Whitney and Madonna in the top 10 together again

Madonna enters the Billboard Hot 100's top 10 this week, climbing three notches with her new hit single, "Give Me All Your Luvin." With Billboard allowing Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" to reappear in the Hot 100 this week an amazing thing happened on the chart: two pop icons of the '80s and '90s spend time together in the top 10 for the first time in over 16 years.

Madonna and Whitney appeared on the scene within a few years of each other and went on to dominate pop charts for the next 20 years or so. During that time, they frequently appeared in the top 10 at the same time. Here's a look at those instances:

July 6, 1985. Whitney Houston's first top 10 hit, "You Give Good Love," enters the top 10 at #7 the same week that Madonna's sixth top 10 hit, "Angel," spends its last week in the top 10 at #10.

September 28-October 12, 1985. Madonna's final Like a Virgin single, "Dress You Up," and Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You" spend 3 weeks together in the top 10. Madonna's single peaks at #5 while Whitney's becomes her first #1 hit--the first of seven consecutive chart-toppers.

May 17-June 14, 1986. On May 17, Whitney's last Whitney Houston single "Greatest Love of All" hits #1 the same week Madonna's first True Blue Single "Live to Tell" enters the top 10. For 2 weeks, the songs are #1 and #2 and, on June 7, "Live to Tell" knocks "Greatest Love of All" from #1. The singles spend 5 weeks together in the top 10.

[August 8, 1987. A near miss: Madonna's "Who's That Girl" enters the top 10 the same week Whitney's former #1 "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" drops out of the top 10.]

August 29-September 12, 1987. Whitney's second Whitney single, "Didn't We Almost Have It All," enters the top 10 at #8 the same week Madonna's "Who's That Girl" falls from #1 to #2. The singles spend 3 weeks together in the top 10.

[October 17, 1987. Another near miss. Madonna's second Who's That Girl Soundtrack single, "Causing a Commotion," climbs six notches to #5 the same week Whitney former #1 hit "Didn't We Almost Have It All" makes its exit from the top 10.]

December 8, 1990-January 5, 1991. Madonna's "Justify My Love" from her greatest hits set, The Immaculate Collection, enters the top 10 the same week Whitney Houston's "I'm Your Baby Tonight" falls from #1 to #2. The singles spend 5 weeks together in the top 10.

[March 23, 1991. Yet another near miss. Madonna's "Rescue Me" spends its only week in the top 10 at #9 the same week Whitney Houston's ninth #1 hit, "All the Man That I Need," falls out of the top 10.]

January 16-February 6, 1993. On January 16, Madonna's second Erotica single "Deeper and Deeper" enters the top 10 at #10 the week that Whitney's massive Bodyguard Soundtrack hit "I Will Always Love You"spends its 8th week at #1. Two weeks later "Deeper and Deeper" peaks at #7; "I Will Always Love You" is still #1. Two weeks later, "Deeper and Deeper" is gone from the top 10; "I Will Always Love You" is still #1 (and will be for another 2 weeks--it was such a huge hit).

December 9, 1995-December 23, 1995. Madonna's Something to Remember single "You'll See" enters the top 10 at #8 during Whitney's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)'s" second week at #2, which had debuted at #1 just two weeks earlier, becoming only the third single to ever achieve that feat. The Waiting to Exhale Soundtrack's single was Houston's 11th and final #1 hit. Until this week, this was the last time the two icons spent time together in the top 10.

[March 1, 1997. A near miss. Madonna's Evita hit "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" enters the top 10 at its #8 peak the same week Whitney's The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack hit "I Believe in You and Me" exits the top 10.]

Madonna Give Me All Your Luvin'

Madonna's new single released Friday, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. is taking the world by storm. After its first day of airplay, it racked up 1005 spins at top 40 radio, enough to place at #38 for the week after just one day of play. This morning, after two days of play, it's at #26 with 2264 spins.

The video displays a lot of energy, with Madonna dancing through a neighborhood set flanked by Minaj, M.I.A and a football team--a nod to today's Superbowl halftime show.

The soft itself is frothy fun, carrying through the cheerleader theme with the "L-U-V Madonna, Y-O-U you wanna" chants reminiscent of Toni Basil's "Mickey" (or Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" or Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend"). Watching the video, I finally realized what M.I.A. contributes to the song. Both her and Minaj have bridge-section solos, but M.I.A.'s is so understated compared to Minaj that it almost vanishes (and frankly could do so and the song wouldn't lose anything).

I like the song. Definitely ready for MDNA.

Essential Albums of the '80s: Madonna - True Blue (1986)

This was the first true album by Madonna that I owned, and in 1988 I listened to it pretty much nonstop, instantly falling for its bold productions like the dark ballad “Live to Tell” and the gutsy “Papa Don’t Preach”—both of which were “story” songs, although not necessarily personal stories from Madonna’s own life (that would come later on Like a Prayer).

As much as Like a Virgin was big leap from Madonna, True Blue was yet another big step forward for the singer, who opted for a more mature and broader sound here. Notably, she began preferring her lower vocal register, so she sounds quite a bit different (and better) on True Blue than on her previous albums. The sugar-coated pop sound of Like a Virgin is mostly abandoned for a more adult pop sound, particularly on the album’s first half. The instrumentation is richer too, with strings and electric guitar forming a muscular sound for “Papa Don’t Preach,” while thick layers of keyboard coat “Live to Tell” in a sort of beautiful gloom.

She employs a lighter touch on the album’s second half for the sprightly “Where the Party” and the retro sounds of “Jimmy Jimmy” and the title track. She also unveils her first Latin-influenced song, “La Isla Bonita,” which would be a running theme for some time (“Who’s that Girl,” “Spanish Eyes,” Evita, for example). All of these new sounds paid off: True Blue is Madonna's biggest-selling album internationally and her biggest hit-producing album, generating five top 5 hits in both the US and the UK, including three #1 hits in each country.

The album benefits greatly from the 2003 remastering, more so than Like a Virgin, which didn’t have as strong a production in the first place. The richness of the album’s sound really shines now. I would be hard-pressed to choose a favorite among Madonna’s first three albums, but this is definitely a strong contender. Best: Papa Don’t Preach, Live to Tell, Open Your Heart, True Blue, La Isla Bonita.

