Madonna

[DavNcc1701E]

I think "Ray Of Light" should've been the lead single of ROL, with "Frozen" being the follow-up. It would have made it clearer that she had moved on from the ballad-heavy mid-90s Madonna and was ready to move back into the dance world.

I couldn't disagree more. Frozen was perfect as the 1st single.

But you know what? Madonna wanted Ray OF Light as the first single...and Frozen as the 2nd single.

This is actually the only time Warner Bros did a good decision...

This is interesting. I didn't know this.

Who has more power in which song is released as singles and what order they are released in?

[DavNcc1701E]

I think "Ray Of Light" should've been the lead single of ROL, with "Frozen" being the follow-up. It would have made it clearer that she had moved on from the ballad-heavy mid-90s Madonna and was ready to move back into the dance world.

I couldn't disagree more. Frozen was perfect as the 1st single.

But you know what? Madonna wanted Ray OF Light as the first single...and Frozen as the 2nd single.

This is actually the only time Warner Bros did a good decision...

No, it was right desicion too to release "4 Minutes" instead of "Candy Shop" as the first HC single!

Oh right! She wanted Candy Shop as the 1st single...jesus christ!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that was the original plan as Candy Shop was one of the first song recorded for Hard Candy. However, by the time the album was released someone quoted her as saying that "she was over the song".

[denise]

Oh, definitely, you have to take the book with a pinch of salt, but I certainly believe the implication that she's viciously ruthless. It would have been difficult for her to achieve what she has done without being that way.

If she was a man, it's a go-getter and taking control and doing the hard work.

Since she's a woman, she's characterized as a bitch. It's a stupid double standard.

This is very true.

[sambo9]

Oh, definitely, you have to take the book with a pinch of salt, but I certainly believe the implication that she's viciously ruthless. It would have been difficult for her to achieve what she has done without being that way.

If she was a man, it's a go-getter and taking control and doing the hard work.

Since she's a woman, she's characterized as a bitch. It's a stupid double standard.

This is very true.

Oh, definitely, but ruthlessness isn't necessarily a bad attribute to have, and I wouldn't confuse it with being a bitch. It's what's made her have longevity and have the opportunity to take control of her career, which, of course, women aren't expected to do.

[denise]

Oh, definitely, you have to take the book with a pinch of salt, but I certainly believe the implication that she's viciously ruthless. It would have been difficult for her to achieve what she has done without being that way.

If she was a man, it's a go-getter and taking control and doing the hard work.

Since she's a woman, she's characterized as a bitch. It's a stupid double standard.

This is very true.

Oh, definitely, but ruthlessness isn't necessarily a bad attribute to have, and I wouldn't confuse it with being a bitch. It's what's made her have longevity and have the opportunity to take control of her career, which, of course, women aren't expected to do.

I wasn't disagreeing with you there....
Iwas just stating that what DavNcc1701E (could he choose a easier nick?lol) said was very true and that's not only referred to Madonna case for me but towards womens in general and in every department of society!

[NoAngel]

Good news, guys! "W.E." didn't score a single Razzie nomination

[denise]

Good news, guys! "W.E." didn't score a single Razzie nomination

Uhhhhh....a sigh of relief.

[Danzo]

Good news, guys! "W.E." didn't score a single Razzie nomination

!!

[atbw13]

Good news, guys! "W.E." didn't score a single Razzie nomination

!!

[jio]

Good news, guys! "W.E." didn't score a single Razzie nomination

Oh no... after the British charts, another Madonna-loving institution is ignoring her... what's next? flopping at dance/club play?:o

[NothingFails]

I think "Ray Of Light" should've been the lead single of ROL, with "Frozen" being the follow-up. It would have made it clearer that she had moved on from the ballad-heavy mid-90s Madonna and was ready to move back into the dance world.

No way!!
Frozen was the only first single choice I can think about that album!

Agreed.

ROL was certainly more radio-friendly and poppy, but I think "Frozen" was the perfect way to launch the era. It showed a new side to Madonna that was crucial to re-establish her as a relevant artist in 1998. She gained so many new fans with that album who didn't touch her previous work and I think Frozen single and video definitely helped get a lot of people who previously wrote her off as a dismissible pop starlet decide there was something more to her. I knew rock fans who hate divas who somehow thought Madonna was cool for a few weeks there in 98 over "Frozen", even people who liked NIN and Marilyn Manson liked it.

[atbw13]

Good news, guys! "W.E." didn't score a single Razzie nomination

Oh no... after the British charts, another Madonna-loving institution is ignoring her... what's next? flopping at dance/club play?:o

LOL !

