True Blue is the thirdstudio album by American singer-songwriterMadonna, released on June 30, 1986, bySire Records. In early 1985, Madonna became romantically involved with actorSean Penn, and married him six months later on her 27th birthday. Additionally, she met producerPatrick Leonard while onthe Virgin Tour, and formed a professional relationship with him. The first songs they created together were "Love Makes the World Go Round", and the ballad "Live to Tell," which was featured in the filmAt Close Range, in which Penn starred.
In late 1985, Madonna and Leonard began working on her third studio album; she also enlisted the help of former boyfriendStephen Bray, with whom she had worked on her previous recordLike a Virgin (1984). TitledTrue Blue, the record saw Madonna co-writing and co-producing for the first time in her career. Inspired by Madonna's love for Penn, to whom she dedicated it,True Blue is adance-pop album that features influences ofMotown sound,girl groups, andLatin pop.
Upon release, the album was well received by critics, who complimented Madonna's vocals and musical growth. It was an immediate global success, reaching number one in a record-breaking 28 countries across the world. With over 25 million copies sold worldwide,True Blue is the best-selling album of 1986, the best-selling of the 1980s by a female artist, and one of thebest-selling albums of all time. Five singles were released from the album ―all reached the top five of theBillboard Hot 100, with three going to number one.
The album was promoted on Madonna's second concert tour, 1987'sWho's That Girl World Tour, which visited cities in Asia, North America, and Europe.True Blue is credited as the album that established Madonna's position as the biggest female artist of the 1980s, rivaling male musicians likeMichael Jackson andPrince. It is also considered the album that made her an icon and artist.
Madonna performing title track "True Blue" on 2015―2016'sRebel Heart Tour (left). Both the song and album take name afterSean Penn's (right) favorite expression, which signifies a "very pure vision of love", according to the singer; Penn was her husband at the time of the album's conception.[2]
In February 1985, Madonna began dating actorSean Penn, whom she met in the set of the music video for her single "Material Girl".[3] She recalled that Penn was someone "whose work I'd admired, and I think he felt the same way [...] We have so much in common he is almost like my brother".[4] They dated casually and married six months later, on Madonna's 27th birthday.[4][5] Afterwards, the newlyweds starred together in a movie calledShanghai Surprise (1986), which was a critical and commercial failure.[5]
Madonna met producerPatrick Leonard while onthe Virgin Tour, where he was hired as musical director.[6] After the tour was finished, Madonna asked Leonard if he wanted to work with her.[7] They met at a barbecue in his house, where he showed her a song he'd created in his studio called "Love Makes the World Go Round", which Madonna sang at thePhiladelphiaLive Aidbenefit concert on July 13, 1985.[6][8] Leonard and Madonna's next collaboration was a ballad called "Live to Tell", which was conceived as aninstrumental for thescore ofParamount's filmFire with Fire (1986).[9] Paramount, however, rejected the track; Leonard then asked Madonna if she could write the lyrics.[6] She complied, and decided to use the track onAt Close Range, a movie starring Penn.[7]
On April 5, 1986,Billboard reported that Madonna's new album would be calledLive to Tell, and released in the summer.[10] One month later, the title was confirmed to beTrue Blue, named after a favorite expression of Penn's.[11][12] Described by the singer as her "most personal" work at the time, she wanted to reach a wider, more mature audience.[13][14] Pleased with the results of "Live to Tell", she chose to keep Leonard on the project, and also enlisted former boyfriendStephen Bray, with whom she had worked on her second albumLike a Virgin (1984), and felt could help her create "up-tempo songs with a classic Top 40 sensibility".[15]
"I like to have control but I'm not a tyrant [...] I like to be surrounded by really talented, intelligent people who I trust, and ask them for their advice and get their input too".
