Madonna (album)

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The cover of Madonna's eponymous debut album featured the future superstar with a chain wrapped around her neck.

Madonna, known as The First Album outside of the United States, is the first studio album by pop singer Madonna, released by Sire Records in 1983. The album was remastered in 2001, a release that included two bonus remixed tracks.

About

In 1983, after the successful release of two singles, "Everybody" and "Burning Up", Warner Bros. Records gave Madonna the greenlight to record her first album. She chose to collaborate with Warner Bros. producer Reggie Lucas, despite her previous collaboration on "Everybody" with New York DJ Mark Kamins, who had discovered her and helped her attain her recording deal with Sire Records. The two clashed over creative control, however, and, once they were finished, Madonna took the album to boyfriend John "Jellybean" Benitez, who remixed and rearranged the entire album.

Madonna received mostly positive reviews from critics, but also drew many comments on a "girlish hiccup" in her voice. Don Shewey, in a review for Rolling Stone, called the album "an irresistible invitation to the dance." Madonna's simple pop lyrics were also praised, mostly for being so catchy and bare. [1] In a review for the All Music Guide, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album five stars out of five and stated that Madonna's debut album "set the standard for dance-pop for the next 20 years" due to its combination of "great pop songs with stylish, state-of-the-art beats." He called the album, with its near-perfect pop songs and production "utterly irresistible" and "a terrific, nearly timeless, listen."[2]

Tracks

* included as bonus tracks on the 2001 remastered album

Certifications

Singles

Credits

Performance Credits

Madonna Vocals, Background Vocals, Cowbell

Tina B. Background Vocals

Christine Faith Background Vocals

Dean Gant Synthesizer, Piano, Electric Piano

Gwen Guthrie Background Vocals

Curtis Hudson Guitar

Raymond Hudson Bass

Anthony Jackson Electric Bass

Bashiri Johnson Percussion

Reggie Lucas Guitar

Bob Malach Tenor Saxophone

Paul Pesco Guitar

Ira Siegel Guitar

Ed Walsh Synthesizer

Brenda White Background Vocals

Norma Jean Wright Background Vocals

Fred Zarr Synthesizer, Piano, Drums, Electric Piano, Moog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, Moog bass

Technical Credits

John Benitez Producer, Mixing, Remixing

Mark Kamins Producer

Reggie Lucas Producer, Drum, Programming

Jim Dougherty Engineering

Michael Hutchinson Engineering

Butch Jones Engineering

Michael Hutchinson Engineering

Jay Mark Engineering, Mixing

Curtis Hudson Arranger

Fred Zarr Arranger

Carin Goldberg Art Direction

Gary Heery Photography

Trivia

• Madonna dedicated the album to her father, Tony Ciccone.
• The song "Ain't No Big Deal" was originally intended to be included on Madonna, but Stephen Bray, one of Madonna's former boyfriends and a collaborator on the song, had sold the rights to another label. To replace "Ain't No Big Deal", Madonna and her producers chose "Holiday", written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens, which went on to be Madonna's first Billboard Hot 100 hit at number 16.
• Hudson and Stevens had previously offered "Holiday" to Mary Wilson, a former member of The Supremes.
• Madonna was originally to be titled Lucky Star, after the first track.

Shop

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Reviews

I loved Borderline to death when it came out. I absolutely jumped for joy everytime I heard it on the radio. Lucky Star was one of her hits that I liked a lot as well. I've been a fan of Madonna since I was a little girl and to this date, I adore her even more. --Angelic biatch 05:52, 28 January 2007 (PST)

External Links

• All Music Guide review
• Rolling Stone review