Madonna's most iconic songs you must listen to
While Michael Jackson was titled the "King of Pop," Madonna was bestowed with the "Queen of Pop" title. Madonna's music transcends time, consistently delivering iconic hits that define generations. With a career spanning decades, her songs have become anthems of self-expression, empowerment, and pop culture revolution. From Crazy For You to Vogue and beyond, we have listed only some of Madonna's iconic hits.
'Crazy For You' (1985)
Released in 1985, Crazy For You is an iconic ballad that expresses the humane vulnerability of love. While the lyrics of the song struck a chord with the fans at the time, it's a timeless classic that has the ability to evoke emotions in every generation. Madonna sang this song in the 1985 popular romcom Vision Quest which solidified its place in pop culture.
'Open Your Heart' (1986)
Madonna's 1986 iconic song Open Your Heart was her fifth No. 1 single. Touted to be an innuendo-laden love song, it features Madonna as an exotic dancer at a peep show who expresses her sexual desire. This timeless classic was apparently a tribute to some stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, including Marlene Dietrich and Liza Minnelli.
'Like a Prayer' (1989)
Madonna's 1989 song Like a Prayer became an icon as it transcended musical boundaries upon its release. As the song features a passionate young girl who's in love with God making him the only male figure in her life, the song ignited conversations about religion and sexuality. Like a Prayer is a fusion of pop with gospel music (a traditional genre of Christian music).
'Vogue' (1990)
Revolutionizing pop culture in 1990, Madonna's Vogue song is inspired by vogue dancers and choreographers belonging to the Harlem "House Ball" community. They told her about the dance's origins and introduced her to "vogueing" in New York City's Sound Factory club. It's a house song with significant disco overtones from the 1970s that became a dance music trendsetter in the 1990s.
'Take a Bow' (1994)
Take a Bow is one of the most underrated but impactful hits of Madonna's. Inspired by bullfighting aesthetics, the music video added depth to the narrative of the vocals that convey themes of heartbreak and longing. Co-written and co-produced by Babyface, it was also the first time that he had worked with live strings in this mid-tempo pop ballad, as per Madonna's suggestion.
