Today in Madonna History: May 23, 1985

May 23, 2021 By sonicboy19 in 1985, May Tags: Canada, Certification, Like A Virgin (Album), Maple Leaf Gardens, Platinum, The Virgin Tour, Toronto 1 Comment

On May 23 1985, Madonna accepted a Canadian Quadruple Platinum certification award for shipment of over 400,000 copies of her second album, Like A Virgin, within Canada. The award was presented by WEA Canada’s VP of sales Garry Newman to Madonna and Sire Records president Seymour Stein prior to her sold-out Toronto concert at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Like A Virgin was eventually certified (in July, 1992) with the rare Canadian Diamond certification for shipment of over one million copies in Canada. The only other Madonna album to date to receive Diamond certification in Canada is True Blue, which managed to achieve the feat within a year of its release. To date, only eighteen albums in total (by any artist or musical group) have received a Diamond certification in Canada.

Today in Madonna History: April 29, 1989

April 29, 2021 By sonicboy19 in 1989, April Tags: Canada, Herb Ritts, Like A Prayer (Single), Number One 1 Comment

On April 29 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer album entered its second week at #1 on the Canadian album charts.

Hitting number #1 on April 22 1989, Like A Prayer would remain at the top of the Canadian album charts until the week of June 3 1989.

Today in Madonna History: April 26, 2003

April 26, 2021 By sonicboy19 in 2003, April Tags: American Life (Single), Canada, Canadian Singles Chart, Charts 2 Comments

On April 26 2003, Madonna’s American Life single spent the first of two weeks at #1 on the Soundscan Canadian Singles chart.

American Life was the last physical Madonna two-track single issued by Warner Music Canada, while production of CD maxi-singles would continue domestically until the 2006 release of Jump.

Today in Madonna History: March 27, 1993

March 27, 2021 By sonicboy19 in 1993, March Tags: Bad Girl, Borderline, Canada, Canadian Singles Chart, Charts, Fever, Live Videos 3 Comments

On March 27 1993, Bad Girl peaked at #20 on the Canadian Top 100 Singles chart (RPM).

Although the single fared better in Canada than it did south of the border (it peaked at #36 on the Hot 100), Bad Girl nevertheless earned the undesirable distinction of being Madonna’s lowest charting Canadian single since Borderline at the time, which had peaked at #25 in September, 1984.

The Bad Girl single was backed with the album version of Fever in North America (both songs were released separately in Europe), while the Bad Girl maxi-single focused primarily on remixes of Fever along with an extended version of Bad Girl. Strangely, a music video for Fever was produced only after the single had run its course on the European charts, set to a remix that was not issued was not included on the North American maxi-single of Bad Girl or the Fever 12-inch promo set that was serviced to DJ’s in the U.S.

Despite the unusual promotion, Fever managed to top the U.S. Club chart and the video was put into regular rotation on MTV and MuchMusic in Canada.

Today in Madonna History: February 11, 2014

February 11, 2021 By sonicboy19 in 2014, February Tags: Canada, Hard Candy Fitness, Toronto 1 Comment

On February 11 2014, Madonna personally lead a troupe of select gym-goers through a racy—but not criminally indecent—dancercize routine at the grand opening of Hard Candy Fitness, her new upscale gym in the massive Aura condos at Yonge & Gerrard in downtown Toronto, Canada.

Back in 1990, Toronto cops allegedly threatened to arrest Madge for grabbing her crotch on stage during her Blond Ambition Tour (Madonna refused to capitulate to the “fascist state of Toronto,” and nothing ever came of the threats).

Her attitude toward the city seems to have mellowed since then. While sashaying down the red carpet in fishnets and a black bustier suit from Canadian designers DSquared2, she paused to share her love for the city that snubbed her two decades go. “I think Toronto finally learned to accept me,” she told reporters for the Toronto Star. “I love Toronto.”

Today in Madonna History: November 23, 2002

November 23, 2020 By Jay in 2002, November Tags: Canada, Canadian Singles Chart, Die Another Day, James Bond 1 Comment

On November 23 2002, Madonna’s Die Another Day single peaked at #1 on the Canadian Soundscan Singles Sales chart where it would stay for an impressive seven (non-consecutive) weeks.