Introduction
40 Years ago this summer, Madonna visited Seymour Stein, president of Sire Records (part of Warner Bros.), in the hospital with the desire to get a record deal. She succeeded, the deal was for the release of 3 singles, including an option for an album. The total value of the contract was $52,500, of which $7,500 would be made available if Madonna composed her own songs.
Madonna
In the article on the great Ray Of Light album the start of Madonna’s career is already explained, so I’m not going to do that here again. Read the article Madonna – Ray Of Light.
Today, Madonna is the only out of three superstars of the 1980s, who were born in 1958, who’s still alive. Both Michael Jackson and Prince have left us.

Madonna – Artist Of The Decade – Billboard 12/09/1989
Success
Also, the successes are immeasurable. The advert above says it all really, and that’s the way it was on December 9th, 1989. By now, the total number of sold records has reached over 300 million! Madonna is the best selling female artist of all time. With 38 singles reaching the top 10 of the American charts, she’s the most successful female artist of all time.
Top 10
Madonna is responsible for a great number of excellent songs. So, now I give you my personal top 10 singles. The dates mentioned beneath the titles correspond with the dates of entry in the Dutch top 40.
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HolidayMarch 24, 1984 For me, Holiday was the first time encountering Madonna. I immediately liked the song. It was danceable, happy, catchy and well produced. After all this time, it’s still fun! ![]() Madonna – Holiday (British version) The record company didn’t think the single would be as successful as it was, so no video was made for the song. In 2005 Madonna named Holiday as her favorite single of all of her top 10 singles. Remarkable: |
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Like A VirginDecember 1, 1984 The first single off the album with the same name. Chic’s Nile Rodgers produced the album, which was recorded digitally, still a novelty at the time. The video for the song was filmed in Venice and depicts Madonna singing and dancing on a gondola. She was also filmed wearing her distinctive 1984 outfit, white lingerie sporting the infamous Boy Toy belt. Madonna on the lyrics: |
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Material GirlMarch 9, 1985 The song that defined Madonna, and the entire era. In the accompanying clip Madonna reenacts Marilyn Monroe’s performance of Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend from the 1953 movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Madonna (about Like A Vigin and Material Girl): |
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Into The GrooveAugust 10, 1985 At the time I had just started my study in Amsterdam and was introduced to a new phenomenon: cable television. The Into The Groove video was on every channel all day long, and the movie the song was linked to, Desperately Seeking Susuan, was heavily promoted. I loved the song. I watched the movie as well, which was quite enjoyable. The song is infectious and is my favorite ‘early’ Madonna single. Madonna: |
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Papa Don’t PreachJune 28, 1986 Best song off the True Blue album, that addresses teenage pregnancy. At the time this was a huge taboo. When Madonna played in Italy during her 1987 Who’s That Girl World Tour, she dedicated the song to pope John Paul II, who had called upon Itialians to boycot Madonna’s concerts, particularly due to Papa Don’t Preach. Madonna: |
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Like A PrayerMarch 18, 1989 First single off the (fine) album with the same name. Once again, the single caused quite the uproar, in part because of the lyrics, but the large part was brought on by the accompanying video. It’s hard to imagine now (although…), but several religious groups (including, again, the Vatican) called for a boycot. Not just of Madonna, but also of Pepsi and Pepsi related companies. One day prior to the video’s release, Pepsi had announced that Madonna had signed a $5 milion contract for advertising purposes. Under the pressure, Pepsi relented and forfeited the deal, with Madonna getting to keep the money involved in the deal. And why? The story of a racially inspired killing, a black saint and dancing in front of burning crosses. The backlash reeked of institutionalized racism and (religious) hypocrisy. Madonna: |
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VogueAril 7, 1990 If there’s one thing Madonna did was perfect at during her career, it was sensing the times. Madonna wasn’t the first artist to use voguing in music, but she most definitely was the one who elevated it to an international trend. The classic, and beautful, clip was shot in black-and-white, and mimicked the 1920s/1930s era. Madonna: |
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Justify My LoveDecember 1, 1990 The song was written by Ingrid Chavez (known for her involvement with Prince) and Lenny Kravitz. The song’s beat was a sample of Public Enemy’s Security Of The First World (which in turn was a sample of James Brown’s Funky Drummer). The song, and the accompanying video in particular, were sexually explicit. Consequently, the video was banned by MTV. When the video was released on VHS it, almost overnight, turned into the best selling videoclip af all time. Madonna: Remarkable: |
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Ray Of LightMsy 2, 1998 The title song of the phenomenal Ray Of Light album. A glorious electronic dance song, which keeps on building and building the suspense. One of the very best songs Madonna ever made. Madonna: |
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MusicAugust 12, 2000 Disco, electro-funk, dance? What does it matter. Music is a fantastic song, that addresses the influence that music can have on people’s lives. In the video recorded for the song, Sacha Baron Cohen playes the role of his alter-ego Ali G. Madonna about the inspiration for the song (in response to a Sting concert): |
For your listening pleasure, the playlist of the top 10 is displayed on the right. In closingWhat’s your opinion on Madonna? Do you miss songs, and if so, which ones? Let me know! Video/Spotify |