What is the Best Lead Single from every album?

[Blue Jean 15,595]

2 minutes ago, MikeyK said:

It doesn’t, necessarily. That’s what some of us are getting at. That’s why they didn’t call it “best *first* single”.

With some releases it’s very obvious what the “lead” is- LAV, LAP,  Erotica, Secret, Frozen, Music, HU, 4M.

Some album rollouts less so. That’s why some of us think Holiday, PDP,  AL belong with those instead of Everybody, LTT, DAD.

Is Tension the lead single off Kylie’s new album? Because its part of “the album rollout” ?

[Donna 16,823]

1 hour ago, MikeyK said:

I love how anal people get about semantics and the indignant insistence that “lead” MUST = very first. 🤣🤣🤣

 

It has nothing to do with being "anal".  It's about what is facts.... official facts!  You are only entertaining the idea how another is spinning this idea that Holiday is considered the lead single when it's just not true.  A "lead single" comes prior to an album.  That's just a fact.  It doesn't matter how long in between the album and song was released.  

I don't disagree that Papa Don't Preach wasn't a follow up single to help kick off the True Blue album, but it's not officially the 'lead single'.  That officially goes to Live to Tell.

[Blue Jean 15,595]

I can understand the argument about Die Another Day. But saying Holiday was the lead single makes no sense. It was not even originally planned to be a single. And it was released months after the album.

[MikeyK 710]

4 minutes ago, Blue Jean said:

Is Tension the lead single off Kylie’s new album? Because its part of “the album rollout” ?

Album and single releases for the last decade and a half, especially the last 5 years, are a completely different beast. That’s why I didn’t touch anything after Hard Candy.

[MikeyK 710]

6 minutes ago, McDonna said:

It has nothing to do with being "anal".  It's about what is facts.... official facts!  You are only entertaining the idea how another is spinning this idea that Holiday is considered the lead single when it's just not true.  A "lead single" comes prior to an album.  That's just a fact.  It doesn't matter how long in between the album and song was released.  

I don't disagree that Papa Don't Preach wasn't a follow up single to help kick off the True Blue album, but it's not officially the 'lead single'.  That officially goes to Live to Tell.

I feel True Blue will forever be the most contentious in discussions like this. It’s the one that’s most ambiguous.

Honestly I would argue that the first album basically didn’t have a proper lead single like the rest. Everybody was the technical first but it was almost a year prior. It was an underground single barely heard outside of the club scene. She didn’t even know if she would get to make an album when she recorded it.

Holiday seems like a stretch but it was the one used to basically launch her and the album in the mainstream and at top 40, which is why some of us see it as the “lead”. Before that it’s like they hadn’t really even fully figured out how they wanted to present her as an artist.

[Donna 16,823]

2 minutes ago, Blue Jean said:

I can understand the argument about Die Another Day. But saying Holiday was the lead single makes no sense. It was not even originally planned to be a single. And it was released months after the album.

Exactly.  In fact, Warner was considering releasing Lucky Star as the third single world-wide, but they rushed Holiday instead since radio and clubs were already spinning it and it was growing very popular. 

I also agree with Die Another Day.  It's not consider as an official lead single, but I can see how one can "technically" say it is.  The difference here is, the song wasn't intended to be the lead single and from what I've always known, the song was added simply because it was a top 10 hit and they saw that it may help sell the album better.

[Donna 16,823]

1 minute ago, MikeyK said:

I feel True Blue will forever be the most contentious in discussions like this. It’s the one that’s most ambiguous.

Honestly I would argue that the first album basically didn’t have a proper lead single like the rest. Everybody was the technical first but it was almost a year prior. It was an underground single barely heard outside of the club scene. She didn’t even know if she would get to make an album when she recorded it.

Holiday seems like a stretch but it was the one used to basically launch her and the album in the mainstream and at top 40, which is why some of us see it as the “lead”. Before that it’s like they hadn’t really even fully figured out how they wanted to present her as an artist.

The thing is; Live to Tell was always intended as a song for True Blue and when the single was released in '86, it was always considered as the lead single from the "Forthcoming True Blue album".  All the single sleeves stated that.  Therefore, it is a "lead single".  I don't see how anyone can try to change that fact.   Meanwhile, I don't argue Papa Don't Preach was a follow up that helped kicked off the True Blue album.

