The Confessions Era

· In New York she made a surprise appearance in a nightclub where tracks of the new album were played. She got up to the stage and danced, invited two fans to dance with her

· Madonna started her European promotional tour officially in Lisbon during the MTV Awards. Hung Up was performed live and she emerged from a giant disco ball.

· The promo tour traveled to London where Madonna was a guest at Parkinson and performed Get Together (for the very first time) and Hung Up plus an interview. Here she sang a bit of ‘Tell The Truth’ the first song she ever wrote

· On November 5 Madonna was a guest at Wetten Dass in Mannheim Germany. Tickets were not available and only if you were on a guest list or purchased beforehand. Madonna repeated the same choreography as performed at the MTV Awards. After the routine she spoke with Thomas Gottschalk

· Madonna officially released COADF on November 15 in KOKO in London. Fans only were allowed in if they had won tickets through competitions, were on the guestlist or had queued outside. The tiny venue only held a small amount of people so these were hot tickets. Fans got their exclusive ticket and wristband at 11am and had to write down their names and addresses. Fans were then told by Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary that Madonna had personally invited all 200 of them to attend the exclusive premiere of IGTTYAS later that month

· The performance at KOKO was broadcast live on the web, Madonna performed Hung Up, Get Together, I Love New York, Let It Will Be (Paper faces remix) and Everybody. The show was absolutely amazing and made several headlines the next day

· Madonna also performed at Star Academy in France, singing Get Together and Hung Up

· On November 18 she was a guest at Children In Need at the BBC Studio’s in London. Of the many acts she was the very first to perform. Madonna could only stay for 20 minutes, so she first performed Get Together followed by Hung Up and a short chat. There were only fund raisers and children in the audience. Tickets were not for sale.

· November 19 marked the date of a historic Madonna performance at G-A-Y. Fans either got tickets through the manager by answering questions or were in the queue since early that morning. Each wristband was 20GBP. Her gig started late that night and in a mind blowing hot pink outfit she performed one of her greatest promotional gigs ever. It was the same setlist as at KOKO but she added a bit of ‘JUMP’ to the end

· Madonna and Guy kept their promise and invited all 200 fans who had waited at KOKO to the premiere of IGTTYAS at the Chelsea Cinema in London

· Madonna continued her promo tour all the way to Japan

· The album was a worldwide smash hitting the number one spot everywhere

· ‘Hung Up’ was Madonna’s biggest hit in Holland to date, spending seven weeks at the top spot

· In Holland it was Peter v/d Vorst who traveled to London to interview Madonna for the show ‘Pulse’. Yours truly attended the live taping of this show and were interviewed on Madonna

· After Hung Up, Sorry, Get Together and Jump were released as singles. Warner Bros. Records early on had rooted for ‘Push’ to be a single

· The album was premiered in music store FAME in Holland the night before with a giant fan party and an early sale

· The album was a collaboration between Madonna and Stuart Price

· For ‘Hung Up’ they requested personally to use the ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’ ABBA sample and were approved, despite M calling ABBA ‘boring’ a few years prior

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

Sources:

http://madonna-mdolla.blogspot.com

todayinmadonnahistory.com

allaboutmadonna.com

Genesis Timeline by Nightshade

madonnaunderground.com

FROM GENESIS TO REVELATIONS by Bruce Baron

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_on_a_Dance_Floor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hung_Up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorry_(Madonna_song)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Together_(Madonna_song)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_(Madonna_song)

https://www.revolvy.com/topic/List+of+unreleased+songs+recorded+by+Madonna

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

Unreleased

"Get Together", original unreleased version, produced by Anders Bagge and Peer Åstrom. Dramatically different from the released album version. Leaked onto the internet in April 2008.

"History (Land of The Free)" Completely different version from the song released as the B-side to Jump. Madonna's voice is more pure, and the song has a completely different structure. Two different demos with slightly different lyrics leaked, the first in 2007 and the second in April 2008.

"Keep the Trance" A collaboration with Mirwais that was not used for the album. A short edit of this track that was recorded during the album sessions, leaked onto the internet in January 2008. An alternate mix (reportedly final) leaked in August 2008. The lyrics were eventually reworked and used for the Live Earth charity release "Hey You", which has very similar lyrics. The instrumental track was later reworked and used for the song "Get It Right" by Yas, taken from her album Arabology, which was also produced by Mirwais.

"[Title unknown]" Brother-in-law Joe Henry mentioned in an interview that he was working with Madonna on two songs. Only one of these collaborations (Jump), appeared on the final cut of the album. The second song may have been "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" which Madonna developed with Henry in 2005 before re-working it with other writers for inclusion on her 2008 album Hard Candy.

"Triggering" Another collaboration between Madonna and Mirwais. The song leaked in full on August 21, 2008.[150] Sometimes referred to by fans as "Triggering Your Senses" due to Demo leaks of December 16, 2014[193]

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

Videos

Hung Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDwb9jOVRtU

Sorry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDwb9jOVRtU

Get Together [European version] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zqZnarJQ-E&feature=youtu.be

Get Together [Alternative Version] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObjtMmTRyrM&feature=youtu.be

Jump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HJR2COucT4&feature=youtu.be

Jump {Jacques Lu Cont Remix] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPTws4juI_o&feature=youtu.be

Sorry (Remix) [Confessions Tour Backdrop] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE0moToeM9c

Future Lovers [Confessions Tour Backdrop] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRHm3CLEczQ

Get Together Confessions Tour Backdrop Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ8-sLSN55g

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

Legacy

Madonna received "near-universal acclaim" with Confessions on a Dance Floor, with Christopher Rosa from VH1 calling it her "best album to date" and explained that is a "near-perfect pop record" and "her most natural reinvention".

It was ranked as the third best dance album of all-time by Vice magazine—the highest peak by a female performer. The magazine staff commented: "This is the album all her subsequent albums is compared to; for its enduring relevance and how it redefined Madonna as an artist, it should be".

Author Sancho Xavi from El País commented in an article for the newspaper that Confessions on a Dance Floor started the disco revival during the 21st century and popularized the revivals concept of others musical genres during the first decade.

Justin Myers from the UK Official Charts Company commented: "An 'imperial phase' is when a pop star is at the pinnacle of their career, shifting stacks of records, having big hits, selling out arenas, owning the radio and being generally unavoidable and untouchable. Many pop acts barely manage one. Thanks to this album, Madonna claimed her third. How many popstars can honestly say that?" Calling her the "Mother of Reinvention", Jim Schembri from The Age wrote a detailed article of Madonna's impact with Confessions on a Dance Floor:

[The album] went straight to No. 1 everywhere. So too did the first single, "Hung Up", the video for which is on every time you turn on the TV. [Madonna] has reclaimed her place in the pop firmament with unrivaled ferocity. And she is a sterling example of pop survival.

With the Confessions on a Dance Floor era, Madonna broke several world records and the album resuscitated her music sales and popularity, after the critical and commercial disappointment of American Life.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the album sold 4 million copies worldwide during the first week of release.

Madonna became the best-selling female artist in the European market and the fifth best-selling artist overall, with a quadruple platinum award by the IFPI.

In the United Kingdom, Confessions on a Dance Floorbecame one of the fastest selling albums ever, with first week sales of 217,610 copies according to the Official UK Charts Company. Also, Madonna earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "oldest artist to simultaneously top the UK singles and album charts". With estimated sales of over 10 million copies worldwide, Confessions on a Dance Floor is considered to be one of the best-selling albums of the 2000s.

Accolades

Madonna won the Best International Female Solo Artist at the 2006 BRIT Awards.

She also won World's Best Selling Pop Artist and Best Selling U.S. Artist at the 2006 World Music Awards for the album.

She was nominated for five awards at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards for the music video of the album's first single, "Hung Up".

Madonna also got nominated for Best Album of the Year, Best Pop Video, and Best Female Artist at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2006.

She also won a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Dance/Electronic Album" at the 2007 ceremony.

Rolling Stone ranked Confessions on a Dance Floor as the twenty-second top album of 2005.

NME also placed it at number 29 on the magazine's list of the 50 best albums of 2005.

Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine ranked the album at the third position on his list of the top ten albums of 2005. The same magazine considered the album the 38th best one from the 2000s.

Three critics writing for Stylus Magazine also included Confessions on a Dance Floor in their year-end lists of the best albums of 2005.

Q Magazine named the record the 26th best one of 2005. On their ranking of the best albums from 2005,

The Observer listed the album at number 26. By the end of the 2000s,

Slant Magazine placed the album at number 38 on their list of "The 100 Best Albums of the Aughts".

In 2015, Confessions on a Dance Floor was ranked third on "The 99 Greatest Dance Albums of All Time" by Vice magazine

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

Note: There is stuff about Hello Suckers! and her other musical project too.

Sources noted where possible...

2003:

February: At some point this month, Madonna does a sit-down interview with W Magazine (for the April 2003 cover story). In it, she comments on the musical project she is rumored to be working on:

"Yes, I'm working on a musical project. It's already been written and it's totally original. The director and I have put together a creative team, and we're working on getting financing right now."

March 13: Insiders have suggested that Madonna’s next big project is a movie musical called “Hello Suckers” an original screenplay extravaganza to be directed by Scott Elliot (“A Map of the World”) and produced by Barbara de Fina (“You Can Count On Me”).

May 13: Scott Elliot is directing Madonna in the Texas Guinan bio movie musical that was once a go with Courtney Love ("It just didn't work out," said Elliott).

May 21: Madonna states in an interview that she is currently working on a movie musical script about a real-life actress who worked in Hollywood in the 1920’s.

September 24: Madonna’s brother-in-law Joe Henry, told an Italian magazine that he has been working on a couple of songs with her for a musical that she will star in next year.

Later:

These songs will include "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" which will show up on

Hard Candy and "Jump" which will show up on COADF.

October 28: Madonna and Luc Besson shoot the video for her song "Love Profusion."

LATER:

Madonna will tell interviewers for the COADF promotion that she began work with Luc Besson for another musical project in the fall of 2004. It is possible this video collaboration led to that musical film idea.

November 30: Mirwaïs is said to be working with Madonna on 3 songs for a new musical. They’ve scheduled recording time in Los Angeles in December.

December 2: Madonna has been working on a musical with Patrick Leonard called Hello Suckers!. The two of them have already been working on music and lyrics over the past year and have completed a large body of material. Madonna plays a 1920's vaudeville-like tap-dancing star. (Madonnalicious)

LATER:

Madonna will record a number of tracks for this musical which will leak (or are rumored to exist) much later in various forms. Among them are "Is this Love (Bon D'Accord)" - which will later reincarnate as "Voices" on Hard Candy, "If You Go Away," "Curtain" (which has not leaked yet), and "How High" which will have its lyrics used with a demo submitted by Bloodshy & Avant in early 2005. A song called "Miss You" has lyrics which were later used in "Like It or Not" but it is unclear if this song was from the American Life sessions or indeed written for the musical.

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

2004:

January 2004

On January 7 2004, Rolling Stone magazine reviewed Madonna’s Remixed & Revisited EP:

Instead of the twenty-year retrospective originally planned for the holiday season, Madonna fans get a measly half-hour of mishmash marginalia. Of the four remixes from American Life, only one clicks: Headcleanr’s rock mix of Love Profusion, which replaces Mirwais’ electrofolk with Strokes-like guitars and drums that flatter an overlooked but fantastic song. The live medley of Like a Virgin and Hollywood, with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, falls flat without the infamous kisses, and the Gap commercial with Missy Elliott just sounds cheap and nasty. Your Honesty, an outtake from 1994’s Bedtime Stories, recalls the post-disco funkiness of Madonna’s 1983 debut. Bet it would’ve worked better in a box set. – Barry Walters

On January 24 2004, Madonna received the NRJ Award of Honor during the NRJ awards ceremony in Cannes, France. Madonna accepted the award from Britney Spears and thanked her French fans for two decades of support.

“My ambition may be American, and I may have married a Brit, but my heart belongs to France.”

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January 27: From an interview in the Belgian magazine, HUMO, with Joe Henry:

HUMO: Did she ask you for more songs, afterwards?

Henry: Well, right now we're writing some songs for a musical. It's about the era of the 'silent movie'. I learned not to harbour any expectations and just seize every interesting opportunity. You know, I've noticed that many journalists think I resent “Don’t Tell Me,” but what can be more beautiful for a songwriter than having one of your songs covered? And when they still ring true in a completely different version... . I can't think of a bigger compliment.

On January 30 2004, Madonna’s Official Fan Club (ICON) and Madonna.com published a fan club exclusive photo book titled, Nobody Knows Me. The 52-page soft cover photo book featured previously unreleased photos (spanning her career).

Here’s what Liz Rosenberg had to say when asked to comment on a highlight she witnessed in Madonna’s career:

“Highlights? There’s just too many.

It’s a highlight for me just to dance around the living room to Deeper and Deeper. And also when we played Vogue at a club for the first time.

The list goes on and on and I’m thrilled to have had a front row seat to most of it.”

February 2004

On February 7 2004, Nothing Fails lived up to its title when it hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Club Play chart in the U.S.

Despite being largely ignored by radio programmers, the single nevertheless received strong support from club DJ’s.

The Nothing Fails maxi-single, which also included remixes of Nobody Knows Me, had previously reached the top of the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart in December 2003 before being overtaken by the Britney Spears/Madonna collaboration, Me Against The Music.

Nobody Knows Me reached a separate peak of #4 on the Hot Dance/Club Play chart in 2003 after it was serviced to DJ’s as a promotional single.

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February 19: The first preliminary setlist of Madonna's upcoming Re-Invention Tour is leaked and it includes a track called "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You," a track from the musical she has been working on the past year.

Later:

Mike McKnight (sound engineer for Madonna) tells Drownedmadonna.com in a 2005 interview that "The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" was on the Reinvention setlist to be performed but was pulled and never done in the actual show. He says that Madonna did the track with Mirwais and does not mention Joe Henry, which suggests Madonna may have taken the track she wrote with Henry to Mirwais who would do his own music and production for it. The song is replaced by a ballad version of "Deeper and Deeper" in the live show.

April 2004

April 8: Madonna will release a studio album during 2005, and she has already begun to work on it. She is reportedly collaborating with Joe Henry and Pat Leonard – although some reports suggest their involvement was only with a soundtrack she was developing, and that project was shelved 6 months ago. One thing is certain, however - Mirwaïs' role on this new album will be very limited. Also, she might bring in two other producers that also worked on the American Life album – possibly Guy Sigsworth and Stuart Price.

April 11: She has reportedly done one song with Mirwaïs but it isn’t known yet if that song will appear on an upcoming compilation of remixes for American Life or if she’ll save it for her new album in 2005. The song was recorded last week. She continues to field new collaberators for the new album.

May 2004

May 11: Headcleanr (a.k.a. Ray Carroll) from the Sire electronic-duo The Waterlillies is one of the new producers she may be collaberating with and also Thomas Bangalter (Daft Punk) is rumored to be helping out. Very little has been done so far as Madonna is still writing and plans to do so through out her upcoming tour. The new studio album won’t likely be released until late 2005.

May 27: Guy Chambers, one of the U.K.'s most prolific & talented writer and producers, is most famous for working with artists such as Robbie Williams, Mel C and Kylie Minogue. In an interview on UK TV show London Tonight at the Ivor Novello Awards, he was asked who he wanted to work with next. He replied "Madonna" with a smile on his face - he then quietly said "In fact, I am going to meet with her management in the US in August."

May 30: DJ and remixer Peter Rauhofer says in an interview that Madonna’s next album will likely be a soundtrack to a movie she’s starring in – Hello Suckers! He said the material was done with Patrick Leonard and the style reminds him of a “broadway musical.”

June 2004

June 8: Madonna has landed a new film role - playing a gunslinging 1920’s cowgirl for whom she’s a dead ringer. The singer will play silent movie star Texas Guinan in MARTIN SCORSESE’s big-screen musical Hello Suckers! The tale is based on the life of legendary bareback horserider Guinan - who appeared in Hollywood Westerns. Texas-born blonde Guinan also became a rebel nightclub host who openly flouted anti-booze Prohibition laws and kick-started her stage shows with the hellraising catchphrase “Hello Sucker!” The film is Madge’s chance to get even with critics who slated her parts in Eighties films Shanghai Surprise and Desperately Seeking Susan then 2002’s Swept Away, directed by hubby GUY RITCHIE. Madge will co-produce it with Goodfellas director Scorsese and also write the music. It will be shot next year and the soundtrack will be the Material Girl’s next album, with the first single a cover of 1920s hit “There’ll Be Some Changes Made.” The movie will be directed by Jonas Akerlund who masterminded Madge’s anti-war video for her hit “American Life.” Madonna idolises feisty Guinan - star of The Hellcat, The She Wolf, The Gun Woman and Little Miss Deputy - and will love stepping into her stirrups. An industry insider said: "This project is really personal for Madonna as she worships Guinan. Critical acclaim in movies is also the one thing that has eluded her but this is a special film with big names involved. "Madonna has already recorded an album’s worth of songs for it and is determined to make it work." The film arm of her production company Maverick bought the rights to the film in 2001 and planned a stage show but later hit on the movie idea. Madge has been laying down tracks for it since last year. COURTNEY LOVE was cast as Guinan and even wrote some songs but has been axed over her recent drug troubles.

