It’s a madge, madge, madge world | New York Post New York Post Madonna Tom Munro The triple-play cover of her new single. (PR NEWSWIRE) When Madonna takes the stage tonight in Indianapolis at Super Bowl XLVI, the original Material Girl will be delivering what may end up being the most important 12 minutes and 40 seconds of her career. On a stage that has recently showcased U2, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones, she’ll be vying for the one thing that has eluded her over the past decade — relevance. At a time when Lady Gaga, “American Idol” and “Glee” have captured the imagination of the broad pop audience, Madonna’s making the one move few people expected of her. She’s playing it safe. At the age of 53, fitter and sexier than many women decades younger, Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, the best-selling female artist of all time, who’s made a career of enraging traditional old white men the world over, will be playing to a stadium filled with exactly that.

And if she can’t persuade the gridiron crowd, she’s not going to miss a chance to remind the rest of us that she’s here to claw back to her rightful place in the spotlight. Look at the last few weeks — it’s been nothing but an unrelenting onslaught of pure Madonna. “If I’m still just like a virgin, Ricky, then why don’t you come over here and do something about it?” Madonna quipped at the Golden Globes last month after her win for Best Original Song. “I haven’t kissed a girl in a few years — on TV.” It was the opening salvo in a months-long campaign to hype her new movie, “W.E.,” a retro biopic she directed and financed about the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and her 12th studio album, “MDNA,” featuring new material for the first time in four years. The movie arrived in theaters Friday. The record is due March 26.

On Thursday, she unveiled the video for her new single, “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” on “American Idol.” And tomorrow she’s likely to announce tour dates for her next world jaunt, part of the $40 million recording and touring deal she signed with Interscope and Live Nation in December. There’s also her new clothing line (Material Girl), fragrance (Truth or Dare), YouTube channel (Madonna), charity work in Malawi (Raising Malawi) and 24-year-old muscular French boyfriend (Brahim Zaibat). And the biggest commercial she’ll ever make — expected to reach some 100 million viewers — to sell all of these things will air some time in the 8 o’clock hour tonight. With the assistance of rappers M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj, pop duo LMFAO and Cirque du Soleil, she’ll play a set heavy with past hits such as “Vogue” and “Ray of Light.” It’s going to be huge. But don’t expect wardrobe malfunctions or burning crosses — because the NFL is calling most of the shots. “Madonna’s a performance artist, always has been,” says her business partner, Guy Oseary.

“She’s known for being quite detail-oriented, all the way from the sparkles on someone’s shoes to the way someone’s hair looks in the background. She doesn’t miss a beat. It’s not in Madonna’s DNA to be limited. But like everything, she likes a challenge. This is definitely not a Madonna show. It’s the Super Bowl.” Playing on the borderline of propriety is a notoriously Madonna-esque trait. Case in point, her seductive stage crawl in a wedding dress and crucifix at the 1984 MTV Video Awards. But in the post-Janet Jackson era, the NFL has no interest in making any kind of historic statement. It’s clear that every move she makes tonight will have been vetted, despite Oseary’s sarcastic take on the situation. “We decided to go all in the nude,” he jokes. “Everyone. Even management. It’s a deal we all made with the NFL. They’re quite up for that this year.” But when pressed, he says that in truth, the performance will showcase why Madonna deserves to be back on top after being out of the public eye while Gaga and a new generation of stars dominated headlines.

“Gaga’s meteoric rise has helped fuel the return of the original, as Madonna enters a sort of Streisand ‘Yentl’-meets-Cher ‘Believe’ phase,” says Village Voice columnist Michael Musto. “Her Super Bowl appearance might actually move some product.” Gaga, of course, owes a huge debt to Madonna, and has acknowledged it. But the elder diva seemed to slap at her younger rival last month when she called “Born This Way” a “reductive” version of her classic 1989 hit “Express Yourself.” When asked about the catty comment, Oseary drolly replies, “I’ve never heard the word. I’ll have to look it up.” In other words, Madonna knew exactly what would happen when she said that. And it worked, turning into news across the world. “If you’re Madonna, you’ve got to be thrilled . . . to be in a somewhat fictional war with Lady Gaga,” says her brother Christopher Ciccone, who wrote “Life With My Sister Madonna” in 2008.

“It’s kind of funny and probably more of a compliment than anything else.” The same thing happened after her win at the Golden Globes, when Elton John’s partner slammed her after she beat out John for the best song prize. “Madonna winning best original song truly shows how these awards have nothing to do with merit,” David Furnish wrote on his Facebook page. “Her acceptance speech was embarrassing in it’s narcissism. And her criticism of Gaga shows how desperate she really is.” Madonna couldn’t have asked for a better sound bite if she’d paid for it. The public feud lasted about a week. Madonna didn’t respond, and Furnish ultimately wound up wishing her luck. “A feud is when two people are feuding — she’s not feuding with anyone,” Oseary says. “She wasn’t even privy to a lot of the stuff that was going on until I told her. She’s not even thinking about any of that. We don’t bother her with it unless it gets really out of control.” If there is one thing that’s changed in Madonna’s quest for domination, it’s who she listens to. Her newest advisor is so close to the singer that they live together.

