Madonna - "Living For Love"

[HolidayGuy]

^Never mind- I read it as "My Heart Will Go On."

I'm not sure what "My Heart is Open" is- oh, wait- the Adam Levine/Gwen Stefani track? Considering Levine's mainstream appeal and status as of late, I think that speaks for itself.

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

Lol.

It's the Adam Levine/Gwen Stefani performance that was awful. Gwen is mid-40s and hasn't had a solid hit since before Madonna's last top 10.

[HolidayGuy]

^ And it's not even like that track is smashing- it's in the 20s on iTunes. You'd think it was top 10 or something based on the reference.

[allow that]

Feb 9, 2015 12:40:37 GMT -5 Rose "Payola" Nylund said:

Lol.

It's the Adam Levine/Gwen Stefani performance that was awful. Gwen is mid-40s and hasn't had a solid hit since before Madonna's last top 10.

Yes! Thank you Max!

Feb 9, 2015 12:43:22 GMT -5 HolidayGuy said:

^ And it's not even like that track is smashing- it's in the 20s on iTunes. You'd think it was top 10 or something based on the reference.

You can stop now. You've already embarrassed yourself enough for one day.

[Deleted]

The iTunes performance is definitely disappointing. It didn't even make it back up to where it was when it first went on sale. This is evidence to me that increasing exposure is unlikely to lead to drastically different sales performance than thus far. Interest doesn't seem to be that high outside of her fans. This is likely to easily become her lowest-performing lead single to date.

[HoldTight]

Feb 9, 2015 12:45:56 GMT -5 allow that said:

Feb 9, 2015 12:40:37 GMT -5 Rose "Payola" Nylund said:

Lol.

It's the Adam Levine/Gwen Stefani performance that was awful. Gwen is mid-40s and hasn't had a solid hit since before Madonna's last top 10.

Yes! Thank you Max!

Feb 9, 2015 12:43:22 GMT -5 HolidayGuy said:

^ And it's not even like that track is smashing- it's in the 20s on iTunes. You'd think it was top 10 or something based on the reference.

You can stop now. You've already embarrassed yourself enough for one day.

Lose the attitude. He misread something.

[areyoureadytojump]

Kiss FM in LA just played LFL

[Ling-Ling]

The problem is, we're trying to compare Madonna to current artists. That's just not going to work. Ariana, Adam Levine, Katy Perry are artists of the digital age that sell huge digital downloads with hardly any effort. Madonna's career peaked years before iTunes was even a thought in anyone's head and she's never been a huge digital seller.

Madonna is a 56 year old woman with over three decades at pop radio, who is still making mainstream pop music. Situations like this occur once in a blue moon and she really is an anomaly at this point. This is a delicate situation that involves sexism, ageism and kickback against veteran acts at top 40 and by younger generations in general. Madonna could release the greatest song of her career and it would still be an uphill battle at radio and with the buying public. This song becoming a hit is going to take a lot of work and a lot of struggle. Let's be honest about that.

[Deleted]

Oh my god that was so funny, HG misreading it as My Heart Will Go On! That Gwen/Levine song was too boring for words, My Heart Will Go On is preferable.

[foxxden]

Feb 9, 2015 13:22:11 GMT -5 @cosmiccandy said:

That Gwen/Levine song was too boring for words, My Heart Will Go On is preferable.

Yet "My Heart is Open" got one of the biggest post grammy bumps on iTunes so far ;)

I'm a huge Madonna fan and loved "Living for Love" when I first heard it in December but I find myself hardly listening to it anymore. I don't know if the two month lag between release and promotion made me tire on it or the disappointing visuals (in my opinion) turned me off on it but I'm listening more to the other Rebel Hearts tracks lately.

[Libra]

Feb 9, 2015 13:19:17 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

The problem is, we're trying to compare Madonna to current artists. That's just not going to work. Ariana, Adam Levine, Katy Perry are artists of the digital age that sell huge digital downloads with hardly any effort. Madonna's career peaked years before iTunes was even a thought in anyone's head and she's never been a huge digital seller.

Madonna is a 56 year old woman with over three decades at pop radio, who is still making mainstream pop music. Situations like this occur once in a blue moon and she really is an anomaly at this point. This is a delicate situation that involves sexism, ageism and kickback against veteran acts at top 40 and by younger generations in general. Madonna could release the greatest song of her career and it would still be an uphill battle at radio and with the buying public. This song becoming a hit is going to take a lot of work and a lot of struggle. Let's be honest about that.

Then explain the three instant grats currently sitting in the penthouse. Even with those being from album pre-orders, there's definitely some degree of disconnect between that happening and this being in the 30s that can't be explained by a digital handicap alone.

Of course, if this can keep rising, then so much the better.

[HoldTight]

Feb 9, 2015 13:19:17 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

The problem is, we're trying to compare Madonna to current artists. That's just not going to work. Ariana, Adam Levine, Katy Perry are artists of the digital age that sell huge digital downloads with hardly any effort. Madonna's career peaked years before iTunes was even a thought in anyone's head and she's never been a huge digital seller.

Madonna is a 56 year old woman with over three decades at pop radio, who is still making mainstream pop music. Situations like this occur once in a blue moon and she really is an anomaly at this point. This is a delicate situation that involves sexism, ageism and kickback against veteran acts at top 40 and by younger generations in general. Madonna could release the greatest song of her career and it would still be an uphill battle at radio and with the buying public. This song becoming a hit is going to take a lot of work and a lot of struggle. Let's be honest about that.

HU spent two weeks at #1 in downloads, and I don't want to hear about how the market was small. Every other hit at the time was also available for legal download and she outsold all of them for 2 weeks, while peaking at #42 at radio. The difference is the song and video captured the zeitgeist, while LFL hasn't yet.

But yes, her getting a hit at this point would be an anomaly.

[HoldTight]

Feb 9, 2015 13:32:01 GMT -5 Libra said:

Feb 9, 2015 13:19:17 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

The problem is, we're trying to compare Madonna to current artists. That's just not going to work. Ariana, Adam Levine, Katy Perry are artists of the digital age that sell huge digital downloads with hardly any effort. Madonna's career peaked years before iTunes was even a thought in anyone's head and she's never been a huge digital seller.

Madonna is a 56 year old woman with over three decades at pop radio, who is still making mainstream pop music. Situations like this occur once in a blue moon and she really is an anomaly at this point. This is a delicate situation that involves sexism, ageism and kickback against veteran acts at top 40 and by younger generations in general. Madonna could release the greatest song of her career and it would still be an uphill battle at radio and with the buying public. This song becoming a hit is going to take a lot of work and a lot of struggle. Let's be honest about that.

Then explain the three instant grats currently sitting in the penthouse. Even with those being from album pre-orders, there's definitely some degree of disconnect between that happening and this being in the 30s that can't be explained by a digital handicap alone.

Of course, if this can keep rising, then so much the better.

It means she's a stronger album seller than single seller.

[allow that]

Feb 9, 2015 13:19:17 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

The problem is, we're trying to compare Madonna to current artists. That's just not going to work. Ariana, Adam Levine, Katy Perry are artists of the digital age that sell huge digital downloads with hardly any effort. Madonna's career peaked years before iTunes was even a thought in anyone's head and she's never been a huge digital seller.

Madonna is a 56 year old woman with over three decades at pop radio, who is still making mainstream pop music. Situations like this occur once in a blue moon and she really is an anomaly at this point. This is a delicate situation that involves sexism, ageism and kickback against veteran acts at top 40 and by younger generations in general. Madonna could release the greatest song of her career and it would still be an uphill battle at radio and with the buying public. This song becoming a hit is going to take a lot of work and a lot of struggle. Let's be honest about that.

No one's doubting that a Madonna song would take a LOT of work to push at radio these days. Also, for what it's worth, I do think this is her highest quality lead single since "Music" but as you say, that means nothing at all now.

But talking about the likelihood of a Madonna radio smash in 2015 and talking about the song's sales bump in the 24 hour window after a high profile, high budget performance are two very different discussions.

Yes, Maroon 5 and Katy Perry have more digital clout. However, Madonna is still a household name and put on the most elaborate (well, tied with Pharrell at least) performance of Grammy night. Post-Grammy iTunes charts usually reflect a much wider, general audience than stereotypical "digital age" demographics. All things considered (even ageism, sexism, verteranism, etc, ETC), this song is STILL not selling particularly well after that much-watched performance.

[Ling-Ling]

You just answered your own question though, those are directly tied to her album pre-orders. She has a devoted fanbase that is going to buy her albums no questions asked. The same way the first six owned the top 10 when they were released.

"Living For Love" has been available digitally for over a month now and her devoted fanbase has already purchased it which explains it's struggle even after a high profile performance. Radio isn't biting yet and non-Madonna fans aren't biting.

[Rose "Payola" Nylund]

Feb 9, 2015 13:19:17 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

The problem is, we're trying to compare Madonna to current artists. That's just not going to work. Ariana, Adam Levine, Katy Perry are artists of the digital age that sell huge digital downloads with hardly any effort. Madonna's career peaked years before iTunes was even a thought in anyone's head and she's never been a huge digital seller.

Madonna is a 56 year old woman with over three decades at pop radio, who is still making mainstream pop music. Situations like this occur once in a blue moon and she really is an anomaly at this point. This is a delicate situation that involves sexism, ageism and kickback against veteran acts at top 40 and by younger generations in general. Madonna could release the greatest song of her career and it would still be an uphill battle at radio and with the buying public. This song becoming a hit is going to take a lot of work and a lot of struggle. Let's be honest about that.

So, she could stop trying to market herself to the same audience as today's "current artists."

Living For Love is easily her best single since Hung Up and I might even say since Die Another Day (I love that song a lot so I won't say LFL > DAD) but it's not going to be heard by the masses if her masses consist only of pop radio audiences. How could she promote the song and herself properly? I have no idea although there are countless ways to promote a single these days. Pop radio and attracting kids shouldn't be her goal but as long as it continues to be, she'll be seen as a struggling pop star.

[HoldTight]

Plopping the song in a major ad campaign like Sunsilk and 4M or HU and Motorola would help. Or licensing it to TV producers like HU in CSI and CSI: Miami.

[PerPlexied]

For me, this is the best track Madonna has released since "Hung Up."

[Deleted]

Feb 9, 2015 13:27:58 GMT -5 foxxden said:

Feb 9, 2015 13:22:11 GMT -5 @cosmiccandy said:

That Gwen/Levine song was too boring for words, My Heart Will Go On is preferable.

Yet "My Heart is Open" got one of the biggest post grammy bumps on iTunes so far ;)

Well I'm happy for Gwen. She looked and sounded great.

[World top 40]

So far, madonna is winnng at #GRAMMYs poll (and @ladygaga is coming in at #2): blbrd.cm/qp2CJQ

[Juanca]

I don't understand how LFL's bump is disappointing though.
Disappointing is the bump that Ariana's song had. She's a good digital single seller yet the song is in the 70s.
I never thought this could be the top Grammy related itunes seller. That accomplishment was gonna go to hits like Stay with me or Take me to church or a completely new song (ala Part of me).
LFL has performed a la par the M5/Gwen, Katy and Annie songs from what I can see. 20-position difference in the 20-40s range is almost irrelevant Of course I would've loved to see LFL getting closer to the top 10 but its 200 position jump is good enough IMO.

I do have an issue with the label NOT WORKING the track until now. That was a stupid decision. I know other posters here were happy with the idea of having the video - Grammy effect together to try to have a good hot 100 debut... I thought it would've been better to send the song for adds in early January, and do radio promo and a good lyric video. Make people know more about it. Then do this splash. Now I think it's gonna be harder.
I still love the song. The version included in the performance was hot. And madonna looks gorgeous! Hope this at least becomes her next top 40. Deserves much much more, but it should at least perform better than American Life !

[HolidayGuy]

How would LFL have gotten as high as it got when first released? It was the pre-orders that drove it to the top 10 upon release. Its current position is driven more by individual purchases rather than pre-orders.

It very well may end up being her lowest-peaking lead single. It's hard to believe, but not every act will score hit after hit after hit this far into their career, no matter what type of music she makes.

[HoldTight]

Well, since "Everybody" didn't chart it won't be her lowest lol.

[adman0468]

Up to #35 on iTunes now, haters.

[HoldTight]

Feb 9, 2015 15:08:13 GMT -5 adman0468 said:

Up to #35 on iTunes now, haters.

It increased one position!!!

ZOMG!!!!

[Wolfy]

The video is out. The Grammy performance is done. At this point it's pretty clear the general public isn't very interested in L4L. Fans and nostalgia are causing the current sales. It might be best to move on to single #2. Maybe people will connect better with the next single. "Ghost town" would make a good 2nd single.

[HoldTight]

Diehard fans bought it, with the album, weeks ago.

Let's see how it does at radio, that's it's last chance to ignite interest.

[Deleted]

She should do a radio deal for ghost town the week of album release

[seaguy27]

People on here are hilarious….Madonna is a 56yo pop star with 38 top 10 hits behind her and over 30 years in the business and you expect her to perform on charts that are more than ever geared toward tweens??

The fact that she is producing the numbers she is is mind boggling good. You guys let me know when any of the current younger hot artist are even around much less pushing her album sales or a song that high up the iTunes charts in 30 years when they are in their late 50s.

[areyoureadytojump]

Why should they move on to a 2nd single when promotion has just begun on the 1st single?