Don't go for second best, baby. Put your ILM ARTIST POLL #31: MADONNA to the test.

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There were 57 ballots cast, but a mere 106 tracks voted for. Indicative of just how good her good tracks are? Follow along and see which made the top 50. I'll be counting down 50-36 today, 35-21 tomorrow, and I'll return Monday with the top 20.

Instead of revealing the subpoll results before the countdown, they're coming after. Unorthodox? Yes. Have I simply just not tabulated those results yet? Absolutely.

For audio ecstasy, follow along with this Spotify playlist.

And now, let's get things underway...

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:21 (twelve years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/KXWRspO.jpg

50. "WORDS" from Erotica (1992) [7 votes, 136 points]

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:22 (twelve years ago)

Here we go!

how's life, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:28 (twelve years ago)

good start! one of my favorites from Erotica, although i ended up only voting for one song from the album and it wasn't that one.

some dude, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:28 (twelve years ago)

Marvelous start.

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:31 (twelve years ago)

lol I was just about to post my own collaborative results playlist when I went back and reread the opening post more closely

"Bellini." (DJP), Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:33 (twelve years ago)

maybe you should do some of the subpolls over the weekend during the break from the main results?

some dude, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:34 (twelve years ago)

Might be a better idea, yes.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:37 (twelve years ago)

This song never stood out for me in the past, but I never really found myself listening to Erotica a whole lot, either. Now I'm pretty sure it's my favorite on the album.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:43 (twelve years ago)

voted for this: the propulsion + the typewriter clacking at the end (and the way when the typewriter comes in it retroactively makes portions of the beat sound like abstract digitized typewriters clacking)

the white queen and her caustic judgments (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:46 (twelve years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/n75d0Ii.jpg

49. "I'LL REMEMBER" from the motion picture soundtrack With Honors (1994) [6 votes, 142 points]

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:46 (twelve years ago)

didn't expect "words" to place! i love it, but there's eight or so erotica tracks i'd think of voting for before that

prolego, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:49 (twelve years ago)

i'm just as excited for the images used as the results right now, they look awesome!

prolego, Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:50 (twelve years ago)

WHOA GREAT IMAGES

emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:53 (twelve years ago)

omg booming start. I love Words! and yeah AWESOME work with the images JF, rollout does not disappoint.

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:54 (twelve years ago)

I've done my stretches, got my legwarmers and my leotard on, let's DO this

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 7 March 2013 15:55 (twelve years ago)

psyched for this. we not having links tho? i suppose it's just as easy to search regardless.

So: The Answers (or something), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:00 (twelve years ago)

this is an all-Spotify list, see the opening post of the thread

"Bellini." (DJP), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:02 (twelve years ago)

Doesn't mean people can't link to youtube. I'm not doing it, but feel free to take it upon yourselves.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:04 (twelve years ago)

i can only apologise. xp.

So: The Answers (or something), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:04 (twelve years ago)

Totally, ironically, forgot "I'll Remember." Nice. I'm guessing this will be the poll with the most movie soundtrack cuts.

something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:04 (twelve years ago)

I almost voted for "I'll Remember" but only bcz the Orbit remix is the best thing he's ever done and I realized I don't like the album cut of the song all that much.

ferreira rocher (Stevie D(eux)), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:04 (twelve years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/3OaF7C3.jpg

48. "THE POWER OF GOOD-BYE" from Ray of Light (1998) [8 votes, 144 points]

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:05 (twelve years ago)

One thing you may end up noticing is that Madonna is photographed a shit ton with her arms raised.

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:05 (twelve years ago)

oof yes, booming images, keep it up

Ismael Klata, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:06 (twelve years ago)

she has really great eyes

prolego, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:08 (twelve years ago)

the image for 'words' will be hard to top already.

So: The Answers (or something), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:11 (twelve years ago)

I don't remember anyone citing "The Power of Goodbye" in the other thread. Prototypical "deep single." The sonics are a warm bath.

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:11 (twelve years ago)

really like how aqueous and majestic "the power of goodbye" sounds

prolego, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:14 (twelve years ago)

I also forgot "I'll Remember" from my ballot, but it would have been near the bottom. I was only reminded a couple days ago by my roommate mentioning it as one of his favorite M songs. Then I had to frantically double-check that I hadn't forgotten all of her soundtrack songs for my ballot (I hadn't).

