fbpx
Wikipedia

Justify My Love

April 09, 2024

"Justify My Love" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album, The Immaculate Collection (1990). The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and Ingrid Chavez, with additional lyrics by Madonna; Kravitz also handled the production alongside André Betts. It was released as the lead single from the album on November 6, 1990, by Sire and Warner Bros. Records. Chavez was not credited on the song, which led to a lawsuit against Kravitz, eventually reaching an out-of-court settlement. Musically considered as a hip hop, dance, trip hop, and experimental pop track, it features spoken word vocals by Madonna as she releases her inner freak, touching on sexual fantasies and implying the position of a woman as the one sexually in control.

"Justify My Love"
Single by Madonna
from the album The Immaculate Collection
B-side
ReleasedNovember 6, 1990
Recorded1990
Genre
Length4:58
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Lenny Kravitz
  • André Betts
Madonna singles chronology
"Hanky Panky"
(1990) 		"Justify My Love"
(1990) 		"Rescue Me"
(1991)
Music video
"Justify My Love" on YouTube

The song's commercial release was accompanied by different remixes; "The Beast Within" remix was condemned as anti-semitic by some Jewish organizations. "Justify My Love" received generally positive reviews by music critics, who appreciated Madonna and Kravitz's collaboration as well as its sensual nature, and was retrospectively noted as one of Madonna's best singles. The song was a commercial success, becoming Madonna's ninth number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100, and also peaked at number one in Canada; it also reached the top 10 on several countries including Australia, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The accompanying music video, directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, is a tribute to the film Bay of Angels (1963). It features Madonna's then-boyfriend Tony Ward and portrays the singer as a woman walking in a hotel hallway, looking distressed and tired from work, until being seduced into having sex with a mysterious man and woman. The video contained imagery of sadomasochism, voyeurism and bisexuality, and was subsequently banned from MTV and other networks internationally due to its sexually explicit nature. The clip was later released as a video single and became the first-ever short-form video to be certified multiplatinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

"Justify My Love" and "The Beast Within" remix have been included on four of Madonna's concert tours, the last being 2023–2024's Celebration Tour. It was covered and sampled a number of times by artists such as Vita, Ashanti, and Jay-Z. The music video was parodied on an episode of Saturday Night Live and was also seen by critics as feminist, as well as considered one of the sexiest videos of all time by some publications. "Justify My Love" was included on Madonna's greatest hits albums Celebration (2009) and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).

Background and release edit

By the end of 1990, Madonna was ready to release her first greatest hits collection, titled The Immaculate Collection, after becoming the biggest female singles artist in history, with the most number-one and top-ten hit songs by a woman in both the United States and the United Kingdom.[1][2] According to J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography, the release was "much more than a mere collection of Madonna's biggest-selling and most popular songs".[3] The singer regarded it as a "proud landmark" of her career, which had progressed upwards since she broke out in the music scene in 1983.[3] Following the completion of 1990's Blond Ambition World Tour, Madonna began rushing the project, aiming to release it in time for the year's Christmas season.[4] On October 13, 1990, Billboard magazine confirmed that Madonna had been working on new material for the album with Shep Pettibone and Lenny Kravitz.[5] The collection had 15 of Madonna's previously released singles, and two new songs, "Justify My Love" and "Rescue Me", were included in order to generate the public's interest.[6]

"Justify My Love" was released as the lead single from The Immaculate Collection on November 6, 1990.[7] It was issued on the UK on December 1,[8] and in Japan on December 10.[9] The artwork for the single, photographed by Patrick Demarchelier and directed by Jeri Heiden, features a picture of Madonna aggressively leaning forward, wearing a sleeveless waistcoast with her hair scrunched up under a black cap, an aggressive expression on her face, and a cigarette hanging out of her lips. Carol Clerk, author of Madonnastyle, opined that "it was a particularly masculine pose; Madonna, at times, could look as butch as the next man".[10][11] The picture had previously appeared on the cover of a Interview magazine issue which featured an interview with Madonna, and later was removed from the French version of the single.[12] Afterwards, the song was included on Madonna's third greatest hits album Celebration (2009), and as a remixed form on Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).[13][14]

Development edit

 
Lenny Kravitz co-wrote and produced "Justify My Love".

"Justify My Love" was written by singer and songwriter Ingrid Chavez as a love letter dedicated to Kravitz, who was having an affair with her at the time. He invited her over to a studio where he was producing tracks with André Betts, and then recorded the letter in one take. Kravitz took a master copy of the song to Virgin Records, as their relationship ended some time later.[15] Months later, he told Chavez that Madonna would release "Justify My Love" and asked her to sign a document saying that she would receive 12.5% publishing royalties, but no credit. She eventually signed the paper and was then invited to meet Madonna in the studio while they mixed the track, and was impressed by how she copied her vocals exactly from the demo version;[15] Chavez thought that "maybe she just felt like she didn't want another woman to take credit for the creative style of the vocal".[16]

Upon the song's release, Chavez filed a lawsuit against them, claiming the only words Kravitz wrote were "justify my love", while Madonna changed one line. It was also reported that she only received a US$500 advance after Kravitz pressured her to sign an agreement surrendering credit and three-quarters of royalties.[17] He admitted that Chavez had written part of the lyrics, but both had agreed not to credit her for personal and professional reasons, and accused her of trying to "make like she did the whole thing" upon the single's success. She responded by stating that the reason was because he was afraid his wife would think they were having an affair.[18] They eventually reached an out-of-court settlement whereby she received 12.5% percent of royalties and her name on the next pressings. However, her name does not appear on any compilations containing the song.[19] Betts also sued Kravitz, claiming he was promised co-producer credit and half of any producer's royalties, but received an associate producer's credit and was not paid for his work.[17]

Kravitz recalled that he had been working on demos, and the demo version of "Justify My Love" came up. At first, he thought it was "super-sexy and hard at the same time. I just felt it. I just knew that there was something very special about the track and the minimum quality, because it was so minimal. Just a gut thing". However, he "knew it wasn't for me", but thought it would be perfect for Madonna, and phoned her saying he had a number-one song for her. The same day, they met in New York City, where Kravitz played the demo for her.[20] After listening to the song multiple times, Madonna agreed on recording, and both started working on it the next day. Kravitz described the recording session as "just the two of us and my engineers, and it happened in one day. It was very quick", adding it was fun and "all very authentic".[20]

Composition edit

"Justify My Love" was written by Kravitz and Chavez, with additional lyrics by Madonna; he also produced the song alongside André Betts.[10] It was recorded by Henry Hirsch, David Domanich, Andy Cardenas, and Josh Cuervokas at Waterfront Studios in London, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Ted Jensen mastered the song at Sterling Sound Studios, while it was mixed by Shep Pettibone and Goh Hotoda at Guerilla Studios in London.[10] The mixing was done in QSound, which at that time was a new audio filter to create a three-dimensional sound effect. This was employed on all of Madonna's past hits present on The Immaculate Collection.[21]

 
'Justify My Love'
A 30 second sample of the song, where Madonna sings the song's chorus, uttering the words "wanting, needing, waiting" before the double-tracked line "for you to justify my love".[22]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Justify My Love" is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 132 beats per minute. Composed in the key of B minor, Madonna's vocal range spans from A4 to D5. It follows the chord progression of E5–F♯5–E5–F♯5 during the opening melody.[23] Musically, it is a hip hop,[24] dance,[25] trip-hop,[18] and experimental pop song,[26] which features spoken word vocals by Madonna and Kravitz's "moans" on background vocals.[27] It contains a drum sample of Public Enemy's "Security of the First World" (1988) used initially without consent, and the group threatened to take legal action against both singers; however, music industry members believed the drum beat was sampled from James Brown's single "Funky Drummer" (1970), but these claims were denied by the group's producer, Hank Shocklee.[28] A spokeswoman for Madonna said she never had heard their song and "didn't write the music" for "Justify My Love", while Kravitz dismissed the claims by saying, "It's just one of those beats you find on the floor somewhere."[28][29]

Lyrically, "Justify My Love" was described as a "spoken-word ode to releasing your inner freak".[27] Madonna starts singing the lines "I wanna kiss you in Paris, I wanna hold your hand in Rome, I wanna run naked in a rainstorm, make love in a train... cross country".[30] The chorus changes its atmosphere, as the singer's breathing vocals initially punctuate the "wanting, needing, waiting" line, which prefaces the double-tracked "for you to justify my love", with the words "my love" being repeated in the background.[22] The second verse begins with her uttering "OK", suggesting a move in direction, reflected by the line "I wanna know you... no, not like that".[22] On the next verse, Madonna utters the lines "Talk to me, tell me your dreams / Am I in them? Tell me your fears / Are you scared? Tell me your stories",[31] implying the position of a woman sexually in control, which is reinforced by the line "Poor is the man whose pleasures depend upon the permission of another", with its underlying connotations of domination through the lyrics "Love me, that's right, love me / I wanna be your baby".[32] Scholar Sheila Whiteley noted in her book Women and Popular Music: Sexuality, Identity, and Subjectivity that the song's lyrics "imply an overall focus on sexual fantasy" with "implicit S&M of pleasuring allied to permission", suggesting that certain pleasures need to be justified.[32]

Taraborrelli described the composition as "rather simple – a funky, drum pattern under a droning, aural synthesizer pad, with Madonna speaking sexy verses over the music, Kravitz casually moaning a melody in the background".[33] In a similar vein, Rikky Rooksby wrote on his book Madonna: The Complete Guide to Her Music that the elements on the song were "simple enough: a drum loop that repeats for the duration of the song, a bass part, and a descending four chord sequence moving from F♯ minor to B minor", whose melody "doesn't exactly go anywhere, but it creates a hypnotic atmosfere which supports the imagery of the lyric".[25] Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens, in their book Madonna's Drowned Worlds, stated that it was "far from an ordinary pop song", featuring "a very simple tonal structure and the same bassline", with the same chords repeated over and over. They also noted its "little melodic interest", with Madonna speaking more than she sang through her "distant, remote, 'elsewhere'" androgynous vocals.[34] Tom Breiham from Stereogum later classified "Justify My Love" as "an early example of trip-hop", and pointed out that Madonna deserves credit for "anticipating whole new trends before they even happened."[18]

"The Beast Within" edit

"Justify My Love" received a remix titled "The Beast Within", and was included on some versions of the single. Musically influenced by Eastern music, the remix featured only the chorus and certain lines of the original song, as most of the verses were replaced by passages from the Book of Revelation from the Bible.[35][36] At the time, Madonna told The Village Voice that "the beast within" was Saddam Hussein and that the mix was inspired by "the impending war in the Middle East".[37] About a third of the way into the six-minute song, Madonna reads the line "I know your tribulation and your poverty and the slander of those who say that they are Jews, but they are not. They are a Synagogue of Satan", which was deemed anti-semitic by some Jewish organizations. According to Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, "When we saw those lyrics the alarm bell went off", as "the impact of having America's leading cultural icon say those lyrics can give a powerful tool to bigots".[36] He also commented, "Anti-Semitism is a real problem in America today and an entertainer as big of a blockbuster as Madonna should show some responsibility to such social issues."[38] Cooper sent a letter to the singer's management, and initially asked for the line to be removed from the song.[39] Madonna was reportedly shocked by the controversy, calling the accusations "ridiculous" and stating: "People can say I am an exhibitionist, but no one can ever accuse me of being a racist".[36] She then elaborated that it was "a commentary on evil in general": "The song is, after all, about love."[39] The rabbi replied that she responded quickly to the issue, and was relieved that she did so.[39]

Critical response edit

 
"Justify My Love" was compared to Donna Summer's (pictured) tracks by Billboard and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Upon release, "Justify My Love" was met with generally positive responses from music critics. Larry Flick of Billboard magazine gave a positive review, calling it a "brilliantly conceived jam", which would be "devoured by club DJs" and "may test the devotion of top 40 radio programmers".[24] Another review from the same magazine stated that the song was a "steamy" collaboration between Madonna and Kravitz, and it had "the juice to become the '90s equivalent of Donna Summer's 'Love To Love You Baby'", and noted that it "strays miles away from the chirpy pop of her past."[40] Chuck Campbell from the Knoxville News-Sentinel said it was "so seductive it makes George Michael's 'I Want Your Sex' and Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' sound like nursery rhymes".[41] Music & Media staff commented that the "unlikely" collaboration of Madonna and Kravitz was a "marriage made in heaven", as well as "atmospheric, yet brutal in an unconventional manner".[42] On her biography of the singer, author Lucy O'Brien stated that the track "opened up a new creative avenue for Madonna, as she moved into more 'adult' territory".[19] Similarly, Rooksby wrote that "Justify My Love" was a pivotal record for the singer, pointing her musical direction into the 1990s decade, giving her old disco sound "the kiss of death".[25] Select's Andrew Harrison considered the song "breathy, pulsing and overpoweringly sexy",[43] which, along with "Rescue Me", played on Madonna's "ambiguous vulnerability, the disqueting mix of sexual predation and submission that gives Madonna's records an edge where Paula Abdul's just have a verse and chorus".[43] Taraborrelli commented that the track "oozed pungent sex, it was just that passionate",[33] while J.D. Considine of The Baltimore Sun noted its "simmering passion".[44]

In an album guide for Rolling Stone, "Justify My Love" was described along with "Rescue Me" as "worthy sensual newies" on The Immaculate Collection.[45] Matthew Rettenmund, author of Encyclopedia Madonnica, opined that the track "foreshadowed Madonna's long-term commitment to explicitly politi-sexual art in the wake of an already suggestive career", and that "it sounded like nothing else on the airwaves at the time". He also opined that along with "Rescue Me", it was disappointing that the tracks were "originated on a best-of" album.[46] Danny Eccleston from Q opined that "Justify My Love" had a "hard-faced sexiness",[47] while Music Week staff called it a "mumbling sexy judderer".[48] For Tony Power of Blender, the song was "preposterously sexy", and he picked it as one of the standout tracks on The Immaculate Collection.[49] Fouz-Hernández and Jarman-Ivens wrote that Madonna's style of singing on the track seemed controlled and distant, and added that "the background moaning, which is intended to remind the listener of copulation, is a key memorable feature".[50] Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Jim Farber described the song as "some vague, tuneless phrases chanted in Madonna's most breathless voice over a minimal house groove-serves mainly to justify the visuals";[51] while reviewing The Immaculate Collection, David Browne from the same magazine called it "instantly notorious" but noted that along with "Rescue Me", it did not "[break] new ground for her".[52] In 1992, "Justify My Love" won a ASCAP Pop Music Award for "Most Performed Song".[53]

Retrospective reviews have been positive. While analyzing The Immaculate Collection, Drew Mackie of People consisidered the song a "sexy, daring track that's not quite like anything Madonna had released before".[54] Katharine Birbalsingh from The Daily Telegraph opined that it was an "insistent, sexy trance track".[55] PopCrush's Alexandra Capotorto commented that "Justify My Love" was "perfectly constructed lovemaking music", which "might be oozing sex".[56] James Rose of Daily Review noted that with the song Madonna began "a phase of her career that oscillates between cynical self-exploitation and courageous self-expression. Raunchy videos, explicitly themed lyrics and boudoir beats became de rigueur for the lady now arguably bearing the biggest name in popular music."[57] In a review for Celebration, Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine called the track "aromatic" and "considered by most fans to be among the singer's best work".[58] According to The A.V. Club's Eric Diaz, it remained "one of Madonna's sexiest bangers, setting the stage not only for her still-underrated Erotica era but her tireless capacity to transform and provoke".[59] Justin Myers from Official Charts Company considered the track "filthy for the time but pretty tame now".[60] Additionally, "Justify My Love" was classified her 12th best on Madonna's top 20 singles of all-time list by Q magazine,[61] as well as placed at number 842 in the list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever" by the same publication.[62]

Chart performance edit

 
The song became Madonna's ninth number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. In the image, dancers are seen performing during the "Justify My Love" video interlude on The MDNA Tour in 2012.

