Everybody (Madonna song)

Background

In the late 1970s, Madonna was working to launch her music career in New York City. She began as the drummer for the band Breakfast Club, led by Dan and Ed Gilroy, but left in 1980 after a dispute with Dan. She then formed a new band, Emmy, with her ex-boyfriend Stephen Bray. In 1981, Madonna caught the attention of Gotham Records after a gig at Max's Kansas City, but the partnership ended quickly due to creative differences —Gotham wanted a rock and roll sound, while Madonna preferred dance and disco. By 1982, her and Bray were living together in a rehearsal studio, where they produced a four-track demo with songs like "Everybody", "Burning Up", and "Ain't No Big Deal". DJ Mark Kamins played "Everybody" at Danceteria, and the positive crowd response led him to promise her help in landing a record deal.

Kamins first pitched the demo to Island Records, but it was rejected. He then approached Sire Records president Seymour Stein, who listened to the tape from his hospital bed and quickly signed Madonna to a two twelve-inch singles deal, offering $15,000 for each while making her responsible for recording costs. While Bray, who had worked on the demo, lobbied to produce the single, Stein chose Kamins out of curiosity.

Recording and composition

"Everybody" was recorded over three days in April 1982 at Bob Blank's Blank Tape Recording Studios. The session featured Fred Zarr and Dean Gant on keyboards, Ed Walsh on synthesizers, and background vocals by Gwen Guthrie, Brenda White, and Chrissy Faith. Barry Eastmond was initially hired as arranger but left after clashing with Madonna, who felt his style was too polished; his parts were replaced by Zarr, brought in by Arthur Baker.

Musically, "Everybody" is a post-disco and electro song with R&B influences. It is written in A minor, featuring doubletracked vocals described as "gum-chewing" in tone, a G–A–B–A chord progression, and a distinctive use of reverb before the chords enter. The track builds with a "funky" bass reminiscent of Bernard Edwards and swirling synthesizers during the breakdown. One critic noted that, "[w]ith that unearthly keyboard chime and those warped synths that seem to fade in and out like they’re coming from a dirtier dancefloor in the club’s backroom, ['Everybody'] drops the bright, buoyant vibes that characterized the rest of the album and closes it on a dark, sensuous note". Madonna described the lyrics as an invitation to dance and let go of inhibitions.

Release and chart performance

The twelve-inch single of "Everybody" was released on October 6, 1982, featuring a collage-style cover by Lou Beach that omitted Madonna's image —an intentional move by Rosenblatt to appeal to R&B audiences, some of whom assumed Madonna was black. Ironically, as Matthew Lindsay from The Quietus noted the singer would go on to become "the face of the '80s". The song debuted at No. 40 on Billboards Dance Club Songs chart and peaked at No. 3 in January 1983, spending 17 weeks on the chart. After four weeks, it peaked at number 7. WKTU was the first US radio station to play the track, which went on to sell over 150,000 copies by September 1983.

To mark its 40th anniversary, on November 25, 2022, Rhino Entertainment released a limited-edition twelve-inch single, featuring updated cover art and both original and dub versions of the song. The reissue charted at No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 2 on the UK Vinyl Sales Chart. "Everybody" has since been featured on major Madonna compilations, including You Can Dance (1987), Celebration (2009), and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).

Critical reception

Since its release, "Everybody" has been met with generally positive critical feedback. Brian Chin of Billboard described the track as a "spare, bright cut" that worked equally well in clubs and at home, while Barbara O'Dair, in The Rolling Stone Files, called it "moody" and "hiccuping". Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli characterized it as a "rhythmic call-to-party", and Matthew Rettenmund ―author of Encyclopedia Madonnica― referred to it as one of Madonna’s enduring staples that immediately crowned her as a "Disco Queen". Santiago Fouz-Hernández, co-author of Madonna's Drowned Worlds, even identified "Everybody" —alongside 2000's "Music"— as emblematic of the singer's artistic credo: that music can dissolve boundaries of race, gender, and sexuality.

Other critics offered more nuanced or mixed perspectives. Don Shewey of Rolling Stone initially found the song unremarkable, but admitted that its signature "girlish hiccup" became surprisingly addictive. Mark Lore from the Portland Mercury praised it, along with "Burning Up", as "gritty" New York anthems overshadowed by later hits like "Holiday" (1983) and "Borderline" (1984). Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic highlighted the song's embodiment of early 1980s dance-pop and singled out Madonna's "youthful exuberance". Meanwhile, Idolator's Mike Was and PinkNews Marcus Wratten both noted that while "Everybody" holds historical value, it's not up to par to later dance-oriented tracks like "Into the Groove" (1985), "Vogue" (1990), and "Music". A more critical take came from Rikky Rooksby, who dismissed the song as "artificial, repetitive and uninspired".

