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Madonna and US Radio


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As for Madonna stopping being commercial... Does everyone forget that she's going to have to sell out like 3 tours and keep breaking her own touring record in the next several years? She's not going to do that with non-commercial music, so people who think the LN deal with unleash a NEW Madonna who's above everything are deluding themselves. I'm sure the next album will be dance oriented with different beats than COADF and HC, but still songs tailor-made to be sung in stadiums, just like "Give It 2 Me". And no, LN will not care the least if Madonna is played on the radio or not, as long as she keeps scoring $10 million+ on certain single date shows.

Why does Madonna have to limit herself to just dance music? Now I understand for a tour to be successful, you have to have melodic catchy songs that people can sing along with, and nothing too strange and avant garde. But lots of different kinds of music can do that. What about pop,rock or ballads? I do think she is becoming one dimensional as just a dance artist. Her career has always been about not being limited to neat little catergories and overcoming stereotypes, and trying new things. Yet she is getting stuck in doing just club floor dance music. I really think she needs to step away from that a little bit to keep people's interest.

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Guest Bad Robot

Oh come on now, BR. All except one song you listed were never released as singles. Also, "Die Another Day" was the soundtrack of the 20th Bond movie and it was following the vein of the Music hits, so very rich to call that "more driven by creativity". "Music" is one of her safest songs ever, so are "Frozen" and "The Power Of Good-Bye". She might have recorded some non-commercial songs on those 3 albums, but why forget it had "Runaway Lover" and "Amazing" as well? Plus AL has those famous old lyrics recycled, yet that shows creativity and not the need to get a hit?

Also, "Future Lovers" is an admitted "I Feel Love" rip off, I don't see how that or something like "Get Together" puts it below the likes of "SNM" or "GI2M" regarding the need of commercial relevance. Also, I still can't believe why people think Madonna calling Pharrell very creative and different is not the same as when she praised Mirwais/Stuart/Orbit. Yes, HC has a duet with Justin and a rap by Kanye, but that hardly sticks out after Madonna revisiting the original theme of hers with "Music" and releasing 2 safe ballads from ROL. I'm not putting a = between COADF/HC and the previous eras, but the gap is a lot smaller than you assume.

As for the tours, of course none of them would flop if she never charted with a new song, but touring US and Europe in every 2-3 years will get harder without any new and successful projects. She already pulled the hits card for the RIT and there are very few countries now that she did not tour in the past decade.

I'm confused. What does those songs not being singles have to do with anything? I'm saying what *I* would prefer -- an album of tracks like that, which to my ears don't sound like songs trying to be commercial hits.

The point I was making is that it's not like Madonna is going to sound like Joanna Newsom or Bjork or something like that if she stopped caring about the charts. She's probably going to sound like those sorts of songs I listed -- tracks with strong pop influences, but that are willing to venture into more unusual production and lyrics.

To me it would just be a huge relief to have this specter of IS THIS GOING TO BE A HIT???? gone from the picture. I'd like her to say "fuck the charts" and just make music that interests her.

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Totally age - Celebration is no different sonically from Lady Gaga etc - and it's not that she's too old so they won't play her, but rather that she is off the radar of the key tween demographic. Mariah is suffering the same problem but since her music will get played on black "urban" stations, her songs chart well - whereas Madonna has only the pop stations that ignore her due to her lack of connection to America's youth or dance stations which have a smaller audience and play songs less repetitiously.

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I'm confused. What does those songs not being singles have to do with anything? I'm saying what *I* would prefer -- an album of tracks like that, which to my ears don't sound like songs trying to be commercial hits.

The point I was making is that it's not like Madonna is going to sound like Joanna Newsom or Bjork or something like that if she stopped caring about the charts. She's probably going to sound like those sorts of songs I listed -- tracks with strong pop influences, but that are willing to venture into more unusual production and lyrics.

To me it would just be a huge relief to have this specter of IS THIS GOING TO BE A HIT???? gone from the picture. I'd like her to say "fuck the charts" and just make music that interests her.

American Life was not so warmly received even by the fans, but I love it.

