AcrossTheSky Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Truth is MDNA sold less Hard Candy and Hard Candy sold much less than Confessions. If the next album is truly as good as they say and it's going to sell less than MDNA then i ll take back my words...until then i stand by my humble opinion..like it or not. Peace. I agree with you. It is OBVIOUS the Queen spent less time on MDNA. People who deny this are too desperate to come across as most devoted and loyal to Madonna. You are not any less of a fan when you see things as they are. It is not just you who feels that Hard Candy and MDNA are not as good as they could have been. Many fans around the world feel this way too. Yet we still love these albums for what they are. Personally I like Hard Candy more than MDNA, because it's more consistent with a theme and musical style. I think it's good that fans defend these albums however. We wouldn't want to turn into negative Madonna bashers. I used to visit allaboutmadonna.com often. But the comments people leave there are pure hate. It's refreshing to meet Madonna fans who love and appreciate her!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realityisalways Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I love his love for Nothing Fails, one of her best (if not her best) song from this decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VogueMusic Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Truth is MDNA sold less Hard Candy and Hard Candy sold much less than Confessions. If the next album is truly as good as they say and it's going to sell less than MDNA then i ll take back my words...until then i stand by my humble opinion..like it or not. Peace. So the value of something is only relative to how much it sells? ...not considering the politics of the industry, this stage of her career, the fact that business is highs and lows/peaks and valleys and is never only about going up - in terms of sales or critical praise... Expecting everything to only go up is simply unrealistic...and places an unfair burden on her and the work. (thank god she doesn't pay attention to this kind of stuff). And to play devil's advocate, as much as I don't want to say it, the next album (no matter how it's perceived, or what merit it will have) may very well not perform as expected. so we just have to listen to M's producers only when they praise Madonna but if they say something slightly negative we have to dismiss it all? i'm sorry but Orbit's rant about the lack of time with Madonna in the studio only reinforces Madonna's status as a producer and a visionary.. And fact is she had W.E. in the way.. if she did not have other things on the go then i would agree with you but unfortunately she did have other projects and commitments so i don't see why people have to be so touchy. As i said the album is good and i do love it myself but from the public perspective point of view it wasn't on the same level as her previous works.. i don't see why it's such a bad thing to be a little bit critical. Not what I said at all. I'm not dismissing Orbit's own experience...but I'm not drinking the kool-aid that he is somehow this ultimate authority, and if he said it, it's the only truth, all the time. No. For the record, you can like or dislike whatever you want. That's not even the point I, and a few others, are making. What we take issue with are these sort of blanket statements, like... "fans around the world" 'say this' so it must be true... William Orbit 'says that' so it's gospel truth... that any one can even be "objective" (unless they're actually at Madonna's side taking note of how everything goes down), etc...... No one is denying that the commercial performance of the last couple albums was down (as is everything else in music industry sales), or that big hit singles didn't happen (damn near impossible for women doing dance-pop music in their 50s)... but where it does count in the industry today she still dominates in a way that her younger contemporaries should 'supposedly' be matching, if not surpassing, and yet cannot even come close. That says it all. And does everything have to be the next ROL, or LAP? To me, just unrealistic expectations every single time (hence why I usually stay out of the new album subforum). Why build up all these expectations (as we do every single time) to something that we really have no control over (other than actually buying the work), let alone even be able to truly predict (as much as some people try)? Again, I'm glad the woman just does her thing and doesn't pay attention to any of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeakMaker Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 ^ I agree with what you're saying.. my only hope is this time around she will come back with something stronger that will command attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svperstar Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I don't think people are being vicious. Hmmm.... Darren Hayes. Pretentious and nauseating are what sum him up best. get over yourself Just a bunch of babble to me. Everything he said was pretty tired and there was no need for this article to exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svperstar Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 And from a personal standpoint -- Hard Candy is a very good album. MDNA, on the other hand, has not held up very well at all, minus four songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebelHart Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Is Hard Candy a great record? Yes it is. Songs like Devil, Beat Goes On, She's Not Me, Incredible, Heartbeat are top notches.. if those songs were released by say Rihanna they would have been massive hits! For us Madonna fans the question is: Is Hard Candy on the same level of Ray Of Light, Confessions or even Music? No it is not. Although it does sound fresh and brilliantly produced we expected so much more from Madonna especially after the awesome Confessions.. Also, the image she appropriated for herself this time around is not that far off from her Confessions image.. she went all out to be sexy and provocative (same can be said for MDNA).. when she came back with a bang with Confessions the world was treated to a new Madonna's full-on reinvention! Everybody was talking about her figure and her pumping and grinding that boom box was some sort of early twerking. Everything was in place for her to be brilliant. Not so much with Hard Candy and MDNA. What works for Madonna is exactly what's always been working for her since the