What happened here? 

 

This album was considered a return to form for Madonna by many critics after 15 years of inconsistent albums and quality.

 

She covered all the right territory — Worked with experimental producers again, had both bops and reflective ballads, adopted a new reinvention persona.

 

Why didn’t the album land with the general public…or even the fanbase…quite like one would have thought for an album that seems to encompass everything that makes Madonna ‘Madonna’?

her ruined image

Not releasing Faz Gostoso with an amazing video + her eyepatch

 

I guess we’re still “waiting for Anitta……..”

She tried to make the album super experimental and innovative, but in the process forgot to make it enjoyable. 

Eurovision , the eye patch

Bad music, over-processed vocals.

i know, there's a few artists who made a very similar album this year and get praised.

 

it's the image, but there's obviously been something playing behind the scenes to sabotage whatever she's doing. everything she does gets taken out of context to turn it into something negative. just look at her movie.. hasn't even started filming and there seems to be effort to try and sabotage it

Edited April 24, 20224 yr by wanderlust

Litterally everything except Dark Ballet (the song and NOT the video) All the music videos sucked. The music was ok but ruined with robot effects on her voice. the eye patch the Martha graham stories ugh its all so boring. Also the butt made things awkward that were not before. So many bad decisions i prefer to ignore this time period and rediscover the classics

Edited April 24, 20224 yr by MadonnasBoyfriend

The processed vocals were honestly terrible and I say this as a Madge stan. It’s been this way since she left Warner but for me, it was tolerable on MDNA and Rebel Heart.

 

That being said, I’m not sure better vocals would have saved the campaign. She might have a “Believe” moment one day (I certainly hope so), but her time as a hit maker has been over for a while and I don’t think any music or marketing strategy will change that. 

Too much autotune

Bad single choices (Faz Gostoso robbed)

Eurovision truly ruined it imo. This + the lack of promo in general. Especially after her Billboard performance being so talked-about (it was very good and brought something new, which is exactly what people want from her.)

She should have had the same promo schedule she had for Rebel Heart, it was absolutely amazing and a return to her glorious days (performances all over Europe and at least a dozen in the US.)

 

It's an era I appreciate though. The album is good, whatever people say. I'd just delete ***** I'm Loca, that is so bad and so below her level…

The music videos and the tour were breathtaking.

The music is horrific. Her worst album EVER. 

The vocals are hideous and it seems like she’s not even trying to sing in some songs. But I love “***** I’m Loca”. I feel like she tried to make the album seem like this grad piece of art when it wasn’t. And there were too many features (for me). Didn’t Rebel Heart only have like 3 out of 19 tracks?

It's her 17th album  I don't think anyone expected it to smash. It still commercially did better than Celine / Mariah's last albums so 

 

 

I mean, she made videos for it but she didn't actually release singles - Medellin was only released in Italy (where it's certified Gold) She could have easily snatched a hit with Faz Gostoso as well. 

 

IMO it didn't "go wrong" - in terms of reception it was a mixed bag and that's about it. Some fans think it's one of her greatest, some think it's one of her worst. Totally normal reactions to a Madge album ala Erotica/AL.

 

 

Edited April 24, 20224 yr by Jjang

Yeah it went wrong. Bad music.

Do yall rly think she can be successful in music again?
She has the biggest longevity, but she has been consistently underperforming since she released in the 2010s

ain't no way Madame X, the return to form that critics agree on, is going to push her back up

ageism is too strong and she has lost her touch with the GP (or they got tired of her idk)

 

she is mostly coming back with a remix or collab

now stream Madame X, her best album since the 00s!

It’s horrible.

The music.

The image.

The concept.

The marketing. 

The performances. 

Even before Eurovision, Medellin as single  Like why would you release that having I Rise, Future or Faz Gostoso.

Ambitious but poorly-executed concept. And that disastrous performance at the Eurovision in Tel Aviv.

Does anyone here think that God Control or I Don't Search I Find as a first single would have completely changed the trajectory of the album? Those two tracks seem to be the obvious standouts as the best upbeat tracks. 

horrible album

Because she didn't pick Extreme Occident as the lead single. 

Idk, I found the era to be fun aside from the Eurovision performance and Faz Gostoso being robbed it's not like it was destined to be a COADF sized hit era

Edited April 24, 20224 yr by bestfiction

Everything 

 

The bad music

The annoying image and behavior 

The eurovision performance