Let's talk about Hard Candy!

[A. A. Aardvark 4,842]

Sounds like it was produced a committee that had a fight.
Dance 2Night was the best thing on it and should have been a single.
Miles Away a close second.
She still has something if she can get me to like a track with Kanye West on it.
Who plays the cover ?
 

[kesiak 3,036]

I think it's a brilliantly produced, cohesive piece of work that has aged better that one would expect. I don't think it's up there with her best (Ray of Light, Erotica, Like A Prayer) but it's far from her worst and I actually really enjoy listening to it. So glad she never worked with Pet Shop Boys.

[Kieran 1,159]

The one thing that really grates on me when listening to Hard Candy is the incessant and frequent grunting and groaning of Justin Timberlake. Such a grandstander. If I could take his voice off the record (4 Minutes aside), I would like the album a heck of a lot more. The pure definition of over-staying one’s welcome.  

[EgoRod 5,448]

I think during this time Timbaland, Timberlake and Pharrell used to have lunch together and go:

This one for Nelly, this for Gwen, that for Madonna, one for Ciara and keep those for you Justin.

The same break beat roll drum with guitar chords and the 'wikiwikiwiki' and grunts behind.

[Debord 398]

Hard Candy is 16 years old today!

[maddy1111 1,601]

On 6/5/2021 at 1:23 PM, EgoRod said:

I think during this time Timbaland, Timberlake and Pharrell used to have lunch together and go:

This one for Nelly, this for Gwen, that for Madonna, one for Ciara and keep those for you Justin.

The same break beat roll drum with guitar chords and the 'wikiwikiwiki' and grunts behind.

Justin eats the best, Madonna eats the rest 

.. perfectly summarizes this album

[Debord 398]

I listened to it all the way through the other day for first time in a while and I actually think it's aged really well. Removed from all the stuff around the Timbaland/Neptunes sound, and the fact that much of that sound came back round again, it holds up as a record.

[WokeUpInMedellin 1,552]

19 minutes ago, Debord said:

I listened to it all the way through the other day for first time in a while and I actually think it's aged really well. Removed from all the stuff around the Timbaland/Neptunes sound, and the fact that much of that sound came back round again, it holds up as a record.

Her genius mind...

[maddy1111 1,601]

55 minutes ago, Debord said:

I listened to it all the way through the other day for first time in a while and I actually think it's aged really well. Removed from all the stuff around the Timbaland/Neptunes sound, and the fact that much of that sound came back round again, it holds up as a record.

I think it holds up pretty well or more than we would have expected back then simply because when Hard Candy was released we all felt like 'she is too late at the party", "Timbaland sound is so outdated he did with Justin, Nelly Furtado, Ciara (and many others) already" 

But now 16 years later, that era basically blends together. We no longer care if this sound was done half year ago (and if Nelly Furtado did all that one year before Madonna) and Madonna is just copying it with Hard Candy, rather than setting trends as before.

Hard Candy can be seen now as the album that simply summarizes the sound of late 00s and all songs trending in charts then. If it does in a particular good way or bad way, everyone needs to answer for themselves. But it is now more product of its time, rather than "too late at the party album". 

[WokeUpInMedellin 1,552]

39 minutes ago, maddy1111 said:

I think it holds up pretty well or more than we would have expected back then simply because when Hard Candy was released we all felt like 'she is too late at the party", "Timbaland sound is so outdated he did with Justin, Nelly Furtado, Ciara (and many others) already" 

But now 16 years later, that era basically blends together. We no longer care if this sound was done half year ago (and if Nelly Furtado did all that one year before Madonna) and Madonna is just copying it with Hard Candy, rather than setting trends as before.

Hard Candy can be seen now as the album that simply summarizes the sound of late 00s and all songs trending in charts then. If it does in a particular good way or bad way, everyone needs to answer for themselves. But it is now more product of its time, rather than "too late at the party album". 

I think you're right!!

I only became a full Madonna fan in the late 2010s but I never liked this album from that point on, I considered it her worst album. Only this year (2024) I've suddenly grown to love this album! It's like a completely different project to me now. I get it now. And I basically like every song on it now    Incredible would've been just fine getting the chop, though.

[Blue Jean 15,249]

1 hour ago, maddy1111 said:

I think it holds up pretty well or more than we would have expected back then simply because when Hard Candy was released we all felt like 'she is too late at the party", "Timbaland sound is so outdated he did with Justin, Nelly Furtado, Ciara (and many others) already" 

But now 16 years later, that era basically blends together. We no longer care if this sound was done half year ago (and if Nelly Furtado did all that one year before Madonna) and Madonna is just copying it with Hard Candy, rather than setting trends as before.

Hard Candy can be seen now as the album that simply summarizes the sound of late 00s and all songs trending in charts then. If it does in a particular good way or bad way, everyone needs to answer for themselves. But it is now more product of its time, rather than "too late at the party album". 

Exactly. So now we can enjoy the songs for what they are . It’s a great pop album. Way more consistent than everything that came after it.

[Debord 398]

2 hours ago, maddy1111 said:

I think it holds up pretty well or more than we would have expected back then simply because when Hard Candy was released we all felt like 'she is too late at the party", "Timbaland sound is so outdated he did with Justin, Nelly Furtado, Ciara (and many others) already" 

But now 16 years later, that era basically blends together. We no longer care if this sound was done half year ago (and if Nelly Furtado did all that one year before Madonna) and Madonna is just copying it with Hard Candy, rather than setting trends as before.

Hard Candy can be seen now as the album that simply summarizes the sound of late 00s and all songs trending in charts then. If it does in a particular good way or bad way, everyone needs to answer for themselves. But it is now more product of its time, rather than "too late at the party album". 

That's exactly what I meant by "Removed from all the stuff around the Timbaland/Neptunes sound".

