Album of the Day

While Madonna's debut was a big hit, it was on her follow-up, LIKE A VIRGIN, where she truly grabbed the reins of superstardom. Produced by Chic's Nile Rodgers (and featuring instrumental work from that band's Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson), the album was a savvy mix of Madonna originals and outside material including such singles as “Angel,” “Dress You Up,” “Material Girl” and the title track. With iconic videos of the last two songs in heavy rotation on MTV, the set soared to No.1 on the U.S. chart, becoming the first solo album by a female artist to sell more than 5 million copies on this day in 1985. Diverse, ambitious and endlessly listenable, LIKE A VIRGIN is one of the defining albums of the decade.