Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Wholly carried by a banger.
It's Madonna and some of her biggest singles are in there, but as an album it's nothing really remarkable
this album is super groovy and i really loved listening to “love song” from the album
Certainly an iconic piece for the era, as was she in general, but other than the few hits the rest is just meh. Low 3.
Seems like quality, highly produced pop music.
Fine. Listenable. didn't hate it.
Classic 80s pop music. This record is not bad but also not that good.
Express yourself!
Can't call myself a Madonna fan, but she does have some pretty good tunes. Love Crazy For You! Slow danced with my wife more than a few times at the dance bars while we were in college. But this album didn't have that song so no doubt the best song off this album was Love Song. I probably would have enjoyed this album a lot more if the other songs were similar in nature and she let the guy in the duet sing a lot more, if not most of the album. But here we are. The 3 radio tunes are pretty good, Express Yourself, Cherish and Like a Prayer, in that order. Rest of the other stuff was OK with Act of Contrition being another stand out. All in all a pretty good album. Shout out to Prince for allowing himself to be part of a mediocre album. 3
3 From one ‘80s pop diva to another, though I’m a bit surprised that we’re just now seeing Madonna pop up on this list for the first time. I’m not going to pretend that I’m any kind of expert on her discography, but I feel like it won’t be the last. But yeah, as far as her body of work goes… I’m pretty indifferent. On a scale of annoying to catchy, I’d place most of her music somewhere in the middle. Like, it’s fine, but it doesn’t really do much for me, and after listening to this album, I would say my opinion has changed very little. However, I’ll give it credit for this - the songwriting and production holds up incredibly well. The signs of this being a 1989 release are definitely there, but generally, this has aged a lot better than many other contemporary pop releases from this era, to the point where I’d say you can hear the influence of this album in many modern pop artists today. Still, I just didn’t find any song here overly interesting… except for one in particular. You can probably guess where I’m going with this, and I’m risking sounding like my dad in saying this, but Love Song with Prince is the best track on this album by a mile. But, let’s be honest with ourselves, despite whose name is on the cover, it’s not a Madonna song with a Prince feature - it’s very much a Prince song with a Madonna feature. His style of production is all over this thing, and while I mean no disrespect to the Queen of Pop, it's the best song here because of it. Unfortunately, not as much of an impression was left from the rest of this tracklist. I was a bit surprised to see that the title track is one of her most popular songs because I certainly haven’t heard it before - or, it’s entirely possible I have and just forgot about it. I guess a lot of people have hailed Express Yourself as empowering; I found it kind of formulaic, though I’m also a man, so I can acknowledge I’m probably not the target audience there. After Love Song, a lot of this started to blend together, with Promise to Try being an especially slow and boring number, but I did kinda dig the ethereal, Enya-esque sort of quality to Oh Father. Act of Contrition was sort of a weird outro given that it's mostly just a collage of noise over a guitar solo, but even weirder, the second least-streamed song after it is Love Song. I guess there isn’t as much of a crossover between the Madonna and Prince fandoms as one would think. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Overall, this was okay, but we’re going to round up to a 3 solely because of the Prince song. Though, I guess it wasn’t his only feature here - he also played guitar on Like a Prayer, Keep It Together, and Act of Contrition, all uncredited. However, despite all of that, the actual coolest thing about this album? It came with a factsheet about safe sex and HIV/AIDS in a show of support for the LGBT community. Respect.
Pretty good stuff
Like a Prayer is amazing. Express Yourself is also a banger. Cherish is a really nice 80s pop song. There are some fillers - or at least songs that definitely aren’t good enough to stand the test of time, but all in all this is just a good pop album - and of course a cornestone in pop music generally.
Wow! I had no idea this would be as enjoyable as it is. I skipped Cherish. Really interesting religious and family themes, pretty sad at times. Loved the bookending of Like A Prayer and Act of Contrition.
This album has 3 hit songs and the rest is unmemorable. Although, I was surprised to hear the Madonna/Prince collaboration and that they couldn't combine to make a hit song. I also began to wonder if the 3 hit songs would be memorable or hit songs in my mind on a first listen... as opposed to already knowing those three tracks and then not recognizing any others. If three different tracks had been played over and over on MTV would I question why Cherish hadn't been a single? or would I think it was unmemorable? I'll listen a few more times and see if anything sticks.
Some good hits and other songs I hadn't heard before
I like the Prince stuff but most of it is just kinda bland
It was alright Like a Prayer and Spanish eyes were the only ones I liked. 3 stars.
Not too bad but the first two songs were more exciting than the rest. Standout tracks: Like a Prayer, Express Yourself
After such strong opening, the rest of the album feels underwhelming. Like a Prayer as the first song sets such a bar that I personally just skipped through the rest of the album chasing the high that first song gave.
Wow holy shit
If one wanted a masterclass in late 80’s pop, this might be the top of the list. Unfortunately for me I don’t really want that but I can admit it is pretty masterful.
esta muy bueno. grandes temas. 80s mas no poder
So I always heard from my dad that Madonna was the "it" of the 80s and 90s, but honestly I mean while it was good it wasn't my favorite. Maybe because it just isn't my favorite genre / style? It was a very close race between a 3 and a 4 but I think it was 1 song away from being a 4.
Decent pop.
About as Madonna as it gets.
Like A Prayer is a 5 star classic but, overall, I wanted to like this more than I did. The other two singles hold their own, but the Prince duet is more interesting as a curio than a song. The rest ranges from "fun but forgetable" to "clunky and dated."
Suffice it to say, I was not looking forward to this listen. Apparently, the title track was highly controversial on release, which is weird because it's pretty standard fare lyrically and musically. It's catchy, but standard fare nonetheless. The rest of this album follows the blueprint set by that track(brainless yet catchy 80s pop). The more upbeat tracks work far better than the ballads in this album. Overall, it is nowhere near as bad as I expected it to be.
Ever was a big fan. But she’s talented for sure. I might enjoy a greatest hits album
Just a good pop album. Like a prayer is a good tune - if I was to have a top Madonna track - it would be this one. Overall it’s fine.
Peak Madge. That said, I'm pretty ambivalent. The hits (and there are plenty here) are all great pop music. The rest? Meh.
Had its moments , the song with prince was the best part
The title track is pure pop perfection—dramatic, daring, and still electrifying. The rest? A mixed bag weighed down by filler that doesn’t come close to matching its brilliance. One iconic song propping up an uneven album.
Ahhh - the very last album I bought on Vinyl before the revival.... 80s very much my era, and this is the end of what I consider to be her 'classic' 80s album run. After this she's reinventing herself every time. It's a really solid album, but it's a mixed bag and there is some filler here (just like on all her albums tbh). When it's good, its great...title track and Oh Father being the standout tracks for me. However, the Prince / Madonna track is just awful...should have never seen the light of day. Just drones on and on (and on). 3 (nearly a 4)
A good listen! There’s a choir like sound to most of these that I really appreciate. Sweeping instrumentals and meaningful lyrics. Till death do us part and obviously Like a prayer are standouts for me
Nudy na 3
3.5 I l9ve all the hits but the fillers took it down a peg.
Classic! Great album! I find myself turning it up. It's great!... Ok after Express Yourself it kind of took a turn. I guess it's the big hits that I really like.
Ok, I've always wanted to listen to this album, but as a pop enthusiast, this is quite a let down. The melodies and instrumental feel very dated and for 2025, just a feel songs ("Like a Prayer", "Cherish") translate well.I know why this album should be in list but it's not good and not coherent. Madonna was never a good vocalist, but some of the songs here are painful. Thank God she did better albuns afterwards. ButbI am really disappointed 3/5
Not a bad listen. Singles are obviously incredibly well known but the rest of the content was surprisingly good.
Pas mal mais aucun morceau n'a retenu mon attention
The album is just o k. The better songs were the popular songs that stood out. And some of these other ones are horrible.
I am giving it a 3 instead of 2 only because the title track is epic af. The rest is boring.
If you like Madonna, then this is a classic album for you. If you don’t like Madonna then you won’t understand what all the fuss is about. It’s ok. The hit songs are good. The rest is forgettable.
