My Official Ranking of Madonna's Albums!!!

14. "American Life"
Starting from the bottom is never easy, especially when you are ranking such a legendary discography such as Madonna but there is no album out of her collection that makes me want to cover my ears more than her 2003 politically charged and controversial reflection of the Bush administration, "American Life".  At this point in her career, Madonna was absolutely no amateur to utter shock and pot stirring that her music presents to the world; especially considering her infamous Britney Spears smooch during the opening of that year's MTV VMAs but honestly, while Madonna aims to target American's flawed, guilty and privileged; she ironically enters some surprising areas of self parody with her music.  Maybe it's because of that horrid rap verse on the convoluted title track sends the kind of chills down your spine that is both unwarranted and underwhelming.  The ambitious pop innovator has MANY talents, but hip hop is NOT one of them! O_O  Honestly, while the rest of "American Life" is in the right place with the acoustic, stripped down pop of  "Intervention" and "Nothing Fails"....the album unfortunately doesn't hold up for the most part.  Feeling overly processed and produced for the sake of the album's thematic theatrics than a solid piece of art that the Material Girl is usually known for.  Outside some of the beautiful subdued acoustics, this is a definite pass for fans and casual listeners by far!
(D+)







13. "MDNA"
Sigh, it's really hard for an aging artist to continue to redefine themselves in an everchanging pop landscape from decade to decade....even if you're Madonna!!! And if any of her 2010s releases show that, it's the unfortunate rumbling and relentless techno fodder that was "MDNA".  Once again, it seemed Madonna was struggling to be the masterful queen of all things reinvention and simply settled for an album as generic as they came at the time.  Sure, "Masterpiece" is a sensational work and "Girl Gone Wild" is a fantastic opener that was poorly received by the public, the rest of the album feels like something Rihanna or Lady Gaga, ironically o_o, could have released and MUCH better! Some songs verge into the territory of trying too hard like laughable but unbelievable "Gang Bang" or being too edgy to the point of embarrassing like "Some Girls" and its almost self-parodying beats that sounds like someone releasing a certain gas after eating 2 hours ago...yeah!  Lead single, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" feels mostly cheap and cheesy with the forced cheerleader theme that Toni Basil should have sued honestly.  Her first album since her post-divorce from Guy Ritche, it seems Madonna had more passion for the 2012 Halftime Show and the eventual worldwide tour that became one of the highest selling in history than the actual album that is as mediocre as modern pop can come.
(C-)







12. "Hard Candy"
And her is when things became problematic for the once original and groundbreaking megastar! "Hard Candy" is gimmicky at best! Not awful but not the best from Madonna at all.  And it's all because it seemed, for the first time, she was hopping onto the trendsetting train instead of conducting it sadly. Every...I mean EVERY song features some kind of cameo or unnecessary ad-lib from hot at the time producers, Pharell Williams and Justin Timberlake, alongside his musical master Timbaland.  Don't get me wrong! The songs ranger from decent to great even as "The Beat Goes On" featuring Kanye West of all artists is undeniably infectious.  But this is an album that seemed more for hit-making than actually producing a record up to Madge's usual unparalleled caliber.  The top 5 hit smashing first single, "4 Mintues.." seems more like a showcase of Timbaland and Timberlake's musical duo(ing) instead of Madonna since she only seems to sing very sparring on a song for HER! That heck! Once again, not a bad album by any means but certainly not a great one either.  Once of those "play it during the background of a party" type of albums before the real hits get people moving their feet.
(C+)







11. "Music"
Hmmmm...sometimes I wonder if my iffy type of love for this album was more my inevitable disappointment after such a tour de force epic that was her 1998 work of remarkable art only years prior than the album itself. O_o  Honestly, "Music" once again, not bad, but nothing standouts for me outside the singles: The techno dance-pop of the title track, the rousing country-pop anthem "Don't Tell Me" and the alluring disco mix of "What It Feels Like To Be Girl".  Honestly, the rest of the album is more of the same that last was, but without the thought provoking lyricism and world building scope of "Ray of Light".  Almost like Madonna was on autopilot for this one and considering it was an album she was forced to make to capitalize on the massive success of her last album than truly be a follow up she believed in with a country girl persona that feels more like a facade than a true re-invention we expect from Madonna, then you'll probably understand why I find it pretty good overall. *Shrug*
(B-)