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Guest Danny86

Why does Madonna have to limit herself to just dance music? Now I understand for a tour to be successful, you have to have melodic catchy songs that people can sing along with, and nothing too strange and avant garde. But lots of different kinds of music can do that. What about pop,rock or ballads? I do think she is becoming one dimensional as just a dance artist. Her career has always been about not being limited to neat little catergories and overcoming stereotypes, and trying new things. Yet she is getting stuck in doing just club floor dance music. I really think she needs to step away from that a little bit to keep people's interest.

I didn't mean that she has to limit herself to dance music, it was just my guess that her next direction will not be as unexpected and unheard of as some might suggest. I don't think that she's technically being one dimensional because to me COADF and HC are very different, even though they are dance. "Celebration" might fit that description, but I think it was always meant as a bone thrown to fans to make sure we get something new on a GH.

And actually Madonna kind of limited herself to ballads in the mid-90s and distanced herself from dance music, so it would be not the first time when she adjusts herself to the general feel of the pop music industry.

I'm confused. What does those songs not being singles have to do with anything? I'm saying what *I* would prefer -- an album of tracks like that, which to my ears don't sound like songs trying to be commercial hits.

The point I was making is that it's not like Madonna is going to sound like Joanna Newsom or Bjork or something like that if she stopped caring about the charts. She's probably going to sound like those sorts of songs I listed -- tracks with strong pop influences, but that are willing to venture into more unusual production and lyrics.

To me it would just be a huge relief to have this specter of IS THIS GOING TO BE A HIT???? gone from the picture. I'd like her to say "fuck the charts" and just make music that interests her.

Because you made it seem those were the epitome of non-commercial stuff and that Madonna scored big in that era because of those songs. My point is that it's inaccurate to pretend that Madonna never cared about popularity and charts from 1998 to 2003 and she never recorded anything during those years that resemble COADF or HC.

If you mean that the fans should get over about songs being hits, then yes, I agree with you. I don't see how any of our lives could be affected with Madonna not being played on US radio, she's not gonna get dropped from Live Nation because of that. But if you expect Madonna not to care, then no. Why it's so hard to accept that Madonna is a product in the end, many people and a lot of money are involved. She's not an indie artist who records her albums at home in her own studio in the backyard and posts her songs on her Twitter/Facebook. In the next 10 years, Madonna has absolutely no chance to become someone like that and I do believe as long as she's able to perform, there will always be a big label behind her. Because of a label, she simply HAS to release music and if Justin and Pharrell is the best thing she can find till deadline, then that's what she'll work on. If she manages to find an up and coming French electronica artist accidentally at Maverick/Warner, then she will go with that.

As for making music that interests her, again, it's a huge assumption to think the ROL/Music/AL era was the ONLY music that interested her and everything on HC was against her will and she would have never recorded music like that if it wasn't for chart success. I know you haven't seen the Sticky & Sweet Tour, but I have, and I saw with my own eyes that she was having the time of her life performing the likes of "Candy Shop", "Miles Away" or "Give It 2 Me". I refuse to believe that she's faking that and she'd rather be sitting down for 2 hours to sing the likes of "Easy Ride".

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Also, "Die Another Day" was the soundtrack of the 20th Bond movie and it was following the vein of the Music hits, so very rich to call that "more driven by creativity".

I know this is probably irrelevant, but regardless of why the song was concieved or what ideas it spurned from, it's by far one of her most lyrically and musically creative hits ever. No reason to dismiss it, in my opinion.

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I feel like there's a big habit on here of poo pooing on her past work in order to prove that Madonna has always been "a product" or "in it for the money at all times" :lol:

It's not that black and white people. Sometimes she's in money making mode, other times she's in "I want to make something incredibly special" mode. Notice how she discussed her music in the interviews leading up to and during Ray Of Light's release compared to how she discussed Hard Candy in 2008. She's good at what she does, and sometimes she makes an album with other goals in mind, but other times she'll sit down and really push herself creatively because that's what she wants. We just haven't seen that in a long time. Although to Confessions credit she did do a very expansive interview in the Observer with Stuart about making the album and she talked about it being one of the most "organic" album making experiences since the 80s.

