DFTFLX

I think having children, growing older and having new priorities has played it's role. Madonna is not the trailblazer she once was, but then no artist can sustain that kind of dominance in their field - she had a stunning run. Maybe her chief mistake, if it is such a thing, is her current over exposure on social media. Ideally, she should have become a more elusive and exclusive legend (a la Barbra Streisand circa 1994), the queen of queens, jetting around the world with her billion dollars, buying art, helping charities and doing rare tours and new albums. But then that's just not Madonna, she is who she is, and she craves attention and controversy in a way that seems maybe a little passe to many in 2021. I do often wonder who is advising her at this stage.

I always assumed Madonna avoided 'Playground' as it was written about Sean Penn and the deep sadness she felt at the absolute ending of that relationship. Who wants to sing songs about their deepest heartbreaks over again? To me it's her most personal lyric and probably the closest we ever get to feeling the true melancholia inside of her.

To be fair, I cannot think of a very famous person who is not a complete embarressment on social media. Though Madonna did completely lose all touch with reality many moons ago. Most of the public are also beyond tired of the endless celebrity activism and preaching - which generally feels opportunistic, poorly informed and hypocritical virtue singnalling of the most cynical kind. Can we please go back to the old days of reclusive stars full of mystery and mystique?

I tried with Rebel Heart, I really did. I remember trying for maybe a week to find something in it I could grab onto, some glimmer of brilliance I was somehow missing, but alas there was nothing, and I just couldn't deal with the loud and obtuse production. Maybe a year later I tried again, and probably dislked it even more - it seemed to age instantly. Talking Erotica, even though I adore this album, i can sort of understand the criticism. The production does feel a little raw and even clunky sometimes, but to me there's just this deep, primal brilliance to the whole project that over rides any of the weaker aspects. It feels very experimental, like the culmination of many raw snippets and ideas banged into one form, and it still captures that early 90's moody club sound like no other pop album.

Will anybody be playing these songs in 50 years time? I think we all know the answer.

1. Madame X 2. Rebel Heart 3. Hard Candy 4. MDNA These are the only Madonna albums I have no inclination to ever listen to.

I should say Like a Prayer, but it's probably True Blue.

I play this song so much. It's one of her best and such an expressive vocal.

It's interesting to hear Cunningham was dissatisfied with 'Frozen' as compared to his more radical work with Aphex Twin and Bjork it did feel a little more muted at the time - though it's still a very beautiful and unique music video. Nothing Really Matters is such a joyous track and the video one of her most obscure and inspired. Wasn't it on some level her 'audition piece' for Memoirs of a Geisha? I chose the latter as it makes me want to dance and yet feels both conversely grounded and spiritual.

This is incredible. A work of art. I love your disc 3 selection.

My dream would be a return to the melancholic songwriting showcased beautifully on 'Something to Remember'. A more simple and musical approach with her more expressive Karen Carpenter tones. I think the public would love to hear Madonna make love songs again and radio would be very receptive. Though she would probably vomit upon hearing this suggestion. Or if she wants to continue to break new ground, collaboate with the likes of Acra where he left off with FKA Twigs. Go back to making the truly avant garde pop of ROL and Music - i'm always quite surprised she hasnt gone this route as it was made for her. A return to the more R&B/techno dance vibes of the Erotica/BS era would also be a welcome move.

It's the nature of any great artist that they must face more dry periods in the publics perceptions. But as much as these periods begin, culture is re-evaluated, new cycles begin and then they're back in favour. It's the flux of fame and creativity and no one is exempt. One other key truth of artistry is what tends to be an artists biggest strength will often turn into their biggest flaw. Madonna is such a stark example of this, in that her brilliant refusal to look back has carved out a magificent legacy but has often lead her in more recent times to keep pushing forward when thats is maybe not the wisest decision. But again, it's the nature of many artists and often these periods get more praise with context and re-evaluation. Personally I feel the truly spectaculor magic was from 86-95 but I can still enjoy many of the other projects for what they are. After all, no one artist can speak to any person at every single stage of their life, it's an unfair expectation.

I always adored this album. For me this was always Madonna brilliantly navigating the complex waters of the time. After all the mid 90's were not an especially easy time for any more established artist with the huge cultural and artistic shifts at play. Madonna had an image problem, an avalanche of media hostility and a public increasingly tired of her perceived antics. Bedtime Stories enabled her to bridge this period very well and achieved what it probably set out to. I always felt it was the prequel to Ray of Light in the sense that she is clearly experimenting and finding the new artistic feet that would carry her forward into the late 90's, but brilliant glimmers aside, there is something often uncertain and uncohessive about it all which ultimately means it lacks the confidence and vision of her more iconic albums. Some memories from the time ... watching the Ruby Wax interview and thinking she felt more jaded and depressed, buying Secret on CD single and playing Let Your Guard Down to DEATH, loving the pastel blue cd case, loving the font and text alignment in the liner notes, the video for Take a Bow being played coooooooonstantly on MTV, the video for Human Nature getting a huge fan fare but not especially taking off, the much media hyped BS performace at the BRITS and many non Madonna fans actually quite liking the album.

1. This Used To Be My Playground 2. Justify My Love 3. Erotica 4. Rain 5. Secret