American Life is considered by some to be one of Madonna's riskiest albums both artistically and commercially. Songs on the album are a mix of acoustic and techno music. The lyrics are about her coming to terms with her fame, her own life, and the illusion fame and fortune give you, and that love, over matter, is what brings fulfilment. Mirwais Ahmadzaï (who produced her 2000 hit album Music) came back on board to produce it.
The album suffered commercially, in part, due to controversy over its single, "American Life". The video for the single was filmed in the run up to the second Iraq War, and its content was deemed "unpatriotic" by early reports. This was quickly picked up in the media, which gave the impression that the album was anti-American in content. This was controversial amongst Madonna fans since she is known to never back down. With the pull out of this video - it seems that she was forced to do something she is known to not do: give in.
Madonna decided to withdraw the video, and issued the following statement:
“ I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video. ”
Receiving mixed critical review but never fully embraced by the public, American Life posted the lowest sales of any Madonna album to date both in the US and worldwide - reaching 666,000 copies sold as of July 2006 in the U.S., compared against the three million copies sold of its 2000 predecessor Music in the US. American Life did début at number one on the Billboard 200, however. It was her second consecutive album to do so, and her fifth #1 overall. The album also shifted 330,000 copies in the UK, and just under 4 million world-wide.[1]
The album may be the least sold studio album of Madonna's career, but it was the fifth highest selling for the year 2003.[citation needed]
Album sales aside, American Life was a success on the U.S. club scene. It is the only album in history to provide seven top-ten hits on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
The album did better in countries which did not support the Iraq war, especially in France where the album reached number 1 and sold more than 500,000 copies. It also debut and peaked at number 3 in Australia going platinum and selling over 100,000 copies
Seven songs from the album were performed as part of Madonna's hugely successful Re-Invention Tour; "Nobody Knows Me", "American Life", "Hollywood", "Die Another Day", "Nothing Fails", "Mother and Father", the last of which including a sample of "Intervention".
Despite the fact that American Life posted the lowest sales of a studio album of her career, Madonna has stated that it is one of her favorite records.