Madonna

[ReubenWalton]

I think there's been issues with the vocal production of her albums since "Hard Candy" and it only went worse with years as "Madame X" is a nice album with terrible vocals / vocal production.

And yes, it's truth. There were big issues with her music videos since the "American Life" and throughout the 2000s decade.

"Music" was the last era of her career that was done in the old-school Madonna fashion. Even if the era was cut-short in the end still all the 3 singles (plus "American Pie") got high caliber music videos with either artistic, stunning or extremely well executed visuals. All accompanied with a great ambitious album, promo and tour. It was a shame what happened with "Impressive Instant" but everything that was released received good treatment and effort.

American Life's lead single original music video was pulled down and we got a horrible mess in it's place, fortunately it was followed by a great music video like "Hollywood" but then "Nothing Fails" didn't even receive a music video and the "Love Profusion" music video was not on par with her usual high standard.

"Confessions" got two amazing music videos (yes, I'm one of the few people who LOVE the "Sorry" music video) but the other two music videos were half-assed and not really exciting.

"Hard Candy" was a big mess, only 1 good treated music video.

----

Ironically enough she actually improved her music videos with her last 3 albums. MDNA's first two music videos were decent and only TUTR was a mess, I feel like she tried and put an effort in every music video she did for "Rebel Heart" and "Madame X" (even if I don't like a couple of them).

What happened with Impressive Instant?

[beredy]

What happened with Impressive Instant?

Madonna wanted II as the 4th single, but Warner decided to go with Amazing. They planned on using recordings of live performances of the song from the tour (Drowned World Tour) to make a video, so Madonna scrapped the song from the setlist to spite them and make it impossible for them to make a video featuring her. The album never got another single because of M and Warner feuding.

[jio]

To be fair. "Amazing" was a terrible choice as a single (because it sounds exactly like "Beautiful Stranger"). "Impressive Instant" was the song to go with, it would have easily become a respectable 4th hit single from the album (in my opinion it should have actually been the third but nevermind).

[Angeman]

Impressive Instant is one of my top 10 Madonna songs, but honestly it needed an actual music video. If she was just going to release the live performance to promote it then it wasnt even worth it.

[MrLeonix]

“Impressive Instant” would have been a great epic 4th single.

I think her label was just scared. After that heavily electronic remix for “What It Feels Like For A Girl” kinda underperforming her label was probably skeptical about releasing another heavily dance-electronica song / music video and thought a more pop-sounding conventional song like “Amazing” was the best way to go.

Of course Madonna was not having it, they ended ip feuding and in consequence “Music” was cut short without an official 4th single.

[beredy]

Impressive Instant is one of my top 10 Madonna songs, but honestly it needed an actual music video. If she was just going to release the live performance to promote it then it wasnt even worth it.

If she was allowed to go with II she would probably film a video as this was all before the tour. Once Madonna said no to Amazing, Warner planned to use the live performance video, so when she found out about that she scrapped Amazing from the setlist in the tour planning stage.

I love II and think it's a better song than Amazing, but I honestly think Amazing would work out better as a single. II is a bit cold and doesn't have an "easy" chorus and I don't see radios jumping for it. While Amazing did remind of Beautiful Stranger, it's a much catchier earworm of a song.

I'd still prefer Runaway Lover or Gone to both of those as a single.

[jio]

"Gone" could work as the last single but it would be a second ballad in a row (as far as I remember, radio was playing the album version of WIFLFAG). "Runaway Lover" is a terrible song, one of Madoona's worst songs ever (well until 2009 that is).

The fourth singles from albums were never doing that well and were strictly for fanbases anyway so she should have gone with something experimental, "Impressive Instant" was the way to go and if not that, then "Paradise". Anything else would just be business as usual.

[MrLeonix]

"Gone" could work as the last single but it would be a second ballad in a row (as far as I remember, radio was playing the album version of WIFLFAG). "Runaway Lover" is a terrible song, one of Madoona's worst songs ever (well until 2009 that is).

The fourth singles from albums were never doing that well and were strictly for fanbases anyway so she should have gone with something experimental, "Impressive Instant" was the way to go and if not that, then "Paradise". Anything else would just be business as usual.

Yeah, I mean I like “Runaway Lover” but it’s easily the worst / weakest song on the album.

”Gone” would’ve been cool but not following WIFLFAG.

Maybe singles could’ve been this way:

1. Music
2. Don’t Tell Me
3. What It Feels Like For A Girl (album version for the music video too)
4. Impressive Instant
5. Gone

[beredy]

"Runaway Lover" is a terrible song, one of Madoona's worst songs ever (well until 2009 that is).

