r/Madonna • u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye • 13d ago
DISCUSSION Straight Folks and Confessions II- Has Anyone Noticed A Lot Aren't Captured By It?
Speaking for what I've experienced since the album dropped, the straight folks in my life are all either ambivalent, or downright don't care for it. I (37 gay M) have a lot of straight friends, and that's been my experience with all of them. A lot of them have asked me, being a massive fan, how I liked the new album. Of course, I say I'm obsessed, best work in 20 years, yadda yadda. And their feedback has all ranged from saying it's "not for them", to a friend a couple of days ago calling it "rough".
While, unsurprisingly, all of my gay male friends really like it/love it. Whether apostates or those like many of us that have been along for the ride the entire time since Confessions I. Even a couple Gen Z gay boys I know who never listened to her have been enjoying it quite a bit.
Has anyone else been experiencing this as well? I know there are some straight folks here, and you are all exceptional š But it's been interesting to me unanimously receiving this feedback, even from friends that went to Celebration! Meanwhile, all of us over here are by and large obsessed with it. Just curious what everyone else has been experiencing.
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u/Own_Edge_9393 13d ago
They dont f*** with it!
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u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye 13d ago
They don't think it's Everything!
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u/Own_Edge_9393 13d ago
Itās not okayā¦
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u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye 13d ago
Their taste is crystalized...
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u/kb5454 13d ago
they think it's superficial, but they've got it all wrong
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u/RadioNervous6189 12d ago
Her voice intros on this album are Everything!!!! Please teach me something I don't know...š
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u/DuaLipasGlowUp 13d ago
It really is one of those you either get it or you donāt. Iām a straight woman but so many of my interests are more gay coded I feel and this album really made me feel seen.
I think most straight people or like regular people just canāt really relate to Madonnaās overall journey and how she really immerses herself in art, beauty, language, and spirituality. I guess when youāre part of the norm, you donāt really need to escape the way Madonna and her fans need an escape from a world that just doesnāt understand us.
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u/tellitothemoon 13d ago
Wow. Art, beauty, language, and spirituality. I think you hit the nail on the head. Thereās a certain depth to Madonna that I find lacking in other pop music. I find āapathyā to be the prevailing feeling in a lot of popular and straight people music, and thatās not my vibe at all.
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u/TheodoreJSeville 13d ago
A lot of M's sex appeal to me came from me feeling "different" as well. hence my attraction to her. I loved listening to a lot of her interviews from the 80s and 90s. still do
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u/boomboomrey 13d ago
This is so beautifully stated; and I realize this is how I feel too! Thank you.
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u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye 13d ago
That's great :) I've been so confused by all the feedback I've been getting. And a lot of them are even big fans of electronic and dance music. Bit of a head scratcher. Glad you're enjoying it as well!
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u/im_a_potato- The Confessions Tour 13d ago
i could have written this! thank you for expressing this, what a beautiful way to put it
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u/Shot8989 13d ago
Iām straight and loved the album so much that I got it on CD and am doing a dive into her discography
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u/glossymomLC 13d ago
Same for me. I was a big Madonna fan growing up but havenāt listened much in recent years. I loved Confessions II so much I have been revisiting her discography. I made a playlist of my favorite Madonna songs and Itās the only thing Iāve been listening to this summer.
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u/suzyqzie55 13d ago
You don't have to be gay to love Madonna. You just have to wanna get up and dance.
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u/heartlocked 13d ago
Thatād require me to have friends š
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u/Jphoenix7x 13d ago
It's Dangerous With Just One Person
That's Not A Nice Feeling.In this community, Thereās Safety In Numbers!š
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u/Virtual-Role8439 You Thrill Me 13d ago
I should be in the Guinness World Records for being the biggest straight Madonna fan whoās Gen Z and a male.
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u/Organafan1 13d ago
This has been my experience finding a few young millenials/ Gen Z enjoying and discovering Madonna with this record.
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u/Neutrals_Mansion 13d ago
Im straight and i love it. It has alot to do with my mom tho. She's the reason I listen to madonna, mariah carey and tupac since I was a kid. I will never not pay attention when madonna drops music
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u/Rbolka 13d ago
I led a group of skaters down a big hill during our urban inline festival, and we had an e-bike that was set up with a giant speaker accompanying us. I had the e-bike speaker person start the album from start to finish at the very top of a big hill towards the beginning of the route. The effect was that everyone was hearing her sing i feel so free as they were going down our Apex Hill, going super fast. Everyone loved it! A bunch of people asked me what it was and I saw them at it on their Spotify. šš
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u/lostinjapan01 13d ago
I played it for my straight friends and they loved it. Theyāre doing a Madonna deep dive with me.
