Don't go for second best, baby. Put your ILM ARTIST POLL #31: MADONNA to the test.

can we talk about my poor subject-verb agreement

i am calling all of you Erotica haters "Bitch" to the sound of breaking glass in my head

both too low!

most of the Erotica singles drastically underperformed in the US pop charts; "Erotica" (3) and "Deeper and Deeper" (7) were the only ones to crack the top ten, "Rain" stalled at 14 and "Bad Girl" barely scraped into the charts at 36, while "Fever" and "Bye Bye Baby" didn't chart at all

so, while there was definitely stuff in the pop charts mining this territory, most people over here were turning towards someone else besides Madonna for it

very righteous and well-deserved 1-2

"Open Your Heart" my #1.

Perfect 1-2!

"into the groove" is the greatest song of all time.

Into the Groove was my #1 and Open Your Heart was #7, though it could easily have been higher.

recap

50. "WORDS" from Erotica (1992) [7 votes, 136 points]
49. "I'LL REMEMBER" from the motion picture soundtrack With Honors (1994) [6 votes, 142 points]
48. "THE POWER OF GOOD-BYE" from Ray of Light (1998) [8 votes, 144 points]
47. "KEEP IT TOGETHER" from Like a Prayer (1989) [9 votes, 148 points]
46. "DIE ANOTHER DAY" from the motion picture soundtrack Die Another Day (2002) [7 votes, 149 points]
(TIE) 44. "WHITE HEAT" from True Blue (1986) [7 votes, 161 points]
(TIE) 44. "SECRET GARDEN" from Erotica (1992) [7 votes, 161 points]
43. "WAITING" from Erotica (1992) [8 votes, 189 points]
42. "WHO'S THAT GIRL" from the motion picture soundtrack Who's That Girl (1987) [11 votes, 194 points]
41. "PHYSICAL ATTRACTION" from Madonna (1983) [10 votes, 195 points]
40. "CAUSING A COMMOTION" from the motion picture soundtrack Who's That Girl (1987) [11 votes, 201 points]
39. "RAIN" from Erotica (1992) [11 votes, 217 points]
38. "BEDTIME STORY" from Bedtime Stories (1994) [13 votes, 238 points]
37. "TRUE BLUE" from True Blue (1986) [12 votes, 240 points, 1 first place vote]
36. "GET TOGETHER" from Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) [11 votes, 246 points, 1 first place vote]

35. "EROTICA" from Erotica (1992) [12 votes, 263 points]
34. "DON'T TELL ME" from Music (2000) [15 votes, 284 points]
33. "MATERIAL GIRL" from Like a Virgin (1984) [14 votes, 307 points, 1 first place vote]
32. "MUSIC" from Music (2000) [16 votes, 309 points]
31. "LIKE A VIRGIN" from Like a Virgin (1984) [17 votes, 334 points, 1 first place vote]
30. "TILL DEATH DO US PART" from Like a Prayer (1989) [16 votes, 337 points]
29. "EVERYBODY" from Everybody 12"/Madonna (1982,83) [15 votes, 344 points]
28. "SECRET" from Bedtime Stories (1994) [16 votes, 349 points]
27. "LA ISLA BONITA" from True Blue (1986) [18 votes, 367 points, 1 first place vote]
26. "WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FOR A GIRL" from Music (2000) [19 votes, 378 points]
25. "FROZEN" from Ray of Light (1998) [18 votes, 381 points]
24. "TAKE A BOW" from Bedtime Stories (1994) [20 votes, 403 points]
23. "ANGEL" from Like a Virgin (1984) [18 votes, 409 points]
22. "BAD GIRL" from Erotica (1992) [17 votes, 415 points]
21. "OH FATHER" from Like a Prayer (1989) [18 votes, 424 points, 1 first place vote]

20. "BEAUTIFUL STRANGER" from the motion picture soundtrack Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) [17

votes, 435 points, 1 first place vote]
19. "EXPRESS YOURSELF" from Like a Prayer (1989) [21 votes, 457 points]
18. "CHERISH" from Like a Prayer (1989) [22 votes, 463 points, 1 first place vote]
17. "HUMAN NATURE" from Bedtime Stories (1994) [21 votes, 465 points, 1 first place vote]
16. "DRESS YOU UP" from Like a Virgin (1984) [24 votes, 553 points, 1 first place vote]
15. "JUSTIFY MY LOVE" from The Immaculate Collection (1990) [26 votes, 567 points]
14. "HUNG UP" from Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) [26 votes, 600 points, 1 first place vote]
13. "PAPA DON'T PREACH" from True Blue (1986) [29 votes, 602 points, 1 first place vote]
12. "RAY OF LIGHT" from Ray of Light (1998) [26 votes, 615 points, 1 first place vote]
11. "CRAZY FOR YOU" from the motion picture soundtrack Vision Quest (1985) [31 votes, 670 points, 1 first place

vote]
10. "VOGUE" from I'm Breathless (1990) [29 votes, 697 points, 2 first place votes]
09. "HOLIDAY" from Madonna (1983) [30 votes, 753 points, 3 first place votes]
08. "BURNING UP" from Madonna (1983) [29 votes, 756 points, 3 first place votes]
07. "LUCKY STAR" from Madonna (1983) [32 votes, 805 points, 3 first place votes]
06. "LIKE A PRAYER" from Like a Prayer (1989) [39 votes, 938 points, 2 first place votes]
05. "LIVE TO TELL" from True Blue (1986) [35 votes, 970 points, 5 first place votes]
04. "BORDERLINE" from Madonna (1983) [33 votes, 1,009 points, 7 first place votes]
03. "DEEPER AND DEEPER" from Erotica (1992) [42 votes, 1,110 points, 8 first place votes]
02. "OPEN YOUR HEART" from True Blue (1986) [44 votes, 1,167 points, 2 first place votes]
01. "INTO THE GROOVE" from the single Into the Groove (1985) [48 votes, 1,330 points, 6 first place votes]

ONLY WHEN I'M DANCING CAN I FEEL THIS FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NID

"deeper and deeper" takes the moral victory of getting the most #1 votes - realheadz know what's up

thanks JF! Great pictures and presentation.

oh I don't doubt people were bored of Madonna, and the Sex book plus an album named Erotica didn't help; but she was due for a fall, and if she'd released a cookbook called Secrets of French Gastronomy and an album called Snails it woulda underwhelmed too.

I can live with that top 2, in that order.

Thanks JF, great work as ever - and loved the images.

And I enjoyed the arguments itt. But you are ALL wrong.

12" of 'Open Your Heart' is all time classic.

"into the groove" encapsulates madonna and pop music and the entire experience of falling in love with, and staying in love with pop music, all at the same time

lol i didn't vote for "into the groove" but it would've been #1 like five years ago? killed my own ability to enjoy that song

Thanks JF!!! Great poll!

anyway amazing poll, a very good time

I'm in a hotel in Manhattan without any Madonna music :(

songs should always be about dancing

I'm now going to embark on a study of JF's color-coding of the images. Will report back later.

"from the single Into the Groove"
not desperately seeking susan?

not like "Vogue," though, gross

one of dan's allies in erotica hatred holding up 'beautiful stranger' as superior is some instant karma in action

my ballot

1. deeper and deeper - 40
2. borderline - 36
3. i'll remember - 33
4. bad girl - 30
5. oh father - 28
6. justify my love - 26
7. live to tell - 25
8. don't tell me - 24
9. vogue - 23
10. til death do us part - 22
11. cherish - 21
12. lucky star - 20
13. take a bow - 19
14. angel - 18
15. open your heart - 17
16. dress you up - 16
17. sorry - 15
18. crazy for you - 14
19. jump - 13
20. white heat - 12

albums
1. madonna
2. like a prayer
3. erotica
4. confessions on a dance floor
5. bedtime stories

videos
1. borderline
2. open your heart
3. justify my love
4. vogue
5. papa don't preach

I mean for me, I was pretty deeply entrenched in the Deee-Lite album around this time period as well as discovering all of pop-breakthrough rave acts (The Shamen, The Prodigy, Altern8, the Lords of Acid crew, 2 Unlimited, etc), many of which were more closely tied to or informed by the industrial dance music I was already neck-deep in, so there wasn't really any reason for me to get interested in a Madonna album largely produced by a dude I'd already decided I hated

many xposts

I'M TIRED OF DANCING HERE ALL BY MYSEEEEELLF
TONIGHT
I WANNA DANCE
WITH SOOOMEONNNNNE EEEEELLLLSE

I do feel really guilty for voting in this poll w/my not-liking-Erotica ass. I like lots of dance music & deep house but I guess I'm not a big fan of early 90s house. I get the appeal of the sound of TR-909 snares spraying everywhere but it's just not something I've ever gotten into; I never really lived through that era so it doesn't connect with me.

