Album dossier / 1986

True Blue

Madonna · Pop/Dance

Madonna's third album was the first she co-wrote and co-produced on every track, splitting sessions between new collaborator Patrick Leonard -- whom she met as musical director of her 1985 Virgin Tour -- and longtime writing partner Stephen Bray, working out of Leonard's small home studio and Michael Verdick's Channel Recording in LA. 'Live to Tell' began life on an 8-track demo cut at Leonard's house, with the original vocal carried straight through to the final master; 'Where's the Party' was the one song all three collaborators wrote together, recorded largely in Leonard's family room. Dedicated to her then-husband Sean Penn, the album sold an estimated 25 million copies worldwide and produced five hit singles.