In the US, "Justify My Love" debuted at number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, on the issue dated November 17, 1990.[63] Eight weeks later, the song reached number one, becoming Madonna's ninth number-one single on the chart, staying in the summit for two weeks.[64][65] It also topped Billboard's Dance Club Songs, and peaked at number 42 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs component charts.[66][67] On February 22, 1991, the song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over a million units in the US.[68] In 1991, "Justify My Love" ranked at number 21 on the year-end Billboard Hot 100 chart.[69] In Canada, the song debuted at number 12 on the RPM Singles Chart and reached the top on the week dated February 2, 1991.[70][71] The track eventually received a gold certification by Music Canada (MC) for shipments of 50,000 copies in the region.[72]

In Australia, "Justify My Love" debuted at number 14 on the ARIA Charts on December 2, 1990. The next weeks, it peaked at number four, staying in the position for two weeks. The single was present for a total of 12 weeks on the chart, and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 35,000 copies of the single.[73][74] In New Zealand, the song had a similar run as to Australia, debuting at number 22 on the RIANZ Singles Chart, and peaking at number five for two consecutive weeks.[75]

In the UK, the track debuted at number nine on the week ending on December 8, 1990, and reached number two a week later.[76][77] It was also certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on December 1, 1990, for shipments of over 200,000 copies in the UK.[78] As of August 2017, the song had sold 275,500 copies in the region and was Madonna's 23rd best selling single there.[79] The song also achieved success in other parts of Europe. In Austria, "Justify My Love" debuted at number 21 on the week of January 13, 1991, before peaking at number nine within a month.[80] On December 17, 1990, the song debuted at number 50 in Germany, eventually peaking at number 10 for two weeks.[81] The song debuted at number 16 in Sweden, later reaching number eight.[82] In Switzerland, it experienced more success, debuting at number 12 on January 13, 1991, and peaking at number three for two weeks.[83] The song's commercial performance in the European countries helped it attain a peak of number three on the European Hot 100 Singles chart, on the issue dated January 12, 1991.[84]

Music video edit

Development edit

 
The Royal Monceau hotel in Paris is where the music video was filmed.

The music video for "Justify My Love" was filmed within three days in November 1990 at the Royal Monceau Hotel in Paris, France.[85] It was directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, who had previously directed the video for Madonna's "Open Your Heart" (1987).[11][86] The clip was produced by Philippe Dupuis-Mendel under Bandits, in a co-production with Propaganda Films, with editing by Oliver Gajan and principal photography by Pascal Lebegue.[87] The video features Madonna's then-boyfriend Tony Ward, fellow models Amanda Cazalet and Wallis Franken Montana, as well as Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza, who was a dancer on the Blond Ambition World Tour which occurred earlier that year.[11][88][89] It is a tribute to the film Bay of Angels (1963).[90] Mondino described the concept of the music video:

I've worked with Madonna a few times now, and there's more to her than people think. She's a great actress. So I wanted to do something less glamorous, less slick, more real. I wanted to put the paparazzi out of work. How can a picture of Madonna and Tony together be surprising when you've already seen them together half-naked in a video? [..] It was very cheap, very easy. It's very real — that's what's so shocking about it. And maybe her kissing a woman... but that's part of our society. And with AIDS, shouldn't we celebrate kissing as a beautiful thing?[91]

Mondino did an experience for the video, locking the entire crew into a hotel for three days and two nights, setting no rules, and nobody was allowed to go out. The entire top floor with 15 rooms was rented, and also served as makeup and wardrobe rooms; they had no deadline, as opposed to a regular video. He explained that he did not have any concept, except for the idea that Madonna arrived in the hotel tired and broken, and left full of energy.[92] The director recalled that by the end of it, he was unable to differentiate the real from the performed as they were not following a script. He described the shooting as "very quiet, it was very gentle, we were all very sweet to each other", and said "we were talking, chatting, laughing, playing the music, shooting and when people were tired they went to bed".[92] Mondino commented that the last day when he was supposed to go home, he felt strange, and wondered if he had to go back home or not, as he thought it was a dream rather than a video shooting.[92] In 2013, during a Q&A session with Reddit users, Madonna revealed it was her favorite music video to make.[93]

Synopsis edit

 
The theme of androgyny is alluded to when two women are seen in men's clothing and with drawn-on moustaches.

The video was filmed in grainy black and white. It opens with a dancer in a black bodysuit dancing to the camera, cutting to Madonna walking down a hotel hallway, looking tired. She is dressed in an overcoat, carrying a suitcase, with her hand on her forehead. The ajar doors in the hallway also reveal glimpses of a topless androgynous figure, as well as a shirtless man who appears to be receiving oral sex. As Madonna starts lip synching the song, she drops the suitcase and kneels down against the wall, while caressing her neck. She opens her coat, which reveals she is wearing lace underwear, garter belt, and stockings. An out-of-focus male figure, played by Ward, emerges, and slowly walks towards her. As Madonna stands, she pulls Ward towards her and they kiss.

More images from the doors are also shown, displaying a man in black leather clothes lacing a woman into a corset, as well as a woman wearing a corset who turns to camera thrusting her breasts forward. The video moves into a scene where Madonna is seen in a bedroom, slowly removing her clothes and displaying herself on a white bed as Ward observes her. He comes close to her, undressing himself and preparing to mount her, and she pushes him away. A cut occurs, and Madonna is seen laying down with an androgynous woman, wearing male clothes and make up applied on her eyes. They engage in a kiss as Ward observes as a voyeur. Two transgender women are then seen caressing each other's faces, while observing themselves in a mirror. The video returns to the bedroom scene, where Ward is on top of Madonna and appears to be penetrating her.

A dominatrix enters the bedroom in a cop hat and leather gloves, as well as suspenders covering her nipples. She then grabs Ward by the hair, who is tied up on a chair, wearing a latticed leather harness and leather chaps. Madonna and Ward are back in bed, caressing each other; he is then seen rubbing his face on Madonna's body until it reaches her feet. Women in drag draw thin mustaches on each other and look into the camera, as Madonna laughs in the background, putting her hand onto her mouth. A man holds a woman's face as she makes a fearful look to the camera. Two men are seen sitting on a couch caressing each other, while a crossdresser is laying down on their laps. Madonna leaves the hotel hurriedly, holding her suitcase, with Ward reaching out for her to return. She throws her head back as she laughs, with mouth open wide, then bites one of her fingers in disbelief. The video fades to black, and the words "poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another" appear on the screen.

Release and banning edit

The video was set to premiere on MTV's "Madonnathon" weekend event, of which it was going to be the main attraction.[37] However, the network suddenly announced that it could not be broadcast; on November 29, 1990, MTV's correspondent Kurt Loder explained the reasons: "When MTV programming executives got their first look at the video's steamy bed scenes, gay and lesbian snuggling, S&M and briefly bared female breasts, they decided they couldn't air it."[94] The channel's executives also said in a statement, "We love Madonna; we've had and will continue to have a terrific relationship with her. We respect her work as an artist and think she makes great videos. In its current form, this one is just not for us".[95] It was rejected by its standards committee, which previews all new videos, and requests artists to edit or trim objectionable scenes.[96] According to MTV's vice-president Abbey Konowitch, the network frequently had concerns about the content of the singer's videos, stating, "You take the black lingerie, sex scenes and flesh out of 'Justify My Love,' and you've got 10 seconds of ill-focused dancing."[97] The channel had previously threatened to ban Madonna's music videos from airing — such as "Express Yourself", "Oh Father" (1989), and "Vogue" (1990) — but ultimately broadcast all videos unedited.[7][4] When "Justify My Love" was submitted, Madonna thought she was "once again going to be able to bend the rules a little bit" after "Vogue" was broadcast; however, MTV simply refused to air it, refusing to even edit the video. The singer stated that "we didn't even really get a chance to try to make it viewable. They rejected it completely."[7] The channel responded by saying, "This decision went all the way to the top. There is no way we could even edit this. I can't believe Madonna ever thought we would air it".[96] This sparked suggestions by music industry insiders that the video was designed to be banned, as part of a marketing strategy.[85]

"I guess half of me thought I was going to get away with it, that I was going to be able to convince them [MTV], and the other half thought, well, with the way of the censorship and conservatism that is sort of sweeping over the nation, I thought that there was going to be a problem."

—Madonna on MTV banning the video.[18]

The video was premiered in its entirety on The Jukebox Network, an interactive cable network, on November 29, 1990;[98][99] it was later aired on ABC's Nightline, on December 3. The channel's lawyers analyzed the video before it was shown, and agreed to its broadcast "because of the news value of the video, the late air time, and the focus of the discussion".[98] Madonna was also interviewed by the show's host Forrest Sawyer about the video's sexual content and censorship. She defended the video as a "celebration of sex" and wondered, "Why is it that people are willing to go and watch a movie about someone getting blown to bits for no reason at all, and nobody wants to see two girls kissing and two men snuggling?"[100] The singer also expressed during the interview that she did not understand why MTV banned the video yet allowed videos that contained violence and degradation to women to continue receiving regular airplay, saying, "I draw the line at violence and humiliation and degradation."[101] Her appearance on Nightline became the show's highest-rated episode for the entire year. Other shows which showed parts of the video also garnered record-breaking ratings, such as Saturday Night Live (SNL) and CNN's Showbiz Today.[102]

The music video was also banned from regular rotation on MuchMusic and Musique Plus in Canada. John Martin, program director for the former, said it was inappropriate to air, while the latter's program director Pierre Marchand called the video a "soft-porn short movie with a message about freedom of choice", and stated that viewers needed to understand before accepting it.[103][104] The banning led MuchMusic to air a special titled A Question of Taste, where the video was aired in its entirety, accompanied by panel discussions on its artistic and cultural context.[105] In the UK, the video premiered on Channel 4's The Word, and later the Independent Broadcasting Authority determined its airing only after the 9pm watershed.[106][107] Although many complaints were received, the clip was played without restriction on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's music video show Rage, as the channel is not bound to follow classification guidelines due to being a public broadcaster.[108] In 2002, the video was aired in its entirety on MTV2 as part of a special countdown showing the most controversial videos ever to air on MTV.[109]

Upon the video's banning, Madonna decided make it available commercially as a video single, marking the first time an artist had released a single in this format in the United States;[110] it was described as an unprecedented move in the video industry.[111] When asked whether she stood to make money selling the video than airing it on MTV, she answered, "Yeah, so lucky me."[101] The video single was released on December 7, 1990, in the US,[70] with the retail price of $9.98.[112][110] The European version also contained Madonna's performance of "Vogue" at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards.[7] The release peaked at number two on Billboard's Top Music Videos for two weeks, and spent 39 weeks on the chart overall.[113] It has been certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for shipments of 200,000 units in the US, and went on to sell over a million copies worldwide, becoming the best selling video single of all time.[7][113] In the United Kingdom, the video was given an 18 certificate by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), meaning no one under that age could legally buy or see the release.[114] It was reported that in Saudi Arabia it was sold at a high price as illegal market porn.[19] The music video was included on the greatest hits package Celebration: The Video Collection (2009); the version included was censored with black bars in a scene that contains female nudity.[115]

Reception and analysis edit

 
Upon the video's release, Camille Paglia agreed that banning the video from MTV was the right decision, despite deeming it as "truly avant-garde".

Caryn James from Tampa Bay Times considered Madonna's music videos for "Express Yourself" and "Papa Don't Preach" (1986) more controversial, but deemed "Justify My Love" as her most pretentious, stating: "The feminist message of Justify My Love is that Madonna can control a career as shrewdly as any man."[116] Camille Paglia, writing for The New York Times, called Madonna "a true feminist" and deemed the video "truly avant-garde, at a time when that word has lost its meaning in the flabby art world". Nevertheless, she stated that MTV was right to ban it, as "parents cannot possibly control television, with its titanic omnipresence" and that "it does not belong on a mainstream music channel watched around the clock by children".[117] On the other hand, Liz Smith, writing for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, was critical of the decision, and hoped that since "MTV has gone so moral on the public, that they'll also begin to take close looks at other material submitted to them by all those macho metal and rap groups, with their own S&M overtones, their incipient violence and degradation-of-women themes". She also noted that who admired the singer would applaud her refusal to censor her art, and who never liked her would dislike her more than ever.[118] Richard Goldstein from The Village Voice opined that "by suppressing erotic dissent, MTV does its best to see that this powerful medium will not communicate the 'wrong' idea about sex. That may pacify the puritans, but it also makes it easier to deny women and gays their full humanity—easier for the metal masses to justify their hate", concluding that "'Justify My Love' makes it harder to hurt people".[119] Johns Hopkins University professor of popular culture Mark Crispin Miller observed that it was "perfectly all right for MTV to broadcast sadomasochism couplings and events as long as the images don't violate a certain heterosexual norm".[95] Considine agreed, stating that there was "very little" in the clip that had not been seen on MTV, pointing out music videos by R.E.M., Boy George and Aerosmith as examples.[107]

Benjamin Svetkey from Entertainment Weekly pointed out that "MTV has banned videos before, but this time the network was saying no to the world’s most powerful recording artist. Madonna's sex-charged career has been carved out of controversy, and now, for the first time, the hippest cultural outlet on television was telling her to cool it."[85] Sharing a similar opinion, Lisa Henderson, writing in the book The Madonna Connection: Representational Politics, Subcultural Identities, And Cultural Theory, stated that for critics and fans, "it was an odd scenario—MTV rejecting its premier pop star, whose stylistic developments had arguably marked (and marketed) the evolution of music television itself".[120] Considine wrote in the book The Madonna Companion: Two Decades of Commentary that the banning "immediately mushroomed into a censorship scandal", as "Madonna insisted that she hadn't caused the commotion intentionally", but "her critics accused her of planning the whole thing. Nobody doubted her intelligence then—they merely held it against her."[121] In Justify My Love: Sex, Subversion, and Music Video, Ryann Donnelly wrote that "while the banning of Madonna's Justify My Love video for its explicit sexual content has become somewhat legendary — a sufficient promotional tool in itself — few artists could have sacrificed the support of MTV in a similar way to that of Madonna, before YouTube".[122] Commenting on the video's release as a video single, Landon Palmer stated in Rock Star/Movie Star: Power and Performance in Cinematic Rock Stardom that "the release of 'Justify My Love' exclusively on VHS had the effect of creating a new moving image platform – the 'video single' – for Madonna's cultural production, extending the narrowcast relationship between artist and audience popularized by MTV".[123]

The video's bisexual and sadomasochist themes were also noted. In another article, Paglia recalled that "in a number of videos, Madonna has played with bisexual innuendos", and "Justify My Love" was a culmination of that; she considered Madonna as a pioneer for "restoring lesbian eroticism to the continuum of heterosexual response" in the clip, showing "bisexuality and all experimentation as a liberation from false, narrow categories".[124] Lucy O'Brien, in her book She Bop II: The Definitive History of Women in Rock, Pop and Soul, wrote that "conveying the full power of sexual ambiguity", Madonna showed in the video "how gender roles could be swapped, blurred and played with to create a multitude of different identities".[125] According to Janelle L. Wilson and Gerald E. Markle, the eroticism shown in the video was "by traditional standards, non-normative. The effeminate dancer, the homosexual behavior and the action and appearance of the masculine woman in the video also represent behavior outside the accepted norms."[126] For Cathy Schwichtenberg, Madonna's "languid French kiss with l'autre femme" in the video was a representation of "a deconstruction of lines and boundaries that fragment male/female gender polarities and pluralize sexual practices. This is a postmodern, unbounded feminism, that unifies coalitionally rather than foundationally."[127] According to Tim Dean in the book Beyond Sexuality, the music video was "replete with stylized gestures of representing the whole catalogue of perverse activity: lesbianism, fetishism, voyeurism, transvestism, troilism, and the ritual accoutrements of sadomasochism".[128]