Vinnie, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:14 (twelve years ago)

JF, great work w/ the stills - love the typeface arrangement, colors & subtle halftone pattern!

rocky dennis horror show (Pillbox), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:22 (twelve years ago)

wow I forgot all about I'll Remember.

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:23 (twelve years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/WMyto5q.jpg

47. "KEEP IT TOGETHER" from Like a Prayer (1989) [9 votes, 148 points]

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:30 (twelve years ago)

YES

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:31 (twelve years ago)

^^^

prolego, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:32 (twelve years ago)

can't decide whether I prefer the single mix

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:33 (twelve years ago)

Madonna sez Prince played on the album version.

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:34 (twelve years ago)

I absolutely prefer the single mix but the album version is also good

"Bellini." (DJP), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:34 (twelve years ago)

I think KiT was like #21 for me :-( it really is a great song

ferreira rocher (Stevie D(eux)), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:35 (twelve years ago)

loving these images sfm

Roz, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:36 (twelve years ago)

I deliberated over KiT, I so wanted it on my ballot. Glad it made it into the 50. So good!

set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:41 (twelve years ago)

she made it into an amazing closing number for blond ambition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhndzqzmstc

prolego, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:44 (twelve years ago)

"I'll Remember" image should've been bearded Joe Pesci, is my only complaint

some dude, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:45 (twelve years ago)

better:

http://images.larryelder.com/images/blog/TomVitale_080612.jpg

the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:48 (twelve years ago)

I forgot "I'll Remember" too--a convince-store staple for a few years back there. Good song.

your fretless ways (Eazy), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:50 (twelve years ago)

i never paid attention to "the power of good-bye" till I heard the mashup of it and "bittersweet symphony," which remains one of my favorite examples of the form. the sonics are indeed a warm bath; that's a great description. the vocal is another matter. she sounds like she's trembling all the way through, as if the breakup she's singing about happened the morning she recorded it. she's sure of herself, absolutely sure, and yet she's not at all over it.

fact checking cuz, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:50 (twelve years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/GdnmJDd.jpg

46. "DIE ANOTHER DAY" from the motion picture soundtrack Die Another Day (2002) [7 votes, 149 points]

Johnny Fever, Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:53 (twelve years ago)

Didn't see that one coming.

"Power of Good-bye" on my ballot (only thing to place so far).

"Keep It Together" one of very few LAP tracks to *not* make my ballot (though I really like it).

And yes! Great images!!

Public Brooding Closet (cryptosicko), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:56 (twelve years ago)

1) stoked 4 this
2) not stoked that it's started just as i have to leave the house and be offline til tomorrow morning
3) fantastic images
4) DIE ANOTHER DAY!!!! - happy it placed obv but SO SO SO TOO LOW

r&b morcilla (lex pretend), Thursday, 7 March 2013 16:57 (twelve years ago)

lol so happy "Die Another Day" placed

some dude, Thursday, 7 March 2013 17:05 (twelve years ago)

Perhaps so. I'm unlikely ever to delve far enough into it to find out.

Everybody has styles of music they dislike no matter what. One of my own is early 90s pop-house, and I'm even softening my stance on some of that in my advanced age. I still can't get with much of anything on Erotica, though. *shrug*

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 15 September 2015 07:25 (nine years ago)

Everybody has styles of music they dislike no matter what. One of my own is early 90s pop-house

I wanna offer sympathies, but I know there are people who no doubt feel misguidedly sorry for those who will never ever get into Neutral Milk Hotel.

Norse Jung (Eric H.), Tuesday, 15 September 2015 13:25 (nine years ago)

I know several of those people. Lost souls, one and all.

Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 15 September 2015 13:34 (nine years ago)

the name puts me off

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 15 September 2015 16:22 (nine years ago)

LOL, have you had that screenname for the last 2.5 years?