Further Listening: You Can Dance (1987)

You Can Dance was one of the first remix albums by a major pop artist (following Pet Shop Boys’ Disco), which helped usher in the format, which is still popular today (Radiohead and Britney both released remix albums this week). Although some might consider it a cash-in, I’ve read that Madonna was intimately involved in creating the album, as she was very protective of her sound. After the Who’s That Girl soundtrack, this was the second work I ever bought of Madonna’s. I remember opting for You Can Dance over True Blue at the record store because it had “Spotlight,” which was on the radio at the time. Curiously, there are four versions of this album. The vinyl LP contains the seven songs proper; the CD version adds dub versions of “Holiday,” “Into the Groove,” and “Where’s the Party”; and then the cassette version drops the “Where’s the Party” dub but instead has dub versions of “Spotlight” and “Over and Over”--one of those instances where the cassette has more songs than the CD. Additionally, there is a very rare version of the album that contains only single edits of seven songs—something I would love to get my hands on at some point. Also of note is that the songs are mixed together to form two continuous suites, a technique Madonna would use again on Confessions on the Dance Floor (2005).

Essential Albums of the '80s: Madonna - Like a Virgin (1984)

All of Madonna's '80s output is well regarded, but Like a Virgin gets the least amount of love among the four albums. Madonna has been riding a retro popularity wave for being most like the '80s sound that's currently en vogue, Like a Prayer is generally regarded as one of her best albums of any era and True Blue is considered better by comparison. But Like a Virgin should not be disregarded, for I find it offers up a lot of charm.

It certainly has a special place in my heart and historically, it's probably Madonna's most important album, since it's the one that made her a superstar. Madonna was a hit, but not a megahit, producing a couple of top 10 hits. That's on par with a launch of the likes of Pink in 2000 or Rihanna in 2005, but not a star-making turn on par with what Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce or Lady Gaga achieved with their debuts. That success came with Like a Virgin, which shifted ever so slightly away from the pure dance pop territory of Madonna toward a more mainstream sound.

It's also the first album where Madonna showed she had some sass, dressing up as an over-sexualized bride on the album's cover, a iconic image captured by Steven Meisel (who would later shoot her 1992 controversial coffee table book, Sex). The title track may have "virgin" in its title, but it's got sex on its mind with Madonna delivering her most kittenish vocal over the memorable hook. It was her first US #1, spending 6 weeks in the top spot. Almost as memorable was the album's second single, "Material Girl," a satirical take on the '80s obsession with equating money and love that, for better or worse, gave the singer a long-lasting nickname.

It's two lesser singles are decent too. Although I used to find the name-dropping fashion-focused "Dress You Up" to be more appealing, these days I'm more into "Angel," which sounds most stuck-in-time of any of this album's singles. It couldn't have come from any other time other than 1984 and I love it for that. Madonna co-wrote the song with Stephen Bray, who would go on to collaborate with her on True Blue, Who's That Girl Soundtrack and Like a Prayer. Among the album cuts, the two closing numbers, "Stay" and "Pretender" are better than the slower songs. I used to really be into "Over and Over," but after 25 years, I'm a little tired of it.

Like a Virgin is Madonna's best-selling album in the US. It was certified diamond for 10 million copies shipped, a feat equaled only by her greatest hits set, The Immaculate Collection. Sure, the Nile Rodgers production is really dated, but for it's time, it was great pop music. A true '80s classic.

Best: Like a Virgin, Material Girl, Angel, Dress You Up, Stay

Essential Albums of the '80s: Madonna (1983)

By 1983 disco really was dead, but a new form of mainstream dance music, "dance pop," was taking off, thanks to artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna. It's hard to imagine a time when Madonna wasn't a worldwide star, but upon the release of her self-titled debut, the singer had under her belt only a couple of singles that were popular in dance clubs but were not mainstream hits. That all changed with the album's third single, "Holiday," which reached the top 20 in the US. She did even better with its follow-up, the mid-tempo love song "Borderline," which hit #10, and its upbeat follow-up, "Lucky Star," which hit #4--a chart progression that by the end of 1984 teed Madonna up for the significantly bigger impact she had with her second album, Like a Virgin.

Madonna effectively straddles both the dance floor and top 40 radio, perfectly embodying the emergent dance pop sound of the early '80s. "Lucky Star" sets the tone with its insistent beat, prominent bassline and irresistible hooks, although it is the trilling synthesizers that really make this song great. Most of the songs embody a similar feel except for "Borderline," which nudges ever so slightly toward love song territory and "Burning Up," which throws in some gnarly electric guitar for a rockier vibe. These songs, as well as most of the album were produced by Reggie Lucas, who was selected over previous Madonna collaborators to helm the album.

Despite Lucas's presence, much of the album's success is due to John "Jellybean" Benitez, the producer of "Holiday" whom Madonna had remix several of the Lucas-produced tracks she wasn't happy with--namely several of the aforementioned songs that became singles. Arguably, he deserves as much credit for this album as Lucas, although the liner notes relegate him to the role of remixer. "Holiday" in particular, although it wasn't a massive hit upon its release, has become the most enduring song from the album, showing up on the concert list of almost every subsequent Madonna tour. It's a breezy slice of synthesizer dance pop with a memorable keyboard solo. It's still routinely played on adult pop format radio. The album's third producer, Mark Kamins, was responsible only for "Everybody," the dance floor stomper that he produced as Madonna's first single, notable for its spoken-word sections. Stephen Bray, who had helped Madonna with her pre-Madonna demo was not selected to contribute to this album (he would get his chance later).

Among the tracks that were not hit singles, "Think of Me" really stands out for its unusual rhythm and saxophone solo. "I Know It" was a favorite when I was a kid, but it doesn't hold my interest as much know. "Physical Attraction" is nice enough dance pop, but not a standout either.

My first listen of the album was probably sometime in 1988. At that time, I was already a big Madonna fan, having started with Who's that Girl and then proceeded with You Can Dance, True Blue and Like a Virgin. I checked the vinyl LP out from the library and listened to this on my parent's record player. I think I got the cassette sometime in late 1988, perhaps for Christmas. Back then, I enjoyed it, but not as much as her other albums, and I still feel the same way today. It's gotten a lot of attention of late, and has probably aged the best of her '80s work, since it is most similar to the currently popular styles of electronic dance pop. But if I was told I couldn't keep all of Madonna's '80s albums, this would be the one I would let go first, as much as I love it.

Best: Lucky Star, Holiday, Borderline, Burning Up, Think of Me

Music of 1991: January

Madonna's 1990 compilation, The Immaculate Collection, officially closed the book on her '80s songs, a decade-defining body of work that gave the singer seven #1 hits (the set also contained her first '90s #1, "Vogue"). It also pointed to way to her '90s future, with two new distinctly different tracks that basically served as a preview of Erotica. First up was the Lenny Kravitz-produced "Justify My Love," a rather gutsy move from a pop singer to release an almost solely spoken-word track. Despite its oversexualized tone, radio embraced it anyway, sales were strong, and the fact that MTV banned its even racier video, meant that Madonna was able to successfully market the first music video single for commercial purchase. The song was the first Hot 100 #1 hit of 1991 and Madonna's ninth.



