Tag Archives: Lucky Star

Today in Madonna History: July 27, 1983

July 27, 2026 By in 1983, July Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

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On July 27 1983, Madonna’s eponymous debut album was released by Sire Records. The record was renamed Madonna: The First Album for the 1985 international re-release of the album. When a remastered version of the album was issued on CD in 2001 (with bonus tracks) and later on vinyl (without bonus tracks), the original artwork was restored and the album title reverted to simply Madonna across all markets.

The album included 8 tracks (produced by Reggie Lucas, *John “Jellybean” Benitez & **Mark Kamins):

  1. Lucky Star
  2. Borderline
  3. Burning Up
  4. I Know It
  5. *Holiday
  6. Think of Me
  7. Physical Attraction
  8. **Everybody

Five singles were issued from the album (the release chronology of some singles varied by market/country):

  1. Everybody
  2. Burning Up
  3. Holiday
  4. Borderline
  5. Lucky Star

“Madonna was unhappy with the whole album, so I went in and sweetened up a lot of music for her, adding some guitars to ‘Lucky Star’, some voices, some magic… I just wanted to do the best job I could do for her. When we would playback ‘Holiday’ or ‘Lucky Star’, you could see that she was overwhelmed by how great it all sounded. You wanted to help her, you know? As much as she could be a bitch, when you were in a groove with her, it was very cool, very creative.”

— John “Jellybean” Benitez talking about Madonna and the album.

“I’ve refrained over the years in addressing aspects of Madonna’s career because I’m not a person who likes negative discussions. But what I will say is that in Madonna’s ascent to fame and fortune, there’s been a pretty vicious competition for credit in being involved. In other words, someone will say, ‘I launched Madonna.’ If I talk to a lot of people today, I will say I was Madonna’s first producer. I produced six of the eight tracks on her first record. I would say nine times out of 10, their response will be, ‘Oh yeah, I thought Jellybean did that.’ But Jellybean didn’t do that. Jellybean was a remixer, and we didn’t have time to remix records. It wasn’t something that I was interested in doing. Somewhere in this process of publicists and personal relationships, somehow he came out as the guy. Just for the record, one tires in a lifetime of hearing someone taking credit for something that you’ve done. Jellybean produced ‘Holiday’ and he remixed a couple of tracks, but remixing tracks for radio isn’t the same thing as producing one of the major breakout pop stars of the 1980s…it’s almost like I was fired or something. I wasn’t fired. I finished the record…and they put it out and sold a bunch of records. And everybody else ran around trying to take credit for it because it was so big that they couldn’t help themselves. … I must say, Madonna was great to work with in the studio. She really put in the work. She was a creative person.”

— Reggie Lucas, producer of Madonna’s first album.

Although its authenticity is unconfirmed, this is said to be an early track list of the album.

Today in Madonna History: June 8, 2026

June 8, 2026 By in 2026, June Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

On June 8, 2026, Confessions II – The Film premiered globally on YouTube, giving fans their first full look at the visual world surrounding Madonna’s upcoming album, Confessions II.

The nearly 14-minute film had premiered three days earlier at the Tribeca Festival in New York. Directed by David Toro and Solomon Chase of TORSO, the project was created as a cinematic companion to the album and features previews of six new songs.

Dolce & Gabbana partnered with Madonna on the film and curated the wardrobe for Madonna and the extended cast, adding another chapter to one of her longest-running fashion relationships.

The release quickly became a fan event, with appearances from Julia Garner, Lourdes Leon, Kate Moss, Debi Mazar, Benedict Cumberbatch, Gwendoline Christie, Richard E. Grant, Odessa A’zion, Archie Madekwe, Arca, Honey Dijon, Shygirl, Sabrina Carpenter, Cole Palmer, and João Pedro.

For longtime fans, the details mattered. The film includes references to Madonna’s early New York story, Danceteria, paparazzi culture, club life, and earlier visual eras, with nods to “Lucky Star,” “Into the Groove,” “Deeper and Deeper,” and “Hung Up.” Slant Magazine called the short film a “phantasmagoric disco dream,” a fitting description for a project built around memory, nightlife, fame, and reinvention.

