Madonna

[Artoo]

Also when those demos were released they weren’t that popular. They only grew with love as the final version was released.

Not true at all. Loads of fans were convinced Madonna was back on track after MDNA once they heard Avicii Heart.

[Mpol]

The final version is 4:05 so even she didn’t care for length. What is your point?

Tbh I don’t love 4 Minutes. At all but here we are. It was a hit. I’d again play up the horns through the song. It’s her least memorable lead single.

[Mpol]

Not true at all. Loads of fans were convinced Madonna was back on track after MDNA once they heard Avicii Heart.

Absolutely true. This board and pulse and a few others weren’t claiming that at all. This is based off of my experience of course.

[Artoo]

I know but I swear ,I never really cared.
tbh back in 2015 I think I listened to a small part of his version for RH but didn't pay much attention to it. I did love the final version when the album was released
The only other demos I've listened to are Queen (which I love and sou da like a finished version) and 2 steps behind me.
Through the years,I saw so many different opinions about the demos that whenever I see someone talking about them, I just roll my eyes and think "uh not this again" lol But as you do talk so passionately about "Avicii Heart" I decided to go listen to it on yt

Avicii Heart and Queen are the most polished of the demos, but the rest are absolutely worth a listen - they are demos for the unreleased songs, but they’re more than just basic tracks and include final vocal takes from Madonna (demos leaked for releases tracks, and the vocals stayed the same - just the production changed).

You’re basically missing out on like 14 Madonna songs - that’s an entire album worth. Go enjoy them. My favourites are Score, Never Let You Go, and Freedom (not the 1994 song).

[Artoo]

The final version is 4:05 so even she didn’t care for length. What is your point?

Tbh I don’t love 4 Minutes. At all but here we are. It was a hit. I’d again play up the horns through the song. It’s her least memorable lead single.

Technically it’s 4:04 but I can let that slide, and I thought my point was very obvious - your track listing was horrid. You go from an extended version of 4 Minutes into two unreleased mid tempo tracks, Candy Shop randomly in the middle and move a high energy song like GI2M towards the end. It’s a terrible sequencing.

Say what you want about Hard Candy, but Candy Shop/4 Minutes/GI2M are a perfect triple threat for an album opening. Those three in unison are a statement of intent - 4 Minutes/Across The Sky/Latte are not, and makes the album too Timbaland heavy.

The genius and saving Grace of Hard Candy is that Pharrell’s sound provides a lighter balance to Timbaland’s, and you want to open and close the album with three Timbaland productions with a bunch of Pharrell just randomly thrown into the middle.

It doesn’t work.

[InFamous]

Hard Candy is fine as it is. I haven't listened to it in a while so no idea how it has ages but ten years ago it was a decent album.

[Mpol]

I think they fit thematically quite well but you’re entitled to not agree.
Those two mid tempo tracks are the best thing about that very basic era, sonically speaking. Latte is beautiful. Again my opinion. Don’t be a sassy ****.

Re revised track list:

take off Spanish lessons and Incredible and replace them with Latte and Across the Sky. Essentially that was my main desire.

[Jimshakes]

Luckily Madonna has decent taste a lot of the time and went with the better version of Rebel Heart, that demo is inferior and would not have set any charts alight There's definitely a group of you with questionable taste

[Mpol]

I prefer the final version to the album. Only just.
I also love the final version of wash as it gives it such a different energy. Haunting.

[Artoo]

Hard Candy is fine as it is. I haven't listened to it in a while so no idea how it has ages but ten years ago it was a decent album.

It’s held up actually, doesn’t really sound dated at all - if anything has dated slightly, it’s 4 Minutes.

[Artoo]

Luckily Madonna has decent taste a lot of the time and went with the better version of Rebel Heart, that demo is inferior and would not have set any charts alight There's definitely a group of you with questionable taste

No, Avicii Heart would have been a huge moment for her. It would have made for a great TV performance - I can’t believe I’ll never hear it live in an arena. Yes it’s a demo and yes I expect it needed more polish etc, but it had huge amounts of potential. Honestly, it felt instant like Hung Up.