"Love Will Never Do (Without You)" was the seventh and final single released from Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. Like the previous six, it reached the top 5, and also hit #1, becoming the album's fourth #1 hit and Jackson's fifth overall. As a run of hits, the album's singles reached 1-2-1-4-2-1-1, making it arguably the most successful pop album of all time in terms of generating hits. I've always thought the song sounded like it should be a duet based on its arrangement and theme, a fact I've later confirmed that the producers toyed with. Thus Jackson sings the first verse in a lower octave, like it's the "guy" part, and the second one higher, as the "girl" part. Even without some hot male singer in tow, the song works great. It also had a notable video, shot by famed photographer Herb Ritts, that showcased Jackson's recently toned physique.



R&B group Surface had their biggest hit in January 1991. They'd reached the top 5 in 1989 with "Shower Me with Your Love," but "The First Time" became their first and only #1 hit. It's a mellow R&B love song typical of the time. I remember I used to really like this song, but hearing it now, I don't find it particularly exceptional. The group would have one more top 40 hit later in the year with "Never Gonna Let You Down" (#17).

Damn Yankees was a hard rock supergroup formed in 1990 that had a decent run of hits on the rock mainstream chart. On the Hot 100, "High Enough" was far and away their most successful single, reaching #3 in January 1991. The song features a robust guitar and strings melody. Listening to it now, it's surprising they never had another big hit, as they continued releasing singles into 1993 (they came close with "Where You Goin' Now" in 1992, which reached #20).

In the late '80s and '90s, New Edition spawned a whole family tree of musical acts, as the group's demise led its members to either go solo (Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill) or form a new group (1990's hit act Bell Biv Devoe), and even nurture new acts Boyz II Men and Another Bad Creation. Among the soloists, Ralph Tresvant had the least successful chart run, but did manage to score one big hit, "Sensitivity," which hit #4. It was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who would bring Tresvant on for their 1992 soundtrack to the movie Mo' Money.

In the late '90s, it was common for labels to promote albums with songs not released as singles, so much so that Billboard re-engineered the Hot 100 in 1998 to account for this. Back in 1991 though, it was a novel concept, and in fact the practice can probably be traced to early 1991, during which there were two songs that became major hits without a accompanying physical single. The first was The Simpsons' "Do the Bartman," a promotional tie-in to the popular Fox comedy, which at the time was in its second season (it is now in its 23rd year, making it the longest running American sitcom in television history). "Do the Bartman" was not released as a single in the U.S., but despite that, hit #9 on the pop airplay chart, and its video was a major hit on MTV. The song was written and produced by Michael Jackson, a fan of the show, and it sounds like he's doing the chorus backup vocals too. In countries like Britain, Australia and Ireland where the song was released as a single, it became a #1 hit.

Teen pop sensation Debbie Gibson was 21 years old at the start of 1991. As a full-fledged adult then, she released her third album, Anything Is Possible, still pop but featuring a more mature sound than her previous efforts. As satisfying as the title track was, it was the album's only top 40 hit, and not a major one at that, peaking at #26. This was Gibson's ninth and final top 40 hit. I think this is a cool song and wish it had been a bigger hit for her.



Cher had a movie-music crossover hit with her remake of the '60s song "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" from her film Mermaids. Although the song performed poorly in the U.S., peaking at #33; however, it was a major hit internationally, including a #1 hit in Britain and other European countries.

Music of 1990: Albums

I'd been planning this post to briefly recap a few key albums from late in 1990, but didn't get around to finishing it last year. But I think it's still worth doing, so here it is.

Pet Shop Boys - Behaviour. Less dance pop than Introspective before it and Very after it, Behaviour was Pet Shop Boys' stab at something a little more stately. Although more subdued than their usual sound, it's not a bad listen, not by a long shot, representing one of the most finely crafted works in their catalog. "Being Boring" is a lovely piece of history-inspired synth pop. "This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave" is more insistent, but also reflective. "To Face the Truth" injects a bit of melancholy, while "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously" (they really liked the long song titles for this one) was a bit more upbeat. "Nervously" is a sweet tale of a first romantic liaison, and despite the fact that Neil Tennant hadn't come out yet, it's a pretty gay song (there are no "shes" but plenty of "hes" thrown out). Best: Being Boring, This Might Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave, How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously, So Hard (4.5).

Cathy Dennis - Move to This. Cathy Dennis would later become one of the most successful British pop music songwriter-producers around. Her credits include Kylie's "Can't Get You Out of My Head," Britney's "Toxic" and the Sugababes' "About You Now." But before she was in the back of the studio she spent some time in the sound booth too, recording some pretty heady dance pop in the early '90s, first as a member of D-Mob, and then as just a solo act. Her best songs were her vibrant, Euro-styled hits "Just Another Day" and "Touch Me (All Night Long)." Producer Shep Pettibone had a hand in this album, and his style is most obvious on "Everybody Move," which sounds quite a bit like the smash he produced for Madonna, "Vogue." The dance pop outshines the ballads, except for "Too Many Walls," which was also a hit. Other ballads aren't nearly as good though, such as "My Beating Heart," which sounds like a limp take on Paula Abdul's "Rush Rush." Best: Just Another Dream, Touch Me (All Night Long), Everybody Move, Too Many Walls (3.5).

Whitney Houston - I'm Your Baby Tonight. With her third album, Whitney Houston tried to update her sound for the '90s with edgier, more R&B-styled productions courtesy of producers extraordinaire Babyface and LA Reid, but the bet was hedged against songs that sound like her late '80s output as well. Thus more modern fare like the bouncy "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "My Name Is Not Susan" share space with songs like "Lover for Life" and "I Belong to You," which sound like leftovers from the recording of Whitney. None of these are bad songs though, they just sound a bit disjointed together. I used to not really care for this album, but it's grown on me quite a bit. As usual, the big ballads "All The Man that I Need" and "Miracle" are solid songs that went on to be a #1 and top 10 hit respectively. The only misstep is "Anymore," which sounds like a carbon copy of the production Babyface did for Karyn White's "Secret Rendezvous." Best: I'm Your Baby Tonight, My Name Is Not Susan, All the Man That I Need, Lover for Life, I Belong to You, Miracle (4/5).

Madonna - The Immaculate Collection. Madonna finished 1990 with a greatest hit set that pulled together 15 of her biggest hits from the last 7 years plus two new tracks that would also become hits for her. It became Madonna's second diamond-selling album after Like a Virgin, one of the best-selling and most revered greatest hits collections of all time. And despite the fact that it's indisputably wonderful, there's some odd things about it too. The strangest thing from a purists perspective is that none of the songs are either the single or album versions--all of the songs were remixed for the album by Shep Pettibone and edited for length to fit them all on. Some of the remixing is minor--you have to really listen to tell that the intro to Borderline has slightly different instrumentation--but some of it is dramatically different, like the decision to use a dance remix of "Like a Prayer" rather than the classic original. The tracks are sequenced in release order, except that "Lucky Star" and "Borderline" are switched. Really, these are minor gripes though, and since I've sinced gathered all the album and single versions of Madonna's hits, it's kind of fun to also have these strange slight remixes. Best: All 17 tracks represent pop perfection, so I couldn't possibly choose (5/5).