Reflecting on the video for "Justify My Love" in a retrospective review, Tom Breiham from Stereogum pointed out that the video became "one more time that Madonna made the entire media industrial complex serve her interests".[18] Daniel Browne, writing for The Gay UK website, cited five reasons for calling the video a "masterpiece", such as sex, gender bending, and gay and lesbian romping, describing it as "five minutes of artistic brilliance. I cannot think of a video before or since that covers such a topic in a positive and empowering way. The act of sex in its various forms, cross-dressing and fluid sexuality tend to kept behind closed doors."[129] In a similar vein, Dig!'s Mark Elliott went on to say that "the gender fluidity and nudity featured in the new video were provocative enough in a more sheltered era, but the fact it was being issued by such a major star was extraordinary", citing George Michael's "I Want Your Sex" (1987) as an example of a video that had explored similar thematic territory, but was altogether more conventional in its approach.[130] Samantha Grossman from Time observed that "if YouTube had existed when 'Justify My Love' was released in 1990, the extremely NSFW music video would have gone viral in minutes, if not seconds".[131] In 2015, Christopher Rosa of VH1 showed the music video to five people around the age of twenty, later interviewing them on their thoughts after watching it. All five of them agreed that it was "certainly envelope-pushing", but also pointed out that "it's nothing 2015 artists haven't done (or even surpassed)", with the author citing the film Fifty Shades of Grey and Nicki Minaj's music video for "Anaconda" (2014) as examples.[132] Additionally, it was later added to sexiest music videos of all time lists by VH1,[133] Rolling Stone,[134] and Marie Claire.[135]

Live performances edit

 
Madonna performing "Justify My Love" on the Celebration Tour (2023—2024)

Madonna performed "Justify My Love" for the first time on the Girlie Show tour in 1993 during the concert's encore. For the performance, the singer and her dancers wore period costumes, mocking specifically Victorian fashion, while she held a lorgnette.[136][137] The New York Daily News' Jim Farber commented that Madonna and the dancers "cavorted elegantly" throughout the number, reversing expectations that the performance would be raunchy.[138] Richard Corliss from Time magazine complimented the performance, opining that the singer saved "her best anachronistic joke for last", noting its "stately cadence" and comparing the costumes to those of My Fair Lady.[139] "The Beast Within" remix was also used on the tour as an interlude with two male dancers performing an apocalyptic dance, miming couplings and brawls while Madonna, from off-stage, recited the lyrics. Jon Pareles from The New York Times considered the performance an "ambiguous sequence, mourning the sexual freedom of the pre-AIDS 1970's, then hinting at biblical retribution".[136] These two performances on the November 19, 1993 show at Sydney Cricket Ground was recorded and released on VHS and LaserDisc on April 26, 1994, as The Girlie Show: Live Down Under.[140]

"The Beast Within" remix was again used as the video introduction to 2004's Re-Invention World Tour; the visual showed footage of X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS, a collaboration between Madonna and Steven Klein. Chart Attack magazine staff noted its "quasi-religious mumbo-jumbo" paired with "some genuinely arty images of the singer" on the screens, while Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine found the introduction "macabre".[141][142] It was subsequently included on the 2006 documentary and live album I'm Going to Tell You a Secret.[143]

"Justify My Love" was later used as a video interlude during The MDNA Tour in 2012. The performance featured dancers wearing white pierrot masks, who "impressed with their fully synchronized dance moves", according to Danilo Saraiva from Quem magazine.[144] The video, directed by Tom Munro, featured a lingerie-clad Madonna.[144][145] The number was included in the live album MDNA World Tour, released on September 6, 2013.[146] Elements of the song were also used during the "S.E.X." interlude on the Rebel Heart Tour in 2015–16, as dancers writhed on "gravity-defying" beds.[147] The performance of the song at the March 19–20, 2016 shows in Sydney's Allphones Arena was recorded and released in Madonna's fifth live album, Rebel Heart Tour.[148] The song's performance on the Celebration Tour (2023—2024) featured "Busby Berkeley-esque choreography", and saw the singer —dressed in lingerie and bondage gear— cavorting in a bed with a female dancer wearing a gimp mask and simulating masturbation, in a sequence that referred the Blond Ambition World Tour.[149][150] "Justify My Love" was named one of the best moments of the concert by Billboard's Joe Lynch.[149] "The Beast Within" was also used as a video interlude on Celebration.[149] The BBC's Mark Savage criticized the inclusion: "Did we really need [...] the obscure "Beast Within" remix [...] when songs like 'Express Yourself' and 'Frozen' were discarded as snippets?".[151]

Usage in media, covers and samples edit

See also: List of cover versions of Madonna songs and List of Madonna tribute albums

On May 11, 1991, Madonna made a guest appearance on SNL on the recurring sketch Wayne's World; it spoofed the song's music video as well as her documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare. The spoof consisted of Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) encountering a seductive Madonna lying on a bed in a hotel room during a fantasy dream sequence, filmed in black and white. After some back-and-forth banter, Wayne and Madonna play truth or dare. Wayne begins by saying "truth". Madonna then asks "Have you ever made love with two women at the same time?" He answers "Uh... yes!" to which Madonna says, "Okay, I believe you... Not!" Wayne then dares Madonna to make out with him. As they kiss, the music for "Justify My Love" begins playing. The scene ends as two dominatrixes appear in the room, accompanied by a Prince lookalike.[152]

In 1999, a cover of the song, done by Front Line Assembly with vocals by Kristy Thirsk, was included on the compilation album Virgin Voices: A Tribute To Madonna, Vol. 1.[153] The next year, it received cover versions included on the tribute albums Truly Blue: Tribute to Madonna and A Tribute to Madonna: Tranceformed.[154][155] "Justify My Love" was also covered by rapper Vita, featuring singer Ashanti, for The Fast and the Furious soundtrack in 2001, while the same year another cover version by Starsound Orchestra was included on the tribute album Plays the Hits Made Famous by Madonna.[156][157] In 2012, Brazilian singer Gretchen recorded a cover with a music video using footage of her own acting career.[158] In 2020, Chavez released her own version of "Justify My Love" on streaming platforms.[159][160] Two years later, she released a limited edition cassette with eight remixes.[161]

German band Enigma sampled one of the remixes of the song for their "Orthodox Remix" of the 1991 single, "Mea Culpa (Part II)".[162] In 1994, Eurodance act Maxx sampled its beat in the song "Suddenly", included on their debut studio album To the Maxximum.[163] German electronic duo Jam & Spoon sampled a part of the song's remixes for a remix of "Kaleidoscope Skies" (1997), featuring Plavka.[164] Rapper Mase used a sample from "Justify My Love" on his song "Stay Out of My Way", included on his second studio album, Double Up (1999).[165] In 2003, rapper Jay-Z also sampled the song on "Justify My Thug", on his eighth studio album, The Black Album, described as a "hip hop re-working" of the original song.[7] Portions of "Justify My Love" were used by Insane Clown Posse in their 2004 single "Bowling Balls".[166]

Credits and personnel edit

Credits adapted from The Immaculate Collection liner notes.[10]

Management
  • Recorded at Waterfront Studios and Unique Recording Studios, London, United Kingdom and New York City, New York
  • Mastered at Sterling Sound Studios, New York City, New York
  • Mixed at Guerilla Studios, London, United Kingdom
  • Freddy DeMann Management, The DeMann Entertainment Co. Ltd.
  • Miss Bessie Music, Webo Girl Publishing, Inc., Warner Bros. Music Corp, Bleu Disc Music Co. Inc (ASCAP)
Personnel