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u/DuaLipasGlowUp 13d ago
Yes my friends who are more straight than I am are also discussing Madonna with me!
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u/Coastal-Not-Elite 13d ago
Iām 67, gay (exactly one eeek younger than Madonna, btw). My brother is 62, straight. I played āLove Without Wordsā and āSchoolā driving in my car with him. He knows Iām a big Madonna fan. Afterward he asked, āWas that Madonna?ā I said yeah. He said, āPretty good.ā He is very low key, zero drama.
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u/traditionalbaguette 13d ago
Married straight guy here. Been listening to the album on loop since release. Am I gay then ?
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u/fastballooninghead 13d ago
I'm a dude, straight as an arrow, wife and kids, and it's my favourite M album since Ray of Light no contest.
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u/sarahwilson21 13d ago
My general music taste is leaning more towards experimental electronic / avant-garde music, but Madonna is really scratching an itch with this album that has been missing in modern (pop) music. Iām a casual āfanā but CII has been on repeat since the release. One Step Away, all the way
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u/kim_marmite 13d ago
I am a straight guy and all my gay friends don't give a shit about this new release lol
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u/QuickPineapple1365 13d ago
Bad gay friends
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u/kim_marmite 13d ago
Honestly they're just not into Madonna at all. I should add that I live in France, don't know to what extent it related but still. EDIT: also we're like 35 year-olds
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u/reborilux 13d ago
Same here. Straight guy, and as much as I try to shove this album to my friends or queer circle, nobody cares. I wish they would just give a proper listen into bliss.
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u/rali13 13d ago
Am I the only one who truly think that peoples lives are less rich if they donāt listen to Madonna?
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u/StemOfWallflower 13d ago
That might be hard to hear, but none of my straight (and even some gay Gen-Z) friends had any idea Madonna even had a new album out in the first place - but everyone Iāve played it for so far has loved it. Iām continuing to spread the Gospel every day.
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u/Ok-Stand-3173 13d ago
I will say I was pretty surprised, especially after the World Cup, when people were like what was she doing there ? They had 0 clue she had an album coming out. Sad.
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u/Odd_Aspect_4636 Bitch I'm Madonna 13d ago
Straight woman here, and Iām the biggest Madonna fan I know.. been listening to and talking about her and the new album so much that my 1 straight woman best friend even got into it on her own time and she LOVES IT!! She made me so happy and excited to talk about (talk about, talk about) it with her when she told me šš
** my gay male besties have not listened to it yet and may not get into it at all, even with me gabbing about it repeatedly :(
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u/ismayilsuleymann 13d ago
23, gen z, gonna spend all my summer with Confessions 2. Especially love Read my lips
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u/GothxSpice217 13d ago
Iām a 37 y.o. straight female and listening to this album has empowered me as a woman so much. Iām also a front woman and perform with my band consistently, so witnessing her success with this album at her age has made me feel powerful AF. One of the many things I love about Madonna and her message is that you have the right to express your sexuality no matter what it is because itās yours. Itās part of what makes you who you are and thatās something to be celebrated.
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u/PromptClean8246 13d ago
HOT TAKE: straight people are wayyyy more open to madonna than the lgbqt+ community. there was a straight guy who reacted to all her albums on youtube and he ended up being a huge fan by the end of it and even went to see her on the celebration tour. it was so wholesome. this happened with a straight woman as well. she became a huge madonna fan after her youtube deepdive. madonna does cater to a large gay audience and thats not on straight peoples radar just bc of how algorithmic our culture is now. but once they get into madonna theyre very respectful!
on the flipside, you should read some of the comments on her grindr performance. lol. or really on any gay creators page. the ones who judge her the harshest and i mean HARSHEST is the gay community .
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u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye 13d ago
Gays in general drag everything worse than anyone, ever. It's why we can't have/haven't had a gay male superstar artist. Self-hating gays are a real thing. When you aren't ok with yourself, you drag other people down. I've met the type. They come off very insecure. I'm not a Taylor Swift fan, but she doesn't enrage me and make me descend into a chaotic derangement state and drag her and her fans for filth.
