Her ballads rarely get played on radio....but look at the evidence:

This used to be my playground
and The Look of Love.....never heard on radio.... was that a big hit?

The look of love was massive here in Europe. The continent were good songs are loved...

peppeken said:

It was top 10 in the UK (but just about all of her singles are). It was never released as a single in the US.

This Used to Be My Playground is among her most vomit-inducing work.

She's got a few that I can stand, Live to Tell, especially, but ballads are not her strong suit.

I like most of her ballads mainly because she doesn't seem to be pandering or trying to appear relevant or up do date. They're more honest songs.

I think she can do great ballads like Love don't live here anymore, live to tell, Oh Father, even You must Love me. I do have to say that of the recent material there hasn't been a lot. I think AL had some pretty songs. There were many great ballads on Bedtime stories.

That said, she can also make the most sappy ballads I have ever heard like This used to be my playground, Rain (Pain is more like it), and Take a bow.

superspaceboy said:

Love Don't Live Here Anymore, is not one of her greatest moments.
I thought it was lame.
But Crazy for You, Take a Bow, Oh Father, and a few others are good.

I have no problem with her ballads. "Live to Tell" is obviously the crown jewel (well, along with "Bad Girl" if that counts), but "Oh Father," "You'll See," "Take a Bow," "Has to Be," and "This Used to Be My Playground" all get top marks from me. "Crazy for You" is also a favorite. I'm not sure the Ray of Light tracks are slow enough to count, but they'd certainly be up there.

SUPRMAN said:

Yeah, I'm not a fan of that cover or her take on "I Want You" (much beloved around these parts).

Shoo Be Doo
Rain (played out)
Love Dont Live Here Anymore (1984)
What It Feels Liek For A Girl
Take A Bow (played out)
Live To Tell (played out)

are her best ballds in my opinion

I love her ballads. You should listen to her Something To Remember album!

I don't think they're underrrated. Many fans long for a great proper ballad, and most of her ballads were big hits.

My favorite is probably You'll See

i think her best cd is actually something to remember.. she is brilliant at ballads.. shame about the pop shit she is releasing recently.

I love Madonna's ballads! There is a haunting sadness and sincerity to many of her ballads.For the longest time,"Bad Girl" was my favorite song.It's still one of my top 5 Madonna songs.I love when she does sad songs! Not surprisngly,my favorite song on Hard Candy is "Miles Away".It's not really a ballad,but there's a sadness in the lyrics that really gets to me.

they are rightfully underrated

graecophilos said:

Oh hell no. In theory Something to Remember sounded like a good idea but I bought it and thought that it just exposed the boring quality of her voice. A couple of ballads buried in a regular album, they individually sound fine but collected together I was like 'she sounds awful' and this is coming from someone who generally doesn't mind her voice the way alot of people do.

None of Madonna's work is underrated - quite the opposite actually...

MendesCity said:

totally

mynameisnotsusan said:

Exactly. Her voice is pleasant enough when it's zipping along a catchy beat. The minute she slows down, it's like the worst high-school musical audition.

omg i can't believe you people hate "rain" and "live to tell" so much,
they are amongst my fav madonna ballads.

her best ballad is still "promise to try" though, hands down

AlexdeParis said:

"The Look Of Love" is excellent....one of my favorite Madonna songs.

WildheartXXX said:

I also think her ballads sound much more heartfelt and honest.

Does "To Have And Not To Hold" count as a ballad? That's another one of my favorites.I really love Madonna's sad songs...

"Take A Bow"
"This Used To Be My Playground"
"To Have And Not To Hold"
"Bad Girl"
"Miles Away"

SoulAlive said:

Yeah, that and "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" were the ROL songs I had in mind.

AlexdeParis said:

AlexdeParis said:

Speaking of ballads - Madonnas version of "Like An Angel Passing Through My Room" (abba cover) just leaked. Ive never heard the original - but its very Abba. i was never that into their ballads - and madonnas voice is understated in it - i can see why it never made the final cut.

peppeken said:

YES! They are!

Easy Ride, Secret, Rain, I'll Remember, Crazy For You, Oh Father, To Have And Not To Hold, I Deserve It, Nobody's Perfect, Nothing Fails and Love Profusion are some of her best songs ever! Even Bad Girl and Where Life Begins give me chills.
[Edited 8/15/08 6:39am]

MendesCity said:

come on! she sings with A LOT of feelings.And yes, I think she's pretty good in writing sad or melancholy songs. Get Together's no ballad of course, but I find it the most beautiful song on COADF!!

I heard a rumor that "Miles Away" was originally written as a ballad.There's even a piano/ballad demo version floating around,although it might be fake.I could easily see it as a slow,haunting sad ballad...

you're not afraid to tell me...miles away
I guess we're at our best when we're miles away

damn, once again, i can't believe no one even mentions "promise to try"

SoulAlive said:

I'd still say it's a ballad.