Was Hard Candy ahead of its time?

[xxianyxx]

HC was seen as dated upon its release, and now it seems that both Pharrel and Timbaland are coming back into vogue. I don't think that makes HC ahead of its time..

[Guest Rachelle of London]

Blimey

Blimey

haha remember the meltdown when everyone was saying she needs to follow up and release Masterpiece here.

[Guest]

So how would you explain her securing a hit with Celebration here in 2009, or an MDNA album track being the most requested song in history on the biggest radio station in the UK or havin 3 sold out 2 stadium and one arena performances on MDNA Tour. (lets not even include S&S Part 2) The reason MDNA singles didnt do well here is because the single choices were crap. There was ZERO promo in the UK. Simple! The singles didnt do much better in the USA, Ms sudden boost in America wasn't due to her divorcing an Englishmen it was her Superbowl performance.

COADF was a return to Madonna "slutting it up" a 48 year old woman dancing about in a leotard. Yet that has been one of Madonna's most successful eras here in the UK. To the average Brit Madonna has always been outrageous and pretty scandalous. When she lived here and spoke with that AWFUL faux British accent, she was mocked to death.

BUT MADONNA GOT DIVORCED TO A BRITISH MAN. MADONNAS SUCCESS IS BASICALLY FIXED BY THE POPULARITY OF THE MAN THAT SHE IS MARRIED TO. Thank God you have a brain Chelle. Some people here seem to think that English people hate Madonna simply because she divorced Guy Ritchie but I can't imagine why because pretty much nobody gives a fuck about Guy.

[Lucky guy]

Based on two of the biggest hits of the year, Daft Punk's Get Lucky and Robin Thicke's Blurred lines, was Hard Candy ahead of its time?

She was accused of jumping on the r'n'nb and Timbaland/ Timberlake band wagons at the time. But when you hear the Thicke/ Pharrel/ Daft Punk collaborations doing so well right now, they are not that far removed from Give It 2 Me, Dance 2Nite, Candy Shop, The Beat Goes On etc.

Had Hard Candy been released this year, would it have sold more or received more praise?

It shouldn't need a 9 page topic just to say 'no'.

[vocalism]

Honestly, only her diehard fans know where she lives and who she's married to. I was walking out of Yankee Stadium for MDNA Tour and hear some chick saying "Why was she talking about being American and free speech? Isn't she British now and moved there?" People are just stupid.

[Jazzy Jan]

Honestly, only her diehard fans know where she lives and who she's married to. I was walking out of Yankee Stadium for MDNA Tour and hear some chick saying "Why was she talking about being American and free speech? Isn't she British now and moved there?" People are just stupid.

Some people are just beyond stupid. That chick sounds like an utter ignorant idiot.

One thing though, is generally I think people do know a lot about Madonna's life. Even people that don't like her, always have an opinion on her and seemed to know who she was married to and where she lives etc. She is very high profile world-wide.

I don't live in the UK but have always known that she has been a superstar there - before and after her marriage to Guy. Also, you never hear anything of Guy much anywhere now he is not with Madonna. I saw a photo of him the other day in some magazine and it was the first time I had seen or read anything about him for months. He looked very scruffy and unkempt. I doubt that any UK Madonna fan would have dumped her for dumping Guy Ritchie.

[rb19]

Some people are just beyond stupid. That chick sounds like an utter ignorant idiot.

One thing though, is generally I think people do know a lot about Madonna's life. Even people that don't like her, always have an opinion on her and seemed to know who she was married to and where she lives etc. She is very high profile world-wide.

I don't live in the UK but have always known that she has been a superstar there - before and after her marriage to Guy. Also, you never hear anything of Guy much anywhere now he is not with Madonna. I saw a photo of him the other day in some magazine and it was the first time I had seen or read anything about him for months. He looked very scruffy and unkempt. I doubt that any UK Madonna fan would have dumped her for dumping Guy Ritchie.

People always know, or think they know, a lot about Madonna, and have fully formed opinions, but couldn't name you an album released in the last ten years if they tried. But in the UK there is a sort of weird reverence for her. The opinion that we dropped her after she dumped us as a nation feels very American; that's just not a British way of looking at things, and tbh I don't know many people who ever felt she was really very English anyway. I think it's more that her output has been very American for the last two albums, and her lack of promo in this country doesn't really endear her here in the present zeitgeist. That coupled with the fact Radio 1 DJs are contractually not allowed to play music by people over thirty without extenuating circumstances and the station has a target audience of something ridiculous like 13-17 means more established acts just aren't making waves over here at all.

[5iVe Elements]

The least tracks for me are 4 Minutes. It doesn't really go anywhere aside from that Timbo horn so catchy. And Voices. It bores me.

