base talk 25 years later, is Madonna "Ray of Light" era still the best female reinvention ever?

[spree]

I lived right thru it, and I can attest to saying absolutely yes.  It was quite shocking.  And it wasn't just Madonna fans who were paying attention, it was fans of ALL genres.  My college roommates were Pantera stans and they dug it, and I had other friends who were into Punk music and they enjoyed it, too.  So it really brought together a huge influx of people, both gay and str8.  I wonder what the free streams would've looked like back then? 

[slw84]

1 hour ago, UseYourIllusion2002 said:

Yes, but I'm inclined to say True Blue/Who's That Girl to Like a Prayer was an even bigger reinvention. Despite Papa Don't Preach being somewhat controversial, her 1987 era has to be her safest yet. I love the music, but it was definitely family-friendly. Especially songs like Who's That Girl, True Blue, Live to Tell, La Isla Bonita, The Look of Love, etc. Hell, Can't Stop is more childish than most Olivia Rodrigo songs. Her image was also very safe aside from maybe the Open Your Heart music video. But then Like a Prayer came and the safe music was gone except for Cherish. The album was extremely personal and had songs about her mother's death, her father, siblings, abusive divorce, etc. The Like a Prayer music video was extremely controversial and the Express Yourself music video was a complete 180 from her previous videos. Madonna went from being seen as another teeny-bopper singer to a grown woman. Just look at her image.  Notice how each new era ushered a "new Madonna"

. 

True blue era was a huge reinvention because she went from dance pop dollie to a woman with a controversial point of view. Like a virgin was taboo controversy but True blue era really went to different levels.

I wouldn't give Like a prayer as much although a gospel tinged pop song with that visual does make a strong argument too but beyond the lead the other singles just kept with the strong fierce blonde ambition idea.

 

I'd say reinvention rankings:

Ray of light > True blue > Evita (if you count it)> Like a Prayer > Music > Bedtime stories >  Confessions> Like a virgin> American Life> Erotica > Hard Candy > MDNA> the rest of the her 2010s albums

[HardBambi]

3 hours ago, Raptus said:

No, Taylor going from pop (1989) to goth-punk (Reputation) is. Album about female rage >>>>> the one about prasing motherhood (woman being a mother? groundbreaking...)

 

 

As successful as Taylor is this is laughable because even Taylor herself knows that Ray of light is God

[slw84]

Just now, spree said:

I lived right thru it, and I can attest to saying absolutely yes.  It was quite shocking.  And it wasn't just Madonna fans who were paying attention, it was fans of ALL genres.  My college roommates were Pantera stans and they dug it, and I had other friends who were into Punk music and they enjoyed it, too.  So it really brought together a huge influx of people, both gay and str8.  I wonder what the free streams would've looked like back then? 

Yes, Ray of light was the first era where she didn't really use a gimmick or controversy to market the era.

 

She became a mother and gained new perspective in life and showed an artistic stride without being brashy and controversial. With that, the focus was on the art and her revealing her inner thoughts.

 

My grandmother bought Ray of light.

My mother who never liked Madonna gave her props for the songs.

People who didn't purpose pop albums gave it praise and some had Ray of light as either their first Madonna album or first pop album.

 

[HardBambi]

To think that this glorious album came soon after Vogue, Erotica, Take a bow and Evita is mind blowing! How could the same artist do that! 

[slw84]

2 minutes ago, HardBambi said:

As successful as Taylor is this is laughable because even Taylor herself knows that Ray of light is God

I think that poster was trolling because apparently there's some rumor or maybe truth about Taylor comparing Reputation to goth punk and so I think the poster was being shady with their remark tbh.

[Mitsouko]

No. Yogadonna Kabbalahdonna is the least cooldonna and least fundonna. The “giving birth-renouncing past-feigning enlightenment” pipeline is so expected and unexciting. The LAV-to-True Blue reinvention was much better and more important for both Madonna and the culture at large. JML Eroticadonna hasn’t been matched in controversy and media coverage. Bedtimedonna proved she could tone it down and still serve one of the most solid albums of her career. Confessionsdonna proved she hadn’t lost her club genius. Whereas Earthmotherdonna simply came and went and she quickly went back to being a trollsome milf.

[narid]

3 hours ago, Raptus said:

No, Taylor going from pop (1989) to goth-punk (Reputation) is. Album about female rage >>>>> the one about prasing motherhood (woman being a mother? groundbreaking...)

 

 

There’s nothing “goth-punk” about Reputation. 

