I just wondered what direction people think Madonna should take after the relative failure of the Hard Candy era. I have been a huge madge fan since the beginning but i definitely think she messed up with this one and will have to come back with some stunning music to get back some respect and admiration.

 

I think the main thing she needs to do is make sure her next image is believable. I have gone along with all her image changes up until Hard Candy, understood them and got what she was trying to do but in my opinion Hard Candy didnt work because it simply didnt make sense. Going from dance diva to urban act didnt work, the styling was all wrong (the album artwork appalling), and some of the music the worst she has recorded (Incredible - being far from it). She was trying too hard to be sexy. I think Madonna has always been about sex but i wouldnt say she has always been considered "sexy". Now i dont want to ageist but a 50 year old dressing in a bra and knickers, and singing "my sugar is raw" was just not going to work. It made her look desperate and old and therefore far from sexy. Whereas for Madonna i would say her sex appeal came from her confidence, power, style and imagery. The provocative nature of madonnas work never seemed forced until now.

 

For me Madonna needs to and deliver an album about love and loss that people can relate to and has a much more natural sound (eg Like A Prayer). Nothing forced about it. I would also try to avoid an album thats all urban or all dance and just go for a more varied feel. Better producers (imagine how good a song like Miles Away might have sounded if produced by William Orbit) and better co-songwriters. Finally i think she needs to put some clothes on and have some fun - there was absolutely no humour in Hard Candy a true pop classic would see her back in public affection.

 

In terms of a tour - i think she needs to suck it up and fully embrace her back catalogue too. She wont get away with people paying £160 a ticket to hear the new stuff on the next tour. She needs some support to get the crowd going and then really just say we are here to have fun so mix things up and sing Holiday, True Blue, Express Yourself, Material Girl, Dress You Up, etc... alongside the known songs of the present! And dont redo them in a fashion that makes them unlistenable, just strap on a feather boa, pink cowboy hat, get a band on and have a singalong - we dont need all the pyrotechnics!

 

Anyway - what do other people think (and yes i know she will probably just carry on in her underwear and try to be young till shes 70!)

 

Nigel

 

I'm not sure what direction she will take but after every knock she gets she comes back with something that blows the fans away.

Welcome nigles here on the forum

 

I agree with what you wrote. Now that she changes record company (from Warner to Live Nation) I do think she will change a lot but in what direction I have no idea. That was always fascinating in Madge that always could surprise the fans and the world with some new, innovative sound. This urban sound Hard Candy) was not really her and I'm pretty sure she will not continue in this way.

 

Lets hope something big will come out :cheer:

Some interesting comments, which I agree with. The hard candy era has certainly been disappointing and not one of Madonna's high points in her career. I hope she goes back to more of a dance sound like confessions.

I hope Madonna goes cutting edge HARDCORE DANCE mixed with her faith and a hard twist, i.e. fast, hard, crashing DANCE electric guitars, trance & banging house. Music that can be transfered to the live stage. I would love it if the Prodigy would co-produce the next album or someone who could create come kickass tunes. Bring back William Orbit, Steven Bray & Patrick leonard. I'm disapointed that Timbaland couldn't come up with a decent harder sound. Justify my love and Ray of light are damn good records they should have cashed in on this type of sound mixed with urban. I've been a fan for years and I'm sure there will be a great album to come out of her divorce & moving back to the states. Madonna should back up her music with a unique ground breaking music video (something well sick) and a classic album cover. Madonna can deliver the whole package. I hope Madonna doesn't continue with that soft and passive sound. Madonna go back to the basics! Does Madonna listen to her fans? Give us the real deal Crowd Pleasing Music an ANTHEM, up your game. Madonna can reinvent herself give us a new sound to shock the music buying public.

Edited December 3, 200816 yr by thtr

I 100% agree with that excellent post.

 

I usually respect Madonna for not conforming, and for filling a gap in the market which is just what she didn't do with Hard Candy, she jumped on the Timbaland bandwagon that was two years old by the time Hard Candy was released, and the album had 4 decent songs (she was clever enough to release 3 of them as singles). It was truly an awful album.

