Analysis of "Like a Prayer" by Madonna


The main purpose for a music video is promotion. Whilst sales fro the video can help, the main reason for making a music video is money and music studios know that if they release a music video for a popular song, it will help promote the track and more people will buy the track and consequently, the studios will gain more profit.

However, a track can also showcase the artist and give the listeners an idea about what the artist is like and how she/ he feels. In this case, Madonna has a lot to say, and gets it all out through the visuals of this music video.



The music video 'Like a Prayer' has been listed as one of the most controversial videos ever made. This is due to the main themes and style of the piece.

For example, one of the main sections involves madonna dancing with burning crosses behind her. The crosses have a direct reference to christianity and/or religion. However burning crosses symbolises the KKK. As far as sensitivity goes, religion is up there when it comes to touchy subjects and it's easy to offend people when addressing it. Despite this, it's clear that Madonna/ her team disregarded that and still went ahead with it whilst most artists would completely avoid the subject altogether. Whilst this does mostly attract negativity, it also does however have a positive effect on her image because it makes her stands out and separates her from other artists.


As well as this, earlier on in the video, we see her kissing what seems to be 'Jesus' in a church. This again, is one of the subjects of the video that made it so controversial. In the video 'Jesus' is black which challenges the audiences expectation as people visualise Jesus as a white man. They have also put an American flag inside the church to promote the ideology of America being the supreme country and to highlight their patriotic traits. Throughout the video Madonna is wearing only a sleeveless top which is very revealing and wearing that in a church makes it that much worse.

We then see a black man being arrested for murder which we assume could be racial profiling. At the time of the video, the Rodney King case had just happened. (Rodney King was a black male who was beaten up by a group of white police men for no real reason. Luckily someone had caught it on tape and there was a court case. However all police were pleaded innocent and there were no charges) Because of this; and there was an up roar amongst the black community and people started fighting back. Here Madonna could be showing her support towards the black community and showing that racial profiling happens more often than not. Again, adding to her image by making these bold statements.



Madonna continues to challenge the audiences expectations by not only having God as black, but also female which completely argues against the most peoples ideology of God. This is a bold statement to make and Madonna again, is doing this to set an example showing and expressing the idea of freedom and particularly freedom of speech.

Throughout the music video Madonna uses all of these subjects to express her views and thoughts through the visuals whilst promoting her song and her image. As well as retaining her image, she is also adding to it giving the fans more content of her that could also welcome in a new audience.


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