June 9: According to an industry insider, Madonna will work on her new album in 2005 but it is currently too early to consider who will produce with her. If Madonna leaves WB due to her current legal battle over Maverick Records, there is expected to be a number of remix albums and compilations flooding the market before she even gets a new album out on another label. Reportedly, Madonna has already stated that she is done with WB however, they are still hoping to get more out of her. Madonna has met with Quentin Tarantino recently regarding “a musical” but so far, their talks have just been discussion about the project. Madonna apparently has no plans to start any major projects until her contract dispute with WB is resolved.

June 16-24: LATER: Madonna writes a song called “I Love New York” while doing sound checks for her Re-Invention tour at Madison Square Garden in NYC after receiving a police escort to MSG. She just started playing a riff at sound check and that is how it came about.

LATER:

Price says in an interview with British magazine The Word

(June 2008): We were at Madison Square Garden in the middle of the 2004 Re-Invention tour, and it had got to that point where everyone was just completely bored. Touring with Madonna is like taking everything you've learned from the age of 14 about playing small pubs and clubs in bands and chucking it all out of the window. It's more like Cirque Du Soleil than the Pheasant & Firkin, put it that way. Essentially, the show has so many moving parts that if you go out on a limb you might end up losing a limb.

Madonna can be quite spontaneous, but she's not spontaneous when it comes to doing a show in front of 20,000 people! Similarly, the soundcheck is often quite a choreographed affair, but this time she just started messing around. She started playing this very basic, two-chord riff on the guitar and making up these lyrics about how she loved New York. It was just a real fun, mess-around song. Later I went into her dressing room with a guitar and a portable multi-track and said, "We're just going to stick something down for a reference", so we had a rough sketch of the song.

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

July 2004

July 23: Hello Suckers! is reportedly Madonna’s next project once she completes the Re-Invention tour and the soundtrack to this musical is reportedly her next album affair.

August 2004

August 4: Inside sources say Madonna has contacted U.K. electronic band Goldfrapp for a possible collaboration. She has attempted to work with them before in 2002 when Guy Ritchie and Madonna asked the British duo to score their film Swept Away - Goldfrapp rejected that offer but did give permission to use track (“Lovely Head”) for the 2002 film’s opening credits.

August 29: Iggy Pop & the Stooges open for Madonna at Slane Castle in Ireland. Madonna watches the performance with Stuart Price and makes a suggestion:

LATER:

Price says in an interview with British magazine The Word

(June 2008): Later on in the tour we were playing Slane Castle with Iggy Pop, and while we were watching him Madonna said, "Let's make the song a bit like The Stooges." She was making a documentary on that tour, I'm Going To Tell You A Secret, and there was a scene in it that featured New York, and she decided she wanted a kind of Stooges version of I Love New York to play over it. So I took the riff and the guide vocal away to a friend's house in Reading. We went into his bedroom and propped the bed up against the wall to make room for the drum-kit. His brother played guitar, I played bass and we tracked this Madonna song in the bedroom of a house on the Wokingham Road! And that's the version that appears on the documentary.

September 2004

September (early): There is a report that Depeche Mode songwriter, Martin Gore, recently met with Madonna and Stuart Price while on her tour. He may be working on some demos for her.

On September 14 2004, the final show of Madonna’s Re-Invention Tour took place in Lisbon, Portugal.

The Lisbon concert was recorded and considered for release on DVD but these plans were unfortunately shelved. However, a rough cut leaked on the internet several years later. To date this remains the only complete, professionally shot recording of the tour available to fans.

September 27: Pat Leonard recently finished writing a “period musical” with Madonna.

September 29: Joe Henry tells the press that he and Madonna collaborated on 3 songs last year (and recorded them together) for a movie that is set in the silent film era.

September 30: Last week in London, Madonna checked in with Martin Gore and claims to have “loved” one of the demos he was given to work on.

October 2004

On October 8 2004, Billboard announced that Madonna was the lead finalist for Billboard’s inaugural Backstage Pass Awards, in three categories:

Top Tour (based on gross dollars): Re-Invention Tour

Top Draw (based on total tickets sold): Re-Invention Tour

Top Boxscore Event (for a show at Madison Square Garden): Re-Invention Tour

The Backstage Pass Awards recognize the top achievements in touring (according to box office data).

October 11: According to well-informed sources, an all-new Madonna album (currently in the planning stages) is due in November 2005 with a lead single planned for Summer 2005.

On October 25 2004, it was announced that Madonna would lend her voice to the cast of the animated film Arthur and the Invisibles (then titled simply Arthur), written & directed by French filmmaker Luc Besson.

The film tells the story of ten-year-old Arthur, who, while trying to save his grandfather’s house from developers, goes on a treasure hunt in the land of the Minimoys, a tiny people living in coexistence with nature, informed The Malaysia Star. According to ABC News, Arthur was adapted from a series of children’s books written by Besson, who also wrote the screenplay for the movie. Madonna was said to be voicing the part of Princess Selenia, a character who travels with Arthur to a mysterious forbidden city where an evil being dwells. “The recording is being done at the moment,” a source was quoted by ratethemusic as saying.

Madonna had previously collaborated with Besson earlier in 2004 when he directed her music video for Love Profusion. She was also in the midst of writing songs for a proposed musical film to be directed by Besson, but she later withdrew from the project after being dissatisfied by the finished screenplay.

October 25: Stuart Price is at the helm of the album, his role is as producer; Stuart has a lot of input with the type of music, sound and over all direction of the album. The sound we are being told is more electric than the work she did with Ørbit. Also, Monte Pittman is involved, Madonna is working with him, but what they are working on is unknown at the moment. Mirwaïs doesn't seem to be too heavily involved with this album at this time and his role is yet unknown.

LATER:

In an interview with John Norris on MTV Overdrive (broadband channel), Madonna says the album didn’t start out as an all-dance record. She did some songs with Mirwaïs and some with Stuart Price. She says she tried several different things, and then Stuart brought her the music to “Hung Up” and she wrote the lyrics very quickly – in about 10 minutes driving around in her car – “it was like instant, divine inspiration” – and she knew she wanted to make a dance record.

She sent an emissary to Stockholm with a letter she’d written to Bjorn & Benny begging them to allow her to use the sample. She says they did not say YES right away, but rather took some time to think about it. They have rarely allowed their music to be sampled. The sample was reportedly quite expensive, and they got a writing credit on the song.

UK TELEGRAPH: The pair agreed to let Madonna use their most famous disco hit after striking a lucrative copyright agreement that observers say will give them a significant share of royalties from airplay.

"Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” is the essence of the new song and we have agreed to split the copyright with Madonna and her co-writer," Andersson said. He declined to go into details and insisted that financial concerns were not the primary motive for the decision to give Madonna permission to use the track. The ABBA track went to No. 3 in the U.K. in 1979.

A lot of the songs were written very quickly, but they did take a lot stuff they worked with on tour and morphed into songs from things Stuart Price and Madonna collaberated on during the tour – inbetween sound checks, back stage and in “hotel rooms in boring cities.”

She says she wanted to make something “buoyant” and “fun.”

“Hung Up” was written for the disco section of a musical she was working on. It was one of the first songs she and Price wrote (out of 20 songs total for the musical done over a couple years). Then she decided not to do the movie and they started listening to old disco records: Georgio Moroder, Cerrone, ABBA ABBA ABBA. There is a bit of tribute to Donna Summer (I Feel Love) and the Bee Gees.

Stuart Price tells Mojo magazine of the album: “It came out of the ashes of a film script she was working on – a musical, it had a ‘futuristic club section.’ Initially, we were just doing songs for that. “Hung Up” was the first one. For months I had wanted to use that loop from “Gimme Gimme Gimme,” and she said ‘I want the future disco section to sound somewhere inbetween Danceteria, Studio 54 and Abba on drugs.’ I said, ‘Errrr, ok, let me play you something.’ Three days later, she’d written a song with it. Within a month we had the bulk of an album. They did all their work in Price’s studio flat in Maida Vale, in the loft.

LATER:

Based on Price's comments, I am led to believe that "Hung Up" was written for the Besson musical as I cannot see Hello Suckers! having a futuristic disco section being that it was a 20's-style period piece.

U.K. Observer:

Madonna says she intended to do the bulk of the album with Mirwais and a few songs with Stuart Price. But the first song she did with Price - “Hung Up” - resonated so monstrously that she decided to go the other way – and it decided the direction of the album.

Madonna: And that song made up my mind in which musical direction to go in. Until then I had done an entire soundtrack to a musical called Hello Suckers!, and that didn't pan out because I decided I didn't want to do it. Then I decided to write a musical with Luc Besson, with him doing the screenplay. So I started a whole new chunk of songs, and then I read the script and I hated it, and I thought, 'That's crap, let's scrap that'. And then I was exhausted. We finished the tour, and my record company was like, 'You owe us an album', and I was, 'I don't have any more ideas, I'm tapped out'. So I came over here to work experimentally, and because that song turned out so great, I said, 'OK, that's it, I'm making all dance music'.

The entire time I was recording the album I was also editing a documentary film that I've just finished, and that was a very painful... It's called I'm Going to Tell You a Secret and it's not a conventional documentary. It's cinematic, it's like a journal. I was flying to Stockholm every other week to work on the edit, then coming back here, and it was very difficult, taking 350 hours of film and putting it into two hours. I was so wiped out by it.

November 2004

November 9: Madonna is currently writing and recording in London for a 2005 album, although its release may not come until next November. It might be an extension to her Warner deal with the same royalties for one album. If the album does well, she could reportedly get an even better deal if she proves American Life was a fluke and not the beginning of the end of her recording career.

November 11: Tonight, Madonna is inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame and afterward she says to reporters of her new album: I’m getting ready to record another album and I begin writing, in fact, next week. Well, I’m working with Mirwais again and probably Stuart Price who was on tour with me – I wrote a track with him on my last album…and… who knows? I kind of figure it out as I go along and things always change by the time I get finished recording my album…so, I don’t know…stay tuned.

On November 14 2004, Madonna was featured on the cover of Roland Users Group magazine, with the headline, “Six Roland Synths Hit the Road in Style.” The article discusses some of the talented keyboardists (Marcus Brown and Mike McKnight) who toured with Madonna during her Re-Invention World Tour, and how the music was put together for the show.

Here’s some snippets from the article (interview by Greg Rule with Marcus Brown and Mike McKnight):

A person doesn’t just fall into a high-profile tour like this. What steps led you to getting the gig with Madonna?

Mike: Back in 1990 I was taking piano lessons from John Novello, and one of his students was working in Freddie DeMann’s office — Madonna’s manager back then. She gave John and I the heads-up about the auditions. John went in to audition as a keyboardist, and I got hired as a programmer/offstage keyboardist/sequencer guy. I got the gig mainly on the word of mouth that I could play keys offstage and sequence extra musical parts. I had just finished Earth, Wind & Fire before her tour geared up.

Originally it was supposed to be only a few background vocals, and repetitive keyboard and percussion parts in the computer — an Atari 1040 ST running Dr T’s sequencer. I was hired basically during the first week of band rehearsals, and I took the gig, since it looked like I wouldn’t have to go nuts with sequencing all of the parts from the multitracks. Wrong! During my first meeting with her she made it very clear she wanted everything in the computer. Back then all I had was an Atari 1040 and six 8MB samplers for playback, so while three were playing, three were loading up for the next song. It was nuts, but I pulled it off, and have been there for every tour since.

Marcus: I’d been working in England with Richard Ashcroft from The Verve. He’d done the support slot for Madonna when we she’d come to town a few years prior. Also, Steve, the drummer in Madonna’s band, had worked with Richard, so there was a bit of a connection there. When she was putting the band together for the Drowned World tour, my name came up, and that’s pretty much how it happened. No audition; I didn’t have to stand there and play Chopin or anything like that [grins]. I think it was more or less taken for granted that I could play.

With this kind of job, you have to get on with the people you work with, so a lot of it is about style and personality as well. We all came from a similar place. I was familiar with Steve’s work, and [musical director] Stuart Price’s as well, so it all came together nicely. I basically walked in and we got on with it. We started right away.

Describe steps you went through leading up to launch of the Re-invention tour.

Mike: I began programming for this tour while I was out on the road with Mariah Carey — just putting the files in order, making sure I had all the parts I needed. Stuart Price and I got to L.A. a week before rehearsal to begin putting together the arrangements. Stuart is a very good remixer and musician, and M expected him to “re-invent” many of her big hits from the ’80s and ’90s for this tour. I jumped in where I was needed, but Stuart did most of the arrangements. My main job was to put all of the possible versions into the computer for fine-tuning and rehearsal with M. She would come in and sometimes love the direction and sometimes would suggest other directions, and she usually wanted to hear her “vision” right away, which made my job “interesting” at times, but we got through it. She’s tough but fair, so it wasn’t too bad really.

Were strong sight-reading skills required for this gig?

Marcus: We haven’t typically had the music written out, unless something got thrown at us quickly, in which case we had a pile of those guitar chord-books for grabbing a basic chord structure.

The main way we’ve approached the tracks is … Stuart creates a sort of remixed version of a song in his studio, and plays it for Madonna. If she likes the version, he separates the parts into a multitrack session, and then we stand around and say, “Okay, I’ll do that bit, you do that line there, Steve can handle this part. etc.” We’d basically strip away as much as possible from the mix, and perhaps only leave a couple of little things here and there that we couldn’t physically do. Then we start getting sounds together and rehearsing the song.

Mike, You’ve been Madonna’s “right-hand man” on every tour for 10-plus years. What things have you learned that are invaluable to your survival on this gig?

Mike: Just to be prepared for everything. I have to have several versions of each song ready, as well as to be constantly thinking ahead to what she might ask for to spice up the arrangement. It’s important to have backups in several places, and to keep every variation ready just in case she decides to go back a version or two. In short — just think ahead and pay attention.

Final thoughts about life on the road with perhaps the most famous woman in the world?

Mike: Madonna is the ultimate touring experience; nobody else even comes close. She hires the best people, and the tour is run like a well-oiled machine with none of the stupidity I’ve become accustomed to on other tours. She works everyone very hard, but she expects as much of herself as anyone else on tour, so it’s cool. It just doesn’t get better than this.

November 24: In People Magazine, Madonna says: “I’m writing for this musical I’m working on based on the life story of Texas Guinan, a woman who was a silent movie star and hell-raiser during Prohibition. It’s a good story but I don’t know if its acceptable or not. I have to record a new album, but I don’t really like the idea of just making another record. So I’m throwing a lot of balls in the air and will see what happens.”

November 30: Madonna.com confirms that she is in the studio today recording new material but it does not say what it will be for. A London tabloid says it is “trip hop” music.

December 2004

December 3: Madonna was in the studio with Stuart Price this week.

LATER:

In an interview with Attitude in October 2005, Madonna says she did not intend for Price to be the primary contributor but that she only intended to do a few songs with him. Also, after she did three songs between Price and Mirwais: “Hung Up,” “Sorry” and “Future Lovers” she said she did some other songs that were slower, but then she decided she wasn’t in the mood for ballads this time around.

On December 6 2004, Madonna’s Re-Invention Tour corset made by French designer Christian Lacroix was put on display as part of the inauguration celebration of the Villa du Marais hotel. Seventeen rooms of the hotel were filled with Christian’s most impressive creations.

Madonna had two variations of the corset: gold and lilac. She wore the corset during Vogue, Nobody Knows Me and Frozen.

On December 7 2004, Britney Spears’ collaboration with Madonna, Me Against The Music, was bestowed with the Hot Dance Sales Single Of The Year award at the Billboard Music Awards ceremony at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

December 10: Madonna & Guy are seen leaving the London Kabbalah Centre tonight.

LATER:

In an interview with Israel's biggest newspaper Yediot Aharonot, Yitzhak Sinwani says it was around this time that he moved to London (working for the Kabbalah Centre) and performed some songs he had learned from home (Israel) at the Centre’s traditional Shabbat dinner one Friday night. She later tapped him to do vocals for her album (for “Isaac”) and on her 2006 Confessions World Tour. (12/11/06)

December 24: According to his friends, Stuart Price is busy producing Madonna’s next album. BBC DJ Pete Tong has stated that Price is “the most important and prolific young producer in Britian today.”

December 28: Madonna is currently working on music for a new studio album for WB, however, she is also recording material for a possible release with her new documentary due in the spring. The Hello Suckers! musical is currently in a lull because Madonna owes WB a new studio album next year so that is currently her primary focus. Madonna is also up for a supporting role in the film The Streets of Paris (FineLine) and if she wins that role, it is likely that the production for Hello Suckers! will be postponed until late 2005.

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

2005:

January 2005

On January 3 2005, Madonna was ranked #5 on the list of 100 most successful recording artists of all time in the UK. The list, published by the Guinness British Hit Singles and Albums book, ranked artists according to how many weeks they spent in the UK singles and albums charts.

