Today in Madonna History: August 10, 1985

August 10, 2018 By Jay in 1985, August Tags: Blond Ambition World Tour, Desperately Seeking Susan, Into The Groove, Live Videos, Number One, Patrick Leonard, Rosanna Arquette, Stephen Bray, True Blue (Album), UK, UK Singles Chart 5 Comments

On August 10 1985, Into The Groove spent the first of four weeks in the #1 position on the UK Singles Chart. It was Madonna’s first chart-topping single in the UK, where she has collected a total of thirteen #1 hits to date.

As an added validation, Into the Groove was Madonna’s first self-produced release (co-produced with Stephen Bray). While artists co-producing their own work is common today, it was relatively unusual at the time, particularly for female artists. The immense success of the single undoubtedly helped convince the powers at Sire/Warner to grant Madonna the artistic freedom to co-produce her next album, True Blue, together with her collaborators Stephen Bray and Patrick Leonard.

Today in Madonna History: August 9, 2012

August 9, 2018 By Jay in 2012, August Tags: Controversy, Gay Rights, MDNA World Tour, Russia, Vladimir Putin 1 Comment

On August 9 2012, Madonna spoke out for gay rights at an MDNA concert in St Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s home town, where a law was adopted to curb homosexual “propaganda.”

Performing in black lingerie with the words “No Fear” scrawled on her bare back, Madonna urged the audience – most wearing pink wrist bands distributed at the door – to “show your love and appreciation to the gay community”.

“We want to fight for the right to be free,” she said.

Today in Madonna History: August 8, 1992

August 8, 2018 By Jay in 1992, August Tags: A League Of Their Own, Number One, Shep Pettibone, This Used To Be My Playground, Whitney Houston 1 Comment

On August 8 1992, Madonna’s This Used to Be My Playground (and the theme song for A League of Their Own) hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA, becoming Madonna’s tenth chart-topping single, breaking her tie with Whitney Houston to become the female artist with the most number-one singles at that time.

The song was written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone, and recorded prior to final sessions for Madonna’s 1992 studio album Erotica. As with most of Pettibone’s songwriting collaborations with Madonna, Tony Shimkin was later added as co-writer of the song.

Today in Madonna History: August 7, 2001

August 7, 2018 By Jay in 2001, August Tags: Guy Ritchie, Marriage, On the Cover of a Magazine, The Globe 1 Comment

On August 7 2001, Madonna appeared on the cover of the Globe with the headline, “Marriage on the Rocks.”

Today in Madonna History: August 6, 2015

August 6, 2018 By Jay in 2015, August Tags: ICON - Official Madonna Fan Club, Madonna.com, Rebel Heart Tour, Tour Poster 2 Comments

On August 6 2015, Madonna.com revealed the first Rebel Heart Tour poster.

What is your favourite Madonna tour poster? What did you think of the poster for the Rebel Heart Tour?

Today in Madonna History: August 5, 2008

August 5, 2018 By sonicboy19 in 2008, August Tags: Give It 2 Me, Hard Candy, Remix Videos, Remixes, Single Release 2 Comments

On August 5 2008, Madonna’s Give It 2 Me was released as an eight track CD maxi-single by Warner Bros. Records in the U.S. It included amazing club remixes by Eddie Amador, Paul Oakenfold, Fedde Le Grand, Tong & Spoon, Jody den Broeder, and a ragga mix by Sly & Robbie.

The single was also issued in the U.S. as a double-vinyl 12-inch set, a 12-inch vinyl picture disc and as a double-vinyl 7-inch set coupled with her previous single, 4 Minutes. Though no Canadian pressings of the single were issued, the U.S. CD maxi-single was distributed to Canadian retailers with a Warner Music Canada special import sticker.

Give It 2 Me was the second single from Hard Candy. It was written by Madonna & Pharrell Williams with production by Madonna & The Neptunes.