Best of the 80's: Like a Prayer by Madonna

Maybe the best pop artist in history Madonna has never gotten much critical acclaim.  While Michael Jackson achieved both critical and commercial success Madonna has always been shunned by critics and so it shouldn't be a surprise that her highest rated album comes in at number 83 on the Best of the 80's list. 

I could easily argue that this is not Madonna's best album, not even her best album of the 80's, but it is widely regarded as her best album and so I'm happy to accept that.  The album came at a transitional point in her music and is a blend of her early stuff and what would follow on albums like Erotica and Bedtime Stories.  This means it is a fairly solid pop album with songs like "Cherish" and yet exploring new sounds for Madonna with songs like "Express Yourself."  You also get a few classic Madonna slow tunes in "Oh Father" and "Spanish Eyes," and so you have a bit of everything that would be Madonna from 1983 through 1994. 

Any Madonna album from the 80's is good anytime, but they are especially good walking albums. 

Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good.