10. "Rebel Heart"
Yes, Madonna's most recent album release made this far up my list and here's why. :)  Let's face it, she could only go up from the mediocrity of "MDNA" and while "Rebel Heart" features more rebellious anthems like the obnoxiously, catchy "B!tch, I'm Madonna" and Caribbean camp of "Unapologetic B!tch" (so many profane song titles right! ;P)  But honestly, the "heart" portions of the album are undoubtedly some of her finest work musically in a decade since! O_O "Ghosttown" is somber, often times powerful reflection of a world devastated by lost but full of hope of what may be left.  "Living For Love" takes old school club beats and mixes it with a hypnotic modern flare.  "Joan of Arc" is a rock-pop tune where Madonna is fearless...yet so vulnerable at the same time as she compares herself to the historic french figure while "Heartbreak City" pulls at the heartstrings without having to try too hard.  Don't get me wrong! Madonna's musicality here STILL borderlines on desperation and absurdity! O_O "Holy Water"...is so disgusting and distasteful that it made me sick and "S.E.X." finds her singing about a topic she did so much better in her prime.  But honestly, if you want an essential Madonna album for a new generation, it probably won't get any better than this! I mean, where else are you gonna find an album with songs about the satanic cult conspiracies in "Illuminati" and a hopeful techno-hip hop message of "Iconic" featuring Chance the Rapper and an excerpt from Mike Tyson?!?  Only Madonna I tell you and it's very entertaining for both all the right and wrong reasons! lol
(B)







9. "Madame X"
Even at age 60 and continuing to thrive in a pop landscape heavily dominated by teens and 20 somethings, the odds of Madonna's newest record seemed needless not just because of ageism but because the current decade didn't exactly see her releasing her finest work with catastrophically messy EDM driven "MDNA" and her noble but often tasteless at times follow-up with 2015's "Rebel Heart".  It seems that Madonna's days as an infamous trendsetter were far behind her and what more could she offer the music world almost 40 years since her debut??? Well, teasing globe trotting every woman theme with the mysterious and provocative "Madame X", where the album suffers thematically, it certainly more than makes up for it musically.  Her unofficial sequel to her politically dividing "American Life" in 2003, "Madame X" sees the legendary  shock star returning with producer Mirawis for a Latin themed affair that also brings in other cultural inspirations from Cape Verde with the heavy hitting thump of "Batuka", the Brazilian workout remake "Faz Gostoso" and cha cha seduction of lead single "Medellin" alongside quickly rising Colombian superstar Maluma.  It's also her most experimental album since "Confessions..." with the bizarre electronic theatrics of "Dark Ballet", the hypnotizing African shakes of "Come Alive", not to mention the Portuguese laced soul of "Crazy".  Not convinced yet!  The album is also home to possibly Madonna's most thought provoking written work yet in the form of the 6 minute long chaotic disco choir anthem, "God Control".  Who would have thought she still had it in her really??? Not many, not many at all! O_O
(A-)






8. "Madonna"
 When one goes back to where it all began when it comes to an iconic and extremely lengthy discography, Madonna's self titled debut is one of the tamest and most unforeseen introductions of a timeless pop legend.  There were a couple of potential chart toppers that floundered about of course, "Everybody" and "Burnin' Up" but then there were an unprecedented string of hits that made Madonna a force to be reckoned with in "Holiday", "Borderline" and "Lucky Star".  A trio of classic 80s staples that have lasted and endured for so long that they are probably stuck in late millennials' minds without knowing the true origins of such terrific tunes. It's funny how the first evolution of Madonna was this punk rock chick with cut up gloves and crazy fashion that seemed to make the catchiest songs for the people to continue to enjoy for a lifetime.  It was moderate hit but a very promising start and delicious taste of an artist was just starting to reach a potential that STILL hasn't stopped over 35 years later! :)
(A-)







