1989

• Jan (5) Madonna files for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences" in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Los Angeles, CA.


• (18) Madonna purchases a $3 million estate in the Hollywood Hills, Hollywood, CA.


• (25) Madonna signs a $5 million contract with Pepsi-Cola for a series of TV commercials and sponsorship of a world tour.


• Feb (2) Madonna begins filming Dick Tracy, starring and directed by Warren Beatty. (During the year 1989-90, Madonna and Beatty will be involved in a highly-publicized romantic affair).


• (26) Madonna participates in an AIDS Dance-A-Thon benefit at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA.


• Mar (2) The Pepsi commercial "Make A Wish" premieres on NBC-TV's The Cosby Show and is seen by 250 million viewers in 40 countries - she is the first artist to use a new song ("Like A Prayer") in a promotional campaign before its official release.


• (3) "Like A Prayer" video premieres on MTV.


• (4) In Italy, the Roman Catholic group Famiglia Domani protest against the TV broadcast of "Like A Prayer" video and threatens legal court action for blasphemy because of its controversial religious symbolisms.


• (7) "Like A Prayer" single is released.


• (21) Like A Prayer LP is released.


• (30) The Reverend Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association (AFA) threatens a 1-year boycott of all Pepsi-Cola products due to "Like A Prayer" video controversy only if the company doesn't cancel its sponsorship of Madonna.


• Apr (4) Pepsi-Cola announces it has banned all US broadcasts of Madonna's commercial, cancelled her 1-year contract and sponsorship of a world tour due to numerous complaints and boycott threats from religious groups against her video.


• (5) Pepsi-Cola Canada announces it will continue to broadcast Madonna's commercial in spite of "Like A Prayer" video controversy.


• (22) Like A Prayer hits US #1 for 6 weeks and "Like A Prayer" hits US #1 for 3 weeks.


• May (9) "Express Yourself" single is released.


• (10) "Express Yourself" video (filmed on a $5 million budget - the highest in music video history) premieres on MTV.


• (16) "Like A Prayer" single is certified 1x platinum (1 million units).


• (23) Like A Prayer is certified 2x platinum (2 million units).


• (24) Madonna participates in "Don't Bungle The Jungle" benefit concert to save the world's rain forests at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY: she performs a rendition of Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" with comic Sandra Bernhard.


• (31) Madonna wins Best Female Vocalist at the 1st annual International Rock Awards at Lexington Avenue Armory, Manhattan, NY.


• Jul (15) "Express Yourself" hits US #2.


• Aug (11) "Express Yourself" single is certified gold (500,000 units).


• (16) Madonna celebrates her 31st birthday with Warren Beatty and other friends at the club Rubber, Los Angeles, CA.


• (21) "Cherish" video premieres on MTV.


• (29) "Cherish" single is released.


• Sep (1) Madonna is named Top Female Artist Of The 80s and the Artist With The Most Consecutive Top 10 Hits In The 80s with a total of 16 on the American Top 40 Book of Records countdown of the 1980s.


• (6) Madonna performs "Express Yourself" and presents the Video Vanguard Award to George Michael at the 6th annual MTV Video Music Awards at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, CA; "Express Yourself" wins Best Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and "Like A Prayer" wins the Viewer's Choice Award.


• (19) Madonna and Sean's divorce is finalized.


• (21) Madonna is featured in People magazine's list of the "20 Who Defined The Decade".


• Oct (7) "Cherish" hits US #2 - Madonna overtakes The Beatles on the list of all-time consecutive top 5 singles in US (16 singles) and is also tied with Michael Jackson for the artist with the most consecutive top 10 singles in the 1980s (17 singles).


• (14) Madonna is named one of The Greatest Artists Of The Decade on NBC-TV's Friday Night Videos.


• (24) Madonna is chairperson for the AIDS benefit premiere of film It Had To Be You (starring Joe Bologna & Renee Taylor) at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre, Beverly Hills, CA.


• Nov "Oh Father" single and video are released in US. "Dear Jessie" is released as a UK single and video.


• (2) Madonna is honored as Artist Of The Decade by Musician magazine.


• (3) Bloodhounds Of Broadway is released in New York, NY.


• (16) Madonna is #50 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 100 Greatest Albums Of The 1980s".


• Dec Madonna is voted Artist Of The Decade by her fans on MTV's Rate The 80s special.


• (23) "Dear Jessie" hits UK #5. Madonna wins a Billboard Music Award for Top Adult Contemporary Artist.


• (24) Madonna is #4 on the list of "Top 20 Pop Artists Of The 80s" voted by readers of The Los Angeles Times newspaper.


• (25) Madonna is named one of the "25 Most Intriguing People In The World For 1989″ by People magazine.