Madonna was the only female act to make it into the top ten (at the time) with a score of 1,653 weeks, right behind Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, The Beatles and Queen.

January 5: Madonna has finished several new songs with Stuart Price. Last year, she also did a barter collaberation with Missy Elliot (in exchange for Missy appearing on Madonna’s tour in video form) - that song may appear on the rapper’s next album, which features guest stars Tweet, Ciara, 50 Cent, and Ludacris.

January 7: The track she did with Missy Elliot is called “Cali Dreams” and is about the cost of fame. Madonna only provides backing vocals and was rumored to be called “Liquid Dreams.” It has not yet been determined if it will be used but it isn’t a “Me Against the Music” type of project. Madonna has also tapped an American producer, Emilio Estefan, Jr. to crank out a demo for her. She is a big fan of Estefan’s work and wants a Latin track on her next album.

January 8: During the sound checks of the tour this year, Madonna was playing a new song with the working title, “I Love New York.” The song was co-written with Monte Pitman.

January 9: Madonna has completed two new songs and is working on two more (in progress). A new song title has also been revealed: “Goddess”

On January 11 2005, Madonna.com announced that Madonna would perform during NBC’s Tsunami Aid: A Concert Of Hope, to air on January 15th:

“More than a dozen musical acts have signed on to perform in NBC Universal’s tsunami benefit special, which will raise money for the American Red Cross’s relief efforts. Among those scheduled to perform in the special, titled Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope, are Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Lenny Kravitz, Eric Clapton, Mary J. Blige, Kenny Chesney, Brian Wilson, India.Arie, John Mayer and Gloria Estefan. A number of other stars, including George Clooney, Usher, Halle Berry and Uma Thurman, are also set to appear. The concert, airing ET Saturday (Jan. 15), will be broadcast on NBC and all its cable networks. The PAX network, which is partly owned by NBC, and Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo will also air the benefit. During the benefit, viewers will be directed to a phone number and web site for the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which is working to provide victims of the Dec. 26 disaster with food and water and to prevent disease in the areas hit by the tsunamis. The Red Cross is at work on long-term aid efforts that include mental health counseling and disaster preparedness initiatives.”

Madonna performed a cover of John Lennon’s Imagine during the broadcast, which had been part of the set-list of the previous year’s Re-Invention Tour.

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Imagine - Tsunami Aid – 2005 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJnOfArFKW4

On January 27 2005, Hairdresser Julien D’Ys released a limited edition 46-page scrapbook documenting the creation of the hairstyles for Madonna’s Re-Invention Tourand the Steven Klein tour book photoshoot.

The scrapbook is available for sale through D’Ys website.

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On January 31 2005, BBC Radio-One asked fans to vote for the Greatest UK Number One Single to celebrate the 1,000th number-one hit in the country. Madonna was the most voted for female artist with two songs in the top ten:

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody

Iron Maiden – Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter

Michael Jackson – Billie Jean

Madonna – Like A Prayer

Madonna – Vogue

Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock

Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger

Abba – Dancing Queen

Mariah Carey – Without You

John Lennon – Imagine

February 2005

February 3: Madonna has been taking karate lessons at the Budokwai club in south London – she plans to showcase the discipline in an upcoming video.

February 6: Stuart Price aka Jacques Lu Cont, winner of Best Remixed Recording at Sunday's 47th Grammy Awards. The Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix of the No Doubt cover of "It's My Life" won over the Full Intention Club Mix of George Michael's "Amazing", the Felix Da Housecat's High Octane Mix of "Motor Inn" by Iggy Pop with Freedom, featuring Peaches, the Basement Jaxx Mix of N.E.R.D.'s "She Wants to Move" and Sasha 's Remix of "Watching Cars Go By" by Felix Da Housecat.

February 13: Stuart Price, aka Jacques Lu Cont, plays the Good Vibrations Festival in Melbourne, Australia today.

LATER:

Price plays a dub version of “Hung Up” with the ABBA sample (no Madonna vocals) to great crowd reaction. From an IntheMix review:

Jacques Lu Cont started his set with a remix of Gwen Stefani’s ‘What You Waiting For?’ before mixing it into a remix of a classic ABBA tune. I didn’t get to witness much of Jacques Lu Cont’s set however from I did hear he seemed to have played a lot arm raising, crowd favourite tracks, making is set a lot of fun, but in comparison to other acts he didn’t really stand out.

LATER:

Price says in an interview with British magazine The Word

(June 2008), that he was working on the track “I Love New York” while he was in Sydney, Australia (Feb. 19 – was the day he played the Sydney Good Vibrations Festival).

February 14: Swedish duo Bloodshy & Avant revealed today in an interview to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that they are currently working on a new song for Madonna. Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson, 29, and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg, 29 are the guys behing Britney Spears' "Toxic", the winner of the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording. They had already worked with Britney and Madonna producing a remix for their "Me Against The Music" single. They have just started working on the track, but the idea is to come up with a huge dancefloor-hit, they say. Madonna herself called Christian on his mobile and caught him when he was on a beach in Thailand to ask them to collaborate with her.

LATER:

In an interview with a Swedish correspondent in NYC (in Oct. 2005) Madonna says she wanted to work with them after she heard her daughter listening to Rachel Stevens’ solo debut Funky Dory (released March 9, 2004) which had a song produced by Murlyn Music hotshot Bloodshy, “Sweet Dreams My LA Ex.” She said that plus their work on Britney Spears’ “Toxic” convinced her that she wanted to work with them.

Swedes Produce New Song for Madonna

They were given a Grammy for their Britney Spears song. Now the Swedish top producers are working on a new hit - for Madonna. "This is really something big," says Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson. Swedish producers Bloodshy & Avant wrote and produced Britney Spears' hit "Toxic". This Sunday they won an American Grammy for their work. "It's absolutely amazing. An American Grammy is probably the biggest award you can win in my business. Now I'm beginning to understand how it would feel like to win gold in the Olympics," Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson tells Aftonbladet.

The Swedes beat big acts like Chemical Brothers and Basement Jaxx in the category "Best dance recording". "This is really unbelievable. Those are really heavy names and we beat them just like that," says Christian Karlsson.

Bloodshy & Avant were not in the US to accept the award in person. The reason: they're working on a new hit - for Madonna.

"Madonna herself called me. I was at the beach in Thailand when my cell phone rang, and it was her. I can't even explain how unreal it felt to stand there with Madonna on the line," says Christian Karlsson.

The Queen of Pop discovered the Swedish duo after their work with Britney Spears and asked them to write her a song. "We've hardly begun working on it yet, so we've got no idea when the song will be released or what will become of it. Our goal is to give her a real dancefloor filler (disco stomper)," says Pontus Winnberg.

LATER:

Early versions of “How High” and “Like It or Not” produced by Bloodshy alone are also in the vaults, assumably without the additional mixing of Avant and Stuart Price. The instrumentals to both songs were written before the lyrics were. These appeared on Bloodshy's MySpace in 2006 as "Snookercrunk" which is an almost identical version of "Like It or Not" without vocals, and "Lester" (4:01), which is an early version of "How High" (3:26).

February 15: A London paper says Madonna will reinvent herself next as the Queen of Rock and her new album, which is nearly completed, will have a “heavy guitar sound.” Madonna is reportedly drawing her latest musical inspiration from acts like Franz Ferdinand. She apparently wants to go in the direction of “real sounds – like those of a real band.” Other contributers on board include the album’s main producer Stuart Price, Mirwaïs, Bloodshy & Avant, and Monte Pittman. The collection may also include her recent cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

LATER:

This is just a personal observation, but around this time a lot of the rumors seemed to indicate a ROCK direction, and I often wonder where that came from. I suspect that Price - having done a very Stooges-rock-inspired version of "I Love NY" with friends in Reading could have led to gossip about the record that this was its true direction. Especially if those who helped him started talking to people about what they worked on together.

February 22: Madonna met with Nellee Hooper today in NYC regarding a song she wrote in the past with Marius DeVries – Marius had the idea to give it to Nellee. Madonna is currently in NYC to work on some new music and meet with some different music people. Update (3/3/05): The song that Marius wrote with Madonna, has a working title of "Stare" or "The Stare." She has asked Nellee Hooper to make it a dance song with heavy guitars. She is looking for a heavy guitar sound with dance contamination – this led her to Nellee.

February 25: Madonna has used the London Community Gospel Choir on a new track for her album. The choir, who previously worked on Nothing Fails, are supposed to have already secretly recorded their part in a London studio recently. The gospel style choir have already laid down their vocals at a secret session in a London studio and will have a starring role on the new album. A source said: "Madonna loved their sound and professionalism on American Life. They have an impressive track record in their own right and she felt they were perfect for a Rolling Stones-style song like “You Can't Always Get What You Want.” The choir has also previously worked with Stevie Wonder, Sting, Sir Paul McCartney, Tina Turner, George Michael, Elton John and Sean 'P Diddy' Combs.

Madonna is also reworking a track from the William Orbit-sessions for Ray of Light called “Liquid Love” – a heavy guitar track with HIT written all over it. Madonna will play the axe on it herself.

March 2005

March 8: According to an insider, Madonna has completed recording on 6 songs and the sound is very rock and dance inspired. This is apparently a “whole new direction” for Madonna and the tracks are reportedly quite impressive “sure fire hits.” The album is due later this year or early in 2006. She has previewed three of the tracks she did with Stuart Price for people at Warner Bros. who described them as “full-on dance” tracks that are “very catchy sounding.”

March 9: A new inside source says the songs are “dance-able rock” that are much like Chumbawamba or The Darkness.

March 10: The album may be about half done although it isn’t on Warner’s release schedule for 2005. The label very much wants to release it before the holidays, but Madonna is thinking about spring 2006. She is still very unhappy with them due to the Maverick Records debacle.

March 14: Madonna may also record a theme song for Guy Ritchie’s Revolver film depending on timing as she is currently writing for her new album. Her label rep has confirmed that she is working with Mirwaïs and Stuart Price. The only song title confirmed so far is “I Love New York.”

On March 18 2005, a resolution was reached in a UK copyright lawsuit (Coffey v Warner/Chappell Music Ltd. & Others) which alleged that elements of the Madonna & Patrick Leonard composition, Nothing Really Matters, had infringed on the copyright of claimant Elizabeth Coffey and her song, Forever After, performed by Peter Twomey.

The case took almost four years to reach the court and went under a considerable number of amendments by the plaintiff during that time. Coffey eventually alleged that the recording of Forever After included an original musical work, which consisted of the combination of vocal expression, pitch contour, and syncopation of or around the words “does it really matter,” but did not extend to the melody or lyrics surrounding those words. She pleaded that the words “does it really matter” comprised the song’s lyrical hook and alleged that the copyright in Forever After was infringed by the defendants’ activities in relation to Nothing Really Matters.

In turn, the defendants moved to have the claim struck out as the method the plaintiff had identified the alleged copied elements was contrary to copyright law in general. Another defense offered was that, in any event, no copying had occurred.

The case was dismissed on the legal grounds that, in copyright, one cannot cherry pick the elements of the song that are the most similar in an attempt to build a stronger case. In his findings, the presiding Judge Blackburn, noted:

“The three somewhat elusive features identified by the claimant as her musical work cannot by any stretch of the imagination be said to be sufficiently separable from the remainder of the song as themselves to constitute a musical work. […] What the copyright work is in any given case is not governed by what the claimant alleging copyright infringement chooses to say that it is. Rather, it is a matter for objective determination by the court.”

A summary analysis and MIDI clip of the claimant’s song (which, incidentally, bears no perceivable resemblance to Nothing Really Matters) can be found here. The complete judgement in the lawsuit can be viewed here.

On March 24 2005, Madonna completed a photoshoot at Farley’s Prop House in London with photographer Lorenzo Agius. The photos later appeared in Ladies Home Journal.

According to Agius, the concept of the shoot was “to see the subject steeped in the mystery and magic of an old world library where one can get lost in the discovery of knowledge.”

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groovyguy · April 2, 2019

April 2005

On April 2 2005, Madonna was featured in Q magazine as one of the Five Essential Acts in Music, along with The Beatles, Bob Dylan, U2 and The Velvet Underground.

Q magazine listed Like A Prayer as her definitive album:

If you only buy one album….Like A Prayer. Always more interesting when not seeking novelty, Madonna hit artistic and commercial gold with Like A Prayer, her best and least contrived album. The title track, all swirling choruses and kitchen – sink production, remains her major statement, but Express Yourself was ferocious dance, while on the rarely lauded Dear Jessie she had never sounded so human.

Q magazine also listed what they considered to be Madonna’s essential singles:

Holiday, Borderline, Material Girl, Like A Virgin, Crazy For You, Into The Groove, Papa Don’t Preach, La Isla Bonita, Open Your Heart, Live To Tell, Who’s That Girl, Causing A Commotion, Vogue, Justify My Love, Ray Of Light, Frozen, Drowned World/Substitute For Love, Beautiful Stranger, Music, Hollywood.

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On April 4 2005, Madonna was crowned the most searched celebrity on the Google search engine for the month of March 2005.

Madonna beat out other popular celebrities on Google including Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Ozzy Osbourne, George Michael and Angelina Jolie.

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April 6: According to Warner France, the album is completed and the marketing plans have begun. Currently, the first single and its release date are being decided – there is still debate about whether or not to release it pre-summer or post-summer. They also have said that the album has little to do with “rock.”

Today, (Apr. 6) Madonna is seen leaving a recording studio in North London.

On April 7 2005, a new Versace campaign featuring Madonna appeared in Belgian Marie Claire.

Donatella Versace describes the campaign:

“When thinking of Madonna, you won’t picture an average business woman. But that’s exactly how she was photographed by Mario Testino for the latest campaign. Talking on the phone in her fancy office, Madonna shows off the summer collection.

She’s an icon, a chameleon, a trendsetter, and she’s the best in her profession. It doesn’t matter how old you are, everybody wants to identify himself with Madonna.”

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April 11: According to insiders, WB is always presenting ideas for compilation albums to Madonna, most of which she rejects. The most recent idea was a 2-disc set – one disc her greatest ballads and the other remixes. She rejected the idea and said that if such a project were to happen, those would be separately released. WB has now stated that a new album will be released before any kind of compilation.

April 14, 15, 18: Madonna entered a London recording studio on these dates around noon and stayed until 8PM.

April 16: More rumors: the album will be released in early 2006. Mirwaïs wrote several new titles but it is not known if they will be included. The only track that is certain to appear is “I Love New York” which may be previewed early as part of a promotional push for the documentary.

April 22: Insiders reveal that Madonna is definitely working with Mirwaïs. He is currently at work on new tracks in a London studio and they are both “very pleased” with the progress to date.

April 26: Madonna played WB five tracks that she did with Stuart Price, who will be the main producer of the new album. However, like Music, the project may have several collaberators. Two of these five songs were done with Mirwaïs and are dance tracks. Madonna still holds a lot of demos that she didn’t show to Warner because she still wants to rework them. She plans to record through the summer, and this is why a number of songs aren’t done yet and she is planning on recording some of them in NYC. She still wants an early 2006 release.

• “Hung Up”

• “Sorry”

• “Future Lovers”

• “Let It Will Be”

• “I Love New York”

May 2005

May 1: In an interview Stuart Price tells the press that for the new album (which he has written new songs with Madonna) he “isn’t do anything I wouldn’t normally do.” Price is well-known for his 80’s-style dance pop.

On May 4 2005, a jealous Boy George lashed out at Madonna in the press for her ambitious nature:

“If Madonna were a drag queen, she would be called Ruth Less.

I don’t think the word ‘warm’ comes to mind with Madonna. Ice is the word that springs to mind.”

On May 5 2005, it was announced that Madonna would grace the cover of B&W Magazine, an American magazine dedicated to black and white photography.

The magazine featured an interview with Curtis Knapp, the photographer who took the cover photo in 1983, originally for Island Magazine. The photo was reused on the cover of B&W to celebrate his work.

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May 17: Madonna has SLOWLY been submitting tracks to Warner and the group that she’s submitted so far have been given under the album name: Defying Gravity.

On May 18 2005, Madonna issued a statement in support of fellow pop singer Kylie Minogue, wishing her a quick recovery from her battle with breast cancer:

“I was saddened to learn about Kylie Minogue’s breast cancer diagnosis. I’m so grateful that they found it early. (Yet another reminder for all women to have annual mammograms.) Aside from being tremendously talented, Kylie’s a fighter and I know this is a battle she will win. Let’s all pray for her speedy recovery and send all of our best wishes her way. With love and light to you Kylie…Madonna.”

Following her surgery and recovery, Kylie’s 2006 return to the stage was captured in the behind-the-scenes documentary, White Diamond. The film included Kylie’s version of an unreleased Madonna/Rick Nowels collaboration from the Ray Of Light sessions, titled Alone Again. Kylie had recorded the track as a potential b-side to her 2002 single, Come Into My World, but for unknown reasons it remained shelved until its use in the documentary several years later. Madonna received special thanks from Kylie in the film’s closing credits.

