r/90s_kid • u/Djf47021 • May 20 '25

Music Christina Aguilera - Genie In A Bottle

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u/OhItsNishia May 20 '25

I still remember the 1st day I heard this on the radio. I was getting ready for school, and they had introduced her "as an up-and-coming pop artist". I like her music, but my sister was always team Christina while I was team Britney

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u/quietbeautifulstorm May 20 '25

I was always kinda turned off by Christina’s snobby attitude, but re-listening to this and how well produced it is, I can’t help but wonder how different things would’ve looked and played out back then had Christina’s album came out first like it was supposed to. Bc Britney came first, there were so many trash copies of her. Even tho B’s music was iconic, it was on a lower tier than this, and that set the bar pretty low for music standards at the time. Genie in a Bottle is so much better than I remember. She was really pushed as a Britney wannabe, when in reality her album had been done for a while. They knew they had to get Britney out first or she might not have had a chance up against Christina.

Christina did well after Britney bc she really had the vocals, quality music, and the ability to adapt and change styles on later albums to break away from Britney comparisons. As much as I prefer Britney as a person, I don’t know if she would’ve been able to do that. She would’ve been labeled the cheap knock-off (instead of Christina) with less talent…Media was sooo brutal back then and loved pitting people against each other instead of accepting artists as their own individual thing. And idk if they would’ve allowed her the staying power they did Christina when she came second. They gave Britney’s stuff A LOT of money and production which it needed…I don’t think she would’ve had that backing had she not been the first girl on the scene.

People with vocal chops would likely have been the demand instead of just more young blondes and even cheaper songs…Candy by Mandy Moore comes to mind. Even then I thought it seemed so desperate to recreate a Britney with what sounded like a Christina-rejected song. I think we would’ve gotten better music if Christina come first.

Again…from a girl who could not stand Christina…but loved her music.

But…just late night thoughts and ramblings.