[What are the things that actually make COADF such a great album?]

I can see why you would say that. I remember thinking after listening to it for the first time that it had the same message as AL for the most part. She just wrapped it up in a pretty "disco" package with COADF and it worked!

The confrontational tone of Life could not sustain itself through subsequent albums. A lighter sound and image will attract the masses.

[What are the things that actually make COADF such a great album?]

Am I the only one that finds COADF more preachy than AL. Both albums are perfection!

The "message" felt out of place with the image and sound of Confessions.

[What are the things that actually make COADF such a great album?]

While I'm a huge fan of her experimenting more and being the avant garde "critic darling" I really feel that she HAD to move on from that. Ray of Light, Music and the DWT were utterly brilliant but I think American Life bored too many people. Madonna isn't a electro folk artist here to preach Kabbalah, she's a superstar and Confessions really highlighted that whilst still maintaining an edge and credibility.

Whilst I love Hard Candy I think that was when she really tried too hard to be popular and started to become more about being a "brand." But I don't believe Confessions was a step backward, it was definitely the right move.

And I think she's returning now to where she left off with that by the sounds of it. Maybe not musically but in terms of expressing more of a point of view. Clearly the MDNA tour and the Art for Freedom stuff have moved her back in the right direction of being more of an artist than a brand.

Madonna is always better when she's musically experimental. But her brand was never about pushing the envelope musically.

[What are the things that actually make COADF such a great album?]

Those that say she was "selling out" after the flop of AL can get fucked.

You get fucked. Madonna stopped experimenting after AL's commercial failure. Today all we want is the new album to suck less than MDNA. That is a shitty expectation to have for an artist who gave us: Erotica, Bedtime Stories, Ray of Light, Music, American Life. Very shitty.

[New album update: Madonna posts lyrics from new song, "Messiah"]

Madonna is the Messiah. Surprise! She's been holding back on her true identity for years. Now it's time to make it official.

[Gwyneth Paltrow transforms into Madonna for Max Factor]

Poor Pouty Paltrow.

[How many singles will Madonna's next album have?]

With amazing visuals

I.e music videos

I won't lie. The GAYL video was the best thing that came out of MDNA.

[How many singles will Madonna's next album have?]

What are singles?

Madonna should be interested in a quality and cohesive album.

[William Orbit again on ROL and MDNA]

you're wasting your time even when her collaborators have nothing but praise for her work as a songwriter/producer (like william in the interview posted in this thread - and this is only the last one from a very very long list), how much she is in control and how much she IS talented and actually is one of the few popstars that writes lyrics, melodies and actually produces her music, some "fans" keep questioning her talent and involvement during the making of her albums

No one is suggesting Madonna lays there while her hired help does all the work. But she has as much musicality as Michael. She's nobody's Prince.

[William Orbit again on ROL and MDNA]

Well said! You see, that's something i find annoying on here sometimes. Some fans seem to often credit Madonna's producers as the mastermind behind the whole thing. As if, in their minds, they're the ones doing all the job.

I mean, when Avicii was announced as one of the producers for the new album, some fans freaked out and automatically assumed that the album would be crap because of it, as if he would be the one doing the whole thing without any contribution from Madonna.

I also can't remember how many times i read things like: "Oh that song/album is SO good, William Orbit/Patrick Leonard/Joe Henry are such good songwriters!" "She need to work with Patrick Leonard again, his melodies/lyrics are amazing!"... I could go on and on. It really makes me wonder how much faith some fans have in Madonna's songwriting contributions. They really seem to think, maybe unconsciously, that her producers are basically doing the whole job since the beginning of her career.

Madonna is a vocalist and lyricist. Her collaborators are the musicians who bring their musicianship to the final recording. If Madonna works with Babyface it will not mirror the work she does with Shep Pettibone because each man has his own approach and expertise. Madonna will not have a credit that says most of the instrumentation and arrangements are done by her. She has musicality but there are limitations that are not limitations when you're genre is dance pop.

[William Orbit again on ROL and MDNA]

Why is MDNA being bashed for not having a narrative or a theme like ROL or COADF while we had Madonna and LAV who were similar too? They didn't have a narrative or a cohesive theme but that didn't make them terrible albums. MDNA may not be what most expected but it's not that terrible as some make it out to be.

