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Although she never left it behind, it's been easy to overlook that Madonna began her career as a disco diva in an era that didn't have disco divas. It was an era where disco was anathema to the mainstream pop, and she had a huge role in popularizing dance music as a popular music again, crashing through the door Michael Jackson opened with Thriller. Certainly, her undeniable charisma, chutzpah, and sex appeal had a lot to do with that -- it always did, throughout her career -- but she wouldn't have broken through if the music wasn't so good. And her eponymous debut isn't simply good, it set the standard for dance-pop for the next 20 years. Why did it do so? Because it cleverly incorporated great pop songs with stylish, state-of-the-art beats, and it shrewdly walked a line between being a rush of sound and a showcase for a dynamic lead singer. This is music where all of the elements may not particularly impressive on their own -- the arrangement, synth, and drum programming are fairly rudimentary; Madonna's singing isn't particularly strong; the songs, while hooky and memorable, couldn't necessarily hold up on their own without the production -- but taken together, it's utterly irresistible. And that's the hallmark of dance-pop: every element blends together into an intoxicating sound, where the hooks and rhythms are so hooky, the shallowness is something to celebrate. And there are some great songs here, whether it's the effervescent "Lucky Star," "Borderline," and "Holiday" or the darker, carnal urgency of "Burning Up" and "Physical Attraction." And if Madonna would later sing better, she illustrates here that a good voice is secondary to dance-pop. What's really necessary is personality, since that sells a song where there are no instruments that sound real. Here, Madonna is on fire, and that's the reason why it launched her career, launched dance-pop, and remains a terrific, nearly timeless, listen.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Reggie Lucas, Producer, Bass Guitar, Drum Programmer - Paul Pesco, Bass Guitar - Gwen Guthrie, Backing Vocals - Curtis Hudson, Arranger - Norma Jean Wright, Featured Vocals - Dean Gant, Mixer, Synthesizer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Brenda White, Backing Vocals - Ed Walsh, Synthesizer - Madonna, Writer, Featured Vocals, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer - Fred Zarr, Mixer, Arranger, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Bass Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Butch Jones, Producer - Jim Dougherty, RecordingEngineer - MARK KAMINS, RecordingEngineer - Jay Mark, Mixer - Bobby Malach, Tenor Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Backing Vocals - Jellybean Benitiz, Producer
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Reggie Lucas, Producer, Guitar, Writer, Drum Programmer - Gwen Guthrie, Background Vocals - Curtis Hudson, String Arranger - Norma Jean Wright, Background Vocals - Dean Gant, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Anthony Jackson, Bass - Brenda White, Background Vocals - Ed Walsh, Synthesizer - Madonna, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer - Fred Zarr, String Arranger, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Jim Dougherty, Engineer - Jay Mark, Mixer - Bobby Malach, Tenor Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Background Vocals - John Beanitez, Producer
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Reggie Lucas, Producer, Guitar, Drum Programmer - Gwen Guthrie, Background Vocals - Curtis Hudson, String Arranger - Norma Jean Wright, Background Vocals - Dean Gant, Mixer, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Brenda White, Background Vocals - Ed Walsh, Synthesizer - Madonna, Lead Vocals, Writer, Background Vocals, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer - Fred Zarr, Mixer, String Arranger, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Jim Dougherty, Engineer - Jay Mark, Mixer - Bobby Malach, Tenor Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Background Vocals - John Benítez, Producer
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Reggie Lucas, Producer, Guitar, Drum Programmer - Paul Pesco, Guitar - Gwen Guthrie, Backing Vocals - Curtis Hudson, String Arranger - Norma Jean Wright, Backing Vocals - Dean Gant, Mixer, Synthesizer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Brenda White, Backing Vocals - Ed Walsh, Synthesizer - Madonna, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer - Fred Zarr, Mixer, String Arranger, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Butch Jones, Producer - Jim Dougherty, RecordingEngineer - MARK KAMINS, RecordingEngineer - Jay Mark, Mixer - Bobby Malach, Tenor Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Backing Vocals - Jellybean Benitiz, Producer
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Curtis Hudson, Acoustic Guitar, Writer - Lisa Stevens, Writer - Norma Jean Wright, Backing Vocals - Bashiri Johnson, Mixer - Madonna, Bells, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer - Fred Zarr, Mixer, Drums, Guitar, Synthesizer - Jay Mark, Mixer - Raymond Hudson, Bass - Tina B, Backing Vocals - Jellybean Benitiz, Producer
