2026 is a return to the Confessions era for Madonna, as she released a new album, Confessions II, on 3rd July. The album — on vinyl, CD, and (neon pink) cassette — is a sequel to her critically-acclaimed, disco-inspired Confessions on a Dance Floor from 2005.
The first single from the new album, I Feel So Free, begins with a spoken introduction, like Future Lovers from Confessions on a Dance Floor but with better lyrics: Madonna describes how she wants to “create a new persona, a different identity.” Another single, Bring Your Love — a duet with Sabrina Carpenter, on 7" vinyl — was followed by Love Sensation, which will also be released on CD and 7" as a duet with Kylie Minogue.
The first single from the new album, I Feel So Free, begins with a spoken introduction, like Future Lovers from Confessions on a Dance Floor but with better lyrics: Madonna describes how she wants to “create a new persona, a different identity.” Another single, Bring Your Love — a duet with Sabrina Carpenter, on 7" vinyl — was followed by Love Sensation, which will also be released on CD and 7" as a duet with Kylie Minogue.
The standard edition of Confessions II has twelve tracks: I Feel So Free, Good for the Soul, One Step Away, Bring Your Love, Danceteria (about her early days in New York), Read My Lips, Every Thing, Love Without Words, Bizarre (which references Sean Penn), School, Fragile (about the death of her brother Christopher Ciccone), and My Sins Are My Savior. Deluxe editions have four additional tracks: Love Sensation, Betrayal, The Test (a duet with her daughter Lola Leon), and LES Girls.
For some unknown reason, gatefold LP editions (which feature all sixteen tracks) have no printed track listing, either on the album sleeve, the inner sleeves, or even the record labels. They come with a lyric sheet poster, though — again, inexplicably — this features lyrics for only nine songs, and only half of the poster image is included.
There are various other vinyl editions, in a variety of different colours, and some picture discs. A bonus track, Hot Sauce, is exclusive to the digital ‘Icon edition’. Each song fades into the next in a continuous mix, as on Madonna’s You Can Dance album.
For some unknown reason, gatefold LP editions (which feature all sixteen tracks) have no printed track listing, either on the album sleeve, the inner sleeves, or even the record labels. They come with a lyric sheet poster, though — again, inexplicably — this features lyrics for only nine songs, and only half of the poster image is included.
There are various other vinyl editions, in a variety of different colours, and some picture discs. A bonus track, Hot Sauce, is exclusive to the digital ‘Icon edition’. Each song fades into the next in a continuous mix, as on Madonna’s You Can Dance album.
Confessions on a Dance Floor was also released as a continuous mix on CD, though its original vinyl release was a more traditional format with individual tracks. The continuous version of Confessions on a Dance Floor was finally issued on vinyl earlier this year, followed by a vinyl edition of the Confessions Tour (previously available on CD), which was issued as a Record Store Day release.
Confessions II is Madonna’s first studio album since Madame X, which came out seven years ago. The decision to revisit Confessions could be seen as a return to form after the failed experiment of Madame X, though it also feels regressive, especially as Madonna’s other recent releases — EPs based on Ray of Light and Bedtime Stories — have also harked back to her earlier albums.
Confessions II is Madonna’s first studio album since Madame X, which came out seven years ago. The decision to revisit Confessions could be seen as a return to form after the failed experiment of Madame X, though it also feels regressive, especially as Madonna’s other recent releases — EPs based on Ray of Light and Bedtime Stories — have also harked back to her earlier albums.
