blasphemy

Madonna fans go to war after Rolling Stone says ‘American Life’ is a “genuinely horrible” album

By · 34 comments · Updated on January 26, 2024
Madonna at the Met Gala
credit: Shutterstock

Another day, another attempt to diminish Madonna‘s legacy.

With never-ending debate raging over the Queen of Pop’s appearance, age-appropriateness, or the exorbitant ticket prices for her upcoming 40th anniversary Celebration tour, Rolling Stone decided to add fuel to the Madonna hater-ade by trashing one of the most controversial albums of her storied career, 2003’s American Life.

Related: Madonna has a message to those of you criticizing her appearance: “Bow down bitches!”

This week the music publication came out with another one of its clickbait listicles by counting down the “50 Genuinely Horrible Albums by Brilliant Artists.” Though they tried to soften the blow with a backhanded compliment in the headline, Madge’s ninth studio album came in at #26 on the hit list.

Released in 2003, American Life dared to get political and challenge the U.S. status quo, materialism, fame, war, and even George W. Bush. Tame by today’s standards, the climate of the time in the aftermath of 9/11 and in lead up to the invasion of Iraq found everyone’s patriotism questioned. Not even the Dixie Chicks were safe!

The album’s title track faced much of the initial criticism, with many cringing over Madonna rapping about lattes, pilates and employing “three nannies, an assistant, a driver and a jet.” Biggie Smalls it ain’t, but if you’re trying to emphasize how awful and spoiled Americans can be then a rich white woman spitting out cheesy rhymes may be just what the lyrical doctor ordered. But we digress.

More controversy stemmed from the song’s music video which was initially pulled for its political and violent themes as the Iraq War began just prior to its release. Madonna cut a sanitized version that removed any depictions of war, the military, or Bush, and instead showed her singing amid a backdrop of the different flags of the world.

While American Life debuted at the top of the album charts, the single peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album’s next three singles (“Hollywood,” “Nothing Fails,” and “Love Profusion”) all failed to crack the Billboard Hot 100.

After its release, the album became the butt of jokes as it was Madonna’s first major commercial “flop” since hijacking the pop world in 1983.

In the years that follow, many critics have written retrospective reviews commending the album’s sound and lyrics for being especially prescient and politically relevant. Madonna performed “American Life” on her 2019 Madame X tour and it felt as if it had been written explicitly for the MAGA era.

Needless to say, Madonna’s rabid fanbase is not standing for Rolling Stone trash-talking their Madgesty and referring to American Life as “downright embarrassing” in their latest hit piece.

The troops have been deployed:

While Madonna has not officially spoken out on the Rolling Stone article, you can rest assured she is unbothered by this latest aggression against her body of work.

Earlier this week, Madonna announced she’s releasing an exclusive 8-track EP celebrating American Life’s 20th anniversary and honoring late music producer Peter Rauhofer, who remixed many of her dance hits.

The vinyl-only album will be strictly available at indie record stores in honor of Record Store Day on April 22.

Take in “American Life” in all its original glory by watching the version that was too hot for 2003 below:

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