Maps of Music

MDNA (2012)

Where the lyrics of MDNA take you, and where it was really made.

The title MDNA packs three meanings into one word: DNA, the drug MDMA, and Madonna's own name.

Key places

Sessions at MSR Studios in New York (2012)

Recording site MSR Studios — MSR Studios in New York is listed among the studios where sessions for MDNA took place. The listed point is the city-level area of the studio. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Sessions at Sarm West Studios in London (2012)

Recording site Sarm West Studios — Sarm West Studios in London is listed among the studios where sessions for MDNA took place. The point is set at London's center area rather than the building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Sessions at Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas (2012)

Recording site Studio at the Palms — Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas is listed among the studios where sessions for MDNA took place. The point marks the Las Vegas area, not a verified building spot. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Sessions at 3:20 Studios in Los Angeles (2012)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — 3:20 Studios in Los Angeles is listed among the studios where sessions for MDNA took place. The point is set at the city center of Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• MDNA: twelfth studio album by Madonna
• Released 23 March 2012 by Interscope Records
• Pop and EDM album with upbeat songs
• Title is a triple entendre: DNA, MDMA, and Madonna's name
• Promoted through the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show and the MDNA Tour
• Three singles: 'Give Me All Your Luvin'', 'Girl Gone Wild', 'Turn Up the Radio'
• Guest rappers M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj

Background

• Conceived while Madonna was busy filming her directorial venture W.E. throughout 2011
• First release under the 360 deal signed with Live Nation in 2007 and the three-album deal with Interscope in 2012
• Madonna had not collaborated with William Orbit since Music (2000); they began working together again
• Producers included Alle Benassi, Benny Benassi, Demolition Crew, Free School, Michael Malih, Indiigo, William Orbit, and Martin Solveig
• Orbit and Solveig were the primary producers
• Martin Solveig was invited to a writing session in London in July 2011

Recording

• Madonna began recording in July 2011
• Sessions took place at Sarm West Studios and Guerrilla Strip in London, Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, MSR Studios in New York, 3:20 Studios in Los Angeles, and Free School in California
• Language barrier with Benny Benassi, who was not fluent in English; cousin Alle Benassi served as interpreter

Cover

• Artwork shot by Mert and Marcus and directed by Giovanni Bianco
• Deluxe edition cover unveiled on 31 January 2012
• Standard edition cover revealed on 6 February 2012, with a full-body shot of Madonna in a red dress

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Madonna Louise Ciccone, born August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress.
• Raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township; moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue dance.
• Performed as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy before signing with Sire Records.
• Debut album Madonna (1983) brought her fame.

Career

• Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986), and The Immaculate Collection (1990) are among the best-selling albums of all time.
• Rolling Stone ranked Like a Prayer (1989), Ray of Light (1998), and Music (2000) among the greatest albums of all time.
• Known for continual reinvention and for works addressing social, political, sexual, and religious themes.
• Acting credits include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996), for which she won a Golden Globe.
• Founded the entertainment company Maverick (1992–2009), including Maverick Records.
• Is the best-selling female music artist of all time and the first female performer to accumulate US$1 billion from concerts.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, in her first year of eligibility.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Metacritic: average score 64 from 34 reviews, indicating generally favorable reviews
• Music critics were ambivalent toward the album.
• The Independent's Andy Gill called it a determined, no-nonsense restatement of Madonna's brand after the underwhelming response to Hard Candy
• Rolling Stone's Joe Levy rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars and described it as a disco-fied divorce record
• NME's Priya Elan called it a ridiculously enjoyable romp
• BBC News's Nick Levine said it delivers thrills and includes ballads that the last two albums lacked
• Spin's Caryn Ganz rated it 7 out of 10
• Robert Christgau gave it an A− in his consumer guide
• AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as flinty and excessively lean
• Pitchfork's Matthew Perpetua found most of the record shockingly banal
• The Guardian's Alexis Petridis viewed it as neither triumph nor disaster
• The Daily Telegraph's Helen Brown criticized the songwriting as horribly clichéd

Reappraisal

• Glamour's Christopher Rosa called it the Ultimate Divorce Album in a 2018 review
• Rosa linked the album's emotional range to the divorce from Guy Ritchie after 2008

Records

• Debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 359,000 copies sold, her biggest first-week sales since Music (2000)
• Madonna's eighth chart-topper and fifth consecutive studio album to debut at number one
• About 185,000 first-week copies reportedly came from album-ticket bundling
• Number one on the Canadian Albums Chart with 32,000 first-week copies
• Number one in Australia, gold for 35,000 shipments in its first week
• Number four on the Oricon Albums Chart in Japan with 31,000 first-week physical units
• Number one on the UK Albums Chart with 56,335 first-week copies, her 12th number one
• RIAA gold for 500,000 shipments in the United States
• Twelfth best-selling album of 2012 globally according to IFPI, with 1.8 million copies
• Over two million copies sold worldwide as of March 2014
• Won Top Dance Album at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The MDMA reference drew criticism from an anti-drug group, and a spokesperson for Cannabis Skunk Sense called the title 'ill-advised'.
• The Super Bowl XLVI halftime show set a record of 114 million viewers, higher than the game's own audience.
• Madonna was not paid for the halftime performance, which gave her global exposure.
• During the halftime show, M.I.A. extended her middle finger to the camera, and the NFL apologized for being unable to blur it.
• Spotify partnership: listeners who streamed the album three times within two weeks could win two MDNA Tour tickets.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact