Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that although there's lots of sexual innuendo on this album, these days, Madonna is more concerned with making you get your groove on than making your jaw drop. This album premiered on Myspace.
Families can talk about the longevity of Madonna's career and what has kept her successful. Does it help to enlist the help of younger big shots in the music biz like Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Timbaland, and Pharrell? Would Madonna's music be as popular without it? Do you think this is why Madonna works so hard to maintain her physical image -- to stay competitive in a youth-obsessed culture?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Jessica Dawson
On her 11th and final studio album for Warner Bros., Madonna's HARD CANDY proves why this cultural icon's 25-year career has been successful. With the help of heavy hitmakers Timbaland, The Neptunes, Justin Timberlake, Nate "Danja" Hills, and Kanye West, Madge continues to stretch her brand with uptempo club beats mixed with hip-hop and R&B grooves.
She may be pushing 50, but the Material Girl is still hot and hit-worthy. Packed with techno-savvy club grinds like much of Confessions on a Dance Floor, most of the songs on Hard Candy will definitely make you want to shake your booty -- albeit without much originality. Although there's no question of the production talents of Timbaland and The Neptunes, they have produced for just about everyone in the biz from Gwen Stefani to Nelly Furtado. Still, Hard Candy gives a funky blend of retro-disco and synth-beats that call us to the dance floor. Timberlake adds the right mix of youth, sexual appeal, and vocals to make it all even better. There are a few darker tracks that show a vulnerable side, like "Miles Away" and "Voices," and West's little ditty on the disco-pop "Beat Goes On" is fun, but nothing special. Madonna, once again, proves that she still rules the dance floor -- and the yoga studio for that matter -- even if she almost qualifies for AARP.
Other booty-shakin' divas: Beyonce and Janet Jackson.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSome sexual innuendo, nothing explicit ("Hard Candy" all about "candy" but there's obvious innuendo: "sticky and sweet/my sugar is raw" and "Say the word, and I will give you what you want"). |
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Language"Hell" four times, "bulls--t" once (Pharrell singing), and "s--t" once. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoOne mention of "fame is a drug" (Kanye West rap). |
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