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Madonna’s ‘American Life’ Turns 15 | An Anniversary Retrospective April 18, 2018 Quentin Harrison http://www.albumism.com/features/madonnas-american-life-turns-15-anniversary-retrospective Happy 15th Anniversary to Madonna’s ninth studio album American Life, originally released April 21, 2003. For close to a decade dating back to 1994’s Bedtime Stories, Madonnagracefully held the music world in the palm of her hand. With two subsequent albums and an accomplished soundtrack to an even more accomplished film (1996’s Evita), Madonna had taken back the creative power misplaced with Erotica (1992). That record sought controversy over content as its lure and failed to find followers. The anticipation for what Madonna would do next was palpable and “Die Another Day” was more than an adequate appetizer for what was to come. Unveiled in the fall of 2002, the kinetic single was both the theme song to the James Bond film of the same name and the unofficial first offering from her then untitled ninth studio album upon which it would also feature. As winter gave way to spring, Madonna was now preparing to unleash American Life and its titular track as the set's “official” debut single. The accompanying music video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, was fitted with all the trimmings of a controversy—a rarity for Madonna during this stretch of time when the focus was on her craft, not a random firestarter. It was with that in mind that she unexpectedly pulled the plug on the original video—later subject to reshoots—and then issued the following statement on April 1st, 2003 in lieu of the burgeoning Iraq War: “I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video.” Public perception toward Madonna's statement—or apology—was mixed. It was a glaring portent promising that American Life was to meet stormy waters on its April 21st, 2003 reveal date. But despite any of the difficulties that were to come for it, the record's roots were firmly planted in only the richest artistic soil, the same soil that had nurtured its preceding effort Music (2000). Music had been eagerly tended to by Madonna and the French producer/instrumentalist Mirwais Ahmadzaï. Theirs was an enthusiastic and imaginative relationship, one with an exacting eye for detail and precision and this same work ethic carried over into the very early stages of the American Life sessions in late 2001. As the long player's form began to take shape, it received embellishments and contributions from fellow songwriters, producers and musicians such as Mark “Spike” Stent, Guy Sigsworth, Jem Griffiths, Monte Pittman and Stuart Price. However, it was Madonna and Ahmadzaï that kept the overall record on track to become what is was to be—an edgy, eclectic confessional tome. Topically, everything is on the table here—Madonna's second marriage (“Love Profusion,” “Nothing Fails”), her relationship with her parents (“Mother and Father”), her place in the modern world (“American Life,” “I'm So Stupid”). Nothing was off limits. All of these lyrical battle studies regarding love, family, and self-discovery are intelligent, feeling and, sometimes, brutally candid. Musically, Madonna delves further into her own niche experimentation with electronic and guitar-flecked pop that came to life on Music, the latter genre giving way to a folk base on American Life. The genres are suited to each other, managing to function independently (“Nobody Knows Me”) and collectively (“Love Profusion”). Could a few of these songs be labeled “danceable?” Certainly they could, but, Madonna didn't restrict them to that genre box alone. In fact, their surrounding production minutiae—samples, loops, live strings and acoustic guitar—suggested an emphasis for long term listening versus momentary consumption on any dance floor. And, in a classic Ciccone chess move going all the way back to “Crazy For You,” the ballad method is utilized stunningly to showcase Madonna as a top tier vocalist in her own right, as evidenced by “Intervention,” “Nothing Fails,” “X-Static Process,” and “Easy Ride.” As a body of work, American Lifepresents itself as the product of a woman with a sense of artistic clarity and wisdom. Its only equal in Madonna's canon is Ray of Light (1998). Upon its late April 2003 unveiling, the LP immediately polarized critics and fans. Either they praised or panned it, there was little to no middle ground. Its sales were devastatingly slow. Taking into account “Die Another Day,” American Life produced six singles in all, four commercial, two promotional—almost all of the positive traction they gained happened abroad, with “Die Another Day” as the lone domestic exception. The rejection of American Life signaled the end of an era for Madonna, as she has yet to challenge herself, or her audience, as audaciously as she did on this collection. Yet, American Life has aged beautifully, the abundance of its vision to make Madonna's private challenges and triumphs into open-air personal politics that listeners could see themselves in was intimate and eloquent. It is, without question, the last album where Madonna pushed the envelope where it mattered—musically.

