03 // Skin // Ray of Light // 223pts.

 

 

If I had my way, this would have been number one over the two remaining tracks. The lyrics aren't so important - although I've read an interesting theory claiming this is about drugs which fits the more I think about it - it's more about how the song sounds. To me that's what makes Ray of Light so good: it's William Orbit's production at its best. You have that throbbing club beat overlapped by dreamy electronic sounds and Madonna's melancholy voice. Lush.

 

Stay tuned for 10pm (when Eastenders finishes!) for the winner - either a Hard Candy or MDNA album track will come out on top...

She's Not Me is GREAT FUN, but her FOURTH BEST ALBUM TRACK EVER? LOL NO

 

This

Yeah 'She's Not Me' is FAB but a tab too high here imo. 'Skin' is absolutely incredible though. One of her real highlights to glad to see it top 3.

 

The 'Hard Candy' track to win (if I've got the right one) :cheer:

Skin is INCREDIBLE. The last minute is sonic perfection.

Drum roll please!

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02 // Gang Bang // MDNA // 270pts.

 

 

I don't think anyone can deny that this, along with 'Masterpiece', was the main standout from MDNA. Madonna teamed up with Ray of Light-producer William Orbit for 'Gang Bang', who included a series of gunshots, car sounds and sonic beeps over a dubstep breakdown and a beat as aggressive as the song's lyrics. It's the perfect revenge anthem; I particularly love it when Madonna gets really crazy and starts screaming "drive bitch!". It's by no means her second best album track but I have no problem it being in her Top 10.

 

01 // Devil Wouldn't Recognise You // Hard Candy // 273pts.

 

 

Here it is, the track voted as Madonna's #1 album track: 'Devil Wouldn't Recognise You'. This was the first to be recorded by Madonna and Justin for Hard Candy, although it had been written several years before recording began. I can see the vast appeal of this song. It's got a lovely piano melody which would probably sound great without the electronic sounds on top of it and there's plenty of standout lyrics. Just a shame its on an album that has some of Madonna's weakest material as I feel that spoils the song when you're listening to it as part of the whole album. Is it really Madonna's best album track? No, but it does have all the ingredients of a good Madonna track and the results are great.

 

So there we have it! Thanks ever so much to those who voted and who have commented throughout. The results probably didn't pan out how most would have wanted but I hope you've enjoyed re-visiting and re-appreciating the ones you do like! Merry Christmas to you all and here's to a big year for the Madonna AF!!

Devil is a much better winner than GANG BANG. Insane.

 

Also, the lack of love for WORDS is frankly appalling.

My prediction was right

I actually love the top 3

Two amazing ones.

 

'Devil Wouldn't Recognise You' was my #1 so I'm naturally ecstatic that it won. It betters A LOT of her singles and is a shining moment post-Confessions. Brilliant stuff :wub:

Very good top 3 actually! I wouldn't consider 'Devil' anywhere near her best album track, but it's definitely the best non-single from Hard Candy (or pretty much the only good one).

 

'Skin' is lush. :wub:

 

'Gang Bang' is by far and away the best thing from the MDNA era, utterly bonkers and utterly brilliant.

How many rebel heart tracks will feature next year ?

How many rebel heart tracks will feature next year ?

2015's results:

 

1. Devil Wouldn't Recognise You

2. Devil Pray

...

 

B-)

I think 'Ghosttown' will definitely be in my Top 40 this time next year!

Gang Bang is utterly dellighful, so batty and unhinged :heart: Devil is easily one of the best songs she has ever recorded.

It's a shame more people didn't vote but it was a heavy going one. I love Madonna but she's had a lot of weak album tracks. She's definitely a singles artist rather than an albums artist. I always particularly hated I Love New York it should have been so much better. It was obviously going to be skewed with only 12 peoples votes and always to Ray Of Light onwards due to the age of voters. But brilliant commentary and I will listen to songs I've previously ignored.

It's a shame more people didn't vote but it was a heavy going one. I love Madonna but she's had a lot of weak album tracks. She's definitely a singles artist rather than an albums artist. I always particularly hated I Love New York it should have been so much better. It was obviously going to be skewed with only 12 peoples votes and always to Ray Of Light onwards due to the age of voters. But brilliant commentary and I will listen to songs I've previously ignored.

With such a large amount of music in her back catalogue, it's probably inevitable for there to be a fair few weak tracks, but I do think she's had more really good than bad. I think generally her singles have always been better but the likes of Ray of Light and Confessions on a Dance Floor are among the best albums of all time for me.

