Category Archives: 1989

Today in Madonna History: March 21, 1989

March 21, 2019 By in 1989, March Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment

On March 21 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer album was released.

Written and produced by Madonna with Patrick Leonard, Stephen Bray and Prince, the Like A Prayer album was considered to be a major artistic leap forward for Madonna, and was certainly her most personal offering to date at the time of its release.

Allmusic’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine offered this 5-star (out of 5) review of the album:

Out of all of Madonna’s albums, Like a Prayer is her most explicit attempt at a major artistic statement. Even though it is apparent that she is trying to make a “serious” album, the kaleidoscopic variety of pop styles on Like a Prayer is quite dazzling. Ranging from the deep funk of Express Yourself and Keep It Together to the haunting Oh Father and Like a Prayer, Madonna displays a commanding sense of songcraft, making this her best and most consistent album.

Happy 30th anniversary to one of our favorites – the phenomenal Like A Prayer!

Today in Madonna History: March 19, 1989

March 19, 2019 By in 1989, March Tags: , , , 1 Comment

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On March 19 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer stormed on to Australia’s ARIA Singles Chart, entering at #3. It would hit ARIA’s top spot the following week, nudging out The Fine Young Cannibal’s She Drives Me Crazy.

The two songs entered into an extended dance for the pole position, with Crazy reclaiming its spot for two weeks before handing it back again to Prayer. Then back to Crazy. Then Prayer.

Dizzy yet?

Our Aussie mates may be a tad indecisive with their hits–but they sure know how to pick ’em!

Today in Madonna History: March 3, 1989

March 3, 2019 By in 1989, March Tags: , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

On March 3 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer single and music video were released.

Happy 30th anniversary to one of Madonna’s most enduring and beloved songs. It still takes us there!

Today in Madonna History: January 25, 1989

January 25, 2019 By in 1989, January Tags: , , , , 3 Comments

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On January 25, 1989, following eight months of negotiations, Pepsi announced that they had signed Madonna to a year-long endorsement contract, for which they would pay her $5 million. In return, Madonna would appear in a series of television commercials and Pepsi would sponsor the Like A Prayer World Tour, tentatively slated for later that year.

Pepsi was undaunted by Madonna’s image in the tabloids. “Her appeal is in her music and her acting. That’s where people’s interests are,” announced Pepsi spokesman Tod MacKenzie.

If the Like A Prayer World Tour had gone ahead as planned, do you think it would have been drastically different from Blond Ambition? What would have changed? Vogue and all the songs from Dick Tracy (or I’m Breathless) would have been omitted. What else? 

Today in Madonna History: January 18, 1989

January 18, 2019 By in 1989, January Tags: , , , 2 Comments

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On January 18 1989, Madonna purchased a $3 million estate in the Hollywood Hills, Hollywood, California.

Madonna bought the gated three-bedroom house from Allen Questrom, the former president and CEO of Neiman Marcus, and sold it for $2 million during California’s 1994 real estate slump.

In the music video for Bad Girl Madonna played the character “Louise Oriole” (Madonna’s middle name is Louise and Oriole is a street she once lived on). The house she purchased in 1989 is located at 9045 Oriole Way, Hollywood, California.   

Do you know who currently resides at this address? Tip: he might think that he’s the “King of the World” in a popular boat sinking movie.

Today in Madonna History: January 5, 1989

January 5, 2019 By in 1989, January Tags: , , 1 Comment

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On January 5 1989, Madonna filed for divorce from Sean Penn citing “irreconcilable differences” at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Los Angeles, California.

Madonna’s publicist at the time, Liz Rosenberg, made this statement:

“I can only tell you that there will definitely be no further comment from either Mr. Penn or Madonna on this subject.”

Today in Madonna History: December 16, 1989

December 16, 2018 By in 1989, December Tags: , , , , , 5 Comments

On December 16 1989, Billboard magazine’s dance music section reported that Madonna had written and recorded a new song with Shep Pettibone titled Vogue. The article noted that the track was set to appear on the b-side of Madonna’s next single, Keep It Together.

These plans would soon change when it was decided that Vogue had too much hit potential to be released as a b-side, and it would instead be issued as a single in its own right once Keep It Together had run its course on the charts. In Europe, where Keep It Together was not promoted as a single, it would in fact be used as the b-side to Vogue.

Vogue would go on to become the best-selling physical single of Madonna’s career.