Album 948 of 1089 Madonna - Like A Prayer (1989) Rating : 3.5 / 5 My first impulse is always to lean a little negative when it comes to Madonna, but I’ve been proven wrong before - and I was again today. While I can’t quite put it in the category of “greatest albums ever,” there’s no denying that this one represents its era and its genre incredibly well. It’s a well-produced, confident record that shows Madonna at the top of her pop game. The title track alone still holds up as one of her most powerful moments - bold, catchy, and perfectly crafted. The rest of the album keeps a steady, upbeat tone, with her vocals right on point and the production polished without feeling overdone. She knew exactly what she was doing here and executed it flawlessly. I have to give her props - she delivered what was expected of her and did it extremely well. Even if this era of pop isn’t my usual lane, I can recognize when it’s done right, and this is a fine example of that.
Some of these songs are familiar, I suspect I heard many of these tracks on the radio in period. Certainly none of my friends were Madonna 'fans'; she was 'pop' and we didn't do 'pop'. The track 'Like a Prayer' could be an ABBA number... dunno if that's a good thing. I completely panned 'Ray of Light' when it came up here. This is better. A more honest pop album, fun at times, and she has a great voice without a doubt. It is not really my thing and I don't want it in my album collection, I wouldn't choose to listen to it but if someone started playing it I wouldn't yell at them to change to something else. 3/5.
Three stars, barely. Would have been two if it weren't for Like a Prayer
En la presura del día escuché por error el álbum "Like A Virgin" en lugar de "Like A Prayer", lo cual en cierto sentido ayudó en mejorar la experiencia de escucha por comparación. "Like A Virgin" es un álbum más inmaduro, con una esencia adolescente y una ideología que hace apología del consumismo capitalista y relaciones sexo-afectivas tóxicas. Además la voz de Madonna suena demasiado chillona e infantil. "Like A Prayer" es una mejora sustancial del estilo y el contenido. Por supuesto no deja de ser música comercial que abraza el capitalismo y el concepto de que "el sexo vende", pero se percibe mucho más maduro, y además la voz suena mucho mejor. El trabajo musical es interesante y no tan predecible como parece, a pesar de que son todas canciones pop, hay por momentos ciertos temas que sorprenden en cuanto a su estilo, sonoridad y estructura. Creo que sobre todo tienen mucho trabajo de orquestación (tradicional, electrónica y orquestal combinados). No es un estilo de música que me guste demasiado escuchar, pero aprecio el trabajo.
I don’t think it was the vibe for today, but it wasn’t bad by any means. It very obviously influenced a lot of stuff, which I can get behind. Favorites: Like a Prayer, Love Song, Act of Contrition
Really enjoyed some songs and really didn’t like others. Very strange way to end the album.
The first track is great. The rest is pretty good.
First listen. I think Like a Prayer is... fine. It opens with a very strong run, and then kind of progressively tapers off from there. Initially, I found the slower, more ballad-y tracks to be good for the album's pacing - even though they were individually on the weaker side - but eventually, they started to take up a bit too much of the runtime. The album is at its best when it fully leans into unabashed, glittery dance-pop; and it really does shine in those moments, but sadly, they're a bit too scarce as far as I'm concerned. Perfectly cromulent, but nothing extraordinary. Fav. Track: Like a Prayer
Overall pretty good and catchy, recognized a lot of these songs and I think the Artist formerly known as Prince was included on some songs? Overall a 3 for me however
I never realized Cherish was a Madonna song. I was surprised by the quality of the album, I normally scoff at Madonna and don’t think I’ve ever spun LAP in full before, but it was quite listenable.
Some good songs here, but it’s also kind of a weird album. The hits have that 80’s pop ballad sound, but the rest of the album is a mix - some of it is Disney-ish. Notable tracks include Like A Prayer, Express Yourself, Cherish, Oh Father, Spanish Eyes.
Solid 3, it’s good pop music.
songs i liked: like a prayer express yourself cherish
I'm too young to appreciate this
Not for me. It's sort of catchy and obviously a cornerstone of pop music, but I'm not into it.
Like a prayer is the stand out and a classic but the rest was middling pop. Expected more from the Prince collab. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
An iconic voice, I think there are better Madonna albums out there Fav song - Like a Prayer 3/5
Like a prayer is great and the random chamber pop song in the middle was fun
The 'Like A Prayer' music video was on constantly when I was growing up, seemingly every music video channel had it queued up to play multiple times a day, and this was over ten years after the song's release. It was this almost gothic religious affair. It haunts me still. Otherwise, this was a load of cheese and I worry what the neighbours think.
There are a few great songs on here, but also quite a bit of filler. This isn't as consistently good as Ray of Light or Music IMO.
I liked this more than the Ray of LIght or Music, so I guess I'll bump it from my original thought of 2 stars.
I developed a secret crush on Madonna the first time I watched the video for "Material Girl." Though, I was never moved to buy her albums. She seemed ubiquitous from 1984 on. Like A Prayer was released at the end of my freshman year in high school. I remember the "Like A Prayer," "Express Yourself," and "Cherish" videos in heavy rotation on MTV. By the end of my sophomore year, "Vogue" came out and the cycle kept repeating itself for a time. Fun fact: my junior yearbook, when I was on the yearbook staff, was titled "Express Yourself." I have lost it. For me, Like A Prayer suffers because of its success. However, I did like "Love Song" with Prince, "Till Death Do Us Part," and laughed heartily at the line "What do you mean it's not in the computer?!"
listening to this made me realize - of madonna's hit singles - like a prayer is the one i like the least, and the rest of the album didn't really hit the same high as the title track. so: we go from middling to a little under middling (middling-lite, maybe). a little bit disappointed to be so underwhelmed, but i did save a handful of songs, so it evens out. highlights - like a prayer, express yourself, love song, till death do us part, cherish
Fav: Like A Prayer Least Fav: Act Of Contrition One of the most front-loaded albums I’ve ever listened to. A great first half that the second half cannot hold a candle to, frustratingly
The album lead in is excellent. Loved the 1st 3 songs, especially the Prince collab. Never knew that song existed. Some of these songs are a bit too 80s for me but I can see why Madonna was the pop diva of her time. Poppy and catchy.
3 absolutely brilliant songs, but the rest just ok 3/5
Reminds me of going to the mall as a child. This is the late 80s pop sound of America.
When I was a preteen, at least 50% of the music on my iPod had to be Christian music. Call me crazy, but I don’t think this album would have qualified.
The highs are as good as Madonna gets, the album tracks, including one with Prince(!) are a bit of a let down.
Me gusta el pop de Madonna de los 80.
Couple slow ones I didn’t much care for but the hits carried it to a three
Like A Prayer is a pretty good album. Instead of having a whole bunch of electronic elements like Ray Of Light did, This one seems to go for more of a typical 80s pop album. I like the former style more because it just sounds more interesting but this style is pretty good too. The songs could be pretty enjoyable but tend to blend in with each other a little too much. Madonna's vocals are the real highlight of this album as they could be really good and fit the songs perfectly. I also did like Prince's vocals in the one song that he appeared in. There are not too many stand out tracks here but i still enjoyed this album to a decent degree. Best Song: Keep It Together Worst Song: Cherish
Very good album. 3,5
It’s an 80’s Madonna album.
Classic Madonna, but not quite my jam
De twee openingstracks zijn natuurlijk klassiekers. Ik had geen idee dat er een Prince-track op stond, maar dat is dus de derde track. Heel fijn. Daarna zakt de boel wat in. "Till Death Do Us Part" en "Promise to Try" kun je overslaan. Daarna weer wat singletjes, waarvan "Cherish" er bovenuit steekt. "Dear Jessie" en "Oh Father" vallen meer in de categorie b-kantjes. "Keep it Together" is een beetje een slappe Prince-ripoff. Had dan die "By Alien Means" track met hem opgenomen. De laatste twee tracks kun je ook weglaten. Bepaald geen plaat om per se te horen voor je doodgaat, maar wel goede singles natuurlijk.
