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Madonna news - Nov. 2019
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L'Official interview: Madonna has always been a fighter
Source: L'Official USA - 30 Nov. 2019The icon's close friend and collaborator, Donatella Versace, pays tribute to her many talents.
"They are so naive; they think we are not aware of their crimes. We know, but we are just not ready to act. The storm isn't in the air, it's inside of us. I want to tell you about love and loneliness, But it's getting late now. Can't you hear outside of your Supreme hoodie, the wind that's beginning to howl?"
Thus ends the song "Dark Ballet," the second track on Madonna's latest album, Madame X. It's a strong, powerful message, which only Madonna is brave enough to unleash on the world. Her social justice activism is matched only by the absolute discipline she applies to her work in the studio and on the stage. And that is how it's always been.
When I was asked to write this introduction, I became reflective. I have known Madonna for many, many years. She has been the star of three Versace advertising campaigns. But more than the celebrity, I have had the rare fortune of getting to know the woman. Of talking to her not only about work, but about life.
Because Madonna is extremely informed and culturally aware she can hold her own on any subject from music to art; on politics and our environmental crisis. In her latest album, I have found that same spirit of protest we first saw in her early work. Her only mission then seemed to be to shock the world – whereas her real goal was and has always been to expose things which, as a society, we didn't have the courage to discuss. That is why she has always been criticized, misunderstood, minimized, and at times, vilified.
Her reaction was to crucify herself voluntarily. During the Confessions tour, there was a really powerful moment when she enters the scene on an enormous cross, wearing a crown of thorns, to sing "Live To Tell."
Her beauty is—and excuse the word-play—divine.
Everyone saw Madonna on the cross as another one of her "provocations"—because the intelligentsia have never taken her seriously. A woman who dares to lift her head up and say what she thinks? To expose the rot we are all trying to hide? No one noticed that, in reality, the message she sought to convey was a much different one. When the count on the screens stops, the information, which leaves you breathless—like a punch in the stomach—begins to appear. It's the number of children who would soon die from AIDS if society didn't do something to help them, not just with medicine, but through prevention, research, education, and discussion.
In reality, we were all crucified, yet many of us hadn't realized it yet.
Madame X really struck a chord with me. I listen to lots of music, especially music that experiments with sound. In this album, I not only found experimentation, but also powerful, relevant lyrics. I found a Madonna uninterested in currying favor. I found the Madonna of Like a Prayer and of American Life—perhaps one of her least understood albums.
Not long ago, Like a Prayer turned thirty years old. I can still remember the scent when I opened the CD sleeve. Despite the cultural stigma of AIDS, the record was accompanied by lyrics that focused on the epidemic that was claiming so many victims and on the importance of global education about a monumental health crisis that would touch all of society, and which above all required compassion and empathy for those infected.
The day after the launch of the video, religious groups all over the world protested against the use of Catholic imagery, and even the Pope went out of his way to ask "fans" to boycott the disk.
Both tracks went straight to number one on the charts and sold over 15 million copies. The album became a manifesto for the battle against those who want to keep us ignorant and oppressed, against stereotypes, against all those who want a society trapped by bigoted and ignorant preconceptions.
That is what Madonna has always been to me: A lioness. A fighter.
Besides the records sold, besides her ability to interpret society like no other artist, to create fashions that have inspired us all; besides the countless records made and awards won, Madonna to me, more than a fantastic performer and the female artist who has sold the most records in the history of music (well, yes...), is a woman. A mother, a great businesswoman, one who began marketing before the word or even the discipline had been invented, and who has always challenged us to be a more cohesive society, to fight together against injustice and to respect our neighbor.
I admire Madonna's fearlessness. She has never been afraid to go out on a limb. In concert, always, she asks the crowd: How many people talk the talk and how many walk the walk?
She even did it physically in her controversial book Sex—another ground-breaking, record-breaking project which can only be found today second- or third-hand. She accomplished this radical artistic and cultural statement by laying her ideas bare.
The day before the American elections in 2016, on a cold late-fall evening in New York, she made a surprise performance in Washington Square Park before hundreds of people who quickly gathered around her. She appeared with just a guitar and her desire to keep on believing.
After the terrorist attacks in Paris the year before, she had done the very same thing.
With a lexicon of words that fail to adequately describe her, I return to one: brave.