 

And if all you can take from Ray of Light is motherhood, then you definitely don’t get the album. 

[Chris]

I can listen to this album all day.

 

[Strawberry Bubble]

I mean, I can't think of any other better reinvention. It was her re peak, after some years of underperformance, and it feels fresh to this day. 

Edited December 17, 2023 by Sebastián Muñoz

[Mordecai]

The worst thing about this album is that I've never heard anything else like it - I love ethereal sounding music. Such a beautiful album, one of my all time favourites

[She-Rah]

6 hours ago, alexrex said:

I was like 4 yo when this album came out. In retrospective (From what I've read and seen about it now) , I would say that was a pivotal point in Madonna's career to transform into a more centered and focused artist. And that she would be inspired to take her creativity to another level, like other artists have done in the past. 

 

I think ROL is an amazing record (In my opinion it's her best). It's grounded, experimental, focused and solid. The lyrics are deep and honest. The production is well executed and forward thinking.  But I don't understand why she screw everything she achieved with it to go and chase the pop trends that came afterwards. The next albums don't come any close so I don't know what happened to Madonna. What made her headspace change so drastically ?

 

So yeah, it's an important reinvention, but it didn't have a long lasting impact in her own career. 

I think the “Music” album is even better lyrics wise 

[The7thStranger]

It's definitely up there in terms of how she was able to make such a radical shift after a very turbulent couple of years.

 

But I'd still say Tina Turner holds the title with Private Dancer.

[AxelFox]

It's up there for sure! A masterpiece! The 90s were truly a thrilling era for modern music.

[Mystic Boy]

11 hours ago, alexrex said:

I was like 4 yo when this album came out. In retrospective (From what I've read and seen about it now) , I would say that was a pivotal point in Madonna's career to transform into a more centered and focused artist. And that she would be inspired to take her creativity to another level, like other artists have done in the past. 

 

I think ROL is an amazing record (In my opinion it's her best). It's grounded, experimental, focused and solid. The lyrics are deep and honest. The production is well executed and forward thinking.  But I don't understand why she screw everything she achieved with it to go and chase the pop trends that came afterwards. The next albums don't come any close so I don't know what happened to Madonna. What made her headspace change so drastically ?

 

So yeah, it's an important reinvention, but it didn't have a long lasting impact in her own career. 

There's nothing trend chasing on albums like Music,AL and even COADF.

Her first trend chasing era was Hard Candy, a decade after ROL release, so "Mother Earth"  did have a lasting impact on her career.

[She-Rah]

1 hour ago, Mystic Boy said:

There's nothing trend chasing on albums like Music,AL and even COADF.

Her first trend chasing era was Hard Candy, a decade after ROL release, so "Mother Earth"  did have a lasting impact on her career.

American Life is such a perfect album to listen with a bottle of wine and candles. So relaxing even tho it was marketed with such aggressive anti-war imagery. The rest of the album is very mellow and introspective. 

[Mystic Boy]

13 minutes ago, She-Rah said:

American Life is such a perfect album to listen with a bottle of wine and candles. So relaxing even tho it was marketed with such aggressive anti-war imagery. The rest of the album is very mellow and introspective. 

Yes totally! the acoustic electronic music concept pushed at its max with this album,truly an underrated ear Candy

[Gorjesspazze9]

Yes. 100%. The media started using that term just because of her. I can’t think of any other artist that had that label placed on them other than maybe Cher 

[Anthinos]

Yes, and RoL is one of the best songs and music videos of all time. Shanti is underrated! I love this song.

[RIKI232]

a cultural reset indeed 

[Link16]

7 hours ago, The7thStranger said:

It's definitely up there in terms of how she was able to make such a radical shift after a very turbulent couple of years.

 

But I'd still say Tina Turner holds the title with Private Dancer.

Yes, Tina, Madonna ROL, and Cher Believe are the Top 3 

[naval23]

Beautiful post and yes - she really delivered postpartum excellence with this era

 

There's a reason it sold over 7M in Europe alone which is insane even for 1998. 

 

Frozen and Ray of Light are still such masterpieces

[Raptus]

16 hours ago, narid said:

There’s nothing “goth-punk” about Reputation. 

 

And if all you can take from Ray of Light is motherhood, then you definitely don’t get the album. 

I don't think you're intelligent enough to stan Madonna. We, Medonsters, don't claim you, hun

 

[Jjang]

It's certainly one of the best. Janet is up there too.