start: an awesome new sound and the awesome new image that goes with it... she's started it all after all. Maybe she wasn't that inspired or eager with Hard Candy.. maybe she wrongfully hoped team Timberlake/Timbaland would create a new sound for her... she ended up having the same kind of production instead. It's also worth noting how Timbaland did not come back with anything majorly good or inspiring after 4 Minutes. MDNA was a rushed album. Anybody confirmed that.. it's a tour album.. i remember how everybody was gagging for this new album.. it was so long due that maybe Madonna and Interscope decided to put it out there just to please the fans and have new material for the tour... even the first single leak was a nasty affair. it just went to show how little hope they had on that track. In truth, her mind wasn't entirely there.. she had to edit a film.. just look at how much promotion she did for W.E.! Didn't she reportedly sacrifice studio time for her fashion label? i mean that should speak volumes... I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mensch Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Well it's entirely debatable. American Life has been my favorite Madonna album for a LONG TIME and is now my second favorite after Music. Just because people are constantly saying Ray of Light and Like a Prayer are her best albums doesn't mean everyone should share this opinion. I know quite a few Madonna fans in real life who have different opinions about what is her best album and it's great, her catalogue is so vast that it's not always easy to find her definitive best album. That's the beauty of being a Madonna fan I'm with you on that. American Life is really one of her best. I don't care what anyone says. There's something really REALLY amazing about Like A Prayer/Immaculate Collection/Erotica and Ray of Light/Music/American Life that personify two totally separate Madonna's constantly evolving and shifting into something new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I'm with you on that. American Life is really one of her best. I don't care what anyone says. There's something really REALLY amazing about Like A Prayer/Immaculate Collection/Erotica and Ray of Light/Music/American Life that personify two totally separate Madonna's constantly evolving and shifting into something new. yes exactly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebelHart Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 yes exactly! I'm with you on that. American Life is really one of her best. I don't care what anyone says. There's something really REALLY amazing about Like A Prayer/Immaculate Collection/Erotica and Ray of Light/Music/American Life that personify two totally separate Madonna's constantly evolving and shifting into something new. AL has grown on me the most after all these years. I love the demos that didn't make the album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icykiller Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I'm with you on that. American Life is really one of her best. I don't care what anyone says. There's something really REALLY amazing about Like A Prayer/Immaculate Collection/Erotica and Ray of Light/Music/American Life that personify two totally separate Madonna's constantly evolving and shifting into something new. OMG yes!! And Bedtime Stories/STR bridge both so marvelously... I always thought Confessions was going to be such a bridge, but what came afterwards, while OK, it wasn't awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madonnasuperfan01 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I'm with you on that. American Life is really one of her best. I don't care what anyone says. There's something really REALLY amazing about Like A Prayer/Immaculate Collection/Erotica and Ray of Light/Music/American Life that personify two totally separate Madonna's constantly evolving and shifting into something new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcrossTheSky Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Nothing Fails could have been an amazing single. Why wasn't it??? My most favorite song along with Love Profusion and Easy Ride Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Msig Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Nothing Fails could have been an amazing single. Why wasn't it??? My most favorite song along with Love Profusion and Easy Ride But it was as a single! Madonna just didn't bother to do a video for it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madonnasuperfan01 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Nothing Fails could have been an amazing single. Why wasn't it??? My most favorite song along with Love Profusion and Easy Ride Easy Ride is HEAVEN, the instrumental at the beginning of the song alone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcrossTheSky Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Intervention is a really good song too. So is Nobody Knows Me. I'm So Stupid has a really good message. In fact the entire album is really rich with deep lyrics. One must simply understand the meaning behind the words. Otherwise it sounds cheesy. I personally never thought American Life was lyrically cheesy. It struck me from the very start lyrically, musically and vocally. Her voice is so raw. Love that album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumholegeorge Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 American Life is absolutely my favourite album.. Its the album I constantly go back to, and its always sounds fresh... Its such a cohesive album, and her voice has more clarity too.. Most of the musical arrangements are much simpler and less cluttered, so you can actually hear every word she says...Reminds me a lot of "Like a Prayer" album.... It has the same organic quality and the same emotional depth that's not always present on other albums..... AL LAP BS and ROL all seem to have this same vocal quality in tone, and in the timing in the delivery of the lyrics.