Probably the first instance of the change in attitude I remember was her and Britney kissing at the 2003 VMAs and people were calling her "grandma" and "too old", which shocked and made me mad because up til that point I'd always associated her with being a sex symbol and controversial figure for so long.

In 1997 she was still being praised for being innovative and fresh with "Ray of Light", but by 2005's "Hung Up" I definitely started hearing people ripping on her for being old/over the hill, despite that song being a pretty big hit (probably her last well known one).

Even 2000's "Music" video was really sexy and I guess she was still just barely young enough (41 or 42) to pull it off, but after that everyone's perception of her just totally went downhill as she moved into her mid-late 40s and beyond.

I will say though, she's probably an example of trying too hard to stay young/youthful and relevant and perhaps that's why she gets all the hate because its kinda backfired ever since the early-mid 2000s. Like her halftime Super Bowl show and her 2012 single "Give Me All Your Luvin'" with Nicki Minaj was kind of ridiculous for a 54 year old woman, no matter how youthful. (Plus the song kinda sucked anyway. ;D)

I honestly DO think she's talented, still beautiful and youngish for her age especially, and a great entertainer. But I have to wonder if she'd gone mellower or more AC pop after 2000 or just been like a more elegant/classy sexy....if she'd have been way better received today?

There was a picture of her in 2007 or 2008, and she looked skeletal and face was skeletal also. Her muscles showed through her arms, and her arms were skinny as hell.

For me, around 2008 was when she started to 'try' a little too hard.

There was a picture of her in 2007 or 2008, and she looked skeletal and face was skeletal also. Her muscles showed through her arms, and her arms were skinny as hell.

For me, around 2008 was when she started to 'try' a little too hard.


True, she almost does it even MORE now. I think for most of the 00s the hate was really unjustified, and she was in amazing shape and beautiful in 2005 for Hung Up...but she goes super overboard with it now.

I mean I can't blame her for wanting to stay relevant (considering how innovative and trendsetting she was for so long), but she actually made more mature music in 1983-90 than now. :D

Even during 2000's Music album era, there were times she kind of looked old, and I'm not sure why. Botox hadn't sunk in properly yet?

But from Ray of Light and before, she looked great! I think she looked great from 'Music' to about 2007/2008 also.

Of course, society is ageist. I think she still looks good, but no buff arms, please? I guess Madonna can do what she wants!

Even during 2000's Music album era, there were times she kind of looked old, and I'm not sure why. Botox hadn't sunk in properly yet?

But from Ray of Light and before, she looked great! I think she looked great from 'Music' to about 2007/2008 also.

Of course, society is ageist. I think she still looks good, but no buff arms, please? I guess Madonna can do what she wants!


I'll have to watch it again, but I'd say that was her first traces of getting older (and don't forget when she adopted the fake British accent  ;D). She was just barely in her early 40s and was cool/trendy/sexy for so many years up to that point, so people probably didn't care or notice much. Yeah she's extremely buff now..I mean I'm all for getting in shape, but I wonder if its even natural.

Yeah, pop culture is especially unfairly ageist and moreso to women. So I'm sure that's part of the reason she's done all that...because she's such a legend too, the bar is higher for her too I think.

I remember her getting a lot of hate around 2002-2003. Around the time she did this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYduJw5LyFM

I personally haven't enjoyed her music very much since 2000. Love her 80s music and most of her 90s output.

But it's also worth noting that she was getting a lot of flack even in the early 90s. Her Sex book stuff and the Erotica album, as well as her mostly crappy movie career.

I remember her getting a lot of hate around 2002-2003. Around the time she did this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYduJw5LyFM

I personally haven't enjoyed her music very much since 2000. Love her 80s music and most of her 90s output.

But it's also worth noting that she was getting a lot of flack even in the early 90s. Her Sex book stuff and the Erotica album, as well as her mostly crappy movie career.


The American Life album didn't do well, but she came back in 2005 with Confessions, which sold 1.7 million the US alone, and Hard Candy in 2008, did solidly with 730,000+ copies.

Probably the first instance of the change in attitude I remember was her and Britney kissing at the 2003 VMAs and people were calling her "grandma" and "too old", which shocked and made me mad because up til that point I'd always associated her with being a sex symbol and controversial figure for so long.

That was probably the worst Madonna moment.

I mean I can't blame her for wanting to stay relevant (considering how innovative and trendsetting she was for so long), but she actually made more mature music in 1983-90 than now

She's going to continue to be relevant just as long as she's on this earth.

best Madonna video from 1982:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQHCVcbnJjg

I don't know about Madonna, but I think that Siouxsie Sioux is one performer of that generation who has managed to age much more gracefully. I think it helped her that she very rarely was intent about oozing sex appeal, at least in a conventional sense. Her look and charm have always been more about eerie classiness, and I think she continues to make her general look work pretty well even now that she is 57 years old.

Probably the first instance of the change in attitude I remember was her and Britney kissing at the 2003 VMAs and people were calling her "grandma" and "too old", which shocked and made me mad because up til that point I'd always associated her with being a sex symbol and controversial figure for so long.

In 1997 she was still being praised for being innovative and fresh with "Ray of Light", but by 2005's "Hung Up" I definitely started hearing people ripping on her for being old/over the hill, despite that song being a pretty big hit (probably her last well known one).

Even 2000's "Music" video was really sexy and I guess she was still just barely young enough (41 or 42) to pull it off, but after that everyone's perception of her just totally went downhill as she moved into her mid-late 40s and beyond.

I will say though, she's probably an example of trying too hard to stay young/youthful and relevant and perhaps that's why she gets all the hate because its kinda backfired ever since the early-mid 2000s. Like her halftime Super Bowl show and her 2012 single "Give Me All Your Luvin'" with Nicki Minaj was kind of ridiculous for a 54 year old woman, no matter how youthful. (Plus the song kinda sucked anyway. ;D)

I honestly DO think she's talented, still beautiful and youngish for her age especially, and a great entertainer. But I have to wonder if she'd gone mellower or more AC pop after 2000 or just been like a more elegant/classy sexy....if she'd have been way better received today?

Ray of Light and Music were her last good material. It's not a matter of her age, she just took too drastically different a direction in sound. Her 80's and 90's material is the classic stuff, she shouldn't have deviated too much from it. Kissing Britney for shock value is un-sexy and un-classy.

Kissing Britney for shock value is un-sexy and un-classy.

I remember when she did that it was class-less. ::)

I think Madonna at 56 has aged gracefully, she still looks as good as she did 30 years ago.