daPrettyman said:

AlexdeParis said:

Yep. What about it? It's a good listen. Doesn't have the standout tracks of most Madonna material, but it's definitely a more cohesive listen than, say, Erotica.

My Madonna album rankings (off the top of my head):

1. Ray of Light

2. Confessions on a Dance Floor

3. Madonna

4. Like a Prayer

5. Hard Candy

6. American Life

7. Music

8. Like a Virgin

9. True Blue

10. Bedtime Stories

11. Erotica

12. I'm Breathless

I kinda agree with ur ranking. The only major thing I would move around is placing American Life at number 12 and maybe Hard Candy at number 2 or 3.

Aw, I don't know how many times you've heard it, but I'd challenge you to spin American Life again. I wasn't a fan initially, but it slowly crept its way into my head. If any Madonna album is greater than the sum of its parts, it's that one. She could've even pulled a one-track Lovesexy on it.

OMG I LOVE American Life! For years I was calling that her best album ever.

AlexdeParis said:

daPrettyman said:

I kinda agree with ur ranking. The only major thing I would move around is placing American Life at number 12 and maybe Hard Candy at number 2 or 3.

Aw, I don't know how many times you've heard it, but I'd challenge you to spin American Life again. I wasn't a fan initially, but it slowly crept its way into my head. If any Madonna album is greater than the sum of its parts, it's that one. She could've even pulled a one-track Lovesexy on it.

I pulled it out about 2 years ago and I just couldn't take it. I might dust it off again.

SoulAlive said:

When fans are asked to pick a favorite Madonna album,these are usually the two albums that get mentioned.Which album is better? Which album could be considered the definitive Madonna album?

daPrettyman said:

AlexdeParis said:

Aw, I don't know how many times you've heard it, but I'd challenge you to spin American Life again. I wasn't a fan initially, but it slowly crept its way into my head. If any Madonna album is greater than the sum of its parts, it's that one. She could've even pulled a one-track Lovesexy on it.

I pulled it out about 2 years ago and I just couldn't take it. I might dust it off again.

American Life is a moody,introspective album.There's not alot of uptempo dance material.I can still enjoy it when I'm in the right kind of mood but I don't think it's one of her best albums.

AlexdeParis said:

My Madonna album rankings (off the top of my head):

1. Ray of Light

2. Confessions on a Dance Floor

3. Madonna

4. Like a Prayer

5. Hard Candy

6. American Life

7. Music

8. Like a Virgin

9. True Blue

10. Bedtime Stories

11. Erotica

12. I'm Breathless

My list changes from time to time,but right now this is how it looks:

1. Erotica

12.I'm Breathless

SoulAlive said:

daPrettyman said:

I pulled it out about 2 years ago and I just couldn't take it. I might dust it off again.

American Life is a moody,introspective album.There's not alot of uptempo dance material.I can still enjoy it when I'm in the right kind of mood but I don't think it's one of her best albums.

Nothing Fails.

For me it's no contest - LIKE A PRAYER - is Madonna's best album. ROL to me is boring and much of the songs lack good pop melodies Madonna is so well known for.

But the artwork is nice.

Like a Prayer

SoulAlive said:

My top three constantly change

1. Music

2. Like a Prayer

3. Ray Of Light

4. Madonna

5. American Life

6. Confessions

7. Bedtime stories

8. True Blue

9. Hard Candy

10. I'm Breathless

11. Like A Virgin

12. Erotica

AlexdeParis said:

SoulAlive said:

My list changes from time to time,but right now this is how it looks:

1. Erotica

2. Ray Of Light

3. Like A Prayer

4. Confessions On A Dancefloor

5. Hard Candy

6. Bedtime Stories

7. Music

8. True Blue

9. Like A Virgin

10.Madonna

11.American Life

12.I'm Breathless

I know you think Madonna is overrated - which I still can't understand - but I didn't know you think it's her worst 80s album! I'm floored. What in the world is there to not like about that album?!?

I don't hate it,I just don't think it's one of her best albums It doesn't even begin to demonstrate what she's capable of.Yes,it's fun and danceable but it's very lightweight.Those songs could have been done by anyone.I notice that on this site,many people diss the 'Like A Virgin' album.It's not one of my favorites either but at least the songs are distinctive and iconic."Material Girl" is basically the Madonna anthem of the mid-80s,lol.

SoulAlive said:

AlexdeParis said:

SoulAlive said: I know you think Madonna is overrated - which I still can't understand - but I didn't know you think it's her worst 80s album! I'm floored. What in the world is there to not like about that album?!?

I don't hate it,I just don't think it's one of her best albums It doesn't even begin to demonstrate what she's capable of.Yes,it's fun and danceable but it's very lightweight.Those songs could have been done by anyone.

I'd counter by saying Madonna was all about being fun and danceable at the time (and that's certainly not a bad thing).

I notice that on this site,many people diss the 'Like A Virgin' album.It's not one of my favorites either but at least the songs are distinctive and iconic."Material Girl" is basically the Madonna anthem of the mid-80s,lol.

*cough* "Into the Groove" *ahem*

I don't dislike LAV, but it has filler (the last 2 songs, the cover) that Madonna doesn't IMO. Give me "I Know It" and "Think of Me" over any of those. I totally get what you're saying, but I think a "better" song (IMO of course) is more important than a "more distinctive" song. For instance, I value "Physical Attraction" much more than "Like a Virgin." Now, if "Into the Groove" had been on the album, it'd be in my #5. That song is Madonna personified to me.

When you say something is definitive, you mean which album represents Madonna the best, not necc. her best collection of songs. Like A Prayer wins over Ray of Light for that reason. True Blue was the one where she really put her persona in her songs.

Ray of Light is to Madonna what Achtung Baby is to U2, but she gave glimpses in Bedtime Stories that she was heading in that direction. She had scoffed at techno in the beginning of the 90s, but fully embraced it 5 years later.