—Madonna on working with Leonard and Bray onTrue Blue.[16]
True Blue was recorded at the Channel Studios inLos Angeles, from December 1985 to April 1986, the first year of Madonna and Penn's marriage.[13][17][18][19] For the first time in her career, Madonna co-wrote and co-produced all of the album's tracks.[20] According to Leonard, she was "very much in love" and in control when creating the record.[14][16] The singer worked with Bray and Leonard separately, with the three meeting together only once.[15] Leonard recalled the recording process: "I would put something together, usually just on piano, and then [Madonna] would come in, we'd mess around with whatever needed to be messed around with, she'd write a lyric, she'd sing it, and the next day we would do another song, one a day". On the other hand, Bray's job was to "shape things and [...] create arrangements to show off the song[s] better".[13] "Open Your Heart" was the first track recorded for the album; it was created as arock and roll song titled "Follow Your Heart" byGardner Cole and Peter Rafelson for singerCyndi Lauper.[21] Madonna's team got ademo with songs from Cole's management, among them "Follow Your Heart"; she liked the track, changed the title, re-wrote some of the lyrics, and produced it alongside Leonard.[22] They added abassline underneath, changing it from a rock song into adance one.[21]
"Papa Don't Preach" was written by Brian Elliot for a singer named Cristina Dent. When Elliot played Dent's tracks forWarner's Michael Ostin, the sameA&R executive who discovered "Like a Virgin", Ostin asked if he could play the track for Madonna;[23] Elliot had been working with Dent for six months and was reluctant to let the song go to another artist, but he eventually gave in, finding the idea of Madonna recording his song "hard to resist".[24] With lyrics that talk aboutteenage pregnancy, Madonna was attracted to the track because it "fit right in with my own personal zeitgeist of standing up to male authorities".[25][26] She only contributed with additional lyrics, making "Papa Don't Preach" the only song on the album that she did not have a strong hand in writing.[23] "La Isla Bonita" marked a "stylistic shift" for Madonna, as it was her first song to incorporateLatin motifs, and lyrics in Spanish.[27][28][29] It was created by Leonard as an instrumental and offered toMichael Jackson, who turned it down.[30] After meeting with the singer to start working onTrue Blue, Leonard presented her the demo and she wrote the lyrics while filmingShanghai Surprise.[30][31] To get the correct translations, Madonna and he talked over the phone with a Hispanic housekeeper.[28] It was described as a tribute to "the beauty and mystery of Latin American people".[2] "Where's the Party" is the only track that saw Madonna, Bray and Leonard working together.[13][28] Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens-Crowder, the authors of Madonna's 1983 hit "Holiday", wrote a song called "Spotlight" for the album, that was recorded but ultimately not included.[32][14] Madonna dedicatedTrue Blue to Penn, "the coolest guy in the universe".[14]
Daryl Easlea, author ofMadonna: Blond Ambition, describedTrue Blue as a "girlish" album, "the sound of a woman in love".[18] Made up of "highly commercialdance-pop [with] lyrics [that] convey an upbeat message along with casual autobiographical references", it contains musical references toMotown sound andgirl groups.[33] Her love for Penn "seep[s] into every song", as noted by authorLucy O'Brien.[34] Adam Sexton pointed out that, "[Madonna] transforms her own marital bliss into high-school accessible scenarios of a girl breaking down a bad boy's defense".[35] Opener "Papa Don't Preach" is a dancepost-disco track, with lyrics that see a daughter telling her father she is pregnant and refuses to have an abortion or give up the baby for adoption, despite her friends' advice.[36] The strings in theintroduction nod toclassical andBaroque music.[37] The following track, "Open Your Heart", is a "simple" "dizzy, driving" dance-pop love song "brimming with sexual innuendo".[22][38][39] Lyrically, it is a "tale of an unrequited love for someone seen on the street", and begins with Madonna whisperingwatch out! just as the opening drums kick in.[14][22]