Music of 1990: December

This is the last of this series. If I have time, I have an albums post I'd also like to do.

United States

In the US, the biggest hit of December was Stevie B's "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)," far and away the singer's biggest hit, although not his only one. He had a couple of singles that reached the top 40 in 1989. In 1990, he hit #29 with "Love Me for Life," then #15 with "Love and Emotion" before finally reaching #1 with hits fifth top 40 hit. "Because I Love You" is a tender love ballad with minimal instrumentation--pretty much just keyboard, synthesizer and some light drumming. Although it was one of the year's biggest hits, in retrospect, it's a pretty lightweight song that doesn't really hold up. Stevie B followed it up with his second-biggest hit, "I'll Be By Your Side," which hit #12 in early 1991, and he had one more top 40 single in 1995.



With "I'm Your Baby Tonight," Whitney Houston worked with Babyface to transform her '80s pop sound into an edgier '90s R&B/pop sound. It's a great track, one that I've actually appreciated more with age. It became the singer's 8th #1 hit in early December, the first single from her third album, also titled I'm Your Baby Tonight.



After reviving her pop music career in 1989 with the #1 hit "Wind Beneath My Wings," Bette Midler released Some People's Lives in 1990, which became the most successful album of her career. Its first single, "From a Distance," was a major hit for the singer, hitting #2 and receiving a Grammy Award nomination for Record of the Year.



The coolest hit single of December 1990 was Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner." As remixed by DNA, it gave Vega her second and last major pop single, following her #3 hit from 1987, "Luka." (see the August post in the UK section for more info).

Wilson Phillips finished out 1990 with a third top 5 hit, "Impulsive," another mid-tempo pop song, although by hitting #4, it was their first single to miss the top spot. They would have one more #1 hit in 1991, "You're in Love," before their chart fortunes would fade away (although, as John will attest from his recent interview with them(!), they are still around and going strong).

Rockers Poison had their last major hit with the ballad "Something to Believe In," which hit #4. It was their sixth and last top 10 hit. Two more top 40 singles from 1990 album followed in 1991, but weren't major hits.

George Michael's "Freedom '90" was another notable release from the singer. This, more than any other track on Listen Without Prejudice, stated his desire to step away from the sexy pop singer image cultivated for Faith, to make music on his own terms. The video, like that for "Praying for Time," does not feature Michael, although it does include images of Michael burning the props from his Faith days, including his iconic leather jacket going up in flames and the jukebox from the "Faith" video exploding. The video also features a number of big-name supermodels lipsynching to Michael's lyrics, including Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista. Such a great song--another one that I appreciate more today than when it came out.



United Kingdom

In Britain, the biggest single of the month was Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby," a recent US #1 that spent 3 weeks at #1 in the UK. It relinquished the top spot for Cliff Richard's "Saviour's Day," which was the Christmas #1. The single was Richard's 13th #1 hit and third Christmas #1. His most recent #1 hit in 1999, "Millennium Prayer," gave the singer his 14th #1. At present, he is tied with Westlife for the third most #1 hits after Elvis Presley (21) and The Beatles (17). Madonna is a close fifth with 13 chart-toppers.

Speaking of Madge, she had a hit in December, "Justify My Love," which reached #2. The track was the first single released from The Immaculate Collection, her greatest hits set released in late 1990. That album deserves its own entry (I really need to write that too, okay this series is going to extend into 1991 a bit). "Justify My Love" is sexy spoken-word song with a minimal arrangement produced by Andre Betts and Lenny Kravitz, the latter also doing backing vocals. The song is great of course, but it was its racy video that got it the most attention. As directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, the video was stylishly filmed in grainy and black and white and featured highly sexualized images of Madonna and other leather-cladded friends (including her then-boyfriend, Tony Ward) romping through an old hotel. Famously, MTV banned the video, which led it to be released on videocassette as the first ever video single. It sold handsomely.



English indie rock band EMF achieved major mainstream success with "Unbelievable," an upbeat track that hit #3 in Britain and, the following year, #1 in the US. Another British band, The Farm, also had their biggest hit in December with "All Together Now," which hit #4. The song was inspired by the famous Christmas Day truce of World War I during which soldiers from both sides put down their arms and actually met in "no man's land" to exchange gifts.



Rod Stewart and Tina Turner teamed up for a top 5 remake of "It Takes Two," a song originally released in the '60s by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston. Despite Stewart being pretty big in the US at the time, this was not released there. As cool as that is, my vote for coolest hit single in Britain for December goes to "Falling" by Julee Cruise. The austere, synth-laden track, in its instrumental form, was the theme song to the acclaimed but short-lived series Twin Peaks. It's quite lovely and it's cool that it was a hit. In the US, the single was popular on modern rock stations, but was not a mainstream hit.



Also reaching the top 10 in December were "Mary Had a Little Boy" (#8) by Snap!, the group's fourth top 10 hit, and "This One's for the Children" (#9), another top 10 hit for New Kids on the Block, which had been a US hit the previous holiday season.

Finally there was "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak (#10), a seductive song with a gentle guitar melody under his expressive, crooning vocal. The single was also a top 10 hit in the US the following year. Its black and white video, directed by Herb Ritts, is certainly the sexiest music video ever made.

1990 Album Review: Madonna - I'm Breathless, Music from and Inspired by the Film Dick Tracy (4/5)

To follow-up Like a Prayer, rather than a traditional album project, Madonna took this side detour into '40s-influenced pop inspired by her role as Breathless Mahoney in the big-screen version of Dick Tracy. It was one of the few movies considered a hit for Madonna, so to the extent the two products could cross-promote, the ploy worked. And the music, although never regarded as a Madonna "classic," is actually pretty decent. "He's a Man" strikes all the right notes with a vampy Madonna vocal backed a lush big-band orchestration and even chorus-girl vocals. A similar but campier approach for "Hanky Panky" makes it pure brass and sass. The ballads here are all strong: the piano-based "Something to Remember," as well as two of the album's three tracks that were actually from the movie, the Oscar-nominated "Sooner or Later" and the Mandy Patinkin duet "What Can You Lose." The album loses a bit of focus with a couple of over-the-top impressions of Carmen Miranda on "I'm Going Bananas" and Betty Boop on "Cry Baby."

