100% or don't bother.

[Camacho]

Agree. I don't care what some of these people say. I have ZERO doubt in my mind had it sold more or produced a hit single or two that the perception would be different. In fact, before and right at release many were calling it her best since ROL. Even our very own forum scrooge GSM claimed as such (if memory serves me right......granted I HIGHLY doubt he'd say that now).....feel free to look it up if you want.

Also, I can remember before HU really took off, many were saying she was desperate, dry of ideas (recycling her own lyrics and using an ABBA beat) and copying Gwen Stefani with the whole "clock theme". Cut to a couple months later when COADF was atop all the charts in the world, selling 7 million copies and HU was number one in a gazillion countries and it was one of the best albums of her career, she was back in true form etc etc etc. I'm sorry, but if that album had flopped people would label it as Euro cheese......I say that and COADF IS one of my faves by her but I'm just being realistic.

Yes and for COADF remember early on there was a lot of prissy worry warts here freaking out that the project is going to come across "too gay" and suffer and flop because of it.

[Sloane]

I always liked MDNA. Its not her best album obviously but if you compare it to all the recent albums from Britney, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Beyonce or Rihanna it is WAY more consistent. Madonna has always done quality albums with very little filler.

I would love to see another Ray or Light or Confessions type creative high though. The MDNA tour and the Secret project were super creative so I'm sure we'll see another outstanding album in the future. She just has to get inspired.

There will be another great album, great era and iconic video (at LEAST one). I'm so sure of it that I'd sign this comment in blood. Take it from an old timer who knows this bitch's behavior backwards and forwards. Count her out now and look like the fool later, mark my words.

Tbh, i don't think Madonna will have another hit single at this point. I would LOVE to see her having another hit but between her age, lack of promo and lack of airplay, chances are VERY small. So be prepared to stop seeing her as the Queen i guess...

In order for M to lose her title, the contender would first have to maintain a remarkable non-stop career for 30 years. This is because m is still making records. She has not retired therefore all her past work and accomplishments are still valid for consideration. Since no one is on the horizon at present, BE prepared to continue seeing Madonna as the Queen of Pop.

Having said all this lemme just say that Turn Down The Radio was her worst single ever.

[ryan]

Mixing. Don't confuse it with mastering.

[Guest Not4Pussies]

There will be another great album, great era and iconic video (at LEAST one). I'm so sure of it that I'd sign this comment in blood. Take it from an old timer who knows this bitch's behavior backwards and forwards. Count her out now and look like the fool later, mark my words.

In order for M to lose her title, the contender would first have to maintain a remarkable non-stop career for 30 years. This is because m is still making records. She has not retired therefore all her past work and accomplishments are still valid for consideration. Since no one is on the horizon at present, BE prepared to continue seeing Madonna as the Queen of Pop.

Having said all this lemme just say that Turn Down The Radio was her worst single ever.

I agree with you, minus TUTR comment. But be careful because if you believe and say m will have another major era, album, song, certain people on here may think you live in a bubble.

[Sloane]

They can go ahead and say I live in bubble, for I am content in the knowledge that they shall be eating those words later

[Guest]

I think most fans have been a little bit disappointed with her albums - starting with Confessions, all the way to the present. Her last great masterpiece was American Life. End of story.

[graffitiheart]

i dont need promo at all, i don't need hit singles, i don't need "ground breaking" sound, just the type of solid pop perfection that she knows how to deliver

[ryan]

I think most fans have been a little bit disappointed with her albums - starting with Confessions, all the way to the present. Her last great masterpiece was American Life. End of story.

Confessions was the beginning if the complaints. "She's recycling lyrics!"

But AL had it's fair share of them too back when it was released.

[Jazzy Jan]

I think most fans have been a little bit disappointed with her albums - starting with Confessions, all the way to the present. Her last great masterpiece was American Life. End of story.

Please, Madonna "fans" have been complaining about her for years. This forum is the most positive forum around by a mile. I can't count the times I have read the sort of comments below about Madonna's albums.

