Today in Madonna History: July 6, 1985

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On July 6 1985, Angel/Into The Groove reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the U.S., where it spent a single week. It was Madonna’s fourth release to top the Dance chart.

Due to the fact that both sides of the commercial single received a substantial amount of club play, the release charted as Angel/Into The Groove on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. This is despite the fact that Sire/Warner had actually promoted the single to clubs without Into The Groove, as the U.S. club promo 12-inch contained Angel on both sides.

Despite her U.S. label’s apparent attempt to underexpose Into The Groove in order to keep the focus on her Like A Virgin album, its inclusion on the Angel commercial single unquestionably helped to propel the release to the top of the Dance chart. With the video in heavy rotation on MTV, radio DJ’s had to procure the commercial 12″ of Angel in order to appease heavy listener requests for Into The Groove, since radio promo pressings of Angel featured the Remix/Edit on the flip-side instead.

Today in Madonna History: July 5, 2010

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On July 5 2010, principal photography on W.E., Madonna’s directorial feature debut began in the UK.

Madonna had this to say about her decision to direct W.E.:

“I directed Filth & Wisdom to teach myself about filmmaking… and now, with this self-punishing process of being a producer and a writer and a director, I’m taking the next step.”

Today in Madonna History: July 4, 1992

On July 4 1992, Madonna’s This Used To Be My Playground single from the film A League Of Their Own was reviewed by Larry Flick in Billboard magazine.

Today in Madonna History: July 3, 2015

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On July 3 2015, the third single off Madonna’s Rebel Heart album, Bitch I’m Madonna, climbed eight spots on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart to #7 in the USA.  The hit dance song remained the Greatest Gainer for the second week in a row.

Thank you Justin for the great artwork above! – Jay

Today in Madonna History: July 2, 1990

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On July 2 1990, Roman Catholic groups condemned Madonna’s Blond Ambition concert as blasphemous due to her controversial show’s sex and religious themes and planned to cancel her concerts in Rome and Turin.

Madonna made this speech in response to the threats:

I am an ltalian-American, and I am proud of it.
Proud of being an American because it is the country I grew up in, the country that gave me the opportunities to be who I am today and a country that believes in freedom of speech and artistic expression.
 
My show is not a conventional rock show but a theatrical presentation of my music.
And, like theatre it asks questions, provokes thought and takes you on an emotional journey.
Portraying good and bad, light and dark, joy and sorrow, redemption and salvation.
I do not endorse a way of life but describe one, and the audience is left to make its own decisions and judgments.
This is what I consider freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of thought.
 
Every night, before I go onstage, I say a prayer not only that my show will go well but that the audience will watch with an open heart and an open mind and see it as a celebration of love, life and humanity.

*This is an edited transcript of the speech.  The full speech is included in the video posted above.

Today in Madonna History: July 1, 1988

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On July 1 1988,  Madonna made a surprise unscheduled appearance on NBC-TV’s Late Night With David Letterman. Sandra Bernhard was David’s scheduled guest.

Today in Madonna History: July 31, 2015

On July 31 2015, Madonna’s Blond Ambition World Tour documentary, In Bed With Madonna (aka Truth Or Dare) was certified platinum by BPI (British Phonographic Industry) for sales of over 50,000 units on DVD/home video in the UK.