Madonna

Madonna became a star upon the release of this, her self-titled debut. But because her stardom was thanks largely to her videos, which found her dressed provocatively and rolling around on the floor, most folks were all too willing to look past the overall quality of the album itself. Even with its somewhat dated keyboard textures and mechanized drum sounds, the album holds up incredibly well. There's "Borderline," which exudes a certain naiveté, something rarely associated with Madonna; "Holiday," which is sweet and celebratory; and "Lucky Star" a dance-floor classic. Songs like "Everybody" and "Burning Up" split the difference between dance music and new wave, which was popular at the time. That latter tune, in fact, contains a line that could be seen as a ready indicator of all that was to follow in Madonna's storied career. "Unlike the others, I'll do anything," she sings. "I'm not the same / I have no shame." No kidding. --Daniel Durchholz