While a song cannot give us back what we have lost; it can definitely help and support those in need. And there she was again, with her face and her body to say: I am here in person, and not just with words.
Today, certain messages may seem obvious or even cleverly masterminded. Almost 40 years ago, they weren't. And even if just one person in the world still feels the need to claim these rights, it is because the world we live in could be a better place. Because enough is not being done, because women are still not treated equally to men, because if Madonna were a man...she probably would be the President of the United States.
I know her well. It is not just her mind, but her heart, that wages this lifelong campaign against injustice.
I met Madonna in New York a few months ago for World Pride, which she supported with a mini-concert to round off a very important month for the LGBTQ+ community.
I saw she had the same curious gaze she had when she was a young girl, and the same burning desire to make herself heard, to not be intimidated, and to keep going despite those who do and always will criticize her, no matter what.
It is no longer a question of how many records she sells, but of continuing to do what she has always done better than anyone else: to make us think.
To inspire us to take action.
Live Nation reschedules opening shows in London and Paris
Source: Madonna.com - 29 Nov. 2019It has been announced that the opening shows in London and Paris are being rescheduled.
The opening show of January 26 in London is rescheduled to February 16, now ending the London residency.
The two opening shows in Paris on February 18 and 19 are being rescheduled to March 10 and 11, now ending the Paris residency and the entire tour.
These reschedulings have nothing to do with Madonna's injuries. They are done to create more time between the cities to allow for transportation and installation. This is the same reason why opening shows in Chicago and San Francisco were rescheduled. It's very unfortunate that Live Nation didn't take this into account when preparing the tour.
You can find the current tour schedule here.
Diplo's Madonna concert look proves he's the ultimate fanboy
Source: Vogue - 29 Nov. 2019Diplo is a huge Madonna fan. In addition to working with the iconic pop star in the studio—he collaborated on "Future" from her new album, Madame X—the DJ-producer also attended the 2015 Met Gala with her. (They were rumored to be dating around this time.) He's publicly declared his admiration for her on multiple occasions, once telling Rolling Stone, "She created the world we live in. It already sucks to be a woman in the music industry, but to be a boss woman is even harder." Last night, Diplo kept up his devotion to Madge by attending her concert at the Wiltern in Los Angeles—and his concert look proved he's the ultimate fanboy.
His outfit began with some Madonna merch: a vintage "Music"-themed tee from 2001, featuring Madonna in a blue western-inspired look. (That year was the singer's peak cowgirl moment; remember "Don't Tell Me?") The rest of the ensemble also paid homage to the "Music"- video's rodeo vibe: he wore a tapestry-style zip-up jacket, brown trousers, a huge belt buckle, and suede cowboy boots. He didn't forget his trustee cowboy hat either—something he also wore on the 2019 AMAs red carpet.
Madonna and Lil Nas X bond over beer, horses, and astrology
Source: Papermag - 29 Nov. 2019The forces of Madonna and Lil Nas X collided in Los Angeles during the Queen of Pop's Madame X tour, and thankfully it's all on video. In a clip Madonna posted to Instagram, she sidles up to our fave and asks for a sip of his "thirst-quenching" beer.
After taking a hearty swig and awkwardly joking about backwash, Madonna expresses her excitement that 2019's breakout viral artist is at her concert while flirtatiously tapping his thigh. Lil Nas charmingly responds by stating, "I'm in the presence of a legend. I'm just happy to be here."
Their banter continues, with Madonna calling Lil Nas by his first name, Montero. She invites him to her horse farm, too. Then comes the inevitable Madame X-Lil Nas X collab, as they break into a rendition of "Old Town Road." Madonna even jokingly offers to release a song with Lil Nas X about chickens?
It turns out they're both fire signs — Madge is a Leo, Lil Nas X an Aries — hence the chemistry. The wholesome, weird encounter ends with the two stars wishing the best for each other. We're really just happy Madonna gave Lil Nas X his beer back.
Doctor's orders: Boston shows cancelled!
Source: Madonna.com - 27 Nov. 2019Press release from Live Nation on Madonna.com:
Due to Doctor's orders shows scheduled on November 30, December 1 & 2 at Boston's Boch Center Wang Theatre will not move forward.
No changes to additional 2019 U.S. show dates in Philadelphia and Miami.
