Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Promise to try - quite a poignant and somber song amongst the woodland of the other up beat pop songs Revelation never heard love song with Prince Some good well known singles and lesser if you’re not a fan
Meer van genoten dan ik verwachtte
Apparently, I need to up my 4-game.
Liked it!
The title track is a mainline injection of pure late-80s nostalgia; neon socks and fake Wayfarers. The rest never hits those lofty heights, but it's enjoyable and slickly produced.
Based on music alone, this would be a 2 star record with some 3 star bangers, but the lyrics are so good and deeply personal. They touch on child abuse, toxic relationships, divorce, the AIDS epidemic, and struggles with faith. Madonna's reach was huge at this time, and her image was bigger than life. The vulnerability she shows on this album is to be commended. Few releases of this magnitude have this much to say.
4.25
Hmm, Madona's synth pop is alright but I liked the more synthy debut that she had. I find her anthems a bit weird in the sense that I am not really as gripped by for instance, like a Prayer that I feel I should be. It is a nice, groovy album, however, and overall an enjoyable listen I am between 3-4 but feeling generous.
Nice
This album was way more creative and unique than I expected it to be. I really enjoyed it and will probably listen to the second half again especially.
Cherish is the highlight here
A fantastic album, accented by contributors like Prince that just really took it over the top. Madonna at peak Madonna
Smooth, competent pop. The second half of the album is much better than the first.
January 26th 2022. Finally a Madonna album. :-) The best of this album IMO: - Like A Prayer - Express Yourself - Til Death Do Us Part - Keep It Together - Act of Contrition Makes me nostalgic and I wasn't even born when that album came out. Certaines chansons ont vraiment mal vieilli... Genre "Dear Jessie", je trouve cette chanson nulle à chier instrumentalement. "Keep It Together" est tellement années 80 c'en est crampant. What's interesting to me is how Madonna can sing well, but how her voice isn't beautiful. She hits the notes perfectly, but in no way is she one of the best singers of all-time. But she sure does how to make iconic pop. "Act of Contrition" is... something. Chaotic. A classic overall. 3.6/5
Mommy? Sorry....
Like everyone else, most of my experience with Madonna came from the radio or TV. I'd never heard any of her non-single music until I listened to this album. And ya know, it wasn't bad. I actually enjoyed it, and really likes "Oh Father". I didn't even skip the songs I've heard thousand of times. Didn't add, but would listen again (and maybe explore more).
Honestly this record had a lot going against it: the style of 80s production I dislike, and the fact that I'm not a super huge Madonna fan. Still, it eventually won me over, partly due to Price (whose fingerprints are all over this), and partly due to the introspective and personal songwriting. Favorite tracks: "Like a Prayer", "Till Death Do Us Part"
I remember as a young kid this got plenty of airplay. Reeks of Prince production on guitar, which is great. Didn’t mind it actually
You can certainly hear the prince influences and contributions, it makes it’s a stronger album imo Up until this album I had been a massive Madonna fan, her change if material/direction wasn’t in my musical taste at the time, now however I get what she was trying to achieve with this album. Ironically there are quite a few good singles on here that were never released and it’s a shame they weren’t as it would have shown the album off a lot more
240824 17:57 4
I see warum die Leute das so hypen! Kein Riesen-Fan von 80er-Pop-Mix, aber die Songkonzepte und das Writing ist richtig cool
Nice throwback to the 80's with Prince influences.
Not my cup of Yerba mate but understand the time and place (and now) appeal. Pop queen.
Not much to say about this album, but it's pretty good. Starts off really strong, and while it slows down a bit after the first two songs, it's pretty consistent throughout 4/5
A gold plated classic. Probably better songwriting than True Blue, but not as familiar to me despite the run of hit singles in the middle.
Banger after banger
An excellent album - a true evolution from the early pop period showing the way to the radiant Ray of Light The title track, Love Song (feat. Prince), Cherish, Oh Father and Act of Contrition are really fabulous.
She embodied the 80s like no other female artist. She has edge, memorable lyrics, an amazing look, and just the whole package. Full-tilt entertainer. Albums like this and Faith by George Michael are in the uber-commercial category, but how can you criticize an artist that innovated and then gave the public exactly what they wanted. This album is hit after hit! You even have Prince on this thing!
A great piece of pop that has stood the test of time well.
A great window onto a very particular kind of intricate pop arrangement and production
Yeah, I like the poppy sound. Sometimes you listen to an album so much you know the next song that comes up, but might not know the name of the song because it isn't regularly played. This is one of those albums for me.
One masterpiece, some good singles, but better than I remembered.
Is it gay to like Madonna? Yes! Did I like it? Yes!
Better than I thought
Enjoyed that - I know the Madonna hits and a few others. Was fun listening to a proper album
I'm my opinion Like A Prayer is the greatest pop song ever written. However, as a full album this is not the best. I'm shocked to see that Lucky Star isn't on this list because I think it's a much better album. Regardless it is a good album.
it was sooo good! Some songs were just so long! (I wanted to give it a 4.5)
Very pretty songs, marvelous hits
Really enjoyed this album. Clever lyrics and beautifully crafted songs.
