MUSIC

     Released in August of 2000, "Music" became Madonna's 12th #1 hit. The song was a worldwide smash, often cited as one of the best songs of the 2000's. "Music" has become a staple in Madonna's live shows, as she has performed it in five of her tours.

     Madonna first performed the song on her DROWNED WORLD tour from 2001, and it's one of her best live performances, if you ask me. The energy is off the charts here.







     Madonna brought back the song in her following tour, the RE-INVENTION tour. This one is always special to me as it was my very first Madonna concert.







     Madonna completely re-imagined "Music" in her CONFESSIONS tour. Brilliantly mashing it with "Disco Inferno", it's an amazing performance with Madonna pulling out all the stops here.








     Madonna slays us yet again with this next performance of "Music". Once again fusing a disco classic in the mix this time with "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life", it's a stellar singing-and-dancing extravaganza that only Madonna could deliver.








     Madonna skipped the song on her 2012 MDNA tour, but brought it right back in a deliciously jazzy, 20's-inspired number on her REBEL HEART tour in 2015. The Queen of Re-Invention, she effortlessly proves time and time again how to give us a fresh new take on a beloved song every time.

JOAN OF ARC

     One of the songs off Madonna's 2015 REBEL HEART that seemed to strike a chord among fans was "Joan of Arc". She sang the beautiful ballad on the ELLEN show.

INTO THE GROOVE

     "Into the Groove" is one of  Madonna's most iconic and well-loved songs- although it was never technically released as a single. Featured in her debut film DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN and put on the B-side of her hit single "Angel", "Into the Groove" instantly became a smash hit on MTV. One of the most loved songs of the 1980's, it's become a Madonna staple that she has performed many times over the years. The first time was on her 1985 VIRGIN TOUR.




     That same year, Madonna appeared in LIVE AID, and gave a solid and memorable performance of the song.

 

      Two years later, Madonna would slightly re-invent the song, adding the infamous piano break to the song. Similar to the Shep Pettibone remix featured on her YOU CAN DANCE remix album, it was a highly energetic performance with Madonna pulling out all the stops. Guys, she's dancing her heart out and singing live the entire time- VERY few people can do this and even fewer have. It's incredible, to be perfectly honest.

 

     "Into the Groove" returned in 1990 when Madonna's BLOND AMBITION tour rocked the universe.

 
   
    Madonna skipped performing "Into the Groove" on her next two tours, only to completely change up the song in her aptly named RE-INVENTION tour in 2004, this time adding bagpipes and Missy Elliott.

 

     Madonna's most recent performance of her classic tune was in 2009 on her massively successful STICKY AND SWEET tour. This might be my favorite performance of this song- the energy and Keith Haring graphics are simply too much. You can't touch this mother fuckers!

 

MADONNA- BEDTIME STORY LIVE AT THE BRIT AWARDS, FEBRUARY 20, 1995

      Madonna gave a stunning performance of "Bedtime Story" at the 1995 BRIT Awards.

MADONNA at the MET GALA, 2018

     As always, Madonna stole the show at the 2018 MET GALA with a beautiful and artistic medley of "Like A Prayer/Beautiful Game/Hallelujah" that offered some powerful vocals and usual Madonna theatrics.  Is it me or is her voice improving with age?

BORDERLINE

     Of course we all know "Borderline" is not only one of Madonna's most cherished and loved hits, but one of the most well-loved hits of the 1980's. It's a bona-fide classic- yet unbelievably she's only performed the song live twice in her entire career! Besides a random performance on her very fist VIRGIN TOUR, she sang a punk version of "Borderline" on her STICKY AND SWEET tour, and a mellowed-down and beautiful performance on THE JIMMY FALLOW SHOW with guest star President Obama. Both versions couldn't be more different from the original pop classic, yet both versions are amazing in their own way.

 

GHOSTTOWN

     Life can be so strange sometimes. "Ghosttown", the second single released off Madonna's criminally underrated REBEL HEART album from 2015, is widely considered one of her most-loved tracks in years, yet hardly made a wave in pop music. Had this song been released by Taylor Swift (oddly who appears in a live version of this song later in this post...) or Katy Perry, it would have been a massive hit, but for some reason it was by Madonna and was virtually ignored. However, the song made an impact and is slowly finding an audience. Madonna made a stunning, return-to-classic-form video that should have pleased fans who continually bitch about how she "sucks now" and "used to be good".  She also delivered some knock-out live performances of the song as well, proving to long-standing critics who say she cannot sing. Here's a taste of the great "Ghosttown".


Here's a taste of Madonna singing the song live.