Live Nation is sorry to confirm that Madonna's Madame X concerts previously scheduled for November 30th, December 1st and 2nd at The Boch Center Wang Theatre are cancelled due to doctor's orders. We sincerely regret the disappointment to Madonna's Boston fans.
"Please forgive this unexpected turn of events. Doing my show every night brings me so much joy and to cancel is a kind of punishment for me but the pain I'm in right now is overwhelming and I must rest and follow doctor's orders so I can come back stronger and better and continue the Madame ❌ journey with all of you." -Madonna
The Madame X Tour is scheduled to resume on December 7 with three shows at The Met in Philadelphia and then head to Miami at the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre with seven shows starting on December 14. There are no other changes to the remaining 2019 shows in the U.S. at this time.
As we are unable to reschedule the Boston dates due to the tight scheduling through the balance of the year, refunds will be automatically issued to the credit card on which they were ordered.
Casey Spooner posts God Control demo, complaints about not receiving enough compensation
Source: Instagram - 23 Nov. 2019Music producer Casey Spooner, one of the founders of the former electric duo Fischerspooner, has taken to Instagram to complain about God Control. He claims to have co-written the song with Mirwais, but that in his opinion he did not receive enough credit nor compensation for the song.
Even though he posts a copy of the agreement, he now wants to have 1% of Madonna's touring profits.
To prove his involvement, he also posted his demo version of the track.
Madonna on the cover of L'Official Italia Magazine
Source: Facebook - 23 Nov. 2019Madonna graces the cover of the November 2019 issue of L'Officiel Italia Magazine. The cover story features pictures by Ricardo Gomes of Madonna - dressed by Donatella Versace - and her boyfriend Ahlamalik Williams.
Inside Kim and Kourtney Kardashian's night out at Madonna concert
Source: ET Online - 23 Nov. 2019Kim and Kourtney Kardashian had the time of their lives at Madonna's concert!
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians stars attended the music legend's show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on Wednesday. According to a concertgoer, the sisters sat front row center for the over two-hour show that began close to 11 p.m. At one point during the concert, Madonna came off stage to sit and chat with Kim for the rest of the crowd to hear.
Madonna asked Kim if she was enjoying the show, with the reality star assuring the singer she was having the best time. "It's so surreal," Kim said into the mic. "I'm with my sister, Kourtney, and she used to play your records all the time when we were young."
The "Like a Virgin" singer then told the mom of four she wanted to talk about motherhood. When she mentioned that three of her kids, Stelle, Estere and Mercy James, are all up late to be part of the show, she asked Kim if her kids stay up late. Kim said both she and the kids go to bed early, to which Madonna cried, "I don't know how you wake up early and look so beautiful. I look like sh** in the morning. You must be drinking the right juice." Kim exclaimed, "It's eye masks."
The concertgoer tells ET that Madonna then offered Kim some of her beer, but Kim told her she's "not a big drinker." Madonna replied, "Neither am I, but I'm so dehydrated. I'll drink anything." Before returning to the stage, the singer told Kim, "Well, I hope you're having a great time. And if your sister misbehaves, I'm bringing her onstage with me."
While no phones or cameras were allowed inside The Wiltern, Kourtney did post a video of herself entering the venue. She also posted an outfit pic.
Madonna is currently in the middle of her 10-date stay at The Wiltern on her Madame X Tour.
Sister Melanie and Joe Henry join Madonna in group prayer during Madame X Tour
Source: PopCulture - 23 Nov. 2019Madonna's rarely-seen sister Melanie was recently spotted in a clip shared to the singer's Instagram account, as the siblings joined together for a group prayer, amid Madonna's Madame X Tour. In the clip, Madonna and her team are preparing for a show, and they've all gotten together for a pre-show warm-up and prayer. Madonna introduces Melanie, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm so happy to have in this room right now, in this sprayer circle, and in this audience tonight... my sister Melaine."
The "Material Girl" singer went on to say, "No one knows better than her what it's like to survive our toxic and broken family from Michigan... and come out the other end still sane, and not an alcoholic."
Madonna also introduced Joe Henry, who is Melanie's "incredibly talented, wonderful, lovely" husband who is an "amazing singer, songwriter, artist, producer, human being." The singer went on to reveal that she has "written a lot of amazing songs with" Joe.