Although there are some great moments among the '40-styled songs, for most people, I'm Breathless appears in their collection because of its closing track, "Vogue," the undisputed Madonna classic. Although at first blush the Shep Pettibone-produced dance pop number has nothing to do with the rest of the album, its inclusion isn't as out of place as it could be. First, the second half of the previous song, "Now I'm Following You," is given a '90s remix, creating a bridge between "Vogue" and the rest of the album. Second, "Vogue" pays tribute to classic Hollywood icons, including some dating as far back as the Dick Tracy era. Third, the vogue dance itself actually dates back to the '30s. So really "Vogue" is a fitting conclusion to the album as it acknowledges the influences of the past while firmly asserting its place in contemporary pop music.

Best: Vogue, He's a Man, Hanky Panky, Something to Remember, Sooner or Later

Songs of My Lifetime/Music of 1990: Madonna - Vogue

No single represents 1990 more significantly to me than Madonna's "Vogue." Madonna has long been my favorite popular artist, and 1990 was a watershed year for her, coming off of the success of Like a Prayer, having a hit movie in Dick Tracy (one of few for her), a big world tour, Blonde Ambition, and this amazing dance pop single from her album I'm Breathless, a concept album inspired by the music of the 1930s era of Dick Tracy and including a few songs from the film. She's had a lot of great singles, and if I had to pick her absolute best, in my mind, this is the top, edging out "Like a Prayer" and "Frozen" (which I also adore, of course).

The song opens with a dramatic flair, slowly introducing the layers of the song's melody: first it's just the synth chords; then the bass line, bongs and snaps kick in; and then finally the drum machines and vocals as Madonna commands the listener to "strike a pose." It's certainly one of her most iconic musical openings. Later that year, an even longer version was created for The Immaculate Collection, which starts with a spoken "what are you looking at" and extends the opening layering by separating the snaps, bongos and bass line, which all came in at once in the original version. There's also a shorter single version which skips the layered opening all together and has a slightly different bass line.

The production is typical of dance pop at the time--frenetic drum machine programming over layers of synth melodies that build to bigger choruses. It's similar to the dance remix of "Express Yourself," as well as the sound on her next album, Erotica--both of which were the product of producer Shep Pettibone (although the original version of "Express Yourself" was produced by Stephen Bray). It was her 11th #1 hit on the Billboard dance club chart (she scored her 40th #1 on this chart last year with "Celebration").

A particular highlight of the song is its bridge--a rapped list of famous screen icons from the past, many of which were notable for their dance skills ("Greta Garbo and Monroe; Dietrich and DiMaggio..." etc.). At the time, 9 of the 16 entertainers mentioned were still alive; today, only Lauren Bacall is still living.

The video for the song is particularly great. Shot in black and white and directed by David Fincher, the imagery is inspired by old Hollywood glamour, with Madonna's wardrobe expressing a mix of feminine and masculine identities, ranging from the bra-less see-through blouse to the pinstripe suit. As music videos go, it's a hands-down classic.

On the personal side, "Vogue" was rather, shall we say, inspiring for me in my youth. Back in 1990, I was 13 when the song came out toward the end of 7th grade. I loved the video, which I got to see plenty of on MTV after school. I thought the dancing was so cool that I taught myself the moves. Then one day during the break between English and social studies classes, I announced to the students that I would perform the dance and proceeded to do so. What would possess me to do this? Well, as a 13 year-old, I didn't really fit in, but I also didn't have a fear of standing out, so while I was very studious, I always liked attention. Whether because they thought it was fun or just bizarre, it became a "thing." I was asked to do it repeatedly, and students from other classes even started showing up.

Then there was the end-of-the-year school dance. Picture the darkened junior high gymnasium with DJ equipment at one end blaring Technotronic, Rob Base, and "Stairway to Heaven." Then "Vogue" comes on--the extended dance remix....uh oh. Suddenly I was surrounded by a deep circle of teenagers shouting "Andy! Andy! Andy!" They wanted me to dance, and while I had no problem doing so for small groups, in this big crowd I panicked. I froze! Thankfully, a 9th grade savior yanked me from the circle. I ran out of the gym and down the hallway...chased by the mob! I hid in the boys' room (not very creative, but leaving the building seemed like a bad idea). The music stopped and the gym lights came on. Apparently the teacher-chaperons thought there had been a fight. But no, it was just me and my "Vogue," or rather non-vogue that night.

Eventually, I got over my performance anxiety and vogued quite freely at parties and other occasions. Ten years later, while doing some volunteer campaign work with a group of D.C. gay and lesbian politicos in Machester, New Hampshire, I sang and danced to "Vogue" during a lesbian bar's karaoke night. I was pretty fresh from college at that point and it helped make a good impression on the group, many of whom I saw frequently during those years when I worked in politics. They were certainly a more appreciative audience than junior high kids.

Album Review: Glee Cast - The Power of Madonna (4/5)

I hope everyone else is as excited as I am about the special Madonna-themed episode of Glee tonight. If the EP, released today, is anything to go by, it's going to live up to my (rather inflated) expectations. Two things I love coming together could be dangerous, but the combination of Glee and Madonna is a smashing success. Many of the songs adhere close to their original arrangements, like the note-for-note remake of "Vogue," which features Jane Lynch's first Glee vocal performance and twists a few key lines to give Sue Sylvester ownership ("Will Schuester, I hate you"). "Express Yourself" also sounds exactly like the remix single version (the one on Celebration), with the Glee kids filling the song with their particular brand of joy. Even better is "Like a Virgin," which sounds really great in this arrangement that gives Lea Michele (Rachel) duet duty during the verses with her new love interest/rival Jonathan Groff (at least I think that's him, hard to tell whether it's him or Finn) and brings in the full group for the choruses. Michele and Cory Monteith (Finn) really shine though on the duet/mash-up of "Borderline" and "Open Your Heart," which, at present, is probably my favorite track here. Including "What It Feels Like for a Girl," a much lesser-known song than the others here, was a gutsy choice. I'm very curious how this will play out in the show, as its performed by all the guys. "Like a Prayer" is, of course, a great song, although I can't help but think that this version falls a bit short, although the song reaches such epic heights in its original form, it would be hard to surpass it. "4 Minutes" is fine, but not a standout on the album. However, again, my opinion of any of these could change after watching the show.

Best: Borderline/Open Your Heart, Like a Virgin, Vogue, Express Yourself, Like a Prayer, What It Feels Like for a Girl

Feels Like a Prayer

This is fun...a mash-up of Meck and Leo Sayer's "Feels Like Home" with "Like a Prayer." This will be released as a single soon.

