Madonna edges out Springsteen to top U.S. charts

Thought I was going to read an article that describes how depressingly boring and unoriginal music has become, and it was saved by the last paragraph about Lil Nas X. He's fascinating, and cheered up my morning.

soared to the top of the charts in part thanks to her bundling strategy.

I'm not hear to talk to anyone that hasn't listened to the album in full but I actually would like to see some hard numbers on fans that are spending hundreds of dollars for a concert experience but couldn't have been bothered to buy the album otherwise.

How do you even count sales accurately these days? People under 30 all pay subscription services, they don't buy anything, they rent, 1 month at a time.

How do you even count sales accurately these days? People under 30 all pay subscription services, they don't buy anything, they rent, 1 month at a time.

The charts have always been rigged. Especially during the clear channel and soundscan era. It's a joke. Nowadays they are completely irrelevant.

Is it the 80s again.

I've never been a fan of her music, but she has plenty out there who love her. I saw Madonna on Graham Norton the other week and she was so rude and lacked respect for the other guests, maybe that's why the industry has become hostile towards her.

Surprised Mad-onna hasn’t complained about no-longer-spring(steen) riding her youthful coattails.

I was a teen when both Madonna and Springsteen were popular. I liked Springsteen, though he was a little old then. My GF liked Madonna, which is the only reason I know any of her stuff. She made a few catchy tunes, thta I've been caught singing alone in the car at traffic lights.

Probably just my slant, but there are "classic rock" stations still playing Springsteen. Is there such a thing as classic dance radio?

Madonna has always wanted things her way. She plays the typical NYC transplant/resident stereotypes well. I prefer to let artists work do their talking and ignore everything else.

Golden oldies.

Is it the 80s again.

If only it could be.

I've never been a fan of her music

Madonna was the bomb in the 80s.

Madonna was the bomb in the 80s.

I respectfully disagree. Couldn't stand her music then or now.

I saw Madonna on Graham Norton the other week and she was so rude and lacked respect for the other guests, maybe that's why the industry has become hostile towards her.

I wouldn't say the industry is hostile towards her. The Daily Mail maybe which is where this article originated. Although the review in the DM was largely positive. Hilarious.

I respectfully disagree. Couldn't stand her music then or now.

No you are wrong. She's right up there with Nike, Walmart and Apple. She knows what sells.

She knows what sells.

The new music is so different I doubt she did know that it would sell.

Madonna started up the awful trend of overchoriographed and lip-synching performances. She inspired all the crap pop tarts clogging the media today. She hasn't done anything musically notable since 1990, it's been image, sex (especially kinky or dirty) and that's it. People pay over $250/tik for her lip-synched shows and Elton John has quipped about that several times. And at least Milli Vanilla did have some good tunes, even if they were credited to the wrong people.

I've seen Bruce Springsteen live in concert four times and each time was better than the previous. He gives it his all - he gruffly sings everything, he plays guitars (and sometimes other instruments), he writes most of what he plays, and he plays with some ace musicians who have had outside success themselves - from Clarence Clemens to Little Steven to Nils Lofgren to even guitar whiz Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine. And his shows are landmark, you get around 4 hours of Bruce Juice rock'n'roll. He holds the record for the longest concert duration (not where I attended). Getting tickets to a Bruce show is the hardest hurdle. He's even harder to get tickets for than the Rolling Stones (I've seen them twice). And Bruce is the most bootlegged artist in history. His songs are full of observational insight and lyrical depth and maturity. What does that say about Springsteen? He didn't get his appellation 'The Boss' for nothing.

“Though widely panned by critics“

Such a potty to see a “serious journalist” write this kind of non accurate comments.

Please, before write an article you should do some research. “Madame X” is warning good to amazing reviews by the specialised press.

I read you review last week and was not of the few ones which panned the album.

My concern is that you are non objective and you don’t like Madonna as persona and, obviously, you cannot write and objective piece.

One word: demagogy?!

One word: demagogy?!

She's been more for her lovers and sexcapades and such than her music. And in that department she hasn't shown much maturity as she keeps getting more constructed to keep up her 'sex doll' demagogic imagery. Not only that, Madonna has openly influenced all those stupid pop tarts like Britney Spears, etc. who have sexual image, zero musical and lyrical depth and that's it. That is not a good influence at all, it puts looks and sexuality over musical talent.

There are plenty of good female musical artists with something to say - young and older. For the younger ladies we have the electric violinist Lindsay Sterling, the New Zealand musician Kimbra, the Canadian music and visual artist Lights (real name), the Plastiscenes from France, the band Rafka from Brazil and more. they deserve our attention and patronage because they got it - musically and yes the looks too. YouTube features them, if you know where to search. There are plenty of serious women musical talents out there - so let's see them!