7. "Like A Virgin"
Here we have Madonna's most commercially groundbreaking album and it was only her 2nd record at the time!!!  An album so big that children still probably ask their parents what the controversially bold and metaphorically classic "Like A Virgin" means while "Material Girl" became such a classic hit that Madonna was given her first of many monikers throughout her career.  Madonnamania was in full swing with a following that continue to grow relentlessly with delightful hits such as "Dress You Up" and her first UK #1 hit in the re-release version that had the infectious club blazing, "Into The Groove".  The shocking performances and imagery were at an all time high for the first time in career and no one...and I mean NO ONE could stop talking about her whether they liked her or not.  It's an album that changed the course of 80s pop and what a female artist could do in terms of her music and image.  Combining that with the likes of some of her most well known and prestigious singles???  Is there any question why this made it so high??? O_o
(A-)







6.  "Erotica"
Oh the era that was "Erotica"!!!  I don't think there has been ANYTHING like it since....and that's mostly because Madonna took a HUGE risk so the MANY female artists that would continue the trend of exploring their sexuality in groundbreaking and not to mention, blatantly explicit ways!!!  That's was so captivating about the album and the corresponding SEX book that followed it's release in 1992.  Madonna had nothing to gain and EVERYTHING to lose yet, she still reinvented herself into one of her most shocking persona aka Mistress Dida, a sex driven, dominatrix exploring master of a things pleasure and "romance"!!! It was honestly steamy and sexy, but the album herself is anything BUT! Sure, the intoxicating and borderline (he!) "Erotica" video is not for the prude or innocent of heart but the rest of the album has Madonna exploring a new era of dance music with hypnotizing club beats, techno majesty and shockingly saddening ballads that find her being revealing and enlightening at the same time.  "Bad Girl" and especially "Rain" are tremendous in tone and texturing lyricism.  "Bye Bye Baby" is so sleek and sensual while Madonna's 90s interpretation of Peggy Love's classic "Fever" fits in seamlessly with the seductive narrative of the album.  Please don't let the fact that this era nearly killed a legend's career as critics and fans over the years have learned to really appreciate the sexual convictions and surrendering honesty that has stood the test of time with this album.
(A)







5. "True Blue"
Probably Madonna's sweetest and most mature album at that point and we can thank her dysfunctional, Hollywood romance with Sean Penn for that.  What I adore about the album so much is Madonna, by her 3rd album, found a way to capture her charm and controversial music in very convincing ways without going overboard.  "Papa Don't Preachy" is simultaneously catchy as it is shocking, "Live To Tell" is beyond moving and sees Madonna's first attempt shows critics her ambition to be seen as a true artist and "Open Your Heart" is the best of essential 80s pop there is!!!  She also wasn't afraid to be diverse as for the first time she experimented with different genres of music with the 60s soul swing of the title track and the Latin groove of "La Isla Bonita".  It made for an album that impressively built on Madonna's solidifying popularity and undeniable staying power in the music industry to become one of the biggest icons of that decade! The platinum hair was edgy as she continued to deliver an onslaught of radio dominating hits while showing there was certainly room for growth and change for the young popstar who wasn't letting up anytime soon! ;)
(A) 







4. "Bedtime Stories"
Sadly, I feel like Madonna looks back at this album as some cheap marketing ploy to regain her international fame and success in the public eye as the remnants of "Erotica" had caused her reputation to become not infamous but stagnant in terms of sales and pop culture relevance.  It would be a shame if she did think so looking back as "Bedtime Stories" is probably one of her most underrated and unappreciated albums of her career.  A very warm and natural follow up to her previous release, "Bedtime Stories" explores the interchanging state of R&B and hip hop at the time to create an album full of some of the genre's best work.  Both singles and deep cuts from the album ooze an organic sensuality and orgasmic cool that the genre had seem to perfected at the time and Madonna regrettably heading into the studio to work with the likes of Dallas Austin and Babyface produce a slew of records that are infuriatingly smooth, enthralling, elegant and edgy without trying too hard. "Take A Bow", the album's biggest hit and Madonna's longest running #1 of her career holds up so incredibly well in a way that it's almost criminal she hasn't acknowledged it since.  "Survival"; with its haunting club chants over a beat that would shake the streets of Harlem is wonderful, "Secret" is pop radio glory and "Human Nature" is a clever hip hop response to her harsh and misinformed critics at the time.  Still not sold on such a superb album???  Just listen to electronica serenity that is the title track that will send shivers down your spine and leave you craving for more of Madonna's enigmatic and eccentric pop music dabbling.
(A)  