Like a Prayer and Express Yourself is one hell of a one-two punch to open an album. Unfortunately the rest of the album doesn’t live up to this high. Basically every pop album I’ve ever listened to has a lot of filler. This one has less than average but I wish it had been more consistent throughout. One time at karaoke sometime put on Like a Prayer and it turned into the greatest group singalong of all time. The song just keeps going but somehow it keeps getting better? It’s genius. Other highlights: Till Death Do Is Part (what a catchy song about an abusive husband… Sean Penn, I’m looking at you), Cherish
This is a tough one. The album starts with one of the greatest pop songs ever written. And everything else after it feels underwhelming in comparison, which isn't fair to these songs. I don't know why they didn't put Like a Prayer as the last song on the album. Build up to it for christ sake. Give the rest of the songs a chance. Like a Prayer even feels like it's an epic final track, a conclusion of sorts (see the recent deadpool movie where it's used as the song in the epic climax of the film). It would be perfect at the end. And it seems like they even know that since they put a little reprisal track at the end that revisits and remixes pieces of Like a Prayer. It even has a religious title (Act of Contrition). They want what I want. Buttttt at the time I know on pop records it was customary to front load the album with the singles (i'm not sure if this is still a thing in the streaming era, but it was for a long time), so their hands were tied. It really doesn't do this album any favours. Now getting past that... the rest of the album is a mixed bag. These are long pop songs. Everything is over 4 minutes except the outro and Promise to Try. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it means when a song hits you get lots of it... but when it doesn't, you also get lots. What doesn't hit.... Express Yourself - Hot take... this song isn't very good. I think it was a hit, I just don't like it. It does sound like something lady gaga has ripped off aggressively though which is kinda funny (i feel like i know the lady gaga ripoffs which somehow taints the original? i dunno). I guess the message of the song is good... definitely an empowerment anthem about not settling? Also the title just makes me think of that old soul song "express yourself" which is just better. Love Song - I like Prince. I like Madonna. But this is just a hot mess. It feels like these 2 massive egos threw a shit ton of ideas at this song and neither one would back down or cut their ideas, so the whole kitchen sink is here and it is a bit of a disaster. I almost feel like there are a few good songs in here that just got mashed into one ugly one. I don't like it. Promise to Try - A slow piano ballad just doesn't work for Madonna. I feel like she doesn't have the singing chops to pull this off. She's not an Adele or even a Gaga. Dear Jessie - it's very whimsical and strange. It has like a medieval fair vibe at points (but with 80s production). Madonna just doesn't fit on this. Oh Father - Her vocals work better on this ballad.. but it kinda feels like she's ripping off Kate Bush... and not delivering on that. Keep It Together - I hate this song. Kinda feels like a Michael Jackson b-side. I also hate this message of "even if your siblings suck ass, you can go back to them and they'll always accept you." Perhaps as a celebrity this feels more real. I just hate the blood is thicker than water shit. Your family can be whoever you want. Spanish Eyes - this song is a mess. I don't like it. What does hit... Till Death Do Us Part - What a bubbly but moody 80s pop banger. I've never heard this before, but I love it. Such a great track. Worth listening to the album just to find this. Chorus is stuck in my brain. That synth line in the background is also great. Cherish - It almost feels like the theme song for an 80s sitcom about a teen girl named Cherish and i'm here for it. It's fun, 80s pop. Big anthemic chorus. I dig it. Act of Contrition - Anything that even has a hint of Like a Prayer, and I'm in. The solo that plays is sick. The weird distorted samples are awesome. Madonna monotone talking/singing a prayer overtop of the chaos... but then the prayer turns into a rant about a reservation being denied... and that iconic final line she shouts: What do you mean it's not in the computer?! It's pretty awesome. Like a Prayer - I stand by my statement that it's one of the greatest pop songs ever written. It's complex. Bold as fuck. Epic. Catchy as hell. It's perfect. I re-discovered it a few years ago and was obsessed. It was one of my top spotify songs that year. How the fuck did she make a song comparing sex and love to a religious experience in the 80s and have it go to number 1 in the US and around the world? It's a god damn miracle. She basically turned water into wine. I feel like I could write a few 1000 words about this song, but I will restrain myself because it's almost 3 am. A couple thoughts: 1) I love how even though it's almost 6 minutes long, it still leaves you wanting more. The bridge is this massive tease that feels like you're building to a final epic chorus and it never hits. Instead she fades out on this incredible bridge and it makes you want to put the song back on to get that chorus payoff you're brain told you was coming. I don't know if this was on purpose to make people keep requesting it to the radio station... but it's brilliant. 2) THE CHOIR. I don't need to say anything more. 3) There was this video that went viral where you had a church in the states now embracing the song and singing it as part of a sermon. This made me chuckle since the church was not happy about the song at the time, especially the video with black Jesus. I can't tell if them singing it is progress or hypocrisy or stupidity or just the passage of time. I hope they followed it up with a speech about abstinence. It would really complete the insanity. I once played it at a party and my one friend accused my one religious friend of putting it on and i just laughed and said read the lyrics. 4) Great claps. Without Like a Prayer, this album is a 2... maybe a 2.5 if i'm feeling generous. With Like a prayer.... it might be a 3.5... but i have to round down because half of the record kinda sucks.
It's okay. Title track is legendary.
Some great songs here - “Express Yourself” in particular has always been a favorite. I found myself too distracted by several factors to really feel like I’mable to evaluate this album fairly. First off, can’t listen to “Like a Prayer” without hearing the music video pitch from Kevin Gilbert’s “Shaming of the True”. But most of all, every time the little moments where Prince shows up, which are pretty pervasive, I suddenly wished I was listening to a Prince album instead. Madonna deserves her place in pop’s history.
Some of this is great, you can hear the Prince influence, and I love the baroque flourishes on tracks like Dear Jessie. Like A Prayer is a real earworm. Some of this bored me quite a bit. Pray For Spanish Eyes, for example, is just not a good song whatever way you cut it. Still, overall its not bad for super mainstream 80s pop.
Grew up in prime Madonna days, she was absolutely huge, as much as a pre internet ⭐️ can be.. her jams played at every party, so some fun memories. From a music standpoint, it really doesn’t have a place
Takes me back to elementary school. I used to love hearing Madonna on the radio as a kid. If you’d caught me in 5th grade, this would’ve been a solid 4.
good
The title track and “Oh Father” are good songs. I appreciate the leap Madonna made here with subject matter, musical complexity, and additions like gospel backup. Still, I prefer Lucky Star and Burning Up-era gay club princess Madonna to Serious Madonna.
like a prayer is gold and ya she's queen of pop, I get it. I just got bored of it pretty quickly...
I went back and forth on this one, but it has some great moments. Obviously Like a Prayer is a perfect song and Express Yourself is great too. Cherish and Love Song are both fun but I found them too repetitive. Oh Father has a GREAT buildup I was not expecting. I think it's a 3.5 overall.
Decent 80s pop
Liked it a bit, typical 80s, nice vocals, some decent sound and songs that probably go on far too long. 3 stars
Madonna was always the Queen of Reinvention. This album was definitely her move from teen chanteuse to Queen of Pop. It’s hard not to enjoy the first part of this album. Like a Prayer is gospel infused goodness in the Church of Madonna, and Express Yourself is a pop dance anthem for the disco or kitchen floor. I had to verify with Siri that Prince was a cowriter of Love Song, as it emanated his touch of retro-pop-funk. The album tapers off more than I remember it at the halfway point. Dear Jessie sounded like Alan Menken of 1990s Disney Princess fame could have written it, which was kind of the point of fantasy, and Oh Father I imagined came out of a therapy session. Good for you Madonna! You came to terms with your personal childhood trauma! I’m split: Top o’ the Album is an emphatic 5! The bottom of the album is a meandering 2. Is 3.75 and option?
Random thoughts: * Like a Prayer is still a pretty good jam. I remember seeing the video debut on TV live when I was a kid. I remember everyone losing their minds because of the burning crosses. * I forgot about Express Yourself. Fun song and fun flashback! * Madonna and Prince did a song together! What?!?! I don't remember this but listening to it was more like Prince did a Madonna song since it was so much more Prince than Madonna. * Cherish was also a fun bop that also brought back some nostalgia. * I enjoyed this album more than I expected. However, I won't be seeking it out anytime soon.
Avausmegahitti on toimivaa poppia, mutta taas levyllä on aika paljon tylsää ilmaa. miksi tämän piti kestää 51 min?
Really good.
5.5/10
weird at the end
Ouais pas mal pas le classique de l’année mais sympa
This is a good album - but I just can't stand much pop. She's great, talented, and great production on here. Songs are catchy. But still - pop.
This is a solid pop/dance album! Obviously the stand out tracks on here are ‘Like a Prayer’ and ‘Express Yourself’ so the album starts off very strong and then falls off from there for me. The songs are not very deep and you don’t need to overthink them like most pop music. Overall, I enjoyed my first listen through of a Madonna album but I’m not sure if I would pick this album up again.
I like Madonna, always did.
A few solid pop songs the rest are just okay.
Not a big Madonna fan. This didn't win me over, but there were some good songs.
While I have enjoyed some of her radio hits over the years, I have never understood the hype behind Madonna. Her level of celebrity, especially at its peak in the 80s and 90s, it’s more a testament to her sheer will to be famous rather than to her level of talent, whether in music or film.
Madonna is one of those artists that’s most always been around. I’m mean, still, she is still making music and reinventing her sound. My first encounter with Madonna was her ‘Ray of light’ era. As I have got older I really think her 80s music is my favourite, although I wouldn’t say I was a massive fan, I love the hits. ‘Like a Prayer’ & ‘Exspress yourself’ are easily recognisable to me. The rest of the album is new to me and it is a good mix of slow and fast pop songs, some with deep messages. I can see why it’s a successful and celebrated album, although I do think some songs are a bit too long.
Like a prayer the song is a stunner. And all the other singles work great. But non singles including duet with Prince are mediocre to bad. Glad she tried though
80s pop, with some exceptions, kinda bores me. This is especially true for the 80s output of the two biggest pop musicians-- Madonna and Michael Jackson. Not that they're bad. They're are expertly written, sung and produced. But there's not much interesting in there. 3/5
It's fine, growing up in the 80s and 90s Madonna was played everywhere. It hasn't improved or spoiled with time. Take that as you will.
I quite enjoyed listening to this. I was an indie kid in the 80s with a stereotype to adhere to so I’ve never knowingly listened to a Madonna album before. I’ve quietly approved of some of her singles over the years (Borderline and Ray of Light for example) but I’ve never really considered myself to be in her demographic. Obviously, gospel singers can make anything sound good but this is neatly crafted pop and I was surprised at how many of these songs I knew. That said, I’m not sure how it qualifies for the list, it doesn’t stand out particularly, it’s just… quite good. If you like that sort of thing.
Like a Prayer
Веселенький, но я не развеселился. Было бы странно, если бы мне альбом очень понравился.
I didn't know some of the tracks are Madonna. Fairly enjoyable overall, but not something I need in my life.
Madonna's most personal album, compared to what I've heard of her discography at least. A lot of her remembered singles came earlier in her career, and for good reason. But things seem to be a bit more cohesive and...eclectic here I guess? You can tell that Catholicism had a big influence on Madonna's life, as a lot of the tracks feel spiritual and draw some inspirations from gospel music. The album noticeably got slower (almost too slow for a pop record) and moodier in the second half (the last "track" isn't really a song), so there are two distinctive sides to this album. Second half was kinda sleepy as a result, but thoroughly enjoyed the first half though, (#1-6). "Like a Prayer", "Express Yourself", and "Cherish" are obvious standouts.
The first two songs are enormous bangers, but I can't image why it seemed like a good idea to make deep cuts that dabble in classical music and Spanish guitar
While I've never been a Madonna fan, I'm a bit shocked to realize that I've never heard this album outside of the (massive) hits on it (and I can see that those singles are over half of the album, so I guess I've heard more than I realized). A bit disappointing that this isn't the only Madonna album in the collection, given that it seems like this was and is likely her peak; that said, I give Madonna tons of credit for evolving her style and sound over several decades of performing. This is just too 80s-pop for me to be able to call out any particular tracks as favorites, but I like it that Prince collaborated with her on the album, most obviously on "Love song", which makes for one of the more interesting tracks on the album, but I liked his distinctive guitar work on the opening title track as well as "Act of contrition" too. (Apparently also on "Keep it together", but I didn't really hear it.) Of the many videos from this album, I particularly enjoyed the David Fincher-produced and Metropolis-inspired video for "Express yourself". The others weren't as compelling: I know the video for "Like a prayer" was a big deal at the time, but it didn't do much for me; "Dear Jessie" was just an insipid animated effort (much like the song); "Oh father" was a bit disappointing, given that Fincher also directed it; and what *is* the deal with the mermen (and mer-children) in the "Cherish" video???
Wait, hang on... is like a prayer about a BJ? A few really iconic tracks, followed by a lot that was forgettable.
I love pop but apparently not Madonna. Fun but not for me.
This is good pop, I enjoyed the first few tracks and Dear Jessie, and the variety of topics discussed. Any pop artist that doesn't exclusively sing about boys is going to get a bump from me. Like any pop artist, I'm sure I would've been sick of these songs by 1990 if I was growing up back then just like I'm sick of Taylor Swift and Chappelle Roan now. But since this is fresh, it's nice. 3.5 rounded down
Woohoo! We love Detroit, don't we folks? Madonna is another in the esteemed category of artists I was too cool for until I listened to them, but in this case I've mostly only liked her as a singles artist--her albums haven't grabbed me much. Listening Notes: -Like a Prayer is a killer start. What a single to lead an album off on. It's a tad long but who cares. -I have mostly found the rest of this album forgettable, writing towards the end of my first listen. -Keep it Together: ah yes! finally some funk instrumentation. Give this album a little bit more substance to latch onto. Review: This album is unapologetically pure pop sound. With a fantastic start, the rest of the album feels fine, but not incredible. While the album tracks are reliably alright (Keep it Together stands out and Cherish is an ear worm), I wouldn't say this album is super special. But dang like a prayer is deep stuck in my head so good for her. 3 stars.
Clearly some bangers here, but I think the less well known tracks stand up really well. Really enjoyed listening to this.
Some absolute bangers!
I'm in holiday so caveat the following. I thought this was actually alright. Had it not had like a prayer on the tracklist its probably a 2ish, cherish was good, the prince track was interesting on its own. I think as a whole the title track being up front and so famous the rest seems weaker. Overall I'm rounding up to a 3
This album has a lot of praise from when it came out. I thought it was fine but didn't feel especially noteworthy outside of the title track. It wasn't bad, great background music, but didn't really pull me in.
Madonna and her music had an outsized impact on my childhood, and I can’t help but love her music. I sang along, loudly, to Like a Prayer while my children looked on in horror. This isn’t my favorite Madonna album, but she is masterful in her craft.
3 - Finding out I'm not a big Madonna fan.
Like a Prayer (the song) is an all timer - the writing is so smart and subversive. And it slaps. The rest of the album is fine but I don’t feel like any other moments stack up. The Prince song is particularly disappointing. 3.3/5
Opel Agila, HDH - LD Ein paar Hits & viel Mist.
Not a big fan of Madonna but this was pretty decent. The first half is definitely better than the second, but it’s ok.
Solid
I feel like an old grump for consistently insisting that 1001 Albums keeps picking the wrong album by the right singer. But in this case…I mean, True Blue. C’mon guys. (We can’t even frame this as the ever nebulous ‘return to form’, because Who’s That Girl isn’t a proper album.) Oh Father is, though, one of Madge’s best songs ever, though. And she’s done a lot.
The title track is about as good as it gets, but a lot of the rest of the album is just fine for me.
it wasn’t bad but k expected more form madonna. fav Til Death Do Us Apart
Starts with a perfect pop song but then dies down a bit
Damn, Girlie-Pop has come a long way. It's a well crafted album, but I honestly cannot stand Madonna's voice. Her lack of breath control just makes for some really weak moments that almost made me turn it off. I'm also not a huge fan of the lyrics. Part of that may be I don't find them particularly relatable, but they're still ridiculously on the nose and made me physically cringe sometimes. I really enjoyed Till Death Do Us Part and the bowed string work of Dear Jessie. The last track was awesome and I wish the rest of the album had followed a similar attitude. The rest of it felt like Abba had a bit too much pot. I might be a hater, but this album was not fun to sit through.
Iconic
A pretty simple 80s pop album, not that bad honestly.
Girly pop music. Get it. Not my thing. Feels like I need to be driving an all white thunderbird or some shit.
3/5 Strong vocals and clearly well crafted songs. Didn’t leave much of an impression on me creatively, almost played too safe. Top 3 Songs: Express Yourself Oh Father Spanish Eyes
Fun album overall but nothing to write home about
Quite underwhelming, this is supposed to be Madonna's best album?
Obviously Like a Prayer is a great song that is super popular but there are some other good songs too, in my opinion at least. Till Death Do Us Part has sort of a creepy music vibe to go along with the lyrics. Good stuff. It's not necessarily my genre but I enjoyed listening to it.
It’s a good pop album - catchy, well-made, not actively annoying. Not really my thing, though, and I probably won’t listen to it in full again Like a Prayer
This has all my favourite Madonna songs - the title track, Oh Father and Spanish Eyes are all excellent. The rest is mostly OK. Ish.
Yeah yeah, it’s "the artistic statement" album. And sure, it kicks off like a house of fire: the title track is straight-up GOAT material - gospel-tinged pop perfection with just the right amount of scandal. "Express Yourself" struts hard, and "Cherish"… well, it existed, it was a hit, and it’s cute if you squint. But then? Things start wandering. The production is immaculate, but a lot of the deep cuts feel more like homework than hits. "Oh Father" is heavy, "Promise to Try" is heavy and sleepy, and "Love Song," the big Madonna-Prince moment, is somehow less than the sum of its parts. Like, how do you screw up that pairing? It's MFing Prince! It’s Madonna! And we got… synth-beige. The real scene-stealer is "Keep It Together," a funky, low-key banger and much-needed shot-in-the-arm at the tail end. It grooves harder than anything else on the record and delivers the energy boost the album sorely needs. More of that, please. In the end, Like a Prayer is big, bold, and sometimes brilliant - but also patchy and a bit self-serious. It makes total sense that The Immaculate Collection ended up the must-own Madonna release from this era, redefining the Greatest Hits album. It cherry-picks the gems and leaves the noble misfires behind.
I'm not wowed by Like a Prayer, but Madonna can be counted to make an easy pop album. The lyrics weren't much to write home about; I found myself cringing more often than not. The title song, yes, is legendary for a reason, but other than that, I was a bit bored. This album isn't bad enough to get a 2, but I suppose I had more expectations for Madonna. She may be an artist whose hits are the only good songs.
This was a pretty good Madonna album, but honestly, her presence on this project has made me question whether she's really much of an album artist. Her greatest hits are undoubtedly great and iconic, but her albums are full of a lot of fluff, for a lack of any better word. And that fluff is sometimes hit or miss, but I don't feel like there is often material on her albums that are "hidden gems" that missed becoming singles or hits -- usually her best songs are widely acknowledged singles. Anyway, this was one such album. And while I'd like to be able to give the likes of Madonna something higher than a 3 on this project, her album work hasn't really leant itself to that.
6/10
3.5
Like a prayer slaps, not a ton else on the album that stood out to me.
Solid pop album
I honestly did not get entirely through this album - I was busy and it also just did not capture me. Fun, and clearly influential of current pop. However, I struggled to connect with many of the lyrics.
Pretty good!
Madonna can be really hit or miss for me, and aside from the singles, this album is surprisingly a miss. "Like A Prayer," "Express Yourself," and "Cherish" are all top tier songs, but a lot of the rest are kind of lacking. This album falls into the trap that a lot of 80s pop albums do, which is having really great pop songs and then deciding they all need to be over 5 minutes for some reason. It's definitely to the detriment of most of these songs that they're so long. Many would be better and way more enjoyable if they were even a minute shorter. I really wanted to like this album more, but it just wasn't doing it for me. "Like A Prayer" is an iconic song, but if we're talking about early Madonna, I think she has better albums that should be on this list over this one.
As a known hater of 80's pop I wasn't looking forward to this. Then it started, and I couldn't help but admit that the first few songs were pretty catchy and well made (notably the title track). Then I got to the back half of the album and it kinda fell off a cliff for me. There's enough here for this to sneak into a 3, but barely. 2.5
It's Madonna! So it sounds pretty much exactly how you would expect, and that's not really a bad thing. Standouts are the title track, Cherish, and Till Death Do Us Part. A pretty good album, especially compared to Madonna's previous albums. Worth a listen at least.
Not bad nor great. A bit boring apart from the well known ones
108/1089 - This sure is 80s music.
Nice album
Decent pop album, did I love it? No. Was it better than some of the shite I've had recently? Shockingly, yes.
Rather non-poppy for being a pop album. Not always a bad thing, but some songs here are just weak and don't give much emotion, or only briefly touch on deeper topics. 6/10
Subtlety is an art that is very much absent from this
WHADDIYAMEANITSNATINDACOMPUTER
Solid pop album, would listen again
Like a Prayer Til Death Do US Part Cherish
Some keepers that hold up but only okay overall
I'm struggling to say much about this one. It's quite good? I kind of took it all in and had a reasonably nice time, without really having many critical thoughts about it. It's perfectly serviceable and well-done 80's pop music.
3.4
Prime Madonna. So strong for the time
This was much better than I expected, and compared to her last album. I think it helped that I was not listening to the lyrics. Stamd-out: Like A Prayer
Like most except bland poppy tracks
fine 3/5
super pop. like a prayer no marxarà mai de l'hipotàlem colectiu
Like a Prayer - 5/5 Express Yourself - 4/5 Love Song - 3/5 Till Death Do Us Part - 4/5 Promise to Try - 3/5 Cherish - 4/5 Dear Jessie - 4/5 Oh Father - 3/5 Keep It Together - 3/5 Spanish Eyes - 3/5 Act of Contrition - 1/5 Total score: 3.4/5 three good songs among a pile of mid ones
For as influential as Madonna is, I found a good chunk of the music here to be very typical for its time—it's no 'Ray of Light'. Especially on the production end, it sounds like the run-of-the-mill new-wave and new-jack-swing fusion you'd expect out of a pop album in the late '80s. And it lacks the finesse of an album like Janet Jackson's 'Rhythm Nation 1814'. 'Like a Prayer' (title track) is always fun to get through; it's those over-the-top choir vocals that do it for me, and it's just irresistibly catchy in almost every way possible. I messed with the tighter synth groove of a song like 'Till Death Do Us Part', and 'Cherish' was maybe the catchiest thing here, title track aside. 'Oh Father' was a tragic cut, detailing Madonna's abusive relationship with her father - it's easily the best of the ballad-type tracks on the album. 'Keep it Together' further builds on the themes of family dynamics and loss - a theme that takes a different, albeit equally as devastating form on the flamenco guitar-backed 'Spanish Eyes'. For a Madonna album, I feel like something's missing when listening to this, but that's primarily on the production end. I can respect this album's lyrical themes and Madonna's undeniably charming vocal style. Plus, the title track will always be an all-time great pop song.
Really well produced. Some songs definitely better than others and her voice feels a little limited, less good for more serious songs. 6/10
Decent fun with some standouts (Like a Prayer, Till the Death Us Part).
Growing up there was no escaping Madonna. I knew her singles whether I wanted to or not, because they played everywhere. I never bothered to listen to any of her albums though, so this was my first. It gets points for having Prince involved with it, and anytime you hear his voice and/or guitar, it's good. There are 4 songs here I can say I enjoy listening to and could listen to again. 3 of those are singles I already knew though (the other is "Love Song"). The rest of the songs are not bad, but rarely impressive. Thankfully, none of them are annoying either, they're just very average, especially compared to the rest of it. The closing track is amusing, but unnecessary. At least it ends on a fun note I guess. Overall, not blown away by any of it, and I don't think it's a must hear for me, but I see the appeal.
Ok
Solid middle of the road album. It was also pretty interesting to hear just how much Lady Gaga ripped off this album. Nothing new under the sun, I guess. Super dated, though. 3/5
Shit, this is actually a decent listen.
It was okay I guess, but many filler tracks
Starts off hot, then gets bad fast.
Compared to some the other 80's pop on this list this one is very highly produced. It is its strength but also greatest flaw. The overproduction gives the sound an air of artificiality. Everything is just a little too clean, too safe. Sure the title track is good and Prince's appearances are nice, but I simply have no desire to listen to this again.
“The best pop album since Revolver”? Give us a break. Tinny, dated-sounding synths, excessively large and emoting backing choruses, songs too long, it’s all terribly overdone, which actually defeats quite a few good hooks (as on title cut). The likable melody on “Express Yourself” is similarly overburdened. Prince adds something to “Love Song,” which isn’t terrible, but the canned beats empty the song of soul. It all seems to be posturing and surface-y, commerically-focused and image-obsessed – Madonna wanting to keep street and club cred, and forcing controversy by flirting with religious heresy. As with much output from this era, the album feels synthetic and disposable. The shift to strings and pianos does not signal a major upgrade in class or quality. And then the closer is just silly – being elaborate makes it no less so. Also, what’s the cover supposed to mean? Seems rather more backward-looking toward her previous persona (which one liked much better for its [relative] innocence and earnestness). The whole thing feel more like marketing than music.
