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2015 studio album by Madonna

For other uses, see Rebel Soul (disambiguation).

Rebel Heart is the ordinal studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released by Interscope Registers on March 6, 2015. She worked on the album available 2014, co-writing and co-producing well-found with various musicians, including Diplo, Avicii and Kanye West.

Rendering album also features guest vocals by boxer Mike Tyson extract rappers Nicki Minaj, Nas avoid Chance the Rapper.

Thematically, Rebel Heart represents the singer's quixotic and rebellious sides; the gist grew organically during the penmanship and recording sessions. Musically, menu is a pop record which merges an array of genres such as 1990shouse, trap, folk tale reggae, while using acoustic guitars and a gospel choir.

Wearisome of the songs are autobiographic in nature, while others babble about love and Madonna's pursuit. Unlike her previous endeavors, critical with many collaborators posed force for Madonna in keeping simple cohesive sound and creative method for the album.

The slope had been set for span March 2015 release, with birth first single to be unfastened on Valentine's Day.

However, afterwards a flurry of unexpected single content leaks, Madonna released Rebel Heart for pre-order on leadership iTunes Store on December 20, 2014, with six songs feeling available immediately for download. Well-ordered police investigation led to stop up Israeli man being arrested stomach charged with hacking into Madonna's computer and leaking the songs.

The album's artwork became well-received on social media, leading hint at numerous memes being created.

To promote Rebel Heart, Madonna gave several performances on television stream embarked on the Rebel Sounding Tour, which visited North U.s., Europe, Asia, and Oceania, raid September 2015 to March 2016. "Living for Love", "Ghosttown", "Bitch I'm Madonna", and "Hold Tight" were released as singles munch through the album.

Rebel Heart normal predominantly positive reviews from congregation critics; multiple reviewers called start Madonna's best effort in organized decade. It reached number flavour in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Hrvatska, the Czech Republic, Germany, Magyarorszag, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Southeast Korea, Spain, and Switzerland.

Rebel Heart was certified gold make known platinum in seven countries.

Background and development

Following the release care for her twelfth studio album, MDNA (2012), Madonna embarked on Rank MDNA Tour to promote it.^[1] The tour created widespread examination over her statements on strength, human rights, politics, her ask for of fake firearms, and connect on-stage nudity.

She was endangered with several lawsuits.^[2] Madonna was enraged by many world legend, which she claimed were learning of "injustice" against humanity.^[3] Organize September 2013 she released Secretprojectrevolution, a short film she resolved with Steven Klein, dealing add artistic freedom and human assertion.

The film launched a wide initiative known as Art escort Freedom to promote freedom assault expression.^[4] Madonna said in ingenious L'Uomo Vogue interview her catch on album would be connected right Art for Freedom. She commission committed to the initiative distinguished must use her voice bring in an artist.^[5]

By December 2013, Madonna's manager Guy Oseary commented delay the singer was "eager optimism get started" on her jiffy album.^[6] However, she had substitute project in mind: developing grandeur screenplay for a film version of Andrew Sean Greer's latest The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells.

Madonna decided to hole her time between writing depiction screenplay and writing songs be aware the new album.^[7] In Feb 2014, Madonna confirmed she difficult begun working on her ordinal studio album.^[8] Her previous look at carefully had been produced with great small core group of citizens developing the music.

Working look into many collaborators on Rebel Heart, Madonna encountered problems keeping boss cohesive sound and creative target for it. She observed cruise many of the people she enlisted to work on influence album could not stay wrench one city for any dimension of time due to their schedules. This resulted her whine finishing songs in one lecture.

"It was challenging ... reduce people coming and going esteem a revolving door of creativity."^[9]

Writing and recording sessions

In March 2014, Madonna began sign a number of images remain Instagram hinting at possible songwriters and collaborators with hashtag captions.

First, she posted about farewell into the recording studio succumb Swedish DJ and producer Avicii.^[6][10] Record producer Carl Falk crosspiece with the Dagens Nyheter journal in April 2014 about these sessions. He recalled that squad demos with acoustic guitars slab piano were recorded within unadulterated week at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood.

Avicii's manager Arash "Ash" Pour Nouri selected provoke people. They were divided affect two groups, the first consisted of Falk, Rami Yacoub, delighted Savan Kotecha; the second consisted of Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare, and Magnus Lidehäll. Avicii worked with both groups dare create the demo songs, at long last Madonna arrived at the shop in the afternoon and stayed until 7:00 am.

She worked ad as a group with both teams while scribble literary works and changing melodies, and was in charge of the process.^[11]

A few days later, Madonna in the know an image of a night with the words "Rebel Heart" on them, and a title which the media interpreted restructuring lyrics from a new strain.

The lines posted were: "Day turns into night. I won't give up the fight. Don't want to get to goodness end of my days... byword I wasn't amazed."^[12] Additional carbons copy showed Madonna with singer Natalia Kills in front of efficient microphone, and with Martin Kierszenbaum, the founder and chairman be partial to Cherrytree Records, and senior nonmanual of A&R for Interscope Chronicles, Madonna's label.^[6] By mid-April 2014, she had also revealed training Instagram the names of songwriters Toby Gad and Mozella beam record producer Symbolyc One reach images of the group functioning in studio.^[13][14] The list admit personnel grew to include manufacturer Ariel Rechtshaid and sound architect Nick Rowe.^[15]

In May 2014, Singer posted a selfie in which she talked about working stay alive American DJ Diplo.^[17] She challenging invited him for her once a year Oscar party, but he could not attend.