As for the Madonna album.  I would agree with you in the idea that the Madonna album didn't have that proper "Lead single" kick off being Everybody was released before she even had an album contract.  However, back then there is no way they would exclude that song from the album, nor Burning Up when she had no other known songs released at the time.  Back then (and it seems like it's happening a lot lately as well), a lot of debut artists tend to have a contract for a single or two before releasing an album.  Record companies then and seems again now, aren't quick to invest in a whole album until they see how their first single goes as well as how popular they may get. 

[MikeyK 710]

50 minutes ago, McDonna said:

I also agree with Die Another Day.  It's not consider as an official lead single, but I can see how one can "technically" say it is.  The difference here is, the song wasn't intended to be the lead single and from what I've always known, the song was added simply because it was a top 10 hit and they saw that it may help sell the album better.

Yeah. It’s like if she was pushed to tack TUTBMP on Erotica or I’ll Remember on Bedtime Stories.

I know Live to Tell was always intended to be on True Blue. I know she herself initially said the album’s title was LTT. In my mind I’ll always associate it w/the above mentioned soundtrack songs that were released shortly before an album; it just got included on said album like DAD.

Maybe it’s bc she slightly changed her look again just before the album and the PDP/True Blue album art/videos/photo shoots etc seem so cohesive. LTT feels like a prelude to me. 🤷‍♂️

[Donna 16,823]

9 minutes ago, MikeyK said:

I know Live to Tell was always intended to be on True Blue. I know she herself initially said the album’s title was LTT. In my mind I’ll always associate it w/the above mentioned soundtrack songs that were released shortly before an album; it just got included on said album like DAD.

 

But that isn't the case with Live to Tell.  Like you even said, she even considered naming the album "Live to Tell".   The song was released to coincide with the film At Close Range and to serve as the first single to her True Blue album.  Therefore, it will always be officially considered the "lead single" to True Blue.

[MikeyK 710]

2 hours ago, McDonna said:

But that isn't the case with Live to Tell.  Like you even said, she even considered naming the album "Live to Tell".   The song was released to coincide with the film At Close Range and to serve as the first single to her True Blue album.  Therefore, it will always be officially considered the "lead single" to True Blue.

Right, I was saying that’s just how I perceive it. Technically/officially it is, but I’ll always sorta classify it like that and see PDP as the album’s informal lead.

[Pootz333 2,710]

This is a really tough one. And an area that she mostly knocked it out of the park with time after time. It's really amazing.

Like a Prayer, Hung Up and Music were such monsters. The one two punch of Secret and the dance mix was so major here in NYC. American Life is brilliant, idc what anyone says. But I have to give it to Frozen. The radio and video premieres were events. The lead up to it after Evita was perfect. It's probably also because I was 14 but it was just magical.

The only ones I don't care for are GMAYL and Medellin. I would be cool with them as album tracks but not first single material for me.

[Blue Jean 15,595]

7 hours ago, McDonna said:

 

I also agree with Die Another Day.  It's not consider as an official lead single, but I can see how one can "technically" say it is.  The difference here is, the song wasn't intended to be the lead single and from what I've always known, the song was added simply because it was a top 10 hit and they saw that it may help sell the album better.

She was asked if it will be on the upcoming album in a radio interview in 2002 and she said yes 

[Donna 16,823]

18 minutes ago, Blue Jean said:

She was asked if it will be on the upcoming album in a radio interview in 2002 and she said yes 

Yes, I don't doubt that.  But for some reason, Die Another Day is the one single included on an upcoming Madonna album, isn't officially referred to most sources as the "lead single".  If I recall, the song wasn't originally intended to be part of the American Life project unlike Everybody and Live To Tell was for their parent albums. 

But yeah, technically the song is the 1st and lead single even though most sources, state American Life as the lead single. 

[dylanlioncourt 5,784]

Like a Prayer for me.

[GhostOrchid 702]

On 9/8/2023 at 11:54 PM, McDonna said:

Sorry, you are re-writing Madonna history. "Everybody" IS and officially considered the first single and the album had two singles by the time the album was released.  Therefore, Holiday was not the "lead single" being it came after the release.  Again, you are spinning it to fit your narrative.

Live to Tell was indeed the lead single for True Blue as well.  It is listed as so on her website and has always been acknowledged as so among Warner Bros as the kick off single.  Again, you are simply spinning it to fit your narrative. 

I'm not going to disagree that Papa Don't Preach didn't further help kick off True Blue, but Live To Tell was the lead single from the album.  Feel free to spin however you like, but you are incorrect to dismiss Live To Tell as the "lead single"  All official sources, consider Everybody and Live To Tell as lead single to their parent albums.

If you need further proof.. Google "What is Madonna lead single to her debut (True Blue) album?"  The answers will be "Everybody" and "Live To Tell". 

Madonna.com says "Everybody" is her first single: https://www.madonna.com/discography/album/1/

Madonna.com says "Live to Tell" and I quote: "The lead-off track"  :  https://www.madonna.com/discography/album/3/

Nearly every music source including official sources like Billboard, Rolling Stone and Official charts list both songs as lead singles:

https://www.billboard.com/lists/madonnas-40-biggest-billboard-hits/music-hot-100-peak-position-1-four-weeks-peak-year-2000/

https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/how-madonna-became-madonna-an-oral-history-94288/

https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/madonnas-lead-singles-ranked__26119/

In fact Official charts ranked them back in 2009:

Madonna's lead singles ranked in combined sales order:

 SONG SONG  PEAK ALBUM YEAR

1LIKE A VIRGIN 3LIKE A VIRGIN1984

2LIKE A PRAYER1LIKE A PRAYER1989

3HUNG UP1CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR2005

4VOGUE1I'M BREATHLESS1990

54 MINUTES1HARD CANDY2008

6FROZEN1RAY OF LIGHT1998

7MUSIC1MUSIC2000

8WHO'S THAT GIRL1WHO'S THAT GIRL OST1988

9LIVE TO TELL 2TRUE BLUE1986

10YOU'LL SEE5SOMETHING TO REMEMBER1995

11EROTICA3EROTICA1992

12JUSTIFY MY LOVE2IMMACULATE COLLECTION1990

13CELEBRATION3CELEBRATION2008

14SECRET5BEDTIME STORIES1994

15YOU MUST LOVE ME10EVITA1996

16AMERICAN LIFE2AMERICAN LIFE2003

17LIVING FOR LOVE26REBEL HEART2015

18GIVE ME ALL YOUR LUVIN37MDNA2012

19EVERYBODY N/A MADONNA1982

 

Other sources: and there are more than just these, but I listed a few:

https://www.idolator.com/7752032/madonna-14-lead-singles-ranked

https://madonna.fandom.com/wiki/Discography

https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/27/madonna-debut-album-40th-anniversary-every-track-ranked/

 

 

I appreciate the effort in finding these, but all I see here is a bunch of articles written by journalists whose task was to write a Madonna article, so I assume they used google and wikipedia, like I would if someone asked me to write such an article on let's say Michael Jackson, whom I am a moderate fan of. Even her website, it's known that these are maintained by moderators who probably are not hard core fans, but people who do their research online and are paid to do their job. (also stating the first album release date as 30.11.1982 further proves my point)

I don't know If you like Ellie Goulding, but see her album Brightest Blue, and tell me if the lead single is Close to Me or Worry About Me. Or George Michael and his Patience album, is the lead single Freeek! or Amazing. Both of these cases for me it's the latter, but I understand why some people would disagree. It's one thing to release a single and then include it on the album, and a different thing if a single kicks off a promotion cycle as part of a cohesive audio / visual marketing plan.

I see no point in this discussion because I know what I consider a lead-off single and what my logic behind it is. But of course I accept that other people see things from other perspectives, which is also fine and doesn't bother me as much as it bothers you. Feel free to do another poll and list all your lead singles, and I'd be happy to vote 

 

[GhostOrchid 702]

On 9/9/2023 at 4:22 PM, Blue Jean said:

There is no argument. Everybody, Live to Tell and Die Another Day WERE the lead singles.

Also, why is Vogue not listed? #floppoll

@Blue Jean and @McDonna you two should reach an agreement on Die Another Day, there seems to be some confusion there..

Vogue is not listed because I (but probably not all fans) don't consider I'm Breathless a studio album but a soundtrack album in the same group as Who's That Girl and Evita.

[GhostOrchid 702]

On 9/9/2023 at 6:24 PM, MikeyK said:

I love how anal people get about semantics and the indignant insistence that “lead” MUST = very first. 🤣🤣🤣

I like looking at it in a more abstract sense, and seeing PDP, Holiday, American Life, etc, as the album launchers. Idk what the correct verbiage should be, but I absolutely understand @GhostOrchid‘s point.

I know, right 

And what's funnier is how personally offended they get if their way is not the only way. My perspective is different and I'm speaking from the marketing / promotion point of view, but accept that people have their own views. 

I'm glad that you agree with me.

[GregVsMatt 3,737]

On 9/8/2023 at 7:18 AM, GhostOrchid said:

One could argue that Everybody, Live to Tell, American Pie or Die Another Day should be included instead, but I went with the logic of which single kicked off the album promotion cycle.

Me: Papa Don't Preach

Yeah the choice list is wrong 

[GhostOrchid 702]

On 9/9/2023 at 8:14 PM, McDonna said:

It has nothing to do with being "anal".  It's about what is facts.... official facts!  You are only entertaining the idea how another is spinning this idea that Holiday is considered the lead single when it's just not true.  A "lead single" comes prior to an album.  That's just a fact.  It doesn't matter how long in between the album and song was released.  

I don't disagree that Papa Don't Preach wasn't a follow up single to help kick off the True Blue album, but it's not officially the 'lead single'.  That officially goes to Live to Tell.

It would help if we make a distinction between "lead" and "first". because I do.

[Blue Jean 15,595]

1 hour ago, GhostOrchid said:

@Blue Jean and @McDonna you two should reach on agreement on Die Another Day, there seems to be some confusion there..

The real confusion for me actually is that I honestly thought you and McDonna were the same person.

[Blue Jean 15,595]

1 hour ago, GhostOrchid said:

I know, right 

And what's funnier is how personally offended they get if their way is not the only way. My perspective is different and I'm speaking from the marketing / promotion point of view, but accept that people have their own views. 

I'm glad that you agree with me.

I don’t think anybody is personally offended are they?

[GhostOrchid 702]

1 hour ago, Blue Jean said:

I don’t think anybody is personally offended are they?

I hope not. But that's the vibe I'm getting

[Donna 16,823]

12 hours ago, GhostOrchid said:

I hope not. But that's the vibe I'm getting

Well, you got the wrong vibe.  I personally was having a civil discussion about facts.  I'm not here to insult or assume things of people.  I've provided official sources for my argument, but you prefer to dismiss it to fit your narrative. 

 

[GhostOrchid 702]

On 9/11/2023 at 11:07 PM, McDonna said:

Well, you got the wrong vibe.  I personally was having a civil discussion about facts.  I'm not here to insult or assume things of people.  I've provided official sources for my argument, but you prefer to dismiss it to fit your narrative. 

 

The sources you presented don't prove or mean much, as I explained above. The only "official" source you presented is her website which can't even get the release year right.

True, it IS my narrative and I've explained what that narrative is. 

[Redha DBL 7,458]

On 9/8/2023 at 12:22 AM, McDonna said:

The point is; Everybody and Live To Tell are officially considered LEAD singles to their parent albums.  Warner and Madonna both list them as LEAD singles to those albums.  You can't re-write history just because the songs were released more than a month or so before the parent album release.  They specifically chose Live to Tell as the first single to the True Blue album to coincide with the At Close Range soundtrack.

Die Another Day and American Pie are not listed as lead singles, and the latter was only available on the MUSIC album in certain regions and even Madonna didn't want that song on the MUSIC album.

 

On 9/8/2023 at 12:51 AM, McDonna said:

Technically, I would agree, but the fact is; Warner and Madonna doesn't consider Die Another Day as a "lead single".  Warner and Madonna does consider Live to tell and Everybody as "lead singles" though!  

Holiday IS NOT the lead single to the debut album.  Both Everybody and Burning Up were both release prior to the album.  In fact, the album was actually released before Holiday was even released officially as a single.  So that song did not even come before the album to "lead" the album. You're simply re-writing history here!  I'm going by what is official. You are going by some silly notion that lead singles are only considered "lead singles" if they are released a few weeks before the album, which is NOT a fact.

Absolutely correct on all points.