One of the most oft-used clichés associated with Madonna’s prodigious musical output has been the declaration that she is a ‘cultural chameleon’ who is capable of morphing her own sound to mimic and match the popular trends emerging around her. This is the same sort of misguided label that was originally directed at David Bowie, a man whose desire to explore new genres and push the boundaries that had been imposed on him by critics, fans and the expectations of the industry frequently caused him to move in seemingly unpredictable directions.

I have never bought into the idea that Madonna’s ability to remain relevant through several of the seismic shifts in musical taste that occurred during her reign as a pop icon was anything other than her continued growth as an artist. However, I do believe that as she entered the new millennium she became increasingly concerned about connecting with the youth market that she was no longer a part of chronologically. This desire was reflected in her work from the year 2000 on, resulting in a definite alteration of her image as an artist and arguably a similar change in the quality of her music – a change that began with the album Music.