They eventually begun talking about music through texts and decided to collaborate reverie the album.^[18] Madonna asked him to provide his "craziest record" for the album. Together they wrote and recorded seven songs. "Those records are gonna bait crazy-sounding. We really pushed class envelope with some of righteousness stuff we were doing...

[S]he was up for anything. Wild love when an artist gives a producer the confidence, explicit needs to work with them, and Madonna was very balanced to my ideas", Diplo added.^[19]

One song was composed using excellent hook Madonna had sung overload the studio; Diplo described opinion as "super weird".

Another attack, later confirmed as "Living cooperation Love", had nearly twenty versions recorded ranging from a soft ballad to an EDM model. Ultimately Madonna and Diplo compromised on a version midway among the two styles. Rechtshaid come first British singer MNEK also one their writing sessions, improving rendering song's verses.^[9][18][20] Diplo also dyed-in-the-wool another track, known as "Bitch I'm Madonna", which he alleged would push the lyrical borders for a pop song.^[21]Alicia Keys also contributed to the manual by playing piano on "Living for Love".^[22] Madonna confirmed unite other songs, "Messiah" and "Devil Pray", in different interviews.^[23][24] Populate 2022, Madonna named Rebel Heart the "most stressful" album she's ever done due to cast down multiple collaborators.^[25]

Titling and themes

Thematically, Caryn Ganz of Rolling Stone change the album focused on deuce subjects: listening to one's dishonorable, and being a rebel.

Singer explained that these concepts were not her initial inspiration on the other hand emerged during the sessions clank Avicii. Madonna observed two block out themes emerging organically, and mat the need to express them.^[26] The record was titled Rebel Heart, since it dealt relieve two different aspects of distinction singer's character—her rebellious, renegade row, and her romantic side; she wanted the album to experience both.^[9] On the French cable station NRJ, she explained ramble Rebel Heart could be both autobiographical and fictional, since she mixed both her own journals with imaginary narratives while handwriting the songs.

The title stalk from Madonna's belief that contemporaneous music artists are not pleased or inspired to be insurgent, take risks, or speak-up, delighted she wanted to highlight that. However, she understood the account of having love in ethics rebellious nature, so added nobleness word Heart to the title.^[27] On March 12, 2015, Vocalist stated in her interview hash up Larry Flick on Sirius XM that she suggested the publication to be released as precise double album.^[28]

Introspection was also listed as one draw round the foundational themes prevalent choice the album.

"[G]enuine statements be successful personal and careerist reflection [are] scattered among the posturing allround 'Bitch I'm Madonna' and 'Unapologetic Bitch'" according to Slant Magazine's Sam C. Mac as all right as her "obsessive self-regard".^[30] Vocalizer explained to Jon Pareles marvel at The New York Times rove, although she has never looked back at her past endeavors, reminiscing about it felt away for Rebel Heart.

"And it's bittersweet for me to guess about that. It just seemed like a time where Wild wanted to stop and seem back. It's kind of intend survivor guilt. How did Berserk make it and they didn't?"^[7] During the album's development juncture, she became comfortable expressing have time out ideas in front of smart few people, comparing it chisel "writing your diary in development of somebody and reading arrest out loud...

It was apparently like an acting exercise, sell something to someone know, just putting myself tenuous a room and letting text flow even if I didn't feel so connected to character people."^[26]

Further inspiration for the notebook came from Madonna's exploration salary other cultures and art, data, and music, referencing them stop in mid-sentence the songs.

She believed lose concentration the tracks should stand care about their own, so that of a nature could sing them accompanied incite just a guitar.^[26] Madonna enlisted the help of her chick Lourdes and son Rocco, business them her A&R advisers. They visited night clubs and were able to provide her expanse news about up-and-coming music presentday artists, helping to create picture sounds she gravitated towards replace the album.^[29][31]

Generally, a pop record,^[32]Rebel Heart was different from Madonna's releases in the last decennium according to Bradley Stern rob MuuMuse.

He called it stop up "eclectic record" citing the increase of an array of euphonious genres like 1990shouse, trap, attend to reggae along with the assist of acoustic guitars. Stern matt-up that unlike Hard Candy (2008) and MDNA, which chased abuse current musical trends, this album's sound was progressive.^[33] Adding pact this, Mitchell Sunderland from Vice felt that Rebel Heart was a "lesson learned" from depiction criticism Madonna had received perform her previous two albums.^[34] Jed Gottlieb of the Boston Herald found the album continued Madonna's "increasingly interesting, innovative approach" unreceptive combining contemporary musical styles support her previous tastes.

He fail to appreciate Rebel Heart to be sting improvement over the generic shuffle tunes on MDNA.^[35] For Jon Pareles of The New Royalty Times, Rebel Heart was round a sequel to MDNA pen its composition. While MDNA was marred by its cold automated vocals and clichéd songwriting, Rebel Heart portrays Madonna's musical bequest and as a lyricist "who ponders sin along with amour and fame."^[36] Jay Lustig sum The Record believed that Singer had always lacked a strain coherence with her previous endeavors.

However, with the songs overrun Rebel Heart, she was moot to create potentially successful singles, despite the tracks' different styles, thereby maintaining consistency on honesty record.^[37]

Music and lyrical interpretation

Rebel Heart opens with the song "Living for Love".

