Madonna, The #7 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

(Continued from Part One)

Madonna was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for the song.  While filming the video for "Material Girl", Madonna began dating actor Sean Penn and they married in 1985.  "Angel" peaked at #2 in Spain and #5 in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada and has sold over one million singles.

Madonna also starred in the movie Desperately Seeking Susan, which included the single "Into The Groove".  It was a Top 3 hit in every major country except the U.S. because Billboard doesn't rank songs if they aren't released as singles (It was the B-side of "Angel" instead.)  "Into The Groove" has sold over one million as well.

Madonna earned American Music Award nominations for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist, Favorite Pop (Rock) Album (for Like a Virgin) and Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Video Artist.  

Producer Nile Rodgers, formerly of Chic, also played the guitar solo on this song.  "Dress You Up" jumped to #5 in the United States, the U.K. and Australia.

 

Here is Madonna's outstanding remake of a Rose Royce song.  "I had the good fortune of finding material that Madonna really responded to," Michael Ostin, head of A&R at Warner Brothers Records told Warren Zanes for the book Revolutions in Sound:  Warner Bros. Records, the first 50 years.  "I was driving into work one day and heard it ("Love Don't Live Here Anymore") on the radio," he continued.  "I called producer Nile Rodgers and Madonna, they were in the studio.  I said, 'I have an idea.  You know the old Rose Royce record, 'Love Don't Live Here Anymore'?  Why don't you try and record a version of it for Like a Virgin?'"

 

In 1986, Madonna released the album True Blue.  The lead single was included in the Sean Penn movie At Close Range.  Madonna wrote it with Patrick Leonard, who also produced for Elton John and Rod Stewart.  "Live To Tell" topped charts in the U.S., Canada and Italy and earned an American Music Award nomination for Favorite Pop (Rock) Single.  Madonna won an AMA for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Video Artist and was nominated for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist.

 

True Blue was a #1 album in 28 countries, and has sold over 25 million worldwide.  "Papa Don't Preach" became one of Madonna's biggest career hits.  It landed in the Top 10 in every major country, including a #1 peak in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and Italy, sold over one million copies, and is one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*.

"Papa Don't Preach" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female and it won Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards. The title song was written about then-husband Sean Penn.  It was also a Top 10 hit in most countries and sold over one million singles, giving her 10 consecutive Top 10 hits.  It hit #1 in the U.K. and Canada and hit #3 in the U.S.

Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson wrote this for Cyndi Lauper, but she never got to hear the demo as once Madonna heard it, she went into the studio and recorded it.  Madonna added a bass line to it and "Open Your Heart" catapulted to #1 in the United States and reached #4 in the U.K.  When it fell short at #16 in Australia, it broke a streak of nine consecutive Top 10 hits.

"Open Your Heart" was nominated for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.  Madonna began to execute brilliant marketing ploys to boost her own popularity, including this song and video aimed at increasing her popularity among Spanish-speaking listeners.  "La Isla Bonita" gave Madonna five Top 10 hits on the album as it hit #1 in the U.K., Canada, Germany, Switzerland and France.

"Where's The Party?" is a solid track on the album.  Madonna had this to say about the song:

            It's my ultimate statement about what it's

               like to be in the middle of this press stuff

               with everybody on my back, my world 

               about to cave in.  Whenever I feel like that -

               and it does get to me sometimes - I say

               "Wait a minute, I'm supposed to be having

               a good time here, so where's the party?"

Madonna captured Billboard Music Awards for Top Pop Singles Artist, Top Pop Singles Artist--Female and Top Dance Sales Artist and was named Favorite Female Musical Performer in both 1986 and 1987 at the People's Choice Awards.

Madonna received Worst Actress from the Golden Raspberry Awards for her role in the movie Shanghai Surprise and also performed on the play Goose and Tom-Tom, both of which co-starred Penn.  In 1987, Madonna starred in the movie Who's That Girl and recorded four songs for the soundtrack album.  The refrain of "Quien es esta nina?" in the title song is Spanish for "Who's that girl?", which is another example of her desire to lure in more Spanish-speaking fans.  "Who's That Girl?"  hit #1 in the United States, the U.K., Canada and Italy and reached the Top 10 in most countries.

Madonna scored a nomination for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist at the American Music Awards, an award she was never able to win in her entire career.  She earned a Grammy nomination for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Who's That Girl?".  

Join us for Part Three on Inside The Rock Era!