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Reggie Lucas, Producer, Rhythm Guitar, Drum Programmer - Paul Pesco, Rhythm Guitar - Gwen Guthrie, Vocals - Curtis Hudson, Arranger - Norma Jean Wright, Vocals - Dean Gant, Mixer, Synthesizer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Brenda White, Vocals - Ed Walsh, Synthesizer - Madonna, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer - Fred Zarr, Mixer, Arranger, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Rhythm Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Butch Jones, Producer - Jim Dougherty, RecordingEngineer - MARK KAMINS, RecordingEngineer - Jay Mark, Mixer - Bobby Malach, Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Vocals - Jellybean Benitiz, Producer
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Reggie Lucas, Producer, Electric Guitar, Writer, Drum Programmer - Paul Pesco, Electric Guitar - Gwen Guthrie, Lead Vocals - Curtis Hudson, Arranger - Norma Jean Wright, Lead Vocals - Dean Gant, Mixer, Synthesizer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Brenda White, Featured Vocals - Ed Walsh, Synthesizer - Madonna, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer - Fred Zarr, Mixer, Arranger, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Electric Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Butch Jones, Producer - Jim Dougherty, RecordingEngineer - MARK KAMINS, RecordingEngineer - Jay Mark, Mixer - Bobby Malach, Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Featured Vocals - Jellybean Benitiz, Producer
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Reggie Lucas, Guitar, Drum Programmer - Gwen Guthrie, Background Vocals - Norma Jean Wright, Background Vocals - Dean Gant, Mixer, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Brenda White, Background Vocals - Ed Walsh, Synthesizer - Madonna, Lead Vocals, Writer, Background Vocals, MainArtist - Fred Zarr, Mixer, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Butch Jones, Engineer - MARK KAMINS, Producer - Bobby Malach, Tenor Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Background Vocals
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Reggie Lucas, Producer, Guitar, Drum Programmer - Gwen Guthrie, Background Vocals - Curtis Hudson, String Arranger - Norma Jean Wright, Background Vocals - Dean Gant, Mixer, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Brenda White, Background Vocals - Madonna, Lead Vocals, Writer, Background Vocals, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer - Fred Zarr, Mixer, String Arranger, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Jim Dougherty, Engineer - JOHN "JELLYBEAN" BENITEZ, Remixer - Jay Mark, Mixer, Remixer - Bobby Malach, Tenor Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Background Vocals - John Benítez, Producer - Ed Wlash, Synthesizer
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1983 Sire Records Company
Reggie Lucas, Producer, Guitar, Drum Programmer - Paul Pesco, Guitar - Gwen Guthrie, Background Vocals - Curtis Hudson, Arranger - Norma Jean Wright, Background Vocals - Dean Gant, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Brenda White, Background Vocals - Ed Walsh, Synthesizer - Madonna, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Michael Hutchinson, Programmer, MixingEngineer - Fred Zarr, Arranger, Electric Piano, Synthesizer - Ira Siegal, Guitar - Leslie Ming, Drum Programmer - Butch Jones, Producer - MARK KAMINS, RecordingEngineer - JOHN "JELLYBEAN" BENITEZ, Producer, Mixer - Jay Mark, Mixer - Bobby Malach, Tenor Saxophone - Chrissy Faith, Background Vocals
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2001 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
Although she never left it behind, it's been easy to overlook that Madonna began her career as a disco diva in an era that didn't have disco divas. It was an era where disco was anathema to the mainstream pop, and she had a huge role in popularizing dance music as a popular music again, crashing through the door Michael Jackson opened with Thriller. Certainly, her undeniable charisma, chutzpah, and sex appeal had a lot to do with that -- it always did, throughout her career -- but she wouldn't have broken through if the music wasn't so good. And her eponymous debut isn't simply good, it set the standard for dance-pop for the next 20 years. Why did it do so? Because it cleverly incorporated great pop songs with stylish, state-of-the-art beats, and it shrewdly walked a line between being a rush of sound and a showcase for a dynamic lead singer. This is music where all of the elements may not particularly impressive on their own -- the arrangement, synth, and drum programming are fairly rudimentary; Madonna's singing isn't particularly strong; the songs, while hooky and memorable, couldn't necessarily hold up on their own without the production -- but taken together, it's utterly irresistible. And that's the hallmark of dance-pop: every element blends together into an intoxicating sound, where the hooks and rhythms are so hooky, the shallowness is something to celebrate. And there are some great songs here, whether it's the effervescent "Lucky Star," "Borderline," and "Holiday" or the darker, carnal urgency of "Burning Up" and "Physical Attraction." And if Madonna would later sing better, she illustrates here that a good voice is secondary to dance-pop. What's really necessary is personality, since that sells a song where there are no instruments that sound real. Here, Madonna is on fire, and that's the reason why it launched her career, launched dance-pop, and remains a terrific, nearly timeless, listen.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:53:09
- Main artists: Madonna
- Label: Warner Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1983, 2001 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982, 1983 Warner Records Inc.
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