Note, I don't agree with any of it but just examples of what I read ad nauseum

Like a Virgin - Bugglegum album full of fillers

True Blue - The only good songs are the singles

I'm Breathless - Not a proper Madonna album

Erotica - Her first flop and all of the songs sound the same

Bedtime Stories - boring and not like a Madonna album

Evita - No original songs written by Madonna

Something to Remember - Boring, all ballads

Music - Not as good as Ray of light

American Life - flop album with no hit singles

COADF - Too much dance and no substance

Hard Candy - Do I have to repeat the hatred

MDNA - phoned in, no effort,

Like a Prayer and Ray of light seem to be the only albums let off the hook. I find fans that only like these records flop fans because Madonna is so much more. You don't have to like all of her albums but seriously, who else has delivered so much diverse, wonderful and different styles of music. People will always complain about Madonna but imagine if you were a fan of other stars who actually have either self-destructed, bowed out of the spotlight completely, totally flopped or retired. Madonna is the ultimate star - end of story.

[horn]

No album at all.

[Guest Not4Pussies]

They can go ahead and say I live in bubble, for I am content in the knowledge that they shall be eating those words later

Oh yes.

[5iVe Elements]

You will only get disappointed if you have too much expectations. Sure, I envy the fans who lived through M's glory days. I just try to be grateful she's doing a lot when she shouldn't have to. She's had a great 30 year career. Most artists would've retired and slobbed their life away now. She doesn't.

Will she match her previous success? Who knows? If she does, great! I'll be glad to live with that era. If not, I have her entire catalogue to enjoy for the rest of my life. Things are different now than they used to be. And in a declining or suffering music industry, she's still doing great, not as great as what you'd expect her to be but great compared to her older contemporaries and the younger poptarts.

[Nonoka]

Mixing. Don't confuse it with mastering.

Pardon me if I was wrong, but I thought the final loudness of the music is determined by mastering?

[Raf]

Agree. I don't care what some of these people say. I have ZERO doubt in my mind had it sold more or produced a hit single or two that the perception would be different. In fact, before and right at release many were calling it her best since ROL. Even our very own forum scrooge GSM claimed as such (if memory serves me right......granted I HIGHLY doubt he'd say that now).....feel free to look it up if you want.

Also, I can remember before HU really took off, many were saying she was desperate, dry of ideas (recycling her own lyrics and using an ABBA beat) and copying Gwen Stefani with the whole "clock theme". Cut to a couple months later when COADF was atop all the charts in the world, selling 7 million copies and HU was number one in a gazillion countries and it was one of the best albums of her career, she was back in true form etc etc etc. I'm sorry, but if that album had flopped people would label it as Euro cheese......I say that and COADF IS one of my faves by her but I'm just being realistic.

You will only get disappointed if you have too much expectations. Sure, I envy the fans who lived through M's glory days. I just try to be grateful she's doing a lot when she shouldn't have to. She's had a great 30 year career. Most artists would've retired and slobbed their life away now. She doesn't.

Will she match her previous success? Who knows? If she does, great! I'll be glad to live with that era. If not, I have her entire catalogue to enjoy for the rest of my life. Things are different now than they used to be. And in a declining or suffering music industry, she's still doing great, not as great as what you'd expect her to be but great compared to her older contemporaries and the younger poptarts.

Yes and Yes

[ryan]

Pardon me if I was wrong, but I thought the final loudness of the music is determined by mastering?

Mastering is just the final step before the CD pressing. It just makes sure all the songs are at the same level. Mixing puts the puzzle together, it's what could make or break a song. All the effects are added during mixing, the fader, the eq, reverbs, delays, etc.. Mixing involves editing every piece of instrument and music in a song (vocals, guitar, drums, synths, etc..) whereas mastering only edits the completed two-channel stereo track mix.

Yeah, the mastering on MDNA isn't that loud compared to other records. But it's the mixing that many people have a problem with. There's no sense of clarity and even on the lossless CD rips, some tracks even sound a bit compressed. ROL doesn't have a loud master either, but the mixing allowed all the music to sound prominent and clear.

