"Ray of Light" by Madonna (1998, Maverick/Warner Bros.)

"Ray of Light" album cover

      Seven months after the birth of Lourdes "Lola" Leon, the first child of Madonna and then-boyfriend Carlos Leon, Madonna began work on her seventh album (and first unassociated with Sire Records) in May 1997.  She finished recording in September, and in March 1998, "Frozen" was released as the lead single off, "Ray of Light" released that month. 
      The title track became the second single in June, and in September, "The Power of Good-Bye" was released as the third single.  "Nothing Really Matters" was released as the fourth and final single in April 1999.
     The album charted at #2, while the singles charted as follows: "Frozen" (#2), "Ray of Light" (#5), "The Power of Good-Bye" (#11) and "Nothing Really Matters" (#93), the first two singles marking a successful comeback to the music scene.

TRACKLISTING:
*Madonna co-wrote all songs, with co-writers listed below.

1. "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" (William Orbit, Rod McKuen, Anita Kerr, David Collins)
2. "Swim" (Orbit)
3. "Ray of Light" (Orbit, Clive Maldoon, Dave Curtis, Christine Leach)
4. "Candy Perfume Girl" (Orbit, Susannah Melvoin)
5. "Skin" (Patrick Leonard)
6. "Nothing Really Matters" (Leonard)
7. "Sky Fits Heaven" (Leonard)
8. "Shanti/Ashtangi" (Orbit)
9. "Frozen" (Leonard)
10. "The Power of Good-Bye" (Rick Nowels)
11. "To Have and Not to Hold" (Nowels)
12. "Little Star" (Nowels)
13. "Mer Girl" (Orbit)

"Something to Remember" by Madonna (1995, Maverick/Warner Bros.)

"Something to Remember" album cover

       Madonna's May 1995 departure from long-time label Sire Records was the end of an era for the singer, and it was decided that she would release her second compilation album later that year.  A collection of ballads only, she recorded new material in September.
       In November, "You'll See" was released as the lead single off, "Something to Remember" released that month.  In March 1996, "Love Don't Live Here Anymore (Remix)" was released as the second and final single.
       The album charted at #6, and the singles charted as follows: "You'll See" (#6) and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore (Remix)" (#78), continuing her decline in popularity.
       The album featured the new track, "I Want You" featuring Massive Attack, as well as new songs, "You'll See" and "One More Chance".  "I'll Remember" and "This Used to Be My Playground" were previously unavailable on official Madonna albums.
       The previously released material was taken from her third album, "True Blue" (1986), her fourth album, "Like a Prayer" (1989), the soundtrack album, "I'm Breathless" (1990), her fifth album, "Erotica" (1992) and her sixth album, "Bedtime Stories" (1994).

TRACKLISTING:
For all previously released tracks, please see their respective albums for writing credits.

1. "I Want You (feat. Massive Attack)" (Leon Ware, T-Boy Ross)
2. "I'll Remember" (Patrick Leonard, Madonna, Richard Page)
3. "Take a Bow"
4. "You'll See" (Madonna, David Foster)
5. "Crazy for You"
6. "This Used to Be My Playground" (Madonna, Shep Pettibone)
7. "Live to Tell"
8. "Love Don't Live Here Anymore (Remix)"
9. "Something to Remember"
10. "Forbidden Love"
11. "One More Chance" (Madonna, Foster)
12. "Rain"
13. "Oh Father"
14. "I Want You (Orchestral)" (Ware, Ross)

"Bedtime Stories" by Madonna (Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros.)

"Bedtime Stories" album cover

      After receiving heavy backlash for her incredibly sexual fifth album, "Erotica", Madonna immediately returned to the studio in February 1994, after promotion ended. 
     She finished recording her sixth album in August, and in September, "Secret" was released as the lead single off of, "Bedtime Stories" released in October.  In December, "Take a Bow" was released as the second single, and in April 1995, "Bedtime Story" became the third single. 
      In May, Sire Records became independent from distribution label Warner Bros. Records; Madonna was now on a Warner Bros. contract, and so ended association with the Sire label. 
      In June, "Human Nature" was released as the fourth and final single.  This was the first album since her debut not to have a supporting tour.
      The album charted at #3, with her singles charting as follows: "Secret" (#3), "Take a Bow" (#1), "Bedtime Story" (#42) and "Human Nature" (#46).
      This was her fourth album to feature a collaboration with another artist, as the track, "I'd Rather Be Your Lover" features Meshell Ndegeocello. 
      "Forbidden Love" should not be confused with the track of the same name featured on her 2005 album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor".

