Like a Virgin cover art

  Studio Album · No. 2

Like a Virgin

1984 Sire Records 9 tracks 39 min

Produced by Nile Rodgers, Steve Bray  ·  Engineered by Jason Corsaro

Sire Records Dance-popPost-disco
56%
Authorship
Collaborator

Madonna wrote 5 of 9 documented tracks

Authorship Breakdown 5 / 9 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Madonna carries a lyricist or composer credit.

56%
5 trackswritten by Madonna 4 tracksoutside writers
Madonna's roles on this album

Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist56%
Composer56%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

9
Tracks
9
Lyricists
2
Producers
1
No.1 Single
21 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1984
Released
Data Insight

Madonna co-wrote five of the nine tracks on Like a Virgin with Stephen Bray: 'Angel,' 'Over and Over,' 'Shoo-Bee-Doo,' 'Pretender,' and 'Stay.' Her two biggest hits from the album came from outside writers, with the title track written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly and 'Material Girl' by Peter Brown and Robert Rans. The album leaned on professional songwriters for its singles more than her debut did, even as her own co-writing filled out the rest of the record.

Like a Virgin, released in November 1984, was Madonna's commercial breakthrough, a number-one album in the United States that sold over 21 million copies worldwide and launched her into the cultural stratosphere. Produced primarily by Nile Rodgers, the album is headlined by the Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly-penned title track, one of the most recognizable songs in pop history and not written by Madonna herself. Of the nine tracks, Madonna co-wrote five, primarily with collaborator Steve Bray, showing meaningful growth from her debut while still relying on outside songwriters for some of the album's most iconic material. 'Material Girl,' also not her own composition, was written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans and became a defining cultural artifact that paradoxically became her signature despite her having nothing to do with writing it. The album marked Madonna's first major collaboration with Nile Rodgers, whose funk-infused production shaped the record's irresistible commercial sound.

Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Material Girl #2
Peter BrownRobert Rans Peter BrownRobert Rans Nile Rodgers Madonna (Vocals)
2
Angel #5
MadonnaSteve Bray MadonnaSteve Bray Nile Rodgers Madonna (Vocals)
3
Like a Virgin #1
Billy SteinbergTom Kelly Billy SteinbergTom Kelly Nile Rodgers Madonna (Vocals)
4
Over and Over
MadonnaSteve Bray MadonnaSteve Bray Steve Bray Madonna (Vocals)
5
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
Miles Gregory Miles Gregory Steve Bray Madonna (Vocals)
6
Dress You Up #5
Peggy StanzialeAndrea LaRusso Peggy StanzialeAndrea LaRusso Nile Rodgers Madonna (Vocals)
7
Shoo-Bee-Doo
Madonna Madonna Nile Rodgers Madonna (Vocals)
8
Pretender
MadonnaSteve Bray MadonnaSteve Bray Steve Bray Madonna (Vocals)
9
Stay
MadonnaSteve Bray MadonnaSteve Bray Steve Bray Madonna (Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 10 contributors

More from Madonna

Frequently Asked Questions Like a Virgin

When did Madonna release Like a Virgin?
Madonna released Like a Virgin on November 12, 1984 through Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album was produced largely by Nile Rodgers and became her commercial breakthrough, topping the Billboard 200.
Did Madonna write Like a Virgin herself?
Madonna co-wrote five of the album's nine tracks with Stephen Bray: 'Angel,' 'Over and Over,' 'Shoo-Bee-Doo,' 'Pretender,' and 'Stay.' The album's biggest singles, including the title track and 'Material Girl,' were written by outside songwriters.
Who wrote Like a Virgin by Madonna?
'Like a Virgin' was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, not by Madonna. Her recording became her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single and one of her signature songs.
Who wrote Material Girl by Madonna?
'Material Girl' was written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans. Madonna did not write the song, though it became one of her defining hits, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
Who produced Like a Virgin by Madonna?
Like a Virgin was produced mainly by Nile Rodgers of Chic, with Jason Corsaro engineering the sessions. Rodgers brought a funk-influenced sheen that shaped the album's commercial sound.
How many copies did Like a Virgin by Madonna sell?
Like a Virgin has sold over 21 million copies worldwide. It is certified Diamond by the RIAA in the United States for shipments of 10 million units.

Sources