Indeed, two weeks ago her 15-year-old consultant, daughter Lourdes, a k a Lola, actually chided her mom before the New York premiere of “W.E.” She told Madonna that a respectable film director wouldn’t wear a corset. Madonna’s reaction? She changed into something more conservative. No surprise there, says Oseary: “I’m afraid to wear certain things around Lola. It’s like she takes literally five seconds to have checked you fully out. She’ll just tell me, ‘That’s not cool’ all the time.” Her counsel extends beyond clothes, too. Producer Martin Solveig, who co-wrote “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” says the iPods of Lola and her two siblings influence their mother’s creative vision. “You’re very sharp with music when you’re at that age, and you say things with no compromise,” Solveig says. So how does a mother of four who has avoided drugs and drink for most of her life wind up naming her album after a non-family-friendly club drug, MDMA, also called ecstasy? “We were having a lot of fun with the initials,” Solveig says. “M.I.A.

said, ‘You should call your album ‘MDNA’ because it would be a good abbreviation and spelling of your name.’ Then we realized that there were actually many different possibilities of understanding for those initials — the most important being the DNA of Madonna. There is of course no intention of making the promotion of drugs. Except for the harmless and pure exciting drugs: like music.” If there’s any controversy generated by the title, there’s little doubt Madonna will embrace it. Movie producer Harvey Weinstein says that’s even one of the themes of “W.E.” Madge apparently identifies with her main character, Wallis Simpson, the twice-divorced American socialite whose marriage to King Edward VIII upended the British monarchy. “Her new movie is autobiographical in spirit,” Weinstein says. “It talks about a hounded person who’s just a good person but it gets all blown out of proportion because she’s playing such a high-stakes game.” Share this: After Madge, maybe Adele, Drake or U2?, Entertainment News & Top Stories - The Straits Times The Straits Times After Madge, maybe Adele, Drake or U2?

Bono (above left with guitarist Adam Clayton).PHOTO: REUTERS Drake.PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Copy anjalir@sph.com.sg Twenty-three years after Madonna’s Girlie tour was banned in Singapore, the Queen of Pop is finally making her way here next month with her latest Rebel Heart tour. While Singapore has had its fair share of A-list acts over the past two decades – from the late Michael Jackson in 1993 to Grammy Award-winner Ed Sheeran last year – there are still big-name singers who have passed up on the city as a tour stop even as tours replace album sales in earnings for most musicians. But what is the likelihood of top stars such as Adele or Drake playing in Singapore on one of their world tours?

The vice-president of MTV and its digital media arm in Asia, Mr Paras Sharma, 44, says: “Singapore has emerged as a popular music and entertainment destination for major concerts and an important stop for international and regional acts visiting Asia.” He adds that having a pop icon such as Madonna perform here “is a significant milestone for the local scene” and it may convince other live acts on world tours that South-east Asia, and Singapore for that matter, is worth the detour. So which artists and bands with record album sales and high grossing concert tours should hurry up and make their way here? This is The Straits Times’ wishlist. 1. U2 Fronted by 55-year-old singer Bono(with guitarist Adam Clayton), the Irish band U2 have held 15 concert tours since their first in 1979, but not a single one has made it to South-east Asia. There were rumours that their 1997/1998PopMart tour would play a date at the National Stadium, but the show did not happen. Their most recent tour, the Innocence+ Experience Tour, took them to 76 countries in North America and Europe.

With a whopping 22Grammys under their belt, U2are consistently rated one of the world’s best live acts. The worldwide U2 360° Tour, which ran from 2009 to 2011, is also the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, ahead of The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour. 2. Drake After rolling out hits last year such as the meme-worthy Hotline Bling, the mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late and the collaboration with rapper Future, What A TimeTo Be Alive, Toronto native Drake, 29, is one of the hottest singers of the moment. While he has no tour dates lined up for this year yet, his widely anticipated album, Views From The 6, is rumoured to be dropping this month. If so, a tour could possibly be in the works and he should certainly stop by Singapore because his fans in Asia deserve some attention too. YOLO(You Only Live Once), Drake. 3. Paul McCartney At 73, the Liverpudlian is still touring extensively.

Paul McCartney’s last solo tour last year, the Out There tour, had a 91-date run, longer than the tours of most stars half his age. It included 12 dates in Japan and South Korea. The Beatles never performed in Singapore and a chance to see one of the two surviving Fab Four members in the flesh would no doubt thrill fans here. So Macca, as McCartney is known to his fans, should venture past his frequent concert stops to Japan and meet fans in South-east Asia and Singapore while he is still going strong because who knows how much more juice he has in him for international tours? 4. Adele When Grammy Award-winner Adele recently announced that she would go on a tour of Europe and North America, beginning in the United Kingdom, next month, tickets for her first live concert tour in five years sold out within minutes of going on sale last month. Fans cannot seem to get enough of the 27-year-old chanteuse, whose latest album 25, sold a record-breaking 5.2 million units in the United States alone.

The British singer, however, has never taken her concert tours to Japan, the world’s second-largest music industry and the top pick for tour stops in Asia by A-list stars. The likelihood of a Singapore date maybe slim, but one can hold out hope for a chance to say hello to the octave-smashing singer. 5. Radiohead The closest experimental rock icons Radiohead have been to Singapore was when they stopped in Taiwan in 2012 for The King Of Limbs tour. Japan has also played host to the quintet on multiple occasions in the past two decades. While the British band are rumoured to have finished workingon their ninth album, following 2011’sThe King Of Limbs, which could potentially be released this year, there is no word yet on whether the group, fronted by Thom Yorke, will be touring. Still, fans here can hope. 6. Britney Spears Currently holding a residency in Las Vegas until next year, pop princess Britney Spears has only ventured as far as Japan in Asia for her world tours.

And given that the 34-year-old is earning a reported US$475,000 (S$685,000) a show at the Planet Hollywood Resort&Casino, it might be a while before she puts out a new album and does a concert tour again. But when she does, tickets for it will likely sell like hotcakes. Spears,who was part of the 1990s pop wave that included singer Christina Aguilera, remains one of the top-selling female artists of all time. Her Vegas show set list is a hits-filled bonanza with both nostalgic and newer material and if she ever takes the show, Piece Of Me,on a world tour, her fans will likely lap it up. Case in point:The 1990s pop group Backstreet Boys sold out their one-night-only gig in Singapore last year. There is definitely a market for ’90s pop nostalgia here. 7. Jay Z Jay Z’s 2014OnTheRuntour, which had his wife,mega pop star Beyonce as a co-headline, bypassed Asia and Australia. It played 21 dates in North America and two dates in Paris.