TRACKLISTING:

1. "Survival" (Madonna, Dallas Austin)
2. "Secret" (Madonna, Austin, Shep Pettibone)
3. "I'd Rather Be Your Lover (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello)" (Madonna, Dave Hall, Isley Brothers, Christopher Jasper)
4. "Don't Stop" (Madonna, Austin, Colin Wolfe)
5. "Inside of Me" (Madonna, Hall, Nellee Hooper)
6. "Human Nature" (Madonna, Hall, Shawn McKenzie, Kevin McKenzie, Michael Deering)
7. "Forbidden Love" (Babyface, Madonna)
8. "Love Tried to Welcome Me" (Madonna, Hall)
9. "Sanctuary" (Madonna, Austin, Anne Preven, Scott Cutler, Herbie Hancock)
10. "Bedtime Story" (Hooper, Bjork, Marius De Vries)
11. "Take a Bow" (Babyface, Madonna)

"Erotica" by Madonna (1992, Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros.)

"Erotica" album cover

       Still at the height of her career, Madonna began work on her fifth album in November 1991, seven months after promotion for her first compilation, "The Immaculate Collection" ended.
       Hoping to gain more royalties and artistic freedom, Madonna co-founded Maverick Records in April 1992, which she became the first artist to sign to.  A deal was made with Sire Records to form a dual contract which would allow her to release albums for both labels at once, and Warner Bros. Records became the distributing label for Maverick.  This also renewed her contract with Warner Bros. which had expired after, "The Immaculate Collection", for six more albums.
      Recording finished in August, and in October, "Erotica" was released as the lead single off of her fifth album of the same name, released that month.  In November, "Deeper and Deeper" was released as the second single, and in February 1993, "Bad Girl" was released as the third single.  In July, "Rain" was released as the fourth and final single.  She embarked on, "The Girlie Show World Tour" from September to December.
      Her first album to feature a Parental Advisory sticker, the album charted at #2, while the singles charted as follows: "Erotica" (#3), "Deeper and Deeper" (#7), "Bad Girl" (#36) and "Rain" (#14), making the title track the most successful, but still falling short of her previous successes.
      This album was her third to feature collaboration, on the track, "Did You Do It?" which features rappers Mark Goodman and Dave Murphy.

TRACKLISTING:

1. "Erotica" (Madonna, Shep Pettibone, Anthony Shimkin)
2. "Fever" (John Davenport, Eddie Cooley)
3. "Bye Bye Baby" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
4. "Deeper and Deeper" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
5. "Where Life Begins" (Madonna, Andre Betts)
6. "Bad Girl" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
7. "Waiting" (Madonna, Betts)
8. "Thief of Hearts" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
9. "Words" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
10. "Rain" (Madonna, Pettibone)
11. "Why's It So Hard" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
12. "In This Life" (Madonna, Pettibone)
13. "Did You Do It? (feat. Mark Goodman & Dave Murphy)" (Madonna, Betts, Pettibone)
14. "Secret Garden" (Madonna, Betts)

"The Immaculate Collection" by Madonna (1990, Sire/Warner Bros.)

"The Immaculate Collection" album cover

       At the height of Madonna's career and end of promotion for her soundtrack album, "I'm Breathless", Sire Records decided to issue her first compilation album.  She went into the studio to record new material in August 1990.
       In November, "Justify My Love" was released as the lead single off of, "The Immaculate Collection" released shortly after.  In February 1991, "Rescue Me" was released as the second and final single.
       The album charted at #2, while its singles charted as follows: "Justify My Love" (#1) and "Rescue Me" (#9), most likely due to the fact that the first single was so controversial that it outshone the second single.
       All songs (except for the two singles) were previously featured on her four studio albums: "Madonna" (1983), "Like a Virgin" (1984), "True Blue" (1986) and "Like a Prayer" (1989), also the remix album, "You Can Dance" (1987) and the soundtrack album, "I'm Breathless" (1990).  The hit single, "Crazy for You" was not previously available on an official Madonna album.
      This album ended her four-album, one compilation album contract with Sire/Warner Bros.

TRACKLISTING:
For all previously released tracks, please see their respective albums for writing credits.

1. "Holiday"
2. "Lucky Star"
3. "Borderline"
4. "Like a Virgin"
5. "Material Girl"
6. "Crazy for You" (John Bettis, Jon Lind)
7. "Into the Groove"
8. "Live to Tell"
9. "Papa Don't Preach"
10. "Open Your Heart"
11. "La Isla Bonita"
12. "Like a Prayer"
13. "Express Yourself"
14. "Cherish"
15. "Vogue"
16. "Justify My Love" (Lenny Kravitz, Ingrid Chavez)
17. "Rescue Me" (Madonna, Shep Pettibone)

"I'm Breathless" by Madonna (1990, Sire/Warner Bros.)

"I'm Breathless" album cover

       Trying to keep busy towards the end of the promotion of her fourth album and her recent divorce from Sean Penn, Madonna recorded a soundtrack to a film she appeared in, "Dick Tracy" titled, "I'm Breathless" from December 1989 to January 1990. 
       In March, "Vogue" was released as the lead single and in April she embarked on, "Blond Ambition World Tour".  In May, the soundtrack album was released and in June, "Hanky Panky" was released as the second and final single.  Her tour ended in August.
       The album charted at #2, and the singles charted as follows: "Vogue" (#1) and "Hanky Panky" (#10); interestingly the first single was the better performing, despite the fact that it is stylistically different than the rest of the album.
       Also, she collaborated once again, this time with, "Dick Tracy" co-stars.   "What Can You Lose" features actor Mandy Patinkin and "Now I'm Following You" parts one and two both feature actor Warren Beatty.

TRACKLISTING:

1. "He's a Man" (Madonna, Patrick Leonard)
2. "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" (Stephen Sondheim)
3. "Hanky Panky" (Madonna, Leonard)
4. "I'm Going Bananas" (Michael Kernan, Andy Paley)
5. "Cry Baby" (Madonna, Leonard)
6. "Something to Remember" (Madonna, Leonard)
7. "Back in Business" (Madonna, Leonard)
8. "More" (Sondheim)
9. "What Can You Lose (feat. Mandy Patinkin)" (Sondheim)
10. "Now I'm Following You (Part 1) (feat. Warren Beatty)" (Paley, Jeff Lass, Ned Claflin, Jonathan Paley)
11. "Now I'm Following You (Part II) (feat. Warren Beatty)" (A. Paley, Lass, Claflin, J. Paley)
12. "Vogue" (Madonna, Shep Pettibone)

"Like a Prayer" by Madonna (1989, Sire/Warner Bros.)

"Like a Prayer" album cover

       After a long year trying to reconcile with husband Sean Penn, Madonna began recording her fourth album in September 1988, and finished in January 1989, just after filing for divorce a second time.
      In March, "Like a Prayer" was released as the lead single off of the album of the same name, released that month as well.  In May, "Express Yourself" was released as the second single and in August, "Cherish" was released as the third single.  Her divorce became final in September, and in October, "Oh Father" was released as the fourth single.  "Keep It Together" was the fifth and final single in January 1990.
     While the album charted at #1, the singles charted as follows: "Like a Prayer" (#1), "Express Yourself" (#2), "Cherish" (#2), "Oh Father" (#20) and "Keep It Together" (#8), making the title track her greatest success of the album, despite most controversial.
      This album was her first to include a vocal collaboration with another artist, with the track, "Love Song" featuring singer-songwriter Prince.

TRACKLISTING:
*All songs co-written by Madonna, with co-writers listed below.

1. "Like a Prayer" (Patrick Leonard)
2. "Express Yourself" (Stephen Bray)
3. "Love Song (feat. Prince)" (Prince Rogers Nelson)
4. "Till Death Do Us Part" (Leonard)
5. "Promise to Try" (Leonard)
6. "Cherish" (Leonard)
7. "Dear Jessie" (Leonard)
8. "Oh Father" (Leonard)
9. "Keep It Together" (Bray)
10. "Spanish Eyes" (Leonard)
11. "Act of Contrition" (Leonard)

"You Can Dance" by Madonna (1987, Sire/Warner Bros.)

"You Can Dance" album cover

      By the end of Madonna's 1987 tour to promote a soundtrack as well as her third studio album, her marriage to actor Sean Penn was falling apart.  In November 1987, she filed for divorce, and probably in attempt to redirect attention to her music career, Sire Records released her first remix album, "You Can Dance" that month.  The album went generally unnoticed however, especially with news that Madonna had reconciled with her husband shortly after.  It charted at #14 and had no singles.
      It did however, include the previously-unreleased track, "Spotlight" recorded during the, "True Blue" sessions, as well as her hit song, "Into the Groove" which had previously been unavailable in the United States.  All other songs were previously released on her first three studio albums: "Madonna" (1983), "Like a Virgin" (1984) and "True Blue" (1986).
      

TRACK LISTING:
For all previously released tracks, please see their respective albums for writing credits.

