Is Music better than Ray of Light - Madonner

[rik]

She’s problematic and called her son the n word tbh hhhh but uh I love these two eras so much and I won’t deny their genius 

which do you prefer? ✨✨🌺🌺🌸🌸Honestly I feel like music is still relying on similar production to the William orbit sounds and cold strings Madonna used in ray or light? However it’s casual by comparison and less spiritual? 
 

Demo wise- music has the better demos (this one was recorded prior to the soundtrack for the next best thing) 😜✨✨

@I Always Sing Live what do u think of the demo? It’s eerie but I prefer the final result

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🤔this video itself is so perfect with the disrupters imagery and the child at the end actually is lordes or whatever 🌺🌸🌸🌸🌺🌹🌹x

✨🌸🌺🌹🌹🌸🌸🌸🌸I feel like don’t tell me, the lead off music actually was iconic though. Like I read a comment about how some person has a memory of them going on a school trip to Paris and hearing a guy sing this the whole time on the way to Rome. I was like omg wow so he ruined it? It makes me think like damn this was probably also just as known around the world

Anyway any recommendations from music or ray of light 💚💚🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺✨✨✨✨ is music even actually “country” cuz I enjoy half the album and even then, I don’t really feel a country feel to it? It seems to just be the imagery: does anyone know the significance of this?

PS: I’m starting to prefer the casualness of music over ray of light idek why!!!!

 

[Brat]

They are two different genres, I like both. 

was never a fan of Dont Tell Me tho 

Amazing should have been a single 

[rik]

6 minutes ago, Brat said:

They are two different genres, I like both. 

was never a fan of Dont Tell Me tho 

Amazing should have been a single 

Omg you don’t like don’t tell me!? The end of it alone is so eerie enough for me that I feel high off of it 

is music actually country at all? There’s. Whole half of both albums that I ignore tbh

[Brat]

1 minute ago, Rik said:

Omg you don’t like don’t tell me!? The end of it alone is so eerie enough for me that I feel high off of it 

is music actually country at all? There’s. Whole half of both albums that I ignore tbh

I don’t like the broken record guitar riff and I think the melody is boring

 

its not country at all to me,  ray of light has an ethereal trance vibe and music is more electronic 

I like music just not the guitar ballads 

I can listen to the whole ray of light album,  it’s good on vinyl 

[I Always Sing Live]

Music is lich rally her best album. As for Substitute For Love, I vastly prefer the released version. Honestly, having Time Stood Still on Music would've been life-changing. I know they wanted people to check out the soundtrack, but why make some cover a single and bonus track instead of an original song that's also one of her best ballads.

[I Always Sing Live]

Some people say the aesthetic was essentially a critique/parody of country music, essentially subverting your typical image of a badass white man, but I don't know. That might just be other people projecting their interpretations onto her and the era because she didn't even come up with the concept apparently:

Quote

The country was a constant theme throughout the design, as the album's title, which was a logo that simulated a buckle, showing the silhouette of a cowboy while riding a horse and a yellow background; the bright colors give a sharp contrast compared to the photograph.^[24] Photo sessions were conducted by Jean Baptiste Mondino, who had worked previously with the singer on photoshoots and music videos.^[25] According to Fouz-Hernández, the artwork is "a complete celebration to the field" western United States.^[26] He also added that it was "distintcly "camp", and notably Madonna's "combination of Western clothing with expensive shoes and bright red high heels". He pointed out that there was "a clear evocation of Judy Garland – a major gay icon – in the artwork".^[27] The art direction and design for the album were done by Kevin Reagan.^[28]

The pictures were shot in Los Angeles, California, in April 2000. In an interview with CNN's Style with Elsa Klensch, Mondino said that he was the one who had the idea of the western themes for the album, and also stated: "[Madonna] wasn't sure at first, but I told her that if she didn't like it I won't charge her. But she loved the final result!".^[29] Madonna also decided to use her new country style during her public appearances for Music's promotion; including jeans, shirts and cowboy hats.^[30] On her next tour in 2001, Madonna included a segment based entirely on this ambient.^[31] Meanwhile, Fouz-Hernández explained that "in this appearance Madonna may be parodying and criticizing Country, which symbolizes among other things, the supremacy of the white man, the ambition of the European pioneers and the American Dream. However, we do not realize that while recognizing the importance that the country has in American popular culture, and joins a long list of artists who have done this previously.^[32] Despite this, the cowgirl image of Madonna has become one of her most recognized reinventions.^[33][34]

Who knows, to be honest.

