On April 15 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer became the number one dance single on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.
Like A Prayer remained number one for the week of April 22.
Category Archives: 1989
Today in Madonna History: March 21, 1989
On March 21 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer album was released. Today marks the 29th Anniversary of this classic album. Do you remember the first time you heard Like A Prayer? Did you have it on cassette, CD or vinyl?
To celebrate this anniversary, we invite you to follow this link and explore the many exciting releases and controversies that came with this epic release: https://todayinmadonnahistory.com/tag/like-a-prayer/
Today in Madonna History: March 3, 1989
On March 3 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer single was released.
“Like A Prayer is a very important song to me. I felt the impact that it was going to make. That song means a lot more to me than Like A Virgin. I wrote it and it’s from my heart. It’s a very spiritual song. I think I was much more spiritually in touch with the power of words and music by the time I started recording the song and the album.”
Patrick Leonard had this to say about Like A Prayer:
“I think there was a point when we realized that it was the title track, and the lead track, and it was going to be a powerhouse. It became obvious that there was something unique about it. And that somehow we made this thing work: with its stopping and starting, and a minimalistic rhythmic thing, and the verses, and these bombastic choruses, and this giant choir comes in. This is ambitious, you know?”
Today in Madonna History: December 30, 1989
On December 30 1989, Dear Jessie peaked at number-five on the UK singles chart. The track was released as the fourth single from Like A Prayer in Europe (with the exception of France which instead opted to service the North American/Japanese fourth single, Oh Father) and as the fifth single in Australia.
Dear Jessie was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard and was inspired by Leonard’s young daughter, Jessie, with whom Madonna had developed a special connection.
The psychedelia-infused reflection on childhood fantasy and innocence was particularly poignant within the context of the Like A Prayer album’s sequencing, with its segue into Oh Father offering a stark musical and emotional contrast that is perhaps one of the most effective in Madonna’s body of work.
Today in Madonna History: December 23, 1989
On December 23 1989, RPM Magazine published Canada’s Top Singles of 1989. The listing included the following Madonna singles:
- #1 – Like A Prayer
- #8 – Express Yourself
- #9 – Cherish
Today in Madonna History: October 4, 1989
On October 4 1989, Madonna was featured on the cover of People magazine, with the headline, “20 Who Defined A Decade.”
We’re taking this opportunity to show off some adorable photos from 1983 of Madonna, taken by Deborah Feingold in New York.
Today in Madonna History: September 6, 1989
On September 6 1989, Madonna presented the Video Vanguard Award to George Michael at the 6th annual MTV Video Music Awards at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California. Madonna also performed her hit Express Yourself during the show.