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I know this is probably irrelevant, but regardless of why the song was concieved or what ideas it spurned from, it's by far one of her most lyrically and musically creative hits ever. No reason to dismiss it, in my opinion.

I think DAD is one of her weakest songs ever. I think she disappointed alot of people with this song. It had no rythum, no melody. It was the moment when her music was becomming "non-pleasant" to the ear. That was even more evident on AL. After the slap she got for the album, she came to her sense and made COADF, one of her best albums. I always thought DAD was the first signal she was going downwards musically after the gorgeous ROL and the pleasant Music.

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I think DAD is one of her weakest songs ever. I think she disappointed alot of people with this song. It had no rythum, no melody. It was the moment when her music was becomming "non-pleasant" to the ear. That was even more evident on AL. After the slap she got for the album, she came to her sense and made COADF, one of her best albums. I always thought DAD was the first signal she was going downwards musically after the gorgeous ROL and the pleasant Music.

Don't be ridiculous; there is a vast difference between being "non-pleasant" to the ear and simply being not a wrist-flapping gay anthem with a huge hook. I don't know how tracks like Love Profusion and Intervention can possibly be described as difficult to listen to, they are mild mannered acoustic pop songs just with some of Mirwais bleepy blippy bits thrown over the top.

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I think DAD is one of her weakest songs ever. I think she disappointed alot of people with this song. It had no rythum, no melody. It was the moment when her music was becomming "non-pleasant" to the ear. That was even more evident on AL. After the slap she got for the album, she came to her sense and made COADF, one of her best albums. I always thought DAD was the first signal she was going downwards musically after the gorgeous ROL and the pleasant Music.

:clap::bow:

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I feel like there's a big habit on here of poo pooing on her past work in order to prove that Madonna has always been "a product" or "in it for the money at all times" :lol:

It's not that black and white people. Sometimes she's in money making mode, other times she's in "I want to make something incredibly special" mode. Notice how she discussed her music in the interviews leading up to and during Ray Of Light's release compared to how she discussed Hard Candy in 2008. She's good at what she does, and sometimes she makes an album with other goals in mind, but other times she'll sit down and really push herself creatively because that's what she wants. We just haven't seen that in a long time. Although to Confessions credit she did do a very expansive interview in the Observer with Stuart about making the album and she talked about it being one of the most "organic" album making experiences since the 80s.

I have to agree with about everything you said. But honestly, I've always felt that it's always been about getting the biggest buck out of her projects. I laugh when I hear people say she's trying to be too "commercial". Sorry, but that's been Madonna from day one. She screams commercialism. It seems once she did the album RAY OF LIGHT, some fans seem to think she was never going to turn back and never do anything commercial again. It's like some has forgotten that much of her stuff is very commercial. I feel when she did MUSIC, she slightly turned back, but tried to use a little of the magic she created with RAY OF LIGHT. And then came AMERICAN LIFE... I see it as a polar opposite of RAY OF LIGHT. Quite dark! Yet, I think she was trying to create an deep and thoughtful album as unique as she did with RAY OF LIGHT. Odd that some fans who have an issue of her trying to be so "commercial" would dismiss this album.

In the end, I do feel Madonna takes the road where it will earn her the most money and that is why I feel she decided to take the deal with LIVE NATION where the focus will be more on her touring. Of course, she's going to have to produce new songs. Though I have accepted that her run on radio is pretty much over... at least in the U.S.

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Like I wrote in the chart forum- it's been 8 years since Madonna's had an enduring solo radio hit on U.S. radio ("Don't Tell Me"). "Die Another Day" was her last real radio hit, yet that spent as much time on Hot 100 Airplay as "Hung Up" did (despite peaking 27 rungs higher). We know the deal with "4 Minutes."

So, truth be told, U.S. radio's resistance to Madonna (nameley pop radio) has been in motion for some time. Her age certainly doesn't help (and probably is the main factor), but her style also doesn't fit in as much as other acts.

