[KarmaContestant]

I am excited!

I am not, however, interested in the inclusion of M.I.A. or Nicky Minaj. I hope and pray that their presence on the album is understated.

I've only heard the new song once, and it reminded me very much of the early 80's stuff that the GoGos were making when i was a kid - I really like some of the retro 80's sounds I've been hearing and hope that 'sound' is prominent on this album.

Madonna's career is in an interesting position right now. She's not with any major music label, and I hardly consider her Live Nation deal to be worthy of making great albums for. I totally expect Madonna to fill her contractual obligations with very little interest or oomph. After all, who does she really need to impress anymore? She's an icon, a superstar in the greatest sense of the word. There is no need for hit singles, no need for platinum selling albums, no need for cool videos. There is, simply, no need to impress anyone. She's really done it all, and with the success of her tours the need for new music isn't really there. I really don't think she even cares anymore.

I do expect the media to make much ado about nothing when it comes to the supposed rivalry they are building up between Madge and Gaga. It's funny - Madonna describes the similarities between Born This Way and Express Yourself an "interesting" and the media only days later is calling it a "slam".

If it were up to me, I'd prefer that Madonna team up with Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray again and pump out a few albums that have that classic 1980's Madonna sound (think Open Your Heart or Dress You Up), rather than trying to keep up with some recent fad or trend that she likes. Madonna used to set trends, and now it feels like she's trying to keep up with them. M.I.A.? Really?

Ultimately, there's never been a Madonna album I didn't eventually come to love, and I don't expect this one to be any different - but I'm admittedly nervous.