Surprise! Madonna’s Latest Hit Single Wasn’t Dance Or Pop
Known as the legendary Queen of Pop, Madonna has recently returned to the United States billboard charts, and she did so by deviating from her usual genre: dance music. This year, the acclaimed singer returned to the charts with a string of high-profile collaborations with fellow artists, proving her versatility and ability to thrive across genres. She performed best with a style she is not normally associated with.
Madonna’s most notable charting appearance that year was with the song “Popular.” This track, starring The Weeknd and rapper Playboy Carti, was written and recorded for The Weeknd’s TV show. the idol. Interestingly, “Popular” debuted on the billboard On the charts, it was classified as R&B, not pop.
“Popular” not only marked Madonna’s return to the Hot 100 after an absence of more than half a decade, but also topped several R&B-only charts. While Madonna has explored R&B on some of her earlier releases, the success of “Popular” has taken her to new heights, earning her ranks previously unattainable in the R&B world.
Following the release of “Popular,” Madonna released another single entitled “Vulgar,” a collaboration with Sam Smith. This track approximated the electronic sound that fans have come to associate with the superstar based on their own material over the past decade. “Vulgar” was specially developed for clubs and dance enthusiasts and triggered great anticipation. However, it didn’t perform as well as its predecessor.
“Vulgar” failed to chart the Hot 100 and did not garner the same level of sales as “Popular”. While the track had some success billboards Although it charted on the dance/electronic charts, it didn’t have the same longevity and didn’t reach many of the same top positions as “Popular”.
The presence of The Weeknd and Carti coupled with the increased attention to all things related the idol, no doubt helped push “Popular” up the charts. Still, it remains surprising that Madonna shines in a genre not typically associated with her greatest hits and one that she hasn’t explored extensively in recent years.