Author Archives: sonicboy19

Today in Madonna History: December 27, 2003

December 27, 2017 By in 2003, December Tags: , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

On December 27 2003, Nothing Fails peaked at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart.

Unfortunately this chart position owed more to the disappearing physical singles market in the U.S. at the time than it did to the song’s overall popularity. Despite the remixes being relatively well-received (the maxi-single included club mixes of Nobody Knows Me), with no accompanying music video and a complete lack of radio support Nothing Fails failed to crack the Hot 100 singles chart. This marked the first time in Billboard’s history that a single topped the Singles Sales chart in the U.S. without making an appearance on the Hot 100.

In more reassuring chart news, Billboard announced in the same issue that Madonna was being crowned Top Dance Singles Sales Artist for 2003. Madonna had previously achieved this honour in 1985 and 1987, and held the runner-up position in 2000 and 2001.

Today in Madonna History: December 22, 2009

December 22, 2017 By in 2009, December Tags: , , 2 Comments

On December 22 2009, Madonna’s hits collection Celebration was released on vinyl in the U.S. by Warner Bros. Records following a one-week delay from its original street date.

The deluxe vinyl package featured four 120g black vinyl discs pressed at Record Industry (Netherlands) in a 2-pocket Stoughton gatefold jacket with expanded pockets (2 discs in each pocket) and included all of the 36 songs originally available on the 2-CD edition of the album. A vinyl edition for the European market also appeared in record shops on January 8th, 2010.

Although Warner made no indication of either pressing being a limited edition release, the sets disappeared from store shelves once their initial shipments had sold and were promptly deleted from circulation by Warner on both continents without explanation. Sealed copies of the sets now command more than $400 USD in the collectors market.

Today in Madonna History: December 19, 1993

December 19, 2017 By in 1993, December Tags: , , 1 Comment

On December 19 1993, Madonna’s Girlie Show world tour concluded with the last of five sold-out concerts at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.

The Tokyo concerts followed a three-show run in Fukuoka – the last of which was broadcast as a television special in Japan. Unlike her previous two world tours, however, the exclusive Japanese broadcast was not made available commercially on video or laserdisc.

Today in Madonna History: December 13, 1990

December 13, 2017 By in 1990, December Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

On December 13 1990, Madonna’s Blond Ambition World Tour Live was released exclusively on LaserDisc by the trek’s sponsor, Pioneer.

Recorded at the final show in Nice, France, the concert had originally aired as a live HBO special in the U.S.

The LaserDisc release would go on to win a Grammy award (Madonna’s first) for Best Music Video, Long Form in 1991.

Today in Madonna History: December 7, 2004

December 7, 2017 By in 2004, December Tags: , , , 2 Comments

On December 7 2004, Britney Spears’ collaboration with Madonna, Me Against The Music, was bestowed with the Hot Dance Sales Single Of The Year award at the Billboard Music Awards ceremony at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

 

Today in Madonna History: December 5, 1992

December 5, 2017 By in 1992, December Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

On December 5 1992, Madonna’s Deeper and Deeper single was the week’s Hot Shot Debut entry on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S., bowing in at #38.

Pop radio had taken an immediate liking to Deeper and Deeper upon the album’s release, with some stations choosing to spin it in favor of the album’s darker lead single, well ahead of its official promotional launch. The support wasn’t unanimous, however, as Madonna was facing a severe public backlash following the release of her Sex book and the forthcoming release of the film Body Of Evidence.

The fact that Deeper and Deeper managed to climb to #7 on the Hot 100 amidst a tidal wave of contempt is a true testament to song’s irresistible appeal.

Today in Madonna History: December 3, 1990

December 3, 2017 By in 1990, December Tags: , , , 3 Comments

On December 3 1990, ABC’s Nightline played the banned music video for Justify My Love video in its entirety followed by a live interview with Madonna by Forrest Sawyer regarding the video’s sexual content and censorship.

When asked whether she stood to make more money selling the video than airing it on MTV, she half-jokingly answered, “Yeah, so lucky me!”

She also expressed that she did not understand why the video was banned when videos containing violence and degradation to women continued to receive regular airplay.