Earlier this year, around the time her new album Madame X came out, Madonna sat down for a MOJO interview, wherein she opened up about her early musical influences.
"I grew up listening to Edith Piaf, listening to Nina Simone… Those singers really moved me. So did David Bowie… Then studying dance and listening to classical music and studying at the Martha Graham school and hearing all the composers that she worked with," she said, later adding, "I had a lot of musical influences growing up. My older brothers were really into jazz when I was growing up, so I heard a lot of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis and I can be really moved by all of those people."
She then went on to speak specifically about the influence that Bowie had on her, revealing that he was the first artist she ever saw in concert.
"I remember just being frozen. Rigid," she recalled. "Like, staring up at this creature thinking, 'Oh my God, he's everything. He's male and female and beautiful and elegant and poetic and funny and ironic and other-worldly.' And I recognised myself in him somehow and he gave me license to dream a different future for myself."
Tracy Young gets Grammy nomination for 'I Rise' remix
Source: Instinct Magazine - 23 Nov. 2019Tracy Young has spun at legendary events like Britney Spears 21st birthday party, Kylie Minogue's 2011 North American Tour, & even Madonna & Guy Ritchie's wedding in Scotland. After these lofty achievements and racking up 50 (FIFTY!) #1 Billboard Dance Club Hits, Young may need to make a little more room on her mantle for one of the biggest achievements anyone in the recording industry could ask for; that much sought after Grammy.
It was announced this week that Tracy Young has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording for her work on Madonna's single "I Rise" from her Madame X album ("Tracy Young's Pride Radio Intro Mix" received the honor). While a Grammy nomination itself is a true honor, Young holds the especially dubious honor of being the first female producer to ever be nominated in the category.
Young shares this nomination with: "Mother's Daughter (Wuki Remix)," Wuki, remixer (Miley Cyrus) "The One (High Contrast Remix)," Lincoln Barrett, remixer (Jorja Smith) "Swim (Ford. Remix)," Luc Bradford, remixer (Mild Minds) "Work it (Soulwax Remix)," David Gerard C Dewaele & Stephen Antoine C Dewaele, remixers (Marie Davidson).
No Bruce Springsteen, no Sheryl Crow, no Madonna — Have Grammys become ageist?
Source: Variety - 23 Nov. 2019Once viewed as favoring over-the-hill musicians too much, the Grammys now seem disinclined to nominate anyone over 40 at all.
For years, the Grammys fielded all-too-familiar accusations over some of the more head-scratching choices. Critics charged them with being out of touch with modern music. Exhibit A, for album of the year: They often turned that contest into a de facto lifetime achievement award, recognizing releases by acts who were in the sunset of their artistic careers, like Steely Dan and Herbie Hancock, while continually passing over deserving younger stars like Beyoncé and Kanye West.
The Recording Academy attempted to address its seemingly terminal unhipness by inviting younger and more diverse members into the voting body. That led to more in-with-the-times recent album of the year coronations like Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons and, last February, Kacey Musgraves. But has the younger- and hipper-skewing Grammys come at the expense of veteran acts who are old enough to remember an era when vinyl was on the way out, not back in?
Some of the glaring 2020 snubs beg the question. Bruce Springsteen, 70, released one of the most acclaimed albums of the year, "Western Stars," which was accompanied by a well-received documentary, yet the rock 'n' roll icon, who is batting 0 for 2 in Album of the Year, didn't earn a single nomination. Neither did former Grammy darling Sheryl Crow, 57, who has won nine times but hasn't been nominated since 2009, despite the fact that "Threads" will, by her account, be her last full-length studio album. Then there's Madonna, 61, whose Madame X was a commercial flop but at least united otherwise polarized critics in noting how daring it was for a veteran artist. Shut out in any category this year, she will extend her streak of never winning in any of the four big categories.
Age is definitely more than a number when it comes to Grammy frontburner contests: Four of the lead performers in record of the year aren't old enough to rent a car and three others were born after the '80s. Across the board, the nominees are short on truly seasoned talent, unless you consider Ariana Grande, Bon Iver and Lana Del Rey, all of whom came to prominence this decade, to be vets. Lady Gaga, 33, managed three nods, including song of the year for the "A Star Is Born" track "Always Remember Us This Way," but she couldn't swing one for the overall soundtrack. Beyoncé, 38, got four nominations in secondary categories — none for the album version of her groundbreaking "Homecoming," which couldn't rise above the Academy's aversion to live sets and current obsession with newly minted talent.
For the second straight year, every album of the year nominee is under 40. Meanwhile, Billy Ray Cyrus, 57, a guest artist on Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," is the only over-40 up for record of the year, and Tanya Tucker, 61, is the only singer of a song of the year nominee who was already a star when Billie Eilish was born. These days, it's hard to imagine fairly recent veteran album of the year winners like Robert Plant, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles or, yes, two-time champs U2 even scoring nominations.
Alas, all is not lost for the over-40 recording crowd. Tucker, previously a 10-time nominee, could win her first Grammy, thanks to the four nominations netted by her 2019 comeback album "While I'm Livin'." One might get the impression that her 2020 Grammy love might have a lot to do with her hip Grammy-bait producer Brandi Carlile, but country voters generally are still fairly kind to vets. Three of them — Willie Nelson, 86, Blake Shelton, 43, and Tucker — are competing for best country performance, while Tucker and Reba McEntire, 64, are both up for best country album.
And even if you're not a little bit country, if you're past retirement age, you can still score Grammy affection in the minor categories. At 87 (70 years older than Billie Eilish!), the legendary conductor and composer John Williams has earned his 68th and 69th nominations, best instrumental composition for "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite" and best arrangement, instrumental or a capella, for "Hedwig's Theme."
Despite his extra-vintage status, he has a pretty good shot at winning for the 24th and 25th times. He probably can thank Eilish, Lizzo and Lil Nas X for staying out of his lane on the old-timer road.
Madonna ranks 5th in Billboard Top 125 Greatest Artists of All Time
Source: Billboard - 15 Nov. 2019On the occasion of Billboard's 125th anniversary, their charts team created a new chart ranking: Billboard's Top 125 Artists of All Time.
Using a formula blending all titles tallied on both the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart (since its inception on Aug. 4, 1958) and the Billboard 200 albums chart (since it became a combined stereo/mono survey on Aug. 17, 1963), they assembled a list of music's all-time top artists.
Madonna ranks at No. 5. She has scored 12 Hot 100 No. 1s and nine Billboard 200 toppers, while her 38 Hot 100 top 10s remain a record. Plus, of all the acts in the Top 125 Artists of All Time chart's top five, she has led the Billboard 200 most recently, with her latest LP, Madame X, in June.
The ranking is topped by The Beatles, followed by The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Mariah Carey. For full details, read the article here.
'Like A Virgin' turns 35: 10 fast facts
Source: Albumism - 12 Nov. 2019Happy 35th Anniversary to Madonna's second studio album Like A Virgin, originally released November 12, 1984.
Just a young buck of seven years when Like A Virgin was released, my pop music palate was admittedly rather shallow at the time. Growing at full-speed, mind you, but certainly not as extensive as it would become in the years to follow. But despite my musical naiveté, upon hearing the title track and lead single for the first time, my ears instantly registered that this was pop of a totally different and thrilling breed.
Sure, at its core, it was pop music unabashedly designed to make bodies move and dominate radio playlists. Nothing overly cerebral was on offer here – this was Provocative Pop with a capital "P." An arousing collection of songs that challenged the listener to contemplate not just Madonna's overt sexuality on full and glorious display, but also his or her own feelings about sexual freedom, repression and the thin line that often separates the two.
So yeah, it's safe to say that Madonna was my first bona fide pop star crush, and this album—coupled with the ubiquitous images of the then 26 year-old Ms. Ciccone that pervaded MTV and virtually all other media in the year following its release—sealed the deal for me. Granted, at seven years old, I didn't really understand the point of it all, the more subtle innuendos and subtext in the lyrics were largely lost on me. What I did appreciate was that Madonna commanded a stage and screen unlike any performer that came before her, and most importantly, her songs were catchy as all hell.
It's this latter point that still resonates for me, thirty-five years on from Like A Virgin's inception. For such a blockbuster mainstream record—one that has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide—Like A Virgin has aged so well, as it still sounds as fresh and exciting now as it did then. Hold this up against any contemporary pop artist's albums (think Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, et al.), and Like A Virgin still makes for a more deeply addictive and rewarding listen.