3. Confessions On A Dancefloor
Greatness is something that is hard to maintain for some artists.  Even the likes of Micheal Jackson couldn't reproduce the seemingly impeccable run of his Quincy Jones trio of masterpieces from the late 70s to his omnipotent reign of the 1980s.  By the mid 2000s, Madonna was already considered a legend with nothing else to prove; not needing more music to justify herself in anyway.  Yet...she still gave us 2005's "Confessions On A Dancefloor".  Possibly the last album to truly encapsulate why she's been such an indestructible pop dominance for over 20 years at the time of its release.  Even pushing 50, Madonna showed her ambition was undoubtedly STILL in her prime as she went into the studio to conceive an album so bizarre and risky that it's so tremendously inspiring that is work more than just well! "Hung Up", the disco driven dance-pop single, took the world by storm even if it was rather unappreciated in the states.  The productions, lyrics and feverishly pulsating rhythms come together to illuminate fans and listeners with music from the past and present that mess so well together that you wonder how Madonna could possibly pull it off.  The spectacular "Sorry", riveting risk taking anthem of "Jump" and the Islamic hymns of my personal favorite, "Issac" reach a level of excellent that was unparalleled during that time and until the this day!!! It seems since, Madonna's ambition, musically and songwriting wise, has left her for the most part as the corresponding album seemed to focus on keeping the career going but without much going on the inside.  A shame really as this is truly her most stellar and consistently strongest work of her turn of the century albums that it wouldn't be an honorable run through of her legacy without it.
(A+)






2. "Like A Prayer"
"Life is a mystery/Everyone must stand alone/I hear you call my name/And if feels like.../home"  This iconic lyric is what would come to introduce a new phase of Madonna's career.  "Like A Prayer" was Madonna's first conceptual album and one that delve deep into the perplexing psyche of the then 30 year old mastermind of controversial style and subversive hits.  For the first time, it wasn't about what she was saying or how she was saying it but rather, her willingness to give her fans and audience a look into a young woman still dealing the consequences of a motherless adolescence, a religion forced on her through manipulation and crossing boundaries as well as the unwinding of a marriage that changed her significantly.  It wasn't like anything she had done before as critics finally gave the recognition she deserved for not only being authentic but a true artist willing to evolve creatively in a way that she had reached a level of respect not seen for her before.  Not to mention, more pop culture defining hits like the metaphorical gospel phenomenon title track, the feminist anthem "Express Yourself", the beautiful throwback glee of "Cherish" as well as the moodier, morbid moments of this classic record such a "Oh Father" and "Promise To Try".  Even likes of the legendary Prince comes in for the soulfully assisted "Love Song".  Don't be fooled by her legacy of gimmicks, tricks and bold bravado! 30 years later, "Like A Prayer" is just as much of a revelation from the bible as it is now!
(A+)







1. "Ray of Light"
Let's face it! When it comes to Madonna, it doesn't get any better than this one right here! :)  "Ray of Light" is something Madonna has never and will never return to in terms of relentless quality and transcendent productions that leave so much to the imagination which is seriously fantastic.  An album written and produced right after her shooting of "Evita", Madonna's usual questionable vocals seemed so much stronger and powerful than usual.  William Orbit, a famed producer in London, signed on to help Madonna create something innovative and sonically mesmerizing for its time....which became something far greater and beyond it's time over 20 years later.  Drawing inspiration from her motherhood, ritualistic practices such as Hinduism and Kabbalah, Madonna has NEVER been this captivating and riveting before or since.  Throughout this 13 track blockbuster of contemporary artistry, electronica, the basis of what modern day pop music has become, is what the album truly helped to embrace and shatter all expectations on what the genre could do as well as its remarkable staying power.  "Frozen" is chilling and that is not a pun by any means. "The Power of Goodbye" is something Madonna's maturity needed at the time and the title track is one of the most quintessential of the late 90s era.  It's funny, while teen pop was beginning to take over and over the top pop acts like the Spice Girls were hot and campy, Madonna created such rhythmic poetry with this effortless album that feels timeless to this day.  Madonna was being more than ambitious here, it was almost like she had a calling at the time that she couldn't resist.  This is what music is all about: foreboding, mysterious, suspenseful, tear inducing, hopeful, etc.  A mixing of sounds and vocals to create an assault of emotions that you will never forget until the last moments you take your final breath.  The greatest collection of her musical adventurism thus far!!!
(A+)