1. Madonna - Like A Virgin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s__rX_WL100 Like A Virgin was the song that firmly embedded Madonna into the global public consciousness, not only as an icon but also as a role model. It displayed a confidence in her sexuality which appalled religious groups at the time, seeing the song as a rallying cry for female promiscuity and the emasculation of the traditional male role as the accepted sexual predator. Which goes to show how far attitudes have developed in a relatively short space of time, women are still fighting the gender battle, but the sexual revolution started here. Madonna had been bubbling under the radar of fame, but exploded onto the scene when this song was released. Whilst she very much drew on late 70s funk here, the fact that she was a blond New Yorker led to comparisons with Debbie Harry, but Madonna was casting a wider cultural net than that, being just as inspired by film culture too. On her next single Material Girl she would unashamedly reference Marilyn Monroe, as she was the embodiment of (blond) female ambition in the modern world. This was a song that brilliantly mixed romantic and sexual love and started a career period where Madonna was constantly agitating the establishment with her celebration of sex and sexuality. It was also the start of the pop star as a brand, the line I made it through the wilderness, somehow I made it through, didnt know how lost I was until l found you could be as much a reference to finding fame as it was to discovering a new love who made you feel new again. Also, its often forgotten the legacy of Nile Rogers and Chic have in the history of pop music. When youve got Chic on production and session musician duties for you as Madonna had here, its a fair bet that youll have a classic on your hands. And Like a virgin ticks all the boxes. Slick? Without a doubt. Timeless? It could be released today and make equivalent waves. Controversial? In the 80s, nobody did it better than Madonna. So what do you guys think? Any we've missed off, or others you'd see removed? Let us know in the comments!
Ed Nash
Contributor
What makes music fantastic? Star quality, amazing music, breathtaking lyrics and the ability to bring something new to the table, even if that means a new take on the classics. That's what I love to listen to and write about.
As well as writing for What Culture, I occasionally write a blog http://tedney.blogspot.co.uk and sometimes use Twitter, but sparingly @TedneyNash
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