Today in Madonna History: June 29, 1998

Ray of Light Canadian CD Single cover insert back Ray of Light Canadian CD Single tray insertRay of Light Canadian CD Single disc

On June 29 1998, Madonna’s Ray of Light single peaked at #3 on RPM’s Top 100 Canadian Singles chart.

As with all the Canadian singles from the Ray of Light album, the title track was issued by Warner Music Canada as a 2-track CD single and as a CD maxi-single. In the U.S., the album’s CD singles were issued in cardboard sleeves with “draw pack” trays and the CD maxi-singles in “FLP digipak” cases, while in Canada the two configurations for each of the album’s four domestic singles were packaged in standard CD jewel cases with printed inserts.

Today in Madonna History: June 16, 1990

On June 16 1990, Vogue hit #1 on the Canadian Top 100 Singles chart by RPM magazine.

Vogue would top the chart for three weeks in Canada and would earn a platinum sales certification – a fairly unusual distinction in Canada, where singles are rarely certified.

Today in Madonna History: March 18, 2015

On March 18 2015, Madonna’s Rebel Heart album debuted on Billboard’s Canadian Top Albums chart at #1.

All seven of Madonna’s studio albums released since Nielsen SoundScan began monitoring album sales in Canada in 1996 have entered the Canadian chart at #1, as did her 2009 hits collection, Celebration.

In contrast to Billboard’s Top 200 in the U.S., where Rebel Heart entered at #2 before falling to #21 the following week, sales remained relatively steady in Canada, with the album dipping only one position to #2 in its second week.

Interestingly, the album that blocked Rebel Heart from reaching the top spot in the U.S. (the Empire: Season 1 soundtrack) charted for only one week in Canada, peaking at #25.

Today in Madonna History: March 10, 1984

On March 10 1984, Madonna’s self-titled debut album, Madonna (aka The First Album) debuted at #87 on the Canadian Top 100 Albums Chart. Canada LOVES Madonna!

Today in Madonna History: March 6, 1998

madonna toronto march 1998

On March 6 1998, Madonna spent the day in Toronto, Canada conducting a press conference and various print interviews to promote her new album, Ray Of Light, released earlier that week. She ended the day with a live, hour-long interview on Much Music hosted by VJ’s Master T (personally selected by Madonna herself after viewing reels of the station’s on-air personalities) and Geneviève Borne (a self-proclaimed Madonna fan and VJ from Much Music’s French-language sister station, Musique Plus).

The much-hyped event, which marked Madonna’s first and only visit to the Much Music studios, was prefaced by the Canadian music video channel’s second Madonnathon – a day of all-Madonna programming. The first, which featured her 1992 interview with Jonathan Ross and a then-recent press junket interview with The New Music’s Jana Lynne White (and all of her music videos), aired in January of 1993 at the height of the Sex/Erotica/Body Of Evidence backlash.

After the appearance was announced, fans seeking a limited hot spot inside the studio for the interview were asked to call in and were queried a series of Madonna-related trivia questions to prove their worthiness, while others who didn’t make it inside lined the streets of the Queen St W studios on the day of the event to welcome the Queen of Pop to Toronto.

Today in Madonna History: January 21, 1984

 

On January 21 1984, Madonna earned her very first Canadian chart entry as Holiday entered RPM’s Canadian Top 50 Singles chart at #48.

Madonna would go on to collect a total of 25 #1 singles to date in Canada  – the most for any solo artist in Canadian chart history. She has also racked up a staggering 68 Top 40 singles in Canada – 51 of which ascended into the Top 10.

 

Today in Madonna History: December 23, 1989

On December 23 1989, RPM Magazine published Canada’s Top Singles of 1989. The listing included the following Madonna singles:

  • #1 – Like A Prayer
  • #8 – Express Yourself
  • #9 – Cherish