In November of 2003, Britney’s fourth album, “In the Zone,” hit shelves. It sold over ten million copies and produced four singles, the first of which was a collab with Madonna called “Me Against the Music.” The other three singles were “Every time,” “Outrageous,” and “Toxic.” The video for “Toxic” won Britney her first Grammy award for Best Dance Recording.
By this time, Spears had taken over most of the creative control of her material, writing and co-producing all of it. Vibe referred to the album as “a supremely confident dance record that also illustrates Spears’s development as a songwriter.”
The Kiss That Shocked the World
The 2003 VMAs featured an incredible anticipated performance that combined Madonna, Britney, and Christina Aguilera. Britney found a way to make the performance even more memorable. During the middle of Madonna's classic pop hit “Like A Virgin,” the queen of pop kissed both fellow performers on the lips (no doubt inspiring Katy Perry in the process).
This memorable event came right on the heels of Britney's breakup with Timberlake. While Madonna quickly switched sides to give Aguilera the same lip lovin', the broadcast quickly pointed the camera at Timberlake, catching him in the process of making a face.
A Long List of Lovers
After her heartbreaking breakup with Timberlake, Britney hit the dating field. Whether it's famous actors like Colin Farrell or Jared Leto, or musicians like Fred Durst, Britney barely had a moment to herself. It was Durst who came with some controversy, however.
In 2003, at the height of both of their careers, the Limp Bizkit front-man worked on a song with Spears, and they soon got into a relationship. Well, he thinks they did, at least, though Britney has denied all of his claims. Whether or not he was telling the truth, he later went on record saying, “I just guess at the time it was taboo for a guy like me to be associated with a gal like her.”
Wedding Bells
After going through the lists of famous – and not-famous – men trying to find love, Spears finally went with childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander. Marrying him in January 2004 at A Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Britney's wedding look was a maroon cap and low-rise jeans. Like most Vegas weddings, it didn't last long.
In fact, the speed of this divorce has become a legendary tale about celeb marriages. Just fifty-five hours after the wedding, Britney filed for the marriage to be annulled, stating that when she married Alexander, she “lacked understanding of her actions.”
The Mega-Star Halts
Britney was at the top of her game. She was the ultimate name in pop stars, and breakups and marriages aside, nothing could stop her. She was friends with Madonna, had just released a highly-regarded fourth album, was on a huge promotional tour, and had won a Grammy. Two months into the tour, however, tragedy struck.
While filming a music video, Spears fell and wrecked her knee, requiring arthroscopic surgery, six weeks of brace wear, and eight to twelve weeks of rehabilitation. She had to cancel the tour, and for the first time in six years, she had to put her career on hold. This period of rest produced plenty of problems.