Happy 30th birthday True Blue!

On this day, June 30, 1986, Madonna‘s iconic album True Blue was released!

True Blue was an immediate global success, reaching number one in 28 countries across the world (then record-breaking), including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

It spent 34 consecutive weeks at the top of the European Top 100 Albums chart, longer than any other album in history. It became the world’s top-selling album of 1986, as well as the best-selling album of the 1980s by a female artist. With estimated sales of over 25 million copies worldwide, True Blue remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.

All five singles released from the album reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, with Live to Tell, Papa Don’t Preach, and Open Your Heart reaching #1, while True Blue peaked at #3, and La Isla Bonita at #4.

The album cover, shot by photographer Herb Ritts, is one of Madonna’s most recognizable pictures.

The album was inspired by and dedicated Sean Penn, Madonna’s husband at the time.

True Blue is the album where Madonna truly became ‘Madonna the Superstar’—the endlessly ambitious, fearlessly provocative entertainer that knew how to outrage, spark debates, get good reviews—and make good music while she’s at it.

True Blue is the album which cemented Madonna’s reputation as the ‘First Lady of Pop’

True Blue cemented Madonna’s place as the most popular female musical star of the 1980s, shining alongside male pop icons like Prince and Michael Jackson.