MikeyK

This is so interesting! While I love TB I often wondered why OYH didn’t follow PDP as it seemed like it made more sense.
Regarding the video, even though the contest version dominated MTV here in the states I remember seeing her version a couple times on other video outlets. My mom loved the song and we watched the whole contest airing, so when we saw her video a couple months later it was like this huge fun surprise. 

That is true! True Blue was originally not going to be a single at all. I think it was rush-released because radio stations loved it and it received airplay without beibg a single.

Does anybody know if it's true that in the UK, her next single release after Papa was meant to be Open Your Heart. It was announced in Smash Hits with pictures from the video. True Blue was gaining traction on UK radio and that was released ahead of it to make the most of it's popularity. It might be the Mandela effect for me but that's the memory I have.

Agree, and also I feel the Like A Virgin video is one of her sexiest visuals. Mary Lambert really knew how to shoot her in general, but that clip in particular is something else. The hazy, soft focus, her sultry, slightly mysterious coquettishness are just otherworldly.

What a moment. What a breakthrough. Obviously not her most artistically accomplished but such a pinnacle in her career, in 80s music, in pop culture in general. 
In many ways this album & era will always be thee quintessential M, especially here in the US. The cover art itself still holds such power whenever I see it. Such brilliant iconography.
Agree w/above about how great it sounds w/primarily live instruments vs mostly synths & programming. Nile’s production is great. The four singles will always be brilliant 80s pop classics. LDLHA is better than many give it credit for. Even the filler is enjoyable enough. 
I really came back around to it over the last year or two. Listening to it still makes me feel like I’m sitting w/the cool girls at school for a period.
At this point it’s my favorite of her first 3. I get why many fans & critics have favored the rawness of the debut or the more polished, mature True Blue. For me part of what makes it work is being right in between the extremes of former which can be a little too raw at times vocally, while still having more of an edge than most of the latter.
Happy anniversary you sexy, stratospheric tramp. 💋

I remember when I bought this LP.  It was the reissue with Into The Groove, but my favorite song was Over And Over.
I couldn't stop listening to the album, and I still think that the cover is the most beautiful picture of a woman I've ever seen. 
The popular Swedish pop magazine OKEJ wrote in an early September issue (#18, 1984) that they had an early promo of the album, and they thought that the best songs was Material Girl, Over And Over, Dress You Up and Stay. 
They thought that the choice of Like A Virgin as the first single was a so-so move, since they thought that it was the weakest song on the album!
Dress You Up would, according to OKEJ, have been a much better choice.
One of the journalists from OKEJ was in New York in early July, 1985, and was offered the exclusive chance as the only Swede to meet and interview Madonna at Live Aid.
He had to turn it down. The Military Service was waiting for him back in Sweden, and he HAD to do it. 

I don’t understand why people dislike and disrespect this album, it’s amazing. I don’t go back to it often, but it’s amazing
I love the alternate cover as well 
 

Like A Virgin (the song) turns 40 on October 31, (The album) on November 12.

It was such an iconic moment in Madonna's career when everything suddenly happened and she became the HIT girl!
It all started at the Keith Haring birthday party (called The Party of Life) on May 16 at The Paradise Garage New York where Madonna could already showcase both the title track and Dress You Up in an advance of 6 months to the actual release of the album delayed due to the late success of Lucky Star on the US billboard charts that August 1984.
 
So what follows that May 1984 is Madonna's face becoming more and more familiar to Mtv viewers which starts playing Borderline and Lucky Star non stop and interviewing her. Up until August 84 when Madonna attends a NYC music seminar immortalized by Mtv as well...
 
Finally up to September 14 1984 when the world would get face to face to Madonna's powerful sexy performance of Like A Virgin at the very first Mtv Video Music awards (well as we know we also got face to face to her panties!)
 
The Like A Virgin album produced by Chic's Nile Rodgers would be presented at a New York City party (guest would include Jean Michel Basquiat, Warhol, Keith Haring, John Jellybean Benitez Madonna's then boyfriend etc) on November 7, 1984 at the Private Eyes nightclub.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckjd7I7OucJ
 
During December 1984 Madonna also took Uk by storm performing Like A Virgin on Top Of ThE Pops , but what would follow in 1985 would be a roar turning every girl on the planet into a Madonna wannabe filled with laces, bras, rubber bracelets and most of all crucifixes... the Madonna mania was just exploding taking Madonna to promote the album in Japan and in April to a North American tour (The Virgin tour).
 
as for the single ...
Chart
Peak
#1 1984/12/22 
Debut
#48 1984/11/17 
Weeks Of Chart
19
Weeks Of #1
6
Weeks Of Top10
9
Weeks Of Top20
11
Weeks Of Top40
14

The cover sleeve and album insert images were shot by Steven Meisel (who would photograph Madonna later in 1992 on her Sex book)



Feel free to add anything such as sensations, videos and lots of love and appreciation on Madonna's Iconic Like A Virgin era
 

I know we as a fanbase tend to almost gloss over Like a Virgin (and Material Girl) because it is so over played and over talked about but it truly is a perfect piece of pop craftsmanship.