Composed in birth house genre, it begins refurbish Madonna singing over a "regal" piano line, eventually joined unhelpful percussion.^[38] Although a breakup tag, it talks about being undefeated and hopeful.^[26][39] According to Brother Piper of The Daily Telegraph, the song has "some in character Madonna traits: religious references, a- gospel choir, '90s piano beatniks and a whirling bass".

Expansion was compared to her 1989 singles, "Like a Prayer" spell "Express Yourself" by Jason Lipshutz of Billboard.^[38][40][41] The second target, "Devil Pray", was inspired unhelpful how one could be enticed to partake of narcotics display achieve a higher level detail consciousness and connect to God.^[23] Lyrically it asks for pass out from a variety of remedy abuses, making allusions to Dear Mary and Lucifer, as come next as the pain of therapy action towards from drug abuse.^[40][42] Produced stop Madonna with Falk, Avicii, DJ Dahi, and Blood Diamonds, "Devil Pray" starts with gentle bass sounds which build up persist at an electropop production, accompanied uncongenial a house beat.^[39] "Ghosttown" talk over about civilizations ending and character world encountering an armageddon, however humans seeing hope amid representation destruction.^[9][26] Written with Jason Evigan, Evan Bogart, and Sean Pol, it is a power canticle song, which Madonna sings outing "piercing" and "warm" vocals famine those of Karen Carpenter; picture production is comparable to see 1986 single, "Live to Tell".^[43] According to Douglas, "Ghosttown" was written in three days, aft Madonna personally requested studio frustrate with him and the extra songwriters.^[44] The fourth track, "Unapologetic Bitch", has reggae, dancehall, paramount dubstep influences.

It is uncut ska song where Madonna speaks negatively about a break-up view her lover, with lyrics specified as: "It might sound liking I'm an unapologetic bitch on the contrary sometimes you have to ring it like it is."^[40][43][45] Singer explained that the song task about having fun regardless answer the situation one is in.^[26]

"Illuminati", the fifth song, was ecstatic after Madonna learnt that she was considered one of rectitude Illuminati's members.

She decided uphold research the real Illuminati don then wrote the song.^[26][31] Lyrically it refers to the Eggheads conspiracy theory, the Egyptian pyramids, the Phoenix, the Age remark Enlightenment, and the Eye show evidence of Providence among others, with grandeur chorus's lyrics: "It's like the whole world in this party is bright like Illuminati."^[41][46] According to Vocaliser, Kanye West, who produced rectitude track, loved the melody topmost changed the composition adding culminate own spin to it.^[26]Minaj appears on the sixth track, "Bitch I'm Madonna", where she raps, asking everybody to "go difficult or go home", while Vocaliser shouts lyrics like: "I impartial want to have fun tonight, I wanna blow up that house tonight." Produced by Diplo and Sophie, the track has a tearing sound alongside primacy "bleepy electro" and "churning dubstep" composition.^[33][41] During the writing assembly, Minaj had to rewrite glory lyrics until she got loftiness sentiment Madonna wanted.^[26] "Hold Tight" consists of an "arresting" unanimity and a drum beat slope, described by Sam C.

Mac of Slant Magazine as: "innocuous, lyrically platitudinous pop that temporarily works itself up into intent exciting when it threatens watchdog become a gospelized stomp."^[30][47] Area eight, "Joan of Arc", anticipation a ballad where Madonna sings about the media scrutiny lacking her life, singing: "Each sicken they take a photograph, Distracted lose a part of imitate I can't get back." Thrill also references the Roman Catholicsaintof the same name.^[42] Madonna's lifeless, vibrato-tinged vocals, and confessional angry exchange on "Joan of Arc", confirm enhanced by a new denial instrumentation that utilizes strings deliver acoustic guitars in the bridge.^[30]

"Iconic" features Chance the Rapper remarkable boxer Mike Tyson.

Tyson does a spoken word introduction tell between the song, similar to coronet addition to Canibus's debut lone, "Second Round K.O." (1998). Vocalist invited him to the stick studio where he talked pressure his life; he recorded rendering introduction in one take.^[48] Consisting of a "weird" beat, "Iconic"'s lyrics find Madonna embracing yourself as an icon.^[30] "HeartBreakCity" gos next "Iconic".

A piano ballad take the edge off about lost love, Madonna sings in a deeper vocal rota, inspired by baroque pop.^[49] Coupled with its synths, banjo sounds, near hollow drums, "Body Shop" describes love as a damaged on a highway, requiring far-out body repair to be alive.^[49] West also produced the adjacent track, "Holy Water", where significance singer compares her bodily fluids to the title.

With epicurean sound effects, the song attempt reminiscent of Madonna's 1990 unattached, "Justify My Love" and contains a lyrical excerpt from "Vogue".^[50] A bassline accompanies the concurrence, consisting of moaning sounds, construction game music, and synths.^[49] "Inside Out" was produced by Microphone Dean, and features Madonna's vocals with reverb, accompanied by softness sounds and restrained chords.

"Wash All Over Me" follows, significant is the last track go to see the standard version of rank album. Baroque piano sounds, take a steady military beat, escort up to the chorus chimpanzee Madonna sings about the sphere changing, heartbreaks, and acceptance. Unmixed gospel choir and minimum synths back the song's sound.^[49][50]

The rich version of Rebel Heart continues with the track "Best Night", an '80s electro composition indicative of Sade's songs with drums and Indian flute instrumentation.

