CSPC: Madonna Popularity Analysis

Physical Singles Sales – Part 2

Who’s That Girl (1987) – 1,182,000 equivalent albums

Who’s That Girl – 2,540,000
Causing A Commotion – 1,120,000
The Look Of Love – 280,000

Like A Prayer (1989) – 1,941,000 equivalent albums

Like A Prayer – 2,990,000
Express Yourself – 1,330,000
Cherish – 950,000
Oh Father – 390,000
Dear Jessie – 360,000
Keep It Together – 450,000

I’m Breathless (1990) – 1,050,000 equivalent albums

Vogue – 2,840,000
Hanky Panty – 660,000

The era of Who’s That Girl was naturally short since it was a Soundtrack. It hasn’t prevented the title track to be a huge hit and Causing A Commotion to sell over a million.

From March 1984 to September 1987, Madonna registered 14 consecutive US Top 10 hits, the last 13 of which Top 5, within’ 42 months, one every quarter. The 18 months break took from September 1987 to March 1989 could have cause a real slowdown in fame for her. It did happen afterwards when Oh Father broke the string of hits by peaking at #20 later in 1989, but not instantly as Like A Prayer was a massive #1 songs and both follow ups went to #2.

Vogue is widely said to be a 6 million seller Worldwide, facts put it under 3 million though. It is one more case of single sold mostly as a 12″, with US sales estimated at just under 1,5 million in spite of being certified at 2 million units due to the aforementioned duplication rule for 12″ format.