While big-name urban or hip-hop acts rarely perform here, Kanye West, Jay Z’s contemporary,and arguably one of the biggest names in hip-hop, has already dropped in twice– once for his Glow In The Dark Tour in2008 and another time in 2010 for SingFest. But Jay Zhas a far larger catalogue of music and he headlined the popular British music festival Glastonbury in 2008, way before West did last year. 8. Guns N’ Roses Members of this American rock ’n’ roll legend will reunite and headline this year’s Coachella music festival in the California desert in April. And if all goes well, the long-awaited reunion of its lead singer Axl Rose and lead guitarist Slash after a two-decade long feud could spell anew money-making tour for the rockers. Should that happen, there might be a glimmer of hope of them coming to town since Slash is familiar with Singapore, having played at Fort Canning in 2010 and the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2011, both times with Alter Bridge’s frontman Myles Kennedy.

While not all five of the band’s original members have been confirmed for Coachella–rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin and drummer Steven Adler are missing from the billing–a chance to see the remaining three members– Slash, Rose and bassist Duff McKagan– play together for the first time since the 1990s would be a treat for any fan. A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 11, 2016, with the headline 'Oh, won’t you please come say hello?'. Print Edition | Subscribe Topics: Whitney, Janet, Mariah, Celine, or Madge? Whitney, Janet, Mariah, Celine, or Madge? Which of these aging pop divas is your favorite? Take my poll! by Anonymous You forgot one. And the rhythm is going to get you for that. by Anonymous Wow you babies today, *sniff*, it brings a tear.

by Anonymous reply 4 07/24/2009 As loathe as I would be to admit it publicly, I have such a soft spot for Whitney, in all her incarnations -- from budding ingenue to supehstah! to over the hill diva to crackhead married to another crackhead. If loving Whitney is wrong, I don't want to be right. by Anonymous None of the above. Is Christina not aged enough? by Anonymous I think Whitney has the best voice of the divas by Anonymous 07/24/2009 Whitney. She's the only one who's a "diva" in the true sense of the word. And I get what r5 is saying. Her metamorphosis resonates because it seems the least calculated: She was this fresh-faced upper middle class black girl with music pedigree straight from catholic school to become a model, then ingenue, then superstar diva, then then crackhead, then has been and now she's trying for a come back. This gay guy somehow identifies and is rooting for her. by Anonymous reply 8 07/24/2009 Christina came after the golden age of divadom r5.

She never attained the level of global stardom and sales the ladies above had at some points in their careers. And Xtina's competition has always been Britney. by Anonymous Whitney has a message for all the other wannabe divas out there. by Anonymous Yes r10. Her crackhead phase was awsome. by Anonymous I love the way she turns away from the mic @ 6:15. She knows she's got it. God I hope she still does. by Anonymous r12, she looks really pretty there by Anonymous Whitney crackhead phase deserves it's own sub-category. by Anonymous Couldn't be bothered to walk across the street to see any of them, for free. by Anonymous reply 15 07/24/2009 Whitney is the only "diva" who ever fascinated me. I get Madge's place in history, but I find her boring at worst and trying too hard at best. Plus, she can't sing. Celine and Mariah had/have great voices, but that is all to them. Janet means nothing to me, although I do remember liking "Again" in high school...

I don't care for pop music normally, but I remember buying the Bodyguard soundtrack hidden between Nirvana and Pavement CDs. Her voice and her persona are both hard to ignore. I hope her comeback is successful. by Anonymous reply 16 07/24/2009 Do I lose my gay card because I don't own anything by any of these women? Not even downloaded for free. No, wait, I have Ray of Light. That's it. by Anonymous This always manages to bring a smile. by Anonymous reply 18 07/24/2009 R8 Most, if not all, of Whitney's early image was calculated to sell records. The sweet innocent girl next door was actually a street smart woman that loved to party and had quite a colorful vocaburlary. She was also rumored to have been VERY butch. And then there have been the questions as to what really made her marry Bobby Brown, and what drove her to becoming a hardcore addict. I love her and glad she's back, but there's A LOT more to Whitney than what's been presented to the public.

by Anonymous reply 19 07/24/2009 Madge decimates them all (as evidenced by the poll results). So you queens who think Whitney or the rest are even close are smoking crack. Next! by Anonymous 07/24/2009 Madonna hands down. And here are the FACTS to back it up: still relevant (don't even start, hit records, concerts, NOT old shit resurfacing, Vuitton ads, on and on, Kanye, Justin) more records/cds sold than any of the others. less scandals the richest of the bunch. TRUE DIVA attitude. "Caresse, someone...give me a fannnn. I can't even think to answer the question it's so hot" vs. "this is MY land!" she said in between crack rocks. by Anonymous reply 21 07/24/2009 "Madge decimates them all (as evidenced by the poll results). So you queens who think Whitney or the rest are even close are smoking crack. Next!" When I looked there was a total of FIFTY-TWO votes! Madge didn't "decimate" anybody.

