On March 21 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer album was released. Today marks the 34th 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/
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?
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.
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.”
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.
On December 16 1989, Dear Jessie debuted at #9 on the UK Singles Chart.
The single would climb to its peak position of #5 on December 30th, where it remained for three weeks before beginning its descent.
On December 11 1989, Madonna was featured on the cover of People magazine as one of the best-dressed celebrities of 1989.
Topping the list of the best dressed were Princess Diana, Kevin Costner, John Candy, Jacqueline Onassis, Mick Jagger, Angela Lansbury, Madonna, Marlon Brando, Michelle Pfeiffer and Mel Gibson.
People listed Bruce Springsteen, Kim Basinger, Sean Young, Elizabeth Taylor, Rod Stewart, Roseanne Barr, Jerry Hall, Geena Davis, Kathleen Sulilvan and Prince Andrew as the worst dressed.
Today In Madonna History 