Like a Virgin

Following a charismatic debut, 26-year-old Madonna was determined to steal the spotlight with 1984’s *Like a Virgin*. Overseen by disco genius Nile Rodgers, the album is flawlessly played and produced. The button-pushing title track and “Material Girl” mix New Wave dance with R&B lust. The hooks on “Angel” are as sweet as hard candy and the rhythms of “Into the Groove” are tantalizing. Still, it’s Madonna’s coy-but-impassioned vocals that make the album more than a fleeting dose of pop fluff.

Though not as innovative as her debut, the album stands as one of the most definitive pop artifacts from the indulgent Reagan Era.