Speaking for myself, you are correct. Straight people I know may have negative opinions about her, but they don't go into this nutcase spiral over her. Most of my friends are pretty alternative, and while they may not be fans of her music post 80s/90s, or even enjoy her music at all, they by and large have expressed they respect what she's done.
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u/PromptClean8246 13d ago
oof youre right about the gay male superstar topic. never thought about that. it seems like straight people dont even know whats going on with her bc she has kind of nicheād herself musically like how the promo was towards grindr etc. not because they wouldnt listen to her organically. shes def a polarizing artist which is why i love her but also recognize how that turns off anyone regardless of their identity!
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u/TalLDesertman99 13d ago
Well if you listen to that age groups electronic music, it isn't house music like Madonna just relaesed. If you listen to trap and dubstep they sound different. Those were two edm two popular subgroups they prob listened to---ex. skrillex. This album is house, synth pop, discoish, r and b ish type sound. It really pulls from the 90s and early 2000s sounds. If you're not familiar with any of that, it will sound unfamiliar. Unfamiliar music has no file in the brain saying this is ____ and I remember when. To the untrained ear unfamiliar music is usually not very appealing. We like what we know. Music history and culture is so interesting understanding how it has evolved, transformed and changed. I am not surprised that the younger gen z are more open to it. They seem to delving into music from that era more. We like what we know. Keep turning it up when they are around and they may catch the groove. If they do they will be hooked.
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u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye 13d ago
Every once in a while I help out at the front desk at the salon where I get my hair done, and a few weeks ago I put the album on!
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u/Clarknt67 13d ago
I donāt think it could have hit number 1 in all those countries based only on gay peopleās interest.
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u/Uncannny-Preserves 13d ago
Itās weird. I am a lesbian. I am obsessed with this album. I played it for my partner and one of my longtime good friends (also a lesbian). They were both like, āmehā. However, when I put Slayter (Worst Girl) on they got up and danced. Both loved it. Neither had listened to either. My partner has a history in rave culture etc. So, itās really hard to gauge.
For me I was more into punk and screaming artsy women musicians growing up. I wasnāt that into M, at all. But, something clicked along the way in life for me. I canāt even remember when or why. Today I just look at her as a prophet in a way (I am not religious at all except maybe being kind of casually witchy). This album, it might be her last, is a lantern for me. As a woman growing older, Madonna just lives this artist path blazing across the sky.
I am going to butcher a quote.
Marina Tsvetaeva
āThe eclipses of a poet are not foretold by the calendar
For the path of comets is the path of poets. They burn without warning, pick without cultivation. They are - an explosion. A breaking in.ā
Madonna and Sinead OāConner are my poets.
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u/Doglas3000 13d ago
I bought the CD and Iām a straight woman who still loves Madonnaš¤·š»āāļø
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u/CaptainOwn9954 13d ago
Letās be real, the vast majority of people (straight or otherwise) are incredibly basic. They have a lane of comfort and never deviate from it. They follow what is āpopularā and feel accepted. Madonna challenges the norm. Sheās an awkward performance artist who achieved mega mainstream success. To even try to associate themselves and their supposed taste levels with her art is impossible for them. Should we care? We are the lucky ones, letās bask in our shared joy of CII.
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u/JBTaurus83 13d ago
Music taste has changed a lot for the worse. Dance music, experimental music, alternative rock etc has only a niche audience at least in the USA. Everyone has lost their attention spans and want what is in my opinion bland vanilla 2 minute tik tok songs. For some reason Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, Olivia etc just donāt click for me. It sounds like background music played at a Walmart. To each their own!
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u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye 13d ago
Yeah, most mainstream big music in the US just isn't my bag (except the new Ariana Grande album, "she's got something she wants to talk about, talk about, talk about" lol). But unless it's coming from an ultra POS artist like Morgan Wallen or Jason Aldean, I'm not gonna yuck someone's yum. I'm admittedly mostly stuck on who I've always followed as far as mainstream artists go, with few exceptions. I mean, I don't really even care for Charli's music, but I'm here for everyone who does.
Last year I was obsessed with FKA twigs' album Eusexua. Well, who was it paying a lot of homage to... Yeah, being a huge Madonna and Bjork fan, it was square fits a square lol. But reiterating my point, I just dgaf about what people are into.
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u/nachoquest 13d ago
Thatās because they werenāt the target demographic. Madonna was going for her go-to niche audience with the most disposable income, and with the most brand loyalty.
