Madonna Makes Music Chart History: Mainstream Media Ignores Achievement

Last evening, Madonna made music chart history by scoring her 45th No. 1 single on Billboard‘s Dance Club Songs chart. Billboard explains the achievement.

“The Queen of Pop is now unequaled chart royalty. Madonna makes momentous Billboard chart history, as she now has the most No. 1s ever, 45, by an act on a singular Billboard chart. She earns her 45th No. 1 on Dance Club Songs, where ‘Ghosttown’ lifts 3-1.”

“Thanks to all my fans on and off the dancefloor. I’ll (always) be your partner,” Madonna told Billboard. Most of the comments after the article tried to demean Madonna’s achievement by saying the Dance Club Songs chart is irrelevant, Madonna is too old to be singing club songs, and that Madonna should just retire. However, commenter Ted Lopez sees a double standard.

“This is major news, but the mainstream media refuses to publicize it. If this were Bruce Springsteen or Mick Jagger who set the record, it would be on the front page of every website and newspaper. The sexism and ageism on display when it comes to Madonna so infuriating that it becomes hilarious at the same time.”

Mr. Lopez could have a point. Besides Billboard, only two other media outlets have publicized the major achievement: Music News and Digital Spy. As usual, the comments (at least at Digital Spy) have derided Madonna instead of celebrating her major achievement. Fans note that if the song didn’t hit No. 1, media outlets would be falling over themselves to publish how Madonna is no longer relevant because she can’t top the Dance Club Songs chart anymore.

Whether or not one thinks Madonna is a target of sexism and ageism, it can’t be denied that the media likes to single her out for so-called failures. This past March, the New York Post derided Madonna because she didn’t sell out all her concert dates in one day — something nobody can do anymore, especially when tickets cost more than $350.

“Madonna’s ‘Rebel Heart Tour’ might better be called ‘Like a Has-Been’…But tickets are not selling as briskly as for her ‘MDNA’ tour in 2012, leaving thousands of unsold seats in the eight North American cities that began selling tickets on March 9.”

Madonna fans have pointed out that the Rolling Stones still have thousands of tickets left for their tour at Ticketmaster, and they are playing far less dates than Madonna. However, there are no articles deriding the Stones for not selling out their dates within a couple of hours.

Last year, Bruce Springsteen played his High Hopes tour and most shows in the United States were far from being sold out. There weren’t any articles deriding Springsteen as becoming as “has-been,” despite the fact he sold far less tickets and albums than Madonna this year. However, many Springsteen fans claim that Madonna gets derided more because her act is all about remaining current, whereas Springsteen could care less.

Madonna is currently filming a video for her next single “Bi*ch I’m Madonna” which she performed last month on The Tonight Show. Let’s hope this will be Madonna’s 46th No. 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart.

[Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images]