And while Madonna's dynamic persona and ascendant musical identity were unquestionably the driving forces behind the album's appeal, the overlooked secret weapon behind the songs' allure was the legendary mega-producer Nile Rodgers. The Chic co-founder's uncanny knack for crafting danceable pop songs with irresistible hooks and unforgettable melodies ensured that the album commanded and sustained the rapt attention of its listeners.
While fans and critics alike typically point to her subsequent albums—Like A Prayer (1989), Bedtime Stories (1994) and Ray Of Light (1998) come immediately to mind—as her greatest achievements on wax, for me, Like A Virgin absolutely deserves inclusion within the discussion of this top tier of her prolific repertoire to date.
10 Fast Facts About Like A Virgin:
(1) The first time that Madonna performed the controversial title track was at the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards on September 14, 1984, roughly seven weeks before the single's official release on October 31, 1984. It remains arguably the most infamously memorable performance in the event's history, for obvious reasons.
(2) The iconic photograph that adorns the album cover was shot by Steven Meisel, the revered fashion photographer who collaborated with Madonna on her provocative Sex coffee table book in 1992, eight years after Like A Virgin's release.
(3) Signaling her growing stature in the pop music sphere, Madonna enlisted Chic co-founder and producer extraordinaire Nile Rodgers to oversee recording sessions for Like A Virgin. Hot on the heels of his production work for David Bowie's massively successful 1983 Let's Dance album, Rodgers invited his Chic bandmates Bernard Edwards (bass) and Tony Thompson (drums) to play on Madonna's second LP, consistent with his greater emphasis on live instrumentation relative to Madonna's synth and drum machine indebted debut album Madonna (1983). "When I was talking to Madonna during the making of Like A Virgin and I got Chic to play on her songs, she kept saying: 'Why don't we just use a drum machine instead?'' Rodgers recently recalled to Classic Pop magazine. "I replied: 'Because if you do that, then anybody can sound like you. But if we play it, then only we will sound like that."
(4) While filming the iconic, Marilyn Monroe inspired music video for "Material Girl," the album's second official single, Madonna met the actor Sean Penn, whom she married seven months later on her 27th birthday (August 16, 1985). Their four-year marriage concluded with the couple's divorce in 1989.
(5) Like A Virgin was Madonna's first album to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Since she achieved the initial milestone, eight of her albums have also reached the top spot, with her most recent album Madame X (2019) debuting at #1 earlier this year.
(6) Though closely associated with Like A Virgin, the hit single "Into The Groove" was not included in the original track sequencing for the album. It was subsequently added to the album's European-only 1985 reissue and appeared in the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan, though it was curiously absent from the soundtrack. "The dance floor was quite a magical place for me," Madonna once reflected in revisiting the song's impetus. "I started off wanting to be a dancer, so that had a lot to do with the song. The freedom that I always feel when I'm dancing, that feeling of inhabiting your body, letting yourself go, expressing yourself through music. I always thought of it as a magical place—even if you're not taking ecstasy."
(7) Although Like A Virgin proved to be a smash success commercially, the critical reception that welcomed her sophomore long player was lukewarm at best, with more than a few critics unwilling to embrace her growing credibility as a pop artist and vocalist. This scrutiny would begin to dissipate, however, with the release of 1986's True Blue and particularly 1989's Like A Prayer, which earned well-deserved critical plaudits across the globe.
(8) On April 10, 1985 at Seattle's Paramount Theatre, Madonna launched The Virgin Tour, her first national tour, which spanned 40 dates in all, concluding in June 1985 with a five-date run split between New York City's historic venues Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden. Though their debut album Licensed To Ill (1986) wouldn't arrive for another year-and-a-half, the Beastie Boys were selected as the tour's opening act. However the upstart hip-hop trio were neither the first nor the second choice to share the billing with Madonna—The Fat Boys and Run-DMC were the preferred picks, but the groups were not available and too expensive, respectively. "I don't know why she thought it would be a good idea," Adam "Ad-Rock" Horowitz said of Madonna and her management's decision to invite the group on the tour during a 1998 SPIN interview. "It was a terrible idea. But it was great for her in a way because we were so awful that by the time she came onstage, the audience had to be happy."
