Would you care if she never had another "big hit"?

[Guest]

Lorde is 'singing' a cliche as fuck song in modal voice which sounds dated (not even a throwback...just dated).

I used to like Avicii like three years ago... Maybe Madonna should up her game and be more like Pitbull, Miley Cyrus and Lorde. In all honesty, I think Madonna makes music that speaks as to what she is feeling. Sometimes her songs seem very crude because she is very natural as an artist. She doesn't over flavour the broth. It serves her well because in her broader catalogue it leaves character in her work.

[iasonas]

Why exactly are you on Madonnanation if you think that?

Why do you have to believe that the MDNA singles were very good and the right choice in order to be on this forum?

[Guest]

Thank you! The radio is no worse now than it was 20 years ago.

Madonna can have all the hits she wants if she would display some level of interest in music. She NEVER talks about music anymore in her interviews.

I think you're confused. Madonna DOES talk about music. She also references musicians that she enjoys to listen to online quite a lot. What you should be complaining about is the media obsession with celebrities private lives and all the other bullshit. Madonna goes to most interviews because they're a necessary evil. You can tell she is not enjoying discussing how she disciplines her kids or what her favourite song she wrote is or whatever. She's bored and tired. Who can blame her? Her fans are just constantly asking 'when's the next CD out?'. Some of my favourite Madonna songs ever are on MDNA and the tour performances...I mean...wow.

[iasonas]

Lorde is 'singing' a cliche as fuck song in modal voice which sounds dated (not even a throwback...just dated).

I used to like Avicii like three years ago... Maybe Madonna should up her game and be more like Pitbull, Miley Cyrus and Lorde. In all honesty, I think Madonna makes music that speaks as to what she is feeling. Sometimes her songs seem very crude because she is very natural as an artist. She doesn't over flavour the broth. It serves her well because in her broader catalogue it leaves character in her work.

You are missing the whole point. Who cares what Miley and Lorde do? Who cares about the current state of pop music?

It's Madonna herself who releases generic singles and it's completely up to her to follow a different path next time. We're not talking about album tracks. We are talking about singles.

[Guest]

Why do you have to believe that the MDNA singles were very good and the right singles in order to be on this forum?

Your taste in music is very trend driven and you're obsessed with charts. I don't know what you want Madonna to produce. You don't have to think that to be on this forum but when you're talking about an artist as though they are creatively empty...one would assume you have no interest in them. Who cares about singles? Seriously, nobody gives a shit. Nobody cares what American media makes it's number one or all that bullshit. People are going to be remembering John Lennon's imagine and Marvin Gaye's heard it through the grapevine in fifty years time. Will they even remember royals in five? Probably not. The songs you're talking about are characterless and flat. That's what I mean by generic. There's no...attractive inflection or weakness in them.

[Guest]

You are missing the whole point. Who cares what Miley and Lorde do? Who cares about the current state of pop music?

It's Madonna herself who releases generic singles and it's completely up to her to follow a different path next time. We're not talking about album tracks. We are talking about singles.

Yeah but you said that Lorde and Avicii have great singles. I don't really know what you're trying to say. That Madonna should become serious and deep? That she should focus on trying to have hit singles? Why? To make a record company even richer than they already are? I doubt it's a priority for her.

[iasonas]

Your taste in music is very trend driven and you're obsessed with charts. I don't know what you want Madonna to produce. You don't have to think that to be on this forum but when you're talking about an artist as though they are creatively empty...one would assume you have no interest in them. Who cares about singles? Seriously, nobody gives a shit. Nobody cares what American media makes it's number one or all that bullshit. People are going to be remembering John Lennon's imagine and Marvin Gaye's heard it through the grapevine in fifty years time. Will they even remember royals in five? Probably not. The songs you're talking about are characterless and flat. That's what I mean by generic. There's no...attractive inflection or weakness in them.

My taste is chart driven? Whatever.

I said a hundred times, if you flop, at least flop with great songs like "I'm Addicted". You think that if "I'm Addicted" had flopped, I'd be hear saying it is a bad song and not the right single? Absolutely not. Who cares.

[Jazzy Jan]

Madonna is about the only singer I know that can just about put her hand to any style of music. People are always down-playing her voice, yet she is truly a wonderful vocalist. You can understand every word she sings, puts passion and feeling into her songs and sings both dance and ballads equally well. Watch some of the talent shows and it always astounds me how people can't pull of Madonna songs. They can have brilliant ranges and voices, but just don't have her musicality. MDNA had some brilliant vocals on it - Masterpiece, I'm a sinner, Falling free to name a few. Her delivery and unique take on Gang Bang made that song amazing. As for GGW, Turn up the radio - I loved how she sang them - effortlessly without any ridiculous and forced vocal gymnastics. I understand a lot of fans hate them but I don't.

