Today in Madonna History: September 10, 2015

On September 10 2015, Madonna joined Régine Chassagne and Win Butler (Arcade Fire), Diplo and DJ Windows 98, on stage at the PHI Centre in Montreal, after her Rebel Heart Tour concert. The PHI Centre presented a special night, Naïve Melodie, for the benefit of the Kanpe Foundation.

Madonna played the cow bell during a performance of David Bowie’s Rebel Rebel.

Kanpe is a foundation that “stands with the most vulnerable Haitian families towards their financial autonomy.”

Today in Madonna History: September 9, 2000

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On September 9 2000, Madonna’s Music single debuted at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 Single Sales Chart in the USA.

Billboard’s review of Music:

Music is a stunning enterprise, a ballsy testament to Madonna’s insistence on being a style-setter and one of the industry’s most savvy-and now critically accountable-tunesmiths. Call this one dance, pop, even alternative…listeners will be shocked then mesmerized by this composition, showcasing yet another side of an artist, who after 20 years, continues to be a true industry artisan and the by-the-book definition of evolutionary.”

Today in Madonna History: September 8, 1983

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On September 8 1983, Madonna’s Lucky Star single was released in the UK.

Although Lucky Star was issued promotionally as a double A-side with Holiday in the US in September 1983, it was not released commercially in North America until August 1984 when it was issued as the final single from Madonna’s self-titled debut album.

Lucky Star was written by Madonna and produced by Reggie Lucas, with additional remixing by Jellybean Benitez. It is the most successful of her North American singles that were entirely self-written, reaching #4 on the U.S. Hot 100 and #8 in Canada (RPM Top 100). It was also her first Top-5 single in the U.S.

In the U.K., her self-written single Gambler was a bigger hit, reaching #4 in the fall of 1985, while Lucky Star peaked at #14.

Madonna wrote the song in 1982 after landing her first recording contract with Sire Records. It was rumoured to have been written about Mark Kamins, although we’re unsure whether that has ever been confirmed by Madonna herself.

Today in Madonna History: September 7, 1983

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On September 7 1983, Madonna’s Holiday was released in the USA.  The hit single eventually climbed to #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Holiday was Madonna’s third single after Burning Up (her second) and Everybody (her debut single).

The artwork in this post is exclusive to the Australian release of Holiday.

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Today in Madonna History: September 6, 1989

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On September 6 1989, Madonna performed Express Yourself  at the 6th annual MTV Video Music Awards at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, CA. The Express Yourself music video picked up awards for Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, while Like A Prayer won the Viewer’s Choice Award.

Serving as a sneak preview for 1990’s Blond Ambition Tour, the performance marked the first of many to feature the vocal trio of Madonna, Donna De Lory and Niki Haris. De Lory and Haris had previously toured with Madonna during the 1987 Who’s That Girl Tour, but had been joined by a third background vocalist, Debra Parsons. The pair would be more heavily featured as vocalist/dancers from this point forward, rather than simply band members who rarely left the confines of their microphone stand.

It was during rehearsals for the 1989 VMA performance that Niki Haris brought voguing to Madonna’s attention, and stylized poses were then fittingly incorporated into the performance’s choreography. While the performance is relatively simple compared to her numerous VMA performances in the years that followed, this puts the focus on the trio’s excellent live vocals and kick-ass choreography (keeping in mind that vocally, Express Yourself is quite a workout even without the dancing!). I consider this a great example of how sometimes less is more, and I would definitely consider this among her best awards show performances.

Today in Madonna History: September 5, 1991

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On September 5 1991, Madonna’s The Immaculate Collection won Best Long-Form Video at the 8th annual MTV Video Music Awards at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California.

Today in Madonna History: September 4, 1987

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On September 4 1987, Madonna performed Causing A Commotion live via satellite from the Stadio Communale in Turin, Italy, during the Who’s That Girl World Tour and won Best Female Video for Papa Don’t Preach at the 4th annual MTV Video Music Awards at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California.