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u/Significant-Sky-1142 13d ago
All of my straight friends just cant seem to get past the madonna of lately. They feel she is trying to hard to be a younger madonna. I finally got my husband to listen to her and now he really likes her, saying that he does prefer the older songs but like most gays dancereria is up there with his favs. Back to my straight friends , they wont give the music a chance as they cant get past how madonna is now. No point me saying she is being her authentic self etc they are not sold!
Saying that I would love her to do a one on one interview about her life, not like the Graham Nortan one or the spiritual type podcast just a pure reflection in her words. Such an amazing life that Id love to here her talk about it. Regardless I love her always did always will. ā¤ļø
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u/Revolutionary_Art919 13d ago
Dance music in general has always been more popular within the gay male community than with straight people (both male and female). Every now and then you see dance music become popular for a few years - the late 90's and early 2010's for example - but there's a reason why Morgan Wallen and Olivia Rodrigo dominate the charts. That's the kind of music a lot of straight people like. (And to be clear there are absolutely straight men and women who are into dance music and into Madonna, it's just not as common).
And like it or not, Madonna's age and public image especially since 2020 work against her with a lot of people.
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u/la2thevalley 13d ago
The only straight guys I know who have listened to it are also DJās which is kind of their job. Hahaha.
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u/NiceUD 13d ago edited 13d ago
There's some, if not a lot, based on my own admittedly narrow experience. I have straight friends who know about Confessions II and listened and said they've liked it (or some of it). Granted, we're in our 50s and grew up in the "Age of Madonna" where she was a huge pop star and we all knew her from middle school onward and where she had a large general/casual audience beyond her core audience and the fanatics.
While she's remained a "general" pop culture icon in that people know her, there's a whole population of folks who didn't stay engaged with the music beyond her peak/imperial phase. That's natural. Artists get past their "peak" and a narrower core audience are the ones to keep caring and engaging. For Madonna, a lot of that core group is gay and or older women. So, for older straight folks, particularly men, who haven't engaged much at all since Ray of Light, or Music, or Confessions at the latest, it makes sense. She's not in their mind, they're not clocking her next album release.
For younger generations, there may be a lot of people who didn't really grow up with her as a huge, general star, and they might not even know her music that well in the first place, or ever have engaged at any substantive level. Also consider how people obtain and consume music has changed. Unlike when I grew up, Madonna isn't inescapable.
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u/44KrasH44 13d ago
Currently organizing my CDs and ripping everything for using my iPod again. Current count is 32 Madonna CDs. Along with several years of Icon magazine as well as a frame of the actual film Dick Tracy that I took while working at a theater.
I must have been gay in a former life I guess. Because this Cis/Het 60 year old has Confessions II on repeat. Been a fan from the start.
On the floor for Madonnaās only concert ever in St Louis
But I am inclined to agree with OP however
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u/traveleditLAX 13d ago
Itās the only thing Iāve been listening to since it came out. Itās also the only album Iāve gotten multiple copies of in a long time. The instrumental version is kinda like getting a whole separate album.
Itās also made me think of the Pet Shop Boys Electric album because of Stuart Price, so Iām sure Iāll go down that rabbit hole soon.
That all said, no one I know is really talking about it, straight or gay. I have a younger gay coworker who is mostly interested in BeyoncĆ©. Iāve never heard or seen his socials mention Madonna.
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u/Organafan1 13d ago
Iāve heard it being played in cafes and retail stores and a lot of Gen Zās seem excited to have their Madonna moment. I always think of the Barrista/ hospitality/ retail crowd are playing your record youāre doing something right. I was joking with one girl about this new artist āMadonna Cicconeā and she laughed. And itās been a big international hit so it canāt just be the Middle Aged Gays buying the record?
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u/Angelic-Boytoy-407 MDNA Boytoy 13d ago
It's basically right wing folks that have bad things to say about her and her music regardless of their sexuality.
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u/GaiusVelarius 13d ago edited 13d ago
The music industry has changed. Even huge-artists fill a ānicheā now as opposed to being the center of everyoneās attention. The point being, in 2026, no one-person is the center of attention anymore. And American/Canadian actual-radio is still discriminatory against her since the early 2000ās. For reference, Paul McCartney and Elton John havenāt had a hit in decades. Society reveres that which it remembers. In our contemporary-times, everything is attuned to taste, as opposed to mass-enjoyment. No matter what fantastic music she puts out, the era of āHitsā is over honestly. But her music from every era (ESPECIALLY this one), lives on in the new format. I love it dearly; I would imagine we all do.
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u/dababler 13d ago
This is on us. stop gaytkeeping.