May 25: According to ContactMusic, a Warner rep says the new album has “a rockier edge and the usual electronica influence.” The label is very excited about the 8 tracks completed so far and sources say it is “full of hit singles.” There is a track called “Defying Gravity” which could end up being the title of the record too. The label expects the album in January 2006.

On May 26 2005, Madonna’s Official Fan Club (ICON), released this album teaser (for what would eventually be Confessions On A Dance Floor):

If you haven’t heard that Madonna is back in the studio recording, then you might be living under a rock! Chatter & speculation about the new album has been non-stop.

What will be the theme of the album? Who does Madonna collaborate with? When will the album be released? Fans everywhere are dying to find out the truth. At this time, Madonna.com can confirm that Madonna is busy in the studio collaborating with new producers that she has never worked with before. Can’t confirm any names yet, but stay tuned to Madonna.com for more insider information.

May 26: Madonna.com says that she is currently collaborating with producers she has never before worked with. (I suspect they could either mean Bloodshy & Avant or perhaps Anders Bagge and Peer Astrom who submitted "Get Together" late in the project)

June 2005

On June 2 2005, Madonna.com confirmed Madonna’s participation of Live 8:

“Sir Bob Geldof confirmed in a press conference yesterday the details and confirmed the artists featuring in Live 8 – a series of five live shows in London, Paris, Philadelphia, Rome and Berlin on Saturday July 2nd. The concerts have been organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure as part of a campaign to force the world’s richest nations to relieve poverty in the third world. The concerts – which will be free – are aimed at raising awareness of poverty just before leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations meet in Scotland…”

Madonna went on to perform a three-song set from London’s Hyde Park consisting of Like A Prayer, Ray Of Light & Music.

June 3: The new album, Defying Gravity, will be released in November 2005 to coincide with the launch of her new perfume. <--- Obviously this info turns out to be FALSE.

June 5: Madonna has reportedly contacted two very well-known video directors for her next video. She’s going to review the ideas they submit for the track and she will pick the better of the two. The director’s names are not yet known, but neither has shot a video for her before.

June 7: In an interview with MTV at the Lotsa de Casha party at Bergdorf Goodman, Madonna says she did a lot of the album with Stuart Price but that she also worked with Mirwaïs and Bloodshy & Avant. She says the album is “all dance – no ballads.”

On June 7 2005, Madonna made a special appearance at the Borders Bookstore (Columbus Circle) to do a reading of her new children’s book Lotsa De Casha, for the children of PS 8 in Brooklyn.

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On June 8 2005, Madonna appeared on The View to promote her new children’s book, Lotsa De Casha. On The View, Madonna herself says that the album is due in “late October/early November” of this year and will features “all dance” music. She plans to tour in 2006 to support it.

https://youtu.be/HkDQn1Zc7Ek

June 9: Madonna says she hasn’t written anything lately as far as books since she has been recording for her new album. She claims she is finishing up that process now. She skips rabbi Philip Berg’s birthday party tonight in favor a music listening meeting (for her new album) with Warner Music’s head honchos Edgar Bronfman, Tom Whalley and Lyor Cohen.

On June 11 2005, promo-only remixes of the American Life track Mother And Father peaked at # 9 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Club Play chart in the U.S.

The chart placement was fueled by Peter Rauhofer’s “Re-Invention Remix” of the song, which was featured on his compilation album Live @ Roxy 4. His label *69 Records also issued a unsegued version of the remix on a scarce promo CD. Additional white-label remixes of Mother And Father by Johnny Rocks also surfaced, though it is unlikely that they had as much impact on the song’s chart placement.

It is believed that the remixes were initially commissioned for a proposed American Liferemix album. The idea eventually devolved into the Remixed & Revisited EP, with no remixes of Mother And Father making the final cut.

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June 14: There is much speculation at Warner that a new Madonna single will see release in July or August. According to the label, Madonna is still finishing up in the studio with her collaberators. An insider at WB says a single could see radio release as soon as July 4. Those have listened to the album so far are saying it’s “sooooo good!” There is also speculation that it could become a classic Madonna album. The sound is described as “very fresh and very clean.” Mirwaïs has a very limited role on this album and there is only one heavily-influenced Mirwaïs track. The album is “beautiful, upbeat and filled with happy songs.”

June 15: Madonna reportedly “belts” on this album and “(I Love) New York” is quite “anthemic” and is one of the strongest tracks on the album. The record is dance with a rock influence.

June 17: Madonna.com confirms a late November 2005 album release with a tour to “hopefully” follow in the summer of 2006.

On June 17 2005, Madonna’s official website posted a teaser of Madonna’s forthcoming documentary and revealed its title for the first time – I’m Going To Tell You A Secret.

June 26: Madonna has sampled an ABBA track for her next album due in November.

On June 28 2005, Madonna told Britain’s Grazia magazine:

“I am perfectly happy to muck around in a pair of drawstring pants and wellies. Sometimes my daughter gets angry because I go to school with her wearing my tracksuit and she say ‘Can’t you just wear normal clothes?’ I think she wants me to be a Yummy Mummy, but that’s not me.”

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June 27: Madonna Interview : Grazia

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-grazia-june-27-2005

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June 29: Madonna Interview : Now

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-now-magazine-june-29-2005

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groovyguy · April 2, 2019

July 2005

July 2: Madonna tells MTV in an interview at Live 8 that her new album is being mixed this week and she’s calling it: Confessions on a Dancefloor, and she thinks people will love “(I Love) New York.”

On July 2 2005, Madonna performed Like A Prayer, Ray Of Light and Music in front of an audience of over 200,000 during the Live 8 benefit concert at London’s Hyde Park. Part of a series of concerts, many of which were held simultaneously at various locations around the world, Live 8 was broadcast live on television and radio to an estimated global audience of two billion.

Madonna is one of only eight acts – and the only female artist – to have been a headlining performer at both 1985’s Live Aid and 2005’s Live 8. Other returning performers were U2, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Sting, The Who, George Michael, and organizer, Bob Geldof. It took a bit of arm twisting on Geldof’s part to win Madonna’s commitment the second time around, as Madonna explained to MTV’s John Norris in a backstage interview after her performance:

Bob Geldof sent me a letter asking ‘will you do Live 8?’ and he didn’t really tell me anything and I went ‘Oh common dude, you gotta do better than that! Prove to me that it’s gonna make a difference and I’ll be there for you.’ And he did!”

In what turned out to be one of the event’s most moving moments, Madonna was introduced to the stage by Geldof with Birhan Woldu – the starving African child featured in the CBC News report twenty years earlier who had prompted Geldof to organize Live Aid. When Geldof had asked Woldu which artist she would like to appear with on stage, she immediately selected Madonna for the simple reason that she was the only artist on the bill that she had ever heard of. In a later interview, Woldu recalled the experience:

The crowd seemed to stretch for miles, but I’d been telling myself not to be nervous. There was just a huge picture of me as a child on the screen. That photo still upsets me. It was taken 20 years ago, when both my mother and sister died. I knew I must be strong for them but when I walked on I could feel my body shaking. Then Madonna took my hand and looked into my eyes, the crowd roared and I realised the world wanted to help my continent. I felt myself grow stronger.”

Madonna’s memorable performance at Live 8 was largely praised by mainstream media and fans alike.

Like A Prayer (Live 8 2005) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reMbyC4GHvQ

Ray Of Light (Live 8 2005) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFQcXYGBWMA

Music (Live 8 2005) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TLhGDA3fJQ

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July 6: Madonna is in talks with a major international fashion firm to design her costumes for an upcoming promotional tour for her new album. The new album’s promo-tour schedule could include an appearance on the MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon, Portugal on November 3.

July 8: RUMOR (RAUHOFER BOARD): Madonna's team has contacted:

• Basement Jaxx

• Jacknife (remixed U2’s “Vertigo”)

• Superchumbo (Tom Stephan) – Kylie Minogue, Darude

• Peter Rauhofer

• Jan Driver

• Fierce & Coppola

…about re-mixing Madonna's new single. They send a copy of the first single to all of them. They are not confirmed yet. Again Madonna hand picks each remix.

July 9: BBC Radio 1 announces the first date for the album’s release: November 28, 2005. Within 10 days, Stuart Price will fly to Los Angeles to mix the new album. Madonna will join him there after her family vacation at the end of July.

July 12: Madonna plans to meet with WB’s marketing team at the end of July, and there is a big photo shoot planned for the second week in August. She has picked Steven Klein to do the photos again. The first single will be a massive techno/disco stomper reminiscent of “old Madonna” and will be released to radio soon. WB is working around the clock to prepare as this is considered to be the biggest release of the year. A heavy promotional tour is also planned with lots of dancing. The first single will go to radio in September, and have a commercial release in October. The B-side will be the unreleased Laylo & Bushwacka mix of “Hollywood.”

July 13: HMV lists the album release date in the U.K. as November 14. WB & Madonna officially chose a lead single today. Remixers are not yet decided.

July 18: Website Madonna-Electronica.com previews a heavily-techno sample of a reported song from the album.

July 21: Madonna is currently in Los Angeles mixing the album with Stuart Price. One of the songs to possibly be chosen for the first single is “Hung Up.” The album artwork will be shot by Steven Klein in mid-August in the U.K. – he may also direct her new video there too. Giovanni Bianco, who designed the tour program for Re-Invention may also come on board (if his schedule permits). Klein’s shoot has a tentative title of Regression, which could also be the album’s new title. (DrownedMadonna & Madonnatribe).

July 25: Madonna is seen leaving a recording studio in L.A. with Stuart Price. Christina Aguilera is also seen leaving the same studio around the same time. This leads the press to speculate if they have recorded something together. A source says she is working with Aguilera on one track and with Gwen Stefani on another.

July 26: Madonna.com confirms the album is called Confessions on a Dancefloor and the first single is “Hung Up” which Madonna co-produced with Stuart Price.

July 27: Madonna.nu reports that the album is now scheduled for November 15 release. Steven Klein’s photoshoot for the cover will take place in L.A. on August 11. She is not planning to work with Aguilera for this record but she is finishing up her record this week in the same recording studio.

Liz Rosenberg debunks the Aguilera rumors and says Madonna is also not planning on teaming up with Gwen Stefani for this album either:

“It’s all Madonna, all the time – a total dance record called Confessions on a Dancefloor. No ballads, no messages – it’s back to Madonna Queen of the Dancefloor!”

July 29: Madonna will hold meetings next week to begin planning the publicity for the album. Arianne Philips is currently putting a look together for the the album theme. A listening party for WB executives is also scheduled for next week. - Madonna.nu

The first single could see a radio release before the end of August but the retail release of “Hung Up” isn’t scheduled until November 7.

August 2005

August: Madonna Interview : Vogue

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-vogue-august-2005

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August 2: “Hung Up” is scheduled to hit radio the first week of October according to radio websites and WB. The release will feature some heavy promotion by the label and Madonna, however the nature of this promotion is unknown right now. Liz Rosenberg denies the rumors that the song samples ABBA’s “Ring Ring.”

August 3: The video shoot for “Hung Up” has been pushed back to the end of September (Sept. 19 to be exact). The album photoshoot will still take place August 11.

August 4: Giovanni Bianco, designer of the tour program for Re-Invention, confirms he will be doing the art direction for the album.

Liz Smith reports that the big guys at WB (including Tom Whalley) are the happiest music executives in town and are “blown away” by Madonna’s new album - which they describe as a “dance-driven pop record.”

Madonna.com officially announces release dates:

“Hung Up” will debut on U.S. radio October 17.

Confessions on a Dancefloor will come out November 15.

On August 4 2005, Liz Smith talked about Madonna’s then-forthcoming Confession on a Dance Floor album in the New York Post:

Who are the happiest music executives in the land these days? The big guys at Warner Records. All who have heard Madonna’s coming CD, Confessions on a Dance Floor, have been blown away. (Including WR’s movie – star handsome CEO Tom Whalley.) Confessions is entirely a dance – driven pop disc. No message. No ballads. All fun. These days M seems serene as the chatelaine of an English manor, feeding the chickens, riding, tending to her children, etc. (She, her home and her kids are gorgeous in Vogue for August.) But the once – shocking icon can still get into the groove. And she wants her fans to know it. The album hits stores in November.

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August 7: Italian fashion duo Dolce & Gabbana are just one of the designers who sent Madonna some clothing and accessories for her upcoming shoot with Steven Klein on August 11.

LATER:

(Oct. 6, 2005) Stefano Gabbana says the pink outfit Madonna wears on the album cover is a D&G creation.

On August 9 2005, DJ Tracy Young released DANCECULTURE through Ferosh Records. Young’s seventh CD release included exclusive remixes of Madonna’s Easy Ride (from American Life), Chaka Khan’s I Believe and Cyndi Lauper’s Walk On By.

The track listing for DANCECULTURE:

Let The Rhythm – Cytric featuring Kieran

I Believe – Chaka Khan (Tracy Young & Gomi’s Spiritual Dub)

The Beats And The Drums – David Lara (D-Formation BF’s Remix)

Easy Ride – Madonna (Tracy Young & Giangi Cappai’s Easy Remix)

The Bass Drive – Roman Lieske

Alone – Offer Nissim featuring Maya

You Used To Hold Me – Ralphi Rosario featuring Xaviera Gold (Giangi Cappai Vocal Mix)

New Love (Violets) – FC Nond

Te Quiero – William Umana (The Message Mix)

Home – Suzanne Palmer (Offer Nissim Mix Part I)

The World Is A Stage – Terry Barber (Tracy Young’s Operatic Remix)

Shelter Me – Stryke (Stryke’s Drum Loop)

Walk On By – Cyndi Lauper (Tracy Young’s Losing You Remix)

When asked who has been her favourite artist to remix, Tracy responded:

Obviously Madonna. I owe a lot to her for supporting my career for so long, and playing such an important part of my life and career. I just remixed Cher’s I Walk Alone. Pink wrote that song. I also remixed Kylie Minogue Into the Blue. Madonna will always be my No. 1, but working with Cher and Kyle was a highlight.

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August 11: The album photshoot takes place. She is photographed leaving the Los Angeles Kabbalah Centre a few days later with ginger-colored haired. The following news comes on August 28, 2005: Klein photographed Madonna for her upcoming album on 12 elaborate sets.

LATER

(Oct. 3): Details of the shoot:

(a) Wearing baby blue short pants with heels and a bluetop - on a lighted dance floor in a checked pattern like in Sat Night Fever - but all white floor.

b)Black background with her in a red dress - very Liza Minelli of the 70's type dress - this look to be used for cardboard standees and related promo materials.

c)Pics of her posing with a chair in white dress. Multiple poses with multicoloured lights on her.

d) In an orange jumpsuit thing - posing in front of a wall of mirrors - the only yoga pose her with her on her back = legs bent over her to her arms holding a disco ball.

August 12: RollingStone: Madonna is returning to her roots with the club-friendly Confessions on a Dancefloor, due November 15th. For her tenth studio album, the follow-up to 2003's American Life, the pop legend worked closely with British producer Stuart Price (a.k.a. DJ Jacques Lu Cont) at his London apartment.

Price met Madonna later in her career, playing keyboards on her last two tours -- "I was a bit too young to be a fan in the Eighties," he says, laughing. She approached him after last year's Re-Invention Tour, when she began work on a music-driven screenplay, bringing him onboard to create a sound she called "future disco." The idea for Confessions on a Dancefloor came from those sessions.

"We live real near each other in London, and we could just send ideas back and forth and get together and work on stuff," Price says. "The creative process was very short. There were a couple of weeks in London at my studio where we were doing a song every day."

At night, the producer would test out the tracks during his club gigs. "Whenever I was DJ'ing, I'd take dub or instrumental versions out with me," Price says. "I had my camera with me, and the next day I'd tell Madonna, 'This is what a thousand people in Liverpool looked like last night dancing to our song.' You can work on a song for twelve hours, but I guarantee you'll know within the first ten seconds of putting it on at a club whether it works or not. So these songs were tested on unwitting subjects throughout Europe."

But Price insists that he and Madonna did not blindly trust the club scene, wanting to create something more lasting. "There's a bit of a danger with dance music that you can create something that's cool but doesn't have much substance to it," he admits. "Every few months, a club record comes along that hits a nerve with people, and they connect to it. They don't know why, but there is something magical in it. That's what we were trying to make."

The first single is the uptempo synth-disco jam “Hung Up” which Price calls "a big feel-good song. You put it on and you want to get in your car, turn it up and drive around smiling."

August 15: The film Hello Suckers! is no longer happening at this point. Madonna did begin working on a musical driven screenplay after her Re-Invention tour was over, but the album Confessions on a Dancefloor came from those sessions. Insiders are promising a “new sound” from Madonna on her new album.

August 16: Due to a horse-riding accident today, Madonna broke her collarbone and her hand, as well as cracking three ribs. Liz R. says it’s too soon to tell if this will affect plans for a 2006 tour, but the promotion for her upcoming album in November, “will definitely be affected.”

August 17: Rumor: A song co-produced by Stuart Price entitled “Get Together” will appear on the album according to someone in the Rauhofer forum.

