vamping in an awkward adolescence" and "a few tentative new moves".

[63] PopMatters' Nikki Tranton complimented the production of the songs, but questioned if Spears was ready to establish herself as a grown woman in the music industry.

[12] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine agreed, writing that although "Britney, [the album], fills her role of guilty pleasure (the disc certainly satiates more than the stunted growth of last year's Oops!...I Did It Again), it's time for Spears to quit being such a cock-tease and cook something up that will satisfy the ever-vacillating hype-machine.

"[11] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave a positive review, feeling that the album "strives to deepen [Spears's] persona" and proves she "will know what to do when the teen-pop phenomenon of 1999–2001 passes for good".

[70] Chris Heat of Dotmusic praised Britney for "us[ing] this opportunity to take the odd risk and adds a welcome edge to her sound.

"[19] NME's Ted Kessler recognized the release as a "coming of age album" and joked that it "works best when making a good pop cheese and dance sandwich".

Club panned the album, opining that the music "just [isn't] catchy" and that "though neither a girl nor a woman, Spears inspires grown-up anger on her own".

[84] The album also peaked at number four in Australia, and was certified double platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).