Like a Virgin (song)
Madonna's breakthrough single, using virginity as a metaphor for renewal.
"Like a Virgin" is a track from Madonna’s second album, also titled *Like a Virgin* (1984). The song was penned by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, with production handled by Nile Rodgers, and it dropped as the album’s lead single on November 6, 1984. Steinberg came up with the lyrics after leaving a tough relationship and starting a fresh one, capturing the feeling of renewal he was going through. Musically, it’s a dance-rock number built on a synth-bass groove, guitar, and drums, with an arrangement that nods to Motown and the sound of Rodgers’ band Chic. Lyrically, it treats virginity as a metaphor for the emotional reset of a new romance, while its double meanings and ambiguous phrasing leave room for both romantic and sexual readings.
Early reviews were a mixed bag: some praised Madonna’s vocals, others criticized them; Rodgers’ production got kudos, but the lyrics drew flak from a few critics. The song became Madonna’s first number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100, holding the top spot for six weeks, and also hit number one in Australia, Canada, and the European Hot 100, reaching the top ten in many other countries. Worldwide, it sold over six million copies. The music video, directed by Mary Lambert and mostly shot in Venice, shows Madonna switching between a sexually confident woman and a bride in white, mixing religious and erotic imagery with a lion that keeps appearing. Critics have seen it as a playful take on traditional ideas about virginity, sexuality, and female purity.
Madonna performed “Like a Virgin” at the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, wearing a wedding dress and rolling across the stage. That performance became a key moment in her career and is now seen as one of the greatest and most important in the awards show’s history. She’s since included the song on eight of her concert tours, most recently the Celebration Tour (2023–2024). The track has been credited with challenging old attitudes about female sexuality and virginity, expanding how women’s sexual autonomy is shown in pop music, while also sparking a conservative backlash. Widely covered, parodied, and referenced in pop culture, the song helped push Madonna to superstardom. It’s now considered one of the defining recordings of the 1980s and among the greatest and most important pop songs ever.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Madonna
- Album
- Like a Virgin
- B-Side
- Stay
- Released
- November 6, 1984
- Recorded
- April 1984
- Studio
- Power Station (New York City)
- Genre
- Dance-rock
- Length
- 3:38
- Label
- Sire / Warner Bros.
- Writer
- Tom Kelly / Billy Steinberg
- Producer
- Nile Rodgers
- Prev Title
- Borderline
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Billy Steinberg conceived the lyrics after emerging from a difficult relationship and beginning a new one, drawing on the sense of renewal he experienced. The phrase "like a virgin" came from feeling "shiny and new." Steinberg and Kelly initially struggled to find a suitable artist; multiple A&R executives turned it down due to its title. Warner Bros. A&R executive Michael Ostin played the demo for Madonna, who was drawn to its wordplay and decided to record it.
Producer Nile Rodgers initially opposed recording the song, but after finding it stuck in his head, he apologized to Madonna and agreed. Recording took place in April 1984 at the Power Station studios in New York City. Rodgers assembled a rhythm section including his Chic bandmates Bernard Edwards on bass and Tony Thompson on drums. Madonna closely followed Steinberg and Kelly's original demo, even retaining Tom Kelly's ad-libs at the end of the song.
The accompanying music video, directed by Mary Lambert and filmed primarily in Venice, depicts Madonna alternating between a sexually assertive woman and a bride dressed in white, incorporating religious and erotic imagery as well as a lion. The video has been interpreted as playing with traditional ideas of virginity, sexuality, and female purity.
Reader's Guide
Madonna performed "Like a Virgin" at the inaugural 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, appearing in a wedding dress and rolling across the stage. The performance became a defining moment of her career and has since been regarded as one of the greatest and most important in the ceremony's history. The song has been credited with challenging traditional attitudes toward female sexuality and virginity and expanding representations of women's sexual autonomy in popular music, while also provoking a conservative backlash. Widely covered, parodied, and referenced in popular culture, the song helped propel Madonna to superstardom. It has since been regarded as one of the defining recordings of the 1980s and among the greatest and most important pop songs of all time. Initial reviews ranged from positive to mixed, with Madonna's vocals drawing both praise and criticism, Rodgers' production receiving praise, and some reviewers criticizing the lyrics.
Did You Know?
- Steinberg conceived the lyrics while driving through his father's vineyards in the Coachella Valley after ending a bad relationship.
- Producer Nile Rodgers initially opposed recording the song, but changed his mind after it got stuck in his head.
- Madonna retained Tom Kelly's ad-libs from the original demo in her final recording.
- The music video was filmed primarily in Venice and features a lion.
More in Iconic Songs 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced