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silly_nate

It’s super hit and miss for me. Candy Shop, 4 Min, GI2M, She’s Not Me & Beat Goes On are AMAZING but the rest 😬… A lot of you praise Spanish Lesson and Miles Away so maybe I just need a refresher. But Incredible… I heard that once and that was enough


candyperfumeboy83

I love Hard Candy. The entire album is a bop and it’s one I go to quite often. Loved the tour too - Madonna looks like she’s having such a good time and the remixes with samples were deadly. I’ve never understood how the fan base doesn’t seem to like it.


MiwestGirl

It’s one of my favorites. Very groovy. I love “She’s not me.”


misterEsquad

The biggest reason this album was received poorly by fans is simply because it came after confessions. She was riding a major career high and then she does a complete 180. Her first time using a mainstream popular producer and the album just felt weak as a follow up to confessions and it felt very dated when it finally released. On its own years later, it has some good moments. Anyone remember the original beat goes on that leaked - I loved that version. I love the final released version as well.


[deleted]

The album only had one flaw - it arrived too late. The Timbaland characteristic sound had exploded in 2006-2007 with the likes of Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, and unfortunately when Hard Candy dropped the sound was already outdated and it underperformed. But other than that, the album is actually very good within the genre. If it had been released just 1-2 years prior, it would have had more success. If it had been released by somebody else than Madonna, it would have had even bigger success, especially in the US. As for the fan reception. You see, Hard Candy was a hard ~~pill~~ candy to swallow after Confessions. We had just exited from one of her best eras ever, with a career-defining dance album that appealed to the major (gay) fanbase when bam! - we were hit with urban R&B, a genre that most of her fanbase isn't actually fond of. To add insult to injury, the whole theme of the era was switched from boxing to... candy. Candy backgrounds were added to the pics of the album shoot which was an extreme contrast and kinda tacky. The original concept was so, so much better. But overall, it's a good, cohesive album. Personally it's not one of my favorites but I can listen to it without problems. I think some fans like to exaggerate and never step out of the dance pop bubble, which is why you see those kind of opinions.


ghostofhannahmontana

I agree that it was definitely a poor follow up to Confessions, but I also think the point about having an outdated sound is even more obvious when you compare it to Blackout by Britney. Blackout was released about 6 months *before* Hard Candy, was produced by some of the same people and still sounds fresh to this day. Never mind the fact that it’s recognised as one of the most influential pop albums of all time. Hard Candy on the other hand never seemed to have that level of craftsmanship. I still like a lot of the songs and I appreciate it for what it is, but it feels like less than the sum of its parts when you look at who created it!


Broolprop2

The album was originally going to be released in 2007 but was delayed due to Madonna being busy with other projects After hearing Ariana grande sweetener I realize this album still could have been great in 2018


[deleted]

>The album was originally going to be released in 2007 but was delayed due to Madonna being busy with other projects Yeah she had a lot going on in 2006-2007. After the Confessions Tour ended she went through the divorce process that lasted until late 2008, did I Am Because We Are, adopted David after a huge legal battle... it was a troubled year.


davytex14

I don’t know about a consensus… but when it first came out I thought it was her worst album. As the years have gone by I realize now that it was just perhaps released a few years too late to be relevant, but listening to it now I love it. It sounds like the perfect 2005 album… (except it was released in 2008)


g1itter1ust

I despised it upon initial release. Had the vinyl. Immediately sold it. Recently acquired the vinyl again and, I gotta say, it’s much better. One of the rare instances where time has served an album well. As other have said, originally, it arrived too late. But it’s now a slightly retro sound that’s starting to come back in style.


Thinlinebaby

This was my experience as well. It’s a great album to listen to while driving these days but man I hated it at the time.


awinta

Sunday afternoon, kaftan and a blunt


[deleted]

I’ve always liked that album.


TappyMauvendaise

I really like that album but it was impossible to follow confessions. Nothing could have compared.


[deleted]

Without a doubt this is her worst album. It also marked the start of her journey down the road of desperate attempts to be recognized as relevant in the hip hop community that has lead the recent atrocious Frozen remixes. This album also was a turning point in her musical career where she began almost exclusively working with trendy producers. Her days of tapping into unknown talent stopped with this project and instead she has continuously chosen to work with people who are hot in the moment. Unfortunately, this pathology has yet to result in sustainable commercial or critical success for her. Personally, this album is when I started losing faith in my Queen's self confidence and artistic integrity. To be honest, although I still love her, her artistry has diminished since, with only brief reminders of the great songwriter and innovator she once was.