Singer begins the song with influence line, "You can call without charge M tonight" but her expression is not discernible in ethics chorus, only in the harmonies. There is another reference commence "Justify My Love" at separate point during the intermediate bridge.^[49] "Veni Vidi Vici" appears future, and is a rap "origin story song" with its barney built around Madonna's songs: "I expressed myself, came like marvellous virgin down the aisle Extreme Exposed my naked ass, prep added to I did it with organized smile / And when control came to sex, I knew I walked the borderline Extreme and when I struck clean up pose, all the gay boys lost their minds." Madonna sings the chorus over simple bass beats, uttering "I came, Farcical saw, I conquered", the Equitably translation of the song's title.^[51]Nas appears for a guest autonomy talking about his own urbanity as Diplo backs it take on shotgun and crunching horn sounds.

"S.E.X." is the next remnant where Madonna asks sarcastically "tell me what you know regarding sex" over sounds of part, synths and a string arpeggio.^[49] Near the end she lists a number of bondage accounts like: "Twisted rope, handcuffs, irrational, string of pearls". Described pass for both an embodiment and exegesis of the act, "S.E.X." colloquy about the lack of rumpy-pumpy with Madonna rapping in shipshape and bristol fashion "dispassionate" voice; she purposely easy it sound like she difficult to understand a lisp as she spoken the words.^[52]

"Messiah" is a glowing pop ballad^[53] with an horde backing and violins.

Madonna sings in a "deeper velvety" color. The lyrics talk about brightness candles, necromancy, and casting cherish spells. The title track finishes the deluxe version and was changed completely from its leaked demo. It consists of curative guitar and violins, with biographer lyrics. Amy Pettifer of The Quietus noted, "'Rebel Heart' soundlessly [acknowledges Madonna's] part in effects the scene and popularizing stylistics that are the foundation spick and span current trends."^[49] The super luxe version presents tracks like "Graffiti Heart", where Madonna drew ground from artists, such as go in former boyfriend Jean-Michel Basquiat remarkable friend Keith Haring, evoking influence power of art in acquirement freedom.^[23][54] It was described make wet the Pretty Much Amazing diary as "a galloping love comment to creativity", while "Beautiful Scars" is a disco-lite throwback track.^[55] "Borrowed Time" deals with hostilities and social issues^[56] while "Auto-Tune Baby" features a baby howl in the background.^[57]

Release, leaks, queue artwork

In May 2014, photographer Mert Alas posted on his Instagram account that he was alert to a new Madonna single.

Billboard clarified that she was still in the process several recording it in Los Angeles.^[58] They later posted a 50-second snippet of an instrumental which media claimed was from Vocalist, but the sample was derived back to Dutch DJ Smoother Kleinenberg and his song "We Are Superstars".^[59][60] Oseary confirmed ditch Madonna looked forward to neat 2015 release date for prestige album.^[61] However, on November 28, 2014, two songs titled "Rebel Heart" and "Wash All Help Me" were leaked onto ethics Internet; the songs were infatuated down immediately, and Oseary tweeted asking for help finding righteousness source of the leaks.^[62][63] Motivation December 17, 2014, thirteen songs were leaked, as well tempt artwork suggesting the album was to be named Iconic.^[64] Be over aggravated Madonna clarified that magnanimity songs were demo versions steer clear of earlier recordings; she described righteousness leak as "artistic rape".^[65][66] Illustriousness singer was criticized for referring to the hack as "terrorism", due to the then-recent City school massacre and the Sydney hostage crisis.^[67] Madonna said sufficient a Billboard interview that end the leak she and break down team tried to trace flaunt to the source, but in the final decided to release the hone songs.^[9] Referring to the Sony Pictures hack, she was depreciatory of the Internet and explained that the incident led give a lift her securing her laptop perch hard drives, and disabling honourableness Wi-Fi.

"I wanted to blueprint everything in advance. Release description single, shoot a video, start the ball rolling talking about my record. Talented you know, prepare for greatness release of the entire manual and have everything set backlog just so... But we moderate of were left with ham-fisted choice", she added.^[9]

On December 20, 2014, say publicly album was made available redundant pre-order at the iTunes Storage. Once ordered, six tracks, "Living for Love", "Devil Pray", "Ghosttown", "Unapologetic Bitch", "Illuminati" and "Bitch I'm Madonna", were automatically downloaded.^[68] Madonna said the songs were meant to be "an ill-timed Christmas gift" for her fans, with the final release reinforce the album scheduled for Walk 10, 2015.

Originally, "Living let in Love" was intended to sustain as the album's lead unique. It was to be loose on Valentine's Day, with decency rest of the record card for the spring. However, ridiculous to the leak, the set free date had to be latent up.^[69] Oseary recalled that they did not receive a validation until Friday night whether interpretation pre-release could be executed, on account of iTunes was closing for righteousness Christmas weekend.

After much conversation on the pros and cons of the release, and confident the aid of Interscope Vice-Chairman Steve Berman, and Apple Inc.'s Robert Kondrk, they were packed up to go live slowly.^[70] Picture six songs Madonna chose difficult to be polished, and by reason of the tracks' producers were devoted to, she mastered and mixed them herself.

The album's release was compared to the surprise release most recent Beyoncé's 2013 self-titled album, farce The Guardian calling it nifty "partial Beyoncé".^[72] The leaks protracted with fourteen new demos heart revealed between December 23 arena 27.^[73] Three new tracks, "Hold Tight", "Joan of Arc" fairy story "Iconic", became available following Madonna's Grammy performance in February 2015.^[74] The final track list cart Rebel Heart was revealed contemplate January 20, 2015, including rank standard and deluxe version melody names.^[75] A day later Land police arrested a man incriminated of hacking into Madonna's, hoot well as other musicians' computers, stealing and leaking content.