August 18: Stuart Price DJ’ed tonight at the club Space (on Ibiza) and played some of Madonna’s new songs. He sent pics from his cell phone to her showing her that 1000’s of people were dancing to her songs.

August 21: NEWSWEEK says the disc is a “tribute to ‘80’s house, modern French techno, and anything else with a beat with no ballads.”

August 22: Roger Sanchez, the chart-topping producer and superstar DJ, says that what he’s heard of the album is going to be “massive.” He hopes to work with Madonna soon.

August 26: Madonna has sent a water-marked CD around of her first single, “Hung Up.” She is apparently trying to decide which one of two version of the song will be the official release.

August 28: Warner France may debut a 30-second clip of “Hung Up” on September 15 as an exclusive, downloadable ringtone.

August 29: Madonna.com PRESS Release:

"I want people to jump out of their seats!"

Never one to understate, those were the exact words Madonna used to describe the songs on her upcoming album, - Confessions On a Dancefloor. The 12 delicious tunes of pure 'unapologetic dance music' including the single "Hung Up" (out Oct.17th) is scheduled to be released on November 15th on Warner Bros. Records. This time out, the original Queen of Dance Music returns to where she began and kicks it up a few extra notches.

"It's in her blood" says Madonna's co-producer/partner in crime, DJ and Madonna musical director, Stuart Price. "She has a dance halo over her head. We made this record without any preconceived notions. It was straight from the gut - unencumbered -not over edited - very spontaneous, concluded Price.

If Confessions were equated to a new dance step, it would a stunning blend of musical styles with one foot in the roots of early disco (à la Giorgio Moroder/Abba on ecstacy) and the other foot gloriously ensconced in the future of music - a dance step that could only be accomplished by one artist.

Confessions On a Dancefloor is all about having a good time straight through and non stop." says America's ultimate Dancing Queen.

On August 29 2005, Madonna appeared on the cover of People Magazine with the caption: Bone Breaking Fall.

Madonna had planned to celebrate her 47th birthday on a warm summer afternoon at her country home outside London, relaxing with her husband and children and horseback riding with her assistant.

And then: boom.

On Aug. 16 the singer took a spill on an unfamiliar horse, suffering three cracked ribs and a broken collarbone and hand. Her husband, Guy Ritchie, drove her to a local hospital, where she was treated and released a few hours later. Fortunately she’s almost finished wrapping up her new album, which she shot cover art for last Thursday and is due out in November. That said, “I’m sure she’ll be very restless,” says rep Liz Rosenberg. “She’s usually doing lots of things at once: Pilates, riding her bike. I think it will be tough on her.” At the very least, she can count on the neighbors to pull her a sympathetic pint or two. “She is well-liked by the locals round here,” says Tim Birks, landlord of Madonna’s local pub the King John Inn. “A lot of people will be wishing her a speedy recovery.” So will she get back on the horse and ride again? “Knowing her, she’ll be riding next week,” says Rosenberg. “She is a fearless girl.”

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On August 30 2005, the Madonna.com splash page was updated with the release dates for Madonna’s forthcoming studio album, Confessions On A Dance Floor.

The word Confess appeared in several languages.

The page promoted November 15th for the USA release and November 14 for the rest of the world.

A clock ticking in a continuous loop played in the background.

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August 30: Madonna has been filming a Mottorola commercial on a UK TV set which will feature an instrumental version of “Hung Up” over the end of the segment.

August 31: Madonna's new single “Hung Up” was played to a selected group of important UK programmers yesterday (the people who choose the radio playlists etc.). Plans are also being made for a 30 second downloadable clip from the single to be made available from October 12th for your mobile phone. The single does contain a sample from an Abba song “Gimme Gimme Gimme”. Previous reports had suggested an Abba sample from "Ring, Ring" was used on the single but that was denied by Liz Rosenberg. The song was a hit for Abba (moreso in Europe) in 1979.

September 2005

September 4: Various heads at Warner (and from local markets) have heard the album now and there are very positive comments circulating. The album reportedly has a “strong Eighties feel, with sounds a lyrics that take us back to her joyful first album.” “Hung Up” is said to be “a powerful hit” and the other songs on the record are “as good as the first single and even better.” WB has already purchased ad space in major magazines and plans huge campaigns in every market.

September 5: The official lyrics to “Hung Up” are leaked online.

Drowned Madonna.com: The video for "Hung Up" is currently set to be directed by photographer/director David LaChapelle. "Principal photography" is TENTATIVELY scheduled for thursday September 15th. Madonna of course will be there. Two options are still under discussion for the plot, with the definitive to be chosen today in a meeting. The team is leaning for the one that features a club scene.

LATER:

Mark Romanek was also in the running to direct this video which he mentions during the release of his Best Of… video compilation this month.

As for the photoshoot for Confessions on a Dancefloor by Steven Klein, it has more than a retro-ultra modern theme. It's actually difficult to describe. Very bright and "Happy". This is the most accurate description.

Madonna is definitely in the mood to dance, when you hear the first single you will be as well. When you will hear Confessions on a Dancefloor album, you will realize that 2005-2006 will be the year for Madonna. It will take quite an LP to surpass this. The buzz around Warner it is, without a doubt, her best work yet. If you think you know dance, Madonna has redifined it. Madonna has changed the face of dance music. This LP is very special. There isn't a bad track to be found. Every song is a potential single. That is the amazing thing about this one. Usually, fans found her other albums predictable in the sense that it was somewhat simpe to pick what songs would be potential singles. But on this one, no one will easily be able to tell which songs will be released after “Hung Up.”

“Hung Up” will be offered as an instrumental ringtone for purchase 3 weeks before its release.

LEAK: Today, “Hung Up” is leaked in a 13-second snippet online.

September 6: “Hung Up” will be released one week ahead of its retail debut on iTunes and the album will be released on iTunes one day early – AND will feature a bonus track not on the album.

September 7: “Hung Up” (with vocal) is posted in a high-quality snippet on Motorola.com as the official theme song of their new iTunes -ready cell phone, the ROKR. Also, today, all of Madonna’s back album songs are made available for purchase on iTunes.

In 48 hours, the commercial Madonna filmed for the ROKR phone and iTunes will air worldwide – and will feature her new song. The commercial was directed by Jesse Dylan.

Today, a Swedish newspaper does a report on Madonna’s new fascination with Swedish pop – nodding to her homage to ABBA in “Hung Up” and her current work with Bloodshy & Avant. The production duo says they did two songs for the album.

For the first time she has invited two Swedish songwriters and producers to the recording studio. Confessions on a Dancefloor is about feeling good, non-stop, all the time, says Madonna on her webpage, and titulizes herself "America´s Ultimate Dancing Queen"

The record is supposed to sound futuristic. And this is where Swedish Bloodshy & Avant come into the picture. The secrecy around the record is big, and the producers will not reveal any songtitles, but it´s a fact that they will contribute with two songs for Confessions on a Dancefloor

"A big challenge"

It´s among the biggest things we have done, says Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson. On one hand it was a big challenge to work with such a big star as Madonna, and who works as hard as she does. On the other hand I´ve always been a great fan of what she does. It felt awesome to take part of this project. It was in the beginning of this year that Madonna called Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg for a co-operation. She was the reason they didn´t go to U.S.A. to accept the Grammy-award they got for the work with Britney Spears’ "Toxic".

She [Madonna] has carefully selected the people she wanted to include in her team, tells Christian Karlsson. Both Stuart Price and Mark "Spike" Stent have worked with her for a very long time. It was awesome to be a part of that team.

"Has incredible knowledge"

Madonna has by now two decades of a very successful career behind her. For Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg it meant a different working situation compared to many other artists. It wasn´t until you sat in the studio with her that you understood what an incredible knowledge she has, says Cristian Karlsson. When we work with some artists we just give them finished tracks, or we work with the record company to develope new artists. But it was a co-operation with the artist, where the artist has a lot of knowledge. We have produced with her, that´s a totally different thing.

Christian Karlsson describes Madonna as tough in a good way. Straight communication, and since she´s her own boss the options of decisions were minimal. When the songs were recorded in London there was only three people involved: Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnerberg and Madonna.

It felt very simple, even though we worked very hard.

Also today, word from France is that the new album will feature its tracks mixed into one another, with no pause in between – like a continuous dance CD.

Madonna is seen leaving a pilates class in London. In her hand, she carries a photo of the possible album cover in a binder which is snapped by paparazzi. (it later turns out to be the actual album cover - well, the pose anyway, the coloring is different - the photo she held that day had the purple/blue/pink strobe lights all over her and was not the clean, colorful picture that ended up being the album cover)

September 9: The ringtone for “Hung Up” will be released September 19. The official download single on October 17. The retail single on November 7.

September 11: David LaChapelle’s treatment for the “Hung Up” video is no longer being used and Steven Klein is rumored to be in the director’s seat.

There are new rumors that the 12-track dance disc will have its release date bumped up a week to November 7.

September 13: David LaChapelle is back in the director’s chair for the video – this from Madonna.com. Rumors say the video will be a dance celebration in the streets of London with real spectators, as well as acrobats, being part of the video. Jamie King is working on the choreography. The shoot may feature Madonna riding a bike as well as dancing on a double-decker bus in downtown London.

September 15: Another song title is revealed: “Sorry.”

The current confirmed song titles are:

• “I Love New York”

• “Hung Up”

• “Get Together”

• “Sorry”

September 16: “Hung Up” goes to French radio on October 19, 2005.

“Hung Up” is the first song ABBA has given permission to use a sample of their music since The Fugees in 1996.

Another new song title is revealed: “Future Lovers”

Warner Japan lists “Hung Up” debuting on Japanese radio on September 21.

September 17: “Forbidden Love” is another track name, the same name as a cut from the Bedtime Stories album. The name of the track "Jump" is also revealed. The album cover debuts on Madonna.com today.

The video for “Hung Up” is set to debut worldwide on October 24. Madonna wants it to be premiered simultaneously on MTV, VH-1 and the new gay network, Logo. It will be shot in London next week. The single will definitely have a maxi-single release in the U.S. according to WB.

Today, the ringtone debuts early on MTV.com as a paid-downloadable MTV Ringtone (more specifically, a digitone – an actual song) – these are only available and work for Virgin Mobile phones. They cost $2.50 a piece.

On September 17 2005, Madonna shared the album cover for her 10th studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor through her official website: www.madonna.com

Madonna collaborated with Steven Klein and Giovanni Bianco to create the album artwork.

September 19: New Zealand cell phone company Vodaphone is the first to offer the “Hung Up” ringtone to customers today for $3.50. Later today, Vh-1 launches its ringtone of the song for subscribers of T-Mobile, Cingular and AT&T Wireless.

RUMOR: Madonna & David LaChapelle are having MAJOR creative differences over the direction of her new video “Hung Up.”

Madonna reportedly wanted a very sexy look and LaChapelle balked at the idea commenting on her age. She reportedly slapped him in the face.

The problems are so intense that Madonna is considering getting a new director immediately and getting rid of LaChapelle. Swedish director Johan Renck is being considered as an alternative. (DrownedMadonna.com)

Madonna was to attend a party tonight thrown by Donatella Versace at the London Versace store, but did not show. Donatella has reportedly designed a very special outfit for Madonna to wear in her “Hung Up” video.

September 20: Madonna.com reveals the entire tracklisting for Confessions on a Dancefloor:

1) Hung Up

2) Get Together

3) Sorry

4) Future Lovers

5) I Love New York

6) Let It Will Be

7) Forbidden Love

8) Jump

9) How High

10) Isaac

11) Push

12) Like It Or Not

On September 21 2005, legendary gossip columnist and longtime Madonna supporter, the late Liz Smith, continued to generate excitement for the release of Madonna’s album Confessions On A Dance Floor in her New York Post column:

Disc Jockeys from all across the U.S. converged in a small, chic backroom down at 14th Street’s Lotus restaurant last Wednesday afternoon. They were there to listen to three tracks from Madonna’s soon-due ‘Confessions on a Dance Floor’ album, and to meet the CD’s brilliant British producer, Stuart Price. Although it was all very casual, with cocktails and munchies, the music men – and women – listened intently, in their own hectic, head-bobbing way. (And most of them looked like fresh-faced college students!) M’s sound went over big time, and Grammy-winner Price, only 30 years old, was mobbed. There were at least three dozen people in this confined space — Price could hardly move from all the handshaking, shoulder slaps and hearty hugs. He is worshiped in the dance community and uses another name on some work — Jacques Le Cont. He’s produced for No Doubt and many others. Talking about the songs, Price, who also has a very naughty sense of humor, said: ‘When dance music was young, there was a strong vocal, and the beat was underneath. Now, the vocal is not so prominent. Madonna and I wanted to make a dance album for today, which would satisfy everybody — those who want to really hear her voice and those for whom the driving thump-thump is the thing. I think we’ve succeeded.’ Music scribe Maggie Stein, who also writes under the nom de plume Odyssey Jones, said, ‘This is hopeful dance music. It has a positive message, in that it’s fun. Just fun. It’s what Madonna needed to do.’

On September 28 2005, Madonna’s official website confirmed that Johan Renck would direct the music video for Hung Up, the lead single from Confessions On A Dance Floor.

Photographer David LaChapelle had initially signed on to direct but dropped out of the project during pre-production after a disagreement with Madonna over the video’s creative direction.

Renck had previously collaborated with Madonna in 1999 when he directed the video for Nothing Really Matters.

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On September 28 2005, the double-A-sided 12″ promo for Madonna’s Hung Up was released. SDP’s Extended Dub (7:56) was included on both sides of the promo vinyl.

Rolling Stone magazine included Hung Up as one of the 100 Best Songs of the 2000s. Here’s what Rolling Stone had to say:

Going back to disco, as she always does and always should, the queen hustled up a chintzy-sounding Abba sample, a drag queen’s wet dream of a chorus, and Stuart Price’s electrobeats. The result? One of her most captivating hits ever — and thanks to those deceptively hard-hitting lyrics, one of her most personal.

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groovyguy · April 2, 2019

October 2005

On October 3 2005, the official Madonna web site was updated to promote the release of Confessions on a Dance Floor.

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On October 14 2005, Stuart Price was interviewed on BBC Radio 1 to promote the releases of Madonna’s Hung Up single and the Confessions On A Dance Floor album.

On October 16 2005, Madonna was photographed leaving a private party held at a club in Midtown New York.

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On October 17 2005, Hung Up was released by Warner Brothers Records as the lead single from the album Confessions On A Dance Floor.

Rolling Stone magazine had this to say about the release:

Going back to disco, as she always does and always should, the queen hustled up a chintzy-sounding Abba sample, a drag queen’s wet dream of a chorus, and Stuart Price’s electrobeats. The result? One of her most captivating hits ever — and thanks to those deceptively hard-hitting lyrics, one of her most personal.

The following tracks were included on the Hung Up CD maxi-single:

Radio Version
SDP Extended Vocal
Tracy Young’s Get Up and Dance Groove Edit
Bill Hamel Remix
Chus & Ceballos Remix
SDP Extended Dub

Written & produced by Madonna & Stuart Price (with additional sampling credits to ABBA’s Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus), Hung Up had initially been previewed instrumentally in a September 2005 commercial for Motorola’s ROKR mobile phone. Price had also teased a dub remix of the track to unknowing audiences during his DJ sets throughout the previous year.

The single was Madonna’s first to be released digitally through iTunes.

"Hung Up" prominently features a sample from the instrumental introduction to ABBA's hit single "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", for which Madonna personally sought permission from ABBA's songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph from October 2005, Benny Andersson spoke about their decision to allow Madonna to sample ABBA’s 1979 hit, Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight):

“We get so many requests from people wanting to use our tracks but we normally say ‘no’. This is only the second time we have given permission. We said ‘yes’ this time because we admire Madonna so much and always have done. She has got guts and has been around for 21 years. That is not bad going.”

"Hung Up" received critical praise from reviewers, who believed that the track would restore the singer's popularity, which had diminished following the release of her 2003 album American Life. Critics suggested it was her best dance track to date and have compared it favorably to other Madonna tracks in the same genre. They also complimented the effective synchronization of the ABBA sample with the actual song.

The music video is a tribute to John Travolta, his movies and to dancing in general. Directed by Johan Renck, the clip starts with Madonna clad in a pink leotard dancing alone in a ballet studio and concludes at a gaming parlor where she dances with her backup troupe. Interspersed are scenes of people displaying their dancing skills in a variety of settings, including a Los Angeles residential neighborhood, a small restaurant and the London Underground. It also features the physical discipline Parkour. Madonna has performed the song in a number of live appearances, including as the final number of 2006's Confessions Tour, a heavy metal-inspired arrangement in the 2008 leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour, and 2012's The MDNA Tour, where the singer performed the song while slacklining.

