Have to admit that I had Madonna in the mix of music I'm listening to now. I don't think she is any kind of musical innovator, but she is a good craftsperson- doing all the technical details to put together appealing pop. Unlike a lot of bubblegum pop on the charts, which no one wants to listen to after their initial time on the charts, Madonna's music holds up with its basic pop skill.
I find both the intellectual fetishism of Madonna as some kind of subversive and the denunciations of her both to be kind of strange for someone who has pretty basic craft goals in writing songs and fulfills them pretty well on that level. Pretty much no subtext other than the pure egoism of the whole production - which ends up being part of the package sold quite clearly.
She's not my favorite music but quite pleasant to listen to in many situations where I may not want the mental exertion of listening to something more challenging. Nothing wrong with well designed ear candy.
-- Nathan Newman