About a year ago, we recorded a show discussing two legendary pop stars: Madonna and Janet Jackson. Then my Macbook died, taking the podcast with it. The release of Janet's "Unbreakable" album made us realize that it was time to revisit the topic. So, here we are once again, talking Madge and Janet.
Here's some show notes for y'all:
-We welcome Michael Parr back after a baby-related absence! (Although in true "the Lord giveth..." fashion, we're missing The Packet Man this time around.)
-I (Big Money) wrote a well-received review of Unbreakable. You should read it.
-Between the solid reviews, a #1 debut, and her nomination for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Miss Jackson is having a pretty awesome week.
-Oh hey--Madonna also released an album this year. Two of us were scared away by the song titles and guest lineup. The one of us who did give Rebel Heart a listen didn't come away with the warm fuzzies, exactly.
-Which begs the question; how does one age gracefully in pop music? Is it necessary to keep up with the younger artists, many of whom are influenced by Madonna and Janet?
-Are we unfair to Madonna because she dares to express herself as a sexual being in her fifties, or are we just tired of her doing things seemingly for shock value?
-Does Madonna have a run of albums comparable to Janet's legendary Control/Rhythm Nation/janet/Velvet Rope sequence?
-We do an Unbreakable deep dive. Dr. Z, not wanting to spoil the listening experience, is still waiting for his copy to come in the mail so he can listen.
-Why haven't Madonna and Janet (and many other legendary female artists) been the focus of remaster/reissue campaigns like many of their male counterparts?
-In case you forgot-these ladies also act. Well, you probably haven't forgotten. But we understand if you'd like to.
-We discuss our favorite album by each artist, which sidebars into the alleged Janet Jackson/The Time movie that was discussed in the wake of Control's success.
-Next up: our 3 favorite songs by each artist.
-We wrap up by discussing the most underrated songs or albums by Madonna and Janet, and pay tribute to the guy who was so stoned he called the cops on himself. No, it has nothing to do with Janet Jackson or Madonna, but we do go off on tangents quite a bit. This should be expected!