Music of 1990: March

United States

Through most of March 1990, America was rejoicing to the frothy dance pop of Janet Jackson's "Escapade." It was the third and biggest of Rhythm Nation's seven top 10 hits, spending 3 weeks at #1. The song's colorful Mardi-Gras-inspired video, filmed outside, was a departure from the black-and-white indoor videos for "Miss You Much" and "Rhythm Nation." There's also less emphasis on synchronized dancing, and Janet looks happy throughout the video. All in all, the song's lighter mood and festive sound was the perfect hit to transition from winter to spring. The song was inspired by Martha and the Vandellas' "Nowhere to Run"



Canadian Alannah Myles had the month's second-biggest hit with "Black Velvet," her soulful, sultry ode to Elvis Presley. I remember not caring for this song back in 1990, as I thought it sounded a bit country (and I didn't like country at all back then). It's grown on me significantly since then, and I'd probably include it on a list of my 10 favorite songs of the year. A shame she never had another major hit in the US.



After scoring two #1 hits in 1989, Swedish duo Roxette had a third top 2 hit in March 1990 with "Dangerous." After the ballad "Listen to Your Heart," it was the duo's most upbeat single yet. Also following up a successful 1989 single with another hit was the B-52s, who hit #3 with "Roam," the follow-up to their #3 hit "Love Shack." Although "Love Shack" has been remembered as their most iconic song, I've always rather liked "Roam," which had a cool video.



Madonna scored a fourth top 10 hit from Like a Prayer with "Keep It Together." Although known for her videos, this was one of several Madonna hits to not have one, along with "Angel," "Hanky Panky" and "Rescue Me." Also scoring a hit at this time was Madonna's ex-husband's big brother, Michael Penn. I've always really liked this song, as well as its video, which won him an MTV VMA for best new artist.

Finally, this was the time American got its introduction to Cathy Dennis, appearing with her group D-Mob in "C'mon and Get My Love," which hit #10. Dennis would go on to score three top 10 solo hits the following year, including #2 single "Touch Me (All Night Long)." As her recording career wound down, her writing and producing career took off, and she has gone on to helm a number of major hits, most notably Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl," as well as the theme song to the Idol franchise. Pity she hadn't yet found the outfit with the chest cutout when she made this video.



United Kingdom

Britain's biggest hit of March 1990 was "Dub Be Good to Me" by Beats International, which spent 4 weeks at #1. The song was written and produced by Norman Cook, better known these days as Fatboy Slim, and co-written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, best known at the time for their work with Janet Jackson. Dub is a sub-genre of reggae that relies heavily on samples. While Dub is generally instrumental, this song incorporates a vocal from the SOS Band's "Just Be Good to Me," re-recorded by Lindy Layton, as well as a sample of "Jam Hot" by Johnny Dynell. The song also samples the Clash's "Guns of Brixton" and the theme music from Once Upon a Time in the West by Ennio Morricone. Although a massive hit in Britain, the single was not big in the US, although it did hit #1 on the dance club chart.



Reaching the top of the chart the last week of March was "The Power" by German dance act Snap! Like "Dub Be Good to Me," it also features a number of samples which, since unauthorized, landed the group in a bit of trouble. In particular, Jocelyn Brown, who's refrain "I've got the power" from her "Love's Gonna Get You" is used extensively as the song's title, sought legal action against the song. Chill Rob G, whose "Let the Words Flow" is also used extensively, retaliated by recording his own version of "The Power," lifting additional elements from the Snap version not present on his "Let the Words Flow." "The Power" would go on to be a major hit in the US, hitting #2 in August and topping the dance chart one week before "Dub Be Good to Me" in June.



The Brit Awards formed the basis of #2 hit "The Brits 1990," a megamix dance medley of hits nominated that year put together by Jonathan King. I can't say I recognize any of them, but medley mixes were big at the time, particularly those by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers, who hit #4 in March with "That Sounds Good to Me," the group's fourth single and first to not top the UK singles chart.



"Blue Savannah" became synth-pop duo Erasure's 8th top 10 hit in March, hitting #3. It was the third and most successful single from Wild!, the act's fourth album. Dance act Candy Flip had their only major hit, a #3 remake of The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" featuring the very famous Clyde Stubblefield drum rhythm from James Brown's "Funky Drummer."

Instrumental singles have always fared better in the UK than in the US, so it's no surprise that "Lily Was Here," one of the few instrumentals to chart fairly well in the American, did even better in Britain, hitting #6 in March. The composition, created by David A. Stewart and featuring newcomer Candy Dulfer on saxophone, is from the soundtrack to Dutch film De Kassiere. In 1991, the single hit #11 in the US. I've always really loved this, particularly the DNA remix that was included on the US single.

Best of 2000s: Madonna - Hard Candy (4.5/5)

Madonna has always applied a shrewd calculating eye to her music, frequently anticipating the next big trend on which to latch her hooky dance pop. With Hard Candy, some felt she took this too far, working for the first-time with proven producers like Timbaland, Nate Hills and The Neptunes to ensure the album would deliver a US-friendly modern R&B/pop sound. The results were markedly different than the Eurodisco feel of her last album, Confessions on a Dancefloor. The calculus worked, at least for awhile, as her duet with Justin Timberlake, "4 Minutes," was her biggest US hit in 7 years, but the album failed to score any subsequent hits, with "Miles Away" becoming her lowest-charting British single ever. Still, I rather liked the album, which managed to retain a Madonna sound at its core, despite the big-name production. She also rather boldly trotted out the problems with her soon-to-be-over marriage on "Miles Away" ("You're always have the biggest heart, when we're 6000 miles apart").

Best: 4 Minutes, Miles Away, Give It 2 Me, Beat Goes On, Heartbeat

Madonna: Celebration

Madonna's Celebration arrived in stores today. Wanting the physical CD, I waited until after work and picked it up at Best Buy (sadly, the only place convenient to my home for buying music). Here's my track-by-track rundown of what it includes, what it doesn't and an analysis of the stats behind these hits.

Overview: The 2-disc version includes 34 remastered greatest hits and two new tracks, split evenly over 2 discs with one of the new songs on each (an additional new track, "It's So Cool," is available with the online version). The tracks are not presented in chronological order, although generally the older ones come before the newer ones. The 1-disc version has 17 hits plus "Celebration."

In general, the set favors her dance pop hits over her ballads, particularly the 1-disc version, whose only slower song is "Frozen," picked over other major ballads like "Crazy for You," "Live to Tell" and "Take a Bow," which are only on the 2-disc set.

Track-by-track: Let's get into it. Here's my breakdown of each track, which version is included, and how it charted in the US and UK (tracks with an asterisk appear only on the 2-disc version):

Disc 1:

1. Hung Up (2005, US: 7, UK: 1). Album version.

2. Music (2000, US: 1, UK: 1). Album version.

3. Vogue (1990, US: 1, UK: 1). This is the extended version that appeared on The Immaculate Collection with the "what are you looking at" opening and extended intro.

4. 4 Minutes (2008, US: 3, UK: 1). "4 Minutes" has been cut almost a minute to 3:10 (kind of odd to cut this one, given its title).

