Today in Madonna History: April 17, 2019

On April 17 2019, Madonna issued the press release for her forthcoming album, Madame X:

MADONNA TO RELEASE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED 14th STUDIO ALBUM MADAME X GLOBALLY ON JUNE 14th

FIRST TRACK MEDELLÍN WITH MALUMA IS ZANE LOWE’S WORLD RECORD ON BEATS1 TODAY

MTV PRESENTS MADONNA LIVE & EXCLUSIVE: MEDELLÍN VIDEO WORLD PREMIERE ON APRIL 24

PRE-ORDER MADAME X NOW: ALBUM PRE-ORDERS INCLUDE DOWNLOAD OF MEDELLÍN

Madonna’s highly-anticipated 14th studio album Madame X will be released on June 14th globally from Live Nation, Interscope Records and Maverick. The first track from the album Medellín, with Colombian superstar Maluma, will be Zane Lowe’s World Record today on Apple Music’s Beats 1. Madame X is now available for pre-order. Album pre-orders include a download of the first track which is available across Apple, Spotify (pre-save), Amazon and all DSPs. Select additional tracks will become available before the album release.

Madonna will exclusively unveil the world premiere of her video and single Medellín with Maluma, during a globally televised MTV music event, MTV Presents Madonna Live & Exclusive: Medellín Video World Premiere, on Wednesday, April 24 at 9:00 pm BST / 4:00pm ET/ 1:00pm PT. Madonna will join British DJ Trevor Nelson and fans live from London for a conversation about the influences of her new album, and the creative forces behind her transcendent career. Medellín collaborator and Colombian pop star Maluma will join live from Miami. Madonna will also take questions during the global event via satellite from MTV’s Sway Calloway and fans in New York City, with additional MTV-hosted events in Milan and São Paulo.

Influenced creatively by living in Lisbon, Portugal over the past several years, Madame X is a collection of 15 new songs that celebrate Madonna’s career-long affair with Latin music and culture as well as other global influences. Singing in Portuguese, Spanish and English, highlights on the album include Medellín, which was co-produced by Mirwais and captures the spirit of Maluma’s hometown, the anthemic song I Rise, the Jamaican dancehall vibes of Future featuring Quavo, and co-produced by Diplo, as well as the sonically innovative Mirwais produced Dark Ballet. Recorded over 18 months in Portugal, London, New York and Los Angeles, Madonna collaborated on Madame X with longtime producer Mirwais, as well as with producers Mike Dean and Diplo, among others.

“Lisbon is where my record was born,” Madonna says. “I found my tribe there and a magical world of incredible musicians that reinforced my belief that music across the world is truly all connected and is the soul of the universe.”

Madame X will come in a standard and deluxe version of the album. A Target CD version will feature the deluxe version of Madame X plus an additional two tracks. Pre-order the Target deluxe at Target stores or online at Target.com. A variety of special bundles of Madame X with one-of-a-kind limited merchandise, as well as special vinyl and cassette versions of the album, are available now for pre-order as well HERE. Further details regarding the album, videos and appearances will be announced in the coming weeks.

This is the cover for the standard CD version:

The full track listing for Madame X CD standard version (pre-order):

  1. Medellín with Maluma
  2. Dark Ballet
  3. God Control
  4. Future ft. Quavo
  5. Batuka
  6. Killers Who Are Partying
  7. Crave ft. Swae Lee
  8. Crazy
  9. Come Alive
  10. Faz Gostoso ft. Anitta
  11. Bitch I’m Loca ft. Maluma
  12. I Don’t Search I Find
  13. I Rise

The double black vinyl version (pre-order), web-exclusive double clear vinyl version (pre-order), cassette version and digital deluxe version all contain the following 15-tracks (see below for the digital deluxe cover):

