Madonna’s lead single and title track off of her thirteenth album (only her eighth studio album) reached Number One on the U.K. charts fifteen years ago today. It was her tenth Number One single in the U.K. at the time. The music video for “Music” stars British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, in his famous role as the Brit wangsta Ali G. It was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï and was released as a single from Music by Maverick Records on August 21st, 2000. The song was also included on her compilation albums, 2009’s Celebration and 2001’s GHV2. The cynosure for music video of the hit single “Music” is centered around Madonna’s theory that music brings people together and makes parties fun. PPcorn decided to revisit Madonna’s music video for “Music” – read on for a review below.
Typical of a club-ready electropop tune, the music video is a party. Specifically, it is Madonna and her friends partying in the back of a limo chauffeured by Sacha Baron Cohen as Ali G. The opening skit starts with Madonna saying, “Hey mister DJ, put a record on – I wanna dance with my baby,” in a seductively androgynous voice. Madonna herself taps on the limo window with her blinged-out rings. Ali G rolls down the window, makes a snide comment about her sex appeal, and then complies to her request and puts Madonna’s record on. For the most part, Madonna manipulates her vocals to match the 80’s-style programmed electro beats.
After tickling champagne while driving around town for a spell, Madonna and company stop in a strip club, entry to which a very frustrated Ali G is denied. About halfway through, director Jonas Åkerlund’s creativity takes over, and the video flips into an animated version of the limo backseat party. Madonna is a flying superhero, saving the dance party by kicking Ali G off the turntables and taking over her record’s mix as DJ. Meanwhile, her lyrics cry out, “Music makes the people come together!” as if this were the only mantra we ever need to practice. Her genuineness behind the song and the bubbly party throughout the video indeed make you want to put a record on and dance with your baby, and lucky for Madonna, dance party music videos are still hot as can be. Just think of all of 2015’s hit music videos, from Pharrell to Nicki Minaj to Weird Al to Beyonce. All are bringing on the dance party, just like Madonna did fourteen years ago with “Music.”