Album of the Day

On this day in 1984, Madonna performed the title track to LIKE A VIRGIN at the very first MTV Video Music Awards; while her debut album had been hit, it was this follow-up that launched her into the stratosphere. Produced by Chic's Nile Rodgers (and featuring instrumental work from that band's Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson), the collection was a savvy mix of Madonna originals and outside material including such singles as “Angel,” “Dress You Up” and “Material Girl.” With iconic videos in heavy rotation on MTV, the set soared to No.1 on the U.S. chart, becoming the first solo album by a female artist to sell more than 5 million copies. Diverse, ambitious and endlessly listenable, LIKE A VIRGIN is one of the defining albums of the decade.