Some would call it a classic, v depends on your mood
A classic, still a great album
64. Donna Summer; 82. Madonna
Lovely Album
The pleasing pop album with a good-hearing voice and fast and lively music.
An amazing pop album with so many hits it's unreal. An artist at the top of her game.
Perfect pop - contains some of her greatest tracks, very little anyone could class as throwaway.
classic. overplayed. inoffensive
Loved Madonna and the shock value she brought. The true queen
A Valerie classic
Classic...no wonder she's a star.
legend
Good
I've never cared for Madonna, but this album was pretty good. Classic 80s pop.
excellent pop album
Some artists are built for Greatest Hits and some make great albums. Madonna is definitely one that just makes hits. Well at least she did at one time. This album is fine, but its just some big hits and a bunch of other songs that will be forgotten. This album came out, that summer between junior high and high school for me, so I remember the videos on MTV very well, even though they were overplayed. The song was Prince was a surprise, as I have never listened to this whole album. Will never listen again.
Iconic
3.6
Solid but doesn't blow my mind, there are a lot better Madonna albums than this to me.
This is the first of 3 Madonna albums I have rolled for this project. It’s the first of 3 chronologically as well, which is always something I enjoy happening by chance. Upon rolling this album today, a few things quickly, and surprisingly stood out to me before I even started listening to the album. The first thing is that I know Madonna is incredibly popular even today. The second, is that all 3 of her albums on the site are rated significantly below average. The third, is that I personally only know one Madonna song that I can name by heart, and ironically it’s the title track, “Like A Prayer”. The fourth and final thing I noticed is that I literally only know that song because it was used in the third Deadpool movie, 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine. To be fair, it was used in the funniest possible moment, as the titular characters are massacring an army of Deadpool’s in the street. The juxtaposition of Madonna and the visceral fight scene works very well. It’s a funny, memorable scene. Regardless, it’s the only reason I know a Madonna song. So now I have to dive into why she’s as popular as she is, but I don’t know any of her music, and the site doesn’t particularly like her for whatever reason. It’s all a tad strange, but I’ve got 3 albums to decide if I like her or not. What did I personally think of Like A Prayer?? Let’s just get the favorite out of the way first. It’s “Like A Prayer”. I can’t not associate that song with Deadpool. That’s just going to be in my head forever, permanently linked with that movie. This was my first time listening to it in full, and there’s a reason it was the opener as well as the title track. It’s the best, and unquestionably my favorite song on the album. Even after listening to the album in full, I’m quite confused why it’s rated below average. I’ll just come out and say it. It’s really good. Madonna is the Queen of Pop, and she paved the way for a metric ton of successful musicians, most of which have credited her directly. Is this a case of people thanking her for what she did, but preferring what came after?? I don’t know, and I’m confused. None of these songs blew me away necessarily, but they’re all easy to listen to, and I wouldn’t even really skip any. They’re all pretty good, save for some of the ballads like “Promise to Try”, which aren’t really my thing. Fantastic song for sure, just not quite my tempo or vibe. Not the biggest fan of softer songs in general, but I can still see how good they are in general. “Dear Jessie” is unrelentingly goofy. Maybe I’d skip that one actually. But it’s different and it stands out. She tries a lot of things on this album. Most of them work, and even the things that don’t are at least interesting enough to talk about. Madonna has a hypnotic, enticing voice, and the BPM of a lot of these songs is fast paced, and for a Pop album, it’s far from ever being boring, even on the pretty ballads. If anything, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It’s a mid to high 3. Call it a 3.75 out of 5. I’m very interested to hear the other 2 albums to see how some of her later stuff turned out. Will it be better, worse, or more of the same. If it’s the first or third option, I’ll likely enjoy it as much or more than this one. But as it stands, you have to respect and give major props to the Queen, and this was a very fun listen. Easy to write about, and I had a lot to say about it, which is generally the mark of a great album. Occasionally the reverse is true though. It’s a bell curve, really. But this one was really good and I had a good time with it. Pop albums need to be fun. You need to be able to dance to them. This was fun!! Great first impression by the Queen of Pop. Looking forward to hearing more. As for why it’s so low rated, maybe people just hate Pop music for some reason. If that’s the case, people need to lighten up and try dancing a little bit. This album was a good time from top to bottom. I get the hype.
pas sûr que l’église ait aimé cet album
I’m glad I was able to shore up on my Madonna knowledge before the World Cup halftime show.there were a few good songs, rest was fine. Last song was funny
Some good grooves
its not too bad but its nothing special
This was an ok listen, I’m not a huge pop fan but this was an ok, pretty bold to open your album with a song about sucking dick
The hits are great! The rest is... Ok
No sé si decir: está bueno el disco pero es madonna, o decir: es madonna pero está bueno el disco
Ok album. I've always been fairly mixed on Madonna. The hits are the hits, the others are ballady or not as interesting. One interesting stand out though was Till Death Do Us Part. Just a really interesting guitar/keyboard thing going on there. There are times on Madonna songs where she uses incredibly catchy and interesting progressions. Those are few and far between though
Good one time listen
Fun, breezy. Feels like it was forever ago but also still fresh
Not one of her best albums. Three stars...
George Michael yesterday Madonna today thats a lot of keyboards and programmed drums. There are some excellent pop moments on here, delivered with just the right amount of drama and flare. It’s so funny to hear “Love Song” for the first time. It’s so easy to tell RIGHT away thats a Prince song. Then he starts singing too! The ultimate bit of humor is when she starts speaking French momentarily and Prince audibly goes “wut?” I think “Till Death Do Us Part” is a bit ahead of its time. It’s very sped-up and tight with lots of syncopated instrumentation. I hear bits of what would become y2k ballads in how this song is written. But the best song BY FAR is “Dear Jessie”. Oozing whimsy and sincerity, it’s a candy sweet chorus hook that doesn’t need drums to stay in your head. File under the subcategory “albums that surely helped birth vaporwave” strong 3/5, maybe 4/5
Poppy album that wasn’t too bad. Liked a few songs, but most of it was fairly generic pop music to me. 3/5
This an album of highs and lows. The big hits are pop staples and well done, but the rest are just average. Using two producers with disparate styles really fractured the cohesion and flow. Love Song was really unnecessary and just ended up being another arrogant Prince song rather than a Madonna song. Oh Father however, was an enjoyable soundtrack-esque song with a big "wall of sound". None of the filler songs are awful, but they just don't hit for me as I would have expected.
Madonna is iconic but outside like a prayer...
The big singles are now standards, and deserve to be. The rest of the album doesn’t really compare - it’s very uneven, and whilst there is some really good stuff (Spanish Eyes in particular is very strong) everything just tends to hang around a minute too long. It’s good enough.
Clásico del pop pero no de mi gusto
Like a Prayer was released in 1989 and obviously has feelers out for what could be the next big sound in the 90s. As such, it feels a bit disjointed and lacks cohesion. It also leads to peaks and valleys when those feelers land, and more frequently, don't. Prince's involvement is heard and felt but not really necessary.
The hits are known and loved. Was kind of hoping I'd find a deep cut that I could really get into, but they're not here (not even the one with Prince, which is kind of a dud).
Wasn't a big M fan in the 80s .. I appreciate the music but it still doesn't do that much for me.
3.2/5 Favorite Songs: Like a Prayer Express Yourself Till Death Do Us Part Cherish Keep It Together
Decent 3
more catchy than I thought and I knew more songs like "Express Yourself", not sure how. But its just a typical pop album, not bad or good. I am in-different! 2.5 round to 3, cause it was better than I thought
This really did nothing for me. The title track is good, but the rest of the album is just average. I've never really understood why Madonna was so big, not that she is bad, it's just nothing I've heard from her has ever wowed me. This is also one of the most 80s sounding albums to a fault. I love the 80s, but this is a little much at times Mid 3.
QUE TEMON LIKE a prayer, el resto meh, nada del otro mudno, la q hablan en español tambien algo buena la bata
I mean, it's Madonna, who was never really my jam, but is unquestionably someone who we should all listen to at least once in our lives. This one's as good as any. Can be self-indulgent, but can also rise to the absolute sublime beauty of "Like a Prayer."
Classic
This album represented a push back into the spotlight for Madonna. I personally preferred the earlier material, but I'm biased as I was DJing in clubs at the time and her early records were a breath of fresh air. There was a lot of controversy over the "Like a Prayer" music video, which I think was absolutely intentional, and brilliant... I don't think this record makes nearly that big of an impression without that video. Speaking of which, I think one could argue that Madonna fits firmly into a group of artists that really caught fire because of MTV. I can't listen to her records without images from the videos popping into my brain.
I’m not deaf I can hear this is well made and well written. The production is precise and everything has a sharp metallic sheen. The singles are particularly well made, and the title track has a wonderful energy that hasn’t diminished after 40 years but it just doesn’t do for me quite enough
Madonna is madonna but i am not rlly into pop.
It started out so strong, the first two songs are amazing, but then - just like any mid-tier generic 80s, 90s album.
I was surprised how boring this album is, aside from two songs.
Like a Prayer has to be top 5 best pop songs surely! Decent run of songs up to Cherish. Enjoyed the funkiness of Keep It Together.
Love Madonna but she’s a greatest hits woman that’s all you need
Pretty much exactly what I expected a Madonna album to sound like. Some hits/bangers, some weird songs and some ballads. The guitars on the last track surprised me. Other than that, nothing to write home about.
Forgot to rate this after I listened to it a few days ago, but this album being all over the place was the main thing I remember. There are a couple great songs, with Like A Prayer being an all-time classic, but there are also some really strange tracks as well. Even the song with Prince feels totally out of place. I’d listen to the hits and that’s about it.
iconic, dancy, catchy, fun, sad, emotional, 'introspective', poppy, fantastical, dreamy?, produced, of its time. idk it's interesting listening now because i'm aware of the tiktok sound trends, memes, and what madonna is today. wonder what the listening / enjoying experience was in 1989. fave songs probably like a prayer, cherish, and oh father. this is like a 3.85 for me bc idk if the introspection is real or for the records to sell and i think its a mix of both.
Good album
Fine. Really just not my thing but not bad.
pure 80’s joy
Favorite Track: Like A Prayer
6/10 Algunas partes buenas y otras no me llamo mucho la atención
The bangers are great the rest a bit meh
Always enjoy a little Madonna!
I always thought she only did pop dance songs. Guess there's more to her.
Maybe a 7/10
I understand why this was so popular, although Madonna's (if that IS her real name!) voice annoys me. I like some of the stuff on here: "Love Song" with Prince, "Oh Father", and that weirdo at the end "Act of Contrition." Which if you let the album loop around and start again, meshes strangely well with the intro to Like a Prayer. I hate myself for liking this as much as I do. Especially "Express Yourself."
A few tracks I enjoyed and were catchy pop songs. The rest I could take or leave. Not as good as Ray of Light.
It’s still a baseline level of good because Madonna knows how to write iconic pop music, but the album very clearly peaks immediately with the title track. Not my favourite of hers by any stretch but still very listenable.
This album has too many long saccharine ballads, and I’m probably never gonna be impressed by Madonna as a vocalist. Still, I come away from this more impressed by her talents than either of the last two I heard.
The first two tracks of this record spring into life with incredible energy and an extremely charming 80s pop vibe to them. The album is sprinkled with a really strong collection of upbeat bangers, and each of them are brilliant. The slight issue I have with the album is that the slower, more whimsical tracks really don't land the same with me. A good few songs here feel drawn out and moody, jarring with the more energetic side of the album. It gets a 7/10 as a result, incredible highs but more than a few middling moments.
Started off with a bang but fizzled out pretty quickly. Not something that I would put on for myself.
This feels very manufactured, which I am certain it was. I am most of the way through this project now and I have noticed that all too many of the female artists tend to be pop groups and singers who don't write their own songs, where their main contribution is basically for their voice to be the lead instrument. That's a problem of the list's, though, not Madonna's. How did I like this album? It's fine. Manufactured as it is, it's still a very listenable product although not to my taste. Very poppy. The songs are all too long, clocking in around 5 minutes each, when they could each be a tighter 3 minutes or 3 minutes 30. It knows what it is and what it wants to do and it achieves it. Standout songs for me (for different reasons) were the hilarious Like a Prayer, then the fun and sweet Dear Jessie, and Oh Father. Does more than other pop artists on this list. Three stars. (Although Act of Contrition is a bizarre note to end on.)
I have this album having bought it at time of release. I really liked the title track and a few others. Promise to Try being the pick of the crop. But it is really an album of its time and I haven’t played it in years. Madonna has released some really significant albums but this ain’t one of them. 3/5 13/5/26
Like a Prayer still slaps, great song.
My rating 3.2 What a weird little album. Such a departure from anything previous. Many songs overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the title song and the subsequent video. Liked the Prince collab.
Everyone, including myself, has heard 'Like A Prayer' a thousand times. So it's a bit hard for it to have any kind of magic left, especially considering Madonna is not exactly my favourite artist. Still, no denying it's a classic. And the star of the album. I found the rest of the album a bit lackluster. It's very 80s sounding pop, with 'Express Yourself' and 'Keep It Together' decent tracks. Sadly, the rest is not that interesting. This might be due to the record sounding dated, but also because textbook pop like this is not where my music taste is at. Still, I think this defnitely deserves a spot on the list. Having at least one 80s pop record on the list feels mandatory, and why not pick Madonna who was one of the most successful artists in this segment.
Definitely some classics on here, though its sound is definitely dated. Title track is a banger ofc and I also really cherish
3/5
I though this would be better than it actually is. It was a massive hit at the time, but I found it a bit watered down and pretty generic pop. I thought i would also have a lot more notable songs. It was not terrible but no remarkable either. Promise to Try was probably the standout song. 3 stars
An easy listen. Fun as ever. 3.25 rounded down to 3.
3.5 because prince earns extra
Lots of classics here
Its just so damn clean and wholesome sounding. The giggling baby noises sent it way over the top. Just really not my vibe. #notmymadonna
As someone that grew up having to listen to this being played on pop radio having to go through that was brutal. It's good work, I just don't want to have to listen to it
Bangersarna är bangers, resten inte så märkvärdigt
Går inte att argumentera mot hur inflytelserikt och självklart på listan det är, men inget som jag skulle lyssna igenom på eget bevåg annars.
Titelspåret är grymt men blev inte så imponerad av resten, även om jag inte heller ogillade det.
A few of the songs at the start and end are good. The ones in the middle not so much. Prince does some solid work. The production is nice.
Not bad but not incredible.
It started off pretty good, 80's for sure, but toe tapping and singing along good. Then the song Cherish. I really, really hate that song. I rank it up there with magnificently bad songs like Sussudio (sussudiocide), Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Roll) or Party All The Time (comedy?). This album was made when Madonna was at her peak though. I believe it belongs on the list.
