hollywood0024 said:

Ray Of Light for me, but it could be as well Like A Prayer.

That first record is pure dance pop goodness.

True Blue was a bit too poppy for me, so Like A Prayer really nailed it as a grown artist.

I think Erotica and Bedtime Stories get often underrated. Ray of Light was a new era of growth just like Like A Prayer was for her.

After that, it's spotty. I cannot stand American Life, Hard Candy or Rebel Heart.

Madame X is sort of what BEYONCE was to Beyonce. A total change of sound, approach, production, and things to say. She sorta stopped following that goddamn dry electronica trend and finally did something that feels organic, earthy, and real again.

So for me, if I had to name a top 5 in no particular order:

Madonna

Like A Prayer

Erotica

Bedtime Stories

Ray of Light

Most honorable mentions:

You Can Dance (totally danceable DJ mix compilation)

Confessions on a Dance Floor

Madame X

Like A Virgin

The Immaculate Collection ("up to that point" compilation, end of an era)

Something To Remember (the great compilation of ballads)

Worth a listen:

True Blue

Music

MDNA

Skip:

American Life

Hard Candy

Rebel Heart

TrivialPursuit said:

hollywood0024 said:

What do you think of Who's That Girl, I'm Breathless, Evita, GHV2, Remixed And Revisited, Celebration?

Who's That Girl? is a movie soundtrack with other artists besides Madonna. But her songs are fine on it. The only M tour I've ever seen was the Who's That Girl? Tour in Philadelphia, 1987. Her songs certainly show the power she had with Bray or Leonard as writing partners. I love the title track. I liked her earlier Spanish-influenced songs.

I'm Breathless - fun, I don't take it too seriously. Can't go wrong with "What Can You Lose" and "Sooner or Later." "Hanky Panky" is a really fun romp. Actually, it's a fun record overall but the songs are so genre specific or movie-specific, it's hard to really judge it on its own. I'd put it in the Worth A Listen column, at least.

EVITA - I've been a fan of EVITA since I was a kid. I still have original vinyls of the original concept album, London cast, and American cast. The modern and updated arrangements of her soundtrack were nice. Some of the previous stuff felt hollow (much like the RENT cast recording vs. the movie soundtrack).

GHV2 - really good 2nd era set. It really shows how much more music she was putting out compared to its predecesor just a decade or so prior. There are a lot of edits on there, so - you know. It still works.

Remixed & Revisited - feels like a let down, only because it's a stand-in for the aborted 20th anniversary box set. But, I like the "Into The Hollywood Groove" mash-up, but the other mixes of previous songs are from eras I don't enjoy. So I can skip a lot of it. "Your Honesty" was a gem. (The same joy when the couple of new tracks showed up on Something To Remember.)

Celebration - it feels very definitive and well-rounded. I was a bit let down with the title track, felt like a grab at the past without much success, but it's ok. "Revolver" is ...eeehhhhh.

TrivialPursuit said:

Bedtime Stories, no question.

TrivialPursuit said:

That first record is pure dance pop goodness.

True Blue was a bit too poppy for me, so Like A Prayer really nailed it as a grown artist.

I think Erotica and Bedtime Stories get often underrated. Ray of Light was a new era of growth just like Like A Prayer was for her.

After that, it's spotty. I cannot stand American Life, Hard Candy or Rebel Heart.

Madame X is sort of what BEYONCE was to Beyonce. A total change of sound, approach, production, and things to say. She sorta stopped following that goddamn dry electronica trend and finally did something that feels organic, earthy, and real again.

So for me, if I had to name a top 5 in no particular order:

Madonna

Like A Prayer

Erotica

Bedtime Stories

Ray of Light

Most honorable mentions:

You Can Dance (totally danceable DJ mix compilation)

Confessions on a Dance Floor

Madame X

Like A Virgin

The Immaculate Collection ("up to that point" compilation, end of an era)

Something To Remember (the great compilation of ballads)

Worth a listen:

True Blue

Music

MDNA

Skip:

American Life

Hard Candy

Rebel Heart

Very underrated, specially the latter.

Madame X is one of her best albums ever. Music is sort of underrated.

slyjackson said:

alphastreet said:

slyjackson said:

Madame X is one of her best albums ever. Music is sort of underrated.

It really is amazing, her best album of the decade cause I couldn’t get into mdna and rebel heart in full with the exception of a few songs

It's her best album of the decade, yes.