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Guest nothingfails0603

As for Madonna stopping being commercial... Does everyone forget that she's going to have to sell out like 3 tours and keep breaking her own touring record in the next several years? She's not going to do that with non-commercial music

Neither Paul McCartney or the Rolling Stones have had a "true" US hit single in about twenty years (actually, it has been precisely 20 years since they both scored their last top 40 hits in 1989) and it doesn't stop people from buying concert tickets to see them. I think Madonna has graduated to that league where she could put out an album like Bjork's Medulla and still be able to sell out 40-50k seat stadiums nightly on the tour promoting it.

Mariah NEEDS commercial success because even when she's having a huge album, she's having trouble filling up arenas, but Madonna is Madonna, she'll sell out regardless.

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Neither Paul McCartney or the Rolling Stones have had a "true" US hit single in about twenty years (actually, it has been precisely 20 years since they both scored their last top 40 hits in 1989) and it doesn't stop people from buying concert tickets to see them. I think Madonna has graduated to that league where she could put out an album like Bjork's Medulla and still be able to sell out 40-50k seat stadiums nightly on the tour promoting it.

Mariah NEEDS commercial success because even when she's having a huge album, she's having trouble filling up arenas, but Madonna is Madonna, she'll sell out regardless.

I agree that she's among that league. And that is why I feel like she went with the deal with LIVE NATION which focuses primarily on the fact her money will be made from Touring and merchandising. She knows where her bread is buttered and that is touring. The question is that how often will she actually tour with this latest contract and will people lose interest if she tours too often?

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I agree that she's among that league. And that is why I feel like she went with the deal with LIVE NATION which focuses primarily on the fact her money will be made from Touring and merchandising. She knows where her bread is buttered and that is touring. The question is that how often will she actually tour with this latest contract and will people lose interest if she tours too often?

But it's clear that when she tours different places demand is huge eg scandanavia this current tour.

If she hits japan and Australia next time she will still sell huge amounts of tickets.

Next tour should be less Europe and focus on usa and a America too . Maybe add Africa and other Asia tour.

Madonna is a legend. Demand to see a legend will always be there!!!

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There were definitely many larger markets in America that she skipped where she could do well, like for instance here in DC.

I think there is definitely a demand for her touring. But I think the format of her tours, the four sections, the dancers, the backing videos including one political one, the guitar reinventions of her older songs have become stale. I loved RIT and Confessions, but a lot of the ideas were repeated on S&S, even though I enjoyed it.

She would probably never do it, but one day I wish she would do a stripped down show with a great band that really concentrated on her singing and the actual songs. Just the novelty might get more people interested to see her.

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But it's clear that when she tours different places demand is huge eg scandanavia this current tour.

If she hits japan and Australia next time she will still sell huge amounts of tickets.

Next tour should be less Europe and focus on usa and a America too . Maybe add Africa and other Asia tour.

Madonna is a legend. Demand to see a legend will always be there!!!

Actually, you are right. And you can bet Japan and Australia will be big sales for her when she tours there again. In fact, they will make a huge deal when she finally does tour Australia since a lot of people feel she's been blowing them off.

I agree less focus on Europe maybe next time around, but she definitely would have to hit the big cities in Europe. I don't think she wants to alienate those fans since her music does quite well on radio there.

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but one day I wish she would do a stripped down show with a great band that really concentrated on her singing and the actual songs. Just the novelty might get more people interested to see her.

MODONNA AIN'T NO LISA LOEB

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Guest Coked Up Baby Boy

I think DAD is one of her weakest songs ever. I think she disappointed alot of people with this song. It had no rythum, no melody. It was the moment when her music was becomming "non-pleasant" to the ear. That was even more evident on AL. After the slap she got for the album, she came to her sense and made COADF, one of her best albums. I always thought DAD was the first signal she was going downwards musically after the gorgeous ROL and the pleasant Music.

AS IF-UH!

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But it's clear that when she tours different places demand is huge eg scandanavia this current tour.

If she hits japan and Australia next time she will still sell huge amounts of tickets.

Next tour should be less Europe and focus on usa and a America too . Maybe add Africa and other Asia tour.

Madonna is a legend. Demand to see a legend will always be there!!!

And NZ!!!!!!!!! :lol:

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