Today in Madonna History: July 13, 1985

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On July 13 1985, Bette Midler introduced Madonna at Live Aid’s charity concert in Philadelphia:

“I want you to know I have no idea why I was asked to introduce this next act — because you all know, I am the soul of good taste and decorum.  However we are thrilled to be able to introduce to you today a woman whose name has been on everyone’s lips for the last six months. A woman who pulled herself up by her bra straps and has been known to let them down occasionally.”

Madonna was happy to tell the global audience of 1.9 billion viewers: “I ain’t taking off shit today.”

Today in Madonna History: July 12, 1986

On July 12 1986, Madonna’s third album, True Blue, debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart.

Here’s the AllMusic review of True Blue by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

True Blue is the album where Madonna truly became Madonna the Superstar — the endlessly ambitious, fearlessly provocative entertainer that knew how to outrage, spark debates, get good reviews — and make good music while she’s at it. To complain that True Blue is calculated is to not get Madonna — that’s a large part of what she does, and she is exceptional at it, but she also makes fine music. What’s brilliant about True Blue is that she does both here, using the music to hook in critics just as she’s baiting a mass audience with such masterstrokes as “Papa Don’t Preach,” where she defiantly states she’s keeping her baby. It’s easy to position anti-abortionism as feminism, but what’s tricky is to transcend your status as a dance-pop diva by consciously recalling classic girl-group pop (“True Blue,” “Jimmy Jimmy”) to snag the critics, while deepening the dance grooves (“Open Your Heart,” “Where’s the Party”), touching on Latin rhythms (“La Isla Bonita”), making a plea for world peace (“Love Makes the World Go Round”), and delivering a tremendous ballad that rewrites the rules of adult contemporary crossover (“Live to Tell”). It’s even harder to have the entire album play as an organic, cohesive work. Certainly, there’s some calculation behind the entire thing, but what matters is the end result, one of the great dance-pop albums, a record that demonstrates Madonna’s true skills as a songwriter, record-maker, provocateur, and entertainer through its wide reach, accomplishment, and sheer sense of fun.

Today in Madonna History: July 11, 1987

On July 11 1987, Madonna’s Who’s That Girl made its U.S. chart debut at #43 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single entered the Hot 100 Airplay chart at #32 in the same issue.

Today in Madonna History: July 10, 1985

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Madonna I'm Not Ashamed

On July 10 1985, The Playboy magazine issue of nude Madonna photos was released.

Today in Madonna History: July 9, 1985

On July 9 1985, Madonna appeared on the cover of the New York Post with one of her most famous quotes, “I’M NOT ASHAMED!

The quote was in response to the controversy swirling around the Playboy and Penthouse releases of nude photos that were taken of Madonna when she was a struggling model in her early days in New York.

Do you think Madonna should have been embarrassed of her early nude modelling work? 

 

Today in Madonna History: July 8, 1996

On July 8 1996, Madonna appeared on the cover of People magazine in a feature called, Bringing Up Babies: As Clocks Tick and Instincts Prevail, Stars Single and Married are Heeding the Nesting Urge.

 

What do you think Madonna’s career would be like if she hadn’t had children? 

Today in Madonna History: July 7, 2001

On July 7 2001, Madonna performed the third of six sold out Drowned World Tour shows at Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre in London, England. Madonna made history with the fastest-selling show ever at Earl’s Court with 107,415 tickets sold in a record six hours, generating $8.7 million in ticket sales.