The First Album
Reissued and repackaged version of 'Madonna'
UK Collectables and Variations
. For all background information on Madonna's debut album see 'Madonna'
Just as 'Like A Virgin' was reissued in the summer of 1985, 'Madonna' the debut LP was also given the facelift treatment. The original black and white image was felt to be too niche, too 'art house', whereas a full colour sleeve would be more commercially marketable. Ironically, in due course this colour sleeve itself was rejected in favour of reinstating the original - now regarded as a 'classic' - when the album was remastered and reissued in 2003.
After a brief flirtation with UK-manufactured vinyl pressings for the reissued 'Like A Virgin', Sire opted to return production to the main pressing plant in Germany and this was to be case for all future album releases whether vinyl, cassette or CD. However, it would appear that for some releases a very limited group of pressings were manufactured in the UK probably for advance release hence it has only recently been discovered that UK pressings do exist for 'The First Album' and True Blue.
While 'The First Album' has fewer variations compared with its predecessors, it has more than originally thought. It was the belief that there was only one main (German) design, one mass-produced marketing sticker (which included the three hit singles starting with 'Holiday'), and no Irish variation as the original label was reused in the new cover - probably making use of unsold copies. However it has now come to light that there is a rare variation on the main design (the scarce UK pressing), a rare alternative marketing label (starting with 'Borderline' probably issued in early 1986 when 'Borderline' was re-issued), and even an Irish pressing for the reissued label with the new marketing number.
Aside from the rare variations, there is also a later reissue towards the end of 1985 with a promotional leaflet for the newly released video 'The Virgin Tour - Live'. It would appear this was aimed primarily at the German market but several copies made their way to the UK. Collectors can also look out for the promo release albeit only with the generic rectangle sticker on the rear sleeve. It is worth noting that this copy, as well as the first batch released in the colour sleeve, did not have the reissue catalogue number printed on the inner sleeve - again it would appear due to making use of earlier pressings.
For collectors, the only real official rarity is a very limited European poster edition. This came with a full colour poster and custom red sticker. However, this was not distributed in the UK and is only included here because the sticker and poster was placed onto and into a standard record sleeves (both outer and inner) that do contain the UK catalogue number, as well as the record label.
For the purists, a real collecting challenge is to track down all the cassette variations which, unlike the vinyl LP, come in a variety of pressings. As with the previous releases (and reissue) the original pressing is a black cassette with a paper label. This is then topped up with a rare white cassette version, also with a paper label. The reason for the scarcity of this particular top-up is due to the changeover which removed the need for a paper label. This resulted in a further far more plentiful top-up pressed on black plastic. However, of interest to note, it is only these early paper label pressings that include 'The First Album' as the title, with all subsequently plastic top-ups merely referring to 'Madonna'. As 'The First Album' was reissued at the same time as 'Like A Virgin' was also repackaged, a further cassette top-up was also manufactured in the same UK-only style, i.e. only containing the UK catalogue number. However, it was only issued in one version - white plastic with black text - albeit in the same font style as it's 'Like A Virgin' counterparts. Also, like it's stablemate, demand was sufficient for all these top-ups to be exhausted and the cassette was then repressed in the new style of clear plastic. However, it is worth noting that this, the last top-up, not only omitted 'The First Album' from it's title but also omitted to include the reissued UK catalogue number. This has resulted in some confusion with copies of this style appearing in the original b/w inlay sleeve. However, the timeline of manufacture indicates that the original release was never issued in clear plastic.
In addition to the cassettes, there are also a variety of inlay sleeves. Only the first two of these (with paper labels) are housed within traditional long 'hole-punched' inlay sleeves. All the subsequent top-ups come in the new shorter style. Interestingly, the sleeves themselves come with three subtly different colour themes - blue, purple and green and these have been photographed together in order to demonstrate their subtle difference.
Finally, as if all the variations of cassettes and inlay sleeves were not fiddly enough there is a sixth cassette variation which may originate from Australia (as that is where the contributor is from) but which is included here because it contains a UK catalogue number on both inlay and cassette. This version has a notably different cassette design while the inlay has no information at all printed on the flip side. The inlay also lacks a barcode but contains a unique 'lizard' design which may also indicate it was intended for the Australian market!
It is probably a relief to the collector that the reissued CD came in only one standard version, although initial batches were issued shrink-wrapped some with the generic promo circular sticker. The CD was reissued in 1990 with an additional '7599' prefix to the catalogue number.
Just as 'Like A Virgin' was reissued in the summer of 1985, 'Madonna' the debut LP was also given the facelift treatment. The original black and white image was felt to be too niche, too 'art house', whereas a full colour sleeve would be more commercially marketable. Ironically, in due course this colour sleeve itself was rejected in favour of reinstating the original - now regarded as a 'classic' - when the album was remastered and reissued in 2003.
