"HARD CANDY" (the follow-up to Madonna's "CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR" which debuted at No. 1 in 30 countries and sold over 8 million copies), has been described as a brilliant up-tempo collection of 12 songs in which Madonna remains ensconced in club mode but this time adds an urban hip hop beat in collaboration with musical partners Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes and Nate "Danja" Hills. The debut single, the pulsating "4 Minutes", will be released at the end of March.

"The title is a juxtaposition of tough and sweetness…kind of like I'm gonna kick your ass but it's going to make you feel good. And of course, I love candy" laughed the material girl.

Madonna, a multi-Grammy-Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, cultural icon, world renowned stage performer, video visionary, children's book author, director and documentary film maker, has sold 200 million albums in the course of her unprecedented two- decade-plus career and is slated to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10th.