Today in Madonna History: April 24, 2007

Everybody US 7-inch single

On April 24 2007, Liz Rosenberg posted an article on Madonna.com remembering Madonna’s very first single that started it all:

It may seem like only yesterday but 25 years ago on April 24, 1982, Sire Records honcho Seymour Stein released a single called Everybody on Warner Bros. Records by an unknown singer from Rochester, Michigan by the name of Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone. To say the world would never be the same is an understatement. The song went on to become a huge dancefloor hit and was heard all over the radio in the Summer of 1982. That little girl from Michigan would go on to become one of the most famous entertainers and cultural icons in history – selling close to 200 million records and remaining a star of enormous magnitude and influence for the next 25 years. She’s just getting started. Long Live the Queen and Happy Anniversary to Madonna.

The announcement came as a surprise to many fans who had always understood the release date of Everybody to be October 6, 1982. While the erroneous April date was likely just a simple mistake on Liz’s part, the lack of any official retraction/correction to the post has led to much confusion about the single’s release date in the years since, with the press often assuming the April date to be factual given its reputable source. However, the sequencing of the catalogue numbers for both the promotional and commercial releases of Everybody, as well as its charting chronology, offer clear evidence that its originally reported release date of October 6, 1982 is in fact the accurate one.

Today in Madonna History: March 8, 2007

designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-6 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-1 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-4 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-2 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-3 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-5 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-9 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-10 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-7 designed-by-madonna-h-and-m-8

On March 8 2007, fashion store H&M started the online promotion for the M by Madonna clothing line.

The campaign was photographed by Steven Klein.

The H&M commercial that promoted the M by Madonna line featured Madonna, and was directed by Madonna.

M by Madonna became available in H&M stores in Hong Kong on March 10, and around the world on March 22, 2007.

Watch the commercial:

Today in Madonna History: February 17, 2007

madonna-singles-dance-chart-februrary-1 madonna-singles-dance-chart-februrary-2 madonna-singles-dance-chart-februrary-3 madonna-singles-dance-chart-februrary-4

On February 17 2007, Madonna had four singles in the top 10 Billboard Hot Dance Single Sales Chart:

  • #2 – Jump (14 weeks on the chart)
  • #8 – Sorry (51 weeks on the chart)
  • #9 – Get Together (37 weeks on the chart)
  • #10 – Hung Up (65 weeks on the chart)

Today in Madonna History: December 4, 2007

live-earth-1 live-earth-2

On December 4 2007, Warner Bros. released Live Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis on CD and DVD. The CD included Madonna’s Hey You, while the DVD included her La Isla Bonita performance with Gogol Bordello.

The CD/DVD was released internationally on November 26 and December 4 in North America. Proceeds from the CD/DVD were directed to the Alliance for Climate Protection.

Madonna performed the following songs during the benefit concert:

  • Hey You
  • Ray Of Light
  • La Isla Bonita
  • Hung Up

live-earth-end

Today in Madonna History: June 16, 2007

On June 16 2007, Hey You peaked at #57 on Billboard’s Canadian Hot 100 Singles chart.

The charity single, recorded for the Live Earth benefit, was not promoted to radio and appeared on the chart for a single week only. It marked Madonna’s first appearance on the newly created Canadian Hot 100 Singles chart, which replaced the Nielsen Soundscan chart as Canada’s official singles monitor earlier that year.

Hey You was produced by Madonna & Pharrell Williams during the sessions for the Hard Candy album and is credited to Madonna alone.

Today in Madonna History: February 7, 2007

confessions tour 550

On February 7 2007, Madonna’s live CD/DVD set The Confessions Tour bowed in the Billboard 200 album chart at #15 in the U.S. with sales of 40,000 copies. Its first week sales were nearly double the opening numbers of her previous live release, 2006’s I’m Going To Tell You A Secret, which had peaked at #33. It was Madonna’s 18th Top 20 album in the U.S.

Meanwhile, on the Canadian album charts The Confessions Tour entered at #2, also besting Secret which had peaked at #4.

Today in Madonna History: January 11, 2007

the-confessions-tour-canadian-cover-600 the-confessions-tour-canadian-back-cover-600

On January 11 2007, Warner Bros. Records announced the release of The Confessions Tour live CD+DVD on January 30, 2007 in North America with the following press statement:

Madonna’s record-breaking Confessions Tour filmed at London’s Wembley Arena during her worldwide sold-out 25-City run in 2006 is scheduled to be released as a DVD/CD on sale January 30th, it was announced today by Warner Bros. Records. The highest-grossing tour ever by a female artist, ‘The Confessions Tour – Live from London’ DVD, first broadcast on NBC last November, includes songs that span the course of Madonna’s extraordinary career. ‘Like A Virgin,’ ‘Hung Up,’ ‘Erotica’ and ‘Music’ are just a few of the hits that can be seen on the DVD and heard on the bonus CD included in the package as well as several songs from her ‘Confessions On A Dance Floor’ CD which debuted at No. 1 in 29 countries. In addition, ‘The Confessions Tour’ DVD includes bonus footage, which did not appear on the broadcast, including Madonna’s early classic hit ‘Lucky Star’ as well as the full unedited version of the controversial performance of ‘Live To Tell.’ The ‘Confessions’ DVD will have never before seen rehearsal footage and a unique photo gallery. The DVD was directed by Jonas Åkerlund. The show was directed for the stage by Jamie King. Musical Director was Stuart Price. ‘The pop spectacle of the year – a politically charged combination of Cirque du Soleil, performance-art commentary and dance party explosion that more or less sums up everything she has been striving to say and show this decade….it’s quite possibly the best production she’s ever concocted,’ raved the Orange County Register in their review of Madonna’s show. Madonna is scheduled to appear on tomorrow’s (January 11th) airing of ‘The Late Show with David Letterman,’ make a live appearance on the ‘Today’ Show and ‘Live with Regis and Kelly’ – to promote the film, ‘Arthur and The Invisibles’ – and will also host a screening of the film in Tribecca. ‘I want to turn the world into one big dance floor,’ claimed the Material Girl when The Confessions Tour began. Now, the singer, songwriter, video visionary, designer, producer, children’s book author and artist, who has enthralled millions of fans all over the world and has sold 200 million plus CDs, is extending that commitment to the living rooms of the world.

The CD+DVD edition was packaged as a double-disc digipak. The show was also issued as a stand-alone DVD packaged in a keep case without the accompanying live CD in many countries outside North America.

The concert film was the first release associated with Madonna’s production company, Semtex Films. It went on to win a Grammy for Best Long Form Music Video in 2008.