 

I don't agree that's the first era which seemed forced and try-hard, I saw American Life as her trying too hard to glean some credibility and not quite pulling it off, whereas with Ray Of Light she did perfectly, but this was a complete bandwagon jump and I agree, at her age she can't pull off that urban, hip look and on the cover she looked like someone had got her from a shop window in Amsterdam. It's a shame as with Confessions she truly delivered and it was really impressive.

 

I guess next it's a new label and a new start, hopefully she has learned from Hard Candy and will prove her doubters wrong once again.

She doesn't have to prove anything does she? She's the f*u*c*k*i*n*g Queen of Pop for God's sake! But I quite agree with the post. Whilst she's established herself as a pop superstar that can do whatever she wants regarding the direction she wants to take with her music, I deem extremely important for her to release music that pleases the fans!

 

Confessions was a hell of an album, a true rendition to her most loyal fans but that also had impact in the public in general. She needs to release music that can have the same sort of impact. It doesn't necesarily have to be dance like the Confessions era, it can also be a pop album with enjoyable catchy tracks that appeal not only to fans but everyone who's interested in music.

I 100% agree with that excellent post.

 

I usually respect Madonna for not conforming, and for filling a gap in the market which is just what she didn't do with Hard Candy, she jumped on the Timbaland bandwagon that was two years old by the time Hard Candy was released, and the album had 4 decent songs (she was clever enough to release 3 of them as singles). It was truly an awful album.

 

I don't agree that's the first era which seemed forced and try-hard, I saw American Life as her trying too hard to glean some credibility and not quite pulling it off, whereas with Ray Of Light she did perfectly, but this was a complete bandwagon jump and I agree, at her age she can't pull off that urban, hip look and on the cover she looked like someone had got her from a shop window in Amsterdam. It's a shame as with Confessions she truly delivered and it was really impressive.

 

I guess next it's a new label and a new start, hopefully she has learned from Hard Candy and will prove her doubters wrong once again.

 

I absolutely can't stand 4 minutes - its too timbaland and just not Madonna at ll. But I agree with you that miles away & give it 2 me are both good singles.

I think that Madonna is only allowed one masterpiece every decade. The 80's was Like A Prayer, the 90's was Ray Of Light and the 00's was Confessions On A Dance Floor so I understand that Hard Candy was rotten and past it's cell by date. The only way is up though with the next album, she couldn't hit a new low even if she tried

I think that Madonna is only allowed one masterpiece every decade.

I hope it's not true :o

I hope it's not true :o

 

Whilst all Madonna albums are sucesses apart from maybe "American Life" only 1 album each deacade is classed a classic. The 80's gave us "Madonna: The First Album", "Like A Virgin", "True Blue" and "Like A Prayer". The debut album is pretty much forgotten, Like A Virgin had a small in pact and "True Blue" was good. However in 1989 "Like A Prayer" got tons more parise, was more successful and is home to some of most contriversal stuff from that decade. The 90's gave us "Erotica" which was ground breaking but not a good seller in the charts and "Bedtime Stories" is very much a forgoten classic. But when "Ray Of Light" was released it brought back her almost dead carrer after the urban sound of the previous albums. And in the 00's she released "Music" which is a fairly good album from her, "American Life" was a disaster and in 2005 released Confessions On A Dance Floor which once again saved her career. No album after that (Hard Candy) has been successful as Confessions and hasn't had a good responce at all

Well, I think she's just going to be great with her next release. Her albums are always great, no matter what! :D

I don't agree at all with what these posts are saying. I love 4 minutes and most of the album. the only weak songs are incredible and voices...that's it.

 

I think she worked well with Timberland and Pharrel, no wonder why 4 mins was her biggest hit in the US since Vogue!

In the UK it spent 4 weeks at no:1, again biggest since True blue era.

I think the reason why the album Hard Candy didn't do so well was due to a lack of promotion she did. I still think 3.5million albums sold is better than most this year, I think it beats coldplay and mariah's album sales.

Madonna worked her arse off for confessions in 2005 with promoting it EVERYWHERE, with Hardy Candy she only did the mini promo tour and radio appearances...that's it. Confessions had Parkinson interview, interview show with Dermot on CH4, Children in need, bloody promo work in Japan, France, u name it, everywhere!

