On this day April 22, 1989, Madonna’s Like a Prayer reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song held the top spot through May 12 and also reached number 1 in the UK, Canada, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Known for its gospel inspired vocals, electric guitar riffs, and deeply personal lyrics, Like a Prayer marked a major artistic shift for Madonna. It stirred controversy with its music video, which featured burning crosses and religious imagery that sparked global headlines and even caused Pepsi to pull their sponsorship deal with her. Despite the backlash, the song was a critical and commercial smash and is now considered one of Madonna’s most iconic and influential works.
Fun fact: Like a Prayer was the first song Madonna released under her new 60 million dollar contract with Warner Bros, one of the largest deals in music at the time.
Trivia question: What major brand dropped Madonna as a spokesperson after backlash over the Like a Prayer music video?
Known for its gospel inspired vocals, electric guitar riffs, and deeply personal lyrics, Like a Prayer marked a major artistic shift for Madonna. It stirred controversy with its music video, which featured burning crosses and religious imagery that sparked global headlines and even caused Pepsi to pull their sponsorship deal with her. Despite the backlash, the song was a critical and commercial smash and is now considered one of Madonna’s most iconic and influential works.
Fun fact: Like a Prayer was the first song Madonna released under her new 60 million dollar contract with Warner Bros, one of the largest deals in music at the time.
Trivia question: What major brand dropped Madonna as a spokesperson after backlash over the Like a Prayer music video?