Track listing and formats edit

Charts edit

Certifications and sales edit

Certifications and sales for "Justify My Love"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Physical
Australia (ARIA)[74] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[72] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[78] Silver 275,500[79]
United States (RIAA)[68] Platinum 1,000,000^
Video single
Australia (ARIA)[208] Gold 7,500^
Canada — 20,000[209]
Japan (Oricon) — 14,125[210]
Italy — 7,000[211]
United States (RIAA)[213] 4× Platinum 500,000[212]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ McAleer 1990, p. 109
  2. ^ "Finally. A greatest hits album that lives up to its name" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 45. November 10, 1990. p. 2. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Taraborrelli 2018, p. 202
  4. ^ a b Bego 2000, p. 256
  5. ^ Flick, Larry (October 13, 1990). "Inner City On 'Fire'; Capitol Catches Disco Fever" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 41. p. 31. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  6. ^ Rooksby 2004, p. 82
  7. ^ a b c d e f Mackie, Drew (November 2, 1990). "Video: 'Justify My Love,' 25 Years Later – A Short History of the Song, the Controversy and, Yes, the Sex". People. from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  8. ^ "madonna: justify my love" (PDF). Music Week. November 24, 1990. ISSN 0265-1548. (PDF) from the original on August 28, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  9. ^ ジャスティファイ・マイ・ラブ (in Japanese). Oricon. December 10, 1990. from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d The Immaculate Collection (Liner notes). Madonna. Warner Bros. Records. 1990. 9 26440-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ a b c Clerk 2002, p. 102
  12. ^ Rettenmund 1995, p. 16
  13. ^ . Icon: Official Madonna website. August 25, 2009. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  14. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (May 4, 2022). "New Madonna Collections To Spotlight 40 Years Of Club Hits". Spin. from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  15. ^ a b O'Brien 2018, pp. 214–215
  16. ^ O'Brien 2018, pp. 216
  17. ^ a b Ressner, Jeffrey (August 16, 1991). "'Justify My Love'". Entertainment Weekly. from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  18. ^ a b c d e Breiham, Tom (October 29, 2021). "The Number Ones: Madonna's 'Justify My Love'". Stereogum. from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  19. ^ a b c O'Brien 2018, p. 218
  20. ^ a b Parker, Lindsey (December 2, 2020). "Lenny Kravitz talks 'very sensual' 'Justify My Love' recording session with Madonna, new memoir and 30 years of letting love rule". Yahoo!. from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  21. ^ Caulfield, Keith (May 22, 2015). "'Vogue' Producer Shep Pettibone's First Interview in 20 Years: On Making a Madonna Classic & Why He Left Music Behind". Billboard. from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  22. ^ a b c Whiteley 2000, p. 144
  23. ^ "Digital Sheet Music – Madonna – Justify My Love". Musicnotes.com. November 13, 2001. from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  24. ^ a b "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 46. November 17, 1990. p. 77. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  25. ^ a b c Rooksby 2004, p. 83
  26. ^ Bennett, Dan (November 30, 1990). "Madonna's 'Collection' contains her greatest hits". North County Blade-Citizen. pp. 4, 15. from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023. (subscription required)
  27. ^ a b Arnold, Chuck (August 15, 2018). . Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  28. ^ a b Givens, Ron (February 2, 1991). "Controversy over 'Justify My Love'". Entertainment Weekly. from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  29. ^ "Lenny Kravitz Waffles About Madonna song, David Lee Roth Gives More Than Enough, INXS On Tour: This Week In 1990". MTV News. December 13, 2002. from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  30. ^ Metz & Benson 1999, p. 207
  31. ^ Sardinha, Tony Berber; Pinto, Marcia Veirano (2014). Multi-Dimensional Analysis, 25 Years on: A Tribute to Douglas Biber. John Benjamins Publishing Company. ISBN 978-9027270153. from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023 – via Google Books.
  32. ^ a b Whiteley 2000, p. 145
  33. ^ a b Taraborrelli 2018, p. 209
  34. ^ Fouz-Hernández & Jarman-Ivens 2004, p. 29
  35. ^ a b "Madonna Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  36. ^ a b c Rosen, Craig (January 19, 1991). "Madonna Flap, Part 2: Anti- Semitism?" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 3. p. 5. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  37. ^ a b Harrington, Richard (December 4, 1990). "Madonna At The Hype Of Her Career". The Washington Post. from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  38. ^ Philips, Chuck (January 4, 1991). "Anger Over Madonna Single". Los Angeles Times. from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  39. ^ a b c . The New York Times. January 5, 1991. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  40. ^ "Dance Trax" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 46. November 17, 1990. p. 26. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  41. ^ Campbell, Chuck (November 21, 1990). "A pair of new tracks justify Madonna's disc". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B. from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023. (subscription required)
  42. ^ "Previews: Singles - Single Of The Week" (PDF). Music & Media. December 1, 1990. p. 18. (PDF) from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  43. ^ a b Harrison, Andrew (January 1991). "Madonna: The Immaculate Progression". Select. 7 (1): 41–42. ISSN 0959-8367.
  44. ^ Considine, J.D. (November 16, 1990). "The Immaculate Collection - Madonna (Sire 26440)". The Baltimore Sun. from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  45. ^ . Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  46. ^ Rettenmund 1995, pp. 88–91
  47. ^ Eccleston, Danny (March 1998). "Disco-Graphy". Q (138): 92. ISSN 0955-4955.
  48. ^ "Dance" (PDF). Music Week. December 8, 1990. p. 13. (PDF) from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  49. ^ Power, Tony (September 2003). . Blender. Archived from the original on August 18, 2004. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  50. ^ Fouz-Hernández & Jarman-Ivens 2004, p. 42
  51. ^ Farber, Jim (December 14, 1990). . Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 29, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  52. ^ Browne, David (December 14, 1990). "The Immaculate Collection". Entertainment Weekly. from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  53. ^ Rosen, Craig (May 30, 1992). "ASCAP Honors Top Pop Performers" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 22. p. 16. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  54. ^ Mackie, Drew (October 5, 2016). "Video: Madonna's 'Immaculate Collection' Turns 25: All 17 Tracks Ranked". People. from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  55. ^ Birbalsingh, Katharine (May 17, 2016). "Madonna's 15 albums ranked from worst to best – 1. The Immaculate Collection (1990)". The Daily Telegraph. from the original on June 29, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  56. ^ Capotorto, Alexandra (July 26, 2012). "Top 10 Sex Songs". PopCrush. from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  57. ^ Rose, James (November 29, 2015). "25 Year's Since – Madonna's Immaculate Collection". Daily Review. from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  58. ^ Henderson, Eric (September 23, 2009). "Review: Madonna, Celebration". Slant Magazine. from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  59. ^ Diaz, Eric; Gillis, Drew; Gilchrist, Todd (August 18, 2022). "Get into the groove: ranking Madonna's #1 songs". The A.V. Club. from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  60. ^ Myers, Justin (April 24, 2019). "Madonna's lead singles ranked". Official Charts Company. from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  61. ^ "Top 20 Madonna Singles of All-time". Q. 19 (23): 87. December 9, 2003. ISSN 0955-4955.
  62. ^ Trynka, Paul (2003). "1001 Best Songs Ever". Q (Special edition). ISSN 0955-4955.
  63. ^ "The Hot 100". Billboard. November 17, 1990. from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  64. ^ Grein, Paul (January 5, 1991). "Will Simpsons' Success Make Ice Blue? 'Wolves' Soundtrack Dances Up Charts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 1. p. 8. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  65. ^ "The Hot 100". Billboard. January 12, 1991. from the original on May 27, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  66. ^ a b "Madonna Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  67. ^ a b "Madonna Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  68. ^ a b "American single certifications – Madonna – Justify My Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  69. ^ a b c "The Year in Music: 1991" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. December 21, 1991. pp. YE-14, YE-32. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  70. ^ a b Verna, Paul (December 22, 1990). "Fans Justify Madonna Video At Retail" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 51. p. 11. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  71. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1430." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  72. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Madonna – Justify My Love". Music Canada. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  73. ^ a b "Madonna – Justify My Love". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  74. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1990 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  75. ^ a b "Madonna – Justify My Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  76. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  77. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  78. ^ a b "British single certifications – Madonna – Justify My Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  79. ^ a b Myers, Justin (August 16, 2017). "Madonna's Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Singles". Official Charts Company. from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  80. ^ a b "Madonna – Justify My Love" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  81. ^ a b "Madonna – Justify My Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  82. ^ a b "Madonna – Justify My Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  83. ^ a b "Madonna – Justify My Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  84. ^ a b "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 2. January 12, 1991. p. 64. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  85. ^ a b c Svetkey, Benjamin (December 14, 1990). "Some Like It Hot... Some Not". Entertainment Weekly. No. 44. pp. 14–19. ISSN 1049-0434. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  86. ^ Holden, Stephen (November 28, 1990). "Madonna Video Goes Too Far for MTV". The New York Times. from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  87. ^ Justify My Love (VHS). Madonna. Warner Music Vision. 1990. 759938224.3.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  88. ^ "'Strike A Pose' Doc, Revisiting Madonna's 'Truth Or Dare' Dancers, Sets Premiere Date on Logo". Billboard. February 16, 2017. from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  89. ^ Orth, Maureen (January 8, 2014). "Death by Design". Vanity Fair. from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  90. ^ Guilbert 2002, p. 132
  91. ^ Garratt, Sheryl (February 1991). "Justifying Madonna". The Face: 52. ISSN 0263-1210.
  92. ^ a b c Johnston, Maura (February 24, 2015). "Express Yourself: The Making of Madonna's 20 Greatest Music Videos". Rolling Stone. from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  93. ^ "Madonna Reveals Favorite Songs, Album Urges And Much More In Reddit AMA". HuffPost. September 17, 2013. from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  94. ^ Taraborrelli 2018, p. 210
  95. ^ a b Hull, Anne V. (December 5, 1990). "Who's that with that girl?". Tampa Bay Times. from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  96. ^ a b Goldstein, Patrick (December 2, 1990). "Madonna Video Will Steam Up Stores". Los Angeles Times. from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  97. ^ Metz & Benson 1999, p. 206
  98. ^ a b Dobnik, Verena (December 4, 1990). "'Nightline' Airs the Naughty Madonna Video - Uncensored". Associated Press. from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  99. ^ "Showing of Madonna's video heats up 'Nightline' ratings". The Register-Guard. December 5, 1990. ISSN 0739-8557.
  100. ^ Bronson 2002, p. 775
  101. ^ a b Interviewer: Forrest Sawyer (December 3, 1990). "Madonna speaks on Nightline". Nightline. ABC.
  102. ^ Bego 2000, p. 259
  103. ^ Kleid, Beth (December 5, 1990). "TV & Video". Los Angeles Times. from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  104. ^ Brown, Barry (June 9, 1991). "Hit Music Video With Nudity Is Banned In English Canada". The Buffalo News. from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2020. (subscription required)
  105. ^ "MuchMusic to play two racy videos only once". Ottawa Citizen. April 26, 1991. ISSN 0839-3222.
  106. ^ Holden, Stephen (December 3, 1990). "Critic's Notebook; That Madonna Video: Realities and Fantasies". The New York Times. from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2023.(subscription required)
  107. ^ a b Considine, J.D. (December 9, 1990). "How to justify Madonna' New Video?". The Baltimore Sun. from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  108. ^ Adams, Cameron (April 8, 2017). "Rage Hits 30 Years Old: The clips they had to ban". The Queensland Times. from the original on April 15, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  109. ^ . MTV. Archived from the original on May 21, 2002. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  110. ^ a b . Rhino. March 19, 2021. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  111. ^ Burt 1994, p. 217
  112. ^ Ray, Carla (July 18, 1998). "Video Singles Look For Higher Retail Profile". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 29. p. 83. ISSN 0006-2510. from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  113. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (June 4, 2003). . Billboard. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  114. ^ "Madonna - Justify My Love". British Board of Film Classification. from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  115. ^ Celebration: The Video Collection (DVD/CD). Madonna. Warner Bros. Records. 2009. 9362-49729-6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  116. ^ James, Caryn (December 16, 1990). "Madonna in charge". Tampa Bay Times. from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  117. ^ Paglia, Camille (December 14, 1990). "Madonna -- Finally, a Real Feminist". The New York Times. from the original on September 14, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  118. ^ Smith, Liz (December 3, 1990). "Bad Publicity Is Good For Madonna". Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 4E. ISSN 2641-4503.
  119. ^ Rettenmund 1995, p. 94
  120. ^ Schwichtenberg 1993, p. 107
  121. ^ Metz & Benson 1999, p. 16
  122. ^ Donnelly 2019, pp. 202
  123. ^ Landon, Palmer (2020). Rock Star/Movie Star: Power and Performance in Cinematic Rock Stardom. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0190888435. from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Google Books.
  124. ^ Metz & Benson 1999, p. 165
  125. ^ O'Brien, Lucy (2002). She Bop II: The Definitive History of Women in Rock, Pop and Soul. Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0826472083. from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Google Books.
  126. ^ Metz & Benson 1999, p. 210
  127. ^ Metz & Benson 1999, p. 254
  128. ^ Tim, Dean (2000). Beyond Sexuality. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226139357. from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Google Books.
  129. ^ Browne, Daniel (October 9, 2013). "5 Reasons Why Madonna's Justify My Love Video Is a Masterpiece". The Gay UK. from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  130. ^ Elliott, Mark (November 6, 2022). "Justify My Love: Is This Madonna's Most Controversial Song?". Dig!. from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  131. ^ Grossman, Samantha (July 16, 2012). "Nazis and Nudity: The Top 10 Madonna Controversies". Time. from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  132. ^ Rosa, Christopher (November 6, 2015). "Is "Justify My Love" Still Provocative 25 Years Later? 5 Millennials Watch For The First Time + Weigh In". VH1. from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  133. ^ VH1: The List. Simon & Schuster. 2000. ISBN 978-0743417990. from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Google Books.
  134. ^ Johnston, Maura (June 19, 2021). "The 30 Sexiest Music Videos of All Time". Rolling Stone. from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  135. ^ Peng, Chelsea; Rodriguez, Bianca (October 16, 2021). "The 30 Sexiest Music Videos of All Time". Marie Claire. from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  136. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (October 16, 1993). "Review/Pop; From Madonna, a New Palatability but Still Spicy". The New York Times. from the original on September 14, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  137. ^ Duffy, Thom (October 9, 1993). "Artists in Action" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 41. pp. 20–22. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  138. ^ Farber, Jim (September 27, 1993). "Madonna's 'Girlie Show' More Of Her Usual Frills". New York Daily News. from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  139. ^ Corliss, Richard (July 21, 2008). "Madonna Goes to Camp". Time. from the original on November 29, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  140. ^ The Girlie Show: Live Down Under (DVD). Madonna. Warner Music Vision. 1994. 7599-38391-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  141. ^ . Chart Attack. July 19, 2004. Archived from the original on July 26, 2004. Retrieved August 5, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  142. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (August 9, 2004). "Madonna: Live @ Madison Square Garden". Slant Magazine. from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  143. ^ I'm Going to Tell You a Secret (Media notes). Madonna. Warner Bros. Records. 2006. 9362-49990-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  144. ^ a b Saraiva, Danilo (March 25, 2015). "MDNA Tour". Quem (in Portuguese). from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  145. ^ Hamard, Jonathan (June 28, 2012). "Madonna : les backdrops 'Justify My Love' et 'Human Nature' du 'MDNA Tour' en ligne" (in French). Puremédias. from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  146. ^ MDNA World Tour (Media notes). Madonna. Live Nation / Interscope. 2013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  147. ^ Zolatz, Lindsay (September 19, 2015). "Concert Review: On the Rebel Heart Tour, Madonna's Still Asking, 'Who's That Girl?'". Vulture.com. from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  148. ^ Rebel Heart Tour (2xCD). Madonna. Eagle Records. 2017. EDGCD671.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  149. ^ a b c Lynch, Joe (October 14, 2023). . Billboard. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  150. ^ Hess, Liam (October 20, 2023). . Vogue. Archived from the original on October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  151. ^ Savage, Mark (October 15, 2023). "Madonna's Celebration Tour reviewed: The Queen of pop brings out her crown jewels". BBC. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  152. ^ Bego 2000, p. 272
  153. ^ Huey, Steve. "Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna, Vol. 1 – Various Artists". AllMusic. from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  154. ^ Huey, Steve. "Truly Blue: Tribute to Madonna – Various Artists". AllMusic. from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  155. ^ "Tranceformed: A Tribute To Madonna". Amazon. from the original on June 15, 2008. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  156. ^ "Plays the Hits Made Famous by Madonna – Starsound Orchestra". AllMusic. from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  157. ^ Smith, Kerry L. "The Fast and the Furious [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] – Various Artists". AllMusic. from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  158. ^ "Gretchen homenageia Madonna com versão para "Justify my Love"; assista ao vídeo". Virgula (in Portuguese). November 30, 2012. from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  159. ^ "Justify My Love (Radio Edit) by Ingrid Chavez". Bandcamp. from the original on July 24, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  160. ^ "Justify My Love - Single by Ingrid Chavez on Apple Music". Apple Music. from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  161. ^ "Justify My Love Limited Edition Cassette by Ingrid Chavez". Bandcamp. from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  162. ^ "Mea Culpa (Part II)" (CD single). Enigma. Virgin Records. 1991. 0-96352.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  163. ^ To the Maxximum (CD). Maxx. Intercord Records. 1994. INT 845.576.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  164. ^ "Kaleidoscope Skies" (CD single). Jam & Spoon. JAM! Records. 1997. JAM 664412 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  165. ^ Double Up (CD). Mase. Bad Boy Records. 1999. 78612-73029-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  166. ^ Jeffries, David. "Hell's Pit, Pt. 1 - Insane Clown Posse". AllMusic. from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  167. ^ Justify My Love (US cassette single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 4-19485.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  168. ^ Justify My Love (UK cassette single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 5439 19485-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  169. ^ Justify My Love (US 7-inch single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 7-19485.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  170. ^ Justify My Love (UK 7-inch single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 5439-19485-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  171. ^ Justify My Love (Japanese mini CD single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. WPDP-6261.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  172. ^ Justify My Love (US Digipak CD maxi-single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 9 21820-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  173. ^ Justify My Love (Canadian 12-inch single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 92 18200.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  174. ^ Justify My Love (Australian 12-inch single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 7599218200.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  175. ^ Justify My Love (European 12-inch single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 7599-21851-0.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  176. ^ Justify My Love (European CD maxi-single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. 7599-21851-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  177. ^ Justify My Love (UK CD single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. W9000CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  178. ^ Justify My Love (European CD single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. W9000CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  179. ^ Justify My Love (UK limited-edition 12-inch picture disc liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1990. W9000TP.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  180. ^ "Justify My Love (Remixes) by Madonna on Apple Music". Apple Music. from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  181. ^ "Madonna – Justify My Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  182. ^ a b Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 173. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
  183. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1438." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  184. ^ "Outras Paradas". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese): 4. January 30, 1991. from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  185. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  186. ^ "Madonna – Justify My Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  187. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 10. March 9, 1991. p. 41. OCLC 29800226. (PDF) from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  188. ^ "Ísl. Listinn". Dagblaðið Vísir. January 11, 1991. p. 33. ISSN 1021-8254. from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  189. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Justify My Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  190. ^ "Top 10 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 2. January 12, 1991. p. 29. OCLC 29800226. (PDF) from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  191. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Madonna" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  192. ^ "Madonna – Justify My Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  193. ^ "Madonna – Justify My Love". VG-lista. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  194. ^ "Top 10 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 7. February 16, 1991. p. 18. OCLC 29800226. (PDF) from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  195. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 9. March 2, 1991. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  196. ^ "Madonna Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  197. ^ "Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 54, no. 22. December 29, 1990. p. 6. ISSN 0008-7289. (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  198. ^ "The Back Page" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 871. December 21, 1990. p. 94. ISSN 0277-4860. from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  199. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1991" (in Dutch). Ultratop. from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  200. ^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  201. ^ "RPM Dance Tracks of 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. from the original on September 5, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  202. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1991" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. December 21, 1991. p. 21. OCLC 29800226. (PDF) from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  203. ^ "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. December 21, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  204. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  205. ^ (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  206. ^ "End Of Year Chart – Top 50 Singles of 1990". from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  207. ^ "1991 The Year in Video: Top Video Sales" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 1. January 4, 1992. p. V-4. ISSN 0006-2510. (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  208. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1991 DVDs" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  209. ^ LaRose, Sean (February 2, 1991). (PDF). RPM: 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 30, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  210. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  211. ^ . la Repubblica (in Italian). March 9, 1991. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  212. ^ "Mini-boom for music videos". New Straits Times. May 2, 1991. p. 15. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  213. ^ "American videosingle certifications – Madonna – Justify My Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 2, 2015.

