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.
Tag Archives: Live Videos
Today in Madonna History: May 9, 1991
On May 9 1991, a new music video for Like A Virgin featuring live and behind-the-scenes footage was released exclusively to MTV in the U.S. to promote the film Truth Or Dare. Outside the U.S., video channels were instead serviced with a live video for Holiday (which was eventually issued within the U.S. as well).
The Truth Or Dare clip for Like A Virgin was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards in 1991: Best Choreography and Best Female Video. It marked the third time that a video for Like A Virgin had been nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography. The original video received three nominations in 1985 including a nod for best Choreography, and another live clip (which was also released exclusively to MTV) to promote the home video release of The Virgin Tour was also nominated in the category in 1986. Despite the numerous nominations, none of the three videos for Like A Virgin garnered any trophies from MTV.
Today in Madonna History: April 26, 1994
On April 26 1994, The Girlie Show – Live Down Under was released by Warner-Reprise Video on VHS and laserdisc.
The concert – recorded on November 19, 1993 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia – was a re-edited version of the concert special that had aired live on HBO. It was directed by Mark “Aldo” Miceli, who directed the live screens on Madonna’s 1990 and 1993 tours, as well as the Blond Ambition Japan Tour 90 VHS/laserdisc release. The Girlie Show – Live Down Under was nominated for a Grammy in 1995 for Best Long Form Music Video and was also one of the first concerts to be commercially issued on DVD in 1998.
Today in Madonna History: April 24, 2007
On April 24 2007, Liz Rosenberg posted an article on Madonna.com remembering Madonna’s very first single that started it all:
It may seem like only yesterday but 25 years ago on April 24, 1982, Sire Records honcho Seymour Stein released a single called Everybody on Warner Bros. Records by an unknown singer from Rochester, Michigan by the name of Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone. To say the world would never be the same is an understatement. The song went on to become a huge dancefloor hit and was heard all over the radio in the Summer of 1982. That little girl from Michigan would go on to become one of the most famous entertainers and cultural icons in history – selling close to 200 million records and remaining a star of enormous magnitude and influence for the next 25 years. She’s just getting started. Long Live the Queen and Happy Anniversary to Madonna.
The announcement came as a surprise to many fans who had always understood the release date of Everybody to be October 6, 1982. While the erroneous April date was likely just a simple mistake on Liz’s part, the lack of any official retraction/correction to the post has led to much confusion about the single’s release date in the years since, with the press often assuming the April date to be factual given its reputable source. However, the sequencing of the catalogue numbers for both the promotional and commercial releases of Everybody, as well as its charting chronology, offer clear evidence that its originally reported release date of October 6, 1982 is in fact the accurate one.
Today in Madonna History: April 11, 2006
On April 11 2006, Confessions Remixed, a triple 12″ vinyl set compiling Confessions On A Dance Floor remixes by Stuart Price was released by Warner Bros. Records. The limited edition set was issued in the U.S. and in Europe with a reported run of 3,000 copies pressed.
Considering the fact that many record shops still carry new copies of the set, we wouldn’t be surprised if the actual run was 3,000 in the U.S. and another 3,000 in Europe. Or perhaps its lack of any previously unreleased remixes and roughly fifty-dollar price tag simply stirred limited interest.
Today in Madonna History: March 28, 2004
On March 28 2004, Madonna.com confirmed that the following dates for the Re-Invention Tour had sold out:
LONDON – Earls Court – 2 shows SOLD OUT (90 minutes per show)
TORONTO – Air Canada Centre – 3 shows SOLD OUT (1 hour 20 minutes)
CHICAGO – United Center – 3 shows SOLD OUT (2 hours)
FT. LAUDERDALE – Office Depot Center – 1 show SOLD OUT
MIAMI – American Airlines Arena – 1 show SOLD OUT
LAS VEGAS – 1 show SOLD OUT
Today in Madonna History: January 16, 1993
On January 16 1993, Madonna was musical guest on NBC-TV’s Saturday Night Live, performing Fever and Bad Girl. She also appeared in the show’s opening skit – a humorous homage to Marilyn Monroe – alongside the late comedians Phil Hartman and Jan Hooks.
Perhaps a little too into character or, more likely, a little too nervous – she managed to flub the show’s signature intro tag line during the live broadcast, with the mistake being subsequently edited out of all repeated airings of the episode.
Fortunately any nervous energy quickly dissipated once Madonna took to the musical stage, where she delivered a stunningly confident and nuanced vocal performance backed by an equally impressive new band (which included several members that would be recruited for her Girlie Show tour later in the year). It was Madonna’s only live performance of Bad Girl to date, and despite many appearances on SNL, her only inclusion as featured musical guest.
The episode was hosted by Harvey Keitel, who was only weeks away from working with Madonna again in the film Dangerous Game (then known as Snake Eyes) which began shooting in February.
Would you like to see Madonna return to SNL as musical guest?
Today In Madonna History 