After a brief flirtation with UK-manufactured vinyl pressings for the reissued 'Like A Virgin', Sire opted to return production to the main pressing plant in Germany and this was to be case for all future album releases whether vinyl, cassette or CD. However, it would appear that for some releases a very limited group of pressings were manufactured in the UK probably for advance release hence it has only recently been discovered that UK pressings do exist for 'The First Album' and True Blue.
While 'The First Album' has fewer variations compared with its predecessors, it has more than originally thought. It was the belief that there was only one main (German) design, one mass-produced marketing sticker (which included the three hit singles starting with 'Holiday'), and no Irish variation as the original label was reused in the new cover - probably making use of unsold copies. However it has now come to light that there is a rare variation on the main design (the scarce UK pressing), a rare alternative marketing label (starting with 'Borderline' probably issued in early 1986 when 'Borderline' was re-issued), and even an Irish pressing for the reissued label with the new marketing number.
Aside from the rare variations, there is also a later reissue towards the end of 1985 with a promotional leaflet for the newly released video 'The Virgin Tour - Live'. It would appear this was aimed primarily at the German market but several copies made their way to the UK. Collectors can also look out for the promo release albeit only with the generic rectangle sticker on the rear sleeve. It is worth noting that this copy, as well as the first batch released in the colour sleeve, did not have the reissue catalogue number printed on the inner sleeve - again it would appear due to making use of earlier pressings.
For collectors, the only real official rarity is a very limited European poster edition. This came with a full colour poster and custom red sticker. However, this was not distributed in the UK and is only included here because the sticker and poster was placed onto and into a standard record sleeves (both outer and inner) that do contain the UK catalogue number, as well as the record label.
For the purists, a real collecting challenge is to track down all the cassette variations which, unlike the vinyl LP, come in a variety of pressings. As with the previous releases (and reissue) the original pressing is a black cassette with a paper label. This is then topped up with a rare white cassette version, also with a paper label. The reason for the scarcity of this particular top-up is due to the changeover which removed the need for a paper label. This resulted in a further far more plentiful top-up pressed on black plastic. However, of interest to note, it is only these early paper label pressings that include 'The First Album' as the title, with all subsequently plastic top-ups merely referring to 'Madonna'. As 'The First Album' was reissued at the same time as 'Like A Virgin' was also repackaged, a further cassette top-up was also manufactured in the same UK-only style, i.e. only containing the UK catalogue number. However, it was only issued in one version - white plastic with black text - albeit in the same font style as it's 'Like A Virgin' counterparts. Also, like it's stablemate, demand was sufficient for all these top-ups to be exhausted and the cassette was then repressed in the new style of clear plastic. However, it is worth noting that this, the last top-up, not only omitted 'The First Album' from it's title but also omitted to include the reissued UK catalogue number. This has resulted in some confusion with copies of this style appearing in the original b/w inlay sleeve. However, the timeline of manufacture indicates that the original release was never issued in clear plastic.
In addition to the cassettes, there are also a variety of inlay sleeves. Only the first two of these (with paper labels) are housed within traditional long 'hole-punched' inlay sleeves. All the subsequent top-ups come in the new shorter style. Interestingly, the sleeves themselves come with three subtly different colour themes - blue, purple and green and these have been photographed together in order to demonstrate their subtle difference.
Finally, as if all the variations of cassettes and inlay sleeves were not fiddly enough there is a sixth cassette variation which may originate from Australia (as that is where the contributor is from) but which is included here because it contains a UK catalogue number on both inlay and cassette. This version has a notably different cassette design while the inlay has no information at all printed on the flip side. The inlay also lacks a barcode but contains a unique 'lizard' design which may also indicate it was intended for the Australian market!
It is probably a relief to the collector that the reissued CD came in only one standard version, although initial batches were issued shrink-wrapped some with the generic promo circular sticker. The CD was reissued in 1990 with an additional '7599' prefix to the catalogue number.
LP - Standard Release (German Pressing for UK release)
LP - Alternative rare label design (UK pressing)
LP - German pressing with standard (Holiday first) marketing sticker
LP - German pressing with rare (Borderline first) marketing sticker
LP - Irish pressing with new cataglogue number
LP - Repressing with promotional leaflet
LP - German pressing with limited edition poster in stickered sleeve (Europe only)
Cassette - Original pressing with paper label on black plastic
Cassette - Top up pressing with paper label on white cassette
Cassette - Top up pressing on black plastic
Cassette - UK-only top up pressing on white plastic
Cassette - Standard clear plastic cassette but without reissued catalogue number
Cassette - Scarce 'Australian' version with UK catalogue numbers
Collection of cassette inlay sleeve - long and short / blue, green and purple!
Compact Disc
Compact Disc - 1990 reissue with additional '7599' prefix to the catalogue number
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© madonna-decade 2013
© madonna-decade 2013
