Kieran

M should have released this album a week or two earlier. A little more in-person TV and online promo in the US, then flew over to UK/Europe for a few days of TV interviews etc, dropped the record and THEN fly to Italy from there to sit on that boat. A number 1 album matters, of course it does. If nothing else, but to remind everyone that she is still here and kicking ass. There should have been more promo reminding people of how many great classic tracks this release covers.

I get the impression that the casting (and probably other things) were an example of Madonna putting the cart before the horse and getting carried away with herself - and with the desire to get the project in the news and trending (for finance backing). But the project is probably nowhere near the stage where casting is needed. This is one reason why I hope/wish M has a more experienced film producer/director working more closely with her on this.

I got round to watching Elvis last night - a really good film which covers so many years in approx 2hr 40mins. I did not find it is effective as Rocketman, which I thought was a bit more deep. Elvis suffers from skating over so much very quickly, which is the problem that I imagine M's biopic suffering from. Also, it reminded me that to effectively capture both the drama of the story and the effectiveness of the live performances, M needs to choose very carefully whether she is the director of this movie or not. I think she should be the main producer, or even co-director.

The N word should not be used at all. I intensely dislike how black artists use the word, but when it is used by any other ethnicity there is such cultural outrage. All ethnic groups should equally disavow the word and it’s use in popular culture.

Oh, I’m a teacher in the UK - my 6 week summer holiday starts on Thursday…

I’m loving the 16 track edition. However, I wish the full edition was coming out now. I appreciate the whole birthday release idea - and that’s ‘nice’ - but I need full FEL now for the summer. The late August release date is knocking on Autumn’s door 😩

Your video of you leaving the Paris venue, with the guy pissing in the street, which you found hot, lives in my mind rent free…

Because even though there are many differences, if one was to reach for a 15/16 track Madonna compilation of remixes/alt versions… they compare quite nicely whilst offering different perspectives on her career. They are both selective and are both curated with the view of having one standard album as the end result. If I had an hour to listen to an M compilation now - I think I’d go with FEL standard over TIC.

I think your points still stand! 😂

Of course TIC has had over three decades to become the iconic and cultural force of nature that it is - and to earn a special place in our hearts. TIC also covers a much, much shorter scope of time than FEL. However, upon listening to the standard edition of FEL for the first time, I was struck by how the listening experience was so great that it may challenge TIC for being the ULTIMATE Madonna collection. As a Stan who adores M's ballads, this was quite a surprise. Even without staples such as LIB etc, the standard FEL hits with a force (though Hollywood did dip the flow). Particularly, the closing quadrilogy of GGW > LFL > Med > IDSIF is up there with the best of M moments on any album - it just all works so perfectly. Yes, the standard edition looses a tonne of M 'classics' compared to TIC - but this comes at the expense of being able to offer great stuff from the rest of her career in a 'fresh' but digestible way - similar to what TIC offered with its remixed versions. FEL only having one track more than TIC, it feels very slick and therefore comparable to TIC as a snapshot of M's catalogue. The 50-track Deluxe will obviously be a different beast, and in its own universe of greatness and therefore not directly comparable as a 'slim-lined' presentation of M's catelogue. Simply put - FEL standard edition and an updated Something to Remember edition to compliment... Madonna Heaven.

This is the only M tour film that I have literally only watched once - and that was when it was released. All other tours I have watched several times in the time around release and then dipped in and out for certain songs or sections for years afterwards. MX was just one viewing and I’ve not felt compelled to go back to it since. At all. Despite seeing the show in London on 3rd row and loving every second of it. Anyone else share this sentiment…?

Y’all know that M slayed this performance. Otherwise, this thread would be 150+ page by now…

I just hope she leaves I Rise, IDSIF - anything MX-related, musically or clothing… well and truly alone.