Good, but not really a goto for me.
Some good ones, some not so good ones...
Starts very strong with an all time classic and some bangers. Middle of the album is quite forgettable but it finishes strong
I am pretty much just here for the hits, but the production of this album is nice. I loved the Prince duet. Besides that the songs outside of the hits didn't really do it for me. My girlfriend loves this album though, and she was singing along to every song in the car while we were driving to the city today lol. So a solid 3
Muy chulo
I found myself bobbing my head quite aggressively. This isn’t my genre of choice but there is some catchy stuff here
The hits hit, the other stuff is a tad boring which surprises me.
Her most 80s album is only ok.
I liked the prince songs but even the hits were a bit long
I think Like a Prayer is one of the greatest pop songs ever written. It is outrageously good. The rest of the album could never meet the same standards but there were some decent pop songs on there, padded out with a bit of filler.
Great title track, not as blown away by the rest.
6.5/10
Listened Before? Y Yep, it's a Madonna album. Pretty good. Lots of pop bangers here. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Express Yourself
The title track is a genuine classic, and the gospel choir is the reason. It does exactly what backing vocals should do — responding to and amplifying the emotional urgency of the lead vocal rather than hovering decoratively around it. Call and response in the truest sense, the choir as a force rather than a texture. After Solomon Burke’s record earlier in this project, where a great voice was undermined by syrupy decoration, hearing a choir actually earn its place is its own small revelation. The front half of Like A Prayer largely delivers on that promise. “Express Yourself” and “Oh Father” show Madonna drawing on genuine emotional material, and the Prince duet “Love Song” is the moment another musical intelligence briefly enters the room — looser, funkier, and more alive than some of what surrounds it. When the album is working it feels like an artist reaching for something real rather than calculating an effect. The back half is where that reach falls short. The material thins out, the cheesiness that was held at bay early starts creeping in — “Dear Jessie” being the clearest example, a whimsical lullaby that sits awkwardly between more serious material — and the emotional coherence that made the opening so compelling gradually dissipates. A great single and an uneven album. The choir moment alone is worth the price of admission, but it can’t carry everything that follows it. A fair three.
This album is more interesting than I expected. It has some classic well known Madonna songs. There were some that are classic Madonna hits, some strange ones that seemed more experimental, and some that are clearly more emotionally raw. As a whole album I don't know how much I would revisit it. But I will probably add some more of the songs into my rotation.
i think this is the album where madonna officially 'taps' in and becomes cool... the madonna album choices on this list are a bit silly... but alas i like most madonna albums :)
A couple of incredible era defining pop hits and some solid filler tracks channeling disco and all the 80s production wizardry available but also a lot of slow burning ballads that really stink up the place. Definition of a greatest hits not an album artist, but what hits!!
I went in not being a huge fan but always respected her talent. The album started strong and pulled me in right away. There was a real sense of nostalgia, and for a moment I thought my opinion of her might be changing. However, after the first few tracks, the momentum faded. I tend to prefer Madonna’s more upbeat, energetic songs, and the slower material here didn’t hold my attention as much. Overall, it had its moments, but it ended up losing my interest as it went on.
Would rate a 3.5. Like a Prayer is such a good song.
Pop, 1989 -> 3
I grew up in an era when Madonna was ubiquitous, for good reason. She was a hit machine in this era and seemingly couldn't miss. This record features three of her all time classics, the title track, Express Yourself, and Cherish. The rest? Meh. Even the track with Prince is only mildly interesting. Which is wild considering both were arguably at peak powers, but there was no musical synergy here. It just sounds like a mediocre Prince outtake. Strange choice as an album overall, but I understand the impulse to include the most important artists of an era, so we move on
wasn’t as good as I expected it to be
+++
So far I’ve felt like I’ve been pretty hard on Madonna, not that she didn’t deserve it, she did, but I felt bad cause I can tell that she’s legitimately musically gifted, I just hadn’t heard any good music yet. I can say this album isn’t awful desperate out of touch garbage. It’s actually pretty good, especially the title track, that might be my favorite song of hers. As a whole it is a lot of mom pop rock, which gets grating over time. But the good news is this album comes right out the gate with all the best songs on the album being the first three. Not terrible, not great. EDIT: Actually, small correction, like a prayer is not my favorite song or the best song on this album. That totally belongs to the prince song on this album called “love song”. But honestly having prince on your album feels like cheating. The other song on this album I really like is express yourself.
This is about as 80s as it gets. A few songs caught my attention here, like the title track and Express Yourself, but I'm not completely into the album as a whole.
For every banger on here, there's one that I just don't connect with. She's an icon though and I love her style.
estuvo chimba, buenas vibras y bacano pero tampoco mucho mi estilo, madonna tiene temas durísimos pero este álbum al final me pareció un roce repetitivo
Sympa mais tout de ressemble un peu dommage
c correc
2nd Madonna album I am getting on this list. Much better than the last one I got. Title song is great, however I did not know any of the other songs. Prince collab is wonderful as well. Polished 80s pop sound. Probably 3 stars.
