I am not sure I completely agree. Although I can see that Madonna hugely benefited from MTV, if it had not existed then I think her fame would have just manifested itself in a different way. MTV benefited studio based acts who could also produce something visual to go with their songs, however Madonna could also perform live. Had MTV not existed I think her live career could have sustained her.
No, not sacrilege and no need to feel that way. I prefer Hard Candy to both Confessions and Ray Of Light. Not a popular opinion, but there you go!!
I’m a big fan of Hard Candy. I bought the US deluxe edition of the album which comes in a large box with lots of wrapped ‘candy’ pieces beneath the disc tray. I never ate any of it. I probably won’t try now! Have to say the artwork is dreadful though. I wonder if that’s what put people off it?
I think 4 Minutes while being a smash hit was a big deterring factor for Hard Candy. Sure Madonna had already teamed up with Britney but it was on Britney's album and it was in a sort of cross generation duet with the old guard embracing the new. With 4 Minutes it felt like a last ditch effort to get an airplay hit given US radio refused to touch Hung Up with Madonna basically being a guest on her own song and album. It relied way too much on Justin who'd just come off a massive era
I have that same edition, with candies still sealed in the box (and hopefully not rotting). Artwork-wise, it is probably her worst album cover ever, and reeks of desperation along with just an ugly pose and a ten-year-old's Photoshop background. The pose isn't even bad because of the open-legs stance - she's certainly had more provocative shots - it just looks like an outtake from the session or at best an inner booklet shot.
That said, I didn’t care for the Confessions sleeve either. It looked like a cheap compilation LP from the 70’s. One of those where it’s not the original artists singing.
All her previous album covers had shown a level of artistic intent and direction, whether through high-quality photography, thematic concept, graphic treatment, or some combination of all of the above (although I always found the Bedtime Stories cover pretty ugly). They never came across as so tacky or bluntly executed, with visuals so unrelated to the album content. How does Madonna dressed up as a boxer, posed like a dominatrix, superimposed on a hot pink neon gel effect, and a name like Hard Candy form a cohesive theme that matches the music? It was just supremely disappointing. But again, the album has great content.
I'm kind of with you on that, but at least it had a theme and some thought put into how it represented the album.
Oh, I loved the Bedtime Stories artwork. I bought the LP just to get the gatefold sleeve. It was probably the last new record I picked up.
Yes & no. Madonna was lucky enough to have songs that played very well on the radio. Before I ever saw her in a video it was her songs ("Holiday" & "Borderline") that got my attention. I think that often the actual quality of her songs is discounted because their visual representations had as much importance as their audio quality. Madonna would have still happened, but she would have happened at a much slower momentum without MTV. Sure, she's a captivating performer, but without a visual being broadcasted into virtually every living room via MTV during her trajectory word of Madonna would have spread much slower. Great songs, yea, but without a doubt it was her video interpretations of those songs & her visual esthetic that handed her the torch so soon in the race to 80s diva finish line & beyond. Without her audio being coupled equally with her visual she may not be so far ahead today. Then again, neither would say, Cyndi Lauper or Whitney Houston, who both, as with everyone else, benefitted from the extra packaging provided by MTV & the music video.
I think we are in general agreement here. I think her fame would have taken a different form without MTV, but I think she would have still been successful. It's interesting to consider what her career would have been like if she had emerged in 1972 rather than 1982.
I believe we are. I think the concept of Madonna best represents the phenomenon of the coupling of audio/video more than it actually represents Madonna herself. Before Madonna there was Donna Summer & Summer at her peak went as far as she could have without the advent of music television. Madonna had great music paralleled with a great visual, providing an additional & profound layer of exposure.
I agree with you. I think the notion that Madonna was a creature of the music video era who wouldn't have prospered in an earlier period is 100% wrong - and it ignores history. For one, musical performances were on TV for decades before MTV existed. Plenty of similar artists benefited from TV exposure - Elvis! Beatles! So there's no reason to believe Madonna wouldn't have been able to capitalize on those shows. Also, the songs were good! It's not like Madonna made crap singles that became popular solely due to clever videos...
Madge tunes were definitely helped by videos just like every other music group of the time. Her music more than videos just had a beat that appealed to listeners.
Like a Virgin Madge memories 1984-1985. Spinning this album now. Nile Rodgers awesome production made this album a charm.
Hard to say. Madonna could perform live, sure, but for as big as she was in the 80's, when she made her bones, she only toured twice in that entire decade. It is possible she would have toured more had MTV not existed, though. No one is saying Madonna wouldn't have made it without MTV or that she didn't have good songs, just that she benefited greatly from MTV, which I honestly cannot believe anyone would dispute. Yes, musical performances were on TV before MTV, but there was never a 24-hour music television station prior to MTV. That kind of constant visual promotion was huge for smart artists like Madonna who always knew how to use it to her advantage.
I'd say Madonna and MTV had a symbiotic relationship that benefited them both greatly. MTV needed outsized artists who were telegenic and could provide content in the form of visual spectaculars that helped justify the reason the channel existed in the first place. Madonna (and other artists) gained huge exposure that they could leverage to craft and build their desired image in a favorable environment. While Madonna may very well have had a hugely successful career even without MTV, I don't doubt that it likely wouldn't have been as stratospheric - and nor would Michael's, Cyndi's, Whitney's, etc., either.
Holiday made it to #16 US despite the video being unusable on MTV. Did not know it existed until YouTube, and that isn't bad given the MTV age was in full swing by late 83/early 84 and she went top 20 without a video. But I think the visibility once MTV started playing her really pushed her to another level
Madonna toured an appropriate amount in the 80s. I realize 2 tours doesn't sound like much, but she also toured as soon as we hit the 90s, so that's 3 tours from 1985-90. With no MTV, she might've toured a little earlier - clubs during her early days - but I don't think she would've done that many more shows... No, I don't argue MTV didn't help. I was just claiming that all else being equal, Madonna likely would've been a star anyway...
Not that I would consider The Sun to be the most reliable source of information, I think this is interesting. If true this is good news and something I predicted a while ago: Madonna quits record label after a decade to return to Warner Records
