"Turn Up the Radio" Madonna

Thus far, 2012 has been a definite disappointment for Madonna. Despite huge promotion from the Super Bowl halftime show, her latest album, MDNA, suffered a record-breaking 87% drop in sales its second week of release. (It lasted all of two months on the Billboard 200.) Massive grosses for her new world tour have been met by surprisingly harsh reviews lambasting the queen of controversy for her hijinks. And MDNA has yet to launch a single that has connected with the public. That won't stop Madge from trying one more time with "Turn Up the Radio," a dreamy synth jam about escaping into the music (though the just-released video, simple and cheeky, indicates she probably doesn't expect much). The track's laid-back production carries the listener along on a wave of earnest joy, and the chorus has just enough punch to become a club favorite. Still, "Radio" lacks the transcendent oomph of a true feel-good anthem, especially since the lyrics touch on some very familiar tropes. On the bright side, it's much better than "Girl Gone Wild." B