[Guest]

What you're calling a flop is silly though. Madonna isn't flopping. People generally don't buy music anymore because music culture is changing. Yes there are bands/artists with dedicated fan bases who buy all their shit. There's also heavily promoted artists like Miley Cyrus. These kind of people don't interest me. They won't last and they won't make a dent on the earth. I personally enjoyed GGW a lot. I thought GMAYL is a good pop song (I prefer the live version though) and the video was amazing. Turn up the radio isn't for me but I can see merit in it. There is a disconnect in Madonnas work in a sense which I think confuses people's feelings. She's highly intellectual but she's also super passionate. She understands the deeper side of living but she still has a carnal attitude. I think people find it hard to take the two together. They want somebody who is mature, grounded and maternal or somebody who is young, energetic and thirsty. The in between confuses them.

[Guest]

Gang bang contains some of the best vocals recorded by a human being ever. I have been obsessed with it since day 1.

[vocalism]

I think I am being realistic. I'm guessing I grew-up in a different decade than you.

Today's music (besides a few artists out there) has no raw layers, it's dissonant. There's no motivation to composition any more. No texture or character. All the vocals sound ....exactly.... the.... same.

And, it caters to a dumb, attention deficit generation.

Madonna has ironic personality and she uses minimal intervals of harmony. She always has no matter what genre she has used. (She's like The Beatles in that respect).

Perfect example: someone posted something in another thread (I can't remember who). They said LAP didn't have any songs on the album with a "jam" or a "groove". Then someone else (can't remember who) posted "Keep It Together" proving them wrong. That song is a perfect example of a song FILLED with ninths, elevenths and tenths - just like Motown invented. That kind of music doesn't exist any more.

Can't you see the difference?

That was Isaac and me (responding). And you can thank Pat Leonard for those ninths, elevenths, and tenths! I wish she would stop writing with glorified DJs.

Your taste in music is very trend driven and you're obsessed with charts. I don't know what you want Madonna to produce. You don't have to think that to be on this forum but when you're talking about an artist as though they are creatively empty...one would assume you have no interest in them. Who cares about singles? Seriously, nobody gives a shit. Nobody cares what American media makes it's number one or all that bullshit. People are going to be remembering John Lennon's imagine and Marvin Gaye's heard it through the grapevine in fifty years time. Will they even remember royals in five? Probably not. The songs you're talking about are characterless and flat. That's what I mean by generic. There's no...attractive inflection or weakness in them.

I'm responding to this not because this particular conversation interests me, but because this is a silly argument that I've seen on this (and other) message boards before. Saying you want Madonna to push herself more doesn't mean she's creatively empty. Writing and recording a song like "Love Spent" is awesome. Choosing instead to release "generic" dumbed down songs as singles instead isn't so awesome. But even IF someone on here thought all of MDNA and everything else Madonna has done recently was "creatively empty," why would you assume they have no interest in her? She's been around for 30 years! She has a wealth of material to adore or dislike. Why do we always have to question everyone's motivations and loyalties? There are people on here who are new fans, because of MDNA. There are old school fans who have been around since day one and love everything she's done since. There are people who became fans in the 90s and are disappointed with her work now. M fans are a diverse community with lots of different opinions. Embrace it.

[Guest]

That was Isaac and me (responding). And you can thank Pat Leonard for those ninths, elevenths, and tenths! I wish she would stop writing with glorified DJs.

I'm responding to this not because this particular conversation interests me, but because this is a silly argument that I've seen on this (and other) message boards before. Saying you want Madonna to push herself more doesn't mean she's creatively empty. Writing and recording a song like "Love Spent" is awesome. Choosing instead to release "generic" dumbed down songs as singles instead isn't so awesome. But even IF someone on here thought all of MDNA and everything else Madonna has done recently was "creatively empty," why would you assume they have no interest in her? She's been around for 30 years! She has a wealth of material to adore or dislike. Why do we always have to question everyone's motivations and loyalties? There are people on here who are new fans, because of MDNA. There are old school fans who have been around since day one and love everything she's done since. There are people who became fans in the 90s and are disappointed with her work now. M fans are a diverse community with lots of different opinions. Embrace it.

There's only so many times a person can say how great Madonna was in 1989 or 1998. Yeah, we get it. You like those periods in her work. It's boring hearing the same conversation about doing an album like ROL again with unknown producers. I don't live in the past so yeah, I find it hard understanding people who do.

[btrm81]

I think you're confused. Madonna DOES talk about music. She also references musicians that she enjoys to listen to online quite a lot. What you should be complaining about is the media obsession with celebrities private lives and all the other bullshit. Madonna goes to most interviews because they're a necessary evil. You can tell she is not enjoying discussing how she disciplines her kids or what her favourite song she wrote is or whatever. She's bored and tired. Who can blame her? Her fans are just constantly asking 'when's the next CD out?'. Some of my favourite Madonna songs ever are on MDNA and the tour performances...I mean...wow.