[Guest]

People always know, or think they know, a lot about Madonna, and have fully formed opinions, but couldn't name you an album released in the last ten years if they tried. But in the UK there is a sort of weird reverence for her. The opinion that we dropped her after she dumped us as a nation feels very American; that's just not a British way of looking at things, and tbh I don't know many people who ever felt she was really very English anyway.

Yep, it definitely is an American thing. It's totally bizarre to me.

[nightcutter]

I don't think the UK public cared when she divorced Guy. But I do think some of the papers did. I can't imagine it influenced any radio planners.

[Guest Rachelle of London]

Why does everyone want her music to be played on Radio 1...no one listens to Radio 1 anymore...their demographic is for preteens and teenagers, Radio 2 gets more listeners, so does Heart and Capital.

[side_streets]

Who cares?

Lets close this thread.

<3

[vocalism]

It's so strange to me that the U.K. has like, what, four radio stations?

[Guest Rachelle of London]

It's so strange to me that the U.K. has like, what, four radio stations?

????

There are loads, those are just the national ones I could think of from the top of my head.

[adreeyen]

Honestly, only her diehard fans know where she lives and who she's married to. I was walking out of Yankee Stadium for MDNA Tour and hear some chick saying "Why was she talking about being American and free speech? Isn't she British now and moved there?" People are just stupid.

I remember outside my MDNA show, some guy behind me was talking with his girlfriend saying that she was trained as a ballet dancer, not in politics, so she shouldn't be talking about them. Some logic.

[erotica blu]

I remember outside my MDNA show, some guy behind me was talking with his girlfriend saying that she was trained as a ballet dancer, not in politics, so she shouldn't be talking about them. Some logic.

That mentality has come more prevalent since the Bush II era.

[Lucky guy]

People always know, or think they know, a lot about Madonna, and have fully formed opinions, but couldn't name you an album released in the last ten years if they tried. But in the UK there is a sort of weird reverence for her. The opinion that we dropped her after she dumped us as a nation feels very American; that's just not a British way of looking at things, and tbh I don't know many people who ever felt she was really very English anyway. I think it's more that her output has been very American for the last two albums, and her lack of promo in this country doesn't really endear her here in the present zeitgeist. That coupled with the fact Radio 1 DJs are contractually not allowed to play music by people over thirty without extenuating circumstances and the station has a target audience of something ridiculous like 13-17 means more established acts just aren't making waves over here at all.

Most young people idolise American pop culture these days anyway. Being seen as more American and less British would be an advantage, not a disadvantage.

[Kurt420]

Well, the impression I get from UK members here is that she's at an all time low and it's pretty much been that way since the HC/S&S era.......yet, when it's brought up, it's "oh the general public loves her, she's continuously sold out stadiums and had top five hits, most requested songs etc etc".....well ok.....then I guess she must not be in THAT bad of a situation over there then...lol. So why the meltdowns in the UK chart threads?? And why the meltdowns over the British press slagging her every opportunity??

[Elysium]

Well, the impression I get from UK members here is that she's at an all time low and it's pretty much been that way since the HC/S&S era.......yet, when it's brought up, it's "oh the general public loves her, she's continuously sold out stadiums and had top five hits, most requested songs etc etc".....well ok.....then I guess she must not be in THAT bad of a situation over there then...lol. So why the meltdowns in the UK chart threads?? And why the meltdowns over the British press slagging her every opportunity??

I wouldn't say that she's at an all time low as far as public opinion in the UK is concerned. I think she is just at that stage of her career where she is older and her output is no longer as groundbreaking as it used to be. As nice as a few of the songs on HC were and as great as MDNA was, she hasn't released anything that has really stood out or piqued the UK market's interest (up until Confessions, she was always seen as having her finger on the pulse and an eye for emerging trends). Over the last 7 years or so she has entered the phase in her career which all established performers reach, such as Sting/Elton John/Tina Turner/Cher/Mick Jagger, etc - the rest home stage. She's already proved her legendary status and people are aware of her brand but she's not at the forefront of popular music anymore (which is probably a relief considering the dire pop music scene at the moment anyway). She's respected but she's also seen as a bit of a Dorian from Birds of a Feather/'cougar' type character (re: press shots from the AMA's and the MET gala). She's an easy target for the UK press because of her persona as an older woman into younger men. This is not necessarily 'my' perception of M but I know quite a few people in the UK who have this view of her.