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madonnasuperfan01 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Intervention is a really good song too. So is Nobody Knows Me. I'm So Stupid has a really good message. In fact the entire album is really rich with deep lyrics. One must simply understand the meaning behind the words. Otherwise it sounds cheesy. I personally never thought American Life was lyrically cheesy. It struck me from the very start lyrically, musically and vocally. Her voice is so raw. Love that album. American Life is absolutely my favourite album.. Its the album I constantly go back to, and its always sounds fresh... Its such a cohesive album, and her voice has more clarity too.. Most of the musical arrangements are much simpler and less cluttered, so you can actually hear every word she says...Reminds me a lot of "Like a Prayer" album.... It has the same organic quality and the same emotional depth that's not always present on other albums..... AL LAP BS and ROL all seem to have this same vocal quality in tone, and in the timing in the delivery of the lyrics.. :clap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sambassile Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 American Life is one of her best. Personally i consider it to be part 3 of a trilogy alongside Ray of Light and Music a.k.a The Madonna Renaissance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip The Switch Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 But it was as a single! Madonna just didn't bother to do a video for it... Not the album version but that horrible remix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebelHart Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Like Erotica, AL is an example of an album that wasn't a 'commercial success' yet represents some of her best work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcrossTheSky Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 American Life is one of her best. Personally i consider it to be part 3 of a trilogy alongside Ray of Light and Music a.k.a The Madonna Renaissance. I thought the same thing. ROL, Music and AL and then Confessions, HC and MDNA. We're about to embark on a totally new Madonna lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sambassile Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I thought the same thing. ROL, Music and AL and then Confessions, HC and MDNA. We're about to embark on a totally new Madonna lol Well i wouldn't put Confessions in the same category as Hard Candy and MDNA. In my own opinion it is in a completely different league to those 2. Anyways fingers crossed for an awesome new Madonna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VogueMusic Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 Like Erotica, AL is an example of an album that wasn't a 'commercial success' yet represents some of her best work. Bingo. American Life was THE album that really reinvigorated my love for Madonna. Everything she was saying at the time I got, needed to hear, and was glad someone was saying it...considering how utterly bizarre life in America really was then. Sonically, there is nothing like it. The contrast of electronic with folk/guitars is still fresh...and Nobody Knows Me is one of my absolute favorite M songs ever. (How I wish it was given a video). And as for the original American Life video....fucking genius. All the images and statements in that video are as relevant, if not more, today than they were then. She's ahead of her time. Erotica and American Life are why I'm even here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 I'm going to agree American Life is a better album than MDNA. It just has a more personal touch to it and is more consistent in the quality of the songs themselves. MDNA has some amazing songs but some total filler too. There is no doubt in my mind it was "rushed" as Orbit said. But I do think there are traces of greatness and I don't believe Madonna didn't care about it or put effort into it. Hard Candy on the other hand is one of her most consistent albums and I'm certain she put everything into it. We've heard the early versions of some of the songs, it was not slapped together at all. Some people just didn't like the choice of producers and so that turned them off before they even heard the album. But it was not half arsed or rushed. People that don't like the style of music love to believe that but evidence says otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebelHart Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 I'm going to agree American Life is a better album than MDNA. It just has a more personal touch to it and is more consistent in the quality of the songs themselves. MDNA has some amazing songs but some total filler too. There is no doubt in my mind it was "rushed" as Orbit said. But I do think there are traces of greatness and I don't believe Madonna didn't care about it or put effort into it. Hard Candy on the other hand is one of her most consistent albums and I'm certain she put everything into it. We've heard the early versions of some of the songs, it was not slapped together at all. Some people just didn't like the choice of producers and so that turned them off before they even heard the album. But it was not half arsed or rushed. People that don't like the style of music love to believe that but evidence says otherwise. I was excited at the possibilities and results of her work with Pharell , Timbaland, danja, and Justin... I think Hard Candy is misunderstood (bymyself and others)... It has it problems but overall it was a distinct era, which I respect and enjoy. its not her best showing IMO but its still special ...as all Madonna albums are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadCrazy Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 American life is my 4th most played album after Erotica LAP & ROL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugbyguy Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 I think we all need to start preparing for the fact that her next record isn't going to sell millions and millions of copies. I only say this based on the state of the music industry. We will be lucky to get maybe 2 million copies and that should be considered a success. I'm expecting a huge first week of at least a million copies and a number one debut but then things will probably follow the path that HC and MDNA did of a quick tumble down the charts which is unfortunate. What sort of sound are we expecting for this record? I'm leaning towards a big pop sound with leanings towards some experimental beats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpb4uthink Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 ^ this plus some introspective lyrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pasqual Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 i never thought on Ms albums as a trilogy....mostly i was thinking about them as dualistics...black...white...black...white...like low...happy...low happy...and so on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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