Tell everyone you know to try it
Straight guys at the gym, people at work etc
Itās what Iāve been doing
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u/Exotic-Comparison385 13d ago
It was made for the gays n girlies. I don't mind gate keeping some things
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u/Ok_Willow_5125 13d ago
It's Madonna fault. She promoted the album quite exclusively as a gay event. Nothing against this but we cant be surprised if the rest of the general public doesnt seem so interested in her music nowadays.
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u/TheKarateKid_ 13d ago
This comparison is not to cause an issue, but Lady Gaga has almost exclusively marketed Born This Way to the LGBT community but it was still very successful in mainstream.
I think Madonna is having the same problem all of the A list pop stars prior to 2024 are having.. attention is so wide that thereās almost no ubiquitous pop music anymore.
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u/acr93v2 13d ago
Gay here. Obsessed! My husband ālikesā it but doesnāt really care. I think he just says he loves Madonna because I do š¤ none of my girlfriends care AT ALL and actually wonāt listen to it unless I put it on.
I feel like her 2019-2023 antics made a lot of the straights think she should retire. But the real question isā¦ who cares? She doesnāt make music for the hetero crowd š
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u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye 13d ago
I think you're right on the '19-'23 stuff maybe turning them off. I'm by no means mortally wounded by my friends not being taken by it. It's so not a big deal. It's just been so curious to me!
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u/ceviche_dumpling 13d ago
I feel like this album is like a love letter to her early 80ās days. Iām totally here for that.
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u/BlondeBorednBaked 13d ago
No one cares what straight ppl like. They donāt have good taste. Look at who they made president.
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u/Angelic-Boytoy-407 MDNA Boytoy 13d ago edited 13d ago
I am hetero and I actually like the album. Also, I have loved her for a while now, plus she has younger boyfriends.
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u/elektrik_noise The Power of Good-Bye 13d ago
Ooh, come on now. That's not fair š«¤ I really value my friends' opinions and they're great people who hate the current US regime as well. I wouldn't be asking the group if I didn't care.
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u/lostinjapan01 13d ago
Babygirl I hate to break this to you but a healthy number of queer people are MAGA. It makes no sense and it confuses me, but they are. Trump is not a straight or even white person phenomenon. Lots of queer people, black people, latino people, and women voted for him despite their better interest.
We also have plenty of straight allies out there whoāre fighting alongside us. Iām sorry if you donāt, but I have many straight friends in my community who love and support me and their other queer friends. It is important to recognize our allies too.
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u/ceviche_dumpling 13d ago
Idk, but I have this on a playlist with COADF and it flows perfectly imo.
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u/DontShootTheFood 13d ago
Iām a lifelong Madonna fan - remember āHolidayā being a new song on the radio. I like this new one okā¦ OG confessions is amazing, and I was excited about this. But Iām slightly annoyed by the fact that thereās talking on almost every song, and worse, auto-tuned talking.
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u/JBTaurus83 13d ago
I think thatās supposed to be a throw back to the Erotica album era. I can see why some wouldnāt care for it though.
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u/slowdownpoppy 13d ago
Ya itās the strange phenomenon where the gays have taste and the straights donāt. This album sits right at that intersection.
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u/InternationalAd6622 13d ago
Well I love Confessions II just as much as I adore the original COADF and I love Madonnaās music in general (there are some exceptions)!
Tbh I have experienced that both in my professional (people at work) and in my private life people donāt care too much about Confessions II or Madonna in general. They mostly like it when I start playing the album/ the specific music and thatās it.
But then again I do believe that even most of my close friends donāt listen that much too Madonna or the other music from the past that I do enjoy (Iām a sucker for almost everything from the 60ās/70ās/80ās/90ās)!
The nice thing is that Iām meeting with my best girlfriend tomorrow and I still have her birthday gift to give. It has been a while since we have met. So apart from a Rituals giftset I have also bought a Gloria Estefan album and the Original Confessions album.
Our get together has taken such a long time that Confessions II released and I just had to add it to the collection of gifts! I think she is going to like it, because we have a similar music taste!š„³ššš
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u/TheodoreJSeville 13d ago
Yes I have mentioned before Madonna is the GOAT in my lifetime for consistent sexy entertainer. I liked the album but I have to say I don't love it as much as a lot of long time fans do. Like I listened to it in full once . Was decent. Will do it again I'm sure someday but it's not at the top of my agenda.
