Like a Virgin is a 1984 dance-pop song by American singer Madonna, from her second album of the same name. Written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly and produced by Nile Rodgers, it was released as the album’s lead single on October 31, 1984 and was recorded that year at Power Station in New York City. The track features Madonna singing in a bright, high register over a synth-driven bassline with two-hook intro and lyrics rich in innuendo and ambiguity about starting anew in love. It became Madonna’s first Billboard Hot 100 number one, topping the charts in Australia and Canada and selling over six million copies worldwide. The accompanying music video, directed by Mary Lambert, was filmed in Venice and New York and is famous for its white wedding dress visuals and gondola scenes. Madonna performed the song at the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, a moment widely regarded as a turning point in pop culture. The song remains one of her signature hits, featured on several compilations and noted for helping reshape how female sexuality appeared in pop music.
