The song explores the themes of love and relationships, inspired by Madonna's early experiences in the music industry.
View background statusMadonna
48 catalog entries, grouped by year.
Madonna: a curated listening guide
Begin with the defining pop and dance records, then follow a longer route through ballads, film songs and adventurous album tracks.
60 selections with release evidence; 21 beyond the yearly lists.
About Madonna
Madonna is a singer, songwriter and producer whose first single, Everybody, appeared in 1982. Her early albums connect dance rhythms with concise pop songs; later records range from the ballads of Bedtime Stories to the electronic settings of Ray of Light and Music. Film work added songs such as Crazy for You and You Must Love Me to her catalog. More recent collaborations include Medellín with Maluma and Popular with The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, extending the range of voices around her.
Artist background sources
Everybody - official original single release history
Explicitly identifies Everybody as the first commercial Madonna single and states that the original 12-inch was released in fall 1982, before its inclusion on the 1983 debut album. It separately identifies the dub version and credits original producer Mark Kamins. Year precision avoids equating chart debut with first release. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Madonna - official original album catalog
Documents the original 1983 album. The original track list includes Holiday, Borderline, Lucky Star and Burning Up. Its account of Everybody's late-1982 chart appearance is not used as independent release-date evidence; the separate original-single page supports Everybody's first release. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Bedtime Stories - official original album catalog
Documents the original 1994 album. Original album contains Secret, Take a Bow, Human Nature and Bedtime Story; subsequent singles and videos are later associations. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Ray of Light - official original album catalog
Documents the original 1998 album. Original album contains Frozen, Ray of Light, Drowned World/Substitute for Love, The Power of Good-bye and Nothing Really Matters. The producer credits include William Orbit. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Music - official original album catalog
Documents the original 2000 album. Original album contains Music, Don't Tell Me, What It Feels Like for a Girl and Impressive Instant. Later single or dance-remix releases are not substituted for the selected original performances. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Crazy for You - official original single history
Identifies the original 1985 Vision Quest recording and single. Its separate 1991 UK reissue and later track-list additions do not change the original release year. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
You Must Love Me - official original single catalog
Identifies the original Madonna studio single for Evita in 1996, distinct from later stage, tour and concert performances. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
4 Minutes - contemporaneous official single announcement
The April 2008 announcement confirms 4 Minutes had already been released before the scheduled Hard Candy album; it names Justin Timberlake and Timbaland as collaborators. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Madame X and Medellín - contemporaneous Interscope/Universal announcement
The April 17, 2019 label announcement makes Medellín with Maluma available to download and stream before the June album, and lists God Control on that original album. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Popular - Republic/XO/Apple Music original single metadata
The original June 2023 single credits The Weeknd and Madonna as lead artists and Playboi Carti as featured. Its full original collaboration is retained even though the annual catalog orders those names differently. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Profile reviewed: 2026-10-17. Artist background does not establish a song's creative origin or release date.
1984
Madonna is a singer, songwriter and producer whose first single, Everybody, appeared in 1982. Her early albums connect dance rhythms with concise pop songs; later records range from the ballads of Bedtime Stories to...
View background statusBilly Steinberg wrote the lyrics after leaving a difficult relationship and starting a new one. The title conveys emotional renewal rather than a literal claim about sexual experience. Tom Kelly supplied the musical...
Read background and sourcesThe song was inspired by Madonna's ambition and her rising star in the music industry.
View background status1985
A dance-pop track about falling in love, from Madonna's "Like a Virgin" album.
View background statusWritten for the film "Vision Quest" to capture teenage love and desire.
View background statusThe idea of adorning a lover with affection and desire.
View background statusWritten for the film "Vision Quest," the song was only released as a single outside the U.S.
View background statusBilly Steinberg wrote the lyrics after leaving a difficult relationship and starting a new one. The title conveys emotional renewal rather than a literal claim about sexual experience. Tom Kelly supplied the musical...
Read background and sourcesA satirical take on 1980s materialism and consumerism.
View background status1986
Written for the film "At Close Range," this ballad explores themes of survival and truth-telling.
View background statusThis controversial song addresses teenage pregnancy and a young woman's decision to keep her baby.
View background statusMadonna wrote this song as a tribute to her then-husband Sean Penn.
View background status1987
Relationship conflicts and public scrutiny
View background statusLatin culture and a fictional tropical paradise
View background statusEncouraging emotional vulnerability in relationships
View background statusTitle track for Madonna's film of the same name
View background status1989
A lighthearted love song inspired by the 1960s pop sound.
View background statusMadonna's call for women to express themselves and demand respect in relationships.
View background statusMadonna's Catholic upbringing and her desire to explore religious themes in a provocative manner.
View background status1990
Controversial exploration of sexuality
View background statusNew York City's underground ball culture
View background status1991
Sexual liberation and desire
View background status1992
A dance-pop track about falling deeply in love.
View background statusA provocative song exploring themes of sex and power.
View background statusMadonna is a singer, songwriter and producer whose first single, Everybody, appeared in 1982. Her early albums connect dance rhythms with concise pop songs; later records range from the ballads of Bedtime Stories to...
View background status1993
Madonna is a singer, songwriter and producer whose first single, Everybody, appeared in 1982. Her early albums connect dance rhythms with concise pop songs; later records range from the ballads of Bedtime Stories to...
View background statusThe song explores themes of love and self-discovery, with nods to disco music.
View background statusA cover of Peggy Lee's 1958 version, with a more dance-oriented arrangement.
View background statusThe song uses rain as a metaphor for cleansing and new beginnings.
View background status1994
Written for the film "With Honors," reflecting on memories and personal growth.
View background statusThe power of keeping and revealing secrets in relationships.
View background statusWritten about the end of a relationship, possibly inspired by Madonna's personal experiences.
View background status1995
Madonna is a singer, songwriter and producer whose first single, Everybody, appeared in 1982. Her early albums connect dance rhythms with concise pop songs; later records range from the ballads of Bedtime Stories to...
View background statusA song about the power of self-acceptance and love.
View background statusWritten about the end of a relationship, possibly inspired by Madonna's personal experiences.
View background status1996
The song was inspired by Madonna's determination to overcome personal challenges.
View background status1997
Don't Cry for Me Argentina
MadonnaReported release: 1996Date needs verification | Recent carryover
Source year-end #87From the musical "Evita," based on the life of Eva Perón.
View background statusMadonna is a singer, songwriter and producer whose first single, Everybody, appeared in 1982. Her early albums connect dance rhythms with concise pop songs; later records range from the ballads of Bedtime Stories to...
View background status1998
The song explores themes of emotional coldness and the inability to express love.
View background statusThe song was influenced by Madonna's study of Kabbalah and motherhood.
View background status2000
The song was inspired by Madonna's love for dance music and its ability to bring people together.
View background status2001
Setting boundaries in relationships
View background status2002
Theme song for the James Bond film of the same name.
View background status2003
The track was inspired by Madonna's criticism of American culture and materialism.
View background status2006
Stuart Price began the track as a DJ idea after hearing ABBA on the radio during a drive home. Madonna was seeking disco music for a proposed Luc Besson film and immediately found a melody for his sample-based track....
Read background and sources2009
The song is about the joy of dancing and celebrating life.
View background status2015
The song explores themes of love and survival in a post-apocalyptic world.
View background statusBrowse by year
1960-2025. Each year contains 150 selections.