Great 80’s classic
Great pop song, very iconic. I won't say I like them but I think they're decent.
There are a couple of songs I love but more that I don't care for. I'm keeping this one at a 3.
The titular track is pop perfection isn't it. A hauntingly elegiac intro that propels into a funk-guitar infused, gospel burst of ultra-catchy chorus. And that bass; it absolutely underpins the whole production. To say the album is downhill after that is slightly unfair. Express Yourself is solid and Cherish a pop banger. The lullabyesque 'Dear Jessie' is a big box o' candy in song form. Highly saccharine, but rather irresistible and secretly enjoyable. 'Oh Father' has some very nice chord changes, and is very much like Kate Bush, into a post-2000 Radiohead style chorus with a floating feel, and off time drum beat. This, more than any other, shows her knack for inhabiting the world outside of pop. 'Spanish Eyes' is a decent attempt too, whilst not living up to the enigmatic promise of 'Oh Father'. Aside from those I feel like there's a bit of infilling, such as the dire Prince duet or Keep it Together. Very difficult to rate, but I feel on balance as an album it doesn't quite attain the excellence to warrant a four, notwithstanding some superlative tracks. A high three then.
Some pretty decent 80's sunshiney pop. Not my favorite but not bad!
I love the title track, but the rest of the album definitely isn't as strong.
Never realized Like a Prayer had that first riff?
Tolle Hits, Lahme Nicht Hits. 3 Sterne, weil damals Krasses Pop-Album
Wasn't too much of a fan of the sounds and the religious messages, still good album
Excited for this one as I love Madonna and there’s some songs I don’t know on this record. Really enjoyed hearing Madonna do a little more emotion than I’m used to on “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.” “Dress You Up” was a song I had completely forgot about and god it is just so fun. Sick saxophone on “shoo-bee-doo.” “Pretender” is a perfect song. And now for the last track “Stay” has some really cool drumming and sparkly beats. Overall it’s great to hear Madonna’s voice at the beginning of her career here, she’s got a throatiness that’s perfect and there’s nothing pretentious about it. Fun record with great 80s synth. God I love pop music.
Some amazing songs, but as an album it wasn't my jam.
I’ve never thought of Madonna as an “album artist” … and I still don’t! I joke, I joke – but only sort of. I would seriously suggest that if this record was just the single “Like A Prayer” and then 10 riffs, remixes and reworkings it’d be phenomenal. (It might be that a better album exists simply by chopping everything between “Like A Prayer” and “Act of Contrition” out entirely and then looping it around six times.) Anyway, utterly glorious first track aside* – I’m afraid it doesn’t do much for me. There were better pop records made in the 80s – the high points of this album can’t shake off the shadows of those (how “Oh father” is Tears for Fears without the conviction, for example) – and will be better ones coming in the 90s (the legacy of this record is all over the careers of The Spice Girls, Britney, Christina). “Keep it together” kicks it up to 2.5 but simply too much sloshy bumph to take it any higher. *Very, very fond memories of bopping hard to “Like A Prayer” at Fleur and my wedding. Wonderful moments, big singalongs, heavy swooping dance moves. I’ll hold onto that one forever, thanks, Madge.
I really enjoyed listening to this album today. I loved Madonna (in the day!) and despite not listening to this album for about 30 years, I still managed to recall most of the lyrics. It's not musical genius, but Madonna was one of the first female pop stars/idols and has managed to survive a pretty tough industry, so for that reason, she is to be celebrated. I think her choices in cosmetic surgery detract from her legend status. She has much better albums than this, but I'm giving it 3 stars, mostly for nostalgia.
There’s some lovely personal sentiment here, but overall the effect is pretty sappy. Musically, it’s just not timeless like her first three slamming post-disco records.
I thought I would like this more but it was just okay :(
Contains some legendary songs. Pretty good album overall.
Kuulostaa välillä Disney-prinsessan lauluilta. Mutta ihan kiva! Ihmettelin ratkaisua panna sinkut heti alkuun, mutta kyllä tuolta myöhemminkin löytyi kiinnostavia sanoituksia ja pikku melodioita.
Like a Prayer on tajuton hitti, Spanish Eyes ja Till Death Do Us Part taas pelkästään helvetin hyviä. En tajua Express Yourself:iä, jonka pitäisi olla myös hitti, mutta joka sulautuu filleriin. Niin, tällä levyllä on filleriä. 3+
There are songs on this that I think are undeniable. Specially “Like a Prayer” is one of the all time great pop songs. But then there a handful of true head scratchers. Nice to see Madonna experimenting. But I don’t want to listen to it. 3.5/5
This is so 80S!! The main tracks on the album, "like a prayer", "express yourself" "cherish" and "pray for Spanish eyes" are superb. I also enjoyed songs I had not heard before like "till death do us part" On the downside, there are some bang average songs on this album there to make up the numbers like Love song and "Dear Jessie" In summary this is a good fun that is very of its time. Favourite song: "Like a prayer" is one of the all-time great pop songs Least favourite: There were some tracks on the album I just couldn’t get into like "Love Song" Album artwork: Great cover
This got off to an absolute flyer and I thought a fiver might be on the cards after the first two songs. But it kind of fell flat after. Like A Prayer is a banger. Simpsons: Yes
First song or so were alright to be fair, enjoyed them more than I expected. Rest of the album was just fine.
Starts off well, but the ending is a little disappointing.
I like Madonna's music, and I really like Express Yourself, Love Song, and Dear Jessie from this album. I think there are stronger Madonna albums, though, so I'll stick with a solid 3.
Let's gooo, Madonna! "Like a Prayer" is a banger and I saw this video in IG not so long time ago... I was laughing very hard! 😁 https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCnMzL_ppVy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== The last song game we WTF vibe, sounded like it was played in reveresed, but I loooved the ending and the last sentence! WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S NOT IN THE COMPUTER?!
Nice album, but besides the first two tracks i don't think it's aging gracefully.
not my thing for the most part
ebe scho geeeeil like a prayer. riiichtige ohrewurm aber s arrangement mit immerwieder chörli und denn volle beat isch huuuere geil. david williams on guitar. isches uuuuuhuere sexuell? dummi frog. goh würkli extreeem blöd. express yourself slappt au extreeem. auscho ghört aber richtig geil. love song chli lahmer, prince cool aber joooo etz nöd meega spannend. till death do us part eeeehner langwilig. promise to try cuute? aber nöd meh. cherish cooole bass coooli gitti ui yes. ihri stimm scho ehner dünn. oke de synth goht au blöööd. dear jessie weeeird?? aso no herzig aber meeh oh father cooole drumbeat wo alles verschiebt. ihri stimm treit sonen song leider nöd gaanz aber d instrumentierig isch suuper. cooli chords. keep it together au no cool funky aber najaaa. aso nai sehr noice. pray for spanish eyes schöne song aber er macht en orientalism (said, 1978) mit spanie?? fangt hammer aaah, gheit nocher sehr schnell. 3.
like a prayer seehr geil am ahfang hanis easy gfunde, aber je länger s gange isch, desto besser isches worde aahh express yourself lebt scho fest vom refrain und de ischmer chli zu poppy love song megaa 80er beat hahaha till death funny ahfang actually cool, au wennd d türüüüdü wieder sehr 80er sind peomise to try LANGWIIILIIIG nei es isch eig völlig okay cherish isch sochli seichte fun? dear jessie kinda cute, kinda schrecklich aber kreativität chammer dem ahsatz nöd vorwerfe hahaha oh father hani au nöd soo gern, ischmer chli zu dramatischi filmmusig-mässig hmm jaa s verlürt mi chli, s spielt chli vor sich hii leider spanish eyes langwilig FUCK JZ LAUFTSMER NA jo s letschte lied isch meh es outro, bö joo de ahfang isch für mich so es starchs 3, mit versch. lieder und aspekt woni gern han, wo aber chli dur de heavy 80er und chli too much pop für mich zrugg ghalte wird, und wie gseit am schluss hets mi verlore leider. solids 3
First time listen via streaming
Pop
Classic 80’s Madonna with some killers, but also a few fillers. I prefer some of the later albums (Music, Ray of Light) - but still a good’n
While I haven't listened to this album before there are so many songs I have heard a lot throughout the years. Hearing them on the same album makes me realize just how many good songs Madonna has. Even though I don't actively choose to listen to Madonna when I pick what to listen to she has so many songs that I never skip when they come on. That being said I really like this album and had a great time listening through it.