(9) Like A Virgin remains Madonna's highest selling studio album of her career to date in the United States, having earned the coveted diamond certification reflective of 10 million units sold. The rest of her top five selling studio LPs include 1986's True Blue (7 million), her eponymous 1983 debut Madonna (5 million), 1998's Ray Of Light (4 million) and 1989's Like A Prayer (4 million). The 1990 hits compilation The Immaculate Collection has also earned diamond certification status.
(10) Albumism readers and writers disagree with respect to where Like A Virgin ranks within Madonna's studio album discography, with the former ranking it #12 and the latter placing it at #3.
Madonna adds 49th no. 1 on Dance Club Songs Chart with Swae Lee collab 'Crave'
Source: Billboard - 09 Nov. 2019The song is Madonna's third topper from her "Madame X" LP.
Madonna earns her record-extending 49th No. 1 on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart, as "Crave," with Swae Lee, ascends 2-1 on the Nov. 16-dated list.
The chart, and all rankings dated Nov. 16, will refresh on Billboard.com Tuesday, Nov. 12.
"Crave," which marks Lee's first No. 1 on the ranking, was remixed for clubs by Tracy Young, Benny Benassi and DJLW, among a host of others.
With 49 toppers on Dance Club Songs, which measures reports submitted by a national sample of club DJs and which launched as a national survey in the Billboard issue dated Aug. 28, 1976, Madonna outpaces runner-up Rihanna (33 No. 1s), while Beyoncé and Janet Jackson follow with 22 and 20, respectively.
"Crave" is Madonna's third leader, all this year, from her album Madame X, following "Medellín," with Maluma (June 29), and "I Rise" (Aug. 31). Madonna adds her ninth No. 1 this decade and has earned three each from her last three studio albums, with each triple tallied in a single year. Madonna also scored three No. 1s each from 2015's Rebel Heart ("Living for Love," "Ghosttown" and "Bitch I'm Madonna," featuring Nicki Minaj) and 2012's MDNA ("Give Me All Your Luvin'," featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., "Girl Gone Wild" and "Turn Up the Radio").
"Crave" additionally marks Madonna's ninth consecutive Dance Club Songs No. 1, her longest such streak. (Katy Perry holds the record with 18 straight No. 1s in 2009-17.) Twice before, Madonna managed seven straight No. 1s, first with "Causing a Commotion," from the Who's That Girl soundtrack (1987), through "Justify My Love," from her first greatest hits set, The Immaculate Collection (1991), and then with Ray of Light's "Nothing Really Matters" (1999) through Music's "Impressive Instant" (2001). Madonna's current run began with "Luvin' " in 2012.
In celebration of Madonna's newest No. 1, here's an updated look at her Dance Club Songs leaders. (Of note, at various points before Feb. 23, 1991, full albums were eligible to chart, which allowed for a full remix album of Madonna's You Can Dance to reign. Plus, for titles that spent multiple weeks at No. 1, total frames in the lead are noted in parentheses.)
Madonna's 49 Dance Club Songs No. 1s
1983, "Holiday"/"Lucky Star" (five weeks at No. 1)
1984, "Like a Virgin" (four)
1985, "Material Girl"
1985, "Angel"/"Into the Groove"
1987, "Open Your Heart"
1987, "Causing a Commotion (Remix)"
1988, You Can Dance (LP Cuts)
1989, "Like a Prayer" (two)
1989, "Express Yourself" (three)
1990, "Keep It Together"
1990, "Vogue" (two)
1991, "Justify My Love" (two)
1992, "Erotica"
1993, "Deeper and Deeper"
1993, "Fever"
1994, "Secret" (two)
1995, "Bedtime Story"
1997, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
1998, "Frozen" (two)
1998, "Ray of Light" (four)
1999, "Nothing Really Matters" (two)
1999, "Beautiful Stranger" (two)
2000, "American Pie"
2000, "Music" (five)
2001, "Don't Tell Me"
2001, "What It Feels Like for a Girl"
2001, "Impressive Instant" (two)
2002, "Die Another Day" (two)
2003, "American Life"
2003, "Hollywood"
2003, "Me Against the Music," Britney Spears feat. Madonna (two)
2004, "Nothing Fails"
2004, "Love Profusion"
2005, "Hung Up" (four)
2006, "Sorry" (two)
2006, "Get Together"
2006, "Jump" (two)
2008, "4 Minutes," Madonna feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland (two)
2008, "Give It 2 Me"
2009, "Celebration"
2012, "Give Me All Your Luvin'," Madonna feat. Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.