Madonna’s ‘Hard Candy’ Turns 10: A Look Back at Madge’s Midlife Meditation By MICHELE YEO. 19 Apr 2018 9:00 AM http://etcanada.com/photos/318737/madonnas-hard-candy-turns-10-a-look-back-at-madges-midlife-meditation/ Hard Candy, Madonna’s 11th studio album and her final under her longtime contract with Warner Brothers, celebrates its 10th anniversary April 19. The record marks her first collaboration with several superstar producers and preceded a major change in the pop star’s personal life. To commemorate the milestone, here’s a look back at the album Rolling Stone called her “midlife meditation.” https://goo.gl/images/GQvEo6 This Wasn't The Original Album Cover 'Hard Candy' was Madonna's first album since 2005's massively successful 'Confessions on a Dance Floor'. The album cover features the pop star in front of a peppermint swirl, clad in a championship belt ready to fight, playing off the dichotomy of being both sweet and strong. The cover was a collaboration with photographer (and frequent collaborator) Steven Klein but it wasn't the first choice. Madonna told Rolling Stone in 2009, "I did a photoshoot with Steven Klein for my last album cover, and I painted my face black, except for red lips and white eyes. It was a play on words. Have you ever heard of the Black Madonna? It has layers of meaning and for a minute, I thought it would be a fun title for my record. Then I thought, 'Twenty-five per cent of the world might get this, probably less, it's not worth it.' It happens all the time, because my references are usually off the Richter scale." Madonna credits longtime manager Guy Oseary with talking her out of the original album cover and honestly, good call, Guy. Madonna At A Milestone Just as Madonna's pivotal album 'Ray of Light' was released the same year as she turned 40, 'Hard Candy' was released four months before Madge marked another major milestone -- turning 50 -- which means, as hard as it is to believe, Her Madgesty turns 60 this year.

HARD CANDY = Pharrell Williams feat. Madonna Timbaland feat. Madonna Justin Timberlake feat. Madonna

While it is not her best album, it still has a place in my heart. 4 Minutes is amazing, and the rest of the album is decent! Takes me back to my late middle school days. And there were some great remixes this era; the last era we were blessed with Peter's remixes :(

This. And also, the P is drawn in the left side of her chest = heart = love. Which can be interpreted as: They did divorce, she's no longer Mrs. Penn, but she still love him.

Yes, dazedmadonna is right... Or at least is the story I alway read about that cover. The MLVC is clear and the "P" story has sense. I remember when the maxi came out... I have to say that I was 13 years but I was very happy with the MLVC thing because my name would be "JMLC" and I was like "Wow!!! We almost have the same first letters in our names!!!!!" It's crazy what things make us happy when we are so young hahaha...

If I remember correctly.. the painting was made by Christopher Ciccone (her brother), MLVC is her name (Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone) and the fallen 'P' should stand for Penn (Sean Penn) as they were just divorced

well, u r entitled to YOUR opinion. In MY opinion, Hard Candy has some really great tunes like 4 Minutes, Give It 2 Me, Heartbeat, Miles Away, She's Not Me, Beat Goes On, Devil or Voices. But i guess it's hard to live up to the expectations of some nostalgic fans... Sue me.

The Supporting Tour Smashed Records To support 'Hard Candy' Madonna set out on the 'Sticky and Sweet' concert tour in August of 2008. It would become not only her most successful tour, but the most successful concert tour ever by a solo artist, pulling in more than $400 million during its 80-plus stops around the globe. The tour broke Madonna's own record set previously by her 'Confessions' tour. Bruce Springsteen later broke Madge's record with his 'Wrecking Ball' and 'High Hopes' tours only to have Madonna snatch the title back with her 'Rebel Heart' tour in 2015/2016. It Inspired A Fitness Club Franchise Among many things, something Madonna is famous for is her rock hard physique and tireless dedication to working on her fitness. So it made sense when, in 2010, Madonna and manager Guy Oseary opened the first of what would be several Hard Candy fitness club in Mexico City. Since then the clubs have popped up in places like Russia, Australia, Germany, Italy, and, for a brief time, Canada. The Toronto location opened to much fanfare in 2014 only to be shuttered two years later and reopened under a different name and with no association to Madonna.

