It won’t be the first time for me to say that Madonna’s recent musical contributions have been pretty uninspiring (“every record sounds the same” – indeed). Yet the certifiable queen of pop still manages to command popular attention with the best of them. Her halftime performance during yesterday’s Superbowl was riveting, very well produced. There were plenty of flashing lights, acrobats and other such things to distract from the fact that Madge’s dancing has gotten a bit stiff over the years.

It might be sheer luck, but I’m betting it’s incredible business acumen that’s resulted in Madonna hitting a stride at a time in her career when most others have long been forgotten. Whether this women is resting on her laurels – or on the superstardom of younger acts – one thing is undeniable: she is a BADASS.

photos: fymadonna.tumblr.com, ericavain.tumblr.com

Check out the sketches of the custome Givenchy costumes Madonna wore for the halftime show, via Red Carpet Fashion Awards.

Madonna’s latest video for “Give Me All Your Luvin'” premiered today and is infused with football themes just in time for the pop legend’s Super Bowl performance.

The song itself is pretty lackluster – a run of the mill pop diddy that leans on the younger, more Twitter-friendly star power of rappers Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. It’s an obvious (and somewhat) embarrassing bid to court the MTV-teeny-bop audience that the Nicki, especially, has a vice grip on.

That said, the video does have it’s degree of eye candy. The fashion is nice, but not so extreme as to become costumey as we often see from the likes of Lady Gaga & Nicki Minaj. The lace dresses at the end of the video are particularly nice.

Whether or not your like this song/video, you’ve gotta respect the industry genius that is Madonna (and her team). She’s got staying power and “comeback” chops that few have matched. Her press presence right now is enormous, thanks to the aformentioned Super Bowl gig and the release of her directorial debut in feature film W.E. Check out the retrospective of her Vogue covers here. This one below from 1992 stand out for me. Amazing how quickly 20 years can pass. photo: vogue.com

Madonna’s recent interview on Nightline is buzzing across the net – not because the 53-year-old pop legend reportedly has a new $40 million dollar record deal, and not because she’s playing the halftime show at the Super Bowl this year. Folks are clamouring to watch the interivew to hear Madonna’s opinions on Lady Gaga. Personally, I’ve yet to be moved by Lady Gaga’s music, so I don’t think she can even hold a candle to the great Mother Madge. Still, I do like how Gaga is re-blazing the trail back to theatrics and storytelling in pop music. Listen to Madonna’s opinions starting around 2:22.

Now watch Madonna defending her MTV-banned video for “Justify My Love” in another Nightline interview from 1990. It’s so incredible to see how 22 years hasn’t quenched her passion, but just refined the fire! My favorite part is @9:10 when she questions why it’s “okay for a 10 year old to see someones body ripped to shreds” while her honest expression of adult sensuality was causing such a stir.

It’s especially poignant how this clip ends – with the anchor talking about war in the Persian Gulf. It seems cyclical trends aren’t just found in fashion, but in society in general… and around and ’round we go.

Watch the “Justify My Love” video here.