Like A Prayer and Express Yourself held up this album - the rest sucked.
i liked the more upbeat tracks the most, felt more madonna
This album was fine. I was honestly expecting to enjoy it more but outside of the singles, it all kind of blurred together.
Most of the songs on this album have aged really poorly, but the lead single is still a banger.
This is like the Michael Jackson albums we had a while back in that it defines the entire sound of an era. I've never been a huge fan of Madonna in general, especially as she got older and weirder, but it would be foolish to ignore her catalog based on her increasingly bizarre personality. This album was/is the quintessential pop music album for a time span of something like 20 years. People are still listening to this now, obviously less so, but the songs are enduring. The title track, Express Yourself, Cherish, Spanish Eyes, while not modern sounding, easily slide in to pop music rotations even today. I think the religious overtones, which became even more explicit in videos and performances, add an extra layer to this which served well for marketing the album I'm sure. She's not at the level of someone like Sinead O'Connor but there was (for the time) some pretty explicitly sacrilegious stuff in there. Even the titles of a few of the tracks could be considered a bit over the line, and of course her own stage name. There's no denying the impact of this album, but it's still fundamentally not the kind of music I enjoy, hence the lower rating than it maybe deserves.
Do kids still have 80's parties? I remember being able to play "Like a Prayer" in our grungy fraternity basement and the women losing their minds. It's undeniably poppy, catchy, and encapsulates the feeling of the late 80's/early 90's (at least to my understanding, I was still pretty young.) Madonna was an icon for a reason, the queen beside Michael's king. That being said, I'm hard pressed to find a time I would want to throw on the album for a listen. Grungy fraternity basement sorority mixer non-withstanding.
She has never been much of a singer, and it's not her best album. But it's not as bad as I thought it might be. "Dear Jessie" is nice, and I like the melody in "Cherish".
Pretty good album. I love the the two opening singles, wasn't much familiar with the rest.
Liked this more than I expected. It's got a maximalist thing that I liked. It doesn't translate to all songs, but overall, it's a pretty fun album. 3.49/5
This was fine, nothing too crazy, just so good ol 80s pop.
Madonna kinda rocks, actually.
maybe in another life I'm the right kind of gay to like madonna
This seems to showcase her vocals more than previous albums...Basically taking the vocal work on "Live to Tell" from True Blue and building an album around it to show more of her vocal versatility, especially the grit in her voice. Highlights: "Like a Prayer" (not sure I'd start the album with this song...seems like something that should be worked up to), "Express Yourself" (I like the horns...this is kind of like a Motown song on cocaine...i probably would have started the album with this one), "Til Death Do Us Part" (her vocal tone reminds me of Belinda Carlisle at times. A bit busy musically. It could be stripped down a bit.), "Cherish" Notable: "Love Song" (features Prince and, yup, it definitely sounds it), "Dear Jessie" (sounds like a Disney song)
This one feels like it’s trying to be personal and huge at the same time. The mix of gospel and pop reminds me of something Annie Lennox might try, but this leans more flashy. Some moments really work, but others feel like they’re trying too hard. The highs are high, and the lows are low.
Forgot about some of the songs on this album. I have never been the biggest Madonna fan but I think this is some of her best stuff.
This album is on par with most of Madonna's other big records: fine, pleasant, but nothing particularly special. It's intensely 80s-pop-oriented, which could tank some reviewers' ratings, including my own. The production has that spacious electronic quality that is nearly universally agreed to have not aged very well. The percussion, as is to be expected for 80s pop, is mostly too artificial to really enjoy. There's not enough humanity in quite a few of these tracks. Even Madonna's singing, while technically very strong and excellent for the genre, could use a little more heart and/or soul. The song Express Yourself sounds like a mildly better version of Lady Gaga's Born This Way. (Seriously. The choruses have the same chord progression and a similar melody. And the singers' voices are pretty similar.) It's a very strong track – certainly better than the title track, which listeners seem to prefer – and a contender for my favourite Madonna song. Later in the album: I was not expecting the Latin-style brass amidst the sweet, poppy strings of Dear Jessie. Cool. The string arrangement in Oh Father is also worth a shoutout. The melody of the penultimate song Spanish Eyes is very hard to catch onto, and the track ends up dragging as a result. In addition, the odd reversed sounds and side-mixed electric guitar on the final track, Act of Contrition, are unpleasant and a poor choice to end the album. But excluding these two tracks, I enjoyed most of the album. Not a bad showing for the Queen of Pop. 3/5 Key tracks: Like a Prayer, Express Yourself, Oh Father
Pretty good album for what it is, not really my cup of tea though. The first two tracks are great, as is Cherish. As with a lot of 80s pop though, it's very dated. It actually sounds older than it is - I had to double check the release date. Some of the songs in the second half make me feel like I'm trapped in a shopping mall. She definitely mixed a lot of different styles together very effectively though.
When this came out I loved it. It's Madonna, there are some solid songs but I'm just not a fan.
The title track is exquisite pop, but it gets pretty thin after that. A couple other songs begin to approach that level - I'm a real sucker for the maudlin 6th on "Till Death Do Us Part" - but nothing else feels like a song I haven't heard before, either by Madonna or otherwise. And a lot of the deep cuts, especially the slow, sad ones, are just straight duds. End of the day though it's fine pop, if not exactly inspired. I enjoyed listening to it.
This is good pop record, no arguing there. But it's exactly that, feels very commercial (made to sell rather than as an artistic expression) even though apparently this is Madonna's most "arty" album. Some good songs e.g. Oh Father. Many songs are so embedded in my brain from hearing then 1000 times on the radio that it is hard to have an opinion on them - they just "exist". I suppose they are really good at what they do. Madonna surely is a pop phenomenon and I feel at least some of the albums need to be on the list.
Some catchy jams. Like A Prayer suffers from too much airtime in the modern day but otherwise would have been my favorite track. Lots of 'dead air' where few instruments are playing simultaneously. I get heavy chiptune vibes surprisingly. Like only 3 or 4 channels are going at once. Fav Track: Dear Jessie
Not my style of genre it was listenable. Last 2 tracks kinda lost me a bit. 2.5 if I’m generous 3/5
A moment marking a time.
It’s more like a 3.5 bc I like Madonna but there are also a bunch of the songs on this album im kinda meh about.
Grand 3/5
Meh, not the biggest madonna fan
Cassette classic, I recall the cardboard sleeve smelt great???
This was my favorite so far of the Madonna albums, and it seems to be her quintessential work, deserved for the list
3.5☆/5 11.09.2024
Drottning poppsins og ég skil alveg af hverju. Þetta er alveg þétt plata með góðum smellum. Eins og með margar poppplötur skilur hún ekki mikið eftir en ég hef ekkert á móti henni. Ég mun samt örugglega ekki muna eftir að setja hana í spilun aftur
Ahhh the 80’s when armpits and women were hairy. Bassless pop saccharine perfection. 3 for the memories
Some great hits. Up there with her best work. 3.5/5
A nice voice and a fun 80s soundtrack makes this album easy listening.
This was pretty meh.
Suffers from "put the absolute bangers at the very start" syndrome, but the rest still range from ok to very enjoyable. Those first two really are fantastic though, the title track is a legendary pop tune. At least there's enough variety amongst the rest of the album to keep it interesting, even the slower songs were pretty good.
I enjoyed it but it didn't seize me.
Eh
Previously rated: Ray Of Light (3/5) Music (3/5) *********************** No auto-tune, so it's already better than Music. This album may be when she started to put out more mature stuff. That doesn't automatically make it better. I still like her earlier stuff more. This is just OK. Favorite track: Til Death Do Us Part
Bit of a mishmash album
Takes me back to hearing my youth and hearing some of these songs in the house. Pretty standard Madonna work at the time. Heard worse in the 80’s!
Interesting to hear her early stuff before she became the spectacle that is Madonna.
