The Bottom Line
It may be easy to adopt a dismissive attitude toward Britney Spears' single "If U Seek Amy" and the blatant effort to offend and poke a finger in the eye of her critics. However, the song is difficult to ignore. Just as with last year's "Piece Of Me" she does have a point, and the absurdity of those who hound Britney Spears may definitely outstrip any outrageous acts she performs on her own.
Pros
- Max Martin's instantly appealing pop hook
- Britney Spears' in your face attitude
Cons
- Yes, it's juvenile and designed to draw attention
- Musically rather thin
Description
- Written by Max Martin, Shellback, Savan Kotecha, and Alexander Kronlund
- Produced by Max Martin
- Released February 2009 by Jive Records
Guide Review - Britney Spears - "If U Seek Amy"
With the release of Britney Spears' latest album Circus, one of the songs instantly drawing attention was "If U Seek Amy" and the profane phrase the title seemed to spell out. It is no surprise that the song would eventually appear as an official single release. As expected, pop radio stations became nervous, and it even seemed like the single release was in jeopardy until a slightly less offensive mix with a new title "If U See Amy" was put together specifically for radio airplay. All of this hoopla looks past any questions of quality or artistry in the recording.
Just as the cutesy wordplay of "If U Seek Amy" may seem somewhat absurd, Britney Spears gives as good as she gets here. The song amounts to a clever kiss-off of her critics. She is exactly right. Any time Britney Spears is attacked in the press, there will always be plenty of people waiting to get close to her.
Max Martin provides a pounding pop framework here that may have you singing the words in spite of yourself. It is difficult to quantify the impact the controversy may have on sales or airplay of "If U Seek Amy," but don't be shocked if you ultimately see this song in the pop top 10.