[Lucky guy]

I never had a single issue with COAD, just for the record. For me, it was a sublime example of a Madonna album. Created alongside a talented producer and writer who she had great chemistry with, and who was just at the right level to want to put everything into the album. Textbook Madonna mix of commercial pop songs as the singles and meatier fare within the album. Great singles they were. Two weeks at number 1 lead single. Bam. The only weak link for me was Jamie King's video for Sorry and the video for jump. Missed opportunities. But you can't have everything.

[Barbie]

I never had a single issue with COAD, just for the record. For me, it was a sublime example of a Madonna album. Created alongside a talented producer and writer who she had great chemistry with, and who was just at the right level to want to put everything into the album. Textbook Madonna mix of commercial pop songs as the singles and meatier fare within the album. Great singles they were. Two weeks at number 1 lead single. Bam. The only weak link for me was Jamie King's video for Sorry and the video for jump. Missed opportunities. But you can't have everything.

And the lazy video for Get Together

other than that......a PERFECT era!

[neutrocks]

This....

Just reading through this thread.....I hate to say it, but I think it's time some of you just turn in your Madonna fan card for now....as far as expecting new music you will actually like from her. The "ray of lighters" need to realize that 1998-2002 will never be duplicated again. At this point, HC has been almost 6 years ago, that's over half a decade......if you don't like anything she's done since BEFORE that, I think it's safe to say that you're just not a fan of her new stuff anymore Which is fine, but let's not talk about how we want her to get inspired and that she hasn't been 100% passionate about her work etc because truly, her creative process hasn't changed. Just because someone dislikes something she does, doesn't mean she was less passionate about creating it. The best approach any fan can take toward Madonna is to have no expectations and roll with the punches.

and this...

Agree. I don't care what some of these people say. I have ZERO doubt in my mind had it sold more or produced a hit single or two that the perception would be different. In fact, before and right at release many were calling it her best since ROL. Even our very own forum scrooge GSM claimed as such (if memory serves me right......granted I HIGHLY doubt he'd say that now).....feel free to look it up if you want.

Also, I can remember before HU really took off, many were saying she was desperate, dry of ideas (recycling her own lyrics and using an ABBA beat) and copying Gwen Stefani with the whole "clock theme". Cut to a couple months later when COADF was atop all the charts in the world, selling 7 million copies and HU was number one in a gazillion countries and it was one of the best albums of her career, she was back in true form etc etc etc. I'm sorry, but if that album had flopped people would label it as Euro cheese......I say that and COADF IS one of my faves by her but I'm just being realistic.

I've noticed for some time now that some fans tend to follow what all the critics say or base their opinion of the album on how it charts or is accepted by the general public. For the life of me, I can't understand why some fans can't just enjoy the music as intended, rather tear it apart based on if it sold a million or charted successfully. Great music isn't measured by chart success and sales. There are plenty of musicians who aren't even well known who have great music. There are plenty of fantastic songs and albums out there that never reached the top ten or sold a million copies.

I was there when Madonna became such a phenomenon in the 80's. People were writing her off back then, but she proved them wrong. And with each new era and album, she seems to find a way to stick out. But "realistically", I know musicians her age have a hard time keeping that mainstream success due to the fact, the music world is youth oriented. And as long as she keeps doing music, I have no doubt that she will find a way in making a splash with it, but it will never ever be like it was before. Much of her success anymore relies on her huge fan base that stick by her through thick and thin... and touring.

With her next album, I don't "expect" anything. I just enjoy everything. I try not to compare her new work with the past. She's been doing this for 30 years now. She has yet to let me down, and even if she never gets a top 40 hit, I will always still enjoy her new music. She hasn't strayed too far away from the sound I always enjoy from her.

[Supernatural]

Can we just skip to the Was MDNA ahead of it's time? thread already?

[Barbie]

Can we just skip to the Was MDNA ahead of it's time? thread already?