Third track "White Heat" was dedicated to actorJames Cagney and named after the1949 film of the same name. It is a "standard" uptempo dance track, withsynth bass anddoubletracked vocals; also present are two quotes from the original soundtrack, "with speech and gunshots", one at the beginning and one towards the end.[14] "Live to Tell" is a popballad whose background instrumentation features a keyboard, asynthesizer,electric guitar and a mix of synthesized and real drumming.[40] Lyrically, it talks about the complexity of deceit, mistrust, and "bearing the burden of some enigmatic secret and coping with a painful past".[40][41] Fifth track "Where's the Party" is a dance song described by Madonna herself as a statement about "what it's like to be in the middle of this press stuff with everybody on my back".[42] Inspired by Motown and girl groups from the 1960s, title track "True Blue" is Madonna's tribute to Penn.[2] The verse-and-chorus composition is reminiscent of that ofThe Dixie Cups' "Chapel of Love" (1964), with backup singersSiedah Garrett and Edie Lehman accompanying Madonna's convincing "girly" vocals like a choir.[34]
"La Isla Bonita" combinesflamenco guitar,Latin percussion,electronic sounds, andmaracas.[27][43] Lyrically, it talks about a "humble observer, captured by the rhythm of an imagined island" named San Pedro, with mentions of "tropical breeze" and "nature wild and free".[29][44][45] It starts with anintroduction performed onbongos, before descending intocastanets.[42] Madonna then utters the phrase¿Cómo puede ser verdad? ("How can it be true?").[46] In one line, she specifically sings,Last night I dreamt of San Pedro/Just like I'd never gone, I knew the song.[44] One of the album's "happiest" cuts is "Jimmy Jimmy", which has influences ofnew wave music.[13] In the lyrics, Madonna commemorates her "youthful fascination" with actorJames Dean; "I used to fantasize that we grew up in the same neighbourhood and that he moved away and became a big star", she recalled.[2][42] Closer "Love Makes the World Go Round" incorporates Latin drums andsamba-influenced rhythms, and lyrics that talk aboutanti-war andanti-poverty.[42]
Lucy O'Brien compared the album's cover art to the work of American artistAndy Warhol (picture)
The album cover was shot by photographerHerb Ritts.[47] It shows Madonna in profile, with her head thrown back and eyes closed against a sky-blue background; her skin is bleached-out, and her hair platinum blonde.[48] Jeri Heiden, who was working at theWarner Bros. art department, was given the task of editing the photos to adapt them into record covers.[49] The final photo was selected by Madonna, Heiden andJeff Ayeroff, creative director of Warner Bros. at that time.[49] After the image was chosen, Heiden experimented with a variety of treatments of the original, which was shot inblack and white, to go along with the album's title, and finally arrived at the final, blue toned, hand tinted version.[49] The album's inner sleeve did not feature any photographs, and instead was dedicated to album credits and song lyrics, since Madonna wanted to be represented by her work rather than her image.[15]
Lucy O'Brien described the cover as a "moment ofWarholianpop art. A mixture of innocence [and] idealism [...] Our first glimpse of Madonna as a classic icon".[48] ForJ. Randy Taraborrelli, author ofMadonna: An Intimate Biography, the artwork indicated how "[True Blue] was a vehicle of growth for [Madonna]"; the "washed out color photograph" cover was "understated", especially when compared to the "sexier poses" she had been associated with in the past.[15] For Joe Lynch fromBillboard, it is one of the greatest album covers of all time.[50]
True Blue was released on June 30, 1986.[51][52] In the United States and Canada, the cover did not include the singer's name. Heiden explained in an interview withAperture magazine that the record company thought it would be "cool" to use ashrink wrap on American releases, so that when the public took it off, they'd be left with the photograph of Madonna.[49] In Europe, Warner felt that the name was needed, as they did not want to risk messing with Madonna's popularity. The back sleeve and booklet feature the song titles in Heiden's own handwriting.[49] About cropping the image for the cassette and vinyl releases, Heiden said: "I think the image became more interesting cropped into a square—and at that time we always started with the album cover configuration. It was like she was floating—her clothing was not visible. She took on the appearance of a marble statue—Goddess like. In the vertical cropping you see her leather jacket and the wall, and it becomes more typical, editorial, earthly".[49] On May 22, 2001, Warner Bros. released aremastered edition of the album with two additional remixes of "True Blue" and "La Isla Bonita".[53][54] Twenty years later, a 35th anniversary edition was released; it includes additional remixes,dub and instrumental versions.[55] It was reissued on crystal clear vinyl on November 8, 2019.[56]
