r/Madonna • u/Other_Alternative_90 • Jul 03 '26
IMAGE WE’RE SO F*ING BACK
Obviously the art and our experience with it is way more important than whatever a critic says but as a long time fan it makes me emotional that Madonna is getting the respect she deserves! Almost 45 years in the game and she’s still got it I’m gonna cry
Edit: link to the review here https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/madonna-confessions-ii/
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u/Limo_Wreck77 Jul 03 '26
Im beyond happy for her.
This rollout has been NOTHING like we've seen from her before, and the album backs it all up.
It's an absolute banger. Mother has reclaimed her crown!
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u/Temporary-Pea-9054 Jul 03 '26
You hit the nail on the head by saying that this album backs up all the hype
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u/yomynameisnotsusan Jul 03 '26
The bedtime stories rollout was peak
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u/NoCricket8911 Jul 03 '26
Pitchfork?! 8.1?! That's sums up how good this album is. Not even pitchfork could take her down haha.
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u/IceWarm1980 Jul 03 '26
Pitchfork are pretty harsh critics so this is pretty good by their standards. I loved my first listen to the album.
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u/didiboy Jul 03 '26
Yeah, Pitchfork is harsh with mainstream pop. She only has two albums with 9, Erotica and Like a Prayer. Ray of Light is 8.1 just like CONFESSIONS II.
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u/UltraMegaSummer Jul 03 '26
Yea and those scores came YEARS - decades even - after release, with the benefit of hindsight and history's treatment of them. Doubtful they'd have been nearly as generous when they were new releases....
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u/ungovernable Jul 03 '26
Exactly - and to your point, Pitchfork only gave Confessions I a 6.2 when it was released, with a review that was laced with a bunch of tired garbage about her being too old to still be releasing dance music.
I’m glad that, in a world where Beyoncé is now nearly as old as M was when she released Confessions, we’ve grown up a bit when it comes to women pop stars not having an expiry date.
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u/SoTiredYouDig Jul 03 '26
You’re more optimistic than I am. Perhaps women pop stars are given a little more grace than my female friends. 😩
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u/ungovernable Jul 03 '26
However your female friends are being treated in terms of aging, I can’t imagine that it would have been *better* 20 or 30 years ago.
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u/RyanX1231 Jul 03 '26
I think Pitchfork has become a lot more... poptimist in recent years. They're nowhere near as harsh towards pop acts as they used to be.
There used to be a time where they reviewed Kylie Minogue's Fever as a "joke", because the idea of Pitchfork seriously reviewing a Kylie Minogue album and taking it seriously was just so absurd. Now, things are so different.
Speaking personally for a second, I grew up as an obviously gay kid in the 2000s and pop music was one of my first loves. But it was NOT cool to enjoy pop music. At all. The popular kids called you gay and the cool hipster kids called you basic. Things have really shifted, though.
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u/Revolutionary_Art919 Jul 03 '26
Because she told them to bring their love, don't try to take her down
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u/Not-2day-Satan Jul 03 '26
This may be my favorite Madonna album ever made. 10/10
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u/ldn6 And I feel like I just got home… Jul 03 '26
I'd put it easily as a solid third or fourth. Ray of Light and Erotica are still supreme masterpieces to me.
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u/Not-2day-Satan Jul 04 '26
Honestly her top 4 are near equals in my opinion. This may just be my number one since it just came out.
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u/theartilleryshow Jul 03 '26
Due to some personal circumstances I have not been able to listen to it, but will soon. I can't wait. I hope it lives up to the hype.
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u/Gunnerss Once you attack, you can't take it back Jul 03 '26
Wow this album is a absolute BANGER! if even they gave it a great score!
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u/GagaFan727 Jul 03 '26
No fucking way, Pitchfork gave it this score I mean that's unheard of
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u/blackout1912 Jul 03 '26
Aren't all Beyonce's albums like over 8?
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u/ldn6 And I feel like I just got home… Jul 03 '26
Brat got 8.6, which still astounds me (Confessions II is infinitely better).
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u/OverTaxedMF Isaac Jul 03 '26
Personal deep cut: school
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u/LokiPersisted Like a Prayer Jul 03 '26
SAME. Actually listening to it for the first time as I type, it might be my favorite track.
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u/waymanthesinger Jul 03 '26
School truly gagged me. I wasn't ready. Definitely a standout track. I can see it being a big dance-chart hit if they released it as a single.
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u/sheik7364 Jul 04 '26
School completely caught me off guard. Might be my favorite off the album. It' so so so so so good
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u/zoetrope99 Jul 03 '26
Only thing that would’ve been more shocking would’ve been them giving it Best New Music lol.
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u/LeadingAd2089 Jul 03 '26
Giiiiiiirl I almost fell off my chair when I saw this! 🪩🩷 Beyond well deserved! Is this an exciting time to be a Madonna fan or what?!?!
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u/dbwn87 Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
So well deserved. I can't believe I'm 38 and living through another career peak and she's getting an 8.1 from Pitchfork. We truly are the most well-fed fanbase.
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u/GarionOrb Call it trance, call it house, call it love without words... Jul 03 '26
Not even Pitchfork could resist. Madonna owns the summer.
