Rank Madonna's ballad singles from best to worst

[chaosmen1984mk 798]

I like all Madonna ballads. Maybe The look of love is one of the ones I like the least but it's mostly because of the final sound because the composition itself is excellent for me, which is why I prefer to listen to the live version (Who's that girl Tour).

Generally, in ballads, the musical production is simpler and not so demanding, something that does not happen with danceable songs where one seeks to experiment with new sounds or more complex productions and where in the end this can end up improving or worsening the song. As an example I would name Living for love, Iconic, Bitch I'm Madonna, Addicted or Impressive Instant which are very good songs but the musical production detracts many points from the final product that makes me feel that it would be much better to listen to an acoustic version of these songs.

[Ian 2,260]

Just bring Us STR2, make it happen Emily!

[MDNA22 1,181]

So hard 

Almost all of them are brilliant 

But would not miss these 5  - One More Chance, Hey You, Masterpiece, I Rise and Crave

I would have loved if she had done a proper studio version of Between the Bars and Send in the Clowns as love the live fan recording versions of the couple of times she has performed them 

[Nahual 599]

I'd put I Rise dead last because its intro causes me to cringe and skip the track altogether whenever I listen to Madame X. One More Chance is another dud because it just sounds boring and the lyrics are trite. And Love Don't Live Here Anymore is redundant because it's a cover.

All her other ballads are fantastic though. 

 

[BuggedOut 4,121]

7 minutes ago, Nahual said:

I'd put I Rise dead last because its intro causes me to cringe and skip the track altogether whenever I listen to Madame X. One More Chance is another dud because it just sounds boring and the lyrics are trite. And Love Don't Live Here Anymore is redundant because it's a cover.

All her other ballads are fantastic though. 

 

Give the Tracy Young Radio Mix of I Rise a go.

Its my go to version of the song.

[Chris 1,022]

from top fav (#1) to least fav (#12)

1. Secret
2. Ghosttown
3. Love Don't Live Here Anymore
4. Oh Father
5. Live to Tell
6. You Must Love Me
7. Rain
8. Frozen
9. Don't Cry for Me Argentina
10. I Rise
11. Take a Bow
12. Bad Girl

the rest of the list that the OP posted, i cant remember how they sounded. its been a little while since i did a deep dive in her discography

[Blue Jean 15,191]

On 4/25/2023 at 1:26 PM, Nahual said:

I'd put I Rise dead last because its intro causes me to cringe and skip the track altogether whenever I listen to Madame X.

 

I can't believe that screeching is even on the instrumental

[Lorx 344]

The Best

(1) Oh Father
(2) Drowned World/Substitute for Love
(3) Live to Tell
(4) You’ll See
(5) Rain
(6) The Power of Good-Bye
(7) I Want You
(8) Take a Bow
(9) Bad Girl
(10) Secret
(11) I’ll Remember
(12) You Must Love Me

I really like them
(13) Nothing Fails
(14) Crazy for You
(15) Another Suitcase in Another Hall
(16) What It Feels Like for a Girl
(17) Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
(18) Don’t Cry for Me Argentina

They're okay, just not the best
(19) Ghosttown
(20) This Used to Be My Playground
(21) The Look Of Love
(22) Miles Away
(23) Masterpiece

I can't stand them
(24) One More Chance
(25) Hey You
(26) Crave
(27) I Rise

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Lorx (see edit history)

[missberic 763]

The ones that stand out: Crazy for You, Live to Tell, Bad Girl, Rain, I'll Remember, Take a Bow, I Want You, You'll See, Love Don't Live Here Anymore, Frozen, Drowned World/Substitute for Love, The Power of Good-Bye, What It Feels Like for a Girl and Nothing Fails.

 

The ones that I appreciate: Oh Father, This Used to Be My Playground, Secret, You Must Love Me and Masterpiece.

 

The ones that I listen to, but don't care for: One More Chance, Don't Cry for Me Argentina and Another Suitcase in Another Hall.

 

The ones that I can't stand: The Look of Love, Miles Away, Hey You, Ghosttown and I Rise.

 

Crave is not a ballad in my book, but Borderline is, and a massive stand out.

[love hurts 30]

 

Amazing

What it feels like for a girl

The power of goodbye

Bad girl 

Rain

Frozen

Love don’t live here anymore

I want you 

Secret

Take a bow 

You’ll see 

Miles away

Ghost town 

Drowned world/substitute for love 

nothing fails 

This used to be my playground 

Good

the look of love

live to tell

oh father 

i’ll remember 

don’t cry for me argentina 

i rise 

bad

crave

hey you

never cared enough to listen 

 

Crazy for You

One More Chance

You Must Love Me

Masterpiece

Another Suitcase in Another Hall

[momosfantasy 946]

On 4/22/2023 at 10:37 AM, LongIslandTea said:

Where's...