True Blue was promoted on 1987'sWho's That Girl World Tour, Madonna's second concert tour.[57] It was her first world tour, and marked her first visit to Europe and Asia.[57] Musically and technically superior to the Virgin Tour, with a larger stage and four huge video screens used as backdrops, it was described by Madonna herself as a "theatrical multimedia spectacular".[58][57] Collaborating withMarlene Stewart on the wardrobe, she expanded the idea of "bringing her popular video characters to life onstage", recreating scenes from "True Blue", "Papa Don't Preach" and "La Isla Bonita".[59] Who's That Girl was critically appreciated, with reviewers singling out the performances, Madonna's vocals and confidence as a performer.[58][60][61] The tour's performance of "Papa Don't Preach" marked her first conflict with theVatican, as she dedicated it toPope John Paul II, who urged Italian fans to boycott the concerts in the country.[62] With a total gross of US$25 million, Who's That Girl was the second most successful female tour of the year, behindTina Turner'sBreak Every Rule World Tour.[63][64]
In the United States, "Live to Tell" was released on March 26, 1986, whereas in Europe, the release date was April 14.[65] It was acclaimed by critics, with some deeming it Madonna's best ballad, and singling out her vocal performance.[20][66] It was also commercially successful, becoming the singer's third number one in the USBillboard Hot 100, and her first number one on theAdult Contemporary chart.[67][68] Themusic video, directed byJames Foley, shows the singer in a more demure, toned down appearance, inspired by actresses such asGrace Kelly, intercut with clips fromAt Close Range.[69]
On June 11, "Papa Don't Preach" was released asTrue Blue's second single in the United States; in Europe, it was issued five days later.[70]It was lauded by critics, who applauded its hook, maturity, and referred to it as a milestone in Madonna's career.[71][72][73] It reached the top spot of the Hot 100 ―her fourth number one there― the United Kingdom, and Australia.[67][74][75] The clip, also directed by Foley, shows the singer in her first "head-to-toe" image makeover, with a leaner, more toned body, and croppedplatinum blonde hair.[76] Its main storyline has Madonna trying to tell her father, about her pregnancy; these scenes are juxtaposed with shots of her dancing and singing in a small, darkened studio, and spending a romantic evening with her boyfriend.[77][78] Shortly after its release, the song caused heated discussions about its lyrical content. Women's organizations and others in the family planning field criticized Madonna for encouraging teenage pregnancy, while groups opposed to abortion saw the song as having a positiveanti-abortion message.[79]
Title track "True Blue" was released as third single; first on Europe on September 29, and then in the United States on October 9.[80] It was generally well received by music critics, who praised its retro-inspired sound and felt it was a throwback to girl groups.[81][72] "True Blue" topped the charts in the United Kingdom, and reached the third position of the Hot 100.[74][67] Two music videos were shot for the single: the official one was directed by Foley and shows Madonna with three dancers and a 1950s car in an all-bluediner.[82] An alternate video was made throughMTV's "Make My Video" contest; the three entries selected portrayed a fifties-style production, and made allusion to the song's theme.[83]
Released in the US on November 12, 1986, and in Europe on December 1, fourth single "Open Your Heart" gave Madonna her fifth number one in Hot 100;[84][67] she became the second female artist – behindWhitney Houston – to score three number ones from one album.[85] The song received positive reviews from critics and was deemed a highlight from the album.[1] Its accompanying music video, directed byJean-Baptiste Mondino, depicts Madonna as anexotic dancer at apeep show who befriends a little boy. Critical reception towards the clip was generally positive: the singer was praised for presenting women as the dominant sex, but the plot of a child entering a strip club received criticism.[86][87]
The last single from the album was "La Isla Bonita", released on February 25, 1987.[88] Critics reacted positively to the song and applauded its Latin-influenced sound.[89][90] Peaking at number 4, it was Madonna's eleventh top five hit on the Hot 100, a feat surpassed at the time only bythe Beatles andElvis Presley.[67] "La Isla Bonita" also gave the singer her second Adult Contemporary number one.[68]Mary Lambert directed the music video, which shows Madonna as two opposite characters – a young Catholic woman, and aflamenco dancer.[91][92] Despite not being released as a single, "Where's The Party" received airplay on radio stationWKSI "Kiss FM" due to demand from the public.[93]
True Blue was generally well received by critics.[105][106]AllMusic'sStephen Thomas Erlewine said it was "one of the great dance-pop albums", that showcases Madonna's skills as a "songwriter, record-maker, provocateur, and entertainer through its wide reach, accomplishment, and sheer sense of fun".[1] This opinion was echoed by the staff ofBillboard, who were impressed with the "confident" album, and the singer's growth as writer and producer.[107] Erika Wexler fromSpin wrote: "Madonna knows her days as the chanteuse for teenage romance are numbered. With perfect timing, [she] gently distanced herself from that role, and although some of the songs [onTrue Blue] have the sophistication of atraining bra, there are glowing moments".[25]The New York Times'Stephen Holden noted that, despite lacking the "gleaming ultra-sleek aural surfaces" ofLike a Virgin,True Blue's made up of "shrewdly crafted teen-age and pre-teen-age ditties that reveal Madonna's unfailing commercial instincts", and find her singing with "a lot more heart".[33] This opinion was shared byRolling Stone, whereDavitt Sigerson referred toTrue Blue as a "sturdy, dependable, lovable" album, and singled out the singer's voice for sounding "better than ever".[71]
Robert Hilburn from theLos Angeles Times, pointed out that the "most obvious growth" was Madonna's voice, which is "so finely tailored that she actually extends the punch and appeal of the production touches". He went on to say: "True Blue isn't revolutionary music, but it is imaginative, highly energized pop that recognizes the limitations and pleasures of Top 40 fare".[108]PopMatters' Peter Piatkowski also applauded the singer's more mature vocals, and deemed the record "brilliant, one that speaks to its time but also celebrates the disparate cultures that influence [Madonna's] sound at the moment".[52]True Blue is the "most polished" of Madonna's first three albums, according to El Hunt from theEvening Standard.[109] In the same vein, Mary Von Aue fromStereogum said it has "more vocal range and lyrical complexities" thanLike a Virgin andMadonna.[110]True Blue was hailed "nine tracks of 80s pop perfection [...] Madonna's strongest effort from that decade" by the staff ofGay Times.[111] For Joseph Earp from Australian websiteJunkee, "with its era-defining production, and sweaty sheen of subversion, [True Blue is] the singer's way of understanding everything that came afterwards [...] most pop singers never release a record this good in their whole career".[112]
Lucy O'Brien pointed out that, whereas her debut andLike a Virgin were a "sound in development",True Blue sees Madonna "nail[ing] her signature style - rhythmic, dramatic, danceable, and distinctively melodic".[34] ReplacingNile Rodgers with Leonard and Bray resulted in a "less polished, but more varied" album, according toThe Sunday Telegraph's Larry Nager.[113] The review ended on a somewhat critical note:True Blue is "classic pop [...] an entertaining album's worth of catchy, danceable tunes", despite "not much content beneath the candy-coating", concluded Nager.[113] Even though he called it a "supreme archetype of '80s pop music", with its tracks being "undeniably more mature" than her previous endeavors,Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani feltTrue Blue is home to "some of [Madonna's] biggest clunkers", and is "undeniably of its time".[72] To Karen Cooke from Australian newspaperThe Age, even though it includes a couple of "tedious" tracks, "this record is full of songs to make you tap the steering wheel [and] dance in the loungeroom".[114]True Blue's main flaw is that its five singles are "so strong they overshadow" the rest of the tracks, which seem "slight by comparison", wrote Daryl Easlea.[115]
