Turn up the music, because today marks the 30th anniversary of Madonna‘s debut, self-titled album!
Though it wasn’t widely recognized by critics until months after its release, “Madonna” officially hit store shelves on this day in 1983. In the decades since, the Queen of Pop has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and earned her title as the best-selling female recording artist of all time. Oh, she’s also a billionaire!
But what makes Madonna so great? To save ourselves a 200-page essay, we’ll just jump on the bandwagon and say it’s her “ability to reinvent herself.” We’ve all heard that before, right?
So on this historic day, let’s take a look at some ways the Queen has reinvented her debut work of art with these Six Ways To Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Madonna’s Debut Album:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
1. Get drunk at a gay bar
It is a well known fact that Madonna began her career crawling around the vodka-soaked floors of New York City’s gay bars. She performed at all the great establishments of yesteryear, back when pompous gay men in the audience could still ask “Who the hell is this woman? Ugh, I’m getting another drink.” Above, watch Madonna perform the first dance hit—”Everybody”—from her debut album in her first gay club appearance ever. Ever!
2. Do some passive high kicks
Madonna sure did! In this rare official music video for “Holiday” styled by her brother, passive high kicks are pretty much the only thing she’s doing with these stylish backup dancers. Though this tune was originally offered to Mary Wilson, a former member of The Supremes, it’s been hailed as the most-performed song from Madonna’s first album.
3. Dazzle your friends with a custom cape
Maybe you don’t have an electric custom cape at home, but that’s nothing an old blanket and a big imagination can’t fix! “Lucky Star” was included on Madonna’s debut album, but she didn’t perform it live for nearly two decades until the Confessions tour in 2005. This cape was crafted from over 12,000 LED lights and cost Madonna a cool $24,000. (We made that last part up, but it’s totally believable because Madonna is almost a billionaire.)
4. Have a jam sesh with your friends
Dust off that guitar and dig up the drumsticks, because today, you will have an epic jam sesh with your closest friends. Madonna completely reinvented “Borderline”, her first song about orgasms, in 2008’s Sticky & Sweet Tour with the addition of a guitar—and if you can fake-play as well as her, you’ll look just as great! Included on Madonna’s debut album, this song was her very first Top 10 hit.
5. Appreciate Madonna’s legacy
It’s safe to say that Britney Spears is Madonna’s prodigal industry child. Britney has often cited Madonna as the force that inspired her musical dreams, and 28 years after Madonna released “Burning Up” on her debut album, Britney gave it a twist and re-sold it during the Femme Fatale Tour in 2011. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
6. VOGUE!
The song that inspired a global cultural phenomenon didn’t debut until seven years after the release of Madonna’s debut album, but how can you NOT Vogue right now?!
MMDD
First CD I ever bought, way back in 1985. Still a great, fun album. I miss those days, back when pop radio still played good music.
Scribe38
I love the clip of vogue at the mtv awards. Top of her game then!
boring
Nope.
QJ201
1. Fuck some musician meet his contacts then drop him like a hot potato
2. Marry a psycho and then divorce him
3. Have unprotected sex with a hot latin guy and get pregnant
4. Marry a foreigner and move to another country and pick up a fake accent
5. Adopt a baby from a foreign country with cameras rolling
6. Keep trying to act to convince people you can
Homophile
@QJ201:
You forgot:
7. Make bitter queens jealous.
Scribe38
@Homophile: lol. Thanks
freedoomboy
@Homophile: Best retort I’ve seen on here!!
krystalkleer
@boring: don’t be so HARD on yerself …trust me…you…like that comment…ARE!
krystalkleer
@QJ201: welcome to snoreville…table fer one bitter mo!