On July 22 1985, Like A Virgin was certified 5x Platinum in the US – the first solo album by a female artist to be certified for shipment of 5-million copies. The album remained a consistently strong catalogue seller well into the next decade, eventually earning a Diamond certification (the RIAA’s highest certification award) in 1998 for shipment of over 10 million copies in the US.
On June 14 1990, Madonna’s Vogue was certified platinum (for shipment of one million units) in the USA.
On May 16 1989, the Like A Prayer single was certified Platinum by the RIAA for shipment of one million units in the U.S.
On February 6, 1991, Madonna’s The Immaculate Collection video collection was certified multi-platinum for sales of 150,000 units in the USA.
On February 3 1987, Madonna’s True Blue album was certified 4x platinum, for sales of 4 million units in the USA.
On January 23 1985, Madonna’s Like A Virgin album was certified 2x platinum (for sales of 2 million units) in the USA.
On December 10 1992, Madonna’s Erotica single was certified gold in the USA for the shipment of 500,000 units.
In 2011, Slant Magazine listed Erotica at number thirty-four on their list “The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s”, stating that Madonna’s “throaty” delivery throughout the song was effective in making the lyrics “incredibly honest”. The magazine went on to say that Madonna’s “invitation to the dance, a slithering, sinister snake rising from a gaudily ornate chalice. The beats are, by design, hypnotic—at once alluring and devious. With Erotica, Madonna promises to get you off, but not without giving you something”.
Today In Madonna History 