TRUE BLUE ALBUM

     On June 30, 1986, an album would be released that would go on not only to become Madonna's most successful studio album to date, but one of the top selling albums of all time. Madonna's third studio album, the follow-up to the massively successful LIKE A VIRGIN album, was called TRUE BLUE and dedicated to her new husband, Sean Penn. Madonna stripped off all the makeup and jewelry and delivered a more mature and sophisticated look and sound. Taut and stylish, the album was a bona-fide extravaganza, yielding five top ten smashes, including three #1's.

"Live To Tell" was the first single off the album. A powerful ballad, it was a different direction than before when it came to Madonna's songs. "Crazy For You" had proven Madonna could pull off a ballad, and she took it to another level with "Live To Tell". The song was also featured in Sean Penn's film, AT CLOSE RANGE. "Live To Tell" quickly went to #1 on the charts and is easily one of Madonna's most powerful and beloved songs.

   



     "Papa Don't Preach" was the second single off the album, and repeating the success of "Live To Tell", it quickly shot to the top spot on the charts. Controversial as hell, the song became a smash summer hit, with Madonna delivering some of her most passionate singing to date. Madonna was quickly becoming one of MTV's most daring and artistic video artists, and "Papa Don't Preach" pretty much cemented that fact. Shot like a mini-movie, the clip was immensely popular, sweeping the MTV Video Music Awards as VIDEO OF THE YEAR. A classic video.






     The third single off the TRUE BLUE album was the title track- a sweet, catchy ditty dedicated to her husband and gleefully inspired by the girl groups of the 1960's. "True Blue" was a top 5 hit, peaking at #3 on the Billboard charts. It sounded like nothing else on the radio at the time.






     Madonna wasn't finished hitting #1 on the charts yet. For her fourth single, she went all out with a knockout song and music video that was daring, sexy, and like nothing we had ever seen before. "Open Your Heart" was relentlessly catchy and tore up the airwaves yet again. The song was a huge hit, and the video was just as successful. She looks absolutely smashing here- yet another timeless, iconic clip that was also nominated for Best Video of the Year.

 





     The fifth and final song released off the album would once again go on to become one of her most legendary and loved songs- "La Isla Bonita". Stalling at #4, the song was a sizzling ode to Latin culture that came with another delicious music video. Madonna delivered another iconic costume and look for the video, looking sensational in that red Spanish dress. Only Madonna could pull this off.