Norse Jung (Eric H.), Tuesday, 15 September 2015 16:25 (nine years ago)

she sounds terrific, and the repetition of the twirl so awkward in an endearing way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffjlH4xHfWw

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 September 2015 16:26 (nine years ago)

boy do I miss her lower range drag queen voice

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 September 2015 16:26 (nine years ago)

I think she took it out for a spin during "Like a Virgin" on the MDNA tour.

Norse Jung (Eric H.), Tuesday, 15 September 2015 16:32 (nine years ago)

xxpost I changed it a few weeks back when Johnny Fever revived the thread :)

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 15 September 2015 17:44 (nine years ago)

It looks like she kicked ass at Madison Square Garden:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bitch-shes-madonna-nyc-stop-showcases-genius-of-rebel-heart-tour-20150917?page=2

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 18 September 2015 20:09 (nine years ago)

!!

"I'm feeling very nostalgic tonight," she told the crowd. "Do you people understand I played Madison Square Garden 30 years ago?" She kissed a fan in a 1985 Virgin Tour shirt who claimed he was there — for all we know, he might have been the goth club kid doing the cobweb dance in the "Into The Groove" video. It led to the emotional highlight of the night, when she picked up her acoustic guitar for one of her saltiest and best Number One hits, a song she hasn't performed since the Eighties: "Who's that Girl," leading the audience in the question "¿Quien es esa niña?" The question hung in the air. "I still don't know," Madonna said after the song. "I still don't know. I think I'm not supposed to know — maybe that's what life's about, figuring out who the fuck you are."

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 18 September 2015 20:10 (nine years ago)

:D

Johnny Fever, Friday, 18 September 2015 20:13 (nine years ago)

omg

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 18 September 2015 20:19 (nine years ago)

five months pass...

http://fasterlouder.junkee.com/inside-madonnas-intimate-tears-of-a-clown-show-in-melbourne/858982

this sounds like a fascinating show, i hope someone filmed it

ODD FUTURE WOLFGANG VAN HALEN ON BASS (some dude), Friday, 11 March 2016 03:50 (nine years ago)

two months pass...

My favorite album tracks.

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 May 2016 02:41 (nine years ago)

Vogue her greatest or close - greatest video, certainly - with Open Your Heart its closest/only rival. So great it subsumed the album that even if (or because) not entirely hers rivals its successor as her second-best after the not-quite-immaculate one that has so many hits on it who cares. So great it spun off a sequel in the very good but at least a little overrated Deeper and Deeper, which is probably not the best on that deep-benched album, which should have stolen Justify My Love from the collection as its capstone, and well behind Lucky Star and Express Yourself, to name some of the better ones that in turn probably place behind Holiday and Material Girl highest among the runner-ups that I insist also include Mandy's More, Sooner or Later, and Where's the Party, all of which I'll take most days over the well-named Borderline (Bipolar might be more like it), too-faux Like a Virgin (which shares a very particular room with other pre-adolescent sonic annoyances like Beat It), or even the somewhat-rut-bound Into the Groove, to say nothing of the Christian (Catholic, whatever) one I have no use for (not the anti-abortion one; I kinda like that one) or nearly all of the power "ballad" dreck early and late. I like a lot of the second-career EDM stuff well enough or better, but, except for the more interpretive and therefore auteurist stuff like Don't Tell Me, much of it doesn't register in the same fashion (maybe because less New York?). I'm fairly immune, for instance, to the purported glories of Beautiful Stranger, which feels a lot more disposable than, say, Independent Women, Pt. 2.

Many if not most of the above preferences vary at least marginally by mixing I couldn't identify offhand.

normcore strengthening exercises (benbbag), Tuesday, 24 May 2016 05:19 (nine years ago)

eight months pass...

oh wow "Jimmy Jimmy" is actually p great? and so is "True Blue"??

Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:13 (eight years ago)

fuck "La Isla Bonita" and "Live to Tell" forever tho

Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:14 (eight years ago)

[oh wow "Jimmy Jimmy" is actually p great? and so is "True Blue"??

um, yes. and yes.

fact checking cuz, Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:22 (eight years ago)

I TOLD U

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:33 (eight years ago)

fuck..."Live to Tell" forever tho

you mad

Wimmels, Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:36 (eight years ago)

Get the fuck out, Stevie.