In 2004, after the release of her ninth studio album American Life, Madonna began working on two different musicals: one tentatively called Hello Suckers and another one with Luc Besson, who previously directed the music video for her single "Love Profusion", which would portray her as a woman on her deathbed looking back on her life. Madonna collaborated with Patrick Leonard, Mirwais Ahmadzaï and Stuart Price to write new songs, and told Price to pen disco songs that sound like "ABBA on drugs". However, Madonna found herself dissatisfied with the script written by Besson and scrapped it. When she began composing Confessions on a Dance Floor, she decided to rework "Hung Up" and include it in her record.

"Hung Up" was one of the first songs written for the album, along with "Sorry" and "Future Lovers". It was inspired by aspects of the 1970s disco era, including the music of ABBA and Giorgio Moroder and the film Saturday Night Fever (1977). Madonna imagined it to be a cross between the music played at Danceteria, the New York City night club she frequented in her early days, and the music of ABBA. Their 1979 hit "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" formed the basis of the song. Songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus generally do not allow anyone to sample any of their tracks, an exception being Fugees, who sampled their song "The Name of the Game" for their single "Rumble in the Jungle". In order to gain the rights to sample "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!", Madonna had to send her emissary to Stockholm with a letter which begged them to allow her to sample the song and also telling how much she loved their music. To the BBC she explained: "[T]hey never let anyone sample their music. Thank God they didn't say no. [...] They had to think about it, Benny and Björn. They didn't say yes straight away." The pair agreed to let Madonna use the sample only after making a copyright agreement that entitled them to a significant share of the royalties from subsequent sales and airplay. Andersson, in an interview with The Daily Telegraph in October 2005, declared "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" to be the essence of "Hung Up" while joking that it was his favourite Madonna song thus far. He further said:

"We get so many requests from people wanting to use our tracks but we normally say 'no'. This is only the second time we have given permission. We said 'yes' this time because we admire Madonna so much and always have done. She has got guts and has been around for 21 years. That is not bad going."

The song premiered in September 2005, during a television advertisement for Motorola's ROKR mobile phone. The advertisement featured Madonna and other artists jammed in a phone booth.

On October 17, 2005, the song made its premiere during a live ten-minute radio interview between Ryan Seacrest and Madonna. It was also made available as a master ringtone with various mobile service providers. "Hung Up" was sent to mainstream radio in the United States on October 18. The song was added to episodes of CSI: Miami and CSI: NY on November 7 and 9, 2005, respectively. While promoting Confessions on a Dance Floor, Madonna played both "Hung Up" and the next single "Sorry" at Luke & Leroy's nightclub in Greenwich Village, where she was invited by Junior Sanchez to perform briefly as the DJ, mixing the two songs. Regarding her decision to release the song for digital download, Madonna said: "I'm a businesswoman. The music industry has changed. There's a lot of competition, and the market is glutted with new releases – and new 'thises and thats'. You must join forces with other brands and corporations. You're an idiot if you don't."

"Hung Up" was a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number one in charts of 41 countries and earning a place in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records, as the song topping the charts in most countries. It also remains one of the best-selling singles of all time, with sales of over 9 million copies worldwide. In the United States, "Hung Up" debuted at twenty on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated November 5, 2005. It became her highest opening position since "Ray of Light" entered the chart at five in 1998. The same week the song entered the Hot Digital Songs chart at number six and became the highest debuting single of the week on the Pop 100 Airplay, where it debuted at number 38.

"Hung Up" became the fastest rising single on radio in Canada, according to Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems. On the second week itself, the song reached the top of the Contemporary Hit Radio chart of Canada, while reaching the top five of the Adult Contemporary and Canadian Airplay charts. Paul Tuch from Nielsen clarified that "Hung Up" achieved this feat within 10 days only. Consequently, "Hung Up" also peaked atop the Canadian Singles Chart for 15 non-consecutive weeks, and was certified double platinum by Music Canada for sales of 160,000 copies.

Originally the video for "Hung Up" was to be directed by photographer David LaChapelle. He wanted the video to have a "documentary"-style look, much like that of his 2005 film, Rize, in which five of the dancers from the "Hung Up" video appeared. LaChapelle and Madonna disagreed on the concept, prompting the project to be reassigned to Johan Renck, who worked with Madonna in her video for "Nothing Really Matters". According to an interview with MTV, Renck was directing Kate Moss for a H&M commercial when he received a phone call from Madonna who desperately wanted to work with him. The next day he went to Los Angeles to meet the stylist and the choreographer hired by Madonna, who mailed him with her ideas for the video. The director explained that he "kind of liked that we didn't have time to over-think this and be too clever, I like being out on a limb and not know what we're doing and why. Just deal with it, the mayhem, you know?"

Madonna clarified that the video was a tribute to John Travolta and to dance in general. Her dance moves for the video, which were inspired by Travolta's movies like Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978) and Perfect (1985) took three hours to shoot. Madonna had broken eight bones in a horseback-riding accident a few weeks before shooting the video and faced difficulty doing the steps devised by choreographer Jamie King. Renck said,

"She was such a trooper, [...] She just fell off a horse! [Madonna said] 'If you were a real dance choreographer, you could tell I can't lift my left arm higher than this' — and it was like, what, a 20-centimeter difference? [...] But when she said it 'hurts like f---,' she'd take a break and sit down for two minutes. [Madonna]'I have broken ribs, remember that!' I just can't imagine dancing like that. Talk about priorities."[69]

Madonna wanted to use a few performers from her tour, such as Daniel "Cloud" Campos, Miss Prissy (dancer) from LaChapelle's Rize crew and traceur Sebastien Foucan, a practitioner of Parkour, a philosophical French sport. Renck said that "It's not about the music, but the bodily expression, [...] We wanted to show the whole spectrum, be it krumping, breakdancing, jazz or disco." Since they could not shoot all over the world, Madonna wanted the video to have an "omnipresent feel", with the middle section of the song generating a sense of congregation. Renck suggested that they include a boombox, used as a means of uniting everyone and everything since it was through listening to songs on a boombox that street dancing started. Though some scenes in the video feature cities like London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Tokyo, in reality the actual sets were constructed in Los Angeles and London only. A London suburb was made to look like a Parisian one, where the routine for Parkour takes place, whereas a restaurant in London's Chinatown was used for the Shanghai sequence and Compton stood in for the Bronx. The dancers' scenes were shot in early October 2005 within half a day, for a total of six days of shooting

On October 20 2005, Madonna was dared by David Letterman to get back on a horse – the first time since her fall (in August) which led to three cracked ribs, a broken collarbone and a broken hand. Madonna accepted the dare to ride again.

When asked why she hadn’t been on a horse since the fall, Madonna explained, “because my record company is not very keen on the idea of me injuring myself.”

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On October 22 2005, Madonna made a surprise appearance at the Roxy in New York, with her Confessions on a Dance Floor producer, Stuart Price.

Madonna got hold of a microphone and told the crowd:

“You know I have a long history with the Roxy so I only thought it appropriate that I come here to share my new album with you and dance. It all started here with 12 inches. Some girls have all the luck. Are you fucking ready? Ok, let’s go.”

A remix of her single Hung Up played as Madonna danced and pulled people up on stage to dance with her. After Hung Up, DJ Peter Rauhofer played a mix of I Love New York.

After about 15-20 minutes of dancing and singing along to music, Madonna left.

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November 2005

November: Madonna Interview : Observer Music Monthly

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-observer-music-monthly-november-2005

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November: Madonna Interview : Attitude

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-attitude-november-2005

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November TV Appearance: Madonna at Crillon

https://vimeo.com/22390759

On November 3 2005, Madonna opened the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon, Portugal with her first live performance of Hung Up.

Less than three months after suffering several broken bones in a horse riding accident, Madonna’s performance was triumphantly received by fans and the press – not to mention the very enthusiastic audience who attended the show in Lisbon.

Hung Up - EMAs 2005 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hPlKgCMBE8

ZDF TV Show November 06 2005 Hung Up (Wetten das German TV 2005

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BreZzOy9MOM

On November 8 2005, Madonna recorded an interview with Michael Parkinson for an episode of the British television series Parkinson, for broadcast on November 12th.

Parkinson, the full show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_H1JR5y_bY

Madonna was in great spirits during the appearance, which also included performances of two songs from her soon-to-be-released album, Confessions On A Dance Floor: lead single Hung Up along with the very first live performance of Get Together.

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November 9, 2005 - Confessions on a Dance Floor is Madonna’s tenth studio album which was released on November 9, 2005 by Warner Bros. Records. A complete departure from her previous studio album American Life (2003), the album includes influences of 1970s and 1980s disco, as well as modern-day club music. Initially, she began working with Mirwais Ahmadzaï for the album, but later felt that their collaboration was not going in the direction she desired. Madonna took her collaboration with Stuart Price who was overviewing her documentary I'm Going to Tell You a Secret. The album was mainly recorded at Price's home-studio where Madonna spent most of her time during the recordings.

Musically, the album is structured like a DJ's set. The songs are sequenced and blended together so that they are played continuously without any gaps. The title arrived from the fact that the album track listing consists of light-hearted and happy songs in the beginning, and progresses to much darker melodies and lyrics describing personal feelings and commitments. Songs on the album sample and reference the music of other dance-oriented artists like ABBA, Donna Summer, Pet Shop Boys, the Bee Gees and Depeche Mode, as well as Madonna's 1980s output.

Madonna promoted the album through several live performances and a promotional tour. She embarked on the Confessions Tour in 2006, which became the highest grossing tour ever for a female artist at that time. Four singles were released from the album. "Hung Up", the lead single, topped the charts in a total of 41 countries. According to Billboard, it was the most successful dance song of the decade. It was followed by "Sorry" which became Madonna's twelfth number-one single in the United Kingdom. "Get Together" and "Jump" were released as the third and fourth singles respectively, both becoming top-ten hits in several countries.

Most critics praised the album, calling it a return to form for Madonna and ranking it alongside her best albums. Madonna was honored with a Grammy Awardfor Best Electronic/Dance Album in 2007, as well as International Female Solo Artist at the 2006 BRIT Awards. Commercially, the album peaked at number one in 40 countries—earning a place in the 2007 Guinness World Records for topping the record charts in the most countries—and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Ranked third on "The 99 Greatest Dance Albums of All Time" by Vice magazine, the album is noted as a testament to Madonna's longevity with the ability to continuously reinvent herself in the third decade of her career.

Confessions on a Dance Floor merged elements from 1970s disco, 1980s electropop and modern day club music. Madonna decided to incorporate elements of disco in her songs, while trying not to remake her music from past, instead choosing to pay tribute towards artists like the Bee Gees and Giorgio Moroder. The songs reflected Madonna's thoughts on love, fame and religion, hence the title Confessions on a Dance Floor. It was the complete opposite direction from her previous studio effort American Life (2003). The songs on that album were a form of diatribe directed at the American society. However, Madonna decided to take a different direction with this album. Regarding the development, Madonna commented:

"When I wrote American Life, I was very agitated by what was going on in the world around me, [...] I was angry. I had a lot to get off my chest. I made a lot of political statements. But now, I feel that I just want to have fun; I want to dance; I want to feel buoyant. And I want to give other people the same feeling. There's a lot of madness in the world around us, and I want people to be happy."

She started to work with Mirwais Ahmadzaï with whom she had previously developed her eighth album Music (2000). However, that collaboration did not suit Madonna's musical direction. According to Madonna, "[Producer] Mirwais is also very political, seriously cerebral and intellectual. All we did was sit around, talking politics all the time. So, that couldn't help but find its way into the music. I think there's an angry aspect to the music that directly reflects my feelings at the time." Hence after recording tracks with Mirwais, Madonna decided to stop the project and start fresh. It was then that she turned to Stuart Price who had served as musical director on her two previous concert tours and co-wrote one song on American Life.

In 2004, after the release of American Life, Madonna began working on two different musicals: one tentatively called Hello Suckers and another one with Luc Besson, who previously directed the music video for her single "Love Profusion"., which would portray her as a woman on her deathbed looking back on her life. Madonna collaborated with Patrick Leonard, Ahmadzaï and Price to write new songs, the latter being assigned to pen disco songs sounding like "ABBA on drugs". However, Madonna found herself dissatisfied with the script written by Besson and scrapped it. Hence Madonna and Price decided to use the compositions for the album instead. According to Madonna, it was easy for her to shift from her previous album's sentiments, since she included those political views in her documentary I'm Going to Tell You a Secret. She elaborated:

I was running back and forth, literally, from the editing room with [the documentary's director] Jonas Akerlund to working with Stuart, who was also mixing the music in the film. We were together, non-stop, all of us. Cutting 350 hours of film down to two hours. There are a lot of serious aspects to the movie. I needed a release. When I would go to Stuart's, and we'd go up to his loft, it was like, 'Honey, I want to dance.' I wanted to be happy, silly and buoyant. I wanted to lift myself and others up with this record. So, yes, the new album was a reaction to all the other stuff I was doing, which was very serious in nature. I hope that doesn't imply that I wanted to make a superficial record, because it's not. I want people to smile when they hear this record. I wanted it to put a smile on my face, too.

Despite being released late in the year, Confessions on a Dance Floor was ranked by the IFPI as the sixth biggest-selling album of 2005 worldwide, with sales of 6.3 million. Worldwide sales of the album stand at 10 million copies. In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 350,000 copies in its first week. It became her sixth number one album on the chart and the third consecutive album to debut at the top, following Music (2000) and American Life (2003).

In the United Kingdom, Confessions on the Dance Floor debuted at the top of the UK Albums Chart with first week sales of 217,610 units, her highest ever in the country. It became Madonna's ninth number-one album, and has sold 1,340,000 copies as of November 2015, according to the Official Charts Company, while being certified quadruple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry(BPI). That same week, the first single from the album, "Hung Up", topped the singles chart. The album became the fifth consecutive Madonna album to top the chart. The album also went to number one on the European charts and, on September 13, 2006, was certified quadruple platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for shipping a total of four million copies across Europe. In Ireland, the album debuted and peaked at number three. In France, the album debuted at position 113 on the albums chart, jumping to the top of the chart the next week. In Hong Kong, the album was awarded a Gold Disc Award by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for becoming one of ten biggest-selling international album for 2005. Across Europe, the album peaked at number one in Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland

On November 10 2005, Madonna made a stop at the NRJ Studios VIP Room in Paris, during the Confessions On A Dance Floor promotional tour.

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On November 11 2005, Madonna gave a sparkling performance of Hung Up & Get Together on French reality television series Star Academy during the European promotional tour for her album Confessions On A Dance Floor.

Star Academy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN63trU7yHY

November 11 - Madonna & Anthony Kiedis chat : AOL

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-anthony-kiedis-chat-aol-november-11-2005

https://allaboutmadonna.com/images/madonna-library/2005-aol-madonna-anthony-kiedis.jpg

November 12: Madonna Interview : Billboard

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-billboard-november-12-2005

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In the United Kingdom, "Hung Up" debuted at number one on the issue dated November 13, 2005, thus giving Madonna her 11th number one single on this chart. It sold 105,619 copies becoming the first single to sell more than 100,000 copies in a week since Crazy Frog's "Axel F" did it 23 weeks earlier. The first week sales of "Hung Up" were a little lower than Madonna's last UK number one, "Music" (2000), which opened with 114,925 sales, but exceeded her last single "Love Profusion", which debuted at number 11 with 15,361 sales in December 2003. The next week the single had a decline in sales of 43% to 59,969 copies, but remained on the top as Confessions on a Dance Floor debuted atop the UK Albums Chart. It remained at the top position for three weeks and a total of 40 weeks on the Singles Chart. According to the Official Charts Company, by the end of 2005, "Hung Up" was Madonna's biggest selling single with 339,285 copies since "Music" sold 390,624 copies in 2000. It was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and has sold 625,600 copies in the UK to date. In Ireland, the song debuted at number two on the chart dated November 10, 2005 becoming the highest debut of the week. The song also topped Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles chart where it soared from 73 to the top of the chart on the issue dated November 21, 2005. The song was able to peak the charts in almost all the European nations including Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland

On November 15 2005, Madonna performed an intimate club show for roughly 1,500 contest winners and guests at KOKO in London’s Camden Town district. The event was held to celebrate the release of her album, Confessions On A Dance Floor.

Live At Koko - London, UK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVrGUfQxNHY

While roughly 200 fans queued overnight to secure a spot near the stage for the gig, fans around the world were able to enjoy a live stream of the performance online.

VIP guests in attendance included Sir Bob Geldof and his late daughter Peaches, Stella McCartney, Guy Ritchie and Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant.

Madonna’s very first promotional concert in London was held at the same venue – then named Camden Palace – in October of 1983.

Setlist

Hung Up

Get Together

I Love New York

Let It Will Be

Everybody

On November 15 2005, Madonna’s tenth studio album, Confessions On A Dance Floor, was released in North America by Warner Bros Records. The majority of the album was co-produced and co-written by Madonna & Stuart Price, with additional contributions by Mirwais, Bloodshy & Avant, Joe Henry and Anders Bagge & Peer Åström. It featured the singles Hung Up, Sorry, Get Together and Jump.

Madonna performed a small club show at Koko in London, UK on November 15th to celebrate the album’s release, with the set being streamed online to fans around the world. The live webcast was preceded by an exclusive mini-documentary titled Confessions…On A Promo Tour.

