I'm sure the inclusion of a Madonna album in my Countdown to 40 comes as no surprise, especially considering I am a child of the 1980s. And gay. It's one of the stereotypes I wear proudly. Truth be told, though, I know several gay men who could take or leave Madonna and her music. Not many, mind you. But there are some. Ultimately choosing Music as the one of her many albums to include may, on the other hand, surprise you.
You may have expected to see her quintessential, star-making album Like a Virgin here, which would not be a stretch by any means. I remember slipping quarters into the juke box at the local bar and grill near my grandparents' summer home to listen and dance to "Material Girl." Singing along to the title track with no concept of the meaning behind the song's lyrics whatsoever. Blaring the cassette tape from our garage and practicing my color guard routine in the driveway. (My brother and I joined a Drum and Bugle Corps for two whole days--he wanted to play drums and I wanted to twirl flags...to think it took me another decade or so before I realized I was gay is beyond me sometimes.) Then there's Ray of Light. Madonna enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in the late 1990s following the birth of her first child and her starring role as Eva Peron in the movie musical version of Evita in 1996. Many consider 1998's Ray of Light the pinnacle of Madge's career. Motherhood and a newfound passion for yoga and the Kabbalah seemed to give the Queen of Pop a more mature perspective, while coaching for Evita strengthened her voice in both tone and quality. The lead single, "Frozen," hinted at Madonna's new electronic sound and more introspective sensibilities. I grabbed my copy of Ray of Light on CD when vacationing in Orlando with my family, and I may or may not have forced them to listen to the entire thing with me for the first time. They may not have appreciated it much, but it turned me into more of a Madonna fan than I was before. Impressed with her new sound and direction, I eagerly anticipated Madonna's follow-up to Ray of Light, 2000's Music. The title track had me hooked well before the CD's release, and I think I even ventured to Wal-Mart shortly after midnight that September to purchase my copy as soon as it became available. I quickly fell in love with the entire album, listening to the CD on my drive to and from work for weeks. In addition to "Music," I developed quite a fondness for "Don't Tell Me" and "Nobody's Perfect," both of which made appearances on earlier compilations of my Hot 101. Beyond remaining one of my favorite Madonna albums in the years since its release, Music holds the distinction as the sole CD to survive an apartment fire my roommate Maggie and I experienced in October of 2000. We lost practically all of our material possessions that day, with the exception of the things we had with us. For something so tragic, Maggie and I managed to stay level-headed and kept our sense of humors about the whole thing. Though I had to leave a message with her parents informing her of the bad news, as soon as she could she returned my call. When I answered the phone, she asked in a tone clearly meant to mock infomercials: "Did you or anyone you know recently lose everything they owned in a fire?" I couldn't help but crack a smile. Maggie's attitude and support along with the comfort and familiarity of Madonna's Music album helped me cope with what could have otherwise been a complete and utter disaster.
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I am a self-proclaimed pop culture geek and list enthusiast who is celebrating the big four-zero by counting down the most important, influential, and favorite music, movies, television shows, books, and video games of my life so far. Categories
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