On September 3 1983, as Madonna’s first album entered the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at # 190 in the U.S., the album was profiled for the second week in a row by Billboard magazine – this time being featured in the New On The Charts section (pictured above).
On August 27 1983, Madonna’s debut album was reviewed in Billboard magazine. In the same issue, the album made its chart debut at #201 on the Bubbling Under LP chart.
On November 6 1982, Madonna lost her chart virginity with her very first appearance in Billboard magazine, as Everybody made its debut on the Hot Dance/Club chart (then titled Dance/Disco Top 80). Fittingly foreshadowing her long-term, record-shattering success on the Dance chart, it was the week’s highest new entry.
Dance music commentator Brian Chin also gave a favorable nod to the song in the same chart’s editorial sidebar. Considering Sire Records’ initially stunted marketing strategy had its limited bets set on a faceless, imageless Madonna shrouded in mystery, Chin’s miscasting of her as “a young New York duo produced by DJ Mark Kamins” is humourously forgivable, if not ironic in retrospect.
We would venture to predict that Madonna was likely less amused by the gaffe. Enter Liz Rosenberg? 😉
On October 8 2004, Billboard announced that Madonna was the lead finalist for Billboard’s inaugural Backstage Pass Awards, in three categories:
The Backstage Pass Awards recognize the top achievements in touring (according to box office data).
On February 1 1997, Evita – The Complete Motion Picture Soundtrack peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the U.S. Meanwhile across the pond, the soundtrack simultaneously shot to the #1 position on the UK album chart. It had initially peaked at #6 in the U.S. and at #7 in the U.K. upon release in November, 1996.
The surge in sales was largely attributed to the film’s wide release in January and the heavy promotional push that accompanied it, along with the interest generated by the soundtrack’s second single, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.
On December 2 2014, Billboard magazine announced that Madonna had beaten Paul McCartney to become the World’s Richest Recording Artist.
According to the article, these were the 10 Richest Recording Artists at the time (amounts are in U.S. dollars):
1) Madonna $800 million
2) Paul McCartney $660 million
3) Dr. Dre $650 million
4) Diddy $640 million
5) Celine Dion $630 million
6) Bono $590 million
7) Mariah Carey $520 million
8) Jay Z $510 million
9) Elton John $450 million
10) Beyonce $440 million
On November 23 1989, Madonna won the Billboard Music Award for Top Adult Contemporary Artist.
Today In Madonna History 