[Guest Rachelle of London]

I wouldn't say that she's at an all time low as far as public opinion in the UK is concerned. I think she is just at that stage of her career where she is older and her output is no longer as groundbreaking as it used to be. As nice as a few of the songs on HC were and as great as MDNA was, she hasn't released anything that has really stood out or piqued the UK market's interest (up until Confessions, she was always seen as having her finger on the pulse and an eye for emerging trends). Over the last 7 years or so she has entered the phase in her career which all established performers reach, such as Sting/Elton John/Tina Turner/Cher/Mick Jagger, etc - the rest home stage. She's already proved her legendary status and people are aware of her brand but she's not at the forefront of popular music anymore (which is probably a relief considering the dire pop music scene at the moment anyway). She's respected but she's also seen as a bit of a Dorian from Birds of a Feather/'cougar' type character (re: press shots from the AMA's and the MET gala). She's an easy target for the UK press because of her persona as an older woman into younger men. This is not necessarily 'my' perception of M but I know quite a few people in the UK who have this view of her.

THIS!!!!

I personally do not remember a time when the British press were ever "Pro-Madonna" as Drama Boy has put it, she's an easy target, she sells newspapers and will not sue if they have a negative article about her. Aside from the Daily Fail, the British press are not even that bad about Madonna.

[rb19]

THIS!!!!

seconded

[Guest]

Honestly, only her diehard fans know where she lives and who she's married to. I was walking out of Yankee Stadium for MDNA Tour and hear some chick saying "Why was she talking about being American and free speech? Isn't she British now and moved there?" People are just stupid.

Dear lord. What a dip shit.

[Guest]

Why does everyone want her music to be played on Radio 1...no one listens to Radio 1 anymore...their demographic is for preteens and teenagers, Radio 2 gets more listeners, so does Heart and Capital.

I know! It plays the worst shit imaginable and has the most annoying DJs.

It's so strange to me that the U.K. has like, what, four radio stations?

What? It probably has like 400.

[Guest]

Well, the impression I get from UK members here is that she's at an all time low and it's pretty much been that way since the HC/S&S era.......yet, when it's brought up, it's "oh the general public loves her, she's continuously sold out stadiums and had top five hits, most requested songs etc etc".....well ok.....then I guess she must not be in THAT bad of a situation over there then...lol. So why the meltdowns in the UK chart threads?? And why the meltdowns over the British press slagging her every opportunity??

Those people have a screw loose.

[vocalism]

I know! It plays the worst shit imaginable and has the most annoying DJs.

What? It probably has like 400.

I only ever hear people talk about Radio 1 or Radio 2? Is there a Radio 400? What's so important about Radio 1?

[rb19]

I only ever hear people talk about Radio 1 or Radio 2? Is there a Radio 400? What's so important about Radio 1?

Radio 1 was for a long time the most listened to station in the UK, they have big name DJs, get the big interviews, and, most importantly, they have the chart show on a sunday afternoon.

It's also the BBCs flagship radio station (there are... 7? bbc radio stations, but only 4 on standard FM wavelengths) and the BBC stations are the only ones that guarantee total national coverage. Only Radio 1 and Radio 2 play pop music, Radio 3 is arts and culture, and Radio 4 is spoken programming, documentaries etc. Like I said they used to be the sort of arbiters of contemporary music culture, and Radio 2 was more classic/middle aged, but about four years ago they decided to gear radio 1 towards a target audience of 13-18 year olds, I'm not sure why. They sacked all the old DJs and replaced them with younger, inane morons and now only play the latest flash in the pan.

[johnnox]

In 2009, the Trust, the BBC's governing body, tightened the wording of Radio 1's service licence remit, emphasising that it was expected to focus on 15 to 29-year-olds rather than older listeners.

[vocalism]

I guess they're following in the steps of the U.S.

[jonski43]

Radio 1- 4 get very large audiences. There are loads of local radio stations too but their listener figures aren't nearly as high.

It's important to get Radio 1 airplay as that demographic buy singles which makes a hit. Radio 2 listeners are more likely to be album buyers. Even though it's the albums that make money (or at least used to) the No. 1 single is still a huge deal here and is one of the main signifier of success in a music career.

As for Madonna, I think the Brits have an expectation of Madonna now as she's been so successful for so long. Everyone wants a LAP or Vogue or HU. If she doesn't deliver, she's written off until the next album. However, this is the worst I've known it for general indifference to her music in thirty years of being a fan. The hits just stopped with Miles Away although Celebration managed top 3. There's still interest in her like when she added a million viewers to Graham Norton's show but we seem obsessed with the celebrity side of showbusiness rather than their actual output. I think it's the Kardashian effect - people just want to hear about fashion, make-up, parties, boyfriends etc

But yes, she's moved into the legacy artist circuit now but she hasn't got the kudos of Bruce Springsteen, Bowie, Queen etc. They're always played on Radio 2 and when Bruce played live last year, they were constantly talking about it. I'm lucky if I hear Madonna on there at all.

[BoyToy]

Hard fucking candy