[jio]

Yeah, I had a friend back then who was crazy about Diamanda Galas and really alternative stuff and he was in my home when MTV Europe debuted "Frozen"... He was the first to say "look she's flying" and he actually was more excited about it than me. Same with "Ray Of Light" (both song and album)...

I remember that same guy telling me in response to my excitement over the "Music" single two years later:"Oh look at that video... it's commercial sh*t... and it proves that she was just pretending to have matured during "Ray Of Light"

[atbw13]

Ray of Light (album) and Frozen as the album´s first single were, by far, the most daring things Madonna did in her entire career!
I remember when I saw Frozen´s video (even though I instantly loved it )the first thing I thought was "She must be crazy ,this will be a huge flop!" because it was so the opposite to mainstream and the only thing that came up to my mind was the "Bedtime Story" single!
Some people didn´t even recognise her in the video .
It was very brave of her to release not only Ray of Light but Frozen as the album´s first single !

[jio]

Well, I don't think it was more risky than other first singles she had released. I mean Justify My Love, This Used To Be My Playground and You Must Love Me were all far more risky than "Frozen" as first single releases

[denise]

Well, I don't think it was more risky than other first singles she had released. I mean Justify My Love, This Used To Be My Playground and You Must Love Me were all far more risky than "Frozen" as first single releases

I don't think TUTBMP was a risky choice, it was a beatiful, safe track!!

Agree about JML: I mean call it a risk may sounds reductive in a way...that could rapresent more a suicide for her in that certain period of her career: Madonna is a survive to still survive after that, and I mean the video too and all the rest.......

[jio]

Well, I don't think it was more risky than other first singles she had released. I mean Justify My Love, This Used To Be My Playground and You Must Love Me were all far more risky than "Frozen" as first single releases

I don't think TUTBMP was a risky choice, it was a beatiful, safe track!!

Agree about JML: I mean call it a risk may sounds reductive in a way...that could rapresent more a suicide for her in that certain period of her career: Madonna is a survive to still survive after that, and I mean the video too and all the rest.......

Sure Playground was a beautiful ballad (her best balled IMO) but it was also her first single in one and a half year and absolutely nobody expected her to return back with a depressing song about getting old... Everybody was expecting another "Vogue" lol

[atbw13]

I think it was more daring because it was a come back single and everyone was craving for something new from her, after she gave birth and the whole " Evita " project ! And she was relying only in her "art" , I mean , she took the opposite direction : she made less noise to create more noise !
The concept, the sound, the visuals :they were all new !
Even though Justify My Love was also daring, it was something we could more easily associate to Madonna back then .
I think even the more hardcore fans had to watch/listen Frozen and the album a couple of times before understanding the whole "magic" and brilliantness behind them.

[jio]

I agree about the album. It was definitely a pleasant surprise listening to Madonna using heavy beats, rock guitars and singing in Hindi (or whatever language is in Shanti). It was a total departure for her and, at the same time, it was still Madonna.

I think the magic of that album was that on first listen everyone could find enough songs to like from first listen but also everyone discovered that some songs were growers (not necessarily the same songs for everybody). It was a very diverse album but it was good beginning to end. It's not my favourite album by her but it's definitely the album I admire her the most for.

[atbw13]

I agree about the album. It was definitely a pleasant surprise listening to Madonna using heavy beats, rock guitars and singing in Hindi (or whatever language is in Shanti). It was a total departure for her and, at the same time, it was still Madonna.

I think the magic of that album was that on first listen everyone could find enough songs to like from first listen but also everyone discovered that some songs were growers (not necessarily the same songs for everybody). It was a very diverse album but it was good beginning to end. It's not my favourite album by her but it's definitely the album I admire her the most for.

I totally agree with you and couldn´t have found better words to describe how I feel about ROL : "It's not my favourite album by her but it's definitely the album I admire her the most for"

[pierpinto]

RAY OF LIGHT is a great album, my favourite Madonna album.

At that time i was a such HUGE FAN.

I can't say the same now.

[NoAngel]

Good news, guys! "W.E." didn't score a single Razzie nomination

Oh no... after the British charts, another Madonna-loving institution is ignoring her... what's next? flopping at dance/club play?:o

If that happens, we'll know that she has a problem, because that chart is also known as Madonna chart

[sambo9]

So I finally got round to reading her notorious book of sex, and I must say I'm slightly disappointed. For all of the disgust is unleashed, it's fairly softcore, and she didn't even try to be erotic with the writing. It seemed to be more like an attempt at comedy in my opinion.

[NothingFails]

yea, "Sex" is more humorous than people made it out to be. Its a nice collectable to own but I won't lie and say that in the ten years I've owned a copy, I haven't looked at it more than four or five times and it was to show friends.

[HBIC jamesssxD]

Wouldn't the content be a big deal back when it was released though? Sex is everywhere now so it's not that big a deal now