Would AL (the single) have been huge in the US if not for the uberpatriotism movement in 2003?

[Guest bluejean]

He's called Monte Pittman.

Madonna has been doing the folk/acoustic thing on concert ever since he's her guitarist.

Yes but it was Guy who bought her guitar and encouraged her to learn it in the 1st place.

[Guest madgemad]

American Life is her worst single!

[GimmeSomeMo]

He's called Monte Pittman.

Madonna has been doing the folk/acoustic thing on concert ever since he's her guitarist.

Are you aware that Monte was Guy's teacher initially?

[neutrocks]

"American Life" (the single) isn't my favorite Madonna song. Though, "Felix Da Housecat's" mix would have made a better radio version. I agree the rap is awkward, but on this mix... the way it's sped up, it sounds awesome. And honestly, the rap/spoken part in "Mother and Father" seemed a lot more awkward then in "American life". The whole song was awkward. Certainly, it had a great sound, but the lyrics really did go with that song.

I do believe AMERICAN LIFE (the album) is underrated. There are a lot of great tracks. It's not your typical Madonna album, and I can appreciate that she went out on a limb on this one. In fact, I wouldn't mind her to touch base again with songs like "X-static Process" and "Easy Ride". I also love the rock sound of "I'm So Stupid". And "Nobody Knows Me" is just an awesome song.

It's hard to say if "American Life" would have done any better if the political climate of the country was different. It seems these days, in the U.S., people are wanting to hang Madonna out to dry with every other album. But I do think that the fact the album was perceived as "anti-American" didn't help the album one bit. The sad thing is that nothing on the album was "Anti-American". Though, the album cover does give people a different perception. And the talk of the original video for "American Life" (and viewed by some) gave people the wrong impression.

[Guest nothingfails0603]

I've never been sure about the whole radio boycott thing. I know she herself acknowledged it so I definitely think it's possible. But I think regardless that album wouldn't have got airplay. There is not one track that is an obvious KILLER lead single. Music had a different sound too but it still was a lot more radio friendly and novel than anything on the airwaves at the time. One of the best of Madonna's famous, catchy hooks! AL was also different but not in the same way. Nothing on that album is as hooky as Music, Amazing (not saying it's one of the best on Music but it's damn catchy...would've been a good single...check Beautiful Stranger) or Don't Tell Me.

Well, I do recall when either Nothing Fails or Love Profusion came out that fans called radio stations and were told that they were instructed by the guys in charge never to play a note off the album.

[Kurt420]

Well, I do recall when either Nothing Fails or Love Profusion came out that fans called radio stations and were told that they were instructed by the guys in charge never to play a note off the album.

See, I have a hard time believing that. Not doubting YOU, but I just wonder if stories like that aren't a bit exaggerated. The only reason I say that is because if there were a true boycott of AL the songs wouldn't have been played at all. I know that the airplay was pitiful for all the singles following AL, but all of them did get SOME airplay. If there were a true boycott/banning of the AL album it wouldn't have popped up on even the few stations it did.

Again, I think she took the quirkiest aspects of the Music album and made a whole album based on that with AL. Music and it's songs were risky in themselves, but with the AL album she took the quirkiness and experimentation too far for mass public consumption. Again, even as a loon, I could tell on the first listen of AL that it wasn't going to spawn a hit single. Hollywood would've been that albums ONLY dim light of hope for a commercially successful single and that only would've worked as a lead single. Like I said I do think it would've fared slightly better than AL....but not much. It simply would not have been a strong lead single....good song....it just doesn't have that "oomph" factor that most of her lead singles do.

Like an ugly child is to a doting mother, AL is an album only a diehard/loon can appreciate. The fact that AL is so uncommercial kind of puts it in a league of it's own among Madonna albums. Madonna HAD to have known she was taking a major risk with this album.

[seanster]

doubt it

it sank here in the UK too (chart/sales wise)

AL has not aged well at all and let's not even get into that 'rap'!!

[Elysium]

It was just an awkward, pretentious clumsy mess of a song further showcasing Madonna's completely self-conscious attempt at being 'post-modern' regardless of it's context during the war in Afghanistan. A large part of her work is still stuck in this 'self-conscious' mindset and it may explain why people don't like her current music including the new song 'Celebration' because she constantly refers to herself and her previous work. It's something she really needs to try to avoid in terms of her music in order for the true creative process to begin.

[Guest superman]

Im sorry! but I think this Thread is annoying and ridiculous ! its so over! take it or leave it and moved on.. American Life is her worst album EVER!! - worst sales !! unimpressived tracks! - its over!! its history!!! its already been tagged as one of the worst album of all time. We are just fooling ourselves. I never liked the album and so as the whole world!! LETS MOVED ON, otherwise this is disturbing!! something you cant accept the fact! and cant accept the failure of the album,. ITS CALLED OBSESSION!!! goodbye AL album! disappear please..

[encore]

i agree that american life song was a disaster. and also hollywood was also a boring second single. madonna was at her peak with wrong single choices at that time. i think she thought that everything she does would be a success after the success of ray of light and music. she made same mistake during erotica period after the success of like a prayer-blonde ambition tour period. i think shes been sometimes too stubborn. why did she even release "what if feels like for a girl"? boring song. she would kill the charts with "impressive instant".. what's it with "human nature"? worldwide flop, nothing even worth mentioning in her career (except for the video), but she put it on ghv2, she will put it on celebration, she performs it live in different tours..

but i don't hate american life album at all. die another day and easy ride were masterpieces of mirwais. nothing fails would be a killer first single. i really liked love profusion, mother&father, nobody knows me too... worst songs were the first two singles..

[Guest Danny86]

i think she thought that everything she does would be a success after the success of ray of light and music. she made same mistake during erotica period after the success of like a prayer-blonde ambition tour period.

This is how I see it too. And Warners played along because technically AL was trying to cash in on the success of "Music" & "DTM" so they must have been too confident as well. Same way how "Erotica" the song followed the "JML" formula.

[Guest bluejean]

Er excuse me? She first picked up a guitar 30 years ago...

Guy got her back onto it, she said that in an interview.

And just because she strummed afew chords 30 years ago it doesn't mean she's been playing that long.

[Yummy]

Well, I do recall when either Nothing Fails or Love Profusion came out that fans called radio stations and were told that they were instructed by the guys in charge never to play a note off the album.

In all of the promo interviews you could tell M was irked about something. Maybe the substantial lack of support for this album by radio and the general public had alot to do with it. A shame though, since it's her most solid work to date.