In less favorable reviews, John Quayle from theObserver–Reporter dismissed the record as "warmed overGo-Gos material", but applauded the singles for being "strong enough to convince even her worst critics that Madonna does have talent - and lots of it".[116] Mary Von Aue noted that the album experiments with "different sounds that are well executed as singles", but as a whole sounds "disjointed", concluding that, "[True Blue] doesn't live up to the strength of [its singles]".[110] For Don McLeese from theChicago Sun-Times, although it represents a "valiant -and necessary- attempt on Madonna's part to expand her artistic range,True Blue just isn't as much fun" as her previous records.[95] TheRecord-Journal's Jim Zebora was also negative: "[True Blue] contains one absolutely marvelous torch song called 'Live To Tell' [...] Unfortunately, the rest is barely competent post-disco [...] So let's call it a C plus and program the CD player to ignore eight out of [its] nine songs".[117] Finally, Larry Kilman, writing for American newspaperThe Evening News, compared it negatively to the work of girl groups such asthe Ronettes andthe Shangri-Las, dismissing it as "mindless, inspid [and] air-headed", adding that, "[its] slick production and arrangements disguise much of the tininess of [Madonna's] voice [...] But that's as good as [True Blue] gets".[118]
On July 19, 1986,True Blue entered theBillboard 200 at number 29.[119] Five weeks later, it reached the first spot; it was Madonna's second number one album afterLike a Virgin, thus she became one of five female artists in the rock era to reach the top spot with back-to-back releases.[120] It stayed on the top position for five consecutive weeks, and on the chart for a total of 82 weeks.[121][122]True Blue was certified seven times platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of over seven million units, making it Madonna's third best-selling album in the United States, behindLike a Virgin andThe Immaculate Collection (1990).[123] With the advent of theNielsen SoundScan era in 1991, the album sold a further 404,000 copies as of August 2010.[124] 301,000 additional copies were sold through BMG Music Clubs, which are not counted by the Nielsen SoundScan.[125] In Canada,True Blue debuted on the 73rd spot of theRPM Albums Chart on July 5, 1986; it quickly climbed up the chart and reached the top on August 9.[126][127] By July, it had surpassed the 10-times-platinum mark for 1 million sales Canadian, and was eventually certified diamond by theCanadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) for shipment of one million copies.[128][129] Madonna became the second female artist to achieve this behind Whitney Houston.[128]
Across Europe,True Blue sold 5 million copies by July 1987, and reached the top of theEuropean Top 100 Albums chart.[143][144] It spent a total of 31 weeks at number one, from July 19, 1986, to March 7, 1987, the longest number one album runner in the history of the European charts.[144] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number one on theUK Albums Chart on July 12, 1986, making it the first album by an American artist to debut at number one in British chart history.[145][74] It spent six weeks at the top, shifting just shy of two million by the end of the year, and was 1986's best selling album.[74]True Blue was certified seven times platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipment of 2.1 million copies and, as of June 2019, has sold over two million copies.[146][147]True Blue also topped the albums chart in France and received a diamond certification by theSyndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) for shipment of one million copies.[148][149] Actual sales of the album in the country stand at 1,300,000 copies as of March 2012.[150] Similarly, in GermanyTrue Blue also reached the first spot in Germany, and was certified two times platinum by theBundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) for shipment of one million copies.[151][152] It reached the first spot of the charts in Italy, Belgium, Spain, and Switzerland.[153][154][155][156] According to biographerChristopher Andersen,True Blue went gold in countries where it didn't even reached number one.[157] By August 1987,True Blue had sold over five million copies;[158] worldwide, it has sold more than 25 million copies.[159]
"True Blue launched Madonna to global superstardom, yes, but its impact on music and culture helped keep her at the top of her game for the next three decades, and it might well be the record she is remembered for for many more decades to come".
