Following a charismatic debut, 26-year-old Madonna was determined to steal the spotlight with 1984’s Like a Virgin. Overseen by disco genius Nile Rodgers, the album is flawlessly played and produced. The button-pushing title track and “Material Girl” mix New Wave dance with R&B lust. The hooks on “Angel” are as sweet as hard candy and the rhythms of “Into the Groove” are tantalising. Still, it’s Madonna’s coy-but-impassioned vocals that make the album more than a fleeting dose of pop fluff.
Audio Extras
- Nile Rodgers explains how the song could have had a different fate.
- 2019
- 1998
- 1986
- Various Artists
- Culture Club
- Exposé
- Kylie Minogue
- Debbie Gibson
- Tina Turner
- Wham!