So what started as a media backlash against Madonna's new album and specifically her new single appears to backfired. The past few months have seen Madonna being on the receiving end of mostly bad publicity from the majority of media newspapers and news outlets. She has had plenty of media coverage but a large part of it focussed on negatively portraying her. Most of which has been totally out of context or twisted to put a negative spin on everything she does. Whilst many could argue it's been justified or may agree with the negative view of Madonna, what you cannot justify is the blatant lies and incorrectly reporting fabricated stories as fact. Madonna is not the only artist to suffer this or will be the last. What is interesting is how quickly media papers and Internet have quickly distanced themselves from the Radio 1 storm. BBC has been quick in both making statements denying any form of ageism. However this is not a new story or revelation as it has been the same for many artists over the past several years as an outdated organisation battles to try and regain listeners and appeal to the youth of today. But just like the music industry changing from physical sales to downloads to streaming radio is also changing and it could be argued that Radio is no longer relevent to the youth of today. Whist Kylie and Robbie etc. have all suffered the same fate with BBCR1 it relatively went past without much fuss. Madonna's last outing suffered the same fate MDNA although received generally a positive critical reception publicly it didn't fare so well with fans or music listening public. the story originally covered by the DM has created a bit of a nightmare for BBCR1 they have been bombarded both by media outlets about the story and their own media outlets bombarded by public posts requesting Madonna. But more interesting is that whilst fans will do this it seems the story has got the public in general discussing and challenging ageism in not only Radio but in a lot of other forums and walks of life. Madonna is no stranger to creating a media storm or creating huge talking points. Interest in her touring live has gained huge momentum on the net with most sites reporting increase in searches for a new tour. I am interested as to why there has been such a reaction on this occasion. Is it because Madonna's current single is seen to be relevent and appealing as the MDNA singles didn't create a stir at not being play listed. I am biased as a fan so although MDNA wasn't my favourite era I was still disappointed that it received little radio support. Or is it just because of the fact age was brought into the argument.

I quite honestly have no idea what you're on about.

Paragraphs ?

I haven't seen any backlash!

Me neither. On the whole this era seems to be going quite well aside from the whole R1 debacle, which if anything is giving her a bit of positive press.

Why should you be complacent when facing blatant ageism?

Just because Kylie and Robbie didn't say anything doesn't mean that Madonna shouldn't.

it's high time for the backlash against these deluded Madonna fans whose obsession is becoming tedious in the extreme.

I for one think it's good that Madge is still going.

I was thinking the other day, and I think to some extent one reason that a lot of people complain about artists continuing when they're a certain age or when they're 'past it' is because very few artists actually try to do so or try to keep up with the times or what's current in music. Because people can't think of a precedent, of where an artist in their 40s or 50s has kept making good pop, they assume "that can't be done, who is he/she kidding by even trying?"

In that sense I think that Madonna might help to change the stereotype, and help it become more normal for pop to be seen as a certain kind of music or 'making music of a modern/popular sound', rather than, as it seems to be at the minute, most people's idea of pop music as 'music that young people and manufactured bands make'.

In some ways it makes a lot of sense for people who have been in the music industry for years and seen the cycles pass already, to have an idea about what the next big thing is going to be. For example all the 90s fashion that's coming back in now - Madonna was there when that first came out, so she can appear to be ahead of the curve maybe to some people.

I don't know. I just feel that pop music - despite the heavy marketing of manufactured bands etc - is less controlled than it used to be, and current young people (and people in general, because its not even 'uncool' anymore) can choose to listen to what they want and have it impact the charts via streaming and iTunes etc, rather than the only way something could be successful is if its supported by a big record company, with lots of marketing and radio airplay.

In that sense I think that is why pop was a young person's game for so long - because record companies would stop supporting older artists who were trying to keep doing it. Now that there isn't that constraint as much any more, I think its completely the personal choice of someone like Madonna - or Kylie, when she gets older, or any artist in their late 30s/early 40s now - to keep going, making modern music if they wish, because people who are their fans will enjoy it and buy it and want to listen to it.