Pharrell Made Her Cry Another American super producer with whom Madonna collabed on "Hard Candy" is Pharrell Williams who also appears on the track, 'Give It 2 Me.' While the song is one of the standouts on the album but it didn't come without blood, sweat, and literal tears. Madonna says the Neptunes member reduced her to tears during one of their sessions recalling, "Pharrell made me cry," adding, "You know when you get angry with someone and you're spitting snot. I was in a sensitive mood in the studio and I didn't understand the rhythm he wanted me to sing in, and he was giving me a hard time. I was taken back by how he was talking to me." Pharrell later admitted to the row, saying, “We went upstairs and had our little battle. It was cool and we hugged it out.” The two quickly put their differences behind them and focused on making music together. He even joined her on a few stops on her Sticky and Sweet tour supporting the album so no hard (candy) feelings. Material Girl Meets The Louis Vuitton Don 'Hard Candy' marked Madonna's first collaborations with a number of superstars, including Kanye West, who appeared on the track, "Beat Goes On". Apparently the two titans got on well as she later enlisted Yeezy as a producer on her 2015 album, "Rebel Heart." In addition a massive list of hits, Kanye and Madonna also share, how do we put this diplomatically.... healthy egos, but sounds like the duo worked well together with Her Madgesty later boldly declaring "Kanye is the new Madonna. Kanye is the black Madonna." Watch the throne, indeed.

Teaming Up With Timberland Madonna collaborated heavily with British producer Stuart Price on her previous effort, 'Confessions on a Dance Floor' but when it came to finding producers for 'Hard Candy' Madonna looked to her home and native land, teaming up with Timberland on five tracks. She Got JT To Drop Trou One of Madonna's Timberland-produced tracks was the dance floor-thumping '4 Minutes,' her duet with frequent Timberland collaborator, Justin Timberlake, who also co-produced 'Hard Candy." And when the pop powerhouses were in studio together the material girl convinced the former Mickey Mouse Club member to drop his pants. As JT recalled during his 2008 speech inducting Madonna into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he showed up to studio one day feeling under the weather and Madonna offered him a B-12 shot - but not in his arm. "She looks at me with that face," he recalled, "and she says to me, 'drop 'em' I don't know what you say to that so I immediately dropped my pants."

Madonna Still On Top Much ink and cyber space have been devoted to debating the relevancy of Madonna and in 2008, with the pop star approaching her 50th birthday, her relevancy and place in the ever-changing pop culture landscape was up for debate once again. But, as she's known to do, Madonna proved her critics wrong with "Hard Candy" debuting at number one on the Billboard album charts not only in the United States and Canada but in 20 other countries as well. The Album Was Released Just Months Before Her Marriage Fell Apart Six months after 'Hard Candy' dropped, Madonna and Guy Ritchie announced they were ending their almost-eight-year marriage. Speculation swirled about the reasons behind the split, but it seems distance doesn't always make the heart grow fonder according to to the "Hard Candy" track, 'Miles Away' which features lyrics like, "you always have the biggest heart when we're six thousand miles apart" and "uncomfortable silence can be so loud. Those three words are never enough when it's long distance love."

One of the worst Madonna albums and where she started to lose the spark. The mastering is awful, songs like Voices deserved better.

Couldnt agree more. Mostly weak album but what pisses me off is that horrible tour. Its always quoted as her highest grossing tour bla bla, 1 - it was a stadium tour 2 - it was a long running tour 3 - she charges an arm and a leg None of the above reasons make a show good. Horrible outfits, horrible screen imagery, the tacky hair and outfits AND the musical direction - what a dissapointment and very obvious change from Stuart doing her tours.

That's the problem ? there's nothing really nostalgic about this period ? the image was desperate - she just broke up from Guy, she was working with people pretty much everyone else had already worked with- the S&S tour(Most of it was cringe - rock version of Hung up, humping the stage during ITG and Heartbeat) to me the only good songs from this era were devil(loved the S&S version- simple, beautiful and tasteful), miles away(catchy), dance tonight plus i love the outtake songs(latte, across the sky) way more than most of the album - Incredible(Her worst song ever !) - but like you say its my opinion - if people love it then im happy for them - plus this marked her worst collaboration(Kevin Antunes as MD for her tours) awful director - im sorry - i miss Stuart Price :((

Mmmm............. Its all been downhill since this album, sorry M - one of her worst albums and defo her worst album cover too