—Classic Pop's Andy Jones commenting on the impact ofTrue Blue.[13]
True Blue has been noted as the album that made Madonna anicon and a "credible" artist.[160][161] Stephen Thomas Erlewine deemed it the point where she "truly became 'Madonna the superstar'—the endlessly ambitious, fearlessly provocative entertainer that knew how to outrage, spark debates, get good reviews—and make good music while she's at it".[1] From theBBC, Mark Savage wrote that it established her as "the first lady of pop", an opinion that was shared by Peter Piatkowski, who added that it made her the "dominant face on theMount Rushmore of 1980s pop", along withMichael Jackson,Prince, andBruce Springsteen.[162][52] In a similar note, Sal Cinquemani said that withTrue Blue, Madonna joined the ranks of Jackson and Prince and made the transition from "pop tart to consummate artist".[72] According to Lucy O'Brien, "with its sophisticated sheen, [True Blue] took Madonna firmly out of the dance-diva category into a global pop market".[34] Jack White from the Official Charts Company wrote: "True Blue, her third album, saw Madonna shoot into the realms of superstardom that her previous albumLike A Virgin had cemented".[163] ToMatthew Rettenmund, author ofEncyclopedia Madonnica, it was the first "solid proof" of her artistic and musical talents.[164] Patrick Leonard himself explained: "The music got more serious, so I think she got taken more seriously [...] [Madonna] took some chances that I don't know most people would have. There were things [inTrue Blue] that weren't normal in pop music at the time".[28]
Slant Magazine consideredTrue Blue one of the best albums from the 1980s; Jonathan Keefe wrote that it marked the point where, "it became readily apparent that Madonna was more than just a flash-in-the-pan pop star. It's when she began manipulating her image —and her audience— with a real sense of clarity and purpose".[165] Piatkowski wrote that it "set the stage for the exponential ascent of Madonna's brilliance", that began with 1989'sLike a Prayer and reached its peak on 1998'sRay of Light.[52] From music portal Albumism, Justin Chadwick conlcuded that, "[True Blue] solidified [Madonna's] blonde ambition, cemented her worldwide superstardom, and, once and for all, extinguished any remaining doubts about her potential career longevity".[166] The album also helped popularize marketing singles, according toBillboard's Paul Grein: "10 or 20 years ago you would have had two singles from an album at the most. Now we’re in an era where Madonna is on her fifth [fromTrue Blue]".[167]
True Blue was 1986's best-selling album, and the best-selling of the 1980s decade by a female artist, with Madonna being 1986's most successful female.[168][169][170] The album held the record for being number one in a total of 28 countries around the world.[171] With over 17 million copies sold, it was named the highest-seller of all time by a female in the 1991 edition of theGuinness Book of World Records;[172]True Blue has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide, and is one of thebest-selling albums of all time.[159]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). "Madonna".MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. pp. 704–706.ISBN1-57859-061-2.
^"WEA".Exame (in Portuguese). No. 366.Editora Abril. 1986. p. 62. Archived fromthe original on December 3, 2021. RetrievedDecember 31, 2023 – via Google Books.Quando a gravadora WEA lançou o primeiro long-play da roqueira Madonna (Like a Virgin) no Brasil, no ano passado, precisou de 14 meses para vender 410 mil cópias. O segundo,True Blue, lançado em julho último, alcançou 205 mil em duas semanas.
^"Top 100 albums of '87".RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 26, 1987. Archived fromthe original on October 12, 2012. RetrievedDecember 29, 2023.
^"Ekonomi Araştırma".Milliyet (in Turkish). September 17, 1987. p. 5. Archived fromthe original on June 7, 2021. RetrievedJanuary 3, 2024.(subscription required)
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