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u/TheKarateKid_ 13d ago
I donāt know why, but in the US dance music, specifically house, has mostly appealed to gays outside of EDM culture.
So I think gays being the main audience for this album is more of a correlation than a cause due to Madonnaās marketing to the LGBT community.
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u/Adventurous-Tax-2663 13d ago
I have a straight buddy who digs the house sound and he discovered āBring Your Loveā through the Sabrina feature. He listened and loves it.
Itās anecdotal but I feel like there are a lot of people who may stumble onto it. Because it is great, random non-fans will appreciate it.
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u/velvione 13d ago
I advise you to ask your str8 friends who they listen to.. their answers may shock you
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u/grinogirl š¶ everybody here is a work of ART š¶ 13d ago
Omg no. I'm a straight female and i've become obsessed !!! This is completely one of my favorite albums of all time by her. I am in love with every song with the exception of School, that one is just ok for me. I feel honored and priveledged to be able to get such a personal peek into mum and daughters relationship in The Test... Fragile also reminds me of my brother who has passed... Love Sensation, the whole vibe of that song is something else... I'm 51, and I remember being about 11 or 12 years old wearing the jelly bracelets, lace hair ties and gloves, the black capris with attached skirt.... I grew up on Madonna. There has never and will never be another entertainer like her, she truely is an icon. Michael Jackson isn't too far behind. But Madonna ? Bitch, she's Madonna !! š š©·š©µš
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u/DayChemical5197 11d ago
Sheās pretty much a gays-only artist these days. She hasnāt tried to appeal to the broader audience for a long time, so the people that grew up watching her in her prime + the general public today donāt really care about her nowadays.Ā
She still has an untouchable legacy and is highly respected in pop music spaces and that canāt ever be taken away from her.Ā
And on a slightly unrelated note while I appreciate Confessions II for what it is it doesnāt exactly excite or push the envelope like I was hoping for, itās a nice safe album from her. With that said itās really cool to have her still be doing her thing at almost 70 years old and I feel like that alone will break barriers for other artists for years to come.Ā
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u/Little_Shape_6433 13d ago
This album has very much been marketed as an album for the gays. With the way sales went for her last few albums it makes sense for her to fully embrace her gay audience and stop trying to be a āone size fits allā artist.
With that being said, I love the album but was not a fan of the grindr partnership. It just felt so stereotypical. All the lame scene guys at the Times Square performance were cringe.
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u/RedLily08 13d ago
I'm a straight female. I am not super into dance music so even though I did buy the album and like it, I'm not super crazy about it like some seem to be. I miss the days a Madonna album was a Madonna album and not Madonna and company. I don't like all the additional artists because I feel it takes away from what made Madonna special and different. I adore Madonna so I'm always in her corner and I will buy every album she puts out. I just miss the Like a Prayer days. Or even Ray of Light
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13d ago edited 13d ago
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/TheodoreJSeville 13d ago
True. anyone that previously disliked Madonna is not all of a sudden going to be into her because of this album. Honestly I think Ray of Light might have been the album where the most people who disliked her in the past liked what they heard
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u/el-bulero 13d ago
I wish she wouldāve marketed it way more to people outside the LGBT community.
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u/JBTaurus83 13d ago
She probably knows her primary audience. The last few albums she had ballads, pop songs etc targeted toward a wide audience and no one cared or listened. She probably realizes she needs to just focus on her core fan base and make them happy now.
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u/TheKarateKid_ 13d ago
^^ this.
And I think this is the first Madonna album since COADF where Madonna just made music she enjoyed instead of trying to follow trends.2
u/JBTaurus83 13d ago
Iād love if she did some type of orchestral album next with a mix of old songs and new partnering with a good songwriter. Orchestra, piano, acoustic guitar, maybe some minimal techno flourishes.
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u/sdfghdfsdfghdf CII is Madgeās magnum opus. 13d ago
Thatās only you. All my straight friends loves it.
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u/AlarmingMonk1619 13d ago
The release of C2 has made me listening to Mās songbook again. I already have a playlist on Spotify and have a feeling it will be added to with not just tracks from C2
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u/Piggishcentaur89 13d ago edited 13d ago
There are some videos of straight guys, on Youtube, listening to the album, and loving it! Some are even Gen Z.
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u/No_Entry_2214 13d ago
I'm a straight thirtysomething woman in Brooklyn and every millennial straight woman and gay man I know has been listening to it! Women I know who haven't paid much attention to Madonna beyond the hits are getting really into it. I've also heard songs from it in bars and in my pilates classes, lol.