And it figure that she would be ahead of the rest of the aging divas; her fan base consists entirely of gay men. I can't stand any of them, although I do find Madge particularly loathesome. I'm so tired of seeing photos of this 50 year old woman with her legs spread wide open. by Anonymous For Madonna? Are you kidding? Her entire career has been one scandal after the next. by Anonymous reply 23 07/24/2009 R21 I had forgotten all about that Madonna moment. She was at her peak of British-ness at this time wasn't she? Sounds like it to me. by Anonymous reply 24 07/24/2009 Madge leads and she is only one that cant sing or dance. Unbelievable. You cunts have no taste. None. by Anonymous reply 25 07/24/2009 "still relevant (don't even start, hit records, concerts, NOT old shit resurfacing, Vuitton ads, on and on, Kanye, Justin)" Um, Hard Candy and American Life didn't even go platinum.

Mariah's last CD sold over a million copies and The Emancipation of Mimi was a smash. She's still big as a touring act but that's mostly because people want to hear her old songs. by Anonymous 07/24/2009 Janet! She has so many classic songs, and is great live. Too bad her last tour flopped. by Anonymous reply 27 07/24/2009 r26, you're wrong. American Life went gold in US and platinum worldwide. Hard Candy was the 3d best selling cd in the world last year. Seriously, I can get you not liking a performer (like, I can't fucking stand Maggie Gylenhaal), but to just post bogus shit is lame. r24, thank you so much for posting! Fucking bitchy yet hilarious. Look, the reason I chose Madge is because she still IS a diva. The rest are washed up. Madonna doesn't need a "comeback" cd or tour. by Anonymous 07/24/2009 "American Life went gold in US and platinum worldwide" Like going gold in the US is some sort of major achievement.

FOR someone as famous as Madonna, that is a huge flop. As much of a flop as Mariah's Glitter album. by Anonymous reply 29 07/25/2009 Whitney hands down. She's easily the best singer of the group and has the drama to match. If they all had biopics, hers is the only one I'd care to watch. The woman is effortlessly dramatic and quotable. "Crack is whack", "Hell To The No","Show me the receipts"... love her. by Anonymous Your poll is limited to skanks not worthy of the "Diva" moniker. by Anonymous reply 32 08/12/2009 I like them all. I was off Mariah for a long time but her comeback in 2005 reminded me that for all her craziness, the woman can craft good pop and R&B songs. She really does have a jukebox full of hits that any recording artist would have to admire. Her cover of "I'll Be There" is a classic, and she has the only true contemporary classic christmas song to come out in what, 30 years?

I like Madge a lot but she's staying too long at the party. I think her voice can safely be classified as a reed instrument now. Celine has no recording career to speak of anymore. Her last album was a flop. Love her concert DVD though. Janet is actually my dark horse fave because she does have a great body of work, real talent in dance and pop and she is a better singer live than you'd think. Her career was railroaded by puritans at radio and TV companies. I think the ground is fertile for a comeback given her brother's death. I am rooting for Whitney, and I really like her new song. I just don't know if she has the musical instincts to take control over her own career and mount a comeback (a la Emancipation of Mimi or Ray of Light) rather than just having Clive Davis and Diane Warren hand her schmaltz. by Anonymous reply 33 08/12/2009 If anyone's staying too late at the party it's Janet and Celine - their sound, image, dance routines etc. have stayed the same for an eternity now.

Madonna keeps reinventing herself, and even if you don't like a respective phase and persona, she stays fresh and interesting. Also, her voice is essentially the same as before, so I'm not sure what you're talking about. Yes, it doesn't have much range, but it is expressive, and works for her songs. Mariah is like a melange of Madonna, Janet and Whitney - voice is shot (a la Whitney), image stays the same (a la Janet), but occasionally she attempts a new direction musically (a la Madonna), and occasionally it even works (We belong together). Which she then follows up by making more mediocre pap (Obsessed). So, yeah, Madonna remains the most interesting of the bunch. by Anonymous Madge is a pathetic hag and always has been. Has she ever done anything comparable to this? by Anonymous 08/12/2009 That would be TRUE. And, Madge, she did give us this gem. Inspiring 12 year old girls and gay men to make fools of themselves.

I wonder how many of those gay men, now in their late 40's and early 50's, still have wedding dressings and occasionally take them out to roll around in them for old times sake. by Anonymous reply 36 08/12/2009 I love how Madonna is still crushing the competition in the poll - now with twice as many voters. The Madonna haters on DL are really just a handful, trying to speak for a majority. Give it up, fuckcakes. The silent majority loves her. by Anonymous reply 37 08/12/2009 Ha, Mariah you fat pig! This highly scientific DL poll shows that the guys still love ME more!!! by Anonymous reply 38 08/12/2009 Calm down Vadge. A few over forty year old gay men choose you? There's a shock! I (like the rest of America) stopped caring in the late 90's, when you used to be popular. by Anonymous 08/12/2009 Olivia Newton-John they could all learn a thing or two about how to live your life with dignity and class from her.

by Anonymous reply 47 08/12/2009 Donna, we love you, as you love us - but....you really were only relevant for like 5 years in the 1970s. We are looking at divas whose careers have spanned decades, while never losing steam creatively or commercially. Don't be sad, though. reply 48 08/12/2009 "We are looking at divas whose careers have spanned decades, while never losing steam creatively or commercially." Um, every single one of the divas in OP's post has "lost steam." Whitney's last album didn't go platinum. Neither did Madge's last album. Mariah and Celine's last albums barely went platinum. Janet can't even go gold anymore. Britney, Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga et al. are the ones going platinum. by Anonymous reply 49 08/12/2009 "This poll is about being a DIVA, being a supestah, ruling the pop zeitgeist, and creating worldwide furore with videos/hit records/mega-tours." Madonna does none of those things anymore.

by Anonymous reply 50 08/12/2009 Madge all the way. Despite a few quiet patches during the past 25 years, she has continually created new sounds and styles of music, all while dabbling in other art forms - movies (which isn't necessarily a plus here), children's books, clothing lines, musicals (Evita), and amazing concerts. Heck, the only thing she hasn't tried is her own perfume. The rest of the pack have put out material once or twice every decade, and continue to sound the same every time. by Anonymous Everyone is excited over Whitney's new album. Mariah's new single is getting a lot of airplay. Meanwhile, Madonna's new single has yet to be played on American radio. by Anonymous reply 56 08/12/2009 "The rest of the pack have put out material once or twice every decade, and continue to sound the same every time." Madonna keeps recycling the same lame pseudo-disco music by Anonymous 08/12/2009 The pathological Madonna haters are clueless US-centric fools as usual. She does not retread disco music every time.

Confessions married 70s' dance music with European electronica, while her next album was not even remotely disco. People pay top dollar for her concerts where she plays mostly her *current* hits. If she plays old hits at all, they are completely re-worked. People expect new stuff from Madonna - that's why her concerts are popular. Hung Up, Sorry and 4 Minutes were runaway hits around the globe -- something US domestic stars like Mariah and Whitney are completely unable to generate these days. r56: Celebration raced up the US MP3 charts without *any* promotion by Warner Records. Lastly, I can see Madonna is still crushing her competition in the DL poll. Kinda funny. by Anonymous reply 58 08/13/2009 [quote]Do I lose my gay card because I don't own anything by any of these women? Not even downloaded for free. No, wait, I have Ray of Light. That's it. YEP! send it in stamped envelope to the DL headquaters immediately. I also think Janet is on the verge of a decent comeback, better than Mariah's. Maybe the 17th try is a charm.

Inheriting Michael's fans gives her the most wide appeal of all five. by Anonymous reply 59 08/13/2009 R33, Celine's last album sold over 1 million albums in the USA and 3.1 million worldwide. Celine also was the female with the second-highest grossing tour of last year. Her tour generated $100 million just $10 million less than Madonna and more than $13 million more than Beyonce. by Anonymous 08/13/2009 [quote]Meanwhile, Madonna's new single has yet to be played on American radio. Really? I heard it twice on the radio last night when I went to dinner with some friends. Once on the way there and again on the way home. Since you seem to know that every single radio station in the US is not playing it, could you please explain this anomoly? by Anonymous Madonna's new single debuted on Billboard at 71. That's gotta hurt! It got NO love on iTunes. Unless she teams up with someone who can still sell, she is toast as a recording artist.

by Anonymous reply 62 08/13/2009 I've said it before, and I'll say it again: why gays have so much love for Madonna, who has done nothing for us besides take our money and use us as props to shock middle America, I will never, ever know. I mean, the music is fun and all, but...sheesh. If our community supported each other as much as we supported her, we'd be light years ahead of where we are now. by Anonymous 08/13/2009 Please R63 - we eat our own. Gays aren't supportive of anyone over the long haul. Brad Pitt stated in no uncertain terms "I will not get married with Angie until Gays can get married", and yet people rip him to shreds here. Your argument is old and weak...and my dear, so are you. In other news, Madonna is hitting #1 on itunes in almost every European country. Too bad radio stations don't want to play her here... by Anonymous r65: Madonna has nothing to prove at this point, and certainly not to you. She is the very definition of fame, legend and money.

You are the very definition of jealousy, misogyny and embarrassment. by Anonymous reply 67 08/13/2009 Oh, God, here come the die hard Madge fans. If you criticize her, they'll pull the "y'all juss jellus" crap. Yes, she is still relatively big overseas. Yes, she is still big as a touring act. She still has tons of die hard fans. But most of the casual fans have abandoned her. She's not the #1 diva anymore. People prefer Rihanna, Britney, Beyonce, GaGa, et al. by Anonymous Give it a rest aging Madonna fangurl. It was cute when you were 20, but it's now old, like you. Grown men swooning over pop stars is the very definition of arrested development. by Anonymous 08/13/2009 Barbra is of a different time and age. There should be a poll with her, Aretha, Gladys, Diana Ross, and Cher. Divas of the golden age. Madonna/Whitney/Mariah were part of the second wave of divas. And there hasn't been a new wave since then.

by Anonymous 08/13/2009 "something US domestic stars like Mariah and Whitney are completely unable to generate these days." Mariah's "We Belong Together" was a true worldwide hit, hitting the top five in every part of the world (INCLUDING America) and selling millions of copies. Stop attacking people for revisioning when you're doing the same. by Anonymous 08/13/2009 People prefer Rihanna, Britney, Beyonce, GaGa, et al.>>> What people are you talking about? Teens? Obviously most of them are not going to buy/adore people who are over 30-40 years old and it doesn't matter how good they are. by Anonymous Madonna's new single has dropped off of iTunes Top 100 COMPLETELY! FAIL. reply 76 08/14/2009 Oh, trust me, the old Vampire will breathe life into that track somehow - perhaps an "edgy" video where she and Lourdes swing around on stripper poles and lick lollipops.

by Anonymous reply 77 08/14/2009 #71 is a high charting for a first week, morons. You don't know how Billboard works. Whitney entered at #74. Madonna's video will send that song up the charts, mark my words, and she'll be performing it live all over the place once her tour is over in two weeks. Whitney's album comes out in two weeks, and her single(s) have been out even longer. She's a certified FLOP. by Anonymous 08/14/2009 None of these women sell like they used to. Mariah maybe does the best, but the fact she is leading the others only shows how shitty the musical tastes of today has become. She doesn't have the voice like Whitney. She doesn't have the showmanship like Madonna. She doesn't have the dancing like Janet. She doesn't have the artistry like Celine. 'We Belong Together' was a terrible track. So banal.