Imma need M to show up and do some serious promo for this. The week of the release: Graham Norton Special, Jimmy Fallon, morning breakfast show interviews… the werks! This release deserves the attention from M and the general public. FORTY friggin years! All these great tracks! Get out there and remind them who’s the boss. Here in the UK, this weekend the (royal) queen is celebrating her platinum jubilee (70 years on the throne). But I know which Queen’s special anniversary I’m more bothered about… Bitch shoulda called this album Madonna: The Ruby Jubilee…

Would have been 'better', more artistic and irritated all the right people if: 1. Included a new (even unreleased) song 2. Featured real-life footage of Madge spreading her Vadge augmented into the digital environment.

Yes, I had considered getting a streamlined vinyl collection of my faves - but then think it would just grow and grow lol. I'm not sure if I'm ready for the OCD and being worried about covers arriving dented etc in the post! This is where I am - I have just moved my CDs and considered for the first time ever putting them out of sight in storage somewhere. And then would a vinyl collection end up the same...? This is what I am worried about. Will I buy a nice collection but rarely use it. I dread the day I get a new car and there is no CD player lol. I have considered getting some vinyl frames for a few of my favourite album covers - buying the vinyl just to display the cover artwork. Some are works of art, literally. And holding that mammoth piece of heavy art in your hands... it's great. This is the bottom line, isn't it! Do I 'need' more stuff...!?

What with the recent chatter about the FEL vinyl, this has rejuvenated my interest in *starting* a vinyl collection. However, I have so many things/thoughts holding me back. Then I got to thinking - how much would I actually use my vinyl collection - and to what extent is the vinyl experience dependent on the quality of your setup (player and speakers etc). Is the value completely lost if you only have a limited setup? Are headphones a common choice for listening? Don't you lack the 'freedom' and versatility of digital? Does the quality of vinyl really stand out above all others? Are M vinyl fans/collectors a minority? So what is your preferred/primary method of listening to M and your M collection? And any thoughts on the vinyl discussion...? I have to say - I am quite partial to having my digital collection stored locally and playing this through my SONOS speaker etc.

Such a massive oversight missing ‘2020 IDSIF’ off of the text on the deluxe cover. Purely on a visual level, having the 1980s, 1990s, 2010s AND 2020s referenced would have been an impressive visual and emphasized Madonna’s acichievemnt that this very release is celebrating.

Act 1:

OMG.. I’m DEAD! 😂 My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw M bust these moves during that show. I genuinely thought she was attempting this:

Wow - remaster and a hint at the artwork!! Love it! PS... could we merge that other thread into here...?

The Sun’s ‘exclusive’ lead story… https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/18383429/madonna-split-toyboy-boyfriend-ahlamalik-williams/

It was a nice performance. A decent rendition of a classic song. I wish there was nothing detracting from that for me… but: 1. Why not film the performance ‘properly’ with a decent camera and microphone - and at least put it in landscape, not portrait. 2. Her own introduction to this performance says that artists are here to ‘disturb the peace’. Really? In a time of war, when we are literally hoping and praying for peace…? Trying to get a MX tie-in here is unnecessary and the language is ill-judged. 3. That picture behind her. I could not believe it. The news is literally full of images of shallow graves and people finding their loved ones’ bodies on the side of roads in Ulkraine. I could not take that out of my mind for the whole performance. Maybe that was the intention…? She could have switched the picture for something more befitting. A nice performance, but I do not think that because it is for a ‘good cause’ that it is beyond reproach. Of course, any artist sees the value of contributing to such an event and for the contributing to the greater good - but they also see it as a public relations opportunity for their own cause.

Her beautiful cover of ‘Sound of Silence’ or ‘I Can’t Help Falling in Love’ might have been a better choice. But M will do M! I will look forward to it (with everything crossed?)

Madonna doing this…? What complete and utter tripe. This sentence alone tells you everything you need to know about this ‘story’. You posted ‘article’ this without a link or reference. Are these you own words and views on the situation?