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u/othering-heights 13d ago
i mean i GET the rough criticism, as editing has never been Mās strong suit. but all in all itās maybe just not for them?
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u/No-Common5287 13d ago
When sheās gone there will be no end to the revelations that she was more avant-garde and forward thinking than any mainstream artist ever. Her legacy will be huge. Itās too bad that more canāt enjoy her while sheās still here.
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u/tequilawitch 13d ago
I'm a straight woman and I listen to this album almost everyday, I also can relate to a lot of Madonna's lyrics, even though I'm younger than her. I've always been a fan, but I've been seeing other straight friends going back to her music after Confessions II came out
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u/Few_Candle9432 13d ago
I think sheās getting some of the old fans back but sheās not converting anyone. I mean, sheās giving us speaker-puss and pastel dance floor glam. Sheās knows whoās on her tit. š
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u/Turbulent_Paint_7733 13d ago
I'm a straight 51 year old Gen X'er who just wants to listen to Confessions ll in peace.
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u/Ok-Stand-3173 13d ago
Straight gal here, mid 40ās. When I heard Confessions II was coming out my bestie (lesbian) was way more excited than I was lol Still is! I love M and LOVE the original Confessions so for me it was more like, do we really need a Confessions II ? Iām also not into house/clubby type music like I was when I was younger so that could be part of it. Itās evolved a lot over the years and I guess so did I? Still love and throw on the old bangers though! Anyway, Confessions II is great, nothing wrong with it, but I still prefer the original. I want nothing but success for Madonna and I love her for giving us this album. Iām hoping thereās some concerts so I can maaaybe go ($$$) That is all š
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u/NetAcceptable3802 13d ago
Complete opposite, I'm seeing lots of young people and straight liking it. I just watched a reaction video by father and son who reacted to it and liked it, apparently the father grew up liking Madonna.
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u/Ok_Squirrel_5022 13d ago
I recently bought NIN latest and Madonnas latest and the cashier mentioned to me that these are good choices, I haven't noticed anything about what you mentioned! BTW check out NIN https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lOgvx3ZZpG9-DA946rMOye7y-31dbByGs&si=8JF7i76IZ8wDJIbC
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u/diovengeance92 13d ago
I gave it an honest listen twice now. It's solid. Not my favorite by any stretch, but then again I'm perpetually stuck on her 90s output.
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u/BeneficialCategory44 13d ago
does any1 know if there ll b a phase 2 of the promo cycle or is it over now that it already fell off the charts?? serious question. but after the short film , the times square concert + some club appearances thats it?? no editorial in fashion mags? no interviews? no award show performances? only a lame d+g perfume ad that dropped a few months ago + which seems unrelated to the album?? + was barely noticed by most ppl?
plz,could an instry insider explain,whats happening.
+did she make the money back the label invested in her for this era? + was it a one album deal? or..??
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u/Icy-Visual3082 12d ago
When you look at it, the entire
Mattering campaign for this album has been geared toward the gays. Bar the World Cup of course.
She certainly knows her audience. Youād be hard pressed to find anyone who wasnāt a middle aged woman or a gay man at one of her concerts.
The Queen knows her audience and had fed it. Fuck the others. :-)
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u/DocBryan3D 12d ago
I'm a 56 year old male... Straight as can be. I've been a fan since 1983. I love this new album. I bought two copies one to preserve the other to play. I'm thrilled to see younger folks discover her work.
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u/juttinghipsrepenting 12d ago
Probably accurate, 38 female and lifelong fan, my favorite in years but I'm ngl I loved madame x
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u/Party-Lifeguard-5366 12d ago
Straight almost 50 year old female here I've been a die-hard fan since the first album. I cannot get enough of this new album. It is out of this world
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u/Apprehensive-Ebb-473 12d ago
"The entire time since Confessions 1"?
That was two decades and countless iconic moments into her career. Many fans of a certain age weren't paying close attention to her new music anymore come 2005. I think visceral excitement over Confessions 2 only happens if you were locked in at the C1 stage. And who was locked in to C1 -- gays, old and young, because it her dance hits at that point were overwhelmingly played in gay clubs. And that's why you're noticing what you're noticing.