Top 3

1.Ray of Light

2. Like a Prayer

3. Bedtime stories

Ray of light and Bedtime stories work so well because the songs share a certain style and flow so well together, whereas Like a Prayer was significant for some of her best melodies and videos.

I am among the few who really liked Hard Candy, though granted it is not near the top of her releases. I also love some of the songs on American Life but the bad songs really made it hard to listen all the way through without skipping. MDMA the only studio album that I really don't like hardly anything.

gandorb said:

MDNA the only studio album that I really don't like hardly anything.

The tours often tune me into new songs and being able to see them. I wasn't big on MDNA, until I watched the tour. It was just so good, and gave me new perspective on some songs. It's why I listed it as Worth A List. Things like "I'm A Sinner," "Girls Gone Wild," and "Turn Up The Radio" came to the forefront for me.

Confessions was one that I liked before the tour, loved just as much after.

Like A Prayer

Madonna

Erotica

Music

True Blue

gandorb said:

Top 3

1.Ray of Light

2. Like a Prayer

3. Bedtime stories

Ray of light and Bedtime stories work so well because the songs share a certain style and flow so well together, whereas Like a Prayer was significant for some of her best melodies and videos.

I am among the few who really liked Hard Candy, though granted it is not near the top of her releases. I also love some of the songs on American Life but the bad songs really made it hard to listen all the way through without skipping. MDMA the only studio album that I really don't like hardly anything.

Hard Candy isn't bad at all as It's made out to be, several great songs in there, the same with MDNA. I would go as far as to say the she hasn't released so far a bad album.

slyjackson said:

I am among the few who really liked Hard Candy, though granted it is not near the top of her releases.

Hard Candy isn't bad at all as It's made out to be, several great songs in there

I love Hard Candy.Tracks like "Give It 2 Me","She's Not Me","Heartbeat"."Beat Goes On" and especially "Miles Away" are superb.It's not a "deep" album.....just a fun ride through R&B territory.I like Pharrell anyway,and I really like the tunes he came up with.

TrivialPursuit said:

gandorb said:

MDNA the only studio album that I really don't like hardly anything.

The tours often tune me into new songs and being able to see them. I wasn't big on MDNA, until I watched the tour. It was just so good, and gave me new perspective on some songs. It's why I listed it as Worth A List. Things like "I'm A Sinner," "Girls Gone Wild," and "Turn Up The Radio" came to the forefront for me.

Confessions was one that I liked before the tour, loved just as much after.

Yes, the concert experience can change the perception of a song or album. I' haven't seen Madonna but certainly experienced this with other artists. Sounds like you have seen quite a few of hers. Was there a favorite tour?

TrivialPursuit said:

gandorb said:

MDNA the only studio album that I really don't like hardly anything.

The tours often tune me into new songs and being able to see them. I wasn't big on MDNA, until I watched the tour. It was just so good, and gave me new perspective on some songs. It's why I listed it as Worth A List. Things like "I'm A Sinner," "Girls Gone Wild," and "Turn Up The Radio" came to the forefront for me.

Confessions was one that I liked before the tour, loved just as much after.

Sorry, a dupe.

[Edited 5/14/20 14:06pm]

1- Bedtime Stories

2- Ray of Light

3- Erotica

4- Music

5- Madonna

6- True Blue

7- Like A Virgin
8- Like A Prayer

9- confessions on a dance floor

SoulAlive said:

slyjackson said:

Hard Candy isn't bad at all as It's made out to be, several great songs in there

I love Hard Candy.Tracks like "Give It 2 Me","She's Not Me","Heartbeat"."Beat Goes On" and especially "Miles Away" are superb.It's not a "deep" album.....just a fun ride through R&B territory.I like Pharrell anyway,and I really like the tunes he came up with.

Devil Wouldn't, Voices and Candy Shop.

gandorb said:

Yes, the concert experience can change the perception of a song or album. I' haven't seen Madonna but certainly experienced this with other artists. Sounds like you have seen quite a few of hers. Was there a favorite tour?

I only saw Who's That Girl Tour live. The others have been relegated to DVD for me.

Music

American Life

Erotica

Rebel Heart

Madame X

slyjackson said:

Ray Of Light for me, but it could be as well Like A Prayer.

same here. these two are shoulder 2 shoulder for me. both superb in their own way.

1990's=

Ray of Light.

Loved the sound and imagery of the lyrics.

1980's=

Like a Prayer.

Great album

Post ROL, I only got into her singles...