Just ok, Like A Prayer is definitely the standout
This album started off super strong with Like A Prayer and Express Yourself. Then it slowly falls off. I didn't think the album was bad but I was hoping for better after the strong start. I liked this one better than the other Madonna album we got but I'm still looking for something better from the queen of pop.
nit schlecht, hab ma nur mehr erwartet irgendwie
Prince fucking carries on this album, which is insane because he's only 4 tracks. Madonna has some other pretty good songs on here, but a lot of songs were so forgettable I had already forgotten I listened to it by the time the next song got into the verse. Would have been a low 2, but Prince alone brings it to a middle 3
The song like a prayer is a 10/10. There was a couple other songs that I liked and enjoyed. I’d give it somewhere 3.5/5.
I liked the first couple songs but got bored pretty fast. I respect that it was probably great for it’s time but it felt dated. Favorite songs: 1. Like a prayer 10. Spanish Eyes 6/10
I somehow have avoided listening to Madonna other than mega hits that I probably didn’t even know was Madonna. The super 80s style songs weren’t great, pretty dated and just kind of annoying. The songs that didn’t push the 80s theme in your face as much were better. Till death do us part was my favorite on the album. I enjoyed Dear Jessie and its innocent nature. I could just feel that something sinister was to follow and it did with Oh Father, a song about child abuse. Overall some hits, mostly misses for me at least. 6/10
Madonna’s large step into her introspective period felt genuine…when she committed to it. Those tracks were great, and she didn’t necessarily HAVE to stick to that style, but the songs that were a major departure just weren’t all that interesting
Madonna- its about time! I was actually really suprised by this album- it starts out really strong with "like a prayer" (a classic) but soon transitions into almost a concept album. A lot of religious overtones and songs that are less poppy and more storytelling. It surprised me, as I wasnt familiar with that side of Madonna. Overall- I enjoyed it. Probably a 3.5 but I dont think it quite got to a 4 syar for me.
Best Song: Express Yourself. The perfect soundtrack for an uplifting beach party in a world where nothing bad has happened or ever will happen. Worst Song: Promise to Try. Based on how fun and upbeat the first few songs were, why was there a need to slow things down for this ballad in the middle? Overall: Despite a really fun start, it felt like the album devolved into the kind of repetitive, surface, bubble-pop that characterizes too much of 80s music. Nevertheless, this feels likes the best of a genre that I don't like.
“Like a Prayer” is the undeniable standout track here. Great song. But the rest of the album isn’t exactly filler. The songs are frequently off-kilter and the album has a range of styles. I don’t think all of it hits but I appreciate that Madonna doesn’t make boring albums. She goes for bold ideas. “Oh Father” is a powerful song. I love this insane closing track, “Act of Contrition.” Hilarious finish to the album.
This is one of those albums where it has one super famous track on it and the albums inclusion on this list is probably because of it. Going through the rest of the album I wasn't really blown away. I don't dislike Madonna in general, but these tracks felt pretty standard and the hooks felt forced. Many of those Rolling Stones-type top X of all time lists have songs/albums/musicians that I think are indisputably great; I tend to like all of the songs on these lists, and I can find good things included throughout. And "Like a Prayer" I'm sure is on many "best pop songs of all time" lists, but listening now, I don't really feel too much from the song. It just kind of feels like it lacks substance I think? I really struggle to like a lot on this record. Maybe it just feels kind of dated? "Express Yourself" has a great sentiment with some quasi lyrical relationship advice, but it feels so forced while also sounding a bit empty. It's a 2.7/5 for me, enough for it to be a 3.
Nice album.
This album was a bit of a mixed bag. I liked a few songs, such as ‘Till Death Do Us apart’, ‘Dear Jessie’ and ‘Keep It Together’, but found some songs (Express Yourself, Cherish, Pray for Spanish Eyes) insufferable. The production was pretty good throughout the album. I can see why it would be included on this list, but it just wasn’t really for me. Act of Contrition was awesome though
This classic brought me back
Title track is great as is Express Yourself. But I’m not a big fan of cherish (the other big hitter on the album). Overall pretty weak compared to Like a Virgin or even True Blue
Can’t go wrong with Madonna 3*
Like a Prayer is a banger but the rest is pretty mid. But Like a Prayer is good enough...
The hit songs are pretty good but the rest is just ok so 3 stars or C- for me.
Top heavy, but still a fun listen Best Song: Like a Prayer
Bien, pero no es mi rollo. Like a Prayer es mi canción favorita de Madonna, el resto se me hace un poco pasado, como muy de su época.
Slightly weird 80s pop.
It's fine! : )
So I’m going to be in the minority, but this is not my favorite Madonna album. Not quite sure why. Great songs on here though.
Snooze fest. As the album goes on it sounds like the most generic 80s music you could imagine. 2.5/5
Fun album. It was nice to hear an iconic female artist on this list. The title track is a banger and there are a few more that I liked, but overall I don't think I'll listen to the album again
liked this more than i expected to
I usually do not listen to Madonna but thought that this might be a good album since Like a Prayer no doubt is a great song. I was however not too excited about it, so I’ll give it 3/5.
Madonna is one of those artists you either obsess over or mildly enjoy. I'm in the latter camp.
I listened to this while playing 'chained together' with my bro, lest we say this was not a good song choice for jumping through the pits of Hell. However I am a madonna fan (the girlies know)
Not generally my sound, but Like A Prayer, Express Yourself, and Keep It Together aren't bad.
🎧Queen of pop. Til Death Do Us Part and Cherish are great. Title track is one of the best pop songs ever. Pretty neutral on the rest.
Rating: 6.5/10 Good album overall. The highlights are great, very upbeat and catchy while incorporating other genres that are unusual for pop. The slower songs can be experimental for pop standards but pretty boring. Like a Prayer is one of the greatest pop songs of all time though. Favorite songs: Like a Prayer, Express Yourself, Love Song, Cherish, Dear Jessie, Keep It Together. Worst songs: Promise to Try, Act of Contrition.
It is Madonna. It is '90s pop, even if critics say this was the album with which Madonna showed to the world she was a real artist. One can't deny that the album is well produced, and that there are several songs that are easily added to a top-something list, however, I was no fan of Madonna in the '80s, nor in the '90s, and neither am I today.
A couple hit songs but the supporting tracklist actually isn't as good as I would have expected.
This is my first Madonna album, and it feels totally 80s. The hits off this album are exactly what I imagine 1989 to sound like. While there are hits, I really think this album was just a way to show off Like a Prayer. Most of the rest of the album falls flat in comparison. Best Songs: Like a Prayer, Express Yourself, Dear Jessie Worst Songs: Love Song, Promise to Try
Like a Prayer is a fabulous pop song. Sounds great still. And Dear Jessie is cool - quirky and actually quite Beatley! I admire Madonna - what an entertainer. I mean, this isn't all to my taste, but I can't deny the talent and passion - and the way Madonna just does her thing, and doesn't bow to convention - Act of Contrition proves this: mad! But great guitar, and general mayhem 🎸
Like a Prayer is a great song, I always liked it. Created some controversy too which is always fun! The collaboration with Prince is cool, if I knew it I had forgotten it. Aside from that this is typical 80s pop from Madonna and the odd ballad until a big surprise with the final track! I googled 'Act of Contrition" and now I get it, making a point in her own way. All in all she was better than most, a cool pop star who wrote some good tunes.
Minne meg om den gangen eg såg Madonna sin første konsert i Norge, sjøl om da va ein ekstrakonsert
One of her best albums titled “”like a prayer ,is one of her (Madonna) bestw orks
This is at least the 3rd Madonna album I been served in 230 days. Not the Beatles, Led Zep, The Who, Rolling Stones, or any number of other great bands. But Madonna. And Nick Cave. These are the acts that we hear over and over and over. Not too mention the constant drip of unknownUK bands from the 80’s and 90’s. On the other hand, at least this Madonna album has several songs I’ve heard. This is pure pop from the late 80’s. Well crafted, well presented. Pretty much inorganic, except for the vocals. Nothing wrong with a little pop music. That said, I never thought Madonna stood out from the crowd in the genre. And the non-singles on this album are exactly what I expect, deep cuts aren’t generally part of pop, just filler. Whatever…. The hits are very solid examples of the time. I’ve never felt the urge to own this, and today’s listen does nothing to change my opinion. 3/5 it delivers exactly what you expect