Episode 3: Ann Powers on Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” (1989)

Episode notes

The album: Madonna: Like a Prayer (Sire, 1989)

This week, Morgan and Oliver are joined by Ann Powers of NPR Music and author of the new book, Good Booty: Love and Sex, Black and White, Body and Soul in American Music. Together, the three dug into Like a Prayer, Madonna’s critical breakout album form 1989. As Ann lays out, Madonna had already established herself as an MTV-era mega-star with her previous albums but Like a Prayer, with its then-controversial sexual politics and surprising personal candor, marked a new level of artistic ambition.

More on Madonna and Like a Prayer

• The “Like a Prayer” video
• NPR Music’s review of Like a Prayer for their “150 Greatest Albums Made by Women” list.

More on Ann Powers:

• Ann Powers @ NPR Music
• Ann on All Things Considered, talking about Good Booty
• Her Twitter

Tracklisting:

• Madonna: “Like A Prayer” Like A Prayer
• Madonna: “Like A Virgin” Like A Virgin
• Madonna: “Till Death Do Us Part” Like A Prayer
• Madonna: “Express Yourself” Like A Prayer
• Madonna: “Act Of Contrition” Like A Prayer
• Madonna: “Love Song” Like A Prayer
• Prince: “Computer Blue” Purple Rain
• Madonna: “Cherish” Like A Prayer
• Madonna: “Dear Jessie” Like A Prayer
• Madonna: “Promise To Try” Like A Prayer
• Madonna: “Keep It Together” Like A Prayer

If you’re not already subscribed to Heat Rocks in Apple Podcasts, do it here!