I'll totally stand corrected if you can provide me with some recent commentary from her that has anything to do with music. Aside from her remarks about what she listened to as a kid, I haven't heard her talk about her current music interests since the days of Confessions.

[ryan]

I'll totally stand corrected if you can provide me with some recent commentary from her that has anything to do with music. Aside from her remarks about what she listened to as a kid, I haven't heard her talk about her current music interests since the days of Confessions.

Did you not read what GU said? It's not Madonna's fault that the interviews aren't asking questions about the music.

[btrm81]

Did you not read what GU said? It's not Madonna's fault that the interviews aren't asking questions about the music.

oh bc she has no control over the questions.

[Guest]

I'll totally stand corrected if you can provide me with some recent commentary from her that has anything to do with music. Aside from her remarks about what she listened to as a kid, I haven't heard her talk about her current music interests since the days of Confessions.

Frank Ocean and the Kalakan trio are two that I can think of off the top of my head but if I bothered to look I'd find more.

[Guest]

oh bc she has no control over the questions.

She can refuse to answer questions but she can't tell them what to ask. That's not how TV and print media work. You should go and look up the term newsworthy and then think again about what you're saying. Let me put it like this...when Marilyn Monroe died the story didn't even make the cover of newspapers. Now when Kim Kardashian gets a haircut it's enough to write an article about. I don't think I need to say anything else. :-)

[5iVe Elements]

What you're calling a flop is silly though. Madonna isn't flopping. People generally don't buy music anymore because music culture is changing. Yes there are bands/artists with dedicated fan bases who buy all their shit. There's also heavily promoted artists like Miley Cyrus. These kind of people don't interest me. They won't last and they won't make a dent on the earth. I personally enjoyed GGW a lot. I thought GMAYL is a good pop song (I prefer the live version though) and the video was amazing. Turn up the radio isn't for me but I can see merit in it. There is a disconnect in Madonnas work in a sense which I think confuses people's feelings. She's highly intellectual but she's also super passionate. She understands the deeper side of living but she still has a carnal attitude. I think people find it hard to take the two together. They want somebody who is mature, grounded and maternal or somebody who is young, energetic and thirsty. The in between confuses them.

[Jazzy Jan]

Madonna can have all the hits she wants if she would display some level of interest in music. She NEVER talks about music anymore in her interviews.

I am always perplexed about fans saying Madonna does not seem interested in music. She has released albums and gone on huge tours performing music. This speaks volumes more than talking about music in interviews.

[btrm81]

She can refuse to answer questions but she can't tell them what to ask. That's not how TV and print media work. You should go and look up the term newsworthy and then think again about what you're saying. Let me put it like this...when Marilyn Monroe died the story didn't even make the cover of newspapers. Now when Kim Kardashian gets a haircut it's enough to write an article about. I don't think I need to say anything else. :-)

She can refuse to answer questions but she can't tell them what to ask. (laugh)

[Guest]

could care less

[btrm81]

I am always perplexed about fans saying Madonna does not seem interested in music. She has released albums and gone on huge tours performing music. This speaks volumes more than talking about music in interviews.

imo, talking about music in interviews is an indication of how she is thinking creatively/what's inspiring her when it comes to her own art. the rol interviews on mtv/in spin mag were some of her best imo.

i think madonna is more than capable of clinching a big hit in the future if she wishes. but, she is most impressive when she does her own thing and leads the pack. people thinks she's cool; she has nothing to prove and has no need to subscribe to current trends or work with the "it" people in the business to stay relevant. some of her best work has been with people who were not yet heavy hitters in the mainstream.

[drunkbysix]

imo, talking about music in interviews is an indication of how she is thinking creatively/what's inspiring her when it comes to her own art. the rol interviews on mtv/in spin mag were some of her best imo.

i think madonna is more than capable of clinching a big hit in the future if she wishes. but, she is most impressive when she does her own thing and leads the pack. people thinks she's cool; she has nothing to prove and has no need to subscribe to current trends or work with the "it" people in the business to stay relevant. some of her best work has been with people who were not yet heavy hitters in the mainstream.

Like earlier posters said, she can't control what they ask. Give her a break.

[Starman]

We cannot forget that shes not just a musician , shes is a Business (the gyms , macys , perfume , Tour )....

So a backlash could cost her (and her partners) millions of dollars , and to reduce the risk we see these safe songs being released , while they dont do much for her music career , they don't do any harm in the long way

EX: Imagine if she releases Gang Bang in america the same week those shootings happened and suddenly there's a big (hypocritical ) backlash against her and that affects the tour sales and her other ventures

[Guest bluejean]

No I would not. I want great music. I don't care what the world at large things about her or her work.

