3. Justify My Love

The comments under the video often describe JML as the 'sexiest song of all time' and I honestly can't disagree. The string/synth progression that loops through the song just captures longing and desire so perfectly. Madonna's spoken words are so husky and sexy, also erotic and almost frustrated... And the things she's saying are so profound. Honestly "Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another...love me...that's right... love me" gives me goosebumps. And that video. Ugh. The ultimate sexual frustration song.


FINAL TWO!
Vogue
Erotica

2. Vogue

An anthem. Every component of the production of Vogue is perfection. I have gladly learnt all the lyrics to the spoken work section, from Greta Garbo to Monroe, Dietrich to Dimaggio. Honestly, the bit after that section where everything fades out to just the piano chords, then the bassline reenters, then the beat comes back in is BUSSY DESTROYING. UGH iconic!


1. Erotica

Genuinely one of the most artistic and atmospheric songs I've ever heard. This song is a stroke of sheer genius. The component parts of the song, from the rattling beat, to the throbbing bassline, to the atmospheric piano chords, to the horn sample, wouldn't conventionally be put together, but they combine so well here. As one site said, the song plays like your darkest fantasies in music form. Similarly to JML, the spoken word segments are just fantastic, and the chorus is so entrancing. The audio, along with the video is a genuine piece of art, and such a good hallmark for the Erotica, which is genuinely one of the most important albums in the sexual liberation of society. I will never tire of Erotica.


Well, this has been fun. Madonna is literally life. She has changed my perspective on music in the last eight months or so to quite an extent. She was my most listened Spotify artist for 2018 by quite some distance, and I don't regret it at all lol.