962 Madonna - Like A Virgin (1984)

 962 Madonna - Like A Virgin (1984)

Studio album - Pop



About the Act:

Madonna is the most successful solo female artist ever. She whiffled around in bands for a while before emerging as a pop singer in the early 80s. She had a couple of hits in America (where she is from) before "Holiday" which was a hit world-wide. She is still active. Over the many years of her career she has gone through constant re-invention of her image. She is particularly known for being somewhat controversial, particularly with her songs about sex, but also touching on relationships and religion. She is also known for having a high level of control in her own career and direction, she writes many of her own songs. She is also involved in film, as an actor and director, and in business ventures.


About the Album:

This was Madonna's second studio album, and really, her breakthrough to mega-stardom. It was produced by Nile Rodgers of Chic. It is one of the best selling albums of all time, selling over 21 million copies. 


My History with this Album:

None, except, well I have heard the singles that came off the album, which feels like about half of the album. And I know the song "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", of course.


Review:

In case anybody reading this has never heard Madonna's early hits, you know, maybe you have been born three weeks ago and have developed a miraculous ability to read, or maybe you have been part of a strange cult that never listens to the radio, or possibly have been afflicted by a very specific amnesia, or you could be from outer space. Anyway, in case you are in one of those categories, I'll describe the music. It's kind of synth-based pop - upbeat and undemanding. OK, that was pointless, because if you are in one of those elite categories, that description won't help you. You'll just have to listen to it.

The songs that were singles seem to me to be better songs. This may be because I am more familiar with them, but more likely, this was why they were chosen as singles. My favourite is "Material Girl" which I think is quite a nice, mature, pop song, nicely harking back to "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" by Marilyn Monroe. "Like a Virgin" is OK, but a bit annoying. The others, I think are mildly less appealing, and the non-single album tracks are not that interesting either. I was kind of hoping to be able to wallow in 80s nostalgia, after all, you know, Madonna. But it turns out she got better than this in later albums, in my opinion.

So there is it, mostly pop of little consequence with one good song. Not enough to rescue this experience from being a bit "Meh".


5/10


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2IU9ftOgyRL2caQGWK1jjX

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF0AhMBAen_tXS9qb8jYpz5DWXIj7FqNK

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_a_Virgin_(album)



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