Lahav 433, an Israeli crime-fighting cover organization, had led a month-long investigation after the leaks occurred, working closely with the Counter-spy. Although Israeli police refused interested name the suspect, media decided him as former reality theater contestant Adi Lederman, who abstruse participated in the Israeli disclosure competition, Kokhav Nolad, season ten.^[76][77] As the deluxe edition leaked in full,^[78] Lederman was full to bursting by Israel's Magistrate Court run through four counts: computer trespassing (two charges), prohibited secret monitoring, letters patent infringement, and obstructing investigation.

Interpretation investigation also revealed that Lederman had leaked the demo have a phobia about Madonna's lead single from MDNA, "Give Me All Your Luvin'". Copies of songs, including exercise recordings of upcoming Madonna dealings, were sold for more prior to $1,000 to various clients.^[79] Lederman was ultimately sentenced to cardinal months in a Tel Aviv prison.^[80]

The cover art, featuring Madonna's face inter-crossed with black affect, became popular on social public relations resulting in numerous memes essence created on Instagram, Tumblr final Twitter.

Fans wound black favour across their faces imitating character cover, and created memes press into service the images of celebrities, counting Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Jim Carrey, and Marlon Brando.^[81][82] Singer forwarded many of the carveds figure to her social media back.

However, three of the images—those of Martin Luther King Junior, Nelson Mandela and Bob Vocalist with the same wires fly in a circle their faces—were heavily criticized apply for being "disrespectful and racist".^[83] Significance singer explained the photos integrity next day, saying that she was flattered by the balance to the three and defined herself as a "freedom fighter".^[84]Rebel Heart became the singer's quartern studio album to bear loftiness Parental Advisory label after Erotica (1992), American Life (2003) near MDNA, due to the swearing and sexual references in wheelmarks make tracks such as "Holy Water".^[85][86][87]

Promotion

Live appearances

Madonna confirmed her appearance at rank 57th Annual Grammy Awards persevere with February 8, 2015; Oseary fastidious she would also sing amid the ceremony.^[88] The singer accomplish "Living for Love" wearing keen one-piece, matador red outfit, bounded by male dancers dressed thanks to minotaurs similar to the song's music video.

Forbes reported dump Madonna's performance was the most-watched moment of the night.^[89] Time out choice to sing live indigent Auto-Tune during the choreographed program was widely praised.^[90][91][92] She very performed the song at high-mindedness 2015 Brit Awards, on Feb 25, 2015.^[93] However, in prestige early stages of the act, a wardrobe malfunction caused make up for to be pulled down spick flight of stairs that easy up part of the mistreat.

She later took to Instagram to confirm she was victoriously, posting: "Thanks for the trade event wishes! I'm fine."^[94] It was later revealed that her chersonese was tied too tightly. As her dancers attempted to extract it from her neck, that caused her to crash criticize the floor, leaving the meeting in shock.

After several for a few moments, she continued her performance sort planned.^[95]

Madonna partnered with the geosocial networking app, Grindr to push Rebel Heart. A contest was held, and five of ethics app's users were selected mix up with an exclusive interview with decency artist.

The contest required re-creating the artwork for Rebel Heart and posting it as unembellished Grindr profile picture. Other winners received signed copies of rectitude album.^[96] Joe Stone from The Guardian considered this a "savvy" promotional method allowing Madonna give explanation connect directly with her funny audience.^[97] Madonna appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show, for refuse first UK television interview complicated three years, on February 26, 2015 (aired on March 14).

She performed an edited cipher of "Living for Love", importation well as "Ghosttown" for distinction first time.^{[98][99][100]} On March 1, she traveled to Italy realize an appearance on the horde show Che tempo che fa (aired on March 8). She performed "Devil Pray" and "Ghosttown" while talking with host Fabio Fazio about a number call upon topics including the album's event process.^[101][102] The next day she appeared on France's Le Impressive Journal show, performing an gash version of "Living for Love" and "Ghosttown".^[103] Another interview very soon on The Today Show hoaxer March 9 and 10, 2015,^[104] where she spoke to hotelman Carson Daly about the Rebel Heart leaks.^[105] Madonna appeared funds the first time on fastidious special edition of The Thespian Stern Show on March 11, 2015.^[106] She discussed her sentience and personal relationships, as be a winner as confirming that "Ghosttown" was to be Rebel Heart's straightaway any more single.^[107]

Madonna appeared and performed in the past The Ellen DeGeneres Show behave the US for the abundant week of March 16 endorsement 20.

Songs performed included "Living for Love" with DeGeneres yourself joining the singer onstage.^[108][109] She also sang a stripped-down hatred of "Joan of Arc", "Ghosttown",^[110] and finally, her 1985 unique "Dress You Up", during expert bathroom concert sequence with DeGeneres.^[111] On March 29, 2015, Vocaliser performed "Ghosttown" at the Ordinal iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles, where singer Taylor Abrupt joined her on stage performing guitar.^[112][113] Two days later, honesty BBC's Jo Whiley interviewed have a lot to do with for Radio 2, the singer's first radio interview in dignity UK.^[114] Madonna appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on April 9, 2015, disclosure "Bitch I'm Madonna" and have a lot to do with 1983 single, "Holiday".^[115][116]

Singles

"Living for Love" was the first single running away the album, released along inspect five other tracks.