  1. Medellín with Maluma
  2. Dark Ballet
  3. God Control
  4. Future ft. Quavo
  5. Batuka
  6. Killers Who Are Partying
  7. Crave ft. Swae Lee
  8. Crazy
  9. Come Alive
  10. Faz Gostoso ft. Anitta
  11. Bitch I’m Loca ft. Maluma
  12. I Don’t Search I Find
  13. I Rise
  14. Looking for Mercy
  15. I Rise

This is the cover for the digital deluxe and FNAC exclusive double-CD versions:

This is the cover for the cassette version:

This is the cover for the deluxe 2-CD version with additional 3-bonus tracks:

The 3 tracks on the bonus CD are:

  1. Fuana
  2. Back That Up To The Beat
  3. Ciao Bella

And finally, the Madame X box set:

The Madame X box set includes:

  • Deluxe CD (15 tracks + 3 bonus tracks + 32-page book)
  • Double poster
  • 7″ picture disc for I Rise
  • Cassette (standard version with 13 tracks)
  • Temporary tattoos

Jay’s Note: Please forgive me if I’ve confused any of these versions. I’ll update if I notice any mistakes .. there are a LOT of versions to keep track of!

Today in Madonna History: April 8, 2003

On April 8 2003, American Life was released digitally as the lead single from Madonna’s ninth studio album of the same name.

American Life was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï, and was released by Maverick Records.

 

Today in Madonna History: March 12, 2003

On March 12 2003, Warner Bros. issued a press release for Madonna’s American Life album:

A new Madonna album, American Life, has been set for a worldwide release on April 22nd.

The enduring icon’s first new collection of original material since 2000’s multi-platinum smash Music, American Life is being hailed as Madonna’s most accomplished, original and intensely personal album to date; a resonant and revealing emotional journey that marks a new highpoint in a career that has for all time redefined the expressive potential of contemporary music.

Recorded over a full year in London and Los Angeles, American Life, the artist’s tenth studio album, features eleven new Madonna compositions, including the title track and debut single, which ships to radio March 25th.

“All of these songs reflect my current state of mind. I feel like I have just woken up out of a dream. They range from dismay and anger to joy and certainty. Hopefully, I have taken the personal and made it universal,” stated Madonna regarding her new album which she wrote and produced with Mirwais Ahmadzai with whom she also collaborated on her previous release Music.

The American Life CD includes the title track, as well as the following songs: Hollywood, I’m So Stupid, Love Profusion, Nobody Knows Me, Nothing Fails, Intervention, X-Static Process, Mother & Father, Easy Ride, and Die Another Day, the hit theme song from the James Bond film of the same name.

The American Life single is also the subject of a brilliant new video from the pioneering multi-media visionary, an artist who single handedly invented the short music film medium. In a stunning collaboration with director Jonas Akerlund, American Life expresses a panoramic view of our culture and looming war through the view of a female superhero portrayed by Madonna set against a backdrop of current cultural obsessions. It’s a penetrating examination of our national psyche. The video is scheduled to air the first week in April.

Remixes of the American Life single by, among others, mega-hot hip hop diva Missy Elliott, Peter Rauhofer, Felix da Housecat and Maverick Records artist Paul Oakenfold will be available in various configurations over the next several months.

An extensive schedule of appearances, performances and special events has been set in conjunction with the release of American Life including an appearance on an episode of the hit NBC-TV comedy Will And Grace.

One of the most original and innovative artists of the modern era, Madonna has sold hundreds of millions of albums, topped charts across two decades, created an enormously influential body of work in video and film and stood at the forefront of socially conscious artists worldwide. With American Life, Madonna has once again reached deeply into her own life as the source and substance of her extraordinary artistry.

Today in Madonna History: September 27, 2002

dieanotherday usa sheet music die another day rit 550

On September 27 2002, the theme and title-track for the twentieth film in the James Bond franchise, Die Another Day, received its world premiere on New York radio station Z100. The song had been due to hit the airwaves on October 10th, but when Z100 got their hands on the track ahead of schedule they immediately added it to their heavy rotation playlist. Other stations quickly followed suit, prompting an early but very strong debut at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and becoming the chart’s highest first-week entry of the year.

