Spring Break
Madonna's Career Spans Decades
The Playlist
Stephen Ortiz
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: Focus
It was 26 years ago, 1982 for those who can't do math, when a young woman from Bay City, Mich., made it big. The song was "Everybody" and it found instant success on the American dance charts. One year later, it was "Burning Up," and then, finally, in 1984 came "Like A Virgin." The rest is what some may say is history, but this history continues to write itself as the queen of pop readies her 11th studio album, "Hard Candy."
Now, at 49 years old, Madonna's career has been one of hits, misses and controversy, leading up to her entry last week into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. In honor of her career and this momentous occasion, I've compiled the top five Madonna songs counted down in chronological order.
"Like A Virgin"
Album: "Like A Virgin" (1984)
Why: Arguably Madonna's most well known song in her 26-year-long career, "Like A Virgin" showed the world what she was to be remembered as - controversial. A song about reality-altering romance, "Like A Virgin" was Madonna's first No. 1 single on the U.S. Hot 100 charts thanks to its bubbly demeanor and innocent feel blended in with its less than appropriate deeper meaning. The song was first performed at the 1984 MTV Music Video Awards, a performance I'm sure almost everyone is familiar with as Madonna wore a wedding dress and rolled around on stage behaving a tad inappropriately.
"Papa Don't Preach"
Album: "True Blue" (1986)
Why: Continuing in her vein of controversy, Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" was the story of a young girl who is confessing to her father that she is pregnant, that she's keeping it and that she doesn't want to hear any of his talk. You go girl. The situation was a bit more taboo then than it is now and almost everyone from parents to religious organizations had problems with it because they felt it glorified teen pregnancy. Regardless, it was catchy and it was different.
"Like A Prayer"
Album: "Like A Prayer" (1989)
Now, at 49 years old, Madonna's career has been one of hits, misses and controversy, leading up to her entry last week into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. In honor of her career and this momentous occasion, I've compiled the top five Madonna songs counted down in chronological order.
"Like A Virgin"
Album: "Like A Virgin" (1984)
Why: Arguably Madonna's most well known song in her 26-year-long career, "Like A Virgin" showed the world what she was to be remembered as - controversial. A song about reality-altering romance, "Like A Virgin" was Madonna's first No. 1 single on the U.S. Hot 100 charts thanks to its bubbly demeanor and innocent feel blended in with its less than appropriate deeper meaning. The song was first performed at the 1984 MTV Music Video Awards, a performance I'm sure almost everyone is familiar with as Madonna wore a wedding dress and rolled around on stage behaving a tad inappropriately.
"Papa Don't Preach"
Album: "True Blue" (1986)
Why: Continuing in her vein of controversy, Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" was the story of a young girl who is confessing to her father that she is pregnant, that she's keeping it and that she doesn't want to hear any of his talk. You go girl. The situation was a bit more taboo then than it is now and almost everyone from parents to religious organizations had problems with it because they felt it glorified teen pregnancy. Regardless, it was catchy and it was different.
"Like A Prayer"
Album: "Like A Prayer" (1989)
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