A Madonna visual moment that once might have lived on MTV, VHS, DVD, or a limited festival screen was now available worldwide on YouTube the same day. More than four decades after Madonna helped redefine the music video as an art form, she was still using the format to build a world around the music.

On this day in Madonna history, the dance floor opened again.

Today in Madonna History: November 17, 1984

November 18, 2025 By in 1984, November Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

On November 17 1984, the title-track and lead single from Madonna’s Like A Virgin album entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #48 – the week’s highest debut – hot on the heels of its commercial release as a 7-inch single in the preceding sales week. A commercial 12-inch single was also issued in North America during the chart week ending November 17th, with Like A Virgin pouncing onto the Hot Dance/Disco Sales chart at #26 in the November 24th issue of Billboard.

Created by the successful pop songwriting team of Tom Kelly & Billy Steinberg and produced by Nile Rodgers, the demo of Like A Virgin – sung by Kelly – was initially introduced to Madonna by Warner Bros. Records’ A&R rep Michael Ostin (son of then-CEO of Warner, Mo Ostin).

In a 2009 interview for Rolling Stone magazine, Madonna recalled her impressions upon first listening to the demos of Like A Virgin and its follow-up single, Material Girl:

“I liked them both because they were ironic and provocative at the same time but also unlike me. I am not a materialistic person, and I certainly wasn’t a virgin, and, by the way, how can you be like a virgin? I liked the play on words; I thought they were clever. They’re so geeky, they’re cool. I never realized they would become my signature songs, especially the second one.”

As audio engineer Jason Corsaro noted in a 2007 interview with Sound On Sound magazine, although she officially ceded production credit to Rodgers, Madonna was actively engaged in all aspects of the recording sessions for the album and title-track:

“Nile was there most of the time, but she was there all of the time. She never left.”

Like A Virgin made a high-profile debut via live performance during the first annual MTV Video Music Awards on September 14th, 1984.

With previous single Lucky Star still ascending the North American charts, however, the official release of Like A Virgin was held back by Warner Bros. Records in a bid to allow the former (along with its parent album) to reach its full chart potential. This strategy proved successful, with Madonna earning her first U.S. Top-5 single with Lucky Star in the October 20th issue of Billboard, while Like A Virgin would reach #1 in the December 22nd issue.

Today in Madonna History: August 25, 1984

August 25, 2025 By in 1984, August Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

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On August 25 1984, Lucky Star entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. at number forty-nine.

Today In Madonna History: March 20, 1991

March 20, 2025 By in 1991, March Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

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On March 20 1991, Madonna’s Madonna VHS video collection was certified multi-platinum (100,000 units) in the USA.

The home video included Madonna’s music videos for: Burning Up, Borderline, Lucky Star and Like A Virgin.

Today in Madonna History: September 8, 1983

September 8, 2024 By in 1983, September Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

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On September 8 1983, Madonna’s Lucky Star single was released in the UK.

Although Lucky Star was issued promotionally as a double A-side with Holiday in the US in September 1983, it was not released commercially in North America until August 1984 when it was issued as the final single from Madonna’s self-titled debut album.

Lucky Star was written by Madonna and produced by Reggie Lucas, with additional remixing by Jellybean Benitez. It is the most successful of her North American singles that were entirely self-written, reaching #4 on the U.S. Hot 100 and #8 in Canada (RPM Top 100). It was also her first Top-5 single in the U.S.

In the U.K., her self-written single Gambler was a bigger hit, reaching #4 in the fall of 1985, while Lucky Star peaked at #14.

Madonna wrote the song in 1982 after landing her first recording contract with Sire Records. It was rumoured to have been written about Mark Kamins, although we’re unsure whether that has ever been confirmed by Madonna herself.

Today in Madonna History: October 20, 1984

October 20, 2023 By in 1984, October Tags: , 1 Comment

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On October 20 1984, Madonna’s Lucky Star hit #4 the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in the USA.

Jellybean Benitez said this of the Lucky Star recording session:

“She was unhappy with the whole damn thing, so I went in and sweetened up a lot of music for her, adding some guitars to Lucky Star, some voices, some magic.  I just wanted to do the best job I could do for her. When we would play back Holiday or Lucky Star, you could see that she was overwhelmed by how great it all sounded. You wanted to help her, you know? As much as she could be a bitch, when you were in the groove with her, it was very cool, very creative.”