I don’t really like the album version - it has no life. I also feel like structurally it’s missing something. It needs a bridge or something after the 2nd verse to shake it up, like Hung Up has.

I just think for Madonna would have been a huge statement single. 50+ year old Queen of Pop actually reflecting on her life and career. It would have been a huge moment.

[InFamous]

No, Avicii Heart would have been a huge moment for her. It would have made for a great TV performance - I can’t believe I’ll never hear it live in an arena. Yes it’s a demo and yes I expect it needed more polish etc, but it had huge amounts of potential. Honestly, it felt instant like Hung Up.

I don’t really like the album version - it has no life. I also feel like structurally it’s missing something. It needs a bridge or something after the 2nd verse to shake it up, like Hung Up has.

I just think for Madonna would have been a huge statement single. 50+ year old Queen of Pop actually reflecting on her life and career. It would have been a huge moment.

I agree. The album version is terrible. I remember when I heard it I was like What did they do to the song...

[Zeph]

This song deserves love!

I remember playing it over and over again once I discovered it; just like when I found Broken.

[Mpol]

I prefer the solo version but yes it deserves all the love. Timbaland even mentioned it in interviews before the album was released.

[Zeph]

I prefer the solo version but yes it deserves all the love. Timbaland even mentioned it in interviews before the album was released.

Yes I remember that interview. But he tried to throw people off saying it’s about all different kinds of coffee. Haha

[Artoo]

I was convinced Latte would be on the album (not that I knew what it was called or what it sounded like) because she sung part of it at Live Earth - I was convinced it was a preview from her new album. So I was sort of right

Also, it’s not actually called Latte - the real name is Pala Tute. There were some great leftovers from Hard Candy though - I love The Beat Is So Crazy.

[Artoo]

This song deserves love!

I remember playing it over and over again once I discovered it; just like when I found Broken.

That’s a HORRID version of the song.

Enjoy.

[tee]

I think pretty much everyone can agree that Across The Sky And Latte should have replaced Spanish Lessons and Incredible. Hard Candy would have been a solid 10/10 in that case.

[Mpol]

No it would have been a solid 7. It’s stills let down but half arsed production in my opinion.

that version, Meme is great thanks for posting.

[jio]

"Across The Sky" and somehow the demo version of "Beat Goes On" (perhaps as a bonus") should have been included but that would still leave "Hard Candy" as Madonna's worst album to that date...

[BodyShop]

I hate that song "Latte" ugh

[KEY9481]

It’s held up actually, doesn’t really sound dated at all - if anything has dated slightly, it’s 4 Minutes.

Exactly. Far from her worst.

[Forreal]

I m not getting the fuss around “Latte “ : it’s an average mediocre track to say the least

[Artoo]

I m not getting the fuss around “Latte “ : it’s an average mediocre track to say the least

I love how melodic it is.

[madfan13]

No, Avicii Heart would have been a huge moment for her. It would have made for a great TV performance - I can’t believe I’ll never hear it live in an arena. Yes it’s a demo and yes I expect it needed more polish etc, but it had huge amounts of potential. Honestly, it felt instant like Hung Up.

I don’t really like the album version - it has no life. I also feel like structurally it’s missing something. It needs a bridge or something after the 2nd verse to shake it up, like Hung Up has.

I just think for Madonna would have been a huge statement single. 50+ year old Queen of Pop actually reflecting on her life and career. It would have been a huge moment.

I hear ya but imo “Avicii Heart” sounds like exactly that, an Avicii song, not a Madonna song at all. In fact all of the Avicii demos give me those vibes. So I totally understand why she didn’t release those versions in the end. I have nothing against “Rebel Heart”... I love acoustic M, and she seems to like going that way too. It’s a nice closing for the album too.