 

It is a shame more didn't get involved so that we could get a more reflective countdown, but ranking Madonna songs is a pretty big ask for anyone! :P Thanks for you comment and I hope you discover some more gems in Madonna's discography!

The full list of songs voted:

1. 273 Devil Wouldn't Recognise You
2. 270 Gang Bang
3. 223 Skin
4. 218 She's Not Me
5. 206 Sky Fits Heaven
6. 203 Beat Goes On (ft. Kanye West)
7. 197 Let It Will Be
8. 195 Impressive Instant
9. 194 Till Death Do Us Part
10. 165 Isaac
11. 153 Gone
12. 150 Heartbeat
13. 150 Nobody's Perfect
14. 140 I Love New York
15. 137 Future Lovers
16. 135 Forbidden Love (Confessions)
17. 133 Nobody Knows Me
18. 132 Easy Ride
19. 129 Paradise (Not for Me)
20. 128 How High
21. 126 I'm Addicted
22. 125 Push
23. 123 I Don't Give A (ft. Nicki Minaj)
24. 113 Spanish Eyes
25. 112 Candy Shop
26. 111 Over and Over
27. 109 Candy Perfume Girl
28. 108 I Know It
29. 106 Like It or Not
30. 103 Thief of Hearts
31. 95 Love Spent
32. 95 Where's the Party?
33. 92 Intervention
34. 88 Promise to Try
35. 87 Beautiful Killer
36. 85 X-Static Process
37. 84 White Heat
38. 84 I'm So Stupid
39. 81 Mother and Father
40. 80 Forbidden Love (Bedtime)
41. 78 It's So Cool
42. 68 Survival
43. 66 Physical Attraction
44. 66 Stay
45. 65 Love Tried to Welcome Me
46. 65 Swim
47. 64 Dance 2night
48. 62 Some Girls
49. 61 Falling Free
50. 60 Something to Remember
51. 58 To Have and Not to Hold
52. 56 I f***ed Up
53. 54 Runaway Lover
54. 52 Amazing
55. 52 I Deserve It
56. 52 I Want You
57. 48 Best Friend
58. 46 I'm Going Bananas
59. 39 Superstar
60. 39 Words
61. 38 Now I'm Following You (Part 2) (with Warren Beatty)
62. 38 I'm a Sinner
63. 36 Voices
64. 34 Little Star
65. 33 B-Day Song (ft. M.I.A)
66. 31 Mer Girl
67. 31 He's a Man
68. 30 Spanish Lesson
69. 30 I'd Rather Be Your Love (ft. Meshell Ndegeocello)
70. 29 Can't Stop
71. 27 Fighting Spirit
72. 26 Ring My Bell
73. 25 Love Makes the World Go Round
74. 25 Rainbow High
75. 23 Act of Contrition
76. 23 Where Life Begins
77. 22 Jimmy Jimmy
78. 21 Pretender
79. 21 Think of Me
80. 18 Sanctuary
81. 10 Why's It So Hard?
82. 7 Waiting
83. 6 In This Life
84. 1 Lament (ft. Antonio Banderas)

So wait, I was the ONLY PERSON to vote for Words?

 

JESUS WEPT at the NADIR of her career B-DAY SONG getting 33 points too. At least you all had the good sense to keep Incredible on SWEET FA where is belongs.

So wait, I was the ONLY PERSON to vote for Words?

 

JESUS WEPT at the NADIR of her career B-DAY SONG getting 33 points too. At least you all had the good sense to keep Incredible on SWEET FA where is belongs.

As long as my compiling was on point, yeah! I'm slowly but surely liking more of Erotica and 'Words' is included in that, although it's still not one I'd rank in my Top 40.

 

I may or may not have had some sort of input in the appearance of that particular MDNA track. :whistle:

I still don't really understand the very lukewarm reaction to Erotica on here. It may take a bit of time to grow, but it really is one of her best albums and only really hampered by a less than stellar final 1/3, which is as much down to the tradition at that time of making sure to fill as close to all 80 minutes of a CD as anything else.

I've had a quick re-listen to the album and there's 9 tracks I like, which corresponds with your comment of 1/3 of the album not being as good. But even out of that there's only 'Rain', 'Bad Girl' and 'In This Life' that I'd really listen to out of choice. It could be the lack of standout hits and hooks which stops the album from grabbing my attention (I have a similar problem with Bedtime Stories although there's a couple more tracks that I'd go back to than there is on Erotica) or the lack of personal connection I have with it. I'm not sure, but I can definitely appreciate the album for its message and the decision to create a less conventional sound etc.