Die Another Day was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais with string arrangement by the late, great Michel Colombier. After being introduced to Madonna through Mirwais, Colombier arranged strings for Madonna’s 2000 hit Don’t Tell Me, scored her film Swept Away and arranged the American Life tracks Nothing Fails and Easy Ride. Colombier sadly lost a brief battle with cancer in 2004, leaving behind a legacy of celebrated collaborations with the likes of Serge Gainsbourg, Prince and Joni Mitchell, to name only a few.

Madonna’s Bond theme was first performed during 2004’s Re-Invention Tour, where it became a visual showstopper with its ambitious and impressively executed tango-influenced choreography.

Today in Madonna History: April 8, 2003

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On April 8 2003, American Life was released digitally as the lead single from Madonna’s ninth studio album of the same name.

American Life was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï, and was released by Maverick Records.

Lyrics:

Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?

I tried to be a boy
I tried to be a girl
I tried to be a mess
I tried to be the best
I guess I did it wrong
That’s why I wrote this song

This type of modern life
Is it for me
This type of modern life
Is it for free

So, I went into a bar
Looking for sympathy
A little company
I tried to find a friend
It’s more easily said
It’s always been the same

This type of modern life
Is not for me
This type of modern life
Is not for free

American life (American life)
I live the american dream (American dream)
You are the best thing I’ve seen
You are not just a dream (American life)

I tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
I tried to play the part
But somehow I forgot
Just what I did it for
And why I wanted more

This type of modern life
Is it for me
This type of modern life
Is it for free

Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?

American life (American life)
I live the american dream (American dream)
You are the best thing I’ve seen
You are not just a dream (American life)
(American life)

I tried to be a boy
I tried to be a girl
I tried to be a mess
I tried to be the best
I tried to find a friend
I tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
(Fuck it)

Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?

Aah (Fuck it)
Aah (Fuck it)
Aah (Fuck it)
Aah (Fuck it)

I’m drinking a Soy latte
I get a double shote
It goes right through my body
And you know I’m satisfied

I drive my mini cooper
And I’m feeling super-dooper
Yo they tell I’m a trooper
And you know I’m satisfied

I do yoga and pilates
And the room is full of hotties
So I’m checking out the bodies
And you know I’m satisfied

I’m digging on the isotopes
This metaphysic’s shit is dope
And if all this can give me hope
You know I’m satisfied

I got a lawyer and a manager
An agent and a chef
Three nannies, an assistant
And a driver and a jet
A trainer and a butler
And a bodyguard or five
A gardener and a stylist
Do you think I’m satisfied

I’d like to express my extreme point of view
I’m not a christian and I’m not a jew
I’m just living out the american dream
And I just realised that nothing
Is what it seems

Do I have to change my name? (American life)
Am I gonna be a star? (I live the American dream)
Do I have to change my name? (American life)
Am I gonna be a star? (I live the American dream)
Do I have to change my name? (American life)
(I live the American dream) (American life)
(I live the American dream) (American life)
(I live the American dream)

Today in Madonna History: December 8, 2003

love-profusion-uk-12inch-cover love-profusion-uk-12inch-back love-profusion-uk-12inch-label-a love-profusion-uk-12inch-label-b

On December 8 2003, Love Profusion was released as the final U.K. single from the American Life album. The track was written and produced by Madonna & Mirwais.

Today in Madonna History: November 12, 2002

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On November 12 2002, the Die Another Day soundtrack for the 20th James Bond film of the same name, was released by Warner Bros. Records. The title song for Die Another Day was sung by Madonna, who also had a small cameo in the movie as Verity, a fencing instructor.  The Die Another Day song was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï.

What is your favourite James Bond theme song?