[Supernatural]

Non-traditional promo was already ahead of it's time it seems. And Britney did that Superstar remake.

[erotica blu]

Mastering is just the final step before the CD pressing. It just makes sure all the songs are at the same level. Mixing puts the puzzle together, it's what could make or break a song. All the effects are added during mixing, the fader, the eq, reverbs, delays, etc.. Mixing involves editing every piece of instrument and music in a song (vocals, guitar, drums, synths, etc..) whereas mastering only edits the completed two-channel stereo track mix.

Yeah, the mastering on MDNA isn't that loud compared to other records. But it's the mixing that many people have a problem with. There's no sense of clarity and even on the lossless CD rips, some tracks even sound a bit compressed. ROL doesn't have a loud master either, but the mixing allowed all the music to sound prominent and clear.

Thank you.

And if I'm not mistaken we were told through some article before the release that MDNA would be mastered specially for iTunes sound quality. And everyone knows compressed MP3 quality is shit to begin with. Madonna or her team really thought they could make shitty records and sound shitty and the kids would just love it. But the kids today don't buy Madonna music. Her very adult fans do. And they have good taste and ears most of the time.

[neutrocks]

You will only get disappointed if you have too much expectations. Sure, I envy the fans who lived through M's glory days. I just try to be grateful she's doing a lot when she shouldn't have to. She's had a great 30 year career. Most artists would've retired and slobbed their life away now. She doesn't.

Will she match her previous success? Who knows? If she does, great! I'll be glad to live with that era. If not, I have her entire catalogue to enjoy for the rest of my life. Things are different now than they used to be. And in a declining or suffering music industry, she's still doing great, not as great as what you'd expect her to be but great compared to her older contemporaries and the younger poptarts.

Exactly. In fact, one thing that is clear with Madonna she still hasn't lost that drive and ambition to create. While it may seem she's taking a break from music, she's still very active in creating. There is no doubt in my mind, she always writing or cultivating an idea almost on a daily basis.

[ryan]

Thank you.

And if I'm not mistaken we were told through some article before the release that MDNA would be mastered specially for iTunes sound quality. And everyone knows compressed MP3 quality is shit to begin with. Madonna or her team really thought they could make shitty records and sound shitty and the kids would just love it. But the kids today don't buy Madonna music. Her very adult fans do. And they have good taste and ears most of the time.

I never understood that. I guess it was just a way for them to attract more buyers. But if you do compare the iTunes's files to the cd rip, the iTunes version is slightly louder.

[erotica blu]

I never understood that. I guess it was just a way for them to attract more buyers. But if you do compare the iTunes's files to the cd rip, the iTunes version is slightly louder.

They put out a shit sounding record because that's what the kids are use to these days.

[Guest Xanthium]

I've never noticed a mastering issue with MDNA.

[erotica blu]

I've never noticed a mastering issue with MDNA.

It isn't a mastering defect. It's simply a matter of taste at the inadequacy of the final master.

[Sloane]

i dont need promo at all, i don't need hit singles, i don't need "ground breaking" sound, just the type of solid pop perfection that she knows how to deliver

Well I need promo cuz we get shows and awesome photoshoots. That's one of the things that was so glorious about Confessions era. Okay I don't need promo, but I miss it when it's not there and will silently gripe. It's got nothing to do w/ charting, getting a number one and all that bs.

... the kids today don't buy Madonna music. Her very adult fans do. And they have good taste and ears most of the time.

This is true, which is why the MDNA single choices were such a mistake.

[Apples388]

She's been saying her tours are a journey from darkness to light since BAT. I cringe when she says it now.

But it's not strictly true to be fair! Clearly Confessions, Sticky and Re-Invention didn't fall into that category and she did not say that to be honest.

MDNA was a journey from 'darkness to light' as cliched as it sounds. BAT actually wasn't so, funnily enough, but yeah she loves that phrase. Um..

[ryan]

I love that phrase. It's funny how during the rumor phase of the recording of MDNA, that's all we would hear, "combo of lightness and darknes."

She must of really had said it at the time.