ALBUM BY ALBUM
MADONNA
WE PUT THE IMMACULATE CAREER OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FEMALE POP ARTIST OF ALL TIME UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
MARK LINDORES
H
© Josh Brandao
The ‘Disco Sucks’ movement’s culmination with a ceremonial burning of records in 1979 may have been intended to sound the death knell for the much-derided genre, but in reality, the glitterball kept on spinning and dance-pop rose phoenix-like from the ashes. It mutated into a myriad of sub-genres, with perhaps the greatest purveyor of disco’s rebrand also embarking on her own musical journey.
Madonna had arrived in New York from her native Detroit to study dance, auditioning for everything from Broadway chorus lines to the Fame TV series, before an opportunity to spend six months in Paris as a backup dancer and singer for disco sensation Patrick Hernandez proved to be a detour in more ways than one. While dance had previously been her focus, it was with Hernandez that she found her voice – literally, switching her attention to music.
Back in the Big Apple, a stint fronting Pretenders-esque pop/ punk bands soon dissipated as the call of New York’s nocturnal playground transformed this New Wave artist into a queen of the clubs. Madonna’s demo was hustled into the hands of New York DJ and A&R man, Danceteria’s Mark Kamins, who orchestrated a meeting with Sire Records’ Seymour Stein who signed her on the spot. Elated to have penned a record deal, Madonna’s first experience in the studio failed to live up to her expectations – esteemed producer Reggie Lucas was reluctant to accept her input on this debut LP due to her inexperience. Furious that her ideas weren’t welcomed, the pair frequently clashed in the studio, with Madonna going so far as to remix some tracks with her boyfriend, DJ John ‘Jellybean’ Benitez to make them sound less like Stephanie Mills and Phyllis Hyman, Lucas’ recent successes.
NYC’S NOCTURNAL PLAYGROUND TRANSFORMED THIS NEW WAVE ARTIST INTO A QUEEN OF THE CLUBS
Despite the friction, Madonna is a sparkling slice of R&B-driven dance-pop, rooted in New York’s club scene. From the dirty bassline of debut single Everybody to the carefree Holiday, infectious earworm Lucky Star to raunchy punk-funk of Burning Up, the album is relentless in its command of the dancefloor. However, it’s a pair of Reggie Lucas tracks that stand out. Borderline is a stunning pop song elevated by Madonna’s longing vocal while the pulsating Physical Attraction hints at the sensuality she would later perfect.
Released in September 1983 in the US, sales climbed as Madonna’s star rose, peaking at No.8 having shifted three million copies. It reached No.37 in the UK before its reissue as The First Album sent it to No.6. It has now sold over 10 million worldwide.
MADONNA
Released 1983
Label Sire/Warner Bros
Chart Positions UK No.6 US No.8
Although her debut LP undoubtedly put her on the map, Madonna felt it had barely scratched the surface of what she was capable of. Its success had been soured by how unfulfilling the creative process had been and she vowed to be more hands-on in the future by expressing her desire to self-produce the album – a suggestion vetoed by her label. Citing the creative freedom afforded to labelmate Prince, who was lauded for having written, produced and arranged his material as an example of misogyny and double standards, she was appeased by being allowed her choice of producer.
Enticed by his versatility from the soulful, funky stylings of his Chic and Sister Sledge records as well as the pop sound of his recent work with Duran Duran, David Bowie and INXS, Madonna felt Nile Rodgers would be the perfect auteur for an album that she intended to be more eclectic than its predecessor. As well as Rodgers, she struck gold as he brought the musicians from the Chic Organisation to play on the album. The contributions of bassist Bernard Edwards and drummer Tony Thompson are integral to the LP’s expansive sound.
Brash, bold and bouncy, Like A Virgin is dominated by the title track and Material Girl, two songs that have become signature hits and pop classics. Outside of those behemoths, the album’s other two big hits, Angel and Dress You Up are often unfairly overlooked despite being just as strong – the latter in particular. Over And Over, a New Wave-inspired ode to resilience is as close to a mantra Madonna had got at the time while Pretender and Stay are both catchy pop throwaways.