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November 18 – Children in Need BBC TV Show

Hung Up - BBC – 2005 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Eb7O08y2I

Get Together BBC Children In Need LIVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0zbn0rEqdw

November 19 - MADONNA @ G-A-Y Nov 2005 EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n45T2bAMGcY

On November 20 2005, Madonna’s Confessions On A Dance Floor debuted at #1 on the UK album chart, becoming her ninth UK #1 and her fifth consecutive album to reach the top of the chart. While Confessions took the top spot, Hung Up enjoyed a second week at the top of the singles chart in the UK, ahead of Westlife’s You Raise Me Up (#2) and Black Eyed Peas My Humps (#3).

In Australia, Hung Up debuted atop the ARIA Singles Chart on November 20, 2005, breaking her tie with Kylie Minogue as the female artist with most number-one singles in Australian chart history. It was present within the top 50 of the chart for 23 weeks. The song was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment of 70,000 copies. "Hung Up" debuted at number 67 in the French singles chart and jumped to the top next week, remaining there for five non-consecutive weeks. It received a gold certification from Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) for sales of 150,000 copies. "Hung Up" reached a peak position of number two in New Zealand, being kept from the top spot by Kanye West's single, "Gold Digger".

In Australia, Confessions on a Dance Floor debuted at the top of the ARIA Albums Chart for the issue dated November 21, 2005, and was present for a total of 33 weeks within the top 50 of the chart. It was certified two times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) denoting shipments of 140,000 copies. It debuted at number five on the New Zealand albums chart, and was certified platinum by Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for shipment of 15,000 copies. The same peak position was attained on the Oricon charts in Japan, where the album was certified double platinum for shipment of 500,000 copies by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).

On the issue dated November 21, 2005, the song reached a peak of number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, jumping from number 14 from previous week. The song became the chart's greatest digital gainer for that week and claimed the top position on the Hot Digital Songs chart. It also tied Madonna with Elvis Presley for 36 top ten hits, which was subsequently broken by Madonna's 2008 song "4 Minutes", which peaked at number three on the Hot 100. "Hung Up" debuted at numbers 25 and 10 on the Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Airplay charts respectively ultimately reaching the top of both. It became the most successful dance song of the 2000s in the United States, by topping the Dance/Club Play Songs Decade-end tally. The song also reached a peak of seven on the Pop 100 chart. In 2008, the single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling at least a million copies in paid digital downloads. As of December 2016, the song has sold 1.4 million digital units in the United States.

On November 27 2005, Confessions Of Madonna – a one-hour interview conducted by Dermot O’Leary which focused mainly on promoting the television broadcast of I’m Going To Tell You A Secret – aired on Channel 4 in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVW6JcxyZHo

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On November 29 2005, Andrew G’s spirited interview with Madonna aired on pay-TV Channel [V] in Australia. The interview was recorded in London during a press junket to promote Confessions On A Dance Floor.

Madonna had hoped to bring her 2006 Confessions Tour to Australia during its final leg, which saw her perform her first full concerts in Japan since 1993. Shows in Australia, however, did not materialize during the tour.

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December Interviews:

Madonna Interview : Tatler

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-tatler-december-2005

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Stuart Price on Madonna, Confession : Mixmag

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/stuart-price-madonna-confession-mixmag-december-2005

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December 2005

December 1: Madonna Interview : Rolling Stone

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-rolling-stone-december-01-2005

On December 3 2005, Confessions On A Dance Floor entered the Billboard 200 album chart at number-one with sales of of over 350,000. It was her third consecutive studio album to reach the top and her sixth chart-topping album overall in the US.

Internationally the album hit number-one in 40 countries, including Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Brazil and Australia.

December 07 2005 Madonna at Studio Coast - Madonna Japan Confessions on a Dance Floor promo tour show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1rnJrMo8C8

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On December 14 2005, Madonna’s Confessions On A Dancefloor was certified Gold and Platinum by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 and 1,000,000 in the USA. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of one million copies. As of December 2016, the album has sold over 1.734 million copies in America, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album also debuted at the top of the charts in Canada, with first-week sales of 74,000. It was present on the chart for a total of 46 weeks and received a quintuple platinum certification from Music Canada (MC) for total shipment of 500,000 copies in the country.

On December 15 2005, the second of a two-part interview with Madonna conducted by Molly Meldrum aired on Australian morning show Sunrise on Channel Seven.

Meldrum had been one of the earliest champions of Madonna’s music in the land down under, with his influential music video show Countdown playing a significant role in Burning Up reaching #13 on the Australian singles chart in 1984.

Madonna returned the favour by granting Meldrum exclusive interviews throughout the 80’s and 90’s, culminating with this 2005 interview to promote her album, Confessions On A Dance Floor.

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December 19 2005 Fuji TV Show

Hung Up [Live at Smap X Smap] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN6Jq0rja-0

On December 20 2005, Madonna’s official website confirmed that Jamie King would direct the music video for Sorry, the second single from Confessions On A Dance Floor.

The video was conceived as a sequel to the album’s first single, Hung Up.

On December 29 2005, Madonna’s Official Fan Club, ICON, published an interview with Stuart Price about his experiences working with Madonna on Confessions on a Dance Floor.

Here’s part of the interview they posted:

ICON: What’s the best part in being involved with Madonna’s new album?

STUART: Watching it take shape from a few demos done for fun into an entire spectacle with dancers, videos and nightclubs full of people!

ICON: What made you want to record this album in your home studio? Why not a big studio instead?

STUART: It wasn’t really thought about that much, we just found that we had got into several songs before we even thought about it. But that was the thing for much of the album concept; it wasn’t over-thought or analysed. We liked the sound of my studio and so thought why go elsewhere?

ICON: How would you describe your collaboration with Madonna?

STUART: Like finding your favourite musician, comedian and friend all in one!

ICON: How is working on a Madonna project different from working with a new artist?

STUART: it’s not in many ways. She is very fresh, exciting and full of ideas the same way as someone is when they do their first record. The difference is she has the experience and integrity of someone who understands the creative process very deeply and can therefore suggest directions and ideas that can inspire greater heights.

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On December 30 2005, Madonna’s Hung Up entered its 7th consecutive week at #1 on Germany’s Top 100 Singles chart. The hit single spent an additional two weeks at #1 before finally sliding to #2 in its 10th week on the chart.

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

2006

January 2006

On January 17 2006, Madonna began filming the video for Sorry in London. The music video was directed by Jamie King.

Sorry was promoted as the second single from Confessions On A Dance Floor. The #1 dance/club hit was written and produced by Madonna and Stuart Price.

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February 2006

February: Madonna Interview : ELLE

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-elle-february-2006

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February 7 - "Sorry" was written and produced by Madonna and Stuart Price, and released as the second single from the album on February 7, 2006. It later appeared on Celebration, her 2009 greatest hits album. An uptempo dance song, "Sorry" was one of the first tracks developed for the album and had numerous remix treatments before the ultimate version of the track was finalized. One of the remixes was done by the Pet Shop Boys, featuring added lyrics by the band. The actual song features a dance groove tempo. It talks about personal empowerment and self-sufficiency.

"Sorry" received positive reviews from contemporary critics, who declared the track the strongest song on Confessions on a Dance Floor. Some critics also commented on the song's disco-influenced beats while comparing it to Madonna's older dance songs. It achieved commercial success, topping the singles charts in Italy, Spain, Romania and the United Kingdom, where it became Madonna's twelfth number one single. Elsewhere, the song was a top ten hit. However, in the United States, the song did not perform well due to an underplay on radio but was able to reach the top of Billboard's dance charts and became one of the decade's most successful dance hits.

The accompanying music video, directed by Madonna's choreographer Jamie King, was a continuation from the "Hung Up" music video. It featured Madonna and her dancers roaming around a city in a van, dancing on roller skates and Madonna fighting with a group of men in a cage. She performed the song on her 2006 Confessions Tour in a similar fight sequence to that shown in the video. An additional video was created as a backdrop for a remix of the song, which depicted political leaders and scenes of war and destruction.

"Sorry" was one of the first tracks developed for Confessions on a Dance Floor, along with "Hung Up" and "Future Lovers". It was also the one which took the most time to finish because Madonna "thought it was too melodramatic and could never decide when it was right." The songs were developed with a remixed perspective in mind. Madonna commented that, "Whenever I make records, I often like the remixes better than the original ones. [...] So I thought, screw that. I'm going to start from that perspective". She promoted the album at the dance party "Misshapes" held at Luke & Leroy's nightclub in Greenwich Village, invited by Junior Sanchez to take over the DJ booth where she mixed "Hung Up" with "Sorry"

February 8 - Madonna "Feel Good Inc & Hung Up" LIVE at Grammys 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRPtGdF_nxE

On February 9 2006, Hung Up spent its final week at #1 on the Italian singles chart.

The single topped the chart in Italy for an unbelievable 14 consecutive weeks before finally descending to #2 for the week of February 16th.

February 9 - Madonna on Ellen Degeneres Show part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21B8BTJIGtg

Madonna on Ellen Degeneres Show part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mdbyWlSi-U

On February 18 2006, Shaun Woodford spoke to the BBC about how he was challenged to transform the back of an everyday van into a ’70s nightclub on wheels for Madonna’s Sorry music video.

Shaun said that when his customized car firm in Wales first received the request to pimp out the van with pink neon lights, lilac shag carpet and mirror disco balls, he thought it was a joke.

“We weren’t sure what to think at first! And it was only when we got the go ahead, that we knew it was for Madonna’s video.”

Shaun’s team at AB Styling Ltd were given one week to complete the job.

“Everything we needed had to be ordered in and there was a couple of moments where I thought it was going to be touch and go, but we did manage it.”

Shaun delivered the van on time and spent the week on set.

“It was a brilliant experience and by far the biggest job we’ve ever done – you can’t get bigger than Madonna.”

MTV documented and aired the makeover of the van in an episode of Pimp My Ride.

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The following week of February 23rd, Madonna’s second single from Confessions On A Dance Floor, Sorry, saw her return to #1 on the Italian singles charts for another 3 weeks – while Hung Up hung on at #3.

On February 15 2006, Madonna won the BRIT Award for Best International Female. Madonna beat out Bjork, Kelly Clarkson, Mariah Carey and Missy Elliot.

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https://youtu.be/p9TAy3VFB1Y

On February 23 2006, Sorry burst on to the Italian singles chart at #1, where it would remain for three weeks. The immediate success of Sorry came only a week after Madonna’s previous single, Hung Up, had ended an incredible fourteen week run at #1 on the Italian singles chart.

In the United Kingdom, Sorry debuted at number one on the chart dated February 26, 2006. The song became Madonna's 12th number one single in Britain and second consecutive single from the album to peak the British chart, after "Hung Up." This made Madonna the female artist with most number one songs in the United Kingdom, while placing her in fifth place in overall tabulation. According to the Official Charts Company, the song has sold 200,000 digital downloads there and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In Australia, the song debuted and peaked at four.

March 2006

March: Madonna Interview : Harper’s Bazaar

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-harpers-bazaar-march-2006

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On March 6 2006, Confessions On A Dance Floor was released as a hand-numbered, limited-edition pink double vinyl set in North America. A non-numbered edition was also released in Europe several weeks later.

The album was reissued as a non-numbered double pink vinyl set in North America in 2017.

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On March 7 2006, Girl 6 was released on DVD. Madonna had a cameo role in Girl 6 as the boss of a strip club/phone sex operation.

In the United States, "Sorry" debuted at number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the issue dated March 11, 2006 and reached a peak of 58 the following week. The same week it reached a peak of 46 on the Pop 100 chart. Its low chart performance in America was attributed to limited radio airplay. A petition was signed by about 3,300 fans at petitionline.com. Known as the "End the Madonna U.S. Radio Boycott"; it was addressed to Clear Channel Communications CEO Mark P. Mays. Message boards at Entertainment Weekly and VH1 were filled with entries by users showing support for Madonna, as well as conspiracy theories about why she was not played on radio. The song, however, reached the top of the Hot Dance Club Play chart for two weeks, as well as Hot Dance Airplay chart for five weeks. As of April 2010, the song has sold 366,000 digital units in the United States.

On March 12 2006, the March issue of BEST magazine hit stands, featuring Madonna on the cover. The featured article highlighted 4 of Madonna’s tips and tricks on how to look 15 years younger.

On March 26 2006, UK newspaper The Sunday Telegraph published a story looking at why US radio was no longer playing Madonna’s music, even though Confessions on a Dancefloor was a worldwide hit.

Here’s what Madonna’s then-publicist Liz Rosenberg had to say:

“Dance music isn’t getting the recognition that it deserves on radio stations in America right now, but Madonna really doesn’t evaluate the success of a record by its chart position. She likes to come out of a studio feeling she has done the very best work she can and earning the respect of her peers. She would love American radio to come on board in that way and show the same sort of commitment that European radio has done, but that is not a decision for her. She is about to go on tour and when radio stations are reminded that she is the most phenomenal performer of our time, I am sure they will tune into her again.”

April 2006

April Madonna interview : Out

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-magazine-april-2006

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April 10 - Sorry peaked at number two on the Canadian Singles Chart and was certified platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) on April 10, 2006 for sales of 80,000 units of paid digital downloads. "Sorry" debuted at number five in Ireland and was on the chart for 12 weeks. Elsewhere in Europe, the song became a top ten hit for Madonna reaching the top ten of countries like Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland while reaching the top of the charts in Italy, Spain, Romania and Billboard's Eurochart Hot 100 Singles

On April 11 2006, Confessions Remixed, a triple 12″ vinyl set compiling Confessions On A Dance Floor remixes by Stuart Price was released by Warner Bros. Records. The limited edition set was issued in the U.S. and in Europe with a reported run of 3,000 copies pressed.

Considering the fact that many record shops still carry new copies of the set, we wouldn’t be surprised if the actual run was 3,000 in the U.S. and another 3,000 in Europe. Or perhaps its lack of any previously unreleased remixes and roughly fifty-dollar price tag simply stirred limited interest.

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On April 30 2006, Madonna performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

During rehearsals, Madonna spotted her publicist (Liz Rosenberg) hanging out and watching the sound check. Madonna shouted from the stage, “This is for you Liz!” Then she stuck her hands in her pants and started singing Let It Will Be.

Madonna | Coachella 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMiEIwJOOBQ

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groovyguy · April 2, 2019

May 2006

On May 11 2006, Madonna.com revealed the CD track list for I’m Going To Tell You A Secret.

June 2006

On June 20th, Madonna’s documentary film, I’m Going To Tell You A Secret, becomes available for you to take home. This very special DVD/CD set includes the full documentary, plus never-before-seen footage. Additionally, a 14 track CD, featuring rare & live versions of songs from the documentary, is available exclusively in this set.

CD Track List: 01. The Beast Within 02. Vogue 03. Nobody Knows Me 04. American Life 05. Hollywood (Remix) 06. Die Another Day 07. Lament 08. Like A Prayer 09. Imagine 10. Mother and Father 11. Susan McLeod/Into The Groove 12. Music 13. Holiday 14. I Love New York

On May 21 2006, Madonna opened The Confessions Tour at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Madonna performed the show for three SOLD OUT nights at the Forum in front of 40,044 fans.

Ben Werner of The Orange County Register reported that “No one – but no one – stages elaborate eye-candy productions like Madonna, whose highly impressive Confessions Touropened Sunday night at a packed Forum so sweltering it seemed as though it were being prepped for the world’s largest Bikram yoga session.”

On May 22 2006, the trailer for Madonna’s Re-Invention Tour documentary, I’m Going To Tell You A Secret, premiered.

https://youtu.be/hfpzaeLSxkM

June 2006

On June 6 2006, Get Together was released as the third international single from the album Confessions On A Dance Floor on Warner Bros. Records.

The initial marketing strategy for Confessions On A Dance Floor included plans to release Jump as its third single. Plans shifted when Get Together proved to be the most popular digital download from the album (excluding its previous two singles, Hung Up and Sorry), warranting its release ahead of Jump, which became the fourth single.

Get Together was written by Madonna, Anders Bagge, Peer Åström & Stuart Price with production by Madonna & Price. The final version also includes a small sampling of string elements from the song’s original production (which only became evident once the original demos leaked to the internet several years later), hence the unusual “Original Production by Bagge & Åström” credit inclusion in the liner notes of the album and single.

On June 6 2006, Get Together was released as the third international single from the album Confessions On A Dance Floor on Warner Bros. Records. The decision was spurred by the fact that "Get Together" was the third most downloaded song from the album. It was also released to coincide with the start of Madonna's Confessions Tour. Inspired by Stardust's single "Music Sounds Better with You", "Get Together" is an anthem about the possibility of finding love on the dancefloor.

The initial marketing strategy for Confessions On A Dance Floor included plans to release Jump as its third single. Plans shifted when Get Together proved to be the most popular digital download from the album (excluding its previous two singles, Hung Up and Sorry), warranting its release ahead of Jump, which became the fourth single.