Fever polls = the best polls, imo

some powerful generational comflict here or?
"Deeper and Deeper" just sounds embarassing to me in this context--
worst #3 in any major artist poll?

great poll all the same and #s 1 and 2 are righteous!

not desperately seeking susan?

DSS released its score, but not a soundtrack.

Ha -- I loved the first two Deee-Lite albums and Erotica (though I didn't own my own copy).

crazy that two of her most (arguably the two most) iconic singles - 'vogue' and 'into the groove' - started life as b-sides to fourth singles

Top work JF. Fantastic images. Overall very happy with the results, I promise to try to see why everyone loves D&D so much.

The 'Open Your Heart' 12" mix is one of the best discoveries of this poll for me. And 'Skin' and the rediscovery of 'Till Death Do Us Part'.

i used to really love Into the Groove as a kid, and you guys made me realize again how great it is a while ago when there was some other ILX thread. i wouldn't slot it at #1 personally, but it's a great subtle banger of a song.

glad borderline got its top 5

Tracks:
1. Human Nature
2. Borderline
3. Live to Tell
4. Deeper and Deeper
5. Like a Prayer
6. Secret
7. Till Death Do Us Part
8. Hung Up
9. Burning Up
10. Open Your Heart
11. Crazy for You
12. Bad Girl
13. Beautiful Stranger
14. Dress You Up
15. Take a Bow
16. Physical Attraction
17. Over and Over
18. Words
19. Love Song
20. Cherish

Albums:
1. Erotica
2. Madonna
3. Confessions on a Dance Floor
4. True Blue
5. Like a Prayer

Videos:
1. Rain
2. Bad Girl
3. Justify My Love
4. Take a Bow
5. Don't Tell Me

only regret was not putting "take a bow" higher, like higher than "deeper and deeper" even

my ballot:

TRACKS
1. Deeper And Deeper
2. Burning Up
3. Die Another Day
4. Bad Girl
5. Open Your Heart
6. Everybody
7. Like A Prayer
8. Secret Garden
9. Waiting
10. To Have And Not To Hold
11. Hung Up
12. Love Tried To Welcome Me
13. Into The Groove
14. Forbidden Love (Bedtime Stories)
15. Dress You Up
16. Frozen
17. Nothing Really Matters
18. Music
19. Oh Father
20. Papa Don't Preach

REMIXES
1. Sorry (Man With Guitar Mix)
2. Justify My Love (The Beast Within Mix)
3. Hollywood (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duck Mix)
4. La Isla Bonita (The Revenge Rework)
5. Bedtime Story (Orbital Mix)

ALBUMS
1. Erotica
2. Madonna
3. Bedtime Stories
4. Ray Of Light
5. American Life

hang on have we done the remixes results yet?!

1. Open Your Heart
2. Burning Up
3. Live To Tell
4. Angel
5. Lucky Star
6. Deeper and Deeper
7. Hung Up
8. Bad Girl
9. Words
10. Love Tried To Welcome Me
11. Vogue
12. Till Death Do Us Part
13. Take a Bow
14. Sky Fits Heaevn
15. Thief of Hearts
16. Keep It Together
17. Crazy For You
18. Like a Prayer
19. Gambler
20. Don't Tell Me

Nice. "Open Your Heart" was my #2, too. Best "sugar" Madonna by leagues.

Did I miss the remix rollout?

