kremlinshadow said:

k...

Wow! You Madonna fans are some serious Madonna fans! I just wanted to mention (sorry, I didn't read this whole thread...I am at work after all) that Madonna is not the only woman in charge of a record label. As a matter of fact, Madonna does not fully own Maverick. She owns about 50 percent. Natalie Merchant owns her label. Ani DiFranco owns her label. I'm talking 100% here. As for Madonna being a great producer...well, lets' face it, that just means she put up the money. She has never been listed as sole prodcer, simply co-producer. That means financier.

I like Madonna, so don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I just think it is important to recognize that she is the difference between trend and underground phenomena. Madonna sees something she likes and does it. Usually successfully. She then makes it popular for the world. If you can hip me to one thing Madonna has created or started, please do.

PapaSmurf said:

That's interesting. She's still the only one to own a MAJOR, mass-market label, though. As opposed to a "release your own CDs independently" label (not that there's anything wrong with that). Warner does have some shares, you're right, but she's heavily invested in the running of it. She's trying to buy Warner out right now, I believe, since their association with the floundering AOL is affecting Maverick's bottom line.

I don't think you give Madonna enough credit in the music department, though. Madonna has always been heavily involved in the creation and production of her music, and (you're wrong about this) she's produced many things independently (she's had protegees throughout her career, and when she collaborates, she's the first credited producer on her album work). I don't think she merely "puts up the money", as you say. You have to remember that Madonna really had no formal musical training, so it was "learn-as-you-go" for her, but the fact is she learned well (many do not), and she has a particular aptitude for what she does. She writes her own lyrics and music (and she's done this from the beginning - she gets full writing credit on her debut album, save for "Holiday" and "Lucky Star"), and that's artistic merit to me. The fact that she's sustained a 20-year career in dance pop while switching producers umpteen times and always ending up with good, interesting material is definitely proof to me that she's the primary force behind her music. If you're at the mercy of a producer, you don't end up being as consistently good as she is (consider Janet Jackson, whose self-produced material is nowhere near her Jam/Lewis-produced stuff; no wonder she's stuck with them for 20 years).

Madonna also has a keen eye for recognizing talent. For example, one of the best albums of this year, Meshell's Comfort Woman is a Maverick release, and Madonna has been using her on albums since "Bedtime Story".
[This message was edited Wed Dec 31 7:45:07 PST 2003 by VoicesCarry]

PapaSmurf said:

As I have stated above,nothing done in pop music is unique.Everything has already been done before.Name me ONE artist who has actually "invented" a new style of music during the last 20 years or so.Like every other artist before and after her,Madonna is influenced by what came before her,and what is currently going on in the pop music scene.

VoicesCarry said:

It's also worth noting that,before Madonna even goes into the studio with a producer,she pretty much has an idea of what type of album she wants to make.The lyrics,the themes,the concepts,the musical styles...she already has it all mapped out.That's why,on her albums,the credits say "Produced by Madonna and (insert producers' name here)".There's a reason she gets top billing.