Madonna's performance and Niles' production are amazing, I love that real instruments are used and that it isn't drowned in synths and gated drums like 99% of the pop music of time.
The song of course fits Madonna like a glove that the fact she didn't write it makes one wonder if it was sent from above because it had to happen. I love that she always twist the song inside out in every live performance giving yet a new meaning and dept to it, genius.

There's a thread for general Swiftie speculation & discussion... this is a place for Madonna news.
 

Plot twist! Fixed was right. They prob gave it to her bc she’s getting the vanguard (and she showed up). Ain’t no way she had enough votes to beat Taylor, Gaga or 03.

Plot twist! Fixed was right. They prob gave it to her bc she’s getting the vanguard (and she showed up). Ain’t no way she had enough votes to beat Taylor, Gaga or 03.

I agree. But I always need the bridge between them (Vogue - Justify My Love - Rescue Me).

Plot twist! Fixed was right. They prob gave it to her bc she’s getting the vanguard (and she showed up). Ain’t no way she had enough votes to beat Taylor, Gaga or 03.

The Madonna fan vote is insignificant either way. The only reason 03 would’ve had a better chance is because Britney & Xtina were there, and because it’s sort of recent enough that some of the younger voters would be personally aware of it.

That’s what I was thinking. I’m fully expecting taylor or maybe gaga to win, but if they were to show full results for all I’d imagine 03 got a good amount.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see 84 get the lowest though tbh.

Fine! But she doesn't have to bash madonna every single damn time. It's getting anoying. 

Trump when he had Covid?

This is correct. The last couple days I was voting in the last few rounds of song of the summer (lol). The 2nd to last round was Billie/Chappell (Billie won) and Ariana/Taylor. With that vote you could see the percentages throughout the day, and for most of it Ariana was ahead. Then in the last few hours swifties swooped in and flipped it, and Taylor snatched it. 

This is correct. The last couple days I was voting in the last few rounds of song of the summer (lol). The 2nd to last round was Billie/Chappell (Billie won) and Ariana/Taylor. With that vote you could see the percentages throughout the day, and for most of it Ariana was ahead. Then in the last few hours swifties swooped in and flipped it, and Taylor snatched it. 

And this performance doesn’t have a chance in confrontation with other fanbases, only LAV/Hollywood have chance because fans of Brit, Christina & Missy are also voting. Vote strategically. 

Yep. And apparently EY was a remix as well.

It’s interesting, with some of the mistakes, like using a 12” mix of a song on an album- Dress, Papa, Express, you can almost wonder if they did it on purpose as a sort of bonus for fans (even though they very easily could have added them as extra bonus tracks), but then you look at the bigger picture and all the other mistakes and it’s clear that wasn’t the case.

Yep. And apparently EY was a remix as well.

It’s interesting, with some of the mistakes, like using a 12” mix of a song on an album- Dress, Papa, Express, you can almost wonder if they did it on purpose as a sort of bonus for fans (even though they very easily could have added them as extra bonus tracks), but then you look at the bigger picture and all the other mistakes and it’s clear that wasn’t the case.

Really?? Wow that would be hardcore.
I remember actually the "LAP" 12'' Extended Remix was in "The Immaculate Collection" for years too instead of the proper Q-Sound particular mix done for that compilation originally. It was later fixed and correct now.
Even with today's little things here and there... we've come a long way with her digital catalogue.
Also, Warner were very precious of their catalogue at first and put a black border with the Warner logo for every cover, except on iTunes (Apple wouldn't allow that s**t). Example:

They had all Madonna covers like that too on Amazon, Spotify, etc. everywhere except iTunes.
I don't think they were that confident that digital sales would last maybe... but they did, and even with a worse model for them: streaming.

According to some of the oldest itunes reviews, they apparently had the Like A Prayer 12” extended remix in place of The Act of Contrition at first too.