Book sources edit

April 09, 2024
justify, love, song, american, singer, madonna, from, first, greatest, hits, album, immaculate, collection, 1990, song, written, lenny, kravitz, ingrid, chavez, with, additional, lyrics, madonna, kravitz, also, handled, production, alongside, andré, betts, rel. Justify My Love is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album The Immaculate Collection 1990 The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and Ingrid Chavez with additional lyrics by Madonna Kravitz also handled the production alongside Andre Betts It was released as the lead single from the album on November 6 1990 by Sire and Warner Bros Records Chavez was not credited on the song which led to a lawsuit against Kravitz eventually reaching an out of court settlement Musically considered as a hip hop dance trip hop and experimental pop track it features spoken word vocals by Madonna as she releases her inner freak touching on sexual fantasies and implying the position of a woman as the one sexually in control Justify My Love Single by Madonnafrom the album The Immaculate CollectionB side Express Yourself The Beast Within ReleasedNovember 6 1990Recorded1990GenreHip hop dance trip hop experimental popLength4 58LabelSire Warner Bros Songwriter s Lenny Kravitz Ingrid Chavez MadonnaProducer s Lenny Kravitz Andre BettsMadonna singles chronology Hanky Panky 1990 Justify My Love 1990 Rescue Me 1991 Music video Justify My Love on YouTubeThe song s commercial release was accompanied by different remixes The Beast Within remix was condemned as anti semitic by some Jewish organizations Justify My Love received generally positive reviews by music critics who appreciated Madonna and Kravitz s collaboration as well as its sensual nature and was retrospectively noted as one of Madonna s best singles The song was a commercial success becoming Madonna s ninth number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also peaked at number one in Canada it also reached the top 10 on several countries including Australia Germany Sweden and the United Kingdom The accompanying music video directed by Jean Baptiste Mondino is a tribute to the film Bay of Angels 1963 It features Madonna s then boyfriend Tony Ward and portrays the singer as a woman walking in a hotel hallway looking distressed and tired from work until being seduced into having sex with a mysterious man and woman The video contained imagery of sadomasochism voyeurism and bisexuality and was subsequently banned from MTV and other networks internationally due to its sexually explicit nature The clip was later released as a video single and became the first ever short form video to be certified multiplatinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America RIAA Justify My Love and The Beast Within remix have been included on four of Madonna s concert tours the last being 2023 2024 s Celebration Tour It was covered and sampled a number of times by artists such as Vita Ashanti and Jay Z The music video was parodied on an episode of Saturday Night Live and was also seen by critics as feminist as well as considered one of the sexiest videos of all time by some publications Justify My Love was included on Madonna s greatest hits albums Celebration 2009 and Finally Enough Love 50 Number Ones 2022 Contents 1 Background and release 2 Development 3 Composition 3 1 The Beast Within 4 Critical response 5 Chart performance 6 Music video 6 1 Development 6 2 Synopsis 6 3 Release and banning 6 4 Reception and analysis 7 Live performances 8 Usage in media covers and samples 9 Credits and personnel 10 Track listing and formats 11 Charts 11 1 Weekly charts 11 2 Year end charts 12 Certifications and sales 13 See also 14 References 15 Book sourcesBackground and release editBy the end of 1990 Madonna was ready to release her first greatest hits collection titled The Immaculate Collection after becoming the biggest female singles artist in history with the most number one and top ten hit songs by a woman in both the United States and the United Kingdom 1 2 According to J Randy Taraborrelli author of Madonna An Intimate Biography the release was much more than a mere collection of Madonna s biggest selling and most popular songs 3 The singer regarded it as a proud landmark of her career which had progressed upwards since she broke out in the music scene in 1983 3 Following the completion of 1990 s Blond Ambition World Tour Madonna began rushing the project aiming to release it in time for the year s Christmas season 4 On October 13 1990 Billboard magazine confirmed that Madonna had been working on new material for the album with Shep Pettibone and Lenny Kravitz 5 The collection had 15 of Madonna s previously released singles and two new songs Justify My Love and Rescue Me were included in order to generate the public s interest 6 Justify My Love was released as the lead single from The Immaculate Collection on November 6 1990 7 It was issued on the UK on December 1 8 and in Japan on December 10 9 The artwork for the single photographed by Patrick Demarchelier and directed by Jeri Heiden features a picture of Madonna aggressively leaning forward wearing a sleeveless waistcoast with her hair scrunched up under a black cap an aggressive expression on her face and a cigarette hanging out of her lips Carol Clerk author of Madonnastyle opined that it was a particularly masculine pose Madonna at times could look as butch as the next man 10 11 The picture had previously appeared on the cover of a Interview magazine issue which featured an interview with Madonna and later was removed from the French version of the single 12 Afterwards the song was included on Madonna s third greatest hits album Celebration 2009 and as a remixed form on Finally Enough Love 50 Number Ones 2022 13 14 Development edit nbsp Lenny Kravitz co wrote and produced Justify My Love Justify My Love was written by singer and songwriter Ingrid Chavez as a love letter dedicated to Kravitz who was having an affair with her at the time He invited her over to a studio where he was producing tracks with Andre Betts and then recorded the letter in one take Kravitz took a master copy of the song to Virgin Records as their relationship ended some time later 15 Months later he told Chavez that Madonna would release Justify My Love and asked her to sign a document saying that she would receive 12 5 publishing royalties but no credit She eventually signed the paper and was then invited to meet Madonna in the studio while they mixed the track and was impressed by how she copied her vocals exactly from the demo version 15 Chavez thought that maybe she just felt like she didn t want another woman to take credit for the creative style of the vocal 16 Upon the song s release Chavez filed a lawsuit against them claiming the only words Kravitz wrote were justify my love while Madonna changed one line It was also reported that she only received a US 500 advance after Kravitz pressured her to sign an agreement surrendering credit and three quarters of royalties 17 He admitted that Chavez had written part of the lyrics but both had agreed not to credit her for personal and professional reasons and accused her of trying to make like she did the whole thing upon the single s success She responded by stating that the reason was because he was afraid his wife would think they were having an affair 18 They eventually reached an out of court settlement whereby she received 12 5 percent of royalties and her name on the next pressings However her name does not appear on any compilations containing the song 19 Betts also sued Kravitz claiming he was promised co producer credit and half of any producer s royalties but received an associate producer s credit and was not paid for his work 17 Kravitz recalled that he had been working on demos and the demo version of Justify My Love came up At first he thought it was super sexy and hard at the same time I just felt it I just knew that there was something very special about the track and the minimum quality because it was so minimal Just a gut thing However he knew it wasn t for me but thought it would be perfect for Madonna and phoned her saying he had a number one song for her The same day they met in New York City where Kravitz played the demo for her 20 After listening to the song multiple times Madonna agreed on recording and both started working on it the next day Kravitz described the recording session as just the two of us and my engineers and it happened in one day It was very quick adding it was fun and all very authentic 20 Composition edit Justify My Love was written by Kravitz and Chavez with additional lyrics by Madonna he also produced the song alongside Andre Betts 10 It was recorded by Henry Hirsch David Domanich Andy Cardenas and Josh Cuervokas at Waterfront Studios in London and Unique Recording Studios in New York City Ted Jensen mastered the song at Sterling Sound Studios while it was mixed by Shep Pettibone and Goh Hotoda at Guerilla Studios in London 10 The mixing was done in QSound which at that time was a new audio filter to create a three dimensional sound effect This was employed on all of Madonna s past hits present on The Immaculate Collection 21 nbsp Justify My Love source source A 30 second sample of the song where Madonna sings the song s chorus uttering the words wanting needing waiting before the double tracked line for you to justify my love 22 Problems playing this file See media help Justify My Love is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 132 beats per minute Composed in the key of B minor Madonna s vocal range spans from A4 to D5 It follows the chord progression of E5 F 5 E5 F 5 during the opening melody 23 Musically it is a hip hop 24 dance 25 trip hop 18 and experimental pop song 26 which features spoken word vocals by Madonna and Kravitz s moans on background vocals 27 It contains a drum sample of Public Enemy s Security of the First World 1988 used initially without consent and the group threatened to take legal action against both singers however music industry members believed the drum beat was sampled from James Brown s single Funky Drummer 1970 but these claims were denied by the group s producer Hank Shocklee 28 A spokeswoman for Madonna said she never had heard their song and didn t write the music for Justify My Love while Kravitz dismissed the claims by saying It s just one of those beats you find on the floor somewhere 28 29 Lyrically Justify My Love was described as a spoken word ode to releasing your inner freak 27 Madonna starts singing the lines I wanna kiss you in Paris I wanna hold your hand in Rome I wanna run naked in a rainstorm make love in a train cross country 30 The chorus changes its atmosphere as the singer s breathing vocals initially punctuate the wanting needing waiting line which prefaces the double tracked for you to justify my love with the words my love being repeated in the background 22 The second verse begins with her uttering OK suggesting a move in direction reflected by the line I wanna know you no not like that 22 On the next verse Madonna utters the lines Talk to me tell me your dreams Am I in them Tell me your fears Are you scared Tell me your stories 31 implying the position of a woman sexually in control which is reinforced by the line Poor is the man whose pleasures depend upon the permission of another with its underlying connotations of domination through the lyrics Love me that s right love me I wanna be your baby 32 Scholar Sheila Whiteley noted in her book Women and Popular Music Sexuality Identity and Subjectivity that the song s lyrics imply an overall focus on sexual fantasy with implicit S amp M of pleasuring allied to permission suggesting that certain pleasures need to be justified 32 Taraborrelli described the composition as rather simple a funky drum pattern under a droning aural synthesizer pad with Madonna speaking sexy verses over the music Kravitz casually moaning a melody in the background 33 In a similar vein Rikky Rooksby wrote on his book Madonna The Complete Guide to Her Music that the elements on the song were simple enough a drum loop that repeats for the duration of the song a bass part and a descending four chord sequence moving from F minor to B minor whose melody doesn t exactly go anywhere but it creates a hypnotic atmosfere which supports the imagery of the lyric 25 Santiago Fouz Hernandez and Freya Jarman Ivens in their book Madonna s Drowned Worlds stated that it was far from an ordinary pop song featuring a very simple tonal structure and the same bassline with the same chords repeated over and over They also noted its little melodic interest with Madonna speaking more than she sang through her distant remote elsewhere androgynous vocals 34 Tom Breiham from Stereogum later classified Justify My Love as an early example of trip hop and pointed out that Madonna deserves credit for anticipating whole new trends before they even happened 18 The Beast Within edit Justify My Love received a remix titled The Beast Within and was included on some versions of the single Musically influenced by Eastern music the remix featured only the chorus and certain lines of the original song as most of the verses were replaced by passages from the Book of Revelation from the Bible 35 36 At the time Madonna told The Village Voice that the beast within was Saddam Hussein and that the mix was inspired by the impending war in the Middle East 37 About a third of the way into the six minute song Madonna reads the line I know your tribulation and your poverty and the slander of those who say that they are Jews but they are not They are a Synagogue of Satan which was deemed anti semitic by some Jewish organizations According to Rabbi Abraham Cooper associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles When we saw those lyrics the alarm bell went off as the impact of having America s leading cultural icon say those lyrics can give a powerful tool to bigots 36 He also commented Anti Semitism is a real problem in America today and an entertainer as big of a blockbuster as Madonna should show some responsibility to such social issues 38 Cooper sent a letter to the singer s management and initially asked for the line to be removed from the song 39 Madonna was reportedly shocked by the controversy calling the accusations ridiculous and stating People can say I am an exhibitionist but no one can ever accuse me of being a racist 36 She then elaborated that it was a commentary on evil in general The song is after all about love 39 The rabbi replied that she responded quickly to the issue and was relieved that she did so 39 Critical response edit nbsp Justify My Love was compared to Donna Summer s pictured tracks by Billboard and the Knoxville News Sentinel Upon release Justify My Love was met with generally positive responses from music critics Larry Flick of Billboard magazine gave a positive review calling it a brilliantly conceived jam which would be devoured by club DJs and may test the devotion of top 40 radio programmers 24 Another review from the same magazine stated that the song was a steamy collaboration between Madonna and Kravitz and it had the juice to become the 90s equivalent of Donna Summer s Love To Love You Baby and noted that it strays miles away from the chirpy pop of her past 40 Chuck Campbell from the Knoxville News Sentinel said it was so seductive it makes George Michael s I Want Your Sex and Donna Summer s I Feel Love sound like nursery rhymes 41 Music amp Media staff commented that the unlikely collaboration of Madonna and Kravitz was a marriage made in heaven as well as atmospheric yet brutal in an unconventional manner 42 On her biography of the singer author Lucy O Brien stated that the track opened up a new creative avenue for Madonna as she moved into more adult territory 19 Similarly Rooksby wrote that Justify My Love was a pivotal record for the singer pointing her musical direction into the 1990s decade giving her old disco sound the kiss of death 25 Select s Andrew Harrison considered the song breathy pulsing and overpoweringly sexy 43 which along with Rescue Me played on Madonna s ambiguous vulnerability the disqueting mix of sexual predation and submission that gives Madonna s records an edge where Paula Abdul s just have a verse and chorus 43 Taraborrelli commented that the track oozed pungent sex it was just that passionate 33 while J D Considine of The Baltimore Sun noted its simmering passion 44 In an album guide for Rolling Stone Justify My Love was described along with Rescue Me as worthy sensual newies on The Immaculate Collection 45 Matthew Rettenmund author of Encyclopedia Madonnica opined that the track foreshadowed Madonna s long term commitment to explicitly politi sexual art in the wake of an already suggestive career and that it sounded like nothing else on the airwaves at the time He also opined that along with Rescue Me it was disappointing that the tracks were originated on a best of album 46 Danny Eccleston from Q opined that Justify My Love had a hard faced sexiness 47 while Music Week staff called it a mumbling sexy judderer 48 For Tony Power of Blender the song was preposterously sexy and he picked it as one of the standout tracks on The Immaculate Collection 49 Fouz Hernandez and Jarman Ivens wrote that Madonna s style of singing on the track seemed controlled and distant and added that the background moaning which is intended to remind the listener of copulation is a key memorable feature 50 Writing for Entertainment Weekly Jim Farber described the song as some vague tuneless phrases chanted in Madonna s most breathless voice over a minimal house groove serves mainly to justify the visuals 51 while reviewing The Immaculate Collection David Browne from the same magazine called it instantly notorious but noted that along with Rescue Me it did not break new ground for her 52 In 1992 Justify My Love won a ASCAP Pop Music Award for Most Performed Song 53 Retrospective reviews have been positive While analyzing The Immaculate Collection Drew Mackie of People consisidered the song a sexy daring track that s not quite like anything Madonna had released before 54 Katharine Birbalsingh from The Daily Telegraph opined that it was an insistent sexy trance track 55 PopCrush s Alexandra Capotorto commented that Justify My Love was perfectly constructed lovemaking music which might be oozing sex 56 James Rose of Daily Review noted that with the song Madonna began a phase of her career that oscillates between cynical self exploitation and courageous self expression Raunchy videos explicitly themed lyrics and boudoir beats became de rigueur for the lady now arguably bearing the biggest name in popular music 57 In a review for Celebration Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine called the track aromatic and considered by most fans to be among the singer s best work 58 According to The A V Club s Eric Diaz it remained one of Madonna s sexiest bangers setting the stage not only for her still underrated Erotica era but her tireless capacity to transform and provoke 59 Justin Myers from Official Charts Company considered the track filthy for the time but pretty tame now 60 Additionally Justify My Love was classified her 12th best on Madonna s top 20 singles of all time list by Q magazine 61 as well as placed at number 842 in the list of the 1001 Best Songs Ever by the same publication 62 Chart performance edit nbsp The song became Madonna s ninth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 In the image dancers are seen performing during the Justify My Love video interlude on The MDNA Tour in 2012 In the US Justify My Love debuted at