When it comes to pop superstardom, there is no woman as legendary or as revolutionary as Madonna. Dubbed the Queen of Pop by the media and her fans, this dancer-turned-singer has an awe-inspiring career that has spanned four decades and 12 albums (and counting!).
Though she is highly regarded for her ability to reinvent herself sartorially, Madonna is also a brilliant musician whose songs have pioneered the genre of pop music.
In just a few short weeks, she'll be releasing her thirteenth studio album Rebel Heart (which has already gone to #1 on several charts based on pre-sales alone). To celebrate the release of what is sure to be another incredible record, this blog entry ranks all twelve of her studio albums from worst to best.
Let's be clear though, even at her worst Madonna is still pretty freaking badass.
12. BEDTIME STORIES
Singles: "Secret," "Human Nature," "Take a Bow," "Bedtime Stories"
Released in the fall of 1994, Bedtime Stories was Madonna's follow-up to the highly controversial Erotica. With this release, she adopted a more mature image and eschewed her signature pop sound in favour of a smoother R&B style.
For the first time in her career, Madonna played it safe and it certainly shows with Bedtime Stories. Aside from its singles, the album is all filler. Its abundance of downtempo tracks drag on and don't offer any of the usual ear candy Madonna is known for. While the Queen of Pop is to be commended for experimenting with different musical styles, Bedtime Stories failed to deliver as well as its predecessors have. That said, its singles "Human Nature" and "Take a Bow" remain two of her most praise-worthy songs of her career.
11. HARD CANDY
Singles: "4 Minutes," "Give It 2 Me," "Miles Away"
It's no secret that part of what has made Madonna so innovative as an artist is her penchant for working with unknown producers on her albums. This is no doubt why it was so jarring when Madonna teamed up A-list producers Pharrell Williams, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake for Hard Candy.
Though not a terrible album in the traditional sense, Madonna's voice is completely lost on Hard Candy. Rather than marching to the beat of her own drum, we find the Queen of Pop laying down vocals to what would otherwise be a Justin Timberlake record. It's certainly a sweet pop album with plenty of ear candy, but it's not remotely close to the quality of what fans would expect of their idol.
10. MUSIC
Singles: "Music," "Don't Tell Me," "What It Feels Like for a Girl"
Bolstered by the success of the singles "Music" and "Don't Tell Me," Music became one of Madonna's most critically acclaimed and commercially successful records to date. Even still, there's something not quite right about this album.
In truth, Music feels like it is entirely made up of leftover tracks from its predecessor Ray of Light. Sonically, Madonna is going back over what she had previously explored and fails to deliver anything memorable on that front. While the album's singles are certainly stellar, its titular track especially, it really doesn't show off just how versatile she is as an artist.
09. AMERICAN LIFE
Singles: "American Life," "Hollywood," "Nothing Fails," "Love Profusion"
Often regarded as a flop for Madonna, American Life was released during a low point in her career and it ultimately failed to generate any hit songs. The tragedy in all of this is that it's actually an excellent album.
Lyrically, American Life explores the themes of materialism, celebrity culture and loss. It is truthfully one of Madonna's most compelling and honest records to date in that respect. The album is also notable for its rock-tinged sound and the overall acoustic feel to the songs. In retrospect, American Life was brave for expressing unpopular opinions and its stripped down production.
08. MADONNA
Singles: "Everybody," "Burning Up," "Holiday," "Lucky Star," "Borderline"
When Madonna released her eponymous debut album in 1983, she established herself as a pioneer in the genre of dance and was heralded by many as the new reigning dance diva. While it may not have been her most commercially successful album, Madonna paved the way for her illustrious career and netted the singer five iconic singles.
Madonna is surprisingly cohesive and features very little filler, which is unusual for a debut album. Aside from "I Know It," the record plays well from start to finish. From its opener "Lucky Star" to its club-thumping closer "Everybody," this album set the standard for all the dance divas that have since followed.
07. TRUE BLUE
Singles: "Live to Tell," "Papa Don't Preach," "True Blue," "Open Your Heart," "La Isla Bonita"
As the best-selling album by a female artist in the 1980s, True Blue was an unstoppable juggernaut upon its release. It shattered records and ruffled people's feathers with its controversial music videos. With three of its five singles going to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, it's hard to deny just how impactful True Blue was.
To call True Blue infectious would be a slight understatement. Its songs are genius and are among some of the most influential pop anthems in history. From the melancholy "Live to Tell" to the celebratory "Open Your Heart," True Blue delivers a satisfying sound. The only thing that truly prevents it from ranking higher is its filler tracks between singles. While "White Heat" and "Where's The Party" are fun additions, "Jimmy Jimmy" and "Love Makes The World Go Round" are mind-numbing in just how bad they are.
