I HATE her new single with Justin Timberlake. I also find it quite interesting that many orgers dog Janet for "not maturing in her music" and "no longer innovative", yet Madonna isn't held up to the same standard. I love when she takes the risks of using unknown producers like she had, but for her to jump on the Timberland bandwagon (which is played at this point) and duet with Justin Timberlake?? The single sucks, but it will sell because its Madonna.

i will have no problem with not buying it if i think what i hear is crapola. i couldn't stand what i heard from 'american life', and i wasn't even tempted to buy the album. i thought 'confessions' was fun, so i picked it up. it'll be interesting to see what madonna's up to with this album and what her whole concept is gonna be for promoting it, but with pharell and timbaland producing, i don't have high hopes.

totaldiva said:

Why do we have to pit our favourite artists against one another? And why do we care whether a producer is known, unknown or in between?

If you like the song, buy it. If you don't, don't.

Anxiety said:

I've still yet to hear the whole album, but I love the tracks I have heard (esp. "Nobody Knows Me", "Hollywood" and "American Life").

totaldiva said:

You are absoulutely right. People think Madonna can do no wrong, even if her shit sucks. I'm a fan too and I hate 4 Minutes. And before any Madonna fan goes nuts that I dogged Madge, I'm like this. No one is immune from criticism. If the person to whom this entire fansite is devoted to can be ripped and shredded to pieces, why can't Madonna get the same treatment if her shit stinks? Fuck that this is not the Prince section, she's an entertainer and if her stuff is great, she'll get praised, if it doesn't she'll get dogged. It's that simple.

Ace said:

American life is one of her most underrated albums, I loved every single track on it except the lead single that was the definition of wackness, have you seen the Love profusion video? one of my favourites ever!

I'm still looking forward to the album, and will buy it (duh), but after hearing the 3 leaked songs from it, every other song on the album had better be a genuine winner, or I'm probably not going to like it much.

I’m not feeling this single either and I’m having a hard time with the JT/Timbo collaboration. I hope it doesn’t sound like SexyBack II.

purpledusk971 said:

I've seen bits and pieces of it, I think. It's the one where she's walking on flower petals in the sky, or somethin'?

purpledusk971 said:

yeah, i know people who like that album. it's just that i'm not one of them.

totaldiva said:

Thats cuz Madonna has always been doing soemthing that makes you think or experience something. Janet has not had a personal movement since Velvet.

Anxiety said:

American Life is a bore. I only brought it for Hollywood and Die Another Day.

Madge gets dogged just as much as Janet does. Many people here feel just as you do. I don't care for hte song either, but I'm sure I'll like something on the album, regardless.

purpledusk971 said:

I agree with this. MANY fans hated the album and Madge got dogged for it. There are some very beautiful songs on it. There are a few stinkers too.

The only two diva's left I have hope for is Mariah (who like R Kelly, has been remixing the same song for years and releasing it as new) and Whitney, who I am hoping really gives a comeback of her life.

totaldiva said:

You sound like me altho I’m not really a Whitney fan. Not sure I can look at her the same after Being Bobby Brown.

paisleypark4 said:

Sorry, she was still singing about her parents and the price of fame on American Life. It's par for the course for her. Only the lyrics have progressively declined in quality. Just compare Oh Father with Mother & Father. Then she had Confessions, which had absolutely nothing to say, and now this trash. She may as well be mumbling on 4 Minutes since it would actually be an improvement on the lyrics.

The last truly definitive work for both of them came in the 90's.
[Edited 4/1/08 8:45am]

VoicesCarry said:

Madge is just more interesting. At least to me.

JackieBlue said:

I thought Mariah was your girl.

VoicesCarry said:

No conflict for me. I’ve always liked all three with varying degrees of passion here and there but I’ve been a fan of them forever. I just think Madge is more interesting than Janet.

JackieBlue said:

I'm only asking because everyone knows you can only have one

VoicesCarry said:

Mariah.

Janet has had that title since circa 1995.