5. Holiday (1983, US: 16, UK: 2). Album version--all 6 minutes of it.

6. *Everybody (1982). Here's one of the album's selling points for fans--a nice single edit version of Madonna's first single, edited to 4:11 from its original 6:03 length.

7. Like a Virgin (1984, US: 1, UK: 3). This is the edited and slightly remixed version from The Immaculate Collection.

8. Into the Groove (1985, US: 5--as the b-side to "Angel", UK: 1). Thankfully, this is the original 1985 single version and not The Immaculate Collection remix/edit. It's nice to have this remastered, as the version from the "Angel" single doesn't sound that great anymore.

9. Like a Prayer (1989, US: 1, UK: 1). Here's a disappointment for me. This is the album version, which is an improvement over what we got on The Immaculate Collection, but I was really hoping for the slightly different single version (which I don't own, unfortunately).

10. Ray of Light (1998, US: 5, UK: 2). This is the same radio edit that appeared on GHV2.

11. *Sorry (2006, US: 58, UK: 1). Single edit.

12. Express Yourself (1989, US: 2, UK: 5). Here's another bonus. It's the dance version, which I love, but not The Immaculate Collection edit, but rather the version that appeared in the video, which is way better.

13. Open Your Heart (1986, US: 1, UK: 4). It's an edit, the same as was on The Immaculate Collection. As far as I can tell though, it's not a remix, as the True Blue tracks weren't remixed for The Immaculate Collection (at least they sound the same to me).

14. *Borderline (1984, US: 10, UK: 2). It's The Immaculate Collection version, which was edited and slightly remixed.

15. *Secret (1994, US: 3, UK: 5). Single edit, maybe even a little shorter than the edit from GHV2.

16. *Erotica (1992, US: 3, UK: 3). Radio edit, same as was on GHV2 with a few more seconds shaved.

17. *Justify My Love (1990, US: 1, UK: 2). Slightly edited--7 seconds shorter than The Immaculate Collection original.

18. *Revolver (feat. Lil Wayne). New track.

Disc 2:

1. Dress You Up (1985, US: 5, UK: 5). Album version. There's something a little funny with it though. When I first uploaded it, the first few second were garbled with "Revolver," which isn't even on the same disc. I uploaded it again, and there's still a bit of a glitch at the beginning, although not as bad. Quite strange.

2. Material Girl (1985, US: 2, UK: 3). Album version.

3. La Isla Bonita (1987, US: 4, UK: 1). Album version.

4. Papa Don't Preach (1986, US: 1, UK: 1). Album version.

5. Lucky Star (1984, US: 4, UK: 14). The edited and slightly remixed version from The Immaculate Collection.

6. *Burning Up (1983). Album version. Still an interesting choice to include this early non-hit over later major hits.

7. *Crazy for You (1985, US: 1, UK: 2). Edited version, at 3:44 it's shorter than the Something to Remember (4:11) and Immaculate Collection (3:46) versions.

8. *Who's that Girl (1987, US: 1, UK: 1). Album version. Nice to see this here, as I've always loved it, since it was my introduction to Madonna.

9. Frozen (1998, US: 2, UK: 1). This track appears in different forms, depending on which version of the album you get. On the 1-disc set, it's the shorter single edit that appeared in GHV2. On the 2-disc set, it's the longer original album version.

10. *Miles Away (2008, US: failed to chart, UK: 39). Single edit. Other than "Everybody" and "Burning Up," which didn't chart in either the US or UK, this is the lowest-charting track to make it on the set.

11. *Take a Bow (1994, US: 1, UK: 16). Album version.

12. *Live to Tell (1986, US: 1, UK: 2). Album version.

13. *Beautiful Stranger (1999, US: radio only, UK: 2). Album version.

14. *Hollywood (2003, US: failed to chart, UK: 2). Album version.

15. *Die Another Day (2002, US: 8, UK: 3). Album version. I'm surprised they included the full-length versions of "Beautiful Stranger" and "Die Another Day" but not "Lucky Star."

16. *Don't Tell Me (2000, US: 4, UK: 4). Radio edit.

17. *Cherish (1990, US: 2, UK: 3). This is an edit, but it's not the edit that appeared on The Immaculate Collection, since that version was also slightly remixed, but this edit is based on the original album version.

18. Celebration (2009, US: 71, UK: 3). New track and current single.

Stats and exclusions:

Decade breakdown - The set favors the '80s. On the 2-disc version, half the tracks (18) are from the '80s, with 8 from the '90s and 10 from the '00s. Even more so on the 1-disc version, which has 11 tracks from the '80s, only 3 from the '90s, and 4 from the '00s.

Number ones - The 2-disc version includes 11 #1 hits from the US and the UK (missing US #1 "This Used to Be My Playground" and UK #1s "True Blue" and "American Pie"). The 1-disc version is friendlier to UK #1s, dropping only "Sorry" and "Who's That Girl," while dropping 5 US #1s--"Crazy for You," "Live to Tell," "Who's That Girl," "Justify My Love," and "Take a Bow."

Albums - Madonna rules, having contributed 5 tracks to the set. True Blue has 4; Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer 3; Bedtimes Stories, Ray of Light, Music, American Life, Confessions on a Dance Floor and Hard Candy each contribute 2, I'm Breathless and Erotica just 1. One the 1-disc version, Like a Virgin and True Blue are still represented by 3 songs each, while Madonna and Like a Prayer drop to 2. Ray of Light stays at 2, and every other album gets 1 track except Erotica and Bedtime Stories, which get none.

Previous collections - 16 songs from The Immaculate Collection appear here--all but "Rescue Me." In contrast, there are only 8 of the 15 songs from GHV2. Three of the seven songs from You Can Dance appear and only 3 songs from Something to Remember.

Top 10 US hits excluded from Celebration (11):

#1 "This Used to Be My Playground"
#2 "I'll Remember"
#2 "Causing a Commotion"
#3 "True Blue"
#5 "Angel"
#6 "You'll See"
#7 "Deeper and Deeper"
#8 "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"
#8 "Keep It Together"
#9 "Rescue Me"
#10 "Hanky Panky"

Top 10 UK hits excluded (30!):

#1 "True Blue"
#1 "American Pie"
#2 "American Life"
#2 "Hanky Panky"
#2 "Me Against the Music"
#3 "Rescue Me"
#3 "This Used to Be My Playground"
#3 "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"
#4 "Gambler"
#4 "Causing a Commotion"
#4 "Bedtime Story"
#5 "Angel"
#5 "Dear Jessie"
#5 "You'll See"
#6 "Deeper and Deeper"
#6 "Fever"
#6 "The Power of Good-Bye"
#7 "Rain"
#7 "I'll Remember"
#7 "Another Suitcase in Another Hall"
#7 "Nothing Really Matters"
#7 "What It Feels Like for a Girl"
#7 "Get Together"
#7 "Give It 2 Me"
#8 "Human Nature"
#9 "The Look of Love"
#9 "Jump"
#10 "Bad Girl"
#10 "You Must Love Me"
#10 "Drowned World/Substitute for Love"

Madonna: Immaculate Collection and GHV2

Later I will regale you with everything you need to know about Madonna's new greatest hits collection, Celebration, released today in the United States in multiple physical and digital formats. But first, I want to look back at her other greatest hits collections in order to provide proper context for the new set.