number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on the issue dated November 17 1990 63 Eight weeks later the song reached number one becoming Madonna s ninth number one single on the chart staying in the summit for two weeks 64 65 It also topped Billboard s Dance Club Songs and peaked at number 42 on the Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs component charts 66 67 On February 22 1991 the song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America RIAA for shipments of over a million units in the US 68 In 1991 Justify My Love ranked at number 21 on the year end Billboard Hot 100 chart 69 In Canada the song debuted at number 12 on the RPM Singles Chart and reached the top on the week dated February 2 1991 70 71 The track eventually received a gold certification by Music Canada MC for shipments of 50 000 copies in the region 72 In Australia Justify My Love debuted at number 14 on the ARIA Charts on December 2 1990 The next weeks it peaked at number four staying in the position for two weeks The single was present for a total of 12 weeks on the chart and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association ARIA for shipments of 35 000 copies of the single 73 74 In New Zealand the song had a similar run as to Australia debuting at number 22 on the RIANZ Singles Chart and peaking at number five for two consecutive weeks 75 In the UK the track debuted at number nine on the week ending on December 8 1990 and reached number two a week later 76 77 It was also certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry BPI on December 1 1990 for shipments of over 200 000 copies in the UK 78 As of August 2017 the song had sold 275 500 copies in the region and was Madonna s 23rd best selling single there 79 The song also achieved success in other parts of Europe In Austria Justify My Love debuted at number 21 on the week of January 13 1991 before peaking at number nine within a month 80 On December 17 1990 the song debuted at number 50 in Germany eventually peaking at number 10 for two weeks 81 The song debuted at number 16 in Sweden later reaching number eight 82 In Switzerland it experienced more success debuting at number 12 on January 13 1991 and peaking at number three for two weeks 83 The song s commercial performance in the European countries helped it attain a peak of number three on the European Hot 100 Singles chart on the issue dated January 12 1991 84 Music video editDevelopment edit nbsp The Royal Monceau hotel in Paris is where the music video was filmed The music video for Justify My Love was filmed within three days in November 1990 at the Royal Monceau Hotel in Paris France 85 It was directed by Jean Baptiste Mondino who had previously directed the video for Madonna s Open Your Heart 1987 11 86 The clip was produced by Philippe Dupuis Mendel under Bandits in a co production with Propaganda Films with editing by Oliver Gajan and principal photography by Pascal Lebegue 87 The video features Madonna s then boyfriend Tony Ward fellow models Amanda Cazalet and Wallis Franken Montana as well as Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza who was a dancer on the Blond Ambition World Tour which occurred earlier that year 11 88 89 It is a tribute to the film Bay of Angels 1963 90 Mondino described the concept of the music video I ve worked with Madonna a few times now and there s more to her than people think She s a great actress So I wanted to do something less glamorous less slick more real I wanted to put the paparazzi out of work How can a picture of Madonna and Tony together be surprising when you ve already seen them together half naked in a video It was very cheap very easy It s very real that s what s so shocking about it And maybe her kissing a woman but that s part of our society And with AIDS shouldn t we celebrate kissing as a beautiful thing 91 Mondino did an experience for the video locking the entire crew into a hotel for three days and two nights setting no rules and nobody was allowed to go out The entire top floor with 15 rooms was rented and also served as makeup and wardrobe rooms they had no deadline as opposed to a regular video He explained that he did not have any concept except for the idea that Madonna arrived in the hotel tired and broken and left full of energy 92 The director recalled that by the end of it he was unable to differentiate the real from the performed as they were not following a script He described the shooting as very quiet it was very gentle we were all very sweet to each other and said we were talking chatting laughing playing the music shooting and when people were tired they went to bed 92 Mondino commented that the last day when he was supposed to go home he felt strange and wondered if he had to go back home or not as he thought it was a dream rather than a video shooting 92 In 2013 during a Q amp A session with Reddit users Madonna revealed it was her favorite music video to make 93 Synopsis edit nbsp The theme of androgyny is alluded to when two women are seen in men s clothing and with drawn on moustaches The video was filmed in grainy black and white It opens with a dancer in a black bodysuit dancing to the camera cutting to Madonna walking down a hotel hallway looking tired She is dressed in an overcoat carrying a suitcase with her hand on her forehead The ajar doors in the hallway also reveal glimpses of a topless androgynous figure as well as a shirtless man who appears to be receiving oral sex As Madonna starts lip synching the song she drops the suitcase and kneels down against the wall while caressing her neck She opens her coat which reveals she is wearing lace underwear garter belt and stockings An out of focus male figure played by Ward emerges and slowly walks towards her As Madonna stands she pulls Ward towards her and they kiss More images from the doors are also shown displaying a man in black leather clothes lacing a woman into a corset as well as a woman wearing a corset who turns to camera thrusting her breasts forward The video moves into a scene where Madonna is seen in a bedroom slowly removing her clothes and displaying herself on a white bed as Ward observes her He comes close to her undressing himself and preparing to mount her and she pushes him away A cut occurs and Madonna is seen laying down with an androgynous woman wearing male clothes and make up applied on her eyes They engage in a kiss as Ward observes as a voyeur Two transgender women are then seen caressing each other s faces while observing themselves in a mirror The video returns to the bedroom scene where Ward is on top of Madonna and appears to be penetrating her A dominatrix enters the bedroom in a cop hat and leather gloves as well as suspenders covering her nipples She then grabs Ward by the hair who is tied up on a chair wearing a latticed leather harness and leather chaps Madonna and Ward are back in bed caressing each other he is then seen rubbing his face on Madonna s body until it reaches her feet Women in drag draw thin mustaches on each other and look into the camera as Madonna laughs in the background putting her hand onto her mouth A man holds a woman s face as she makes a fearful look to the camera Two men are seen sitting on a couch caressing each other while a crossdresser is laying down on their laps Madonna leaves the hotel hurriedly holding her suitcase with Ward reaching out for her to return She throws her head back as she laughs with mouth open wide then bites one of her fingers in disbelief The video fades to black and the words poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another appear on the screen Release and banning edit The video was set to premiere on MTV s Madonnathon weekend event of which it was going to be the main attraction 37 However the network suddenly announced that it could not be broadcast on November 29 1990 MTV s correspondent Kurt Loder explained the reasons When MTV programming executives got their first look at the video s steamy bed scenes gay and lesbian snuggling S amp M and briefly bared female breasts they decided they couldn t air it 94 The channel s executives also said in a statement We love Madonna we ve had and will continue to have a terrific relationship with her We respect her work as an artist and think she makes great videos In its current form this one is just not for us 95 It was rejected by its standards committee which previews all new videos and requests artists to edit or trim objectionable scenes 96 According to MTV s vice president Abbey Konowitch the network frequently had concerns about the content of the singer s videos stating You take the black lingerie sex scenes and flesh out of Justify My Love and you ve got 10 seconds of ill focused dancing 97 The channel had previously threatened to ban Madonna s music videos from airing such as Express Yourself Oh Father 1989 and Vogue 1990 but ultimately broadcast all videos unedited 7 4 When Justify My Love was submitted Madonna thought she was once again going to be able to bend the rules a little bit after Vogue was broadcast however MTV simply refused to air it refusing to even edit the video The singer stated that we didn t even really get a chance to try to make it viewable They rejected it completely 7 The channel responded by saying This decision went all the way to the top There is no way we could even edit this I can t believe Madonna ever thought we would air it 96 This sparked suggestions by music industry insiders that the video was designed to be banned as part of a marketing strategy 85 I guess half of me thought I was going to get away with it that I was going to be able to convince them MTV and the other half thought well with the way of the censorship and conservatism that is sort of sweeping over the nation I thought that there was going to be a problem Madonna on MTV banning the video 18 The video was premiered in its entirety on The Jukebox Network an interactive cable network on November 29 1990 98 99 it was later aired on ABC s Nightline on December 3 The channel s lawyers analyzed the video before it was shown and agreed to its broadcast because of the news value of the video the late air time and the focus of the discussion 98 Madonna was also interviewed by the show s host Forrest Sawyer about the video s sexual content and censorship She defended the video as a celebration of sex and wondered Why is it that people are willing to go and watch a movie about someone getting blown to bits for no reason at all and nobody wants to see two girls kissing and two men snuggling 100 The singer also expressed during the interview that she did not understand why MTV banned the video yet allowed videos that contained violence and degradation to women to continue receiving regular airplay saying I draw the line at violence and humiliation and degradation 101 Her appearance on Nightline became the show s highest rated episode for the entire year Other shows which showed parts of the video also garnered record breaking ratings such as Saturday Night Live SNL and CNN s Showbiz Today 102 The music video was also banned from regular rotation on MuchMusic and Musique Plus in Canada John Martin program director for the former said it was inappropriate to air while the latter s program director Pierre Marchand called the video a soft porn short movie with a message about freedom of choice and stated that viewers needed to understand before accepting it 103 104 The banning led MuchMusic to air a special titled A Question of Taste where the video was aired in its entirety accompanied by panel discussions on its artistic and cultural context 105 In the UK the video premiered on Channel 4 s The Word and later the Independent Broadcasting Authority determined its airing only after the 9pm watershed 106 107 Although many complaints were received the clip was played without restriction on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation s music video show Rage as the channel is not bound to follow classification guidelines due to being a public broadcaster 108 In 2002 the video was aired in its entirety on MTV2 as part of a special countdown showing the most controversial videos ever to air on MTV 109 Upon the video s banning Madonna decided make it available commercially as a video single marking the first time an artist had released a single in this format in the United States 110 it was described as an unprecedented move in the video industry 111 When asked whether she stood to make money selling the video than airing it on MTV she answered Yeah so lucky me 101 The video single was released on December 7 1990 in the US 70 with the retail price of 9 98 112 110 The European version also contained Madonna s performance of Vogue at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards 7 The release peaked at number two on Billboard s Top Music Videos for two weeks and spent 39 weeks on the chart overall 113 It has been certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America RIAA for shipments of 200 000 units in the US and went on to sell over a million copies worldwide becoming the best selling video single of all time 7 113 In the United Kingdom the video was given an 18 certificate by the British Board of Film Classification BBFC meaning no one under that age could legally buy or see the release 114 It was reported that in Saudi Arabia it was sold at a high price as illegal market porn 19 The music video was included on the greatest hits package Celebration The Video Collection 2009 the version included was censored with black bars in a scene that contains female nudity 115 Reception and analysis edit nbsp Upon the video s release Camille Paglia agreed that banning the video from MTV was the right decision despite deeming it as truly avant garde Caryn James from Tampa Bay Times considered Madonna s music videos for Express Yourself and Papa Don t Preach 1986 more controversial but deemed Justify My Love as her most pretentious stating The feminist message of Justify My Love is that Madonna can control a career as shrewdly as any man 116 Camille Paglia writing for The New York Times called Madonna a true feminist and deemed the video truly avant garde at a time when that word has lost its meaning in the flabby art world Nevertheless she stated that MTV was right to ban it as parents cannot possibly control television with its titanic omnipresence and that it does not belong on a mainstream music channel watched around the clock by children 117 On the other hand Liz Smith writing for the Sarasota Herald Tribune was critical of the decision and hoped that since MTV has gone so moral on the public that they ll also begin to take close looks at other material submitted to them by all those macho metal and rap groups with their own S amp M overtones their incipient violence and degradation of women themes She also noted that who admired the singer would applaud her refusal to censor her art and who never liked her would dislike her more than ever 118 Richard Goldstein from The Village Voice opined that by suppressing erotic dissent MTV does its best to see that this powerful medium will not communicate the wrong idea about sex That may pacify the puritans but it also makes it easier to deny women and gays their full humanity easier for the metal masses to justify their hate concluding that Justify My Love makes it harder to hurt people 119 Johns Hopkins University professor of popular culture Mark Crispin Miller observed that it was perfectly all right for MTV to broadcast sadomasochism couplings and events as long as the images don t violate a certain heterosexual norm 95 Considine agreed stating that there was very little in the clip that had not been seen on MTV pointing out music videos by R E M Boy George and Aerosmith as examples 107 Benjamin Svetkey from Entertainment Weekly pointed out that MTV has banned videos before but this time the network was saying no to the world s most powerful recording artist Madonna s sex charged career has been carved out of controversy and now for the first time the hippest cultural outlet on television was telling her to cool it 85 Sharing a similar opinion Lisa Henderson writing in the book The Madonna Connection Representational Politics Subcultural Identities And Cultural Theory stated that for critics and fans it was an odd scenario MTV rejecting its premier pop star whose stylistic developments had arguably marked and marketed the evolution of music television itself 120 Considine wrote in the book The Madonna Companion Two Decades of Commentary that the banning immediately mushroomed into a censorship scandal as Madonna insisted that she hadn t caused the commotion intentionally but her critics accused her of planning the whole thing Nobody doubted her intelligence then they merely held it against her 121 In Justify My Love Sex Subversion and Music Video Ryann Donnelly wrote that while the banning of Madonna s Justify My Love video for its explicit sexual content has become somewhat legendary a sufficient promotional tool in itself few artists could have sacrificed the support of MTV in a similar way to that of Madonna before YouTube 122 Commenting on the video s release as a video single Landon Palmer stated in Rock Star Movie Star Power and Performance in Cinematic Rock Stardom that the release of Justify My Love exclusively on VHS had the effect of creating a new moving image platform the video single for Madonna s cultural production extending the narrowcast relationship between artist and audience popularized by MTV 123 The video s bisexual and sadomasochist themes were also noted In another article Paglia recalled that in a number of videos Madonna has played with bisexual innuendos and Justify My Love was a culmination of that she considered Madonna as a pioneer for restoring lesbian eroticism to the continuum of heterosexual response in the clip showing bisexuality and all experimentation as a liberation from false narrow categories 124 Lucy O Brien in her book She Bop II The Definitive History of Women in Rock Pop and Soul wrote that conveying the full power of sexual ambiguity Madonna showed in the video how gender roles could be swapped blurred and played with to create a multitude of different identities 125 According to Janelle L Wilson and Gerald E Markle the eroticism shown in the video was by traditional standards non normative The effeminate dancer the homosexual behavior and the action and appearance of the masculine woman in the video also represent behavior outside the accepted norms 126 For Cathy Schwichtenberg Madonna s languid French kiss with l autre femme in the video was a representation of a deconstruction of lines and boundaries that fragment male female gender polarities and pluralize sexual practices This is a postmodern unbounded feminism that unifies coalitionally rather than foundationally 127 According to Tim Dean in the book Beyond Sexuality the music video was replete with stylized gestures of representing the whole catalogue of perverse activity lesbianism fetishism voyeurism transvestism troilism and the ritual accoutrements of sadomasochism 128 Reflecting on the video for Justify My Love in a retrospective review Tom Breiham from Stereogum pointed out that the video became one more time that Madonna made the entire media industrial complex serve her interests 18 Daniel Browne writing for The Gay UK website cited five reasons for calling the video a masterpiece such as sex gender bending and gay and lesbian romping describing it as five minutes of artistic brilliance I cannot think of a video before or since that covers such a topic in a positive and empowering way The act of sex in its various forms cross dressing and fluid sexuality tend to kept behind