[rik]

12 minutes ago, Brat said:

I don’t like the broken record guitar riff and I think the melody is boring

 

its not country at all to me,  ray of light has an ethereal trance vibe and music is more electronic 

I like music just not the guitar ballads 

I can listen to the whole ray of light album,  it’s good on vinyl 

Oh not ray of light! I meant is the music era and acoustic ballads are kindaFolksy Electronica ? I guess I’m just trying to understand the significance  of the imagery she chose for that era. 
 

 

3 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

Music is lich rally her best album. As for Substitute For Love, I vastly prefer the released version. Honestly, having Time Stood Still on Music would've been life-changing. I know they wanted people to check out the soundtrack, but why make some cover a single and bonus track instead of an original song that's also one of her best ballads.

I am starting to agree honestly. I bought this for my friend and now kinda wish I got music for myself however I have the 45s of the ray of light and Music era songs that I like the most so I guess that’s a wjn

i so agree that they should’ve put it on the Music track list instead of her movie which bobbed because apparently (according to the writers and directors) Madonna micro managed so much of the film to make the character basically like her (from kabala and all) that they couldn’t make the script any better jdjdjdjdj)

[rik]

3 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

Despite this, the cowgirl image of Madonna has become one of her most recognized reinventions.^[33][34]

It really has. I wish Madonna could come back to this period idk 

 

[Fall2Pieces]

Theyre both great albums, but I definitely prefer Music. 

[Spicechinodiva]

Amazing was actually planned to be a single. 

 

But Madonna wanted the more universal acclaimed very edgy Impressive instant as a single..

 

But warner knew radio wouldn't embrace the track cos of its non commercial appeal.

 

Amazing was added to the set list of drowned world tour. 

 

Word got to Madonna warner planned on shooting a live performance of Amazing, Madonna gave the **** you to Warner and dropped the song from the set list this cancelled the 4th single cos this time Madonna wasn't going to get her way. 

 

Cos every time she did the single flopped. 

 

Human nature 

Bedtime story

You see the pattern 

 

Warner wanted Don't stop to be the follow up to take a bow, but relented and released human nature where Madonna scolded the public for how they treated her during the s** book and Erotica era.

 

Love tried to welcome me, well that became Bedtime story a track radio wouldn't embrace as well except Europe m 

[I Always Sing Live]

I wonder what tracks she's including on the reissues, though. Cyber-Raga had better be on Music. I hope Supernatural is on the reissue of Like a Prayer. It's such a random but amazing track:

It's literally about having s** with a ghost, but the instrumental goes so hard. It was a b-side of Cherish, but then it was made available on streaming 2 years ago as a part of the anniversary edition of Like a Prayer. However, this edition features alternate versions instead of some of the originals, plus it doesn't even have all the tracks - Promise to Try and Act of Contrition are missing for some reason. Like, the anniversary edition has less tracks than the original album. Let that sink in.  In the end, I just made a playlist that features the original album alongside Supernatural because it's too freakin' good.

 

There's also History from the Confessions era:

It's a b-side of Jump, plus it's available on streaming as well. Sadly, this track does nothing for me.

 

I also wonder if including Spotlight on the reissue of True Blue is a possibility:

It's a True Blue reject that was repurposed for the You Can Dance remix/compilation, and it's the only new song on it. True Blue has enough cheesy b-sides, so I understand why she scrapped it, to be honest.

[I Always Sing Live]

OH, AND INTO THE GROOVE HAS TO BE ON THE LIKE A VIRGIN REISSUE! It used to be on the album on European Spotify, but I don't think that's the case anymore. It was track #6 on an international reissue of the album and fit so well. Anyways, @Rik, you must listen to Supernatural because it's amazing. Not everyone's faves can write a bop about having ghost s-x and even being impregnated by one. @Spicechinodiva, any guesses for which album is getting the reissue treatment first? Do you think she's going in order?

[Spicechinodiva]

Chronological order.

 

Her debut single turns 40 in October and it's considered one of the best dance songs. 

 

With the catchy hook

 

Dance and sing, get up and do your thing..