2012, "Girl Gone Wild"
2012, "Turn Up the Radio"
2015, "Living for Love"
2015, "Ghosttown"
2015, "Bitch I'm Madonna," Madonna feat. Nicki Minaj
2019, "Medellín," Madonna & Maluma
2019, "I Rise"
2019, "Crave," Madonna & Swae Lee
Fans boo, chant 'refund' as Madonna starts concert after midnight
Source: Wonderwall - 09 Nov. 2019Many of Madonna's fans expressed themselves on Thursday night (er, rather Friday morning) when she was nearly two hours late for her Las Vegas concert.
An entertainment source tells Wonderwall.com that "over 500 refunds" were issued after Madge eschewed her 10:30 p.m. start time, instead taking the Caesars Palace Colosseum stage past midnight, which is technically Friday morning. The show also ran longer than anticipated, and eventually let out around 2:45 a.m.
Fans, however, weren't pleased with the late start, many of them started booing and chanting the word "refund," according to local reports and Twitter users.
"@madonna is completely disrespectful to audience starting so late. Lost a fan," one person said.
Since doors for the show opened around 8 p.m., many fans were in the venue for over four hours before getting their first glimpse of Madonna.
Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist John Katsilometes tweeted, "Reports that #Madonna took the stage at about 12:30 a.m. at the Colosseum last night/this morning. She is famously late to the stage, but this might be some sort of record."
The blog Breathe Heavy noted, "Some people in attendance were annoyed, so it didn't help that Madonna ribs the audience by essentially calling them poor, cursing up a storm and explaining her political views. It reportedly resulted in boos and chants for refunds."
Many on social media noted that fans were sleeping during the show due to the time.
"You were seriously late to the show your fans payed good $ to see = disrespectful," one Twitter user wrote. "Fans were walking out, if you can't see that's a problem you've a big problem on your hands."
Irked by Madonna's tardiness, one Twitter user said, "1.5 hours late. Indifferent-to-hostile audience. Juvenile attempts at humor met with audience silence. I've never seen anyone less in control of a room. Truly amateurish."
The tweets all came after the concert was over in the wee hours of the morning, as the show was "phone free," meaning concertgoers had to lock up up their cell phones.
Madge's defenders noted that Madonna has been continuously late for her shows throughout her storied career, claiming attendees should have expected it.
Florida fan sues for late starting time
Source: TMZ - 09 Nov. 2019Madonna is pissing off fans after pushing back the start times for her Madame X Tour ... and now she's getting hit with a class-action lawsuit.
According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... Madonna and Live Nation are being sued by a ticket holder in Florida who claims he lost a bunch of money after they moved the start of concerts from 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM.
In the docs, Nate Hollander claims way back in August he purchased tickets to Madonna's December 17 concert in Miami Beach, and it was originally slated to begin at 8:30 PM.
According to the suit ... Madonna has not been punctual on tour, often taking stage two hours later than scheduled, and she recently switched her start times to 10:30 PM, which Nate claims is ridiculous for the Tuesday evening show he was planning to attend.
The guy suing Madonna claims his tickets much less valuable now that the concert is starting 2 hours later than initially planned, and he claims he's been denied a refund on the $1,024.95 he forked over for 3 tix.
Now, he's gathering up a class of other angry fans and going after Madonna for damages.
We reached out to the singer's reps ... no word back, so far.
UPDATE: Madonna addressed the tardiness at her concert Friday night, saying, "Here's something you all need to understand ... and that is, that the queen is never late."
Chicago shows add $5,5 million to Madame X Tour grosses
Source: Billboard Boxscore - 06 Nov. 2019While Madonna has wrapped up her Madame X shows in San Francisco, Billboard has announced the final boxscore for the 7 shows in Chicago.
Madonna played 7 shows at the Chicago Theatre between the 16th and 28th of October. Tickets for these shows ranged between $757 and $50. Billboard reports these shows as sold out, with a total attendance of 23,233. These tickets have together grossed a total of $5,517,435.
Earlier it was reported that the 16 shows in New York had sold a total of 31,401 tickets, good for a gross sale of $9,631,760.