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:44 (eight years ago)

I'm ecstatic enough about Stevie (or anyone) acknowledging the greatness of "Jimmy Jimmy" to overlook the "Live To Tell" diss.

some sad trombone Twilight Zone shit (cryptosicko), Saturday, 4 February 2017 23:46 (eight years ago)

yeah stevie u still need srs help tho

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 5 February 2017 00:24 (eight years ago)

"Live To Tell" is the greatest

Wimmels, Sunday, 5 February 2017 00:37 (eight years ago)

My favorite ILM poll: the level of commitment, the writing.

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 5 February 2017 01:06 (eight years ago)

it was the best of times

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 5 February 2017 01:18 (eight years ago)

I like to think Patrick Leonard said "OK, we're done" and Madonna saying, "No, wait -- I have an idea. 'If I ran away...'" and Leonard losing his shit.

― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, March 11, 2013 3:43 PM (three years ago

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 5 February 2017 01:27 (eight years ago)

can we do this again

Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 5 February 2017 01:54 (eight years ago)

YES

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 5 February 2017 02:25 (eight years ago)

Fuck me, my favorite thing she's ever done, her cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" (off the Something to Remember comp) wasn't even nominated?!?!?!

Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 5 February 2017 02:33 (eight years ago)

There are no nominations in artist polls.

Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Sunday, 5 February 2017 05:36 (eight years ago)

Oh.

Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 5 February 2017 10:19 (eight years ago)

five months pass...

Flamenco drop.

Anne of the Thousand Gays (Eric H.), Sunday, 16 July 2017 02:25 (seven years ago)

The best kind of drop

Tim F, Sunday, 16 July 2017 03:32 (seven years ago)

four months pass...

My least favorite major single.

morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 6 December 2017 03:44 (seven years ago)

It sucks, but "American Life" still exists.

iCloudius (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 6 December 2017 04:42 (seven years ago)

Oh yeah, Madonna put out music after 2001... I keep forgetting! Now I shall forget again.

Gholdfish Killah (Turrican), Wednesday, 6 December 2017 20:18 (seven years ago)

seven months pass...

Found the second greatest-hits CD at a garage sale last week, been playing it in the car. A kind of sameness creeps into the first few tracks because of the remixing. "Ray of Light" and "Beautiful Stranger" (which took some abuse in this poll) sound as amazing as ever; I think her career peaks were very early ("Holiday," "Borderline," "Into the Groove") and then later with those two songs--lot of greatness between, with some silliness, but they're the best. The one song that jumped out at me that I didn't vote for above was "Drowned World"/"Substitute for Love." I should have.

clemenza, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 16:03 (six years ago)

If she ever writes her memoirs--particularly of the early '80s--I'd read them.

clemenza, Wednesday, 11 July 2018 16:07 (six years ago)

"Beautiful Stranger" (which took some abuse in this poll)

Not enough, iirc.

I Never Promised You A Hose Harden (Eric H.), Wednesday, 11 July 2018 16:19 (six years ago)

three months pass...

At least six terrific albums, many good songs. American Life deserves reappraisal.

You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 23 October 2018 02:14 (six years ago)

six months pass...

Ranking with CCR, Marvin Gaye, the Beatles for number of awesome singles in such a concentrated period.

recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 00:28 (six years ago)

CCR?

zama roma ding dong (Eric H.), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 02:18 (six years ago)

For sure.

recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 23 April 2019 02:23 (six years ago)

And here's the last twenty-nine years.. Whoa.

recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 April 2019 01:10 (six years ago)

two years pass...

About time!

https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/madonna-physical-deluxe-reissues-confirmed-for-2022-and-beyond/

piscesx, Monday, 16 August 2021 15:32 (three years ago)

two years pass...

Happy birthday, girl.

the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 14:25 (one year ago)

What ever happened to those deluxe editions promised?

fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Wednesday, 16 August 2023 14:32 (one year ago)

one year passes...

Happy birthday, girl.

It's amazing how by toughening a few of the lyrics Madonna transformed this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbpqItgBGdo

the talented mr pimply (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 16 August 2024 14:54 (nine months ago)


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