In electronica music? I don't think people even consider her an icon in it. She's an icon of club/disco/dance music. I wouldn't consider her brightly shining in electronica.

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"Hey Ram, doesn't this cafeteria have a no-fags-allowed rule?"

I like how all Madonna's albums from the 90's on can be paired up. One starts something, the next one responds. Then she starts up again. Bedtime Stories is a reaction to Erotica, but Ray of Light has nothing to do with Bedtime Stories.

Erotica & Bedtime Stories: Erotica is the sex album and cold sounding. Bedtime Stories is about romance and a lot warmer. Also, Erotica is about giving into our impulses and instant gratification (title track, Deeper & Deeper, Where All Life Begins) whereas Bedtime Stories is about restraint and a dedication to long term happiness (Survival, Love Tried to Welcome Me, Take a Bow). Even though Erotica is seen as being darker, it's best ballad (Rain) is actually quite optimistic. The lover has left, but it's implied that this person will return. The most notable ballad on Bedtime Stories is "Take A Bow" which is about realizing a relationship is over and moving on.
Erotica may be more adult in a XXX sort of way, but Bedtime Stories is a grown-up album.

Ray of Light & Music: The motherhood album and the single mom album. Evidence that retreating from the spotlight with her kid, her yoga mat and a vibrator really isn't much of a life. ROL is about having a kid and spirituality. Music is party record (title track, Runaway Lover), a Valentine to her boyfriend (Impressive Instant, I Deserve It, Amazing) that still makes reference to her evolution as a human (Paradise, Gone) but as an afterthought.

American Life & Confessions on a Dance Floor: These two are intentionally like this. American Life is pretentious, ballad-heavy, sparse and a commerical failure. Confessions plays it safe by starting out with an ABBA hook and goes on to be thick in sound and say as little as possible.

So the next one will establish something new instead of reacting to anything. Which is fitting since it's going to be a Nelly Furtado album.

I hate your new username.

you probably meant this as a joke or a put down or whatever but I think it's incredibly accurate and only an artist can produce evolution. Only an artist reflects her life on her work. Madonna is a pop artist.

Xtina and Mariah no matter how much talent they have will never be able to do this. They always play it safe, they are always commercial. Always a bore.

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