ABSTRACT
An American record issued from about 1926 to 1931; it was an affiliate of Grey Gull. Although “Madison Record Co.” appears on the labels, “the firm had no corporate existence” (Rust). It was the Woolworth stores that distributed them for $.10 each. A few interesting jazz numbers are found, but nearly all the material is standard dance and popular song. [Barr 1982; Rust 1978.]
It is easy to dismiss Madonna’s superstar status as the product of her considerable flair for self-promotion. Beyond her physical allure, seemingly never-ending repertoire of fashion statements, and effective career moves, Madonna’s success owed much to the irresistible pull of her dance-oriented rock recordings. In her best music, the elementssomewhat pedestrian arrangements, synthesizer lines, and programmed drum beats; competent, though not particularly distinguished singing; and hook-laden, if not profound compositions-add up to a much more impressive whole, with emphasis on personalityan ingredient best showcased via the video medium. Madonna burst into the public consciousness with “Jellybean” Benitez-produced eponymous LP (Sire #23867; 1983; #8), which heralded the return of the disco ethic (sans that outré label) to the pop music scene. The follow-up, Like a Virgin (Sire #25157; 1984; #1)—produced by former Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers and featuring the breakthrough hits, “Like a Virgin” (Sire #29210; 1984; #1) and “Material Girl” (Sire #29083; 1984; #2)—elevated her (at this juncture, in her “boy toy” manifestation) to iconic status. Her place in the pop culture pantheon now ensured, she embarked upon a series of ambitious artistic statements-the eclectic tour de force, True Blue (Sire #25442; 1986; #1), best remembered for the anti-abortion plea in “Papa Don’t Preach” (Sire #20492; 1986; #1); the remix collection, U Can Dance (Sire #25535; 1987; #14), featuring material first appearing on the three earlier albums); socially conscious Like a Prayer (Sire #25844; 1989; #1), and hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection (Sire #26440; 1990; #5), which included considerable studio editing of the originals (e.g., Q-sound remastering, faster tempos, earlier fade-outs, seguing of tracks)—punctuated by
forays into film acting and book production. Madonna’s recorded output (and the public reception) was more uneven in the 1990s. Erotica (Maverick #18782; 1992; #3) was a sensual, pulsating workout; its comparatively poor commercial showing seems to have influenced her decision to produce a more intimate,low-key LP, Bedtime Stories (Maverick #45767; 1994; #3). Following her success in the movie adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita-Selections from Evita (Warner Brothers; 1997) which featured highlights from the original two-disc soundtrack-she attempted to update her sound by enlisting techno producer William Orbit for Ray of Light (Maverick #46847; 1998; #2). She perfected her electronica-inspired approach in Music (Maverick #47598; 2000), darting effortlessly from club grooves to trip-hop and synth-based ambient textures. Newly committed to a more domestic lifestyle in the 21st century, it appears likely that future recordings will continue to incorporate contemporary trends within a seamless, beat-inflected framework, emphasizing production values over the image making.
