On December 22 1986, an exclusive interview with Madonna conducted by Simon Bates was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in the U.K.
Madonna discussed her upbringing, her formative years as an artist, her work ethic, her marriage with Sean Penn, the press, Shanghai Surprise and more.
Listen to the full broadcast interview here:
On December 21 1996, Madonna’s You Must Love Me (the lead single from EVITA) spent its final week on Billboard’s Hot 100 Airplay Chart in the USA. The hit single spent a total of 9 weeks on the chart.
Peter Keough of the Boston Phoenix had this to say about the song:
“You Must Love Me is an aching farewell that dispels the illusion of a romance-of-convenience to reveal the inescapable love and tragedy beneath”.
On December 20 1994, Madonna attended the premiere of Ready to Wear (Pret-A-Porter).
On Madonna December 19 1996, Madonna attended the premiere of EVITA at the Empire Theatre, in Leicester Square, London, England.
Madonna wore Versace to the event.
On December 18 1999, Madonna was ranked #3 on VH1-UK’s Millennium Honors List of the top 100 greatest artists of the millenium.
On December 17 1990, Madonna’s Justify My Love video was the subject of a feature by Steve Dougherty, in People magazine: Madonna Exposes, MTV Opposes: Is her new, naughty video art or just a Boy Toy marketing ploy?
How does Justify My Love differ from other skin-with-a-beat videos? Let us count the ways. Here’s Madonna, in black bra, stockings and stiletto heels, putting the moves on her real-life boyfriend, model Tony Ward. Moments later she’s lip-synching with Parisian model Amanda Cazalet, 25, who is dressed like a Nazi hooker with suspenders that barely cover her nipples. Now Madonna, Cazalet and Ward are offering free instruction in a certain Kama Sutra technique while two very androgynous gents pat each other more affectionately than football players after a big play. All of which has left fans hot, censors bothered and fearless news programmers lined up to air the forbidden footage. The video single will be on sale before holiday shopping malls close; could it have been teed up better?
On December 16 1995, Madonna’s You’ll See hit #6 in the USA.
When You’ll See peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, it made Madonna one of only three artists in the Hot 100 history to have a hit peak at each position from one to ten on the chart.
Today In Madonna History 