Get Together was written by Madonna, Anders Bagge, Peer Åström & Stuart Price with production by Madonna & Price. The final version also includes a small sampling of string elements from the song’s original production (which only became evident once the original demos leaked to the internet several years later), hence the unusual “Original Production by Bagge & Åström” credit inclusion in the liner notes of the album and single.

Contemporary critics appreciated the song, calling it fluid in nature and a wonderful dance track. They complimented Madonna's ability to turn cliché comments into pop slogans with the song. After its worldwide release, the song became a success on the dance charts of the United States but failed to enter the official Billboard Hot 100 chart, only peaked at six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. It reached the top ten in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom and Italy and topped the chart in Spain.

The accompanying music video incorporated Madonna's performance of the song at London's Koko Club, but it was animated to make it different visually. The video showed Madonna singing the song amongst graphical visuals portraying volcanoes erupting and a cityscape. Madonna performed the song on her Confessions Tour where she was accompanied by two dancers wearing horse reins around their head. In 2007, the song was nominated in the category of Best Dance Recording at the 49th Grammy Awards

In the United States, the song failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but reached number six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles. Its low chart performance in America was attributed to limited radio airplay. A petition was signed by about 3,300 fans at petitiononline.com. Known as the "End the Madonna U.S. Radio Boycott", it was addressed to Clear Channel Communications CEO Mark P. Mays. Fans posted on Entertainment Weekly and VH1 websites with messages supporting Madonna, as well as conspiracy theories about why she was not played on radio. It also reached a peak of number 84 on the Pop 100 chart. The song was a success on Billboard's dance charts, topping the Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Airplay charts. It reached a peak of 19 on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singleschart.

In Canada, the song debuted and peaked at four on the Canadian Singles Chart. In Australia, "Get Together" debuted at number 13 which became its final peak.

The music video featured Madonna's live performance at the Koko Club in London on November 15, 2005 during her promotional tour for the album. It was directed by Logan and his production team. The animations and designs were done by artist Nathaniel Howe. Howe was contacted by Logan Studios executive producer Kevin Shapiro and booked as a 3D/2D animator. The conceptualization and work on the video began on May 1, 2006. It was inspired by the work of Italian comic-book artist Milo Manara and retro science fiction. Different software like Maya, After Effects and RealFlow were used to bring out the different environments in the video. Howe explained further about the creative process in an interview with the Madonna fansite "Drowned Madonna". He said,

During the initial phases of the video we focused on testing different looks in 3D to see how the color, environment and cinematography complemented the song. While this was happening the edit of the raw footage was being assembled. As the edit evolved we narrowed down the techniques and look of the worlds. Before we even had picture lock we were dropping in rendered 3D shots; this really allowed us to fine tune both the edit and the effects to work together with the song. As this progressed we regularly sent tests to Warner Bros. and the Madonna camp.

Madonna was involved with watching the previews of the work done and passed her comments through Shapiro to the development team. After the fluid effects in the video were completed, Logan and Howe fine-tuned and revisited the shots and eliminated any discrepancies while incorporating Madonna's comments.

The video starts with showing the world evolving from its genesis. Images of volcanoes erupting, dinosaurs and tidal waves flash by to show Madonna and her two backup dancers singing the song while standing on a hill. It continues in this fluid motion up to the intermediate verse when Madonna is shown crawling under the waves and spirals. As the song moves towards the bridge again, the scene changes from the mountains to a cityscape. Madonna and her dancers are shown dancing and singing the song on a skyscraper. The video ends with Madonna standing on the building and the camera autofocusing out of the panel. In 2009, the video was included on Madonna's compilation, Celebration: The Video Collection

The music video featured Madonna's live performance at the Koko Club in London on November 15, 2005 during her promotional tour for the album. It was directed by Logan and his production team. The animations and designs were done by artist Nathaniel Howe. Howe was contacted by Logan Studios executive producer Kevin Shapiro and booked as a 3D/2D animator. The conceptualization and work on the video began on May 1, 2006. It was inspired by the work of Italian comic-book artist Milo Manara and retro science fiction. Different software like Maya, After Effects and RealFlow were used to bring out the different environments in the video. Howe explained further about the creative process in an interview with the Madonna fansite "Drowned Madonna". He said,

During the initial phases of the video we focused on testing different looks in 3D to see how the color, environment and cinematography complemented the song. While this was happening the edit of the raw footage was being assembled. As the edit evolved we narrowed down the techniques and look of the worlds. Before we even had picture lock we were dropping in rendered 3D shots; this really allowed us to fine tune both the edit and the effects to work together with the song. As this progressed we regularly sent tests to Warner Bros. and the Madonna camp.

Madonna was involved with watching the previews of the work done and passed her comments through Shapiro to the development team. After the fluid effects in the video were completed, Logan and Howe fine-tuned and revisited the shots and eliminated any discrepancies while incorporating Madonna's comments.

The video starts with showing the world evolving from its genesis. Images of volcanoes erupting, dinosaurs and tidal waves flash by to show Madonna and her two backup dancers singing the song while standing on a hill. It continues in this fluid motion up to the intermediate verse when Madonna is shown crawling under the waves and spirals. As the song moves towards the bridge again, the scene changes from the mountains to a cityscape. Madonna and her dancers are shown dancing and singing the song on a skyscraper. The video ends with Madonna standing on the building and the camera autofocusing out of the panel. In 2009, the video was included on Madonna's compilation, Celebration: The Video Collection

On June 14 2006, the music video for Get Together premiered in North America and Europe.

Fully devoted to the preparation and launch of the Confessions Tour, Madonna was unavailable to shoot a video for the third single from Confessions On A Dance Floor. Warner Bros. Records and Madonna’s management instead commissioned several animation studios to combine live performance footage of Madonna’s 2005 promo show at London’s Koko with computer animated graphics. The original video that was released to music video channels (and is featured below) was directed by Logan.

Oddly, Madonna’s 2009 music video collection, Celebration, featured an alternate submission from 2006 directed by Eugene Riecansky (this second version had initially been streamed on Madonna’s official website in 2007). The original broadcast version by Logan, however, remains unavailable commercially.

On June 18 2006, Madonna performed a third sold-out Confessions Tour concert at the United Center in Chicago. In total, Madonna performed four completely sold-out shows for 52,000 adoring fans in Chicago, generating $9.2 million in ticket sales.

Tom Young (BBC) had this to say about The Confessions Tour:

“[The show is] a big fat neon light of a pop-dance explosion. There’s a party going on, and unless you were there in the first place, you’re not invited. Whistles and whoops rarely cease and applause ripples throughout building into regular raptures for a consistently first-class performer. It’s almost enough to make those who weren’t there jealous. Almost.”

On June 22 2006, Madonna played the second of a two-night run at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The shows were the only Canadian dates during The Confessions Tour, with Live Nation’s Arthur Fogel citing scheduling conflicts with Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, which they had been attempting to route into the itinerary as well.

The concerts also marked Madonna’s welcomed return to Montreal after a thirteen year absence. She previously played at Olympic Stadium during The Girlie Show Tour in 1993, which followed up her first concerts in La Belle Province during 1987’s Who’s That Girl Tour with two dates at The Forum.

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(Live photos from July 22 2006 were shared by fans via Madonnalicious.com – many thanks!)

In Spain, Get Together debuted at the top of the chart in the issue dated June 25, 2006 and was on the top for one week.

June 27 Madonna Interview : New York Post

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-new-york-post-june-27-2006

https://allaboutmadonna.com/images/madonna-library/2006-madonna-new-york-post.jpg

July 2006

On July 3 2006, Madonna performed her Confessions Tour at Madison Square Gardens. It was the last of four SOLD OUT shows at the Gardens (June 28, 29 July 2 and 3). In total Madonna performed in front of 91,841 fans in New York, generating $16,507,855 in ticket sales.

On July 12, 2006, Billboard confirmed "Jump" to be the fourth single from the Confessions on a Dance Floor album

On July 20 2006, Madonna’s Get Together single peaked at #4 on the SoundScan Canadian Singles chart.

In the United Kingdom, Get Together debuted at seven in the issue dated July 23, 2006. In mainland Europe, the song reached the top ten of the Finnish and Italian charts and the top 40 in countries like Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland

August 2006

August: “The Virgin Queen'” : Q Magazine

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-articles/madonna-virgin-years-q-magazine-august-2006

https://allaboutmadonna.com/images/madonna-library/2006-madonna-q-80s-issue.jpg

On August 1 2006, Madonna performed the first of 8 Confessions Tour concerts at Wembley Arena in London.

On August 1 2006, Madonna unveiled a bronze cast of her hands outside Wembley Arena’s new Square of Fame. Madonna was the first person to be honoured with the privilege.

Quintain Estates deputy chief executive Nick Shattock said: “Madonna is officially the greatest female star in the world and we are delighted that she is the first of what will only be a few major names to be celebrated in the Square of Fame.”

Madonna said: “I look forward to seeing other artists adding their handprints alongside mine.”

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Madonna performed to sold out audiences at Wembley Arena on August 1, 3, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16th.

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On August 31 2006, Madonna played the fourth of four sold-out dates at the Palais Omnisports de Bercy-Paris during her Confessions Tour. The show played to nearly 68,000 fans at the venue during its tour run.

Madonna has become quite familiar with the Palais Omnisports over the years, having played a combined total of 19 sold-out concerts at the venue between 1990 and 2009 for roughly 320,000 fans.

The venue was also used to film two of her shows – 1990’s Blond Ambition Tour and 2004’s Re-Invention Tour. Ironically, both films were used as part of documentaries – Truth or Dareand I’m Going To Tell You A Secret respectively. Since both documentaries focused equally on behind-the-scenes and on-stage content, only select performances could be featured in each. The complete shows for both tours filmed at the venue remain unreleased, much to the bewilderment of fans.

On August 31 2006, Madonna was joined on stage by Lenny Kravitz during a performance of I Love New York at a concert in Paris, France. Kravitz had previously been spotted in the audience at several stops on The Confessions Tour and was clearly a fan of the show.

The appearance followed the pair’s 1990 songwriting collaboration, Justify My Love, and its pseudo-remix, The Beast Within. They also shared the stage during a performance of Ray Of Light at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.

https://todayinmadonnahistory.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/confessions-tour_paris_lenny-500.jpg

groovyguy · April 2, 2019

September 2006

On September 30 2006, Madonna appeared on the cover of Madame Figaro (France) magazine. Madonna was dressed in Jean-Paul Gautier, with photos by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. You’ll recognize that she wore the costume for Future Lovers, from The Confessions Tour, for this photo shoot.

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October 2006

On October 30 2006, Madonna appeared on the cover of People magazine with the headline: Madonna’s Adoption Drama.

Here’s a snippet of the article:

Bringing Home David By Karen S. Schneider

As Madonna and Her Husband, Guy Ritchie Welcome Home Their New 13-Month-Old Son from Malawi, Local Human Rights Groups—and Some of the Boy’s Relatives—Raise Questions Over the Legality of the Adoption.

Madonna had only seen a snapshot of David Banda and had learned only basic information about him when she and her husband, Guy Ritchie flew to the African nation of Malawi on Oct. 3. But when the singer arrived at the Home of Hope Orphanage Centre and met the 13-month-old boy, says Madonna’s spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg, “It was love at first sight.” Adds a witness: “The look of pure joy on her face was beyond words, not unlike when her children [Lourdes, 10, and Rocco, 6] were born.”

About a week later—even as a storm of controversy was brewing over the planned adoption—Madonna’s happiness was echoed in a dimly lit room of the High Court in the Malawian capital of Lilongwe. The pop superstar, 48, and her director husband, 38, met, for the first time, with David’s dad, a farmer named Yohane Banda. Through a translator who spoke Banda’s Chichewa language, “she asked lots of questions,” says Banda, 32. “How old I am, what I do for a living, everything.”

Madonna also made promises—to provide Banda’s only child with a loving home, and to bring him back to Malawi to visit. For the singer, the face-to-face with Banda marked a turning point in an almost year-long effort to adopt a child from an impoverished nation where she helps fund six orphanages. (She has also pledged to sponsor improvements through the Millennium Promise program.) For Banda—who ekes out a living farming onions and cabbage, and placed David in the church-run Home of Hope when his wife died—it was a chance to give his son, he tells PEOPLE, “a brighter future.” Adds David’s grandmother Asineti Mwale, 56: “God has heard our prayer. May he bless this kindhearted woman abundantly.”

On October 31 2006, Jump was released as the fourth and final single from the album Confessions On Dance Floor. It was written by Madonna, Stuart Price & Joe Henry and produced by Madonna & Stuart Price.

In Canada, the CD maxi-single for Jump is notable for being Madonna’s last physical single to be issued domestically. The Hard Candy-era singles were imported from the U.S. by Warner Music Canada, while her Interscope singles have only been released in digital form for the North American market.

"Jump" is written by Madonna, Stuart Price and Joe Henry. The song was supposed to be released as the third single of the album. However, since "Get Together" was decided as the third single, "Jump" was released as the fourth and final single from the album, on October 31, 2006 by Warner Bros. Records. The song incorporates techno music with tributes to Pet Shop Boys. Madonna sings in her lower register in the song. Its lyrics talk about self-empowerment and sufficiency while looking for the prospects of a new relationship.

Contemporary critics complimented the song and its empowerment theme. They compared it to Madonna's 1980s music and praised the club-anthem like quality of the song. The song peaked inside the top ten of the charts of some European countries, topping the charts in Italy and Hungary. In the United States, "Jump" placed in several Billboard dance charts and became one of the most popular dance hits of the decade.

The accompanying music video was shot in Tokyo during Madonna's 2006 Confessions Tour stopover. It portrayed Madonna in a blond bob wig and a leather ensemble singing the song in front of a number of neon signs. The video also featured dancers who performed the physical discipline parkour. It was also incorporated in her Confessions Tour, where Madonna and her dancers jumped around the stage actively, while singing the song. The song was used in the movie The Devil Wears Prada (2005) and the Ugly Betty season 2 finale.

The idea for "Jump" came from Joe Henry who presented it to Madonna and developed it into a song.[1] During an interview with the singer for the British gay lifestyle magazine Attitude, journalist Matthew Todd described that "Jump" as an inspiration for "a whole generation of gay kids to pack their bags and head to the big city", to which Madonna agreed. Initially it was to be released as the third single from the album. However, the song "Get Together" was chosen as the third single from the album to coincide with the start of Madonna's 2006 Confessions Tour. The decision was also spurred by the fact that "Get Together" was the third best selling digital single from the Confessions on a Dance Floor album. Its digital sales at the United States was 20,000 copies at that time, whereas digital sales for "Jump" was at just 9,000 copies. Hence, "Get Together" was finally chosen as the third single.

On October 31 2006, Madonna read to a small group of children from her new book, Too Good To Be True, the sequel to her best selling children’s book, The English Roses, at Warner Brothers Records in New York.

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November 2006

November Madonna Interview : Q Magazine

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-q-magazine-november-2006

https://allaboutmadonna.com/images/madonna-library/2006-madonna-q.jpg

On November 1 2006, Madonna appeared on NBC-TV’s Dateline in an interview with Meredith Vieira to discuss the controversy surrounding her adoption of David Banda.

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Nov 13 Madonna interview : Time

https://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-interviews/madonna-interview-time-november-13-2006

https://allaboutmadonna.com/images/madonna-library/2006-madonna-time.jpg

2007

On January 26, 2007, Madonna’s second live album, The Confessions Tour was released by Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded at Wembley Arena in London, and was released in both CD and DVD formats. The DVD was directed by Jonas Åkerlund.

groovyguy · April 24, 2019

groovyguy · April 24, 2019

groovyguy · April 24, 2019

groovyguy · April 24, 2019

MadonnaLove · April 24, 2019

I want that era back ASAP, I am still obsessed with it as if was tomorrow

groovyguy · April 4, 2020

‘Confessions On A Dance Floor’ Revisited: Looking Back On Madonna’s Iconic Era

Mike Nied @mikeynied | April 2, 2020 3:17 pm

https://www.idolator.com/7908758/confessions-on-a-dance-floor-revisited-looking-back-on-madonnas-iconic-era/madonna-1-2

dylanlioncourt · April 4, 2020

Remember that hotline she had during the era to leave a Confession?

MarXus · April 4, 2020

3 minutes ago, thelioncourtheart_ said:

Remember that hotline she had during the era to leave a Confession?

Yes, I do! I never called it, but I remember laughing at many of the recordings she published.

dylanlioncourt · April 4, 2020

Just now, MarXus said:

Yes, I do! I never called it, but I remember laughing at many of the recordings she published.

"Leave a Confession. And remember by leaving your confessions, you allow your confession to be released at any form, at any time until the end of time. So think twice if you've been naughty" was the message she recorded if I remember it correctly.

MarXus · April 4, 2020

2 minutes ago, thelioncourtheart_ said:

"Leave a Confession. And remember by leaving your confessions, you allow your confession to be released at any form, at any time until the end of time. So think twice if you've been naughty" was the message she recorded if I remember it correctly.

I'm sure Madonna was hoping to get a lot of "naughty" replies. LOL!

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