I hope Madonna focuses on creativity more with the next project. The MDNA tour was very creative as was the Secret Project. More of that in her music please.

[lasky]

Well, I'm quite given up on the idea that she'll have another billboard Hot 100 no. 1 because the trend is for a younger crowd though... Unless there's a collaboration with Rihanna or Katy Perry, that might be a different story... It's very true that she could get to the summit having a featuring artist or something...

I consider her song would be a hit even if she only cracks the Top 20.... which nowadays, without RADIO even having her on their airplay list, she'll only have points from the sales which is not enough....

But for me, if she keeps churning out the hits, that's good enough for me... I've past the chart position period!!

[Kurt420]

I am always perplexed about fans saying Madonna does not seem interested in music. She has released albums and gone on huge tours performing music. This speaks volumes more than talking about music in interviews.

I'm with you on this. It's not like she's releasing garbage and doing the same greatest hits tour over and over each year. Listen to her album, watch her shows.....that's all you need to tell you she's still passionate about the music.

[Sloane]

She could make a 100 more records and I be the only one buying them for all I care. Another hit is good too only bc we tend to get more vids, single releases and the remixes, esp bootlegs, are often better. Of course AL was a supposed flop and those were some of her best remixes.. whatever.

Bottom line I could care less if she ever makes another buck in this business as long as I get my Madonna record.

[Camacho]

I wish this was written later this week to include Gaga's flop sales for her massively overhyped album

Katy Perry’s ‘Prism’ a Good Example of How Albums Don’t Work Anymore

The album is dying in front of our very eyes.

In other words, what kind of screwed up world do we live in where Katy Perry’s new album “Prism” sells only 287,000 copies in its debut? One in which everybody’s interested in the single, and no one’s got time to sit and hear your hour-plus statement.

This is not emotion, this is statistics. The shelf life of news is shorter than ever. The shelf life of art. … You blink and it’s done.

I’m fine with you preaching to the choir, making an album for your fans. You gotta go where you wanna go, do what you wanna do. But if your plan is to increase your audience, spread the word and make money, suddenly the album just isn’t working anymore. The youngsters are streaming singles and the oldsters are staying home.

How do I know? Elton’s album isn’t even in the top 50, and McCartney’s album barely broke 20,000 this week, and there wasn’t a better oldster hype than for these two projects. People just don’t want ’em.

So what’s the industry to do? Have a rethink.

In other words, hype doesn’t work.

No one had more hype than Miley Cyrus, but “Bangerz” didn’t even sell 45,000 copies in its fourth week of release. She can go on “SNL,” tweet her life away, but it’s not moving the needle. Lorde is selling as much as Miley without the benefit of scorched earth, proving quality music is as good as hype. But Lorde isn’t burning up the chart either.

We’ve turned into a nation of grazers. And the artist’s job is to constantly be at the smorgasbord. Not to deliver one big meal that is picked at and thrown away, but to constantly provide tantalizing bites to the public.

Media cannot be limited to the album release date. It must be a 24/7, 365-day-a-year effort. Same with creativity. If your track gets traction, more power to you. If it doesn’t, go back in the studio and make more. In other words, if you’re sitting at home bitching that you’re not making any money because the Internet stole your business, you’re RIGHT! There are so many diversions that no one’s got time for mediocre anymore.

If you’ve got a concept album, go ahead and record it. If you’re only interested in selling a little, be my guest. But if you want to penetrate the consciousness of a large group of people and grow the pie, an album isn’t working. Hell, it’s not even working as a revenue model!

Labels are no longer in the record business, they’re in the star business. How to maximize the revenue of an individual or band in as many media as possible, in as many ways as possible. Yes, while you were bitching about piracy, your whole business model disappeared.

You put out these albums, and in almost every case, the public moves on in a matter of WEEKS. A few bought it, they heard it, and they’re satisfied — and left waiting for years until you grace them with a new release. The rest of the public is just waiting for a hit single to burble, and if it does, they’ll tap their toes and snap their fi ngers and ask, “WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU GOT?” And what you’ve got had better be just as good as the hit.

No one wants album tracks anymore unless they’re every bit as satisfying as the hit.

So it’s not only classic rock acts who have stopped putting out albums; eventually, no one will do it. Oh, it won’t be soon, because artists think making albums is part of their DNA, going into the studio and making a 10-track statement.

But that’s like saying typewriters have to be an office fixture. And you can’t post online unless you write in multiple paragraphs. And texting must be abandoned because it’s not in-depth enough.

The goal of a musician is to be AHEAD of the audience. Right now everybody’s behind.

[Stephen]

TIRED OLD CHESTNUT THREAD