On March 3, 1989 - right before the release of the album with the same title - Like A Prayer was released as lead-off single. Combining pop, rock, dance and even gospel music, this great song hit the music scene - and in a way the society - as a bomb and would soon become an all-time Madonna classic and a favorite among fans. Along with Vogue, it would become one of two Madonna songs that topped all the charts in the US and the UK. It was #1 in the US Hot 100, Airplay, Sales, Club Play and Maxi-singles chart. No wonder it reached Platinum status. It was also #1 in the UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and numerous other countries.
Video
The fantastic music and lyrics made the song great; the Mary Lambert video made it notorious. There are many possible interpretations, but basically the video shows Madonna, witnissing a murder on a white girl. When a black man is wrongfully accused of the crime, she comes up for his defence. She prays for him in church and is seen dancing in front of burning crosses, as a reaction against racial discrimination. Inside the church she kisses a black saint (or is it the black innocent guy?). There's a happy end, and they pretend it to be just a theatre play.
A few days before the premiere of the video, Pepsi first aired their brand-new commercial which starred Madonna and used the tune of Like A Prayer. However when the video was first shown, it caused outrage within the Catholic church, who were offended by Madonna using signs of stigmata (her bleeding hands), by her kissing a black saint and by "having an orgasm on the altar". The church urged people to stop buying Pepsi as a protest, after which Pepsi stopped the broadcast of their commercial after only two airings.
At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, Like A Prayer won the Viewers Choice Award, and was nominated for Best Video of the Year.
Accolades and awards
Accolades
- This video was ranked #28 on Rolling Stone magazine's "The 100 Top Music Videos".
- This video was ranked #2 on MTV's "100 Greatest Videos Ever Made".
- This video was ranked #5 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s.
- The song is ranked the 486th best song of all time and the 5th best of 1990 on Acclaimedmusic.net [53] -->
- 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll
Awards
| Year | Ceremony | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Best Female Video | Nominated |
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Best Dance Video | Nominated |
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Best Direction in a Video | Won |
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Best Choreography in a Video | Nominated |
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Best Art Direction in a Video | Nominated |
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Best Editing in a Video | Won |
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Best Cinematography in a Video | Won |
| 1990 | MTV Video Music Award | Viewer's Choice | Nominated |
| 1990 | Rolling Stone Reader's Poll Awards | Best single | Won |
| 1990 | Rolling Stone Reader's Poll Awards | Best Video | Won |
| 1991 | American Music Awards | Favorite Dance Single | Won |
| 1991 | Juno Award | Best International Single | Won |
Track listing
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Charts and certifications
Charts |
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Sales and certifications
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Chart procession and succession
| Preceded by "The Power" by Snap! |
UK Singles Chart number-one single April 8, 1990 – April 29, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Killer" by Adamski featuring Seal |
| Preceded by "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor |
Norwegian VG-lista Singles Chart number-one single April 16, 1990 – April 30, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles |
| Preceded by "The Power" by Snap! |
Eurochart Hot 100 Singles number-one single April 21, 1990 – June 9, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Sacrifice" by Elton John |
| Preceded by "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor |
Swedish Singles Chart number-one single April 25, 1990 – May 16, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles |
| Preceded by "Opposites Attract" by Paula Abdul |
Australian ARIA Singles Chart number-one single May 5, 1990 – June 9, 1990 |
Succeeded by "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" by Heart |
| Preceded by "Infinity" by Guru Josh |
Belgian Flemish VRT Top 30 number-one single May 5, 1990 |
Succeeded by "What's a Woman?" by Vaya Con Dios |
| Preceded by "Vattene amore" by Amedeo Minghi and Mietta |
Italian Singles Chart number-one single May 12, 1990 – May 19, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Vattene amore" by Amedeo Minghi and Mietta |
| Preceded by "Alright" by Janet Jackson |
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single May 19, 1990 – May 26, 1990 |
Succeeded by "The Power" by Snap! |
| Preceded by "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number one single May 19, 1990 – June 2, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips |
| Preceded by "Walk on the Side" by Jamie J. Morgan |
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart number-one single May 25, 1990 – June 9, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Eagle Rock" by Daddy Cool |
| Preceded by "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" by Heart |
Canadian RPM Singles Chart number one single June 16, 1990 – June 30, 1990 |
Succeeded by "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette |
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