Madonna's follow-up album to her debut smash was of course LIKE A VIRGIN, released on November 12, 1984 and produced by legendary Nile Rogers of CHIC fame. The album was extremely successful, becoming her first #1 album that yielded five hit singles. LIKE A VIRGIN set a record in becoming the very first solo album by a female to sell over five million copies in the US alone, and remains one of the biggest selling albums of all time with sales of over 22 million copies worldwide. Her first album introduced the world to Madonna- LIKE A VIRGIN made her a global superstar overnight and one of the most famous women on the planet.
The title track, "Like A Virgin", was a global smash, becoming Madonna's first #1 single and staying there for an astonishing six weeks. The song is one of the most memorable tunes of the decade and one Madonna is probably most associated with.
"Material Girl", the second single, was another monster hit. The song would peak at #2 on the charts, and the video homaged Marilyn Monroe. "Material Girl" became one of Madonna's signature songs and most memorable videos.
The third single off the album was "Angel". The song peaked at #5, even with no official video and no live performances. It's a song Madonna has never performed live, to my knowledge.
Madonna would have another smash hit peaking at #5 with "Dress You Up". The song was the opening number from her VIRGIN tour she launched to promote the album, and the footage from that was used as the music video, which honestly works quite well. Many of her live performances could easily be music videos and this is no exception. Her outfit, the choreography, and colors all scream 1985.
Featured on the re-issue of the LIKE A VIRGIN album, "Into the Groove" was released outside North America as a single and as the B-side of "Angel" in the US. The song was featured in her feature film debut DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN and Billboard named the song Dance Single of the Decade.
