Madonna's new album is scheduled to be out in March even though we have already listened to 6 tracks she released (and some others that were illegally leaked). Based on what i've heard from those legally released songs, '
Rebel Heart' seems to be the best album Madonna has released in years (ever since '
Confessions on a Dance Floor' in 2005) so i've decided to make a little tour through her discography and put my favourite songs from each album. Because even though she might have records that are a little
meh, there's always a good song there.
I'm starting from the beginning, from her very first album to her newest one, so get ready for a quick reminder why Madonna is the Queen of Pop and she still is.
Madonna (1982)
This is a little jewel, what a debut album. Not only it has the super fun 'Holiday', but also one of my fave songs still to date, 'Lucky Star', as well as 'Burning Up', 'Borderline', 'Physical Attraction', 'Everybody'... no wonder why she became such an instant hit. Below i'm posting 'Burning Up' because i don't think it's as well known as 'Lucky Star' or 'Holiday' and i love it just the same:
Like a Virgin (1984)
Now this curiously contains some fan favourites like (obviously) 'Like a Virgin' and 'Material Girl', songs that i really don't like. I mean, they are ok but i've listened to them so many times i got bored. But it contains the super fun and catchy 'Dress You Up' that i'm posting below because compared to her debut album, this one is a little weak in my opinion, but only because the first one was too good.
True Blue (1986)
Now this is another fully decent album (not that 'Like a Virgin' was not, but not quite). It has another fan favourite that i don't like, 'La isla bonita', but also some amazing tunes like 'True Blue' (obvs), as well as one of Madonna's best ballads 'Live to Tell', 'Where's The Party' and the fantastic 'Open Your Heart'. But for me, the one that really stands out is 'Papa Don't Preach', because "Italians do it better" and Danny Aiello appears in the vid, here it is below:
Like a Prayer (1989)
Another really good album here, i had this on tape! Not only it has the song that gives the album its title (so iconic, one of my Madonna all time favorites and i never, ever, get tired of it) but also other hits like 'Express Yourself', 'Keep it Together' or the super good feeling song 'Cherish'. It is also one the first albums that Madonna went personal with songs like 'Oh Father' or 'Promise to Try' but i have to post 'Like a Prayer' because it's simply one of her greatest songs:
Erotica (1992)
I had to beg my mom to buy me this album (she didn't like the title or its cover), but she finally did. And it has a new sound, we're not in the 80s anymore and Madonna embraced that. It also had some of Madonna's most provocative and controversial songs like 'Erotica', 'Fever' or 'Where Life Begins' but also some really great material like 'Rain', 'Deeper and Deeper' or 'Bye Bye Baby'. As it's not an album that stands out among my faves from her, i'm posting 'Bye Bye Baby' from The Girlie Tour because the performance it's awesome and it has Madonna's dancers Niki and Donna and i miss them a lot:
Bedtime Stories (1994)
Now this is one of my fave Madonna albums and the first cd i ever bought from her. And it was so worthy. It contains another fan favorite that i don't like much, 'Take a Bow', but songs like 'Secret', 'Human Nature', 'Sanctuary' or 'Bedtime Story' make up for it. This last one that gives the album its title has to be my fave from it (even though i like listening to both 'Sanctuary' followed by this one because the mix between the two is perfect). 'Bedtime Story' was written by Björk no less and the result is more than amazing, it's something else:
Ray Of Light (1998)
And things keep getting better. Praised by absolutely everyone, this is probably Madonna's best album ever, blame William Orbit for it. It created a new sound for Madonna and it's one of the most mature albums from her, as well as really personal. Madonna grew up here, she became a mother and maturity comes with songs like 'Drowned World/Substitute for Love', 'Frozen' or 'The Power of Goodbye' (those violins...), 'Nothing Really Matters', 'Swim', 'Skin', 'Candy Perfume Girl'... this album is perfection. Even 'Shanti/Ashangti' is good. As hard as it is to pick one, i'm posting 'Drowned World/Substitute for Love' because i don't think this awesome song has as much credit as it should.
Music (2000)
It was difficult to keep up with the awesomity of 'Ray of Light' so this next album was... ok. It was a shame that she didn't continue in the same direction but well. I liked songs like 'Don't Tell Me', 'Impressive Instant', 'Runaway Lover' or 'Music', which i didn't dig that much, but the one i liked best was the album version of 'What It Feels Like for a Girl' (such a shame they remixed it for the vid), the lyrics and the sweet sound were really special:
American Life (2003)
Now this is something weird. I didn't like this album when it came out. I really didn't. It told me nothing. But when i listened to it a year later i thought it was so, so good. Such a weird thing that happened to me. Anyway, songs like 'Nothing Fails, 'Love Profusion', 'Mother and Father', 'Die Another Day' or the uber great 'Hollywood' made one of the best albums since 'Ray of Light'. 'Hollywood' below because the song it's amazing and i shouldn't be explaining this to you:
Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005)
Another great album here. I loved how in the record, you play the album as it was a DJ session, with no stop between songs, and that's fantastic. 'Hung Up' (iconic already being one of the best selling singles by a female artist), 'Get Together', 'Jump', 'Isaac', there's practically no bad song here. And the first one that really struck in my head, that remains my favorite since day 1 is 'Get Together' so here you have it:
Hard Candy (2008)
Now this album was... ok. Not bad but nothing groundbreaking. The 'Sticky & Sweet' tour was the first ever Madonna concert i went to, so i can't complain. It had nice songs like '4 Minutes', 'Give it 2 Me', 'She's Not Me', 'Devil Wouldn't Recognise You' or my favourite, 'Miles Away' posted below.
MDNA (2012)
Don't get me wrong, this album wasn't bad, it really isn't, but the first single 'Give Me All Your Luvin' was a joke. Having Nicki Minaj and especially M.I.A. she could have done something so much better than this catchy but silly pop song. Anyway, i liked 'Girl Gone Wild', 'Beautiful Killer' or 'Addicted' A LOT, but the rest was quite forgettable. So 'Addicted' for you below because i had so much fun dancing to it in the MDNA World Tour:
BonusI couldn't forget about two songs that were included on some recopilatory albums like 'The Immaculate Collection' and 'Something to Remember' as both are some of my ultimate fave Madonna songs. The first one is 'Justify My Love', so iconic and with Lenny Kravitz's background vocals that sound dead sexy, and the video... the video is really an erotic dream, loves it:
And my other favorite one is Massive Attack's collaboration with Madonna with the cover 'I Want You', it couldn't be more perfect or sound more heartbreaking.