Listenable
0815 Pop aber war bestimmt mal was Neues
Gear: Penon FAN 3s Artwork: 💍👖😳 Production: 🎛️💸🧼 Music: 📻🎶🤩 Rating: 🙏🙏🙏/5
The album moves through a surprising range of styles, from the gospel-like intensity of the title track to the bright but ironic pop of “Till Death Do Us Part,” the simple and emotional ballad “Promise to Try,” and finally the noisy, almost metal-like “Act of Contrition.” Because she became such a huge pop icon, it’s easy to forget this side of her. But listening to the album as a whole, what stands out is how naturally she moves between very different musical approaches and still makes them feel like part of the same work. It reminded me that before anything else, Madonna is a musician.
3.2 Maybe this list has worn me down, but I actually enjoyed that in places. Til Death Do Us Part is actually a great song, and Oh Father was another highlight. The lows weren't too low. I enjoyed the random Kate Bush rip off in the middle. The title track is fine, it's one of those that sound so familiar but I don't think I've ever actually sat down and listened to it properly. Some other pass me by, but overall I'm not upset at it's appearance on here.
I just dont see why I should care
I like the titular track a lot, but the rest of the album is quite dated in my opinion. I guess she's more of a hits artist than an albums artist. Didn't really like the rest of the album that much. 5 / 10
Some classics, but a bit of bland filler. Still, those classics are all-timers.
A weirdly inconsistent album. Odd Prince collab song I had forgotten about. A Disney like, seemingly out of place song. Crazy last track. I remember her as the pop queen, 80s version of Taylor Swift but this is a strange one.
Had a knee-jerk reaction to this thinking it's for sure about a 2. It came out when I was in my teens and I pretty much hated all things pop and she was the quintessential pop girl. So, never on my player. I tried to listen with fresh ears, which wasn't super hard because I'm sure I've only ever heard the singles and I hadn't heard any of them in at least 25 years, either. But I'd heard them enough that I still knew most of the words! It's fairly typical of girl pop of the decade, "Cherish" being almost a perfect rep of this trite, weak garbage. BUT, I can't dunk on the whole thing. The songs with Prince on them are quite good. Never heard them before or even know that he was on here. "Love Song" and "Keep It Together" are pretty hot tunes. Still poppy, but with some funky bass and guitar flairs. "Oh Father" is an apparently well-known song that I hadn't heard, but it is a big swing for a pop girl to sing so strongly about abuse. While it's not my type of music, I don't hate it (Well, "Cherish" sucks!) It's decently played, especially the Prince bits, but outside of that her voice is fine. Sounds good and she doesn't do all that dramatic keening and throw in tons of vocal flairs like the young ones from a few years later. And it was mighty influential. Not necessarily musically influential as much as being a strong rep for girls that they can do anything. She earned her way into pop stardom and always took a lot of chances. Hard to stay in the pop world and keep experimenting. Good on her for that. I'll give this a 3 because while it's not something I'll play again, I can understand why people will. And her influence is still strong.
Yassss queen.
The title track, 'Dear Jessie', 'Oh Father' are highlights but aside from the standouts, the other tracks are, to my ears, mostly filler. Appreciate this is sacrilege to lovers of the genre or Madonna herself but overall not to my taste. Will return to individual songs only.
A couple good, catchy hits, and rest just kinda flopped.
not a bad album. this one was a turning point from her bubble gum type pop songs into more personal songs like "Express Yourself" and "Like a Prayer".
This was a nice listen. Wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Tolerable. Not what I would choose to listen to. A couple songs had some songwriter talent, and her voice is really good.
Not a Madona fan, but it was a "fun" listen. Makes me think of early MTV. When they actually did videos.
Obviously, there are the closet hits, but as far as the rest of the album, as far as I am concerned is mediocre. This is not an album that I would purchase.
Mh. Mi aspettavo di più da un sedicente album introspettivo
It's not my style of music, but I know she gives an amazing ;ive performance!
Meh
Better than some of the other pop albums. Still not really my thing though.
Madonna's middle period just doesn't hold up well. It is hard to believe the level of her influence based on her music from the late 90s on. Pass.
Live from the beach once again. I don't exactly know why, but whenever I'm down here I feel the urge to tap out one of these reviews on my shitty, busted up Android. I WILL make beach reviews a regular series and I WILL disclose that I'm at the beach every time and it IS imperative that you know this information. Anyhoo, yet another blast from the past. This is my second Madonna album after Ray of Light, which I listened to about 360 albums ago. I recall thinking that was alright. Just a perfectly decent trip hoppy pop album from the late 90s. I'm surprised to learn that Madonna got her start in the 80s. I'm ashamed, frankly. In my elite gamer brain, I've always possessed the knowledge that Sonic the Hedgehog was originally meant to have a human girlfriend named Madonna, though I've never connected the dots and realised that Madonna must have started her career prior to 91. I'm not sure what genre this album will belong to given that it predates Ray of Light by 9 years. Upbeat, jumpy pop tunes and pronounced vocal harmonies are what I'm expecting. Back home now. I listened to half of this album while holding my phone speaker up to my ears at a volume which wouldn't make passerbys aware to the fact that I was listening to Madonna. Surprise, surprise, it didn't make for a very good listening experience and I'm more favourable to this album now that I'm listening to it with my usual setup. This was a good time. I can appreciate this style of gimmicky, dance-oriented, punchy 80s music as a relic of its time. The songwriting is decent - I like the moments with stressed syllables most, though the harmonies are also pretty good. There's some decent variety in the synths on this album, though they generally fall under a lush/bassy sound that I think is pleasant. Some of the analogue instrumentation is good too, though that obviously isn't the emphasis of this album. My only significant criticism is that this album is inconcise. Most of these songs dragged on for a minute longer than they needed to. Book time. "...the most spectacular pop album since Revolver." The rest of this entry is just talking about its collaborators and range of influences. Wikipedia says this album was co-written and co-produced by Prince, which makes a lot of sense now that I think about it. Her most personal release at the time. A big hit with critics. Had six singles, most of which were very successful. Was a pivotal release within her discography. I was doubtful at first, but this is a solid pick. Granted, I'm still skeptical when it comes to the inclusion of post-70s pop stars. The air around them is different. They're a lot less iconic and a lot more commercial. I know Madonna was a huge, gargantuan deal, though I don't think she's monolithic enough to wrench out three list albums. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see when I roll her final album. Until then, I cosign this inclusion.
Conventional pop isn't exactly my world, but Madonna has some cool stuff here. I have my respect for Madonna, after all, she has her cool factor, she was even hanging around with folks in the New York no wave scene way back when. But I just didn't expect for the music to click as much with me. But it kind of did. She has a collection of really enjoyable pop songs here. There's still a skew towards New Wave that give the album a cool flavor, especially on Love Song. And I think the assembly, production and performances here are really artfully done. I guess there's maybe a little filler here, and it doesn't really speak to my aesthetic eye as strongly as some other 80's pop. But I definitely see that theres something here that's really worth celebrating.
Un personaje fundamental en la historia de la música. Sin gran voz, sin ser ninguna belleza, sin un cuerpo espectacular, sin buenas dotes de composición pero con una inteligencia, ambición y determinación incomparables. Madonna es un figura clave de los 80 y 90´s. Este no es su mejor disco, al anterior True Blue’ (1986) es mejor y sobre todo Ray of Light (1998), Music (2000) y Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). Luego ya perdió el pie, y el favor del público, a ver si los recupera, talento tiene. De aquí todo es interesante: la portada con olor a pachuli, el vídeo con el escándalo del beso a un Jesús negro, cruces del KKK etc etc, y sobre todo los dos temas más conocidos Like a prayer, Cherish y Express yourself. En esta época Madonna dominaba el mundo. El resto del disco no llega a la altura, con algunos temas bastante flojos como Love Song (colaborando con Prince y es decepcionante) Spanish eyes (sobre el SIDA una temática que sobrevuela en todo el disco) y otros mejores como Till death do us part o la beatlemaniaca Dear Jessie, un gran Canciones para su madre (Primise to try) y su padre (Oh father) y temas que se quedan anclados en su momento, como Keep it together, pero que han perdido el encanto. Act of contrition es un cierre extraño que no aporta nada ni encaja con el resto. Demasiado escándalo, triunfo total , pero la estaban esperando para cobrarle las deudas pendientes y con Erotica la hundieron (o trataron de hacerlo) un disco que ha venido ganando con el tiempo. Luego ya resurgió con los discos citados hasta caer en la irrelevancia, por el momento. Lady Gaga, Spice Girls, cualquiera que se haya dedicado a la música sabe quel deben mucho a Madonna, y buena parte a este disco, que ha envejecido mal.
Primer álbum entero que escucho de la queen. La verdad que la clava al ángulo en eso del pop. Un toque largo, pero la tiene atada. 7/10
Pretty decent tbf
11/02/2026 I had higher expectations and was left disappointed. Spotify listeners: 41.9 million
Starts off strong with Like a Prayer but then most of the rest of the album feels like filler. Another low 3 from me.
Three decent songs that reminded me of middle school the rest of the album was trash.
The first two songs on side A and the first song on side B are all time classics. Disco-pop Madonna was definitely my favourite era of Madonna. Apparently my wifes favourite Madonna album!
The hits are incredible masterpieces. The ballads pain me a little. Stereotypically 80s.
the queen of pop does it again with impossibly catchy rhythms and even dabbling with elements of funk at times. the title track was groundbreaking and so controversial that she lost a sponsorship deal with pepsi because of the video. but then, in the 80’s controversy sold and madonna is a master marketer who always knew what to do to get attention.