Borderline 

La Isla Bonita

Cherish

Dear Jessie

Nothing Really Matters

Love Profusion

???

Probably in a different thread, since none of these are ballads?

[Renato Iodice 128]

GREAT.

 

Live To Tell

You'll See

What It Feels Like For A Girl

The Power Of Goodbye

Bad Girl 

Rain

Frozen

I'll Remember

I Want You

Drowned World/Substitute For Love 

 

Good

 

Love Don’t Live Here Anymore (video remix)

Take A Bow

Ghost Town 

The Look Of Love

Oh Father

Crave

 

Just fine

 

Nothing Fails 

This Used To Be My Playground

Miles Away

Ghost Town 

Crazy For You

One More Chance

You Must Love Me

Another Suitcase in Another Hall

Hey You

 

Dislike/overrated

 

Masterpiece

Love Don't Live Here Anymore (album version)

 

[Starchild 3,074]

Hey You is the worst, by far.

[Honey Little 3,967]

 

1. Live to Tell

2. This Used to Be My Playground

3. Drowned World/Substitute for Love

4. Take a Bow

5. Oh Father

6. I'll Remember

7. Crazy for You

8. Nothing Fails

9. What Can You Lose

10. Bad Girl

 

[Honey Little 3,967]

4 hours ago, Honey Little said:

 

1. Live to Tell

2. This Used to Be My Playground

3. Drowned World/Substitute for Love

4. Take a Bow

5. Oh Father

6. I'll Remember

7. Crazy for You

8. Nothing Fails

9. What Can You Lose

10. Bad Girl

 

Same 

[Mden 2,252]

Ghosttown is the one I listen to the most. Partly because Rebel Heart is -I think my favorite album. May not be her best ballad though. 

[animalinstinct 2,043]

Best: Live To Tell, Frozen, Crazy For You

Worst: One More Chance, Hey You

[DaddyZ 1,566]

Rain 

live to tell

this used to be my playground 

crazy for you

Take a bow

love don’t live here anymore

 

[Drownedboy 1,676]

I think she was amazing vocally on this, one of her bests ever.

[truerebel 958]

Live to Tell, Frozen, Drowned World/Substitute for love, I'll remember, TUTBMP,  You must love me, The Power of Goodbye, Crazy for you, The look of love, To have not to hold, Nothing fails, X-tastic process, Bad girl, Time stood still......Rain!

Just noticed most of these on my list have never been performed on any of her previous tour........Bad Girl MUST make the Celebration Tour set list.....along with LTT!! I demand it

[Drownedboy 1,676]

For me the best ballad live on tour was Gone, she gave she a heartfelt rendition, she was so into it, it impressed me. She is so underated as an actress in the song, she inhabits a song if it fits her well, much better than others with supossedly better voice.

But she seems to think to strong point of her live concerts is the energy and being greater than life. But look how amazing and intimate was that love spent part on MDNA, doing a metaphoric link with her Guy Ritchie story: great art.

Oh, and it was also magical: drowned word and Isaac on 2006 tour, so beautiful! And ghostown on some rebel heart tour dates.

[BuggedOut 4,121]

On 5/18/2023 at 4:57 AM, Starchild said:

Hey You is the worst, by far.

Not even close.

One More Chance. Easily.

The vocals during the chorus. Nails. On. Chalkboard.

 

Too hard for me to rank her ballads. Too many great ones.

[BuggedOut 4,121]

1 hour ago, Drownedboy said:

I think she was amazing vocally on this, one of her bests ever.

I don’t love the song, but it’s far from her worst.

Least listened to? Probably.

[Donna 16,318]

2 hours ago, Drownedboy said:

I think she was amazing vocally on this, one of her bests ever.

It is such a lovely performance and song.  I think the background vocalists and choir, really help Madonna's vocal performance.  I do see a bit of "cheese factor" when it comes to this song, but it was arranged (re-worked from another song) for this specific cause, so I respect that.  It certainly doesn't compete with stellar classics such as Live to Tell, Crazy for You, or Oh Father.  And songs like Ghosttown and Masterpiece run circles around "Hey You".  That all being said, I just appreciate the fact she's singing completely live and while she still does, but more and more her live performances sound like her singing over pre-recorded backing tracks.  Even for those who may think this was not a good vocal performance from her, I'd take a live vocal such as this anyday rather her singing to pre-recorded backing tracks. 

[itzjak 136]

The best

1. This used to be my playground

2. Falling Free

3. I want you

4. X - static process

5. Drowned World

6. Extreme occident

7. Ghosttown

8. Something to remember

9. In this life

10. Voices