closed doors 129 In a similar vein Dig s Mark Elliott went on to say that the gender fluidity and nudity featured in the new video were provocative enough in a more sheltered era but the fact it was being issued by such a major star was extraordinary citing George Michael s I Want Your Sex 1987 as an example of a video that had explored similar thematic territory but was altogether more conventional in its approach 130 Samantha Grossman from Time observed that if YouTube had existed when Justify My Love was released in 1990 the extremely NSFW music video would have gone viral in minutes if not seconds 131 In 2015 Christopher Rosa of VH1 showed the music video to five people around the age of twenty later interviewing them on their thoughts after watching it All five of them agreed that it was certainly envelope pushing but also pointed out that it s nothing 2015 artists haven t done or even surpassed with the author citing the film Fifty Shades of Grey and Nicki Minaj s music video for Anaconda 2014 as examples 132 Additionally it was later added to sexiest music videos of all time lists by VH1 133 Rolling Stone 134 and Marie Claire 135 Live performances edit nbsp Madonna performing Justify My Love on the Celebration Tour 2023 2024 Madonna performed Justify My Love for the first time on the Girlie Show tour in 1993 during the concert s encore For the performance the singer and her dancers wore period costumes mocking specifically Victorian fashion while she held a lorgnette 136 137 The New York Daily News Jim Farber commented that Madonna and the dancers cavorted elegantly throughout the number reversing expectations that the performance would be raunchy 138 Richard Corliss from Time magazine complimented the performance opining that the singer saved her best anachronistic joke for last noting its stately cadence and comparing the costumes to those of My Fair Lady 139 The Beast Within remix was also used on the tour as an interlude with two male dancers performing an apocalyptic dance miming couplings and brawls while Madonna from off stage recited the lyrics Jon Pareles from The New York Times considered the performance an ambiguous sequence mourning the sexual freedom of the pre AIDS 1970 s then hinting at biblical retribution 136 These two performances on the November 19 1993 show at Sydney Cricket Ground was recorded and released on VHS and LaserDisc on April 26 1994 as The Girlie Show Live Down Under 140 The Beast Within remix was again used as the video introduction to 2004 s Re Invention World Tour the visual showed footage of X STaTIC Pro CeSS a collaboration between Madonna and Steven Klein Chart Attack magazine staff noted its quasi religious mumbo jumbo paired with some genuinely arty images of the singer on the screens while Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine found the introduction macabre 141 142 It was subsequently included on the 2006 documentary and live album I m Going to Tell You a Secret 143 Justify My Love was later used as a video interlude during The MDNA Tour in 2012 The performance featured dancers wearing white pierrot masks who impressed with their fully synchronized dance moves according to Danilo Saraiva from Quem magazine 144 The video directed by Tom Munro featured a lingerie clad Madonna 144 145 The number was included in the live album MDNA World Tour released on September 6 2013 146 Elements of the song were also used during the S E X interlude on the Rebel Heart Tour in 2015 16 as dancers writhed on gravity defying beds 147 The performance of the song at the March 19 20 2016 shows in Sydney s Allphones Arena was recorded and released in Madonna s fifth live album Rebel Heart Tour 148 The song s performance on the Celebration Tour 2023 2024 featured Busby Berkeley esque choreography and saw the singer dressed in lingerie and bondage gear cavorting in a bed with a female dancer wearing a gimp mask and simulating masturbation in a sequence that referred the Blond Ambition World Tour 149 150 Justify My Love was named one of the best moments of the concert by Billboard s Joe Lynch 149 The Beast Within was also used as a video interlude on Celebration 149 The BBC s Mark Savage criticized the inclusion Did we really need the obscure Beast Within remix when songs like Express Yourself and Frozen were discarded as snippets 151 Usage in media covers and samples editSee also List of cover versions of Madonna songs and List of Madonna tribute albums On May 11 1991 Madonna made a guest appearance on SNL on the recurring sketch Wayne s World it spoofed the song s music video as well as her documentary Madonna Truth or Dare The spoof consisted of Wayne Mike Myers and Garth Dana Carvey encountering a seductive Madonna lying on a bed in a hotel room during a fantasy dream sequence filmed in black and white After some back and forth banter Wayne and Madonna play truth or dare Wayne begins by saying truth Madonna then asks Have you ever made love with two women at the same time He answers Uh yes to which Madonna says Okay I believe you Not Wayne then dares Madonna to make out with him As they kiss the music for Justify My Love begins playing The scene ends as two dominatrixes appear in the room accompanied by a Prince lookalike 152 In 1999 a cover of the song done by Front Line Assembly with vocals by Kristy Thirsk was included on the compilation album Virgin Voices A Tribute To Madonna Vol 1 153 The next year it received cover versions included on the tribute albums Truly Blue Tribute to Madonna and A Tribute to Madonna Tranceformed 154 155 Justify My Love was also covered by rapper Vita featuring singer Ashanti for The Fast and the Furious soundtrack in 2001 while the same year another cover version by Starsound Orchestra was included on the tribute album Plays the Hits Made Famous by Madonna 156 157 In 2012 Brazilian singer Gretchen recorded a cover with a music video using footage of her own acting career 158 In 2020 Chavez released her own version of Justify My Love on streaming platforms 159 160 Two years later she released a limited edition cassette with eight remixes 161 German band Enigma sampled one of the remixes of the song for their Orthodox Remix of the 1991 single Mea Culpa Part II 162 In 1994 Eurodance act Maxx sampled its beat in the song Suddenly included on their debut studio album To the Maxximum 163 German electronic duo Jam amp Spoon sampled a part of the song s remixes for a remix of Kaleidoscope Skies 1997 featuring Plavka 164 Rapper Mase used a sample from Justify My Love on his song Stay Out of My Way included on his second studio album Double Up 1999 165 In 2003 rapper Jay Z also sampled the song on Justify My Thug on his eighth studio album The Black Album described as a hip hop re working of the original song 7 Portions of Justify My Love were used by Insane Clown Posse in their 2004 single Bowling Balls 166 Credits and personnel editCredits adapted from The Immaculate Collection liner notes 10 ManagementRecorded at Waterfront Studios and Unique Recording Studios London United Kingdom and New York City New York Mastered at Sterling Sound Studios New York City New York Mixed at Guerilla Studios London United Kingdom Freddy DeMann Management The DeMann Entertainment Co Ltd Miss Bessie Music Webo Girl Publishing Inc Warner Bros Music Corp Bleu Disc Music Co Inc ASCAP PersonnelMadonna vocals writer background vocals Lenny Kravitz writer producer background vocals Andre Betts associate producer Henry Hirsch recording David Domanich recording Andy Cardenas recording Josh Cuervokas recording Shep Pettibone audio mixing Goh Hotoda audio mixing Patrick Demarchelier photographer Jeri Heiden art directorTrack listing and formats editUS and UK cassette and 7 inch single 167 168 169 170 Japanese mini CD single 171 Justify My Love album version 4 58 Express Yourself Shep s Spressin Himself Re Remix 4 02US Digipak CD maxi single 172 Justify My Love Q Sound Mix 4 54 Justify My Love Orbit 12 inch mix 7 16 Justify My Love hip hop mix 6 30 Express Yourself 1990 Shep s Spressin Himself Re Remix 9 30 Justify My Love The Beast Within Mix 6 10Canadian and Australian 12 inch single 173 174 Justify My Love Orbit 12 inch mix 7 16 Justify My Love hip hop mix 6 30 Justify My Love The Beast Within Mix 6 10 Express Yourself 1990 Shep s Spressin Himself Re Remix 9 30 European 12 inch and CD maxi single 175 176 Justify My Love hip hop mix 6 30 Justify My Love Q Sound Mix 4 54 Justify My Love The Beast Within Mix 6 10UK and European CD single UK limited edition 12 inch picture disc 177 178 179 Justify My Love William Orbit Remix 7 07 Justify My Love album version 4 58 Express Yourself Shep s Spressin Himself Re Remix 4 02Digital single 2020 180 Justify My Love Q Sound Mix 4 54 Justify My Love Orbit 12 inch mix 7 16 Justify My Love hip hop mix 6 30 Express Yourself 1990 Shep s Spressin Himself Re Remix 9 30 Justify My Love The Beast Within Mix 6 10 Justify My Love Orbit edit 4 33Charts editWeekly charts edit Weekly chart performance for Justify My Love Chart 1990 1991 PeakpositionAustralia ARIA 73 4Austria O3 Austria Top 40 80 9Belgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 181 9Canada Retail Singles The Record 182 2Canada Contemporary Hit Radio The Record 182 1Canada Top Singles RPM 71 1Canada Dance Urban RPM 183 3Chile IFPI 184 1Europe European Hot 100 Singles 84 3Finland Suomen virallinen lista 185 1France SNEP 186 17Germany Official German Charts 81 10Greece IFPI 187 4Iceland Islenski Listinn Topp 188 6Ireland IRMA 189 3Italy Musica e dischi 190 2Netherlands Dutch Top 40 191 4Netherlands Single Top 100 192 5New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 75 5Norway VG lista 193 3Portugal AFP 194 4Spain AFYVE 195 3Sweden Sverigetopplistan 82 8Switzerland Schweizer Hitparade 83 3UK Singles OCC 77 2US Billboard Hot 100 35 1US Dance Club Songs Billboard 66 1US Dance Singles Sales Billboard 196 1US Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard 67 42US Top 100 Cash Box 197 1US CHR amp Pop Charts Radio amp Records 198 1 Year end charts edit Year end performance for Justify My Love Chart 1991 PositionBelgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 199 92Canada Top Singles RPM 200 44Canada Dance Urban RPM 201 29Europe European Hot 100 Singles 202 23Europe European Hit Radio 203 37Germany Official German Charts 204 66Norway Winter Period VG lista 205 17UK Singles OCC 206 43US Billboard Hot 100 69 21US Dance Club Songs Billboard 69 9US Top Video Sales Billboard 207 20Certifications and sales editCertifications and sales for Justify My Love Region Certification Certified units salesPhysicalAustralia ARIA 74 Gold 35 000 Canada Music Canada 72 Gold 50 000 United Kingdom BPI 78 Silver 275 500 79 United States RIAA 68 Platinum 1 000 000 Video singleAustralia ARIA 208 Gold 7 500 Canada 20 000 209 Japan Oricon 14 125 210 Italy 7 000 211 United States RIAA 213 4 Platinum 500 000 212 Shipments figures based on certification alone See also editPazz amp Jop List of Cash Box Top 100 number one singles of 1990 List of Cash Box Top 100 number one singles of 1991References edit McAleer 1990 p 109 Finally A greatest hits album that lives up to its name PDF Billboard Vol 102 no 45 November 10 1990 p 2 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on March 7 2021 Retrieved March 24 2021 a b Taraborrelli 2018 p 202 a b Bego 2000 p 256 Flick Larry October 13 1990 Inner City On Fire Capitol Catches Disco Fever PDF Billboard Vol 102 no 41 p 31 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on March 7 2021 Retrieved March 24 2021 Rooksby 2004 p 82 a b c d e f Mackie Drew November 2 1990 Video Justify My Love 25 Years Later A Short History of the Song the Controversy and Yes the Sex People Archived from the original on August 10 2022 Retrieved August 7 2020 madonna justify my love PDF Music Week November 24 1990 ISSN 0265 1548 Archived PDF from the original on August 28 2022 Retrieved January 20 2023 ジャスティファイ マイ ラブ in Japanese Oricon December 10 1990 Archived from the original on January 20 2023 Retrieved January 20 2023 a b c d The Immaculate Collection Liner notes Madonna Warner Bros Records 1990 9 26440 1 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b c Clerk 2002 p 102 Rettenmund 1995 p 16 Celebration Track listing for CD amp DVD announced Icon Official Madonna website August 25 2009 Archived from the original on January 2 2010 Retrieved May 10 2022 Cohen Jonathan May 4 2022 New Madonna Collections To Spotlight 40 Years Of Club Hits Spin Archived from the original on May 4 2022 Retrieved April 10 2023 a b O Brien 2018 pp 214 215 O Brien 2018 pp 216 a b Ressner Jeffrey August 16 1991 Justify My Love Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on August 22 2022 Retrieved August 7 2020 a b c d e Breiham Tom October 29 2021 The Number Ones Madonna s Justify My Love Stereogum Archived from the original on November 24 2022 Retrieved January 19 2023 a b c O Brien 2018 p 218 a b Parker Lindsey December 2 2020 Lenny Kravitz talks very sensual Justify My Love recording session with Madonna new memoir and 30 years of letting love rule Yahoo Archived from the original on November 24 2022 Retrieved January 18 2023 Caulfield Keith May 22 2015 Vogue Producer Shep Pettibone s First Interview in 20 Years On Making a Madonna Classic amp Why He Left Music Behind Billboard Archived from the original on April 4 2018 Retrieved June 2 2018 a b c Whiteley 2000 p 144 Digital Sheet Music Madonna Justify My Love Musicnotes com November 13 2001 Archived from the original on July 27 2022 Retrieved August 6 2020 a b Single Reviews PDF Billboard Vol 102 no 46 November 17 1990 p 77 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on August 6 2020 Retrieved August 6 2020 a b c Rooksby 2004 p 83 Bennett Dan November 30 1990 Madonna s Collection contains her greatest hits North County Blade Citizen pp 4 15 Archived from the original on January 3 2023 Retrieved January 21 2023 subscription required a b Arnold Chuck August 15 2018 Madonna s 60 best singles ranked Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on August 15 2018 Retrieved July 9 2022 a b Givens Ron February 2 1991 Controversy over Justify My Love Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on August 19 2022 Retrieved August 7 2020 Lenny Kravitz Waffles About Madonna song David Lee Roth Gives More Than Enough INXS On Tour This Week In 1990 MTV News December 13 2002 Archived from the original on December 6 2021 Retrieved August 7 2020 Metz amp Benson 1999 p 207 Sardinha Tony Berber Pinto Marcia Veirano 2014 Multi Dimensional Analysis 25 Years on A Tribute to Douglas Biber John Benjamins Publishing Company ISBN 978 9027270153 Archived from the original on January 20 2023 Retrieved January 20 2023 via Google Books a b Whiteley 2000 p 145 a b Taraborrelli 2018 p 209 Fouz Hernandez amp Jarman Ivens 2004 p 29 a b Madonna Chart History Hot 100 Billboard Retrieved August 5 2020 a b c Rosen Craig January 19 1991 Madonna Flap Part 2 Anti Semitism PDF Billboard Vol 103 no 3 p 5 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on January 18 2023 Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Harrington Richard December 4 1990 Madonna At The Hype Of Her Career The Washington Post Archived from the original on June 25 2022 Retrieved August 7 2020 Philips Chuck January 4 1991 Anger Over Madonna Single Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on April 6 2019 Retrieved September 18 2016 a b c Madonna Refutes Rabbi s Accusation Of Anti Semitism in a Song Lyric The New York Times January 5 1991 Archived from the original on June 23 2011 Retrieved August 5 2020 Dance Trax PDF Billboard Vol 102 no 46 November 17 1990 p 26 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on August 6 2020 Retrieved August 6 2020 Campbell Chuck November 21 1990 A pair of new tracks justify Madonna s disc The Knoxville News Sentinel p B Archived from the original on January 31 2023 Retrieved January 21 2023 subscription required Previews Singles Single Of The Week PDF Music amp Media December 1 1990 p 18 Archived PDF from the original on October 3 2022 Retrieved November 3 2020 a b Harrison Andrew January 1991 Madonna The Immaculate Progression Select 7 1 41 42 ISSN 0959 8367 Considine J D November 16 1990 The Immaculate Collection Madonna Sire 26440 The Baltimore Sun Archived from the original on July 12 2021 Retrieved January 18 2023 Madonna Album Guide Rolling Stone Archived from the original on July 5 2011 Retrieved August 5 2020 Rettenmund 1995 pp 88 91 Eccleston Danny March 1998 Disco Graphy Q 138 92 ISSN 0955 4955 Dance PDF Music Week December 8 1990 p 13 Archived PDF from the original on September 28 2022 Retrieved November 2 2020 Power Tony September 2003 Madonna The Immaculate Collection Blender Archived from the original on August 18 2004 Retrieved August 5 2020 Fouz Hernandez amp Jarman Ivens 2004 p 42 Farber Jim December 14 1990 It s Bad But Is It Good Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on August 29 2007 Retrieved January 16 2023 Browne David December 14 1990 The Immaculate Collection Entertainment Weekly Archived from the original on September 8 2022 Retrieved September 8 2022 Rosen Craig May 30 1992 ASCAP Honors Top Pop Performers PDF Billboard Vol 104 no 22 p 16 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on September 26 2020 Retrieved March 2 2020 Mackie Drew October 5 2016 Video Madonna s Immaculate Collection Turns 25 All 17 Tracks Ranked People Archived from the original on June 4 2022 Retrieved January 18 2023 Birbalsingh Katharine May 17 2016 Madonna s 15 albums ranked from worst to best 1 The Immaculate Collection 1990 The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on June 29 2016 Retrieved August 6 2020 Capotorto Alexandra July 26 2012 Top 10 Sex Songs PopCrush Archived from the original on July 28 2012 Retrieved August 6 2020 Rose James November 29 2015 25 Year s Since Madonna s Immaculate Collection Daily Review Archived from the original on March 3 2016 Retrieved June 2 2018 Henderson Eric September 23 2009 Review Madonna Celebration Slant Magazine Archived from the original on December 25 2022 Retrieved August 6 2020 Diaz Eric Gillis Drew Gilchrist Todd August 18 2022 Get into the groove ranking Madonna s 1 songs The A V Club Archived from the original on January 19 2023 Retrieved January 18 2023 Myers Justin April 24 2019 Madonna s lead singles ranked Official Charts Company Archived from the original on April 24 2019 Retrieved January 20 2023 Top 20 Madonna Singles of All time Q 19 23 87 December 9 2003 ISSN 0955 4955 Trynka Paul 2003 1001 Best Songs Ever Q Special edition ISSN 0955 4955 The Hot 100 Billboard November 17 1990 Archived from the original on November 17 2022 Retrieved August 5 2020 Grein Paul January 5 1991 Will Simpsons Success Make Ice Blue Wolves Soundtrack Dances Up Charts PDF Billboard Vol 103 no 1 p 8 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on December 26 2022 Retrieved August 8 2020 The Hot 100 Billboard January 12 1991 Archived from the original on May 27 2022 Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Madonna Chart History Dance Club Songs Billboard Retrieved April 11 2017 a b Madonna Chart History Hot R amp B Hip Hop Songs Billboard Retrieved April 11 2017 a b American single certifications Madonna Justify My Love Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved September 9 2015 a b c The Year in Music 1991 PDF Billboard Vol 103 no 51 December 21 1991 pp YE 14 YE 32 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on August 17 2021 Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Verna Paul December 22 1990 Fans Justify Madonna Video At Retail PDF Billboard Vol 102 no 51 p 11 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on November 22 2022 Retrieved August 8 2020 a b Top RPM Singles Issue 1430 RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved April 24 2020 a b Canadian single certifications Madonna Justify My Love Music Canada Retrieved September 9 2015 a b Madonna Justify My Love ARIA Top 50 Singles Retrieved August 5 2020 a b ARIA Charts Accreditations 1990 Singles PDF Australian Recording Industry Association Retrieved July 14 2021 a b Madonna Justify My Love Top 40 Singles Retrieved August 5 2020 Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Archived from the original on May 26 2022 Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved April 11 2017 a b British single certifications Madonna Justify My Love British Phonographic Industry Retrieved September 9 2015 a b Myers Justin August 16 2017 Madonna s Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Singles Official Charts Company Archived from the original on September 25 2022 Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Madonna Justify My Love in German O3 Austria Top 40 Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Madonna Justify My Love in German GfK Entertainment charts Retrieved February 13 2019 a b Madonna Justify My Love Singles Top 100 Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Madonna Justify My Love Swiss Singles Chart Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Hits of the World PDF Billboard Vol 103 no 2 January 12 1991 p 64 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on January 22 2021 Retrieved November 7 2016 a b c Svetkey Benjamin December 14 1990 Some Like It Hot Some Not Entertainment Weekly No 44 pp 14 19 ISSN 1049 0434 Retrieved January 18 2023 Holden Stephen November 28 1990 Madonna Video Goes Too Far for MTV The New York Times Archived from the original on April 3 2012 Retrieved August 7 2020 Justify My Love VHS Madonna Warner Music Vision 1990 759938224 3 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Strike A Pose Doc Revisiting Madonna s Truth Or Dare Dancers Sets Premiere Date on Logo Billboard February 16 2017 Archived from the original on June 23 2020 Retrieved August 8 2020 Orth Maureen January 8 2014 Death by Design Vanity Fair Archived from the original on December 2 2022 Retrieved August 8 2020 Guilbert 2002 p 132 Garratt Sheryl February 1991 Justifying Madonna The Face 52 ISSN 0263 1210 a b c Johnston Maura February 24 2015 Express Yourself The Making of Madonna s 20 Greatest Music Videos Rolling Stone Archived from the original on August 15 2022 Retrieved August 8 2020 Madonna Reveals Favorite Songs Album Urges And Much More In Reddit AMA HuffPost September 17 2013 Archived from the original on December 8 2022 Retrieved August 8 2020 Taraborrelli 2018 p 210 a b Hull Anne V December 5 1990 Who s that with that girl Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on January 18 2023 Retrieved January 18 2023 a b Goldstein Patrick December 2 1990 Madonna Video Will Steam Up Stores Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on October 6 2022 Retrieved August 6 2020 Metz amp Benson 1999 p 206 a b Dobnik Verena December 4 1990 Nightline Airs the Naughty Madonna Video Uncensored Associated Press Archived from the original on January 18 2023 Retrieved August 7 2020 Showing of Madonna s video heats up Nightline ratings The Register Guard December 5 1990 ISSN 0739 8557 Bronson 2002 p 775 a b Interviewer Forrest Sawyer December 3 1990 Madonna speaks on Nightline Nightline ABC Bego 2000 p 259 Kleid Beth December 5 1990 TV amp Video Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on January 18 2023 Retrieved August 7 2020 Brown Barry June 9 1991 Hit Music Video With Nudity Is Banned In English Canada The Buffalo News Archived from the original on January 18 2023 Retrieved August 7 2020 subscription required MuchMusic to play two racy videos only once Ottawa Citizen April 26 1991 ISSN 0839 3222 Holden Stephen December 3 1990 Critic s Notebook That Madonna Video Realities and Fantasies The New York Times Archived from the original on April 4 2023 Retrieved July 10 2023 subscription required a b Considine J D December 9 1990 How to justify Madonna New Video The Baltimore Sun Archived from the original on February 28 2019 Retrieved August 8 2020 Adams Cameron April 8 2017 Rage Hits 30 Years Old The clips they had to ban The Queensland Times Archived from the original on April 15 2017 Retrieved November 11 2018 The Controversial Videos MTV Archived from the original on May 21 2002 Retrieved September 19 2016 a b November 1990 Madonna Shocks the World with Justify My Love Rhino March 19 2021 Archived from the original on August 16 2021 Retrieved February 26 2022 Burt 1994 p 217 Ray Carla July 18 1998 Video Singles Look For Higher Retail Profile Billboard Vol 110 no 29 p 83 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived from the original on October 14 2022 Retrieved May 24 2014 a b Caulfield Keith June 4 2003 Ask Billboard Billboard Archived from the original on September 20 2014 Retrieved October 26 2014 Madonna Justify My Love British Board of Film Classification Archived from the original on January 18 2023 Retrieved January 18 2023 Celebration The Video Collection DVD CD Madonna Warner Bros Records 2009 9362 49729 6 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link James Caryn December 16 1990 Madonna in charge Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on January 18 2023 Retrieved January 19 2023 Paglia Camille December 14 1990 Madonna Finally a Real Feminist The New York Times Archived from the original on September 14 2010 Retrieved August 8 2020 Smith Liz December 3 1990 Bad Publicity Is Good For Madonna Sarasota Herald Tribune 4E ISSN 2641 4503 Rettenmund 1995 p 94 Schwichtenberg 1993 p 107 Metz amp Benson 1999 p 16 Donnelly 2019 pp 202 Landon Palmer 2020 Rock Star Movie Star Power and Performance in Cinematic Rock Stardom Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0190888435 Archived from the original on January 19 2023 Retrieved January 19 2023 via Google Books Metz amp Benson 1999 p 165 O Brien Lucy 2002 She Bop II The Definitive History of Women in Rock Pop and Soul Continuum International Publishing Group ISBN 978 0826472083 Archived from the original on December 24 2021 Retrieved January 19 2023 via Google Books Metz amp Benson 1999 p 210 Metz amp Benson 1999 p 254 Tim Dean 2000 Beyond Sexuality University of Chicago Press ISBN 978 0226139357 Archived from the original on December 24 2021 Retrieved January 19 2023 via Google Books Browne Daniel October 9 2013 5 Reasons Why Madonna s Justify My Love Video Is a Masterpiece The Gay UK Archived from the original on November 7 2020 Retrieved January 19 2023 Elliott Mark November 6 2022 Justify My Love Is This Madonna s Most Controversial Song Dig Archived from the original on November 29 2022 Retrieved January 19 2023 Grossman Samantha July 16 2012 Nazis and Nudity The Top 10 Madonna Controversies Time Archived from the original on January 18 2023 Retrieved January 19 2023 Rosa Christopher November 6 2015 Is Justify My Love Still Provocative 25 Years Later 5 Millennials Watch For The First Time Weigh In VH1 Archived from the original on November 24 2022 Retrieved January 19 2023 VH1 The List Simon amp Schuster 2000 ISBN 978 0743417990 Archived from the original on January 19 2023 Retrieved January 19 2023 via Google Books Johnston Maura June 19 2021 The 30 Sexiest Music Videos of All Time Rolling Stone Archived from the original on November 24 2022 Retrieved January 19 2023 Peng Chelsea Rodriguez Bianca October 16 2021 The 30 Sexiest Music Videos of All Time Marie Claire Archived from the original on December 2 2022 Retrieved January 19 2023 a b Pareles Jon October 16 1993 Review Pop From Madonna a New Palatability but Still Spicy The New York Times Archived from the original on September 14 2017 Retrieved August 5 2020 Duffy Thom October 9 1993 Artists in Action PDF Billboard Vol 105 no 41 pp 20 22 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on January 21 2021 Retrieved August 2 2020 Farber Jim September 27 1993 Madonna s Girlie Show More Of Her Usual Frills New York Daily News Archived from the original on June 16 2021 Retrieved June 2 2020 Corliss Richard July 21 2008 Madonna Goes to Camp Time Archived from the original on November 29 2008 Retrieved August 2 2020 The Girlie Show Live Down Under DVD Madonna Warner Music Vision 1994 7599 38391 2 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Live Madonna Re Imagines Herself Without The Bite Chart Attack July 19 2004 Archived from the original on July 26 2004 Retrieved August 5 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Cinquemani Sal August 9 2004 Madonna Live Madison Square Garden Slant Magazine Archived from the original on September 1 2021 Retrieved August 5 2020 I m Going to Tell You a Secret Media notes Madonna Warner Bros Records 2006 9362 49990 2 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b Saraiva Danilo March 25 2015 MDNA Tour Quem in Portuguese Archived from the original on April 18 2021 Retrieved August 2 2020 Hamard Jonathan June 28 2012 Madonna les backdrops Justify My Love et Human Nature du MDNA Tour en ligne in French Puremedias Archived from the original on June 30 2012 Retrieved August 2 2020 MDNA World Tour Media notes Madonna Live Nation Interscope 2013 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Zolatz Lindsay September 19 2015 Concert Review On the Rebel Heart Tour Madonna s Still Asking Who s That Girl Vulture com Archived from the original on September 19 2015 Retrieved August 2 2020 Rebel Heart Tour 2xCD Madonna Eagle Records 2017 EDGCD671 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b c Lynch Joe October 14 2023 The 17 best moments from Madonna s Celebration Tour opening night in London Billboard Archived from the original on October 15 2023 Retrieved October 20 2023 Hess Liam October 20 2023 With Madonna s Celebration Tour the Queen of Pop reclaims her throne Vogue Archived from the original on October 21 2023 Retrieved October 27 2023 Savage Mark October 15 2023 Madonna s Celebration Tour reviewed The Queen of pop brings out her crown jewels BBC Retrieved October 15 2023 Bego 2000 p 272 Huey Steve Virgin Voices A Tribute to Madonna Vol 1 Various Artists AllMusic Archived from the original on December 2 2022 Retrieved August 10 2020 Huey Steve Truly Blue Tribute to Madonna Various Artists AllMusic Archived from the original on April 22 2022 Retrieved April 18 2013 Tranceformed A Tribute To Madonna Amazon Archived from the original on June 15 2008 Retrieved April 28 2023 Plays the Hits Made Famous by Madonna Starsound Orchestra AllMusic Archived from the original on June 5 2022 Retrieved April 18 2013 Smith Kerry L The Fast and the Furious Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Various Artists AllMusic Archived from the original on November 20 2021 Retrieved August 10 2020 Gretchen homenageia Madonna com versao para Justify my Love assista ao video Virgula in Portuguese November 30 2012 Archived from the original on January 19 2023 Retrieved March 18 2015 Justify My Love Radio Edit by Ingrid Chavez Bandcamp Archived from the original on July 24 2022 Retrieved May 1 2022 Justify My Love Single by Ingrid Chavez on Apple Music Apple Music Archived from the original on December 4 2020 Retrieved May 1 2022 Justify My Love Limited Edition Cassette by Ingrid Chavez Bandcamp Archived from the original on February 10 2022 Retrieved May 1 2022 Mea Culpa Part II CD single Enigma Virgin Records 1991 0 96352 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link To the Maxximum CD Maxx Intercord Records 1994 INT 845 576 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Kaleidoscope Skies CD single Jam amp Spoon JAM Records 1997 JAM 664412 6 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Double Up CD Mase Bad Boy Records 1999 78612 73029 2 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Jeffries David Hell s Pit Pt 1 Insane Clown Posse AllMusic Archived from the original on October 14 2022 Retrieved August 10 2020 Justify My Love US cassette single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 4 19485 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love UK cassette single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 5439 19485 4 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love US 7 inch single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 7 19485 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love UK 7 inch single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 5439 19485 7 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love Japanese mini CD single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 WPDP 6261 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love US Digipak CD maxi single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 9 21820 2 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love Canadian 12 inch single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 92 18200 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love Australian 12 inch single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 7599218200 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love European 12 inch single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 7599 21851 0 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love European CD maxi single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 7599 21851 2 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love UK CD single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 W9000CD a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love European CD single liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 W9000CD a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love UK limited edition 12 inch picture disc liner notes Madonna Sire Records 1990 W9000TP a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Justify My Love Remixes by Madonna on Apple Music Apple Music Archived from the original on November 9 2022 Retrieved January 18 2023 Madonna Justify My Love in Dutch Ultratop 50 Retrieved August 5 2020 a b Lwin Nanda 2000 Top 40 Hits The Essential Chart Guide Music Data Canada p 173 ISBN 1 896594 13 1 Top RPM Dance Urban Issue 1438 RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved April 24 2020 Outras Paradas Jornal do Brasil in Portuguese 4 January 30 1991 Archived from the original on August 10 2023 Retrieved August 9 2023 Nyman Jake 2005 Suomi soi 4 Suuri suomalainen listakirja in Finnish 1st ed Helsinki Tammi ISBN 951 31 2503 3 Madonna Justify My Love in French Les classement single Retrieved August 5 2020 Top 10 Sales in Europe PDF Music amp Media Vol 8 no 10 March 9 1991 p 41 OCLC 29800226 Archived PDF from the original on December 31 2020 Retrieved March 20 2018 Isl Listinn Dagbladid Visir January 11 1991 p 33 ISSN 1021 8254 Archived from the original on December 30 2021 Retrieved December 30 2021 The Irish Charts Search Results Justify My Love Irish Singles Chart Retrieved December 11 2014 Top 10 in Europe PDF Music amp Media Vol 8 no 2 January 12 1991 p 29 OCLC 29800226 Archived PDF from the original on November 3 2020 Retrieved November 22 2019 Nederlandse Top 40 Madonna in Dutch Dutch Top 40 Retrieved August 5 2020 Madonna Justify My Love in Dutch Single Top 100 Retrieved August 5 2020 Madonna Justify My Love VG lista Retrieved August 5 2020 Top 10 in Europe PDF Music amp Media Vol 8 no 7 February 16 1991 p 18 OCLC 29800226 Archived PDF from the original on December 31 2020 Retrieved March 20 2018 Hits of the World PDF Billboard Vol 103 no 9 March 2 1991 p 73 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on January 21 2021 Retrieved August 8 2020 Madonna Chart History Dance Singles Sales Billboard Retrieved October 31 2021 Top 100 Singles PDF Cash Box Vol 54 no 22 December 29 1990 p 6 ISSN 0008 7289 Archived PDF from the original on March 27 2022 Retrieved January 20 2023 The Back Page PDF Radio amp Records No 871 December 21 1990 p 94 ISSN 0277 4860 Archived from the original on August 6 2020 Retrieved January 20 2023 Jaaroverzichten 1991 in Dutch Ultratop Archived from the original on May 2 2019 Retrieved November 18 2019 RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991 RPM Library and Archives Canada July 17 2013 Archived from the original on August 30 2017 Retrieved November 23 2017 RPM Dance Tracks of 1991 RPM Library and Archives Canada July 17 2013 Archived from the original on September 5 2018 Retrieved April 24 2020 Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1991 PDF Music amp Media Vol 8 no 51 52 December 21 1991 p 21 OCLC 29800226 Archived PDF from the original on December 31 2020 Retrieved November 18 2019 EHR Year End Top 100 PDF Music amp Media Vol 8 no 51 52 December 21 1991 p 20 Retrieved February 22 2024 Top 100 Single Jahrescharts 1991 in German GfK Entertainment Archived from the original on May 9 2015 Retrieved December 5 2015 Topp 20 Single Vinter 1991 in Norwegian VG lista Archived from the original on September 4 2014 Retrieved May 16 2021 End Of Year Chart Top 50 Singles of 1990 Archived from the original on October 17 2011 Retrieved November 28 2012 1991 The Year in Video Top Video Sales PDF Billboard Vol 104 no 1 January 4 1992 p V 4 ISSN 0006 2510 Archived PDF from the original on March 7 2021 Retrieved April 25 2021 ARIA Charts Accreditations 1991 DVDs PDF Australian Recording Industry Association Retrieved July 14 2021 LaRose Sean February 2 1991 VIDEO PDF RPM 14 Archived from the original PDF on June 30 2020 Retrieved January 23 2021 Oricon Album Chart Book Complete Edition 1970 2005 Roppongi Tokyo Oricon 2006 ISBN 4 87131 077 9 Ai primi posti c e The Wall la Repubblica in Italian March 9 1991 Archived from the original on February 26 2022 Retrieved February 26 2022 Mini boom for music videos New Straits Times May 2 1991 p 15 Retrieved August 10 2023 American videosingle certifications Madonna Justify My Love Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved April 2 2015 Book sources editBego Mark 2000 Madonna Blonde Ambition Cooper Square Press ISBN 978 0 8154 1051 5 Bronson Fred 2002 The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits Billboard Books ISBN 978 0 8230 7677 2 Burt Richard 1994 The Administration of Aesthetics University of Minnesota Press ISBN 0 8166 2367 8 Clerk Carol 2002 Madonnastyle Omnibus Press ISBN 978 0 7119 8874 3 Donnelly Ryann 2019 Justify My Love Sex Subversion and Music Video Watkins Publishing ISBN 978 1 912248 41 4 Fouz Hernandez Santiago Jarman Ivens Freya 2004 Madonna s Drowned Worlds New Approaches to Her Cultural Transformations 1983 2003 Ashgate Publishing ISBN 978 0 754 63372 3 Guilbert Georges Claude 2002 Madonna as Postmodern Myth McFarland ISBN 978 0 7864 1408 6 McAleer Dave 1990 The Omnibus Book of British and American Hit Singles 1960 1990 Omnibus Press ISBN 978 0 7119 2180 1 Metz Allen Benson Carol 1999 The Madonna Companion Two Decades of Commentary Music Sales Group ISBN 978 0 8256 7194 4 O Brien Lucy 2018 Madonna Like an Icon HarperCollins ISBN 978 0 552 17602 6 Rettenmund Matthew 1995 Encyclopedia Madonnica St Martin s Press ISBN 978 0 312 11782 5 Rooksby Rikky 2004 Madonna The Complete Guide to Her Music Omnibus Press ISBN 978 0 711 99883 4 Schwichtenberg Cathy 1993 The Madonna Connection Westview Press ISBN 0813313961 Taraborrelli J Randy 2018 Madonna An Intimate Biography Simon amp Schuster ISBN 978 0 330 45446 9 Whiteley Sheila 2000 Women and Popular Music Sexuality Identity and Subjectivity Routledge ISBN 978 0415211895 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Justify My Love amp oldid 1215403199, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.