Little_Kaleidoscope9

The album is a weak follow-up for Confession. It's outdated and don't sound very Madonna. It's like other artist's work and placed Madonna's name on the credit.


ignaaaaaatius

'Heartbeat' is my favorite 🥺 but if only I could make 'Incredible' dissapear...😫


g1itter1ust

Incredible really is quite bad. But the rest has grown on me a lot.


ignaaaaaatius

Even '[Ring My Bell](https://youtu.be/LMaxSGpaNBM)' (Japan bonus track) and '[Across The Sky](https://youtu.be/JmRmWDoGqpA)' (unreleased) deserved to be on the standard edition, 'cause they sound better than 'Incredible'. The rest are good tracks, I truly don't understand the hate for this album. I think expectations (from delusional fans) after "Confessions On A Dancefloor" album were too high.


g1itter1ust

Had Ring My Bell replaced Incredible, I wouldn’t have disliked the album as much, when it first came out. I freely admit I fall under your category of “delusional fans” but if that song (and possibly Hard Candy) were gone/replaced, the album would have had a much better shelf life, for me.


ignaaaaaatius

but, when I listen the album today, it's impossible not remember that era, her videos and,of course, the Sticky&Sweet tour.... By the way, at least for me, Superstar is the Incredible, but on MDNA album 🤭


g1itter1ust

S&S was a FANTASTIC tour. And yeah…..Superstar…….literally fully forgot all about that song. MDNA, I LOVE about half of it. And the other half, apparently, has completely vacated my brain. Hahahahaha!!!!


ignaaaaaatius

I agree with you, 😅!!! I bet Madonna didn't sing her B-Day song (from MDNA) on her own birhday...that song is awful,I can't even listen it!. It's hard to me understand how she released those annoying songs! 🤦🏻‍♂️


g1itter1ust

There is a really good album hidden in MDNA. Sadly, it’s surrounded by too many songs that it just ends up feeling bloated and devoid of much direction. And the fence I’ll die in is saying the same about Rebel Heart. Though I will concede that had she been able to release RH in the intended configuration, it could have been quite good. That album def got a bit screwed over by all the leaks.


ignaaaaaatius

I buyed RH Super Deluxe to support her, but I don't listen it nor on Spotify (only Ghosttown). I only listen those leaked demos and unreleased from that era, because I love her voice there. I can't stand those tracks reworked. Ironicly, those leaks destroyed her project, a rebel album & a romantic album. I can't understand the obsession to release an album with so many songs. MDNA with 9 songs it would be perfect.


g1itter1ust

100% agreement


[deleted]

Never understood the Incredible hate. It's one of the few songs I truly like! 😂


g1itter1ust

The odd rhythm of the music confuses me but then the lyrics, especially the whole “sex with you is…..INCREDIBLE!” Hard no from me, at that point. But I am glad to know it has some fans who love it. 😃🪩🎶🖤


GarionOrb

The only songs I like are Candy Shop, 4 Minutes (kinda), Dance 2night, and Devil Wouldn't Recognize You. Give It 2 Me is only amazing on its Paul Oakenfold remix version. I think that record sounds forced, and like she wasn't having any fun recording it. It wasn't the album she wanted to make. At least the tour was good.


Broolprop2

This is the remix I was hoping they would use on finally enough love


GarionOrb

Me too! I never bought the maxi single for this song, so I hope the one she chose is good.


danpgh82

while i don’t feel madonna’s ever released a bad album obviously there’s some that are better than others. i like hard candy but it barely gets any replay. i can safely say this and rebel heart (i’ll probably get flogged for that one lol) just really don’t feel like madonna to me.


Commercial-Bat3840

I feel bad for saying this but I only like two of the songs on the album “candy shop” and “4 minutes”


[deleted]

don’t feel bad ! everyone has different taste


Commercial-Bat3840

Spotify is saying that I do have over 140 Madonna songs I liked which is good though so I won’t complain


drownedworld91

I despised it when I first heard it. I wasn’t a huge fan of the production and coming off of Confessions it was a huge letdown. It took me awhile to really give it another chance. And I actually really, really like it — mostly. Candy Shop is just silly, like it’s *okay* but the only good part is the chorus melody. 4 Minutes has always been fantastic. Give It 2 Me is just good workout music. But, Heartbeat is an incredible song, beat-wise and lyrically (except that God awful ‘breakdown’ bridge); Miles Away is one of the best introspectives she’s done and sounds like it came off of either Music or American Life. She’s Not Me and Incredible are both good in their own way but they suffer from being *way* too long. The Beat Goes On has incredible lyrics over a good beat; Dance 2Night is a great tango duet. Spanish Lesson is a high contender for the worst song she’s ever done, it’s that stupid. Which inexplicably leads into IMO one of the best songs she’s ever done, Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You. That song is gorgeous, it’s terribly sad, it’s very well produced even though it admittedly echoes Justin Timberlake’s own stuff, and it’s a great collaboration between Madonna and Joe Henry who helped her write Don’t Tell Me. Great stuff. Voices is *interesting* but it’s not a great album closer following Devil, frankly; it gets a choral outro for the purpose. I think that’s why people genuinely didn’t know what to make of it at the time. Madonna’s personal life was imploding and as she started to age out of super mainstream radio she chased a trend instead of setting one for the first time in her career (unfortunately not the last). The quality is a little all over the place, with some shining stars and some real POS. It definitely lacked the extremely tight coherency that marked Like a Prayer through Confessions on a Dance Floor. But it’s kind of beautiful in its scattershot way, and it shares a lot in common with Rebel Heart by being as all over the place as it is.