My ballot:

Burning Up - 40
Lucky Star - 36
White Heat - 33
Into The Groove - 30
Justify My Love -28
Live To Tell - 26
Skin - 25
Frozen - 24
Dress You Up - 23
Open Your Heart - 22
La Isla Bonita - 21
Angel - 20
Holiday - 19
Human Nature - 18
Crazy For You - 17
Papa Don't Preach - 16
Express Yourself - 15
The Power Of Good-Bye - 14
Where's The Party - 13
What It Feels Like For A Girl - 12

(included a note "fear my wasted vote for Skin", lol)

ALBUMS:

True Blue - 10
Madonna - 8
Ray of Light - 6
American Life - 4
Bedtime Stories - 2

VIDEOS:

What It Feels Like For A Girl - 10
Open Your Heart - 8
Borderline - 6
Bedtime Story - 4
Frozen - 2

hang on have we done the remixes results yet?!

We haven't. I ran out of time this weekend and didn't pull together any results yet. They're forthcoming (perhaps tomorrow?).

Into the Groove
Vogue
Like a Prayer
Express Yourself
Lucky Star
Hung Up
Beautiful Stranger
Open Your Heart
Music
Like a Virgin
Don't Tell Me
Cherish
Impressive Instant
Deeper and Deeper
Material Girl
Papa Don't Preach
Burning Up
La Isla Bonita
Holiday
Over and Over

1. "Beautiful Stranger" (40)
2. "Holiday" (36)
3. "Open Your Heart" (33)
4. "Ray of Light" (30)
5. "Shoo-Bee-Doo" (28)
________________________________

"Bad Girl" (19)
"Borderline" (19)
"Crazy for You" (19)
"Don't Tell Me" (19)
"Dress You Up" (19--somewhere on this thread I say I didn't vote for it, duh)
"Give Me All Your Luvin'"
"Hung Up" (19)
"Into the Groove" (19)
"Live to Tell" (19)
"Miles Away" (19)
"Oh Father" (19)
"This Used to Be My Playground" (19)
"Vogue" (19)
"What It Feels Like for a Girl" (19)
"Who's That Girl" (19)

Deee-Lite. Now there's an early '90s sound I find tiresome.

one of the best polls and poll threads i can recall. thanks jf. happy enough with the top 2.

my ballots:

1. live to tell - 40
2. lucky star - 36
3. open your heart - 33
4. bad girl - 30
5. papa don't preach - 28
6. physical attraction - 26
7. into the groove - 25
8. borderline - 24
9. crazy for you - 23
10. justify my love - 22
11. get together - 21
12. dress you up - 20
13. deeper and deeper - 19
14. la isla bonita - 18
15. like a prayer - 17
16. bedtime story - 16
17. vogue - 15
18. burning up - 14
19. secret - 13
20. sorry - 12

remixes

1. la isla bonita (the revenge rework)
2. sorry (man with guitar edit)
3. what it feels like for a girl (above & beyond remix)
4. get together (james holden remix)
5. erotica (masters at work mix)

1. Like a Prayer
2. Hung Up
3. Open Your Heart
4. Dress You Up
5. Into the Groove
6. Dear Jessie
7. Lucky Star
8. Papa Don't Preach
9. Sorry
10. I Love New York
11. Holiday
12. Angel
13. Oh Father
14. Like a Virgin
15. Till Death Do Us Part
16. Material Girl
17. Borderline
18. What It Feels Like For A Girl
19. Ray of Light
20. Take a Bow

1. Like a Prayer
2. Confessions on the Dancefloor
3. Like a Virgin
4. True Blue
5. Erotica

Thanks Johnny. Perfect poll. My ballot:

1. Live to Tell (5)
2. Hung Up (SDP Extended Vocal) (14)
3. Borderline (4)
4. Justify My Love (15)
5. Into the Groove (1)
6. Bedtime Story (Orbital Mix) (38)
7. Oh Father (21)
8. Ray of Light (12)
9. Beautiful Stranger (20)
10. Deeper and Deeper (3)
11. Jump (DNP)
12. Like a Prayer (6)
13. Lucky Star (7)
14. Words (50)
15. Crazy For You (11)
16. Bad Girl (22)
17. Sorry (DNP)
18. Open Your Heart (2)
19. Burning Up (8)
20. Music (32)

If you're posting ballots and voted for remixes, edit your posts. I haven't rolled that subpoll out yet.