Wth is this Rolling Stone piece by Andy Greene claiming 'American Life' as one of the "50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Brilliant Artists"

[like a light 60]

American Life is another very good Madonna album.  Those who can't see it are very bad fans.  Either Madonna fans and music fans.

No need to say more.

[Pootz333 2,694]

It's interesting how she was totally standing behind the video, ten toes down in that Australian interview. And then very quickly backed down. I understand her children's safety, and "not being a target for a mob mentality". Her words. A lot of people have forgotten how insane post 9/11 America was and how it led to a lot of the b.s. today. The Dixie Chicks got steamrolled. The same people complaining about "cancel culture" are the ones who wanted to rename French Fries, "Freedom Fries"......

But when asked, before mentioning her children, she said "My husband is in the entertainment business"...

Michael Moore was loudly booed at the Oscars that year when he won Best Documentary and condemned the Bush Admin and Iraq war.

I believe Guy R convinced her to pull it. Hollywood and these corporations wanted their war. And those are the same people who are going to work with him/ finance his films. This was also the time when she gagged me by saying in an interview that she looked for his approval/ wouldn't put something out he didn't like (Not a direct quote but something to that effect). And I was like.........

This is also the same woman who had young children when she was "willing to go as far as I have to" with "Secret Project" and taking the amazing stand she did in Russia risking arrest and worse.

Anyway, it may not be as "iconic" as Vogue or Like a Prayer but I always say it's her most important video. It's scary that its still relevant today. It was the perfect video for that song. 

P.S. I don't care for her cover of "Imagine", but LOVE the reason why she did it. The radio here banned it from being played after 9/11. A song about peace. Banned. I love that she did that.

[Ian 2,266]

are they backtracking now?

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/great-artists-horrible-albums-prince-madonna-podcast-1234687043/

 

In the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, we dive into the first half of Andy Greene’s recent “50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Great Artists” list. Greene joins host Brian Hiatt for the discussion, which pinpoints the synth-soaked mid-1980s as one of the most perilous periods for veteran artists. The episode also raises the possibility that some albums on the list – especially Madonna’s American Life and Prince’s Chaos and Disorder – might not be horrible after all.   "

 

[Blue Jean 15,259]

18 hours ago, Ian said:

are they backtracking now?

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/great-artists-horrible-albums-prince-madonna-podcast-1234687043/

 

In the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, we dive into the first half of Andy Greene’s recent “50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Great Artists” list. Greene joins host Brian Hiatt for the discussion, which pinpoints the synth-soaked mid-1980s as one of the most perilous periods for veteran artists. The episode also raises the possibility that some albums on the list – especially Madonna’s American Life and Prince’s Chaos and Disorder – might not be horrible after all.   "

I think it’s time this magazine ended 

[RUADJAI 14,989]

4 hours ago, Blue Jean said:

I think it’s time this magazine ended 

Someone mentioned elsewhere, it’s not even a magazine anymore. The writers are not employed by Rolling Stone. They are freelance. Their job is to get clicks, not be intelligent or relay a factual opinion. 

[Drownedboy 1,677]

They suck.

[Donna 16,492]

On 2/27/2023 at 12:41 PM, Ian said:

are they backtracking now?

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/great-artists-horrible-albums-prince-madonna-podcast-1234687043/

 

In the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, we dive into the first half of Andy Greene’s recent “50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Great Artists” list. Greene joins host Brian Hiatt for the discussion, which pinpoints the synth-soaked mid-1980s as one of the most perilous periods for veteran artists. The episode also raises the possibility that some albums on the list – especially Madonna’s American Life and Prince’s Chaos and Disorder – might not be horrible after all.   "

 

Isn't it just one man's opinion though?  I don't know Andy Greene's history as a writer for RS, but if he's among the "freelancers" then it definitely is just one man's opinion. 

I don't believe RS should end, but obviously they need to gain some credibility back.  They need to get back to how they ued to publish their magazine.  Unfortunately, that way may not sell anymore and that's why they have resorted to going more online and click bait type articles.  But just because they don't favor something Madonna does, means they are horrible.  I understand fans will want to defend because I totally agree American Life is not a horrible album.  But there are hardcore fans who do think the same as Andy. 

[Blue Jean 15,259]

The only reason they've done this follow up is because Madonna and Prince have a lot of overzealous fans and they are trying to get us to listen to this crap. DO NOT CLICK ON IT.

[Roland Barthes 5,850]

6 hours ago, RUADJAI said:

Someone mentioned elsewhere, it’s not even a magazine anymore. The writers are not employed by Rolling Stone. They are freelance. Their job is to get clicks, not be intelligent or relay a factual opinion. 

I did.

The magazine was sold 3 years ago (or 2 i don"t remember) they fired the whole staff of journalists and put the editor of the Daily Beast, a tabloid, as senior editor in chief. They now have only freelancers for in depth articles but like every media, everywhere in the world now, they need content to keep trafic, to make money, so they make these cickbait listicles. We chose to close the magazine i was working at because we were fed up with doing this, to be enslaved by social media, basically, some days we were just feeding the machine, it was depressing. Many publications are calling it quits or reducing their publications and staff. It's terrible what's going on and it's exactly the same in the US. The New York Times is now largely dominated by clickbaits (8 different articles on Beyoncé theday after the Grammys and 6 on Rihanna after SB, like they are Popjustice...but even Popjustice does not do this)  and advertisments disguised as articles where they promote a produce but it looks like a regular article. It's terrible. 

[Blue Jean 15,259]

Doesn’t this come back to the conversation we had in another thread?

Basically people were saying they “wouldn’t pay for news/magazines when I can get them for free.”

This is the consequence of that.