I'm a Slave 4 U

"I'm a Slave 4 U" is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears for her third studio album, Britney (2001). Written and produced by Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, it was released on September 24, 2001, by Jive Records as the lead single from the album. Marking a transition for Spears from the teen pop sounds of her previous singles, "I'm a Slave 4 U" is an urban pop and R&B song. The lyrics describes the plea of a young woman to be liberated and feel independent.

Heralding a new, provocative image for Spears, "I'm a Slave 4 U" garnered a mixed reception from music critics at the time of its release. Some argued it was the singer's most mature sound at the time, compared to her previous singles, while others noticed the video and the song's attempt to leave behind Spears' girl next door image to a sexier image. The song achieved commercial success worldwide, peaking within the top ten in almost every country that it charted in. In the United States, the song peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 85 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

Since its release, "I'm a Slave 4 U" has become one of Spears' signature hits, as well as having been considered one of the defining songs of the early 2000s, the new millennium, and of the pop genre. The original dance choreography, from the music video and live performances, has also been widely praised and imitated, with Spears doing little to alter it for many years after the song's release. Her 2001 MTV Video Music Awards performance of the song is considered amongst the greatest live performances in pop music history, as well as a career highlight for Spears, on-par with iconic past performances of artists such as Madonna, Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson. In 2021, Billboard ranked "I'm a Slave 4 U" at number three in its list of The 100 Greatest Songs of 2001.