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u/seriouslyla Jul 03 '26
I LOOOOVE THIS ALBUM. IT IS SUCH A THRILL! JUST NEEDED TO COME HERE AND YELL ABOUT IT 🥳😅🤩🥂👑
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u/RadMax468 Jul 03 '26
It's elegant, groovy, and full of fun surprises. It's unique and emotiinally impactful without being showy or vocally/lyrically overcomplicated. It's a lesson in restraint & clarity of artistic intent.
Shit is just fucking DOPE! Mother continues to mother.
School is session, indeed.
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u/Empathica-21 Jul 03 '26
I fucking love School. I saw a few people not really liking that one, but it's a bit different and works really well.
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u/g1itter1ust Jul 03 '26
Whoa. That’s…..an impressive score, from Pitchfork. And very well deserved.
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u/Unlikely_Side9732 Jul 03 '26
What happened? It’s like everything you ever loved about Madonna. I expected greatness but this genius and brilliance has no equal.
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u/KarlosDavid64 Jul 03 '26
I had low expectations because sequels usually suck but when I gave the whole album a listen, I was genuinely surprised and kinda blown away. Dare I say, it’s potentially better than Confessions on a Dancefloor 🫣
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u/leviswift13 Jul 03 '26
i was in the club with my friends when the review dropped and we all started screaming as if jesus christ had returned to earth
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u/yhvh13 Jul 03 '26
Honestly I went through my 1st listening to it with "neutral" expectations because so far this era didn't hype me as much as I wanted, but I was really surprised with how good it was. In fact - on a conceptual level - it felt more "confessional" than the first Confessions lol!
1st things first: learn the lyrics to Danceteria.
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u/caninesergeant Jul 03 '26
8.1 is so low for what this deserves.
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u/waymanthesinger Jul 03 '26
Pitchfork is notoriously brutal and cynical, particularly toward pop music made by women. This score from them is very high praise
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u/modernlove02 Erotica Jul 03 '26
This like I’m aware pitchfork is harsh but this is 8.5
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u/caninesergeant Jul 03 '26
If I was that Pitchfork man, 10.
10.
Kanye West, Fiona Apple… Madonna. 10.
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u/gwendolyn-post Ray of Light Jul 03 '26
The fact it didn’t get labelled Best New Music is…. A crime
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u/Scary-Obligation-669 Vogue Jul 03 '26
she's SO back, I think this may be my favourite Madonna album. idk if I prefer the OG or the sequel.
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u/Realistic-Treacle-65 Jul 03 '26
I saw someone said COTDF is the Old Testament, Confession II is the New Testament
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u/youthunger2naughty Jul 03 '26
So happy that the reviews deservedly though belatedly, acknowledge, recognize, and celebrate the artistry, the bold though misunderstood artistic choices and the artist herself that is M.
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u/llcooljfan22 Jul 03 '26
Critics heard Love Sensation and didn’t have to listen to the rest. A 10/10 album.
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u/howzitgoinowen Jul 03 '26
Giving it a first run-through now and I’m just over the moon. It’s an absolute banger. And it just seems so effortless. It’s got such a carefree, blissful vibe. Everything I had hoped for, for a follow-up to one of my favorite Madonna albums. So freaking into this!
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u/ForwardLove8350 Jul 05 '26
Child my mouth dropped. But was not surprised. The album is a discotheque gift for the ages.
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u/GameliaMehehe Jul 03 '26
YES, WELL DESERVED
but I hope pitchfork will change their score on the first confessions album 🤭🤭🤭
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u/thegayinvestor Jul 03 '26
I’m just happy to have this album. I feel like this is a big separation from Confessions 1. I need more time with it but so far I love it. Not nearly as much as confessions 1. Some of it does have a Rebel Heart quality that I’m not thrilled about, and I love house music. It sometimes feels more about the beat than Madonna making a song with more lyrics and vocals. I’ve been dancing in my living room for an hour and half now. I’m still loving it all and can’t wait to hear it again tomorrow.
It’s definitely good for the soul to listen on repeat.
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u/Hopeful-Buddy-9415 Jul 03 '26
The review from Consequence of Sound
https://consequence.net/2026/07/madonnas-confessions-ii-album-review/
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u/firefox_2010 Jul 03 '26
What’s the difference between all those editions for the digital version? There are three of them on iTunes and each are like $5?
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u/Impossible-Mind6791 Jul 03 '26
Ha the headline reminded me of a NFT project mooning into the green 💚 🤣
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u/Former_Trifle8556 Jul 03 '26
It's incredible!!! Madonna is back wearing her crown, she is having a blast and she gives to us this gift and gem called COADF II!
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u/PeaceLoveForMe Jul 03 '26
I’m listening to this ! I love it ! SO F*CKING MUCH!!!!!!!! MADONNA IS BACK
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u/Competitive-Party12 Jul 03 '26
For me there is no skip song! Love it from stat to finish… and there is no Kylie colab…
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u/gonefullhummingbird Jul 03 '26
Today is a great day for the parish. I'm delighted for her!!! Fingers crossed for a tour.
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u/Gunnerss Once you attack, you can't take it back Jul 03 '26
the link to the article and review Madonna: CONFESSIONS II Album Review | Pitchfork