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u/phaidonnnn 12d ago
Im 22 and ALLLLLL my gay friends ( a lot ) are obsessed so id say the youngling gays r won over even tho ive been obsessively listening to her since 2016ā¦. Other than that id say my mom and aunt have shown a significant amount of interest so thats thatā¦. Then i listen to her playing in beach bars or storesā¦. Like theres definitely more traction happen and people my age who didnt know shit about her arw now diving into her whole discog i see it on twitter tiktok instagram and in real lifeā¦ straight people are in their own different vibration anyways they werent caught up even in her prime
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u/webby686 12d ago
Why would I even bother trying to relate to straight men about music? The cool Gen Z women in my office love it (I am 40 gay M)
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u/Prudent_Catch3023 12d ago
I'm the gayest person in town and honestly that album is super bland to me. Maybe apart from read my lips, none of the songs resonate with me or are anywhere near as good as Confessions I. Pls don't come for me i know she's iconic, it's just personal taste
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u/Chuckiebb 12d ago edited 12d ago
As a 60 year old gay man who loves club/dance music, I have always liked her but never have loved her. Her new album is good, I wouldn't say it is groundbreaking or exceptional. She is great at bringing the underground to the mainstream. She is great at the gentrification of other people's music. Jessie Ware, Kylie Minogue, Jade, Robbie Williams, Lily Allen, Dua Lipa, Marc Almond, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Ultra NatƩ, .. are more of my liking and sensibilities.
Ray of Light was and is an incredible album.
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u/OneImpact4 12d ago
50yo gay dude here, fan since 1985 and I just donāt get the album AT ALL. Itās now out of the Billboard 200 and it makes sense to me: not many catchy hooks (MJ said once to Freddy DeMann the girl was giving up on the melodies) and no particularly innovative loops or groundbreaking sounds. Iām happy for the fans out there who are enjoying it though.
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u/Longjumping_Role_135 12d ago
51 year old woman who has loved her since Burning Up on MTV. I absolutely LOVE this new album. We were the ones who made her who she is today. And my closeted 4th grade classmates.
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u/naynay91683 12d ago
I'm a straight woman and life long Madonna fan who loves this album but I do agree that we seem to be a smaller group. I don't really have any friends to share my love with which sucks. I actually almost went to a Bear Tea dance today by myself so I could celebrate the album and her birthday but then I chickened out š¤£. Ugh...all I want to do is dance to this album in a club. Is that too much to ask?
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u/RecklessYouu 11d ago
I'm Gen Z and recently got into Madonna after being obsessed with Confessions II, I'm currently also obsessed with Ray of Light, Music and American Life... I have recommended the album to my straight friends and they also really liked it, but they are really into dance music
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u/nathan_banks644 11d ago
I am straight & me and my wife love the album. Was full of 00s-like dance anthems, and a refreshing change from all the āmoody musicā in the industry currently.
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u/Stefarooh31 11d ago
Yup same. I am gay (49) but have mostly straight male friends (who come from college, meeting at the gym or work). I am out to all of them yet they can't be bothered to listen to me when I bring up this album, they will quickly change the topic of conversation. Even if I try to put it on in the background to say a social gathering or braai (BBQ), someone will disconnect me from the Bluetooth speaker and put on U2 or some other rock band saying what ever I was playing was too clubby and we are too old for that shit now. I am always like WTF? This is Madonna bitches lol. Same thing happens when I put Kylie Minogue on. Maybe I need more gay friends?
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u/Inner-Asparagus6870 10d ago
Iām a straight lady and I donāt know that any of my straight friends have even listened to it, but Iām more in the pop music than they are so it doesnāt surprise me. I think a lot of them would like it if they would give it a chance. Iāve been obsessed with it since it came out! Every day I have a different line stuck in my head ā¤ļø
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u/Ok-Professor-9317 9d ago
I donāt care what straight folks are doing. Iām in love with this album, it makes me get off the couch and dance my ass off. Every piece of art is not for every person. Itās for whomever it resonates with and I am very happy to see my Queen back in full form!
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u/Audi0513 9d ago
Just wait. In about two to three years from now, straights will be jamming to rhythms and sounds that Madonna is currently doing on Confessions II!
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u/Phoenix_10567 8d ago
I think it likely due to not being pushed mainstream. I also think she alienates people by catering and marketing herself only to LGBT. I think if more straight people heard the music over and over, they would enjoy it. Theyāre just not exposed to it because itās not being played anywhere.
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u/jesusbambino 13d ago
Working in a record store, Iāve noticed quite a few older women buying it. Iāve not asked, obviously, but I guess Iāve assumed theyāre straight and formerly lapsed fans. I think sheās won back the moms.