by Anonymous reply 79 08/14/2009 SO if Whitney's single entered at #74, how is that low charting when compared to the Material Girl's high Charting single placement? Face it chica, this has disaster written all over it. Madge is 50 and the charts are now ruled by Rihanna, Beyonce, Miley, and Lady GaGa. Madge better get Flo Rida or T. Pain on the next effort or it will be a sad decline to watch indeed. by Anonymous "#71 is a high charting for a first week, morons." Bitch, please. Mariah's songs have debuted much higher. And Whitney's album is going to be a smash hit. Vadge, as usual, is left in the dust. by Anonymous reply 81 08/14/2009 "#71 is a high charting for a first week, morons. You don't know how Billboard works. Whitney entered at #74." Yes, and Whitney Houston is the GOLD STANDARD for killing on Billboard in the 21st Century. [And love the fangurl logic: Whitney is a FLOP!!!

debuting 3 down from Madonna, who charted wonderfully and will have a SMASH!!!!] by Anonymous reply 82 08/14/2009 Mariah seems to hang in there, please her fans, stay contemporary (and crazy, but that only adds to the appeal), but not flood the zone as much. "Touch My Body" was probably the most fun song any of these divas has put out in years. Even Aretha Franklin covered it in concert. I disagree that "We Belong Together" was banal. It was simple with a strong vocal and a universal message. "Obsessed" isn't her best effort but it's different than anything else on the radio now, and it's at #14 on iTunes. Mariah is the only one of these divas to have a number one song in the U.S. in recent memory--in fact, she's had three: "We Belong Together," and "Dont' Forget About Us" (2005) and "Touch My Body" (2008). The last time any of the other divas hit number one in the U.S.

was: 1996 - Whitney, "Shoop Shoop," though she came close with some of the songs from "My Love is Your Love" 1998 - Celine, "I'm Your Angel" (duet w/R.Kelly) 2000 - Madonna, "Music", though "4 Minutes", with a heavy lift from JT and Timbaland, hit #3 2001 - Janet- "All For You" What I don't understand about Madonna is that she never seems to get off the treadmill. All the others take pretty good breaks between albums--maybe for personal issues, but still. Madonna is pretty much out there with something every 2 years--the quality is no longer there. Give us a song like "Open Your Heart" and I'll get back to you. "Hard Candy" seemed so forced. Her constant touring must be terrible for her relationship with her kids. And while I don't dislike the song "Celebration" it is not even in the iTunes Top 100 after being released July 21. So, despite the opinion of 100 Madonna queens, I'll have to give this one to Mooriah.

by Anonymous "Hung Up was #7 in the US" So what? That was years ago anyway. "Mimi didn't debut at #11, cunt." I'm pretty sure that Obsessed debuted at #11 on the Hot 100. And why are you calling me a cunt? Lighten up. by Anonymous reply 91 08/14/2009 Hannah Montana edges out Mariah Carey on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, as Miley Cyrus' TV alter ego claims her first top 10 on the chart. "He Could Be the One" debuts at No. 10, just above Carey's "Obsessed," which debuts at No. 11. But Carey's entry on the Hot 100 this week is her fortieth, making her just the eighth woman in the chart's history to make 40 or more appearances. Cyrus/Montana have 28 entries on the Hot 100 chart. "Obsessed," from Carey's forthcoming album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel," is also her highest Hot 100 debut since 1998.

Sorry, Dita, don't let facts get in the way of your desire to have Madonna beat everyone at the top of the charts. Maybe you should put on "La Isla Bonita" and twirl away the sadness of "Celebration" not...um..."connecting with the crowd. by Anonymous reply 92 08/14/2009 Mariah did debut at number eleven. The Madge fangurl is lying (again) in an attempt to make that pitiful chart entry for "Celebration" out to be a hit! "Mooriah is a US artist. She's no one outside of it." Another lie. Memphis-Can-Barbra-Streisand-compete-with-Whitney-Mariah-and-Madonna There is a fourth name to add to the diva competition this fall: Barbra Streisand. She is scheduled to release s new studio album titled Love Is the Answer a month after Whitney releases her new disc. It's also the same day Madonna releases her greatest hits set and Mariah releases her "delayed" Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.

Let's face the truth: Barbra Streisand has more vocal talent than Madonna, Mariah and Whitney rolled up in a ball and multiplied by ten. But will people download and buy a Barbra Streisand album in multiple numbers? It remains to be seen whether or not Streisand's new venture is a success, but the fact remains that she is the biggest selling female artist ever and Madonna is a close second. Mariah Carey claims to be the biggest female artist ever, but that's just record company hype. It should be an interesting autumn with all these new diva releases. Having all these releases around the same time can only help, not hurt, the already ailing record industry." by Anonymous reply 94 08/14/2009 "It remains to be seen whether or not Streisand's new venture is a success, but the fact remains that she is the biggest selling female artist ever and Madonna is a close second." She's not the biggest selling female artist ever, only the biggest selling female artist in the US. Madonna is the biggest worldwide. I don't even like Madonna, but she's bigger worldwide than Babs for sure by Anonymous I'll just take the gas pipe!

by Anonymous reply 96 08/14/2009 Streisand is much bigger than Madonna in China. If China's numbers were counted, I bet she would have bigger worldwide sales than Madonna. by Anonymous reply 97 08/15/2009 Whitney has a glorious voice, but she's always been sort of ... bland. And she has no taste whatsoever in music. Madge can't sing a lick, but she has, at times, turned out infinitely catchy pop. She's survived as long as she has because, at least in part, she seems actually interested in music. The others are just lucky women with big voices. by Anonymous "And she has no taste whatsoever in music" Clive was basically the one telling her what to sing, so blame him by Anonymous reply 100 08/15/2009 How about aging rockers like Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, Pete Townsend, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan ...Now they're aging! They're all probably a quarter of a century older than any of the women you mentioned. SO no, don't think of any of the women as "aging". They're in their prime.

