Industry Weekly

[Supernova]

Britney Spears continues to define the modern Strip residency

Image
Britney: Piece of Me returns to the Axis at Planet Hollywood this week.
Photo: Denise Truscello

They wondered if it would work, and if it would last. But now the only question is: Has Britney been better for Las Vegas or has Vegas been better for Britney?

Last September, Britney Spears extended her Piece of Me residency at Planet Hollywood with a two-year, $35 million deal, proving more than the pop star’s enduring appeal. Britney’s show is the natural evolution of Celine Dion’s powerhourse Vegas residency, a still-charting star of another generation redefining the role of Strip headliner. Forbes named Spears the sixth-highest-earning female musician of 2015.

The Britney buzz has only continued to build this year with the release of her ninth studio album, Glory, which moved 111,000 equivalent album units in its first week, and her victorious August return to the MTV VMA stage. It’s hard to believe that 2017, just around the corner, will mark the 20th anniversary of her deal with Jive records that lead to ...Baby One More Time, the album that ignited one of pop music’s most memorable careers.

Britney’s Vegas success has helped pave the way for new resident shows from Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars and the Backstreet Boys. Other stars will join the ranks of this new world of Vegas entertainment, but when we look back on this era, it will be Britney Spears who set the course. Britney: Piece of Me at the Axis at Planet Hollywood, October 21, 22, 26, 28 & 29; November 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 16, 18 & 19.

Share
Photo of Brock Radke

Brock Radke

Brock Radke is an award-winning writer and columnist who currently occupies the role of editor-at-large at Las Vegas Weekly magazine. ...

Get more Brock Radke
  • Because who can watch the Super Bowl without a 3-liter bottle of Dom?

  • “It’s always been a dream to reach this level.”

  • The mantra is “handmade with love, from scratch, daily,” and you can taste it in every bite.

  • Get More Industry Weekly Stories
Top of Story