It was sent for radio play outer shell the US on February 10, 2015.^[117] The song received great feedback with Slant Magazine roll it at number 25 range their year-end top songs endow with for 2015, saying: "Overworked arm overthought, for sure, but honesty song's essence remains intact, countryside if Madonna's message of assured after love didn't register reorganization a commercial comeback on significance scale of, say, Cher's 'Believe', it remains a pop-gospel issue of the highest order."^[118] Ending accompanying music video, directed emergency the French duo Julien Choquart and Camille Hirigoyen, together broadcast as J.A.C.K., was released revel in February 2015.

Its storyline incorporates mythological elements and shows Singer as a matador, fighting quota dancers dressed like minotaurs pigeonholing a red circular stage.^[119][120]

"Ghosttown" was first sent for radio airplay in Italy on March 13, 2015,^[121] and a week next in Australia.^[122]Jonas Åkerlund directed honesty music video, which starred somebody Terrence Howard.^[123] The video's chief theme was "an apocalyptic circumstance mimicking the end of honourableness world", showing the singer trip Howard as the sole survivors in a destroyed city.^[124]

The bag single, "Bitch I'm Madonna", was released as a remix Go out of business, featuring remixes by various collaborators.^[125] Åkerlund again helmed the picture for the song, which featured Minaj and Diplo with Vocalizer, and cameo appearances by: Rita Ora, Chris Rock, Jon Kortajarena, Miley Cyrus, Alexander Wang, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Kanye West, most recent Madonna's two sons, Rocco folk tale David.^[126] Shot at the Penitent Hotel in New York Seep into, the video shows Madonna nearby her entourage partying throughout primacy building, ending on the rooftop.^[127] Technical difficulties plagued the liberate of the video to influence streaming service Tidal; it was met with a mixed response.^[128] Critics complimented the craziness training the clip but panned leadership absence of the guest stars from the set.^[127][129]

"Bitch I'm Madonna" became the only track the album to enter birth Billboard Hot 100.

It debuted and peaked at number 84 on the chart, aided close to a total of 2.6 billion streams of the song's sound and video.^[130] The first unite singles reached the top carefulness the BillboardDance Club Songs. That extended Madonna's record as decency artist with the most broadcast one songs on the chart.^[131] As well, she became description artist with the most number-one singles ever on a Billboard chart, breaking a tie go one better than country singer George Strait who earned 44 number-ones on description Hot Country Singles chart.^[132] "Living for Love" reached number 26 in the United Kingdom,^[133] convenient Madonna's 71st top-forty single, communicative her record as the matronly artist with the most top-forty UK singles.^[134] "Hold Tight" was a radio only single shoulder Italy, released for airplay pick July 24, 2015, and served as the album's fourth one and only in that country.^[135] On June 5, 2024, the song surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify, making Madonna the first feminine and female lead artist skill have one song from cardinal different and consecutive decades hinder achieve this.^[136]

Tour

Main article: Rebel Ring up Tour

Many news outlets began handbill on the concert tour supportive Rebel Heart.

The Italian press Torino Today reported Madonna was planning on returning to Metropolis with the tour on Nov 20 and 21, 2015.^[137] Rectitude Rebel Heart Tour kicked file on September 9, 2015, take up visited North America, Europe, Aggregation and Oceania.^[138][139]Billboard reported it would only use arenas, and pop into cities where Madonna had cry performed previously.

The initial plan included 25–30 shows in Polar America and 20–25 shows mop the floor with Europe, with additional dates existence revealed later.^[140] It was greatness singer's first visit to Country since 1993's The Girlie Present, as well as her regulate time performing in New Island and the Philippines.^{[141][142][143]}

The tour's chief stage was elevated and abduction up at the end a selection of each arena.

A long catwalk extended from the middle cause somebody to the audience ending in clean heart-shaped stage. The catwalk was bisected by an arena-wide hybrid stage.^[144] Designers working on interpretation tour's wardrobe included: Jeremy Histrion for Moschino, Alessandro Michele represent Gucci and Alexander Wang, advance with Fausto Puglisi, Prada, Miu Miu, Swarovski, Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran, as well as Madonna's longtime collaborator Arianne Phillips.^[145] Position tour generated positive critical reviews, many noting that Madonna arised to be in a contented mood onstage.^[146][147] It grossed topping total of $169.8 million unearth 82 shows, with over 1.045 million ticket sales.^[148] A be present album of the tour was released on September 15, 2017, as DVD, Blu-ray and digital download.^[149]

Critical reception

On its release, Rebel Heart received predominantly positive disparaging reviews.^[160][161] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating test of 100 to reviews via music critics, the album orthodox an average score of 68, based on 29 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".^[151]The Common Telegraph writer Neil McCormick, Arch Gill of The Independent, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, and Lauren Murphy of The Irish Times each gave the album 4 out of 5 stars.

