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Happy 18th Anniversary “American Life” ??


Ayham
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Nothing fails deserved a good video. I never understood the bad treatment to that single release... and the artwork is horrible! 
Good album, good memories. After Ray of light and Music it wasn't my favourite one, but I loved the Re-Invention Tour and all the promo around the album release. 

And her voice: mature, and beautiful. On point! The autotune was an obvious artistic decision and not used to hide insecurities. 

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My fave Madonna album, along with "Like A Prayer". It was all so shocking and exciting, starting with "Die Another Day" months earlier. The song, the video, the remixes... the photoshoots!

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She was SO cool.

Madonna was still on top but "Swept Away" messed up her image a bit. But there was a HUGE anticipation for the album. Loads of info and rumours. Then she was a brunette again and that meant: getting serious with the new album. Getting personal.

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And then came the big scandal... "American Life" and THAT video:

I remember LOVING the song (it was and it is still so bold). But the video was striking AND confusing. I remember thinking "this is too much RIGHT NOW, awful timing".

She was used to being controversial but this seemed different. As fans, we knew it wasn't the case but outside Madonna world it kinda looked like she was making fun of the whole situation - and using it for promoting herself. And using politics and using sex were two completely different beasts. It was a great video and message - but arrived weeks late.

The video was premiered (in Spain at least) on a Monday and then a day after she made the announcement pulling the video.

Watching this interview (before pulling the video), I'm sure she thought she would get away with it one more time:

But we all know that wasn't the case this time. I also believed her when she explained herself about it later:

The album is great. I just love the confessional theme and the mixture of folk and electronica. I think that combination really suits her.

I wasn't that convinced about the artwork then but of course I love it now.

One thing I loved about this campaign is how they did everything they could to save the album: great video for "Hollywood" (turning into another big controversy), the VMAs, "Me Against The Music", the "Nobody Knows Me" book, "Nothing Fails", "Love Profusion", "Remixed & Revisited"... there were a lot of releases between the album release and the 2004 tour. It was all exciting and I liked how she believed in the album and didn't give up after "Hollywood".

I've always found funny how bitchy she was in the first rounds of promotion :lol:

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(This pic haha)

Then she was all smiles and humble promoting the children's books!

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Happy 18, "AL"!

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This record has a special place in my heart. In 2003, I was too young to pay attention to the adults world, but I can still remember how I felt when I saw the first images that came from Iraq that year on the TV (some things can't be forgotten): it seemed a macabre and bloodcurdling game and for once I thanked God for having a family where I could find a sense of protection and a source of love, despite of what was going on in the world. Growing up and seeing all those atrocities wasn't simple. American Life is the soundtrack of my childhood and the voice of my feelings between 2003-2008: I felt lonely and lost in a world I didn't know, a little bit traumatized by all the news about this war I couldn't understand and a difficult family situation. With AL, it was love at the second listening. 

By the way, it's mesmerizing that it was released almost 20 years ago: it's still so fresh and innovative. Time flies! Happy birthday, American Life. 

 

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  • Ayham changed the title to Happy 18th Anniversary “American Life” 🇺🇸

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