06. MDNA
Singles: "Give Me All Your Luvin'," "Girl Gone Wild," "Masterpiece," "Turn Up the Radio"
As her eighth album to top the charts in the US, MDNA solidified Madonna's status as a legend. Its club-friendly sound and musical cohesion earned critical acclaim, netting her the Top Dance Album at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards.
MDNA was released at a critically important time in Madonna's career. On the one hand, it served to address her divorce from Guy Ritchie and features the more vulnerable side of an otherwise infallible popstar. On the other, it continued to prove that Madonna is ready to push the envelope with tracks like "Gang Bang" and rule the dance floor with the anthemic "Girl Gone Wild." While newcomers like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Rihanna seem eager to revisit Madonna's back catalogue for their material, MDNA showed that this is one icon that will not bow down to the younger crowd.
05. LIKE A PRAYER
Singles: "Like a Prayer," "Express Yourself," "Cherish," "Oh Father," "Dear Jessie," "Keep It Together"
Regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time by the likes of Time Magazine and Rolling Stone, Like a Prayer is one of Madonna's most honest and reflective works to date. It is confessional in nature and deals with themes such as family, female empowerment and love.
From its titular track to the playful "Express Yourself," Like a Prayer is packed full of meaningful lyrics and featured the Queen of Pop finally taking control of her sound. The album is notable for being much more stripped down than previous releases and for showing off Madonna's raw talent as a singer. For the first time, audiences were seeing Madonna as an artist rather than a record label product.
04. EROTICA
Singles: "Erotica," "Deeper and Deeper," "Bad Girl," "Fever," "Rain," "Bye Bye Baby"
At the time of its release, Erotica became Madonna's least commercially successful album and failed to generate any major hits for the singer (though its first two singles did make it to the top 10). The album and its accompanying music videos were deemed too sexual for the mainstream, nearly destroying her career.
Despite its lack of commercial success, Erotica was nothing short of brilliant. It is easily her most underrated album (though MDNA comes close) and features some of the cleverest lyrics she's ever written. Her concern with sexuality is informative and commendable, giving a voice to groups that otherwise are censored by the mainstream. Beyond its cheeky tone, there's a dark undercurrent to Erotica. Notably, "Why's It So Hard" and "In This Life" deal with homosexuality and bigotry. The latter is particularly poignant for its emotionally charged lyrics regarding the effect of HIV/AIDS at that time.
To this day, Erotica continues to be silently influential and has become the template for all popstars vying for Madonna's crown as the Queen of Pop. From Britney Spears to Beyoncé, today's most critically acclaimed singers seem to be doing nothing more than remaking versions of Erotica.
03. RAY OF LIGHT
Singles: "Frozen," "Ray of Light," Drowned World/Substitute for Love," "The Power of Good-Bye," "Nothing Really Matters"
Heralded as Madonna's comeback after a long hiatus following the birth of her daughter Lourdes, Ray of Light catapulted the Queen of Pop back to the top of the charts. Named one of the greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone, this album earned Madonna four Grammys and six MTV Video Music Awards.
Released at a time when music was oversaturated by the sanitized sounds of teen popstars, Ray of Light was deeply spiritual and experimental in both its lyrics and its music. It strikes a perfect balance between light and dark, as it deals with both celebration and tragedy. This fully matured side of Madonna struck a chord with audiences and helped to usher in a new era of dance music.
02. LIKE A VIRGIN
Singles: "Like a Virgin," "Material Girl," "Angel," Into the Groove," "Dress You Up"
As one of the most successful albums of all time, Like a Virgin was the lightning rod that electrified Madonna's career and catapulted her to superstardom. Certified diamond by the RIAA, Madonna's sophomore release proved that the singer was not a one-hit-wonder and its singles continue to be some of the most iconic pop hits in history.
Aside from Michael Jackson's Thriller, there is no other album that defines the 1980s quite as much as Like a Virgin does. Its impact is undeniable, as its singles pioneered the genre of pop music and have gone on to be considered classics. Aside from that, Like a Virgin is remarkable for its cohesive and tight composition. Whether you're a fan of dance or not, this is one classic that will never go out of style.
01. CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR
Singles: "Hung Up," "Sorry," "Get Together," "Jump"
Behind the glamorous facade of dance music, Madonna crafts some of her most brilliant lyrical work on Confessions on a Dance Floor. She's also at her most self-referential, paying homage to her previous music with many of the album's tracks. Not only that, but she pays tribute to all of the artists who have influenced her as a singer.
Confessions on a Dance Floor is not just a flawless dance record, it is an immersive experience. Structured like a DJ's set, the album lacks space between its tracks and simulates the atmosphere of a nightclub. Confessions is also noted for its evolving tone, which sees the album starting off light and ending much more introspectively.
The strength of the album's production and Madonna's genius paid off, earning her a Grammy for the album. Confessions on a Dance Floor proves Madonna's worth as an artist and illustrates why she deserves the crown as the Queen of Pop.