by Anonymous reply 101 08/15/2009 At some point, though, it's arguable that Whitney wasn't interested enough to demand better material. You can blame Clive Davis, or you can blame her own inertia/lack of taste. by Anonymous reply 102 08/15/2009 "At some point, though, it's arguable that Whitney wasn't interested enough to demand better material. You can blame Clive Davis, or you can blame her own inertia/lack of taste." I thought "My Love Is Your Love" was a good CD by Anonymous Yeah, and I'm Your Baby Tonight was a horrible CD. My Love is Your Love is basically a Wycleaf CD anyway. On occasion Whitney made quality music (e.g. Saving all my love for you), but most of her stuff is either treacly or bland - sung with an enormous voice. by Anonymous 08/15/2009 Even when her voice was great, she sang shit. "The Greatest Love of All" is one of the most annoying pieces of shit ever recorded.

by Anonymous 08/15/2009 "Yeah, and I'm Your Baby Tonight was a horrible CD." I actually liked that one. It was more R&B. "My Name Is Not Susan" is probably the most underrated Whitney song. I also like the title track. I tend to prefer her uptempo songs. Her ballads are a little too treacly for me. by Anonymous reply 106 08/15/2009 R104, you SERIOUSLY think Madonna is a "gifted musician"? I've never heard anyone say that about her, not even her biggest fans. by Anonymous Madonna | New Music And Songs | Madonna About Madonna After stars reach a certain point, it's easy to forget what they became famous for and concentrate solely on their personas. Madonna is such a star. She rocketed to stardom so quickly in 1984 that it obscured most of her musical virtues. Appreciating her music became even more difficult as the decade wore on, as discussing her lifestyle became more common. However, one of Madonna's greatest achievements is how she has manipulated the media and the public with her music, her videos, her publicity, and her sexuality.

Arguably, Madonna was the first female pop star to have complete control of her music and image. She moved from her native Michigan to New York in 1977 with dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. She studied with choreographer Alvin Ailey and modeled. In 1979, she became part of the Patrick Hernandez Revue, a disco outfit that had the hit "Born to Be Alive." She traveled to Paris with Hernandez; it was there that she met Dan Gilroy, who would soon become her boyfriend. Upon returning to New York, the pair formed the Breakfast Club, a pop/dance group. Madonna originally played drums for the band, but she soon became the lead singer. In 1980, she left the band and formed Emmy with her former boyfriend, drummer Stephen Bray. Soon, Bray and Madonna broke off from the group and began working on some dance/disco-oriented tracks. A demo tape of these tracks worked its way to Mark Kamins, a New York-based DJ/producer. Kamins directed the tape to Sire Records, which signed the singer in 1982.

Kamins produced Madonna's first single, "Everybody," which became a club and dance hit at the end of 1982; her second single, 1983's "Physical Attraction," was another club hit. In June of 1983, she had her third club hit with the bubbly "Holiday," which was produced by Jellybean Benitez. Madonna's self-titled debut album was released in September of 1983; "Holiday" became her first Top 40 hit the following month. "Borderline" became her first Top Ten hit in March of 1984, beginning a remarkable string of 17 consecutive Top Ten hits. While "Lucky Star" was climbing to number four, Madonna began working on her first starring role in a feature film, Susan Seidelman's Desperately Seeking Susan. Madonna's second album, the Nile Rodgers-produced Like a Virgin, was released at the end of 1984. The title track hit number one in December, staying at the top of the charts for six weeks; it was the start of a whirlwind year for the singer.

During 1985, Madonna became an international celebrity, selling millions of records on the strength of her stylish, sexy videos and forceful personality. After "Material Girl" became a number two hit in March, Madonna began her first tour, supported by the Beastie Boys. "Crazy for You" became her second number one single in May. Desperately Seeking Susan was released in July, becoming a box office hit; it also prompted a planned video release of A Certain Sacrifice, a low-budget erotic drama she filmed in 1979. A Certain Sacrifice wasn't the only embarrassing skeleton in the closet dragged into the light during the summer of 1985 -- both Playboy and Penthouse published nude photos of Madonna that she posed for in 1977. Nevertheless, her popularity continued unabated, with thousands of teenage girls adopting her sexy appearance, being dubbed "Madonna wannabes." In August, she married actor Sean Penn. Madonna began collaborating with Patrick Leonard at the beginning of 1986; Leonard would co-write most of her biggest hits in the '80s, including "Live to Tell," which hit number one in June of 1986.

A more ambitious and accomplished record than her two previous albums, True Blue was released the following month, to both more massive commercial success (it was a number one in both the U.S. and the U.K., selling over five million copies in America alone) and critical acclaim. "Papa Don't Preach" became her fourth number one hit in the U.S. While her musical career was thriving, her film career took a savage hit with the November release of Shanghai Surprise. Starring Madonna and Penn, the comedy received terrible reviews, which translated into disastrous box office returns. At the beginning of 1987, she had her fifth number one single with "Open Your Heart," the third number one from True Blue alone. The title cut from the soundtrack of her third feature film, Who's That Girl?, was another chart-topping hit, although the film itself was another box office bomb. 1988 was a relatively quiet year for Madonna as she spent the first half of the year acting in David Mamet's Speed the Plow on Broadway. In the meantime, she released the remix album You Can Dance.