Anyone with sense would be less critical of her eighties output. Because it was reflective of a new artist finding their voice. By the nineties Madonna sharpened her approach to album making. The studio albums from that decade hold up under scrutiny. MDNA is a structure-free mess. I believe once we hear the new album no one will be defending MDNA.

[William Orbit again on ROL and MDNA]

At the risk of offending so many people here, but why do Madonna fans keep claiming that Ray of light is the most important relevant album of hers etc ? It may be some people's favourite but do people not know the impact of other albums such as Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer for example. Like a Virgin made Madonna a female pop superstar to the extent never seen before. True Blue was even more successful and Like a Prayer had some of the most iconic and loved songs in her history - adored by not only fans but the general public. Other albums of hers are also just as loved. Ray of light was wonderful but I don't think it is above and better than other albums of hers - and I am referring to albums before and after Ray of light.

William Orbit is not the reason Madonna has been successful and never has been. He is given far too much credit in the scheme of things in her career.

Madonna has divided her career into before and after the SEX book. Ray of Light was a globally important album for her. Where Erotica was embraced overseas. Bedtime Stories did well in America. Ray of Light brought the foreign and the domestic together and Madonna received a commercial, cultural, and critical second wind. Without Ray of Light there is no Drowned World Tour. Ray of Light is not my favorite latter-day Madonna. But I can't deny its importance.

[William Orbit again on ROL and MDNA]

MDNA is the musical low point in Madonna's discography.

[New album thread: "official" information. UPDATE: Diplo tweets about "hot" songs]

Yeah, way too many collaborators for my taste. I don't understand what she has against sitting down with ONE or maybe two producer/songwriters and making a cohesive, intimate album (and I consider Erotica and COADF intimate, so I don't mean M and a guitar). I would also love a 10 or 11-track album with maybe one bonus track for iTunes and international. No 15-track deluxe with filler.

This.

She might be out of ideas. Hence working with several collaborators to see what sticks.

[Former back-up dancer for Madonna charged with fraud]

I don't care what you do with your lives after this tour.

[Thoughts??]

Madonna visited her mother's grave in True or Dare. She sort of made the whole thing trivial. Not suggesting this fan has a right to do the same. But Madonna did it first and other lesser persons will follow.

[Madonna by Tom Munro for L'Uomo Vogue]

I love these photos. They're fun and flattering and feminine. Even in a man's suit.

[Death & Taxes: Madonna Was Better Than Michael Jackson]

Michael Jackson was the one black performer white America could not diminish his global impact. And for that Elvis and The Beatles don't have shit on him. Madonna beat both Michael and Prince in the game of life. Prince is too egotistical and esoteric to be fully embraced. Mike became a complacent nostalgia act. Madonna is very much alive in her reach on us all. If I could live a little bit of my day like Madonna from any era in her life or career I feel just a little bit more closer to greatness. Sorry for the ramble. I know I'm rambling instead of making a concrete point.

[Death & Taxes: Madonna Was Better Than Michael Jackson]

@whatatramp

Easy to forget O'Neal found acceptance in the UK. Stateside his audience is primarily black.

[New album discussion: VENI VIDI VICI. Recording sessions possibly complete?]

I will be happy with anything she produces, as long as Yoko Ono and Courtney Love are not part of any collaborations.

Word.

I like both of them but neither makes sense on a Madonna record. Maybe Courtney.

[Madonna doesn't have a definitive song?]

Madonna will never die.

She's definitely Shakespearean in her earthly longevity.

[M working with Diplo - Are you happy !? (Yesssss !!!!)]

Y'all can suck it.

You're offering me the privilege to blow you? Thanks.

[Madonna doesn't have a definitive song?]

Not to mention is the song that gets used the most by other pop artists and tv shows

Exactly.

[New album discussion: VENI VIDI VICI. Recording sessions possibly complete?]

No, but I'd like to see her share the touring love for our Australian brethren. I'm selfless that way.

If Beyoncé can make the trek to Australia so can Madonna.

[Madonna doesn't have a definitive song?]

Vogue represents the signature peak of her career. The song is also timeless. Sure it has nods to the early nineties. But it remains refreshingly current with the landscape of today. She's never even given a bad performance of the song live. Which says a lot about its quality as a song.