• Rolling Stone (p.80) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "A songwriting team of American chart royalty helps Madonna revisit her roots as an urban-disco queen....Like CONFESSIONS, HARD CANDY celebrates dance as salvation, but even the euphorically groovy 'Heartbeat' and 'Dance 2night' strike wistful notes."
  Entertainment Weekly (p.116) - "^A]n unpretentious, nonstop dance party. In tunes like 'Give It To Me,' she's unabashedly reviving the celebrative spirit of early singles like 'Lucky Star' and 'Holiday'..." -- Grade: B+
  Blender (Magazine) (p.74) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "^S]linky, playful music with undercurrents of adorable psychosexual intrigue..."

With a fresh style, a new sound and a hardened attitude, Madonna returns. 'Hard Candy' follows 2005's 'Confessions On A Dance Floor' and sees the Queen of Pop make a trademark U-turn, from the polished future-disco of the last record to urban funk with an underlying hip hop influence. Producers include Timbaland, Pharrell and Nate 'Danja' Hills, while a collaboration with Justin Timberlake is also featured on the single '4 Minutes'.

HARD CANDY continues in the driving, club-oriented vein of 2005's CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR, proving that Madonna has lost none of her energy and verve with age. In terms of material, in fact, HARD CANDY bests its predecessor, and the artist continues to make herself relevant in the 2000s by adding distinctly hip-hop grooves to her increasingly electronica-driven sound. Remarkably, the result never sounds like a blatant commercial appeal. As with nearly everything she's done, this groove-heavy disc is distinctly Madonna's own.
The Material Girl sculpted her sound this time out by hiring some of the hottest producers on the scene, including Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, and Pharrell and the Neptunes. Cuts like the lead-off single, "4 minutes" (a duet with Timberlake), and the thumping, sexy title track sparkle with a contemporary club feel, begging listeners to turn it up and shake it. Yet Madonna's classic pop sensibilities are far from lost in the mix. "Beat Goes On" recalls vintage singles like "Holiday"; "Heartbeat" is sleek, singalong Europop; and "Miles Away" is a love song that rides a sweet midtempo groove. Fun, danceable, and infectious, HARD CANDY is another winner from one of pop's all-time icons.

Madonna is arguably the most popular female pop singer in musical history. Although she began her career in the late 1970s as a dancer and as drummer for new wave group the Breakfast Club, Madonna has touched upon many different styles throughout her trend-setting career, and has acted in numerous movies as well. Although her image has shifted to include looks as disparate as raunchy temptress and new age mother, the Material Girl has always maintained a fierce business sense and a remarkable knack for controversy. Few other artists--male or female--have had the phenomenal mass adulation or the staying power of this pop culture icon.