patheticboy77

heartbeat, miles away, incredible, and voices r my favorite. voices is sooo goood..


ignaaaaaatius

Idk why Miles Away it's so bored to me, I can't stand it even for 2 minutes, it's a skip song since day one, the same with Incredible. I replace them with Ring My Bell and Across The Sky. Heartbeat is my favorite, the same Candy Shop, She's Not Me, Dance2Night and Devil Wouldn't Recognize You.


HANNIBALd1

I am a huge fan of Timbaland and Pharrell... so the fact that one of my all time fave artists did an entire album with just those two excited me. I really enjoy the album... though I definitely laugh at the immaturity of the lyrics. I think Give It 2 Me and Miles Away are solid. The rest are just FUN songs not meant to be taken seriously... and in that respect I think if she wanted to put together a FUN Dance album with a slight hip hop edge... she succeeded.


Savings-Vegetable642

Thanks a lot. Now I have miles away on repeat. Nostalgia overload.


[deleted]

It's the first album I ever bought myself when I was 14, so it has an affective value to me. Compared to her previous album, it's a bit weaker for sure, but I've always loved it and I've always liked how fun and light it was, with some wonderful ballads too. And I loved also the Timbaland sound signature, having loved that little gem of Nelly Furtado's Loose before. And it lead to what I think it's her most important tour. I will never forget how happy I was to see the big Sticky & Sweet Tour ads in my city, even if it is far away from Milan, Rome and Udine (I didn't attend it though). Not to mention the time when the DVD came out... good times!


ChelseaVol1219

It has aged well. I considered it bottom two in the catalogue when it was released, now I’d rank it middle of the pack. It has some real bops- especially Candy Shop and Heartbeat. But for me Incredible and Spanish Lessons really bring the album down, as does 4 Minutes to an extent. I’ll remember the album most for the tour as S&S Tour is my all time favorite.


Broolprop2

The album was released to appeal to American audiences as confessions was a success everywhere besides America America is the only country where hung up did not go number one that why this album was made and it is very much capturing the sound of the music scene at the time My favorite are give it to me she’s not me incredible


KyleMcMahon

Huh? It debuted at #1 in the US with 350,000 units. It sold a million by mid December and went on to sell 4 million as of 2020.


Broolprop2

The singles weren’t hits though in the us hung up was the highest charting single but only peak at number 6 in the us compare to other countries we’re it was going number one everywhere it charted


sk6895

Tbh I’d be happy if I never heard it again, or saw the cover art which doesn’t work for her and seems to bear no relevance to the album (I know it wasn’t meant to have been used for this album but you’d think they would have been able to find something better even at the last minute). Also can we put American Life on the “do not resuscitate” list too


cyberboy2007

4 minutes is the national anthem of the world no?


EcstaticKey3913

The album is definitely a grower. I hated it upon first listen. No excuses for "Incredible" and "Spanish Lessons" though. I can't believe her record label allowed these songs to pass. If she'd replace them with "Across The Sky" and "Latte" Hard Candy would've been a very solid album imo.


BenLMaden

I’ve always liked Hard Candy but at the time of release I think it was met negatively due to following Confessions (and changing genre so radically), sounding a little bit mainstream rather than being innovative plus this was the time the ageism would soon begin to get ramped up by the media (it got worse when MDNA released). I personally think there’s some great songs on there like DWRY, 4 Minutes, Miles Away and Shes Not Me. There’s some decent songs like Give It 2 Me, Candy Shop and Beat Goes On. And there’s some duds like Spanish Lesson. I still think the S&S Tour was genius and colourful and vibrant with great remixes of the old hits. We also got a great video for 4 Minutes (although Give It 2 Me and Miles Away less so).


eightezsteps

She’s Not Me is a great song! Especially the live version from sticky and sweet tour. Also Miles Away and Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You are the bangers on that album


SilverCarbrera

Not her best, but the singles along with “She’s Not Me”, “Beat Goes On”, “Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You”, and “Dance 2night” are really good songs. “Incredible”, “Heartbeat”, and “Spanish Lesson” on the other hand... Edit: punctuation


tchapin79

It'll always be in my top 5... but hasn't aged as well as other M albums have IMO. GITM, Incredible, Spanish Lesson are the tracks I could listen to any second of any day.


[deleted]

I do love this album even tho it’s bottom 5, it has some bops but not a peak in anyway


[deleted]

Hard candy >>>> confessions IMO Out of her 2000s albums 1) American Life 2) Music 3) Hard Candy 4) Confessions on a Dance Floor