She came out of a 3-year break SWINGING

She was broke and needed to pay rent

I absolutely adore ten or eleven songs on that album, but there is so much filler. Christina has always had a problem with quality control.

YES! 

 

She wanted to make a statement and break free from the manufactured teen pop image, and she did it in such an admirable manner. "Stripped Intro" was a powerful way to reintroduce herself to the GP. "Can't Hold Us Down" is one of the rare great feminist anthems from any pop girl - let alone one in the peak of her career. The transition between "Walk Away" and "Fighter" still blows me away from this day - both top-tier songs as well. And I love how "Primer Amor Interlude" and "Infatuation" pay tribute to her Latina roots.

 

Christina Aguilera's discography is so underappreciated.mp3, with "Stripped" being a prime example of how genuinely ahead of her time she was on many aspects. Billboard put it beautifully on their 2017 list of most important albums of the 2000s:

 

Quote

Ultimately, Christina defining herself as Stripped was not an ode to her sexually empowered image, but representative of her peeling back layers and getting to the music and emotions that make up the vocal powerhouse as a human, including all her darkness, fears and insecurities

Such a fantastic album whose vulnerability and raw statements still resonate with many women and young adults to this day. I understand why some say it could benefit from some cutting, but I genuinely love all tracks here (though "Soar" and""Keep on Singin' My Song" do feel rather superfluous, I guess).

 

This thread makes me want to revisit it now 

 So much of Stripped has truly aged like wine

One of my favorite albums of all time, this track run is indeed amazing

Great album  

Perfect album

Epic album and the rent was due!