MADONNA FRIDAY: TO THE CRITICS, HERE'S WHY YOU'RE WRONG

I am a little dismayed this week by the number of critics who have commented that MDNA is not "mature" enough for a 53 yr. old woman. I guess those critics would have been fine if Madonna had come out with a song about menopause or AARP? No. If Madonna had made a more "mature" album (whatever that means) I'm sure those same critics would have said "what happened to the woman that used to be ahead of every trend?" or some such crap. Did you want a video of her putting on Bengay and support hose while taking Boniva and crocheting? Please. Listen, Madonna has, does and will always make pop records that you can dance to. She is not Joni Mitchell or Paul Simon. She's Madonna. Some say she is doing the same thing she's done before. Even if that were true (It's not) did anyone make any comments about Bruce Springsteen or Bon Jovi making the same music for 30 years? No. Because they're men. (By the way, that's not a dis. I LOVE Bruce and Bon Jovi) Madonna has changed and lead the others from the time she hit the music scene in 1982. Get off her jock, people! If it wasn't for Madonna none of you would have any women to listen to on your iPods now. Britney, Christina, Kylie, Mariah, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna: kiss it goodbye! They wouldn't exist if it weren't for Madonna clearing the way for women to take charge of their own career and images. As for the new album, MDNA is state of the art electronic dance pop. It is catchy as all hell and fits square with her back catalogue. Songs like I'm Addicted and Turn Up the Radio are as fun as Into the Groove or Music, and Masterpiece and Falling Free are her most lovely tunes since This Used to Be Our Playground and You'll See. My gawd, what other woman is selling 350,000 on their first week after 30 years in the pop music business? What other lady is making $408 million on world-wide stadium tours? SAYS NONE! As a matter of fact, Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour is the 4th highest grossing tour by ANY artist or band of all time, behind U2, AC/DC and The Rolling Stones. If it's a man's world, Madonna's got the biggest balls around. MDNA, much like the previous Madonna album I most closely relate it too, Erotica, will be appreciated more over time, I think. It's great. Madonna's great. If you don't think so, you might need to get an MRI. There. I said it. Oh, and p.s......SHE LOOKS FREAKIN' AMAZING!!!