[cheapthrills]

I never knew that about Impressive Instant - I always thought it actually was released as a single considering the amount of interest in it.

[jio]

It was only a club release

[TonyPepperoni]

Let's be honest. By the year 2000 no 4th single from a Madonna album was going to be a hit. Yes, What It Feels Like was another top 10 in the UK, but honestly anything outside of the UK top 5 for Madonna was a "fan only" purchase, if you know what I mean. The music industry by that point had seriously changed. Even Britney Spears, the biggest female artist of the year really only had 3 aggressively promoted singles from Oops... and then the 4th single was just left on it's own. The industry had moved past the MTV model of year long campaigns for their superstars. By 2001 no Madonna album had really had 4 legitimate hits since Like A Prayer (and in the US that is debatable depending on what your standards for a "hit" are during her imperial phase).

But that's all chart stuff, and this isn't the chart section.

As for Warner Brothers, I say by 2001 Madonna had really cemented herself as being the most noncommercial of commercial artists. And it really brought her a lot of respect. So if she didn't really have anything to lose (being the 4th single and all) Warner really should've just released Impressive Instant and that's that.

[Mpol]

The live version of Impressive Instant, video or not, is incredible. The energy. Galactic

[Angeman]

Music is my favorite Madonna album so Id gladly take any song as a single. Although I love Runaway Lover. The run from Music through Runaway Lover is so good and fun. I Deserve It is by far my least favorite on Music. It and Nobodys Perfect ruin the flow because of how long and monotonous they are. Again, I like them, but they drag on.

[Sebastian]

I may be on the minority but I don't really like Impressive Instant Along with Nobody's Perfect, they are the tracks that I always skip while listening to Music. I used to dislike Paradise (Not for Me) as well but now it's grown on me.

[Angeman]

I may be on the minority but I don't really like Impressive Instant Along with Nobody's Perfect, they are the tracks that I always skip while listening to Music. I used to dislike Paradise (Not for Me) as well but now it's grown on me.

Im guessing you dont like MX then? You seem to dislike Mirwais. Lol

[madfan13]

Let's be honest. By the year 2000 no 4th single from a Madonna album was going to be a hit. Yes, What It Feels Like was another top 10 in the UK, but honestly anything outside of the UK top 5 for Madonna was a "fan only" purchase, if you know what I mean. The music industry by that point had seriously changed. Even Britney Spears, the biggest female artist of the year really only had 3 aggressively promoted singles from Oops... and then the 4th single was just left on it's own. The industry had moved past the MTV model of year long campaigns for their superstars. By 2001 no Madonna album had really had 4 legitimate hits since Like A Prayer (and in the US that is debatable depending on what your standards for a "hit" are during her imperial phase).

But that's all chart stuff, and this isn't the chart section.

As for Warner Brothers, I say by 2001 Madonna had really cemented herself as being the most noncommercial of commercial artists. And it really brought her a lot of respect. So if she didn't really have anything to lose (being the 4th single and all) Warner really should've just released Impressive Instant and that's that.

Madonna “the most noncommercial of commercial artists”? Weird thing to say, but I think I get it? You mean she was taking more artistic risks in spite of the (negative) commercial outcomes?

[Angeman]

I think youre over thinking tonys post. He didnt say anything untrue or that diminished Ms success.

[madfan13]

I think youre over thinking tonys post. He didnt say anything untrue or that diminished Ms success.

You’re probably right. I edited the post, as I think I misread stuff. I wrote my reply right after waking up. Probably not a good idea before having my morning coffee lol

[upushme]

I would have preferred I Deserve It as fourth single. And with a nice country-style video.

[upushme]

Material Girl behind the scenes

[Angeman]

I would have preferred I Deserve It as fourth single. And with a nice country-style video.

Ew. Everyone would have fallen asleep. Gone would have been better.

[Sebastian]

Im guessing you dont like MX then? You seem to dislike Mirwais. Lol

I do like Mirwais and Madame X. But when I became a Madonna fan some years ago I remember people here praising Impressive Instant and then I heard it and I was like... ok, not my cup of tea

I wonder why M left out of Music songs like Arioso and the ABBA cover, they are amazing.

[beredy]

I wonder why M left out of Music songs like Arioso and the ABBA cover, they are amazing.

Because neither of those would fit on Music. They sound like an awkward step between ROL and Music, but more on the ROL sonic side.

[RayRay]

Because neither of those would fit on Music. They sound like an awkward step between ROL and Music, but more on the ROL sonic side.

Left over songs would always be nice as b-sides.