After withdrawing the divorce papers she filed at the beginning of 1988, she divorced Penn at the beginning of 1989. Like a Prayer, released in the spring of 1989, was her most ambitious and far-reaching album, incorporating elements of pop, rock, and dance. It was another number one hit and launched the number one title track as well as "Express Yourself," "Cherish," and "Keep It Together," three more Top Ten hits. In April 1990, she began her massive Blonde Ambition tour, which ran throughout the entire year. "Vogue" became a number one hit in May, setting the stage for her co-starring role in Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy; it was her most successful film appearance since Desperately Seeking Susan. Madonna released a greatest-hits album, The Immaculate Collection, at the end of the year. It featured two new songs, including the number one single "Justify My Love," which sparked another controversy with its sexy video; the second new song, "Rescue Me," became the highest-debuting single by a female artist in U.S. chart history, entering the charts at number 15.

Truth or Dare, a documentary of the Blonde Ambition tour, was released to positive reviews and strong ticket sales in the spring of 1991. Madonna returned to the charts in the summer of 1992 with the number one "This Used to Be My Playground," a single featured in the film A League of Their Own, which featured the singer in a small part. Later that year, Madonna released Sex, an expensive, steel-bound soft-core pornographic book that featured hundreds of erotic photographs of herself, several models, and other celebrities -- including Isabella Rossellini, Big Daddy Kane, Naomi Campbell, and Vanilla Ice -- as well as selected prose. Sex received scathing reviews and enormous negative publicity, yet that didn't stop the accompanying album, Erotica, from selling over two million copies. Bedtime Stories, released two years later, was a more subdued affair than Erotica. Initially, it didn't chart as impressively, prompting some critics to label her a has-been, yet the album spawned her biggest hit, "Take a Bow," which spent seven weeks at number one.

It also featured the Björk-penned "Bedtime Stories," which became her first single not to make the Top 40; its follow-up, "Human Nature," also failed to crack the Top 40. Nevertheless, Bedtime Stories marked her seventh album to go multi-platinum. Beginning in 1995, Madonna began one of her most subtle image makeovers as she lobbied for the title role in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita. Backing away from the overt sexuality of Erotica and Bedtime Stories, Madonna recast herself as an upscale sophisticate, and the compilation Something to Remember fit into the plan nicely. Released in the fall of 1995, around the same time she won the coveted role of Evita Peron, the album was comprised entirely of ballads, designed to appeal to the mature audience that would also be the target of Evita. As the filming was completed, Madonna announced she was pregnant and her daughter, Lourdes, was born late in 1996, just as Evita was scheduled for release.

The movie was greeted with generally positive reviews and Madonna began a campaign for an Oscar nomination that resulted in her winning the Golden Globe for Best Actress (Musical or Comedy), but not the coveted Academy Award nomination. The soundtrack for Evita, however, was a modest hit, with a dance remix of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and the newly written "You Must Love Me" both becoming hits. During 1997, she worked with producer William Orbit on her first album of new material since 1994's Bedtime Stories. The resulting release, Ray of Light, was heavily influenced by electronica, techno, and trip-hop, thereby updating her classic dance-pop sound for the late '90s. Ray of Light received uniformly excellent reviews upon its March 1998 release and debuted at number two on the charts. Within a month, the record was shaping up to be her biggest album since Like a Prayer. Two years later she returned with Music, which reunited her with Orbit and also featured production work from Mark "Spike" Stent and Mirwais, a French electro-pop producer/musician in the vein of Daft Punk and Air.

The year 2000 also saw the birth of Madonna's second child, Rocco, whom she had with filmmaker Guy Ritchie; the two married at the very end of the year. With Ritchie as director and Madonna as star, the pair released a remake of the film Swept Away in 2002; the movie didn't fare well with critics or at the box office. Her sober 2003 album, American Life, fared better but at platinum, it was her lowest-selling album in the US to date. That same year also saw the release of Madonna's successful children's book, The English Roses, which was followed by several more novels in future years. Confessions on a Dance Floor marked her return to music, specifically to the dance-oriented material that had made her a star. Released in late 2005, the album topped the Billboard 200 chart and was accompanied by a world-wide tour in 2006, the same year that I'm Going to Tell You a Secret, a CD/DVD made during her Re-Invention Tour, came out.

In 2007, Madonna released another CD/DVD set, The Confessions Tour, this time chronicling her tour of the same name. She inched closer to the completion of her Warner Bros. contract with 2008's Hard Candy, featuring collaborations with the Neptunes and Timbaland. As poorly received as it was, the bold album boasted a Top Five hit in "4 Minutes," and it was supported with the Sticky & Sweet Tour, which concluded in September 2009 (a month prior to her filing for divorce from Ritchie) and produced yet another CD/DVD package, released in 2010. It was her final Warner Bros. release and set the stage for her long-term recording deal with Live Nation. Madonna began work on her 12th album midway through 2011, with the goal of releasing it early in 2012. The subsequent full-length, MDNA, featured production from French electronic musician and DJ Martin Solveig, as well as longtime collaborator Orbit. The album's title, an abbreviation of Madonna's name, appeared on the heels of her performance at the 2012 Super Bowl.

Preceded by the Top Ten single "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A.), MDNA debuted at number one across the world, including the U.S. and U.K. Her MDNA Tour took up the rest of the year, as she performed in Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South America. She filmed a concert special, and also released the live album MDNA World Tour in September 2013. At the beginning of 2014, Madonna announced that she was starting work on her 13th studio album. Taking to social media to capture the process, she revealed that recording sessions with the likes of Avicii, Diplo, and Kanye West had taken place. Excerpts from the sessions leaked toward the end of 2014, forcing Madonna to release a digital teaser EP by the end of the year, but the full release of Rebel Heart came in March 2015. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Question: In the pop music world whose nickname is 'Madge'?
Answer: MADONNA