 

Plus her debut album has 5 out of the 8 tracks self written by Madonna herself..

 

Lucky star, Burning up, I know it, Think of Me and everybody.  

 

It's still considered the template of modern dance pop and an album that represents the clubs back then..

 

She was the first to take what she heard in Danceteria and two other clubs where dance, hip hop and R&B played til 4 AM..

 

And she stayed there and actually worked at the clubs with Debi Mazar, Sade (R&B chanteuse), Beastie boys and Part of Andy Warhol's circle before she hit it big..

 

When she did, Andy told her boyfriend Jean-Basquit to actually shut up and understand her artform is more accessible than painting.  

 

That first album should be first as many stated it's her best album as it really proved Madonna being a pop star was an accident waiting to happen as she was only signed for two dance 12" singles and just an album was only thought of later after she turned to be huge on the dance floor where her Music sounds best. 

 

She was a dance floor queen, but became the queen of pop and the one that's viewed as this is the one where all female pop stars should follow the guidelines she made..

 

Play by the rules initially but when you become accepted and admired, test everybody's limits of what is acceptable in their life and what's allowed to be questioned which Madonna did on her 4th album Like a prayer broke the rules and made her own..

 

Creating the ultimate blueprint for females with a rebellious nature at heart

Madonna is a rebel but with a cause. 

[I Always Sing Live]

4 minutes ago, Spicechinodiva said:

Chronological order.

Her debut single turns 40 in October and it's considered one of the best dance songs. 

 

I listened to it the other day, and it has held up so well. Does the Self-Titled era have any rare tracks, though? I haven't heard of any, and none of the singles have unique b-sides.

[I Always Sing Live]

Bedtime Stories reject that slaps and should've been on the album:

The vocals and production sound exactly like the OG album, so I don't think they even changed anything when repurposing it for Remixed & Revisited. And I hope to God she releases the original version of I'm So Cool when reissuing American Life:

The version on Celebration is admittedly good, but I still prefer this one.

[Jacolicious]

Every time I listen to "Music" is sounds just as new and fresh as the first time I heard it as a kid. It's arguably my favorite song of all time. "What It Feels Like For A Girl" is probably my favorite ballad by her, too, and I love that she sang it in Spanish for the Drowned World Tour 2001. Her record label wanted "Amazing" to be the fourth single, but she thought it was too similar to "Beautiful Stranger", which is why she cut it from the tour's setlist. I love both, but I think her label had more say in Music, which is why it doesn't feel as cohesive as Ray of Light, the "better" album. Music has the stronger singles. Without question, both albums are in my top 20 (yes, I ranked 250+ albums during the quarantine lol).

 

 

[I Always Sing Live]

New article (link):

Quote

The Hung Up singer went on a night out with Kanye West in Los Angeles this week and has asked him to collaborate with her again, after deciding she wants to make an R&B album.

A party-goer said: “Madonna and Kanye talked about collaborating again and she expressed interest in exploring R&B again, after doing the same with BabyFace on her 1994 album Bedtime Stories.”

@Spicechinodiva, @Rik, @JayTawndreLovesYou, interesting...

[I Always Sing Live]

[Spicechinodiva]

1 hour ago, I Always Sing Live said:

I listened to it the other day, and it has held up so well. Does the Self-Titled era have any rare tracks, though? I haven't heard of any, and none of the singles have unique b-sides.

Was another self written but a deal between Madonna and Stephen bray meant she couldn't use it. So last minute track was added and it's the one that is deemed her first major hit "Holiday" 

 

It was included on a 1985 album attack of the killer b's, and b side to papa don't preach. but as you hear In terms of production and her voice it's definitely self titled era. 

 

Back then I can see not many people recording music especially for a debut album. But with true blue there begins the whole do we keep this or give it awsy..

 

With true blue a lot of the tracks went to the late nick Kamen.  Love won't wait from Bedtime stories went to take that's Gary Barlow and was a huge hit..

 

Hers leaked as well. 

 

So unlike most, she definitely gave her throwaways to other artists and they did become huge hits. 

 

One track like a flower became a huge hit for Laura pausini in an Italian recording.  

 

[JayTawndre]

17 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

New article (link):

@Spicechinodiva, @Rik, @JayTawndreLovesYou, interesting...

Is this real? I knew she was going a more urban route. I'm ready