1. "Spotlight" (Madonna, Stephen Bray)
2. "Holiday (Remix)"
3. "Everybody (Remix)"
4. "Physical Attraction (Remix)"
5. "Over and Over (Remix)"
6. "Into the Groove (Remix)" (Madonna, Bray)
7. "Where's the Party (Remix)"
8. "Holiday (Dub Version)"
9. "Into the Groove (Dub Version)"
10. "Where's the Party (Dub Version)"

"True Blue" by Madonna (1986, Sire/Warner Bros.)

"True Blue" album cover

       Following the end of promotion for her sophomore album, Madonna married Sean Penn in August 1985, and did not return to the studio to record her third album until December.
       In March 1986, "Live to Tell" was released as the lead single, and recording finished in April. In June, "Papa Don't Preach" was released as the second single preceding the release of the album, "True Blue" which was released that month.  In September, the title track was released as the third single, and in November, "Open Your Heart" became the fourth single.  In March 1987, "La Isla Bonita" was released as the fifth and final single.  She embarked on the, "Who's That Girl World Tour" from June to September.
       The album charted at #1, while the singles charted as follows: "Live to Tell" (#1), "Papa Don't Preach" (#1), "True Blue" (#3), "Open Your Heart" (#1) and "La Isla Bonita" (#4), making three out of the five single releases huge hits for her, creating foundation for her longevity.
       In May 2001, the album was remastered and re-released.

TRACK LISTING:
*Madonna co-wrote all songs, with co-writers listed below.

1. "Papa Don't Preach" (Brian Elliot)
2. "Open Your Heart" (Gardner Cole, Peter Rafelson)
3. "White Heat" (Patrick Leonard)
4. "Live to Tell" (Leonard)
5. "Where's the Party" (Stephen Bray, Leonard)
6. "True Blue" (Bray)
7. "La Isla Bonita" (Leonard, Bruce Gaitsch)
8. "Jimmy Jimmy" (Bray)
9. "Love Makes the World Go Round" (Leonard)

"Like a Virgin" by Madonna (1984, Sire/Warner Bros.)

"Like a Virgin" album cover

       In April 1984, while still promoting her debut album, Madonna began recording her sophomore album.  In September, she finished recording and in November, "Like a Virgin" was released as the lead single off of the album of the same name released later that month. 
      In January 1985, "Material Girl" was released as the second single, and in April, "Angel" became the third single.  Also that month, she embarked on, "The Virgin Tour" which ended in June.  In July, "Dress You Up" was released as the fourth and final single.
     The album charted at #1, while the singles charted as follows: "Like a Virgin" (#1), "Material Girl" (#2), "Angel" (#5) and "Dress You Up" (#5), making the title track her greatest hit off of the album.
     In May 2001, the album was remastered and re-released.

TRACK LISTING:

1. "Material Girl" (Peter Brown, Robert Rans)
2. "Angel" (Madonna, Stephen Bray)
3. "Like a Virgin" (Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg)
4. "Over and Over" (Madonna, Bray)
5. "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" (Miles Gregory)
6. "Dress You Up" (Andrea LaRusso, Peggy Stanziale)
7. "Shoo-Bee-Doo" (Madonna)
8. "Pretender" (Madonna, Bray)
9. "Stay" (Madonna, Bray)

"Madonna" by Madonna (1983, Sire/Warner Bros.)

 

"Madonna" album cover

Cancelled "Lucky Star" album cover

       In May 1982, Madonna began to record her debut album independently, until she was discovered and signed to Sire Records in October, and also Warner Bros. Records shortly thereafter. 

       That month, "Everybody" was released as the lead single.  In March 1983, "Burning Up" was released as the second single, and in April she finished recording.  Her album was initially titled, "Lucky Star", and artwork was produced, however the project later became self-titled. 

       In July, "Madonna" was released worldwide, and in October, "Holiday" was released as the third single.  In February 1984, "Borderline" was released as the fourth single, and in August, "Lucky Star" became the fifth and final single.

       The album charted at #8, while its singles charted as follows: "Everybody" (#107), "Holiday" (#16), "Borderline" (#10) and "Lucky Star" (#4), making the former title track the biggest hit off of the album.  "Burning Up" did not chart.

        In May 2001, the album was remastered and re-released.
 

TRACK LISTING:

*All songs written by Madonna except where noted.

1. "Lucky Star"
2. "Borderline" (Reggie Lucas)
3. "Burning Up"
4. "I Know It"
5. "Holiday" (Curtis Hudson, Lisa Stevens)
6. "Think of Me"
7. "Physical Attraction" (Reggie Lucas)
8. "Everybody"