[LongIslandTea 1,591]

My candies in the sealed HC boxset has expired 

 

Btw, the candies taste like shit (My opened boxset) 

[maddy1111 1,601]

5 hours ago, WokeUpInMedellin said:

I think you're right!!

I only became a full Madonna fan in the late 2010s but I never liked this album from that point on, I considered it her worst album. Only this year (2024) I've suddenly grown to love this album! It's like a completely different project to me now. I get it now. And I basically like every song on it now    Incredible would've been just fine getting the chop, though.

I agree

I became a fan when Music was released in 2000 and for me it was a fantastic ride Music => American Life => COADF... For me, she was getting better with each album. And then Hard Candy came and I was shocked. Madonna following trends so cheaply without anything new?! What the hell is this? 

But over years I've started to like Hard Candy more and more. Now when I look back to it, I am like "yeah, this is how exactly pop music sounded back then, and 4 Minutes defines that era of 10s music perfectly". 

I am not saying it is up on par with her best works, but it is not down with worst ones either. I can now listen every song from that album and enjoy it (well, exception being Spanish Lesson which is not her worst song ever only because Bday exists) 

[maddy1111 1,601]

4 hours ago, Debord said:

That's exactly what I meant by "Removed from all the stuff around the Timbaland/Neptunes sound".

I guess I am just more wordy with explanations

[WokeUpInMedellin 1,552]

8 hours ago, maddy1111 said:

I agree

I became a fan when Music was released in 2000 and for me it was a fantastic ride Music => American Life => COADF... For me, she was getting better with each album. And then Hard Candy came and I was shocked. Madonna following trends so cheaply without anything new?! What the hell is this? 

But over years I've started to like Hard Candy more and more. Now when I look back to it, I am like "yeah, this is how exactly pop music sounded back then, and 4 Minutes defines that era of 10s music perfectly". 

I am not saying it is up on par with her best works, but it is not down with worst ones either. I can now listen every song from that album and enjoy it (well, exception being Spanish Lesson which is not her worst song ever only because Bday exists) 

Whattt I love Spanish Lesson! All the Spanish I know, I learned from that song 

[Drownedboy 1,676]

It is an amazing pop record, but when you did ROL, LAP or COADF before, its pales in comparison. Also the tour was very succesful.But quite tacky after the pure clase of the COADF era. And the concept of the album is strange, but nevertheless, much better than what us the fans tend to say about. General Public do not care at all, it´s just it was not one of her imperial moment, at least the album, it was just  a success in the middle.

[Honey Little 3,992]

1 hour ago, Drownedboy said:

It is an amazing pop record, but when you did ROL, LAP or COADF before, its pales in comparison. Also the tour was very succesful.But quite tacky after the pure clase of the COADF era. And the concept of the album is strange, but nevertheless, much better than what us the fans tend to say about. General Public do not care at all, it´s just it was not one of her imperial moment, at least the album, it was just  a success in the middle.

What was strange about the concept? I feel like the concept was to make some quick cash with feats from radio friendly voices. 

[Drownedboy 1,676]

5 minutes ago, Honey Little said:

What was strange about the concept? I feel like the concept was to make some quick cash with feats from radio friendly voices. 

Boxing and candy, but at the end nothing at all lol

[EgoRod 5,448]

4 hours ago, WokeUpInMedellin said:

Whattt I love Spanish Lesson! All the Spanish I know, I learned from that song 

"Yo soy loco" means "You drive me crazy"

...more like I'm a madman with bad grammar.

Now if you want to say  You drive me crazy you'll say-  ' Me vuelves loco'

[EgoRod 5,448]

it's an album that I appreciate more picking the songs out of it and now from a distance. Mind you I never care much about Bedtime Stories until quite late.

As others comment I think the big crash was due to be after the electronic evolution from ROL onwards. She was playing with dance-pop sounds and bringing something different with each album, then she landed into generic 00's sound.

But I never like 4 minutes and I can't listen to the album straight. I like 2 songs then I don't care about the next and so on.

[Cyberraga 662]

After Confessions on a Dancefloor I wouldn't expect something like Hard Candy. Nevertheless I like it. It was the last of "Warner Madonna". After she moved to Interscope something have changed. I personally felt a shift in vibe of Madonna's music between Hard Candy and MDNA despite both of them being pure pop of that time. And this vibe lasts till now.

[Drownedboy 1,676]

4 hours ago, EgoRod said:

it's an album that I appreciate more picking the songs out of it and now from a distance. Mind you I never care much about Bedtime Stories until quite late.

As others comment I think the big crash was due to be after the electronic evolution from ROL onwards. She was playing with dance-pop sounds and bringing something different with each album, then she landed into generic 00's sound.

But I never like 4 minutes and I can't listen to the album straight. I like 2 songs then I don't care about the next and so on.

 

4 hours ago, EgoRod said:

"Yo soy loco" means "You drive me crazy"

...more like I'm a madman with bad grammar.

Now if you want to say  You drive me crazy you'll say-  ' Me vuelves loco'

Eso es!

[Honey Little 3,992]

On 6/4/2021 at 8:44 PM, Fabiolous said:

Madonna wanted the cover to look like that. The commercials for the album also have the same "vintage-tacky" theme going on. It might have been decided at the last minute, but the tackiness was intentional

The music has a vintage-tacky sound which was super interesting. I like the album for this concept. I thought it was her worst tour, however.

[WokeUpInMedellin 1,552]

7 hours ago, EgoRod said:

"Yo soy loco" means "You drive me crazy"

...more like I'm a madman with bad grammar.

Now if you want to say  You drive me crazy you'll say-  ' Me vuelves loco'

She's not being literal, it's what those sentences mean to HER 

And I was only joking about learning Spanish from it