The Immaculate Collection (1990)

Simultaneously perfect, yet deeply flawed, The Immaculate Collection was a landmark greatest hits album that represented one of the '80s most essential pop artists at the top of her game. Yet a closer inspection of the choices is cause for some head-scratching. On the one hand, it deftly collects 15 of Madonna most beloved hits, which stood as a testament to the best of '80s dance pop (plus the brilliant 1990 hit "Vogue").

Yet, in a rather remarkable move, most of the songs of have been remixed and thus are present in neither their original album or single versions. While editing for length is to be expected, many of the songs boast minor remixes that likely go unnoticed by a casual listener--some additional percussion in "Borderline," an extra keyboard effect on the "Like a Virgin" chorus, etc. Slightly more dramatic were the inclusions of edits of "Holiday" and "Into the Groove" based on their You Can Dance remixes. Perhaps the boldest move was including a dance remix of "Like a Prayer" that is quite different from the album or single.

As such, The Immaculate Collection could legitimately be said to be a remix album, rather than a greatest hits, since it includes no album or single versions of the any of the songs included, save for the two new tracks. It's an unusual choice in retrospect. Why not just start with the single versions and edit for length as necessary? Still, in 1990 I thought it was amazing, as it put almost all my Madonna favorites together in one place, gave me "Crazy for You" for the first time, the dance single version of "Express Yourself," which I'd always preferred, and two great new tracks.

GHV2 (2001)

As compared with The Immaculate Collection, GHV2 was disappointing. It was better from a purists perspective, since this time all the tracks were either album versions or single edits, but the omissions were more pronounced: no "I'll Remember" or "This Used to Be My Playground," yet we got "Drowned World" and "What It Feels Like for a Girl." "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" appeared in its original ballad version rather than the popular Miami Mix promoted as the single. "Human Nature's" profanity was edited out. And there were no new tracks, which was a shame, for it meant the collection got little promotion. Probably the best thing about this set was the single version of "Deeper and Deeper," which is slightly different than the Erotica album version. Despite these disappointments, this is probably still a good deal for a casual fan who wants to explore Madonna's '90s work, but isn't ready to commit to her albums, since Celebration gives short shrift to this era of Madonna's career, including only eight tracks on the 2-CD version and a measly 3 on the single disc set.

Madonna "Revolver"

I wondered how long it would take for this to surface. It's not bad. Seems like it could be more likely to be a hit in the US than "Celebration," which unfortunately was DOA.

Madonna hits 40

Madonna has finally scored her 40th #1 hit on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart, with "Celebration" topping the chart that comes out tomorrow. She's 22 hits ahead of Janet Jackson in second place.

Billboard has a good article about it, which includes a list of all 40 #1s and how many weeks they spent at #1. Madonna's longest stays at #1 were 5 weeks with "Holiday/Lucky Star" and "Music." "Hung Up" and "Ray of Light" both spent 4 weeks at #1. American Life had the most dance #1s with 5 singles topping the chart, while singles from Music and Confessions on a Dancefloor collectively spent 9 weeks atop the chart for each album. Twenty-three of Madonna's dance #1s will appear on her upcoming greatest hits collection, Celebration.

Celebration Confirmed Tracklist

After months of speculation, the tracklist of Madonna's upcoming greatest hits collection, Celebration, has been officially confirmed. Here it is:

Disc 1
1. Hung Up
2. Music
3. Vogue
4. 4 Minutes
5. Holiday
6. Everybody
7. Like A Virgin
8. Into The Groove
9. Like A Prayer
10. Ray Of Light
11. Sorry
12. Express Yourself
13. Open Your Heart
14. Borderline
15. Secret
16. Erotica
17. Justify My Love
18. Revolver

Disc 2
1. Dress You Up
2. Material Girl
3. La Isla Bonita
4. Papa Don't Preach
5. Lucky Star
6. Burning Up
7. Crazy For You
8. Who's That Girl
9. Frozen
10. Miles Away
11. Take A Bow
12. Live To Tell
13. Beautiful Stranger
14. Hollywood
15. Die Another Day
16. Don’t Tell Me
17. Cherish
18. Celebration

Observations: We knew "Everbody" would appear, but interesting that "Burning Up" does too, with all 5 Madonna singles appearing. Two Immaculate Collection snubs appear--"Dress You Up" and "Who's That Girl"--while three others--"Angel," "True Blue," and "Causing a Commotion"--do not.

Quite a few '90s hits get the shaft: "This Used to Be My Playground," "Deeper and Deeper," "Rain," "I'll Remember," "You'll See," and "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" all miss out. "This Used to Be My Playground" is the only US #1 not to appear, while UK #1s that do not appear are "True Blue" and "American Pie."

Interesting that "Hollywood" appears but not "American Life," as well as "Miles Away" but not "Give It 2 Me."

Overall the collection focuses most on the '80s, which makes up 18 of the 36 tracks--fully half, while there are only 8 hits from the '90s, and 10 from this decade.

Best of the 2000s: Madonna - Confessions on a Dance Floor (4.5/5)

Following the rather unpopular American Life, Madonna bounced back in true form with 2005's Confessions on a Dance Floor, a modern all-dance workout of a record showcasing Madonna in top form doing the kind of music she does best. In retrospect, it was a curious move, considering that her last dance concept album--the brilliant and underrated Erotica (1992)--had been her least successful work to date. Nonetheless, Confessions was a success, giving Madonna another U.S. top 10 hit with "Hung Up,"--a feat American Life failed to deliver. In the UK, it was her first album since True Blue to deliver multiple #1 hits--the aforementioned stomper, as well as darker clubby track "Sorry." While nods to '70s disco show up with the Abba sample in "Hung Up" and Donna Summer in "Future Lovers," there's little that's retro about this thoroughly modern album, thanks to production work mostly by Stuart Price, with a couple tracks from Bloodshy & Avant. If there's one gripe, and it's a small one, the continous mix, while a fun party, creates a bit too much sameness between the songs. Still, there's a lot of great songs here, from the bracing "Get Together" to the upbeat "Jump." Definitely a keeper.

Best: Get Together, Hung Up, Jump, Forbidden Love, Sorry, Future Lovers, How High