American Life
by Madonna
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 483 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 425 out of 483
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 483
  3. Negative: 28 out of 483

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  1. gabriel707
    Jul 25, 2023
    6
    Not her best work, but great album. You wont get it the first time and its not an easy listen.
  2. All_ButTrU4
    Aug 24, 2022
    0
    Even modest expectations can't salvage the clunky, ponderous American Life. boring! Both lyrically and sonically it just feels flat, all through.
  3. JacqueM
    Nov 25, 2021
    10
    Madonna forecasts the world in 2020 while the rest of people still lived in 2000. The most underrated album of all time.
  4. madonnastan33
    Nov 23, 2021
    10
    Invented the flop era, the controversial era, and the woke era all at once. This has some of her worst work that she has ever put out. "Sigmund Freud, analyze this", I'm looking right at you!
    At the same time, this has the best track run from any album in her catalogue. The Love Profusion to X-Static Process sequence is pure gold. Hollywood is a bit overrated, in my opinion. And the rap    Invented the flop era, the controversial era, and the woke era all at once. This has some of her worst work that she has ever put out. "Sigmund Freud, analyze this", I'm looking right at you!
    At the same time, this has the best track run from any album in her catalogue. The Love Profusion to X-Static Process sequence is pure gold. Hollywood is a bit overrated, in my opinion. And the rap bits are kind of camp once you get used to them. In the end, you have nothing to lose, except time. This is really her ARTPOP if you really think about it.    … Expand
  5. PEDROMFR
    Aug 4, 2021
    3
    The best word to describe this album is: boring! Both lyrically and sonically it just feels flat, all through.
  6. crybabyxs
    Mar 30, 2021
    9
    this album is highly underrated. The only issue this album had, was being called "American".
  7. MyleeneFRW
    Nov 30, 2020
    8
    Альбом действительно можно считать одним из лучших альбомов Мадонны и чуть ли не лучший выпущенный в этом тысячелетии. Сильный посыл, мощный лид-сингл и саундтрек "Die Another Day" добавляют альбому агрессивным и дают понять, что она настроена серьезно. Слабых песен практически нет, лишь "nobody knows me" меркнет на фоне шедевров.Альбом действительно можно считать одним из лучших альбомов Мадонны и чуть ли не лучший выпущенный в этом тысячелетии. Сильный посыл, мощный лид-сингл и саундтрек "Die Another Day" добавляют альбому агрессивным и дают понять, что она настроена серьезно. Слабых песен практически нет, лишь "nobody knows me" меркнет на фоне шедевров.
  8. Justinscotts
    Nov 16, 2020
    10
    a brilliant masterpiece and ahead of its time. more relevant today than ever. along with erotica rebel heart and bedtime stories this is her most underrated album. this won’t be for everyone
  9. CarLoL
    Sep 25, 2020
    7
    É um álbum julgado mal pelo seus singles de qualidade duvidosa como "American Life" e "Die Another Day",que são faixas realmente podres por si só mas tem clipes perfeitos,se for tirar essas músicas e Hollywood se percebe que é um álbum super legalzinho para ouvir de tarde
  10. leostarboy
    Sep 9, 2020
    6
    Overall, American Life is better for what it promises than what it delivers, and it's better in theory than practice. A massive letdown. It sounds like a dim imitation of its predeccessor. The only true standouts are: Love Profusion, Intervention, X-Static Process and Easy Ride.
  11. ferzeli
    Sep 2, 2020
    6
    Eu acho que da pra entender a nota da crítica.. isso aqui ou você ama ou você... hum... sabe?! Experimental, completamente experimental.. e pro meu paladar o sabor amargou!
  12. ConfessionYoshi
    Aug 26, 2020
    10
    Exactly like the previous album, Music, American Life is such a dark, introspective, authentic record, which mixes the folk sound with the techno genre. Underrated!
  13. heitorlopees
    Jul 24, 2020
    9
    Um álbum político e poderoso, onde Madonna manda mensagens para o então governo de Bush, com inúmeras críticas e retaliações.
    Um dos álbuns mais injustiçados e, sem dúvida, o mais boicotado da Rainha do Pop.
  14. chromaticah
    May 31, 2020
    10
    60 metascore? Seriously? Such a fantastic album. Lyrics are perfect, everything flows so good and still sounds incredible in 2020.
  15. verocuda
    May 29, 2020
    10
    I can't describe how much I love this. Americans had all their fails and mistakes thrown in their face and the critics show that they weren't willing to take it! Shame, because Madonna slayed everyone!
  16. jcalves93
    May 23, 2020
    10
    Her most misunderstood work. A work of genius. Flawless sound and lyric production from start to finish.
  17. minajacare
    Apr 30, 2020
    10
    Madonna did it when she tried to do a perfect album. The queen of pop. Lover her so much
  18. FabPop
    Mar 27, 2020
    8
    Not bad at all.

    Everthing in this is TRUTH!

    It's just a perfect definition of what American Way Of Life...
  19. infsai
    Mar 27, 2020
    7
    In my opinion this album is good, but it's first three singles ("Die Another Day", "American Life", "Hollywood") aren't good, at least for most of people, for me they're okay. However when I started listening to this album I found out really stripped version of Madonna, that I didn't expected after hearing it's singles. "Intervention" is my favorite track.
  20. marcmyworks
    Dec 1, 2019
    7
    One of Madonna's weaker efforts, however not her worst. The message at times gets lost in its pop sensibilities. It's as if her producers shied away from either being too political or too forward thinking with the lyrics, though the production at times is quite strong.
  21. grechen
    Sep 2, 2019
    7
    Madonna's most underrrated album. Great production and original music with a deep meaning behind.
  22. andrelukz
    Jul 2, 2019
    10
    Her best album. Political, reflexive, personal and deeply lyrically meaningful. The production of the french electronic god Mirwais transforms the record into a real masterpiece. Indeed does not have any bad song.
  23. UlysseLr
    Jul 1, 2019
    10
    The best album of her whole career ! Travelling through the years without aging ! This mix between electro and acoustic is pure genius. A masterpiece.
  24. MorganPopNews
    Jun 13, 2019
    10
    It's a masterpiece, a experimental political, social and love Revolution, acoustic and electronic that feels too good
  25. RK13
    Apr 28, 2019
    9
    Let's get one thing clear. I don't like Madonna. Never have never will. Yes I like the odd album but I do not see the obsession. However, the critical dismay that American Life has received is uncalled for. I personally prefer the more political pop stance that she adopted on this album and I think theme albums really suit her. I find her 80s and 90s music dross, anything past Hard CandyLet's get one thing clear. I don't like Madonna. Never have never will. Yes I like the odd album but I do not see the obsession. However, the critical dismay that American Life has received is uncalled for. I personally prefer the more political pop stance that she adopted on this album and I think theme albums really suit her. I find her 80s and 90s music dross, anything past Hard Candy is embarrassing. I think her best three albums are American Life, Confessions and Ray of Light (maybe on par with Like a Prayer). I found the concept of American Life (the song) genius and the nice thing is that it is not in your face criticisms of the Republican Party- rather more implications which overall is successful as it does not fear an isolation of the listener.… Expand
  26. hmkkbjs
    Feb 22, 2019
    10
    the most underrated album of all time, madonna is so unique and brilliant, this album is an avant-garde masterpiece.
  27. shinycrapyboy
    Jan 6, 2019
    9
    This is her best album so far....I am not used to be enthusiastic when it comes to Madonna´s work but it is true that she caught my attention with Ray of Light which was pretty experimental taken into account the fact that it was supposed to be radio Friendly.
    With "American Life" she definitely pushes the boundaries but unfortunately this album did not get the same acclaim, being    This is her best album so far....I am not used to be enthusiastic when it comes to Madonna´s work but it is true that she caught my attention with Ray of Light which was pretty experimental taken into account the fact that it was supposed to be radio Friendly.
    With "American Life" she definitely pushes the boundaries but unfortunately this album did not get the same acclaim, being negatively criticised, and mostly in the wrong way. Critics focusing on lyrics or the demo aspect of the tracks like if they were not completely finished (the minimalism of Mirwais has completely been misunderstood and it is appalling!) This album is still relevant nowadays lyrically but mostly because of its sound palette which remains unique (thanks to the half failure this album supposed to be and prevented other artists to collaborate with the French producer which would have generated a mainstream sound as it happened with producers such as Timbaland or Neptunes for ex) Maybe that´s what Madonna wanted this album to be, a personal and vulnerable confession, outsider and avant garde. This could have been perfectly an indie work if Madonna would have replaced her stage name by another one. It would have surely been considered differently by the industry and a different audience as well. Only remains the hope of a later glory that this album will surely generate for a generation who will not perceive Madonna as she is nowadays.    … Expand
  28. ManuelContreras
    Apr 7, 2018
    10
    Uno de los mejores albumes de Madonna, y sin duda alguna, el mejor de este milenio
  29. geoshogoki
    Oct 22, 2017
    9
    Her most underrated album is more than an annoying songs (American Life, I'm so stupid), is about the contradiction she's in, and her struggle to look herself in the American dream mirror. The critics only hate the album because her point of view, which is, at least, polemic. The highlights are the ballads: Nothing Fails, Intervention, X-Static Process and Easy Ride.
  30. tintin_tintine
    Oct 3, 2017
    10
    This album makes me cry. Amazing underrated effort that's just for her die-hard fans. I adore all singles from it and rock-version of American Life from "Remixed and Revisited" is just so Emmy-wise. Excellent!
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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Most Discussed Album of 2003
10
#10 Most Shared Album of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 17
  3. Negative: 3 out of 17
  1. Playlouder
    40
    This album, if it came from a newcomer, could kill a career stone dead.
    Read full review
  2. Vibe
    80
    This may be the first time Madonna hasn't pushed herself to explore new ground, but at least she's chosen a good place to rest. [June 2003, p.155]
  3. Stylus Magazine
    36
    For once, Madonna has stumbled not because she reached too far, but because she didn't reach far enough.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »