Has Madonna Gone Back To Black?

The year 1994 for the first time in Madonna’s career she was in a slump. Madonna’s controversial coffee table book “Sex” had tarnished her career. The feminist community was upset with Madonna due to the sexually explicit photos in “Sex”. The mainstream media branded the pop legend as a washed up whore. Madonna was pushing the boundaries of sexuality exploring her sexual fantasies such as S&M, role playing, and lesbianism. Madonna was fighting the negativity and the misogyny.

It is interesting that Madonna will return to hip hop and R&B on her new album “Hard Candy”. Fans need to know this isn’t the first time Madonna has explored R&B music. Although Madonna’s record sales are still very strong internationally in North America her sales have dropped dramatically since the 1998 hit album “Ray Of Light”. Madonna desperately wants to obtain the interest of the youth music market so she is going back to R&B in an attempt to jack up her record sales.

Madonna’s last album “Confessions On A Dance Floor” was a moderate success selling 1 million copies sold in America. The sales are a disturbing trend for Madonna she’s losing the youth audience and market. However, Madonna’s 2003 album “American Life” was a flop by her standards the album only went gold. Madonna realizes she isn’t connecting with young music fans and on “Hard Candy” she hopes to reproduce the success of “Bedtime Stories”. So does Madonna only go black when her career is in a slump in North America?

Although the 1992 disc “Erotica” sold 2 million copies the North American media bashed Madonna and called her a washed up pop singer. In 1994 Madonna always the shrewd businesswoman decided to change her image, sound, and go back to black music. Bedtime Stories is an R&B album it was a deliberate attempt by Madonna to crossover and obtain the R&B audience.

Madonna’s risk paid off her music “Bedtime Stories” sold 3 million copies in the United States. Madonna also reached black radio stations and acquired a new demographic.One of the best songs on the CD is “I rather be your lover” a funky duet between Madonna and Meshell N’degeocello. I love this song!

In 1994 Madonna had an infamous interview with David Letterman and she was very vulgar and petulant. Madonna says the media was picking on her because she is a confident woman expressing her sexuality. The song “Human Nature” explores Madonna’s feelings about sexism in society. Madonna hired the best black producers she could find she enlisted the help of superstars Dallas Austin, Dave Hall, and Babyface. Babyface wrote the biggest hit song of Madonna’s career the duet “Take A Bow”. “Take A Bow” was number one on the Billboard charts for seven weeks. Madonna’s image changed once again she decided to be more vulnerable and more gentle. “Secret” was also a hit reaching number three on the Billboard singles charts.

I like Bedtime Stories because it proves Madonna is a versatile singer. Of course Madonna isn’t Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, or Whitney Houston she doesn’t have the mega pipes. Madonna does have a way of conveying emotion with her voice though. I believe Madonna is a decent singer she’s not the best but she’s not the worst either. On the sleeve for Bedtime Stories you see Madonna on a bed she appears fragile and delicate her makeup is a light shade of blue. Bedtime Stories gave Madonna a lot of credibility with the public and music critics.