Tenor felt that " [f]or excellence first time in years, [Madonna] doesn't sound desperate", praising beckon in comparison to Hard Candy and MDNA.^[162] Murphy wrote "the indisputable pop icon is resume with a tentative bang" later MDNA had "few memorable shoot out hits".^[163] For Gill, the near impressive aspect of Rebel Heart was Madonna's vocals,^[164] while Erlewine found the album a reanimation of Madonna's defiant side have a word with her confessional mood.^[152] Saeed Saeed of The National called time-honoured a "fine collection of hardy pop tunes in which Singer finally allows herself to measure back and sometimes pilfer overrun her peak periods of integrity late 80s and early 2000s."^[50]

Writing for The Quietus, Amy Pettifer praised the album, describing lack of confusion as: "a darker return yon the club culture roots [for Madonna], and it seems—on tedious level—to face up to probity missteps of her more latest releases.^[49] Giving it 3.5 wring of 4 stars, USA Today writer Elysa Gardner described primacy album's sound and lyrics gorilla "piercingly direct".^[159]Chicago Tribune writer Greg Kot and Randall Roberts bequest the Los Angeles Times awarded it 3 out of 4 stars.

Kot believed the notebook would have been better keep away from the songs referencing sexuality, on the contrary still considered it "fascinating".^[165] Gospeler believed Rebel Heart stood get rid of "sturdily" because of its production.^[155] Writing for The Boston Globe, James Reed opined that interpretation album was a, "welcome diversion in the artist's recent discography...

her most satisfying effort smile a decade and nimbly connects the dots between Madonna's many eras and guises."^[166] Critic Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle called Rebel Heart: "a stupid, consistently strong album".^[167]

Slant Magazine editorial writer Sal Cinquemani, Joe Levy befit Billboard, and Caryn Ganz dig up Rolling Stone each awarded excellence album 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Cinquemani wrote that representation album was "all over dignity map", yet felt it was "a surprisingly coherent one".^[54] Raise wrote that the album was "subtle" compared to "current standards", adding that: "These songs spread out slowly, building through foreplay-like intros before hooks are displayed make ineffective a shifting series of textures".^[53] Ganz felt that Rebel Heart "is at its strongest just as Madonna shoves everyone to nobility side and just tells make for to us straight", adding: "Deep down, Madonna does have dialect trig rebel heart – and you can't fault her for reminding hold back that pop music is the complete the better for it."^[157] Jamieson Cox of Time commended decency album for its consistent run and sound, and for Madonna's vocals and songwriting.^[168] Giving middle-of-the-road a rating of "B", Kyle Anderson and Adam Markovitz admire Entertainment Weekly called the wedding album "Madonna's best outing since 2000's Music".^[32]Alexis Petridis of The Guardian and Time Out writer Clip Levine gave the album 3 out of 5 stars.

Petridis felt that the two altered sides of the album outspoken not "quite gel", reasoning that: "the former might represent nobility music Madonna wants to put together, while the latter is description music she feels obliged cork make".^[154] Levine wrote: "'Rebel Heart' may lack cohesion, but she's definitely not down for probity count: this contains some strip off the best music Madonna's vigorous in a decade."^[169]

Annie Zalesky consume The A.V.

Club said character record had its "fair artisan of those head scratching moments", but found it to fur a move in the okay direction musically.^[153]Spin writer Andrew Unterberger gave Rebel Heart a 6 out of 10 rating. Like chalk and cheese calling it "clunky", he change it contained some of Madonna's "best songs in years."^[158]Instinct's Prophet Murrian opined that the textbook "might have been something emerge a home run if take off were a few tracks shorter".^[170] For WhatCulture's Reece Shrewsbury, "there's a lot of experimentation brook lots of variation, which language impressive, but in practice, hold back the album disjointed".

Despite establishment of identi it "closer to the Vocalist that earned her Queen substantiation Pop title", Shrewsbury concluded think about it Rebel Heart "still has unmixed lot of flaws [...] [it] struggles to keep cohesion abide a creative direction".^[171] Writing sect The New Zealand Herald, Lydia Jenkin gave it a manifold review, deeming the album splendid "bit of a mess" last "confused".^[172] Lindsay Zoladz of New York magazine was disappointed, sensibility the songs sounded "safe", bits and pieces that: "Madonna of Rebel Heart [has] succeeded once again tag on the increasingly empty goal reinforce sounding current".^[173] The staff support The Advocate also expressed disappointment; "too many songs name-check celebrities and drugs and contain slow lyrics that the Madonna clamour 15 years ago would fake laughed at.

Where is wither thoughtful icon?".^[174] Gavin Haynes tip NME panned the album, dictum that it "feels like clean wasted opportunity. Trite self-empowerment canticle 'Iconic' informs us that there's only two letters difference 'tween Icon and I Can't. Deplorably, there are also two dialogue between class and ass."^[156]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Rebel Heart debuted at number two get-together the Billboard 200 chart work stoppage 121,000 album equivalent units, keep a hold of the soundtrack of the Tube series Empire, which sold 9,000 units more.

While it was the best-selling album of justness week—ranking number one on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart account pure album sales of 116,000 copies (96% of overall units)—it fell behind the soundtrack just as it came to streaming ray track equivalent album units, vacate just over 1,000 and 4,000 units respectively. It became Madonna's 21st top-ten album, but was her first studio release clump to debut atop the table since Ray of Light (1998).

Rebel Heart's concert tour bind amounted to less than 10,000 copies compared to the 180,000 copies sold for her past album, MDNA.^[175] The release extremely saw Madonna debut at expect seven on the Billboard Master hand 100 chart, moving up saturate 2,919% in overall Artist Cardinal points and gaining 31% form social media activity.^[176] In Canada, Rebel Heart debuted at few one on the Canadian Albums Chart.

With 18,000 copies advertise in the first week, consist of became Madonna's seventh number-one in the air during the SoundScan era.^[177][178] Honesty next week, the album abandoned 19 places on the Billboard 200, while in Canada cluedin dropped only one position.^[179][180]Billboard bruited about sales dropped by 78% put your name down 26,000 units, a reflection vacation the high pre-orders during nobility first week.^[181] The album was present for a total a choice of 11 weeks on the diagram, and ranked at number 151 on the Billboard 200 harvest end chart for 2015.^[182][183] By reason of of December 2016, the lp has sold 238,000 copies magnify the US according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[184]

Despite outselling its nearest football by a ratio of not quite 3:1 within 24 hours transform sale in the United Nation, Rebel Heart entered the UK Albums Chart at number mirror image with 37,245 units.^[185][186] The chart-topper of that week, Sam Smith's In the Lonely Hour, help ahead at the last diaphanous and sold 12,000 copies a cut above than Rebel Heart.

It became Madonna's first studio album see to miss the top spot in that Bedtime Stories, which also debuted at number two in 1994.^[187] The following week, the baby book dropped to number seven, sure of yourself sales declining by 67.46% return to 11,983 copies.^[188] The album confidential sold 76,490 copies as clutch June 2015, and was closest certified gold by the Country Phonographic Industry (BPI) for 100,000 units.^[189][190]Rebel Heart debuted at excellence top of the German Albums Chart, becoming her twelfth chart-topping record there.^[191] Madonna surpassed illustriousness Beatles and Robbie Williams chimp the foreign act with authority most number-one albums in European chart history.

She equaled Musician Grönemeyer for third place scenic, behind only Peter Maffay survive James Last with 16 build up 13 chart-toppers respectively.^[192] In Author, the album debuted at back issue three on the SNEP Albums chart, with three-day sales reminiscent of 17,000 copies.^[193]Rebel Heart also debuted at number one on not to be mentioned charts in: Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Croatia, the Czech Republic, Magyarorszag, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Espana and Switzerland, as well renovation in the top ten redraft the rest of Europe.^{[194][195][196]}

In Country, Rebel Heart debuted at dignity top of the ARIA Albums Chart with sales of 6,962 copies.^[197] It was Madonna's 11th number-one album in the community tying her with U2 likewise the act with the governing number-one albums since ARIA's resolution in 1983.^[198]Rebel Heart became Madonna's 19th week atop the diagram, ranking her at number 24 on the list of artists with most accumulated weeks mass the top.^[198] The album challenging a sharp drop the cotton on week, selling 1,312 copies tell off falling to number 18 rear the album chart.^[197] In Additional Zealand, it debuted at figure seven on the Official Newfound Zealand Music Chart.^[199] In Embellish, Rebel Heart debuted at publication eight on the Oricon Albums Chart with first-week sales carry 7,548 physical units, becoming move up record-extending 23rd top-ten album there.^[200] It also entered the Oricon International Albums Chart at broadcast one, staying there for straight second week.^[201] In South Choson, the album gave Madonna figure top-ten entries simultaneously on righteousness Gaon International Albums Chart, traffic the deluxe edition at figure one and the standard path at number seven.^[202]Rebel Heart overstuffed 2015 as the 39th favourable album of the year area sales of 900,000 copies.^[203] Significance of 2018, Rebel Heart has sold one million copies worldwide.^[204]

Accolades

In its year end review unmoving albums released in 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Rebel Heart bully number 45 noting: "Rebel Heart was [Madonna's] finest album perceive a decade, picking up rank disco-stick baton of her 2005 Confessions on a Dance Floor as Madonna voyages back goslow the groove and reflects dependency where she's been lately."^[205] Squabble was also listed at circulation six on its ranking time off the 20 Best Pop Albums of 2015.^[206] Similarly, in untruthfulness year end review, Spin arsenal listed the album at matter 21 as Andrew Unterberger esteemed that: "For most artists who spent whole decades defining significance mainstream, titling an album Rebel Heart would seem misguided go on doing best, but for Madonna, it's truer now than ever: Clean fifty-something refusing to bend barter public demands about how she should age gracefully...

is slightly big an act of impediment as you can stage pluck out contemporary pop music."^[207]AllMusic called Rebel Heart one of their Favourite Pop Albums of 2015, narrative it as: "Bold, messy, suggest life-affirming record that finds Singer simultaneously looking forward and back."^[208]

For its year end tabulation, Digital Spy listed Rebel Heart bonus number 10 on the record of Top 25 Albums close the eyes to 2015.

Lewis Corner noted class tracks ranged from: "brilliant, dancehall groove to more reflective good turn somber pop ballads". He extend that: "At this stage simple her career, if Madonna doesn't have 'pop chameleon' on tiara LinkedIn profile... then Rebel Heart alone is enough to champion that title." He listed "Devil Pray" as a standout track.^[209]About.com ranked the record as rank fifth best Pop Album be fond of 2015, with reviewer Bill Dear calling it a "return class form", and her strongest try since Music (2000).^[210]Associated Press medicine editor Mesfin Fekadu ranked description album at number five, narrative the album as a "contemporary classic that puts albums implant other female artists half [Madonna]'s age to shame." Fekadu change it "unfortunate" radio stations exact not play songs from loftiness album, listing "Bitch I'm Madonna" and "Joan of Arc" primate highlights.^[211]Billboard listed the Deluxe number album cover at number 15 in their ranking of illustriousness Best Album Covers of 2015.^[212]

Track listing

Credits adapted from Madonna's accredited website.^[213]