1982–1985: Rise to fame

In 1982, Madonna signed a singles deal with Sire Records, a new wave label belonging to Warner Bros. Records, that paid her $5,000 per song.[citation needed] Her first release, on October 6, 1982, was Everybody, a self-written song produced by Mark Kamins (the U.S. 12 single was released on April 24, 1982). It became a hit on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Chart peaking at #3, but failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Burning Up followed in 1983, and was also a success on the U.S. dance charts peaking at #3. These results convinced Sire Records' executives to finance an album.


Like a Virgin (1984), directed by Mary Lambert, was shot in Venice, Italy and featured Madonna dancing on a gondola in a wedding dress.Her debut album, Madonna, a collection of dance songs, was primarily produced by Reggie Lucas, but in the process both realized they could not work well together.[citation needed] After initial production on the album was completed, Madonna took the record to her then boyfriend, John Jellybean Benitez, who remixed and rearranged it. It reached number eight on the U.S. albums chart and contained three successful Hot 100 singles, Holiday (#16-U.S.), Borderline (#10-U.S.), and Lucky Star (#4-U.S.). At the time of its release, Madonna sold three million copies worldwide, one million of those in the U.S. It has since been certified with current sales of 8 million worldwide.

As Madonna rose to fame, her signature look portrayed in photographs, live performances and music videos, became increasingly influential among young women. Defined by lace tops, skirts over Capri pants, fishnet stockings, jewelry bearing the Christian cross, and bleached hair, this distinctive style became an iconic female fashion trend in the 1980s.

Her follow up album, Like a Virgin, became her first number one album on the U.S. albums chart. Buoyed by the success of its title track, Like a Virgin, which reached number one in the U.S. with a six week stay at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, as well as hit singles with Material Girl (#2-U.S., kept out of the number one spot by USA for Africa's We Are the World single), Angel (#5-U.S.) and Dress You Up (#5-U.S.). The album sold twelve million copies at its time of release and currently stands at 21 million copies worldwide. It produced four top-five singles also in the UK. She performed the title song at the first MTV Video Music Awards, during which she writhed on the stage, on top of a wedding cake, wearing a combination bustier/wedding gown, lacy stockings, garters, and her then-trademark Boy Toy belt.

In 1985, Madonna entered mainstream films, beginning with a brief appearance as a club singer in the film Vision Quest. The soundtrack to the film contained her second U.S. number one pop hit, the Grammy-nominated ballad Crazy for You, as well as the UK hit Gambler. Later that year, she appeared in Desperately Seeking Susan. The film introduced the dance song Into the Groove, which was released as the B-side of the U.S. 12 single Angel, and became an international hit, her first number one in the UK.

Madonna embarked on her first concert tour in the U.S. in 1985 titled The Virgin Tour, with opening act The Beastie Boys.

In July 1985, Penthouse and Playboy magazines published a number of black and white nude photos of Madonna taken in the late 1970s. The publications caused public controversy. Madonna at first tried to block them from being published, but later remained unapologetic and defiant. Speaking to a global audience at the outdoor Live Aid charity concert at the height of the controversy, Madonna made a critical reference to the media and stated she would not take her jacket off, despite the heat, because they might hold it against me ten years from now. Madonna later appeared on the cover of the NY Post newspaper, quoted as saying about the photographs I'm NOT ashamed