katt said:

Madonna's background in the arts gives her a little more credibility than some little star search chick with money hungry parents coercing their daughter to be come a media whore.

In addition to Keith Harring, you can also add Basquiat and Cindy Sherman to the list of significant artists she has become friends with and supported.

Madonna is both an artist and a business woman. She walks a fine line between the two. Sometimes she's a sellout, other times she's brilliant. When Madonna was coming into the scene in the early 80's she wasn't shoved in our faces and blown out of proportion as a pre-fabricated superstar. She earned her position there over the course of that decade.

Call her a sellout for getting into Electronica with Ray Of Light, but if you compare that album to the rest of the music in that scene at that time, she really raised the bar with it and added some much needed warmth to the sound.

I agree it's a bit hypocritial for her to have worn that Brittney Spears shirt. But perhaps at that time she felt Brittney could evolve into something and wanted to respond to the numerous comparisons to herself. Nowdays I don't blame her for being completely tired of all the American Idol, Star Search shit, and consequently having a change of heart.

Love her or hate her, music is painfully homogenized these days, and kudos to her for bringing more attention to the growing complaint.
[This message was edited Fri Mar 28 11:43:46 PST 2003 by Tom]

DavidEye said:

Right On&So what if She was Following Trends Because She is doing something Right if FOlks are still talking about Her 20 Years later&let's be real:She came out in a Era where if You didn't bring nothing you would be just a Foot-note.it's more than Selling Records or we would still be having lengthy Disscussions on Men at Work&Def Lepard.She has done something right.Madonna Hooked JellyBean Benitez(Misspelled) Up&Ran with it.in 5 Years time She will be in the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame&lets see these CHicks out now or these Other "Fast-Food" Acts make it to Year 10??

Let me first say this: I completely agree with her.
When she first sarted out she had the same amount of singing skills as Britney---BUT she was being different, the way she dressed, ect.
Whereas Britne just seems to be folowing trends.
Madonna was an original, britney wasn't.

Now as far as Christina goes, she has a wonderful voice and talent, I feel that she could go on to do great things. I mean she's only had two albums out, she can grow and go on to much much better things. Same as Pink.
I mean let's be honest, listeing to Madonna'a first two albums people thought the same about her as they do now about Christina and Pink.

Now Britney, , I'm sorry the girl's a dancer, not a singer. Singing clearly isn't one of her strong suits. Can she go on to do better things? Maybe, but don't count on it.

So is Madonna being hypocritical? Yes, she was once one of those bubble gum pop stars herself, but notice how she said these girls could go on to better things, such as she did.
BUT at least Madonna was being original-unlike Britney, Christina, Pink, who all seem to be using the same gimmick.

I dissagree with putting Pink in the same category with Christina and Britney. First of all, Pink's first album was all controlled by LA Reid and she had no say it its sound, musical style or writing. Then she co-wrote her second album with Linda Perry and it was totally different musically. Unheard of thing to do in todays music industry. Her album was already out when Christina decided to also use Linda Perry and now everyone else is too! Not exactly what I would call Pink following trends. More like starting them.

I've gotta be on the defensive regarding Christina here. Her second album was full of growth and experimented with many different styles. And Linda Perry only worked on two of the songs on it. This album was largely Christina's. She's an actual talent (and not just singing-wise).

Sartoria said:

Pink seems to have the sentiment of a musician wanting to challenge the establishment, but the stuff she's cut so far still sounds within their grasps and limits...

Bottom line: the photo is terrible

jtgillia said:

Her music hasn't sounded homogenized at all. And she's actually done the work and built her career brick by brick. She was the shit then, and she's the shit now. How many artist's that came out when she can you still say that about? By the way, the Ray of Light album was brilliant.

i think it is fair to say, "let these acts mature and see if they develop into legitimate artists". but, they will do so, only in spite of the current trends and process, not because of it.

this trend is not new, it's as old as pop music, but what disturbs me is that it seems to be squeezing out other legitamate artists in the marketplace.

pop artists for decades have been chosen to become stars based on looks, image, and style. if they happen to have some sort of substantive talent, that just seems to be coincidence.

lovebizzare said:

Madonna was never really that bubblegum to me. Sure the music was pure pop but it never sounded overly contrived and calculated. The irony is of course is that her more recent work, which is supposed to a million miles away from that "amoeba" she was in the 1980's, comes across as sounding even more calculated and contrived. Music sounded so desperate in it's attempt to cover all bases it didn't even sound like a cohesive album, just a collection of outtakes rumbled together. Madonna is just a more aware person these days.

WonderU said:

Agreed! The music Madonna does these days is MILES ahead of her early material.The 'Ray Of Light' CD alone kills anything that she did before it.Her music is more mature,more complex and challenging than before (which is why some fans and critics don't always "get it").I go on the Madonna fansites and there are so many fans who wish it was still 1990 again...lol...they say things like "she should do an album like 'LAP' again".Gimme a break! Madonna actually EVOLVES with each album.

DavidEye said:

Ray Of Light was absolutely stunning. I just hope the new LP has its heart and vision and isn't detached and overly concerned with being hip like music was. That album was a triumph of production but didn't cut it as a collection of songs.