Madonna “Madonna” released 40 years ago today (!!), July 27th, 1983. Madonna’s debut LP was sometimes panned and often reviled (i.e. this review from Blender: “quacking synths, overperky bass and state-of-the-art mechanical disco, with Madonna strapped to the wing rather than holding the controls. It’s a breathless, subtlety-free debut.” or  “almost entirely helium, a gas-filled, lighter-than-air creation of MTV and other sinister media packagers”), but Madonna was instrumental in moving dance music out of club-exclusivity and into the popular mainstream with this top-selling LP which peaked at #8 in the US and #6 in the UK. Madonna is over- processed and over-polished (which basically sums up most of the 80′s) but it’s also infectiously glorious. Rolling Stone called it “an irresistible invitation to the dance” and it’s now recognized as an 80’s icon – one of the best album’s from the era –  as is Madonna herself.

Madonna certainly blew my 12-year old mind in ’83. I distinctly remember hearing “Holiday” (the third single from Madonna; it went to #16 on the Hot 100, #1 on the Dance charts) that Fall and immediately dancing around my bedroom, infected by the post-disco grooves. And then I saw the video for “Lucky Star” (#4 US, #14 UK) and a thousand black rubber bangles and beauty marks were launched. I think I spent the next year scrutinizing her dance moves and practicing them with friends at sleepovers. Also iconic and still excellent are the singles “Holiday” (#16 US, #2 UK), two singles released prior to the LP’s launch which both charted only on the dance charts: “Everybody” and “Burning Up.” The remaining 40% of the record is somewhat unremarkable post-disco dance pop but with the strength of the singles, the record was, and remains, an 80’s gem.