I like "4 Minutes". The only problem I have with the song is that it sounds more like a Justin Timberlake track feat. Madonna when it should be the other way around. He steals the song i'm sorry to say, but I still love it regardless.

paisleypark4 said:

True. I have never found Janet to be interesting as a person, but her music and performances were another story. However, although her new album is pretty decent her recent performances and video's have been lackluster. I don't know what it is, but the excitement is missing. Janet is just boring to me now both as an artist and a personality.

Madonna on the other hand at least tries to keep it interesting and no matter if you dislike her or not, she makes you want to keep watching. Some people say she's selling out by hooking up with JT & Timbaland, but I disagree. Madonna is very driven as everyone know's and obviously wants to be successful in the U.S. again which is why she teamed up with those two. I don't see her working with them as her "selling out" 'cause it's clear what she's trying to do.
[Edited 4/1/08 12:25pm]

Cinnamon234 said:

I got to give it to Madonna on that point right there. She is very interesting and she's not boring. I love Janet but it became clear to me when she was promoting Discipline that she's about as exciting personally as watching paint dry. She's become boring now. She was very interesting in the past but it seemed like after the boob incident on the Superbowl, she just became dull. It's a shame too cause I love me some Janet.

I think the new duet sounds more like a JT song featuring Madonna.

Cinnamon234 said:

I've always thought the same about Janet, but I think that's what makes me like her soo much. She seems like a normal person who just happens to be a famous artist. I don't believe that your job should define who you really are, but that's just me. The world watched her grow up, so of course she's boring. Child stars don't last long, but she beat the odds, so kudos to her. I like that she doesn't thrive off of attention when she's off-stage. She seems like she would be fun to hang out with based on all the interludes she insists on putting on every single album. They're funny and even cute at times, but sometimes I want to slap her because I actually want to hear a song instead of a mini conversation. Musically, I think she's been in a rut for the last few years. Her last few albums have been safe, and that's putting it nicely. She doesn't take chances anymore like she did with Velvet Rope, but her life seems like it's in a more happy place for her at the moment. She seems to be in love with Jermaine Dupri and that has obviously caused her to fuck up her music....I mean change her sound. Her music has always been a reflection of where she is in her personal life, so since she's in love with the chocolate, gap-toothed troll, we will unfortunately have to hear about it on her albums.

Really, I believe that Janet and Madonna have fallen into Mariah's zone...the hip-hop/R&B sound, which she is able to pull off pretty well, IMO. They saw the success that "Emancipation of Mimi" had and they are probably trying to emulate it just to sell records. They both seem to be forgetting that they can't sing like Mariah can sing. I don't know. Female artists nowadays (old and new) aren't impressing me like they used to. It's soo strongly image-based now that I think the music is suffering for it.


After reading "Madonna" by Andrew Morton, I don't see how Madonna could ever be boring. She'd die if people stopped paying attention to her. Reading the book just reassured me of that. I never doubted Madonna's extreme need for attention. Madonna has been changing, re-inventing herself if you will, for her entire life. If she had stayed with one image and sound, she wouldn't have made it past the 80s. That's the appeal of Madonna and the main reason I believe she's an icon. I love old Madonna. I couldn't get into anything she did after 'Bedtime Stories' ("Take A Bow" )...well, I did love "Die Another Day" and "Get Together", but it's not like it used to be. I just kinda became bored with her after 'Bedtime Stories'. Don't get me wrong. I think she's a phenomenal businesswoman and deserves any icon award she receives because she changed pop culture forever. She may not be the best singer, but she's an amazing entertainer, so I have nothing but respect for Lady M. But, for me, she's been boring, musically and privately, since the early 90s and this new album isn't doing much for me either.

If the next singles are any good, I may consider getting her new album before the end of the year.

I agree. What I heard of the song = attrocious sellout

paisleypark4 said:

Well, Janet did say at the time that she was getting a lot of coffee enemas back then. Maybe she got all "movemented" out.

Raze said:

are. you. SERIOUS!?! Coffee enema? WTF?