Is nothing sacred?

First Joan Jett, now this?

According to Dlisted, Britney Spears is looking to cover Blondie’s “Atomic” on her next studio album. Surely I’m not the only one who sees what this is: A desperate grasp to regain relevancy and her stardom after trashing her image so terribly for the last few years. Britney, luv… it’s over. Call it a night and go out quietly. Please? Stay far away from my new wave / punk legends.. thank you.

Even if she could regain popularity it would be shortlived and not very profitable. Digital music sales have made her a dinosaur, she’d have to make around 13 awesome hot selling tracks just to recoup what they will spend on the production / marketing for her these days. In the digital download world the one track wonders are worthless.

This is something I discussed back in 2004 in my interview with Pat Thetic of Anti-Flag and he called it back then:

“And I understand that, but that means you have to write good music. You know Britney Spears, God bless her, she’ll be done. Because people will be like ‘alright downloaded the one song and I don’t care about the other 9 tracks of filler. You know, that’s our responsibility as musicians. If we can’ create songs that people want to hear, then fuck us, we’re not worth being around anyway.”

Just ask Justin Timberlake, “FutureSex/LoveSounds” has topped charts and been nominated for all sorts of awards but hasn’t made a dent in the sales numbers of 2002’s “Justified.” Or Christina Aguilera who’s last album barely made a whimper in the market compared to what she used to do. The market has changed and there isn’t room for people like Britney anymore, even if she could adapt and get her shit back together it would be too late.

I know we’ve ended at least one article on this site before with this quote but it keeps getting more and more relevant as time goes on:

“Dinosaurs will die and I do believe no one will cry. I’m just glad I’m gonna be, there to watch it fall.” – NoFX

Times have changed, and it’s going to take more than an overproduced cover single of an 80’s pop tune to bring the old days back, and frankly… a lot of us are glad to see them gone.