Madonna's debut debuted at No. 190 on the Billboard 200 in late 1983, peaking at No. 8 more than a year later.
Like a Virgin became Madge's first No. 1 album, a position her proper studio albums would hold until Erotica peaked at No. 2 in 1992 (it was kept off the top slot by Garth Brooks' The Chase).
1994's Bedtime Stories went to No. 3, while 1998's Ray of Light peaked at No. 2, shut out from the top spot by the Titanic soundtrack.
But in 2000, Madonna topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 with Music. Since then, her studio records have held tight to the top spot.
Somewhat surprisingly, none of her
hits compilations have ever reached No. 1. The Immaculate Collection peaked at No. 2 despite being a blockbuster release; her next-highest entry was the 1995 ballads collection, Something to Remember.
In the
soundtrack realm, Madonna saw two titles -- Evita and I'm Breathless, a companion disc to Dick Tracy -- peak at No. 2. Despite boasting a No. 1 and No. 2 hit on the Hot 100, the Who's That Girl soundtrack only reached No. 7 on the album chart (only four of the album's nine tracks were Madonna songs).
As for Madonna's
live albums, all of which were released within a seven-year period, they've experienced varied fates on the chart. 2010's Sticky & Sweet Tour album -- which followed her Hard Candy album -- is her highest entry, hitting No. 10. The MDNA World Tour title, however, peaked at a distant No. 90
http://www.billboard.com/articles/ne...-billboard-200