7/10
Price song rules
Oh man I remember people being PISSED about Like a Prayer. It was great. She's got some really great pop songs on this album. The lyrics seem personal to her as well. It's probably one of her better albums, if not her best honestly. There are some that just don't land in this but she worked with two different folks on making it so that fits, Prince helped with this album, you can tell his guitar work in a couple of songs. That was a fun discovery for me. I won't listen to it again but it wasn't a bad listen, her Ray of Light album was blocked this one if it shows up in a feed later I won't be upset.
First two tracks are great, the rest are okay. A 3.
iconic album. Not really for me but its got a couple of nice songs
Very 80s pop with elements of rock and dance. Like A Prayer and Express Yourself are both fantastic but the other tracks were mostly just ok.
madonna the goat
Yep, it was important back then, Madonna was a big gigantic star, yes, yes, I'll understand and agree with you all - but back in the day I didn't listen nor I really enjoy Madonna's work and it seems nothing has changed for me! I could die without listening to this, I don't think it's a game changer nor anything like that :-( So, a 3, considering its importance back then
The singles are SO good that it almost makes up for the filler being completely unremarkable, other than the enjoyment of hearing Prince’s fingerprints all over most of it. As an album, it’s probably skippable. But the singles are something everyone needs to hear before they die.
I’m surprised, I like this much more than I expected! I could see myself putting this on again when the mood strikes. Madonna is a blind spot of mine, besides her legendarily famous status I didn’t really know much about her work. The album being entirely normal pop songs and ending with “Act of Contrition” made me do a double take to make sure I was still listening to the album. It is wildly different from the rest of the tracks. There’s a lot of whispering and an electric guitar. It didn’t work for me, but it was a fun way to end the album.
Best Track - "Like A Prayer"
I have never been much of a Madonna fan, but I didn’t hate this. I did like the ballads more than the others. This is a three star album for me.
Ah, Madonna. Some good now-classic pop songs here. I enjoyed it overall, a nice throwback.
This album has some pop bangers on it, “like a prayer”, “till death do us part”, the one with PRINCE. But there are also some boring duds on here.
Top 3: 1. Express Yourself 2. Like a Prayer 3. Love Song Least Favourite: Dear Jessie
Classic pop
Started off very strong - some great tunes but the vibe dwindled as it went in. Still a solid, well-crated pop album.
First two songs are bangers, but the rest of the album hasn’t aged well. 2.5 stars.
That was fine. Kinda slow, kinda basic. Seems like Madonna is as much an icon as an artist (of course, this is my first full album of hers I've listened to). Hard to do well on a list of albums if you're known for your hit singles. - Fun! Poppy. Anything that isn't rock is notable on this list - Getting more classic 80s as we go - "Love Song" is funky and I'm here for it - Pretty mid so far. Pleasant, there are some decent songs but mostly just background noise
I couldn't finish listening to this. What i heard was good, but i just hate 80s dance pop. I'm a much bigger fan of New Wave. I don't even hate Madonna, there's just so much more interesting stuff I could be listening to.
Sports chants, for instance.
*1989. *Opens strong with Like a Prayer and Express Yourself. *Cherish Is also on here. *Pretty solid pop album. RATING - 7/10
Promise to Try and Keep It Together when you listen to this album.
Ok Madonna, you can have this one. You got some bops here.
時代を感じますね
Deadpool & Wolverine forever changed this for me
esperava bem mais, mas os singles são mto bons, isso é fato
With the four hits "Like A Prayer", "Express Yourself", "Cherish" and "Dear Jessie" it is potentially a four stars album. Unfortunately the rest of the tracks are not my favour. If there were any doubts whether to give it four or three stars the tracks "Love Song" and "Act of Contrition" were the decider. 3,5
That was better than I thought it would be
Yer
I love the title track of this album, the rest left me quite lukewarm unfortunately.
Last two songs sucked. Otherwise, pretty good
When 'Love Song' came on I immediately thought "wow this sounds like a Prince song" and yes, looks like Captain Obvious was right again. Co-produced, co-written and performed by Prince. Always love to discover artist collabs I'd never hear otherwise. I did take a long look in the mirror though after hearing that baby laugh in 'Dear Jessie' and thought "what am I doing listening to this album?" With that said listening to this led me to follow it up with 1998's 'Ray of Light' and I had a wayyyy better time. It made me appreciate this album more in retrospect.
Imagine writing songs with Prince and then being like.. nah that’s alright I don’t need them.
The two openers are pop perfection. Like A Prayer especially is fantastic. I prefer the other version of Express Yourself more. The horns here are a bit cheesy. However, the rest of the album I found boring. Which is really quite disappointing. I love pop music and should love Madonna. Maybe this just needs a re-listen.
Like a Prayer is the standout track, excellent song. The rest of the album is an easy enough listen, enough variety between the songs to keep it interesting.
Just like a dream! You are not what you seem! Unfortunately this album is not able to stand up as a whole against the power of the title track/opener, which would be a tall order, but - still. A lot of the back half felt wandering. I listened to "Like a Prayer" at least four times today. Then "Black or White" by Michael Jackson because I get the intro guitar bits to those two mixed up sometimes so one makes me think of the other. Then "Like a Prayer" again. And "Hung Up" once.
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.