 

I reckon the idea of having the song out on downloads first, before a physical release is also a big issue, although it did wonders for 4 mins, it cost give it to me a chance to be no:1 because everyone had already bought the album and the song was made available to download like 7 weeks in advance. If you add the sales of give it to me to the week it was out on physical, it would be no:1.

Miles Away lost out because its her first single not to have a video (again lack of promotion).

The tour didn't help because it was technically doomed from day one (do arena tours love....not stadiums).

Oh, her world tour did sell out so don't know why you think the setlist should only have the classics, a good mixture is the best from my point of view.

 

I've been to the last 3 world tours and have to say that sticky and sweet tour is my least favourite Madonna tour, however, its better than any other tour this year.

This is just my point of view and I truly believe that Madonna never disappoints, the only thing I disliked this year was the lack of promotion (add in the appaling artwork for HC).

I don't agree at all with what these posts are saying. I love 4 minutes and most of the album. the only weak songs are incredible and voices...that's it.

 

I think she worked well with Timberland and Pharrel, no wonder why 4 mins was her biggest hit in the US since Vogue!

In the UK it spent 4 weeks at no:1, again biggest since True blue era.

I think the reason why the album Hard Candy didn't do so well was due to a lack of promotion she did. I still think 3.5million albums sold is better than most this year, I think it beats coldplay and mariah's album sales.

I don't think she beats Coldpaly tbh. Viva La Vida sold more than 1 million in the UK and almsot 2 million in the US, so overall sales must be higher than HC.

 

I reckon the idea of having the song out on downloads first, before a physical release is also a big issue, although it did wonders for 4 mins, it cost give it to me a chance to be no:1 because everyone had already bought the album and the song was made available to download like 7 weeks in advance. If you add the sales of give it to me to the week it was out on physical, it would be no:1.

Miles Away lost out because its her first single not to have a video (again lack of promotion).

I agree with 4 Minutes and Miles Away but not entirely with Give It 2 Me. You can do maths with the sales but if it would have been released phsically and digitally in the same week you can't say it would have been the same sales. You never know this.

 

I think too that Hard Candy is a good album, I like it. In fact Icnredible is one of my faves for me :lol:

It still won't be a classic Madonna album though imo.

I hope Madonna goes cutting edge HARDCORE DANCE mixed with her faith and a hard twist, i.e. fast, hard, crashing DANCE electric guitars, trance & banging house. Music that can be transfered to the live stage. I would love it if the Prodigy would co-produce the next album or someone who could create come kickass tunes. Bring back William Orbit, Steven Bray & Patrick leonard. I'm disapointed that Timbaland couldn't come up with a decent harder sound. Justify my love and Ray of light are damn good records they should have cashed in on this type of sound mixed with urban. I've been a fan for years and I'm sure there will be a great album to come out of her divorce & moving back to the states. Madonna should back up her music with a unique ground breaking music video (something well sick) and a classic album cover. Madonna can deliver the whole package. I hope Madonna doesn't continue with that soft and passive sound. Madonna go back to the basics! Does Madonna listen to her fans? Give us the real deal Crowd Pleasing Music an ANTHEM, up your game. Madonna can reinvent herself give us a new sound to shock the music buying public.

 

Just to clarify I'm not saying HARD CANDY wasn't great, as I have been a Madonna fan for years. However I will buy anything madonna releases because I'm a FAN. But come on I thought Madonna & co could have come up with something unique.

Also Madonna has more than one decent album per decade, i.e Music & Confessions, anyway trace her history for her success.

Last point can't wait to hear new stuff from Madonna something kickass, hopefully cutting edge as everyone tags this phrase to her name.

Edited December 30, 200816 yr by thtr

i like Hard Candy

Has anybody got any news on whats Madonna doing at the moment, is she recording any new music. I hope so weve waited a year for some new songs. come on the Madge.

I think her record company warners, will release a greatest hits package sometime later this year.

Has anybody got any news on whats Madonna doing at the moment, is she recording any new music. I hope so weve waited a year for some new songs. come on the Madge.

She extended her Sticky and Sweet tour.

 

She comes to Budapest, Hungary in August. I already have the tickets :dance: