Pop Sonality has ranked Madonna!

Pop Sonality has ranked the Top Ten Best Albums of our most beloved Pop Icon: @madonna. And the icing on the cake for this post is our Top 60 Madonna Songs with Pop Sonality Spotify list! 

"The most controversial thing I've ever done is to stick around." 

Madonna. 

Let's start the countdown! 

 

10. Bedtime Stories (1994) 

One of her smoothest albums with great mid tempos and beautiful ballads, working with many different producers, the outcome is eclectic with intimate lyrics and great vocals. The context was escaping the controversy and focusing on the songs. Standout tracks: Secret, Take a bow and Human Nature.

9.  Music (2000)

 

One of her most critically acclaimed albums with lots of innovation, and probably one of her most influential records. Creating the sound of the future. The context was Madonna at her peak and with the public and critics consensus. There was a general acceptance of her music career, after Ray of Light and with a successful world tour. Great videos and persona too. Standout tracks: Music, Impressive Instant and Paradise (not for me). 

8. Confessions on a Dancefloor (2005).

 

One of her most danceable albums with a rendition to the electronic sounds and reinventing the disco genre, just like completing and updating the scheme of her first album. The production is totally refined and exquisite. It meant to her one of the most successful moments of her career. With another world tour expressing her philosophy, and social criticism. Looking worldwide and brave. Standout tracks: Hung Up, Sorry and Let it will be. 

7. Ray of Light (1998). 

One of her most personal and spiritual albums, again with a production ahead of her time, and she would be imitated constantly by many after this. Critics loved it, people loved it. The image was changing in the polished videos and TV performances. Finally, everybody seemed to agree. She found inspiration in motherhood and religion, always showing a unique perspective and view. Clever. Standout tracks: Frozen, Ray of Light and Nothing really matters. 

6. Hard Candy (2008). 

One of her most underrated and less understood albums, with a characteristic sound influenced by some producers who were in trend at that time. The songs can’t be more entertaining! Listen to She’s not me, her longest and one of her coolest, most personal, and funniest disco tune ever! The world tour was once more a success. And Madonna became (or should I say Madame X?) a different Pop Sonality. Time is placing Hard Candy among the fans’ favorite albums. Standout tracks: She’s not me (let me insist), Give it 2 me and Dance 2night (channeling Prince and funk). 

5. Erotica (1992). 

One of her most innovative and experimental albums, also her bravest. She opened the pandora box with no fear and with strong arguments to defend her liberation and freedom ideas that were and have been ahead of her time. The audience is not usually ready for her messages, her words can shake your worst demons, she normally, and often cracks the system and values. She places people in front of the mirror and sometimes they are not ready to see themselves. She decided to talk about sex, and to show/exposed it in The Sex Book. The controversy she provoked by her artistic statement was followed by her fight in the media to express herself and reply back. And she did it well! One of the most significant issues about Madonna is that when we rewatch her old interviews, her interventions are still relevant and there is not much to be updated in her discourses and opinions. Nothing that needs to be changed or reworded. Like she could foresee the future. The sound of Erotica sounds still today experimental and fresh, the lyrics are among her best ever. And while her rivals in the Pop Universe were playing safe at that time, she was paving a legacy that is still today not appreciated by most of the people. One day herstory will put her in the place she deserves to be. Standout tracks: Erotica, Deeper and deeper and Why’s so hard.  

4. American Life (2003).

One of her most autobiographical albums, with a great production full of exquisite acoustic electronica. It contains her deepest lyrics with poetic taste. Everytime Madonna gets brunette and autobiographical she just nails it. Her political statement in the video American Life caused a controversy that didn't lead to the understanding and reception of the record. Missunderstood by the general public, it's usually praised by the fans who love Like a Prayer, and it was also quite accepted by the critics. This radiant album keeps the shinny Hollywood, strong ballads like Love Profusion and Nothing Fails, and more intricate compositions like X-Static Process or Easy Ride. Mother and Father is one of her most unsual compositions and personal lyrics. Standout tracks: American Life, Easy Ride and Intervention.

3. Like a Prayer (1989). 

One of her most mature and autobiographical album. Her most personal lyrics ever with a classic production that sparkles in every single song, even in Act of Contrition. Rolling Stone defined it: “as close to art as pop music gets” and we totally agree. There is so much light, adulthood and nostalgia in every track, and the metaphors about religion and love are the icing on the cake. Standout tracks: Like a Prayer, Express Yourself and Oh Father. 

2. Rebel Heart (2015). 

One of her most entertaining albums, the closest she has got to the sound of her world tours in a record. With one of her most iconic cover artwork, so strong and so Madonna. Every fan knows that Madonna deconstructs her songs and transforms them into new brighter and more refreshing versions during her tours, adding effects and giving it all to entertain. The sound in Rebel Heart is about that, it’s an electronic and acoustic pop opera, full of great songs, maybe not as cohesive as a whole as others, but here in Pop Sonality we love every single song in here: from Living for Love to Rebel Heart. While some fans still talk about demos, we feel this is a complete masterpiece, based on its willingness to keep our attention, just like watching one of her shows. Rebel Heart pushed the buttons, pulsating and taking the songs to the extreme. It takes you on a ride like she does in her shows. And with respect to the lyrics, this album is also a good representation of who Madonna is, almost every Madonna is reflected in the themes. Rebel Heart is like a music metaphor of a Madonna concert, taking us to a long and truthful ride passing through the different Madonnas, with all the different sections, just like in her shows. No more justifications. Pop Sonality just loves Rebel Heart. Standout tracks: Bitch I’m Madonna, Iconic and HeartBreakCity. 

1. Madame X (2019). 

Madame X contains her richest and most beautiful, social and intricate compositions, defining how Madonna understands “world music”. From the Portuguese (Killers who are partying), African (Batuka, Come Alive) to the Latin (Medellin, Bitch I’m Loca, Faz Gostoso) passing through to the contemporary R&B (Crave) or her own Vogue reinvention tribute (I don’t search I find), all songs sound on point. It’s strange how all these mixed influences can mean something together. Dark Ballet and God Control are both the standout puzzle tracks in which she shows her thoughts about the social issues that concern her these days. Madonna shoots her messages proving she is the bravest singer out there, the one that speaks louder. Preach Queen, we are with you in your revolution of love. The theater world tour she brought with this album is an experience that we will never forget, as close as we have got to our diva. Standout tracks: Extreme Occident (reminding us to the Evita period), Dark Ballet and God Control. 

“Artists are here to disturb the peace”

James Baldwin. 

Listen to the Top 60 Songs with Pop Sonality of Madonna in this link.