"Everybody" has been recognized in retrospective rankings. Slant Magazine placed it at No. 18 on their list of the "100 Greatest Dance Songs", praising its "shiny-and-new-for-'82 synths" and its preview of Madonna's lifelong "world-as-a-dance-floor" ethos. The Dallas Observer called it one of her "purest, most groove-addled" tracks, while Gay Star News saw in it an early glimpse of the pop icon Madonna would become. The Guardian compared its sound to Tom Tom Club, ranking it 31st among Madonna's singles, and The A.V. Club described it as "tentative and vibrant" yet still potent decades later. HuffPost and Entertainment Weekly placed it among her top 25 songs, with the latter noting it was "ahead of its time" and a precursor to later hits like "Music". Rolling Stone cemented its legacy by naming it one of the greatest debut singles of all time, crediting it with establishing the electro-pop foundation of Madonna's early sound.

Music video

The music video for "Everybody" was directed by Ed Steinberg and filmed in December 1982 at New York's Paradise Garage. After seeing Madonna perform at Danceteria, Stein and Rosenblatt approved the idea of a video, impressed by her stage presence. Rosenblatt hired Steinberg —who operated the Rock America video service— and allocated a budget of $1,500 for what was considered an in-house production. Although originally planned to be filmed at Danceteria, Steinberg chose Paradise Garage due to free access to the venue. The video features Madonna performing onstage with dancers Erika Belle and Bags Rilez.

Makeup was done by actress Debi Mazar, who also recruited friends to appear as part of the audience. When a dancer failed to appear, Madonna adjusted the choreography without delay, according to Steinberg. Copies of the video were sent to nightclubs around the United States that played music videos, contributing to the single's exposure beyond New York. Madonna later commented that videos were crucial to her early promotion, stating they "take the place of touring" by offering widespread visibility.

Reception to the video was generally favorable. Matthew Rettenmund noted its early 1980s aesthetic and described it as "mesmerizing" despite its lack of advanced production elements. Carol Gnojewski referred to it as a "low-budget, promotional affair primarily focusing on disco". Fab Five Freddy remarked that the clip helped Madonna connect with more urban and culturally diverse audiences. Mark Elliott of This Is Dig! later described it as a fan favorite that has accumulated millions of online views.

Live performances

Madonna first performed "Everybody" on December 18, 1982, during Haoui Montaug's No Entiendes cabaret at Danceteria. The following year, she included the song in early UK performances at Camden Palace in London and The Haçienda in Manchester, although biographer Andrew Morton noted that British audiences were not particularly receptive. "Everybody" went on to feature in three of the singer's concert tours: Virgin (1985), the Girlie Show (1993), and Celebration (2023–2024). On the first one, she performed with two male dancers while wearing a fringed micro-top and skirt, a trilby hat, and crucifixes; at one point, she straddled a boombox and quipped, "Every lady has a box. But mine makes music". A recording of the performance at Detroit's Cobo Hall was included in the Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour video release. While the full song was not part of 1990's Blond Ambition World Tour, the line "Dance and sing/Get up and do your thing" was sampled during opening number "Express Yourself" (1989).

In the Girlie Show, "Everybody" closed the concert in a mashup with Sly and the Family Stone's "Everybody Is a Star" (1969). Madonna and her dancers, dressed in denim and white, invited the audience to join in, creating what The Vindicators Gary Graff described as a display of “joy and innocence” reminiscent of her early years. A performance filmed at the Sydney Cricket Ground was released on The Girlie Show: Live Down Under (1994). Elements of "Everybody" were incorporated into the Sticky & Sweet Tour's (2009) performance of "Holiday".

To commemorate the song’s 30th anniversary, Madonna performed it during the MDNA Tour (2012) stop in San Jose. The San Francisco Chronicle called it an "off-script moment that inadvertently became the highlight of the show". On the Rebel Heart Tour (2015–2016), "Everybody" was included only in the Washington, D.C. concert, as part of a slowed-down, Latin-infused medley alongside "Dress You Up" (1985), "Into the Groove", and "Lucky Star" (1983) —a segment described as a “delightful surprise” by The Washington Blade. Most recently, the song was the second number on the Celebration Tour, staged with Madonna and her dancers dressed as early 1980s punk-club patrons, performing beneath a New York City skyline. She wore a tailcoat designed by Dilara Fındıkoğlu, inspired by an outfit from a 1980s performance in Japan. According to the Chicago Tribune, the number evoked a "more buttoned-down era guided by conservative taboos", grounding the retrospective tour in Madonna's underground roots.

Formats and track listings

• Benelux, French and US 7-inch vinyl

1. "Everybody" (Edit) – 3:58
2. "Everybody" (Instrumental Version) – 4:15

• Benelux, Brazilian, Canadian, French and US 12-inch vinyl

1. "Everybody" – 5:56
2. "Everybody" (Dub Version) – 8:58

• Spanish and UK 7-inch vinyl

1. "Everybody" (UK 7" Mix) – 3:20
2. "Everybody" (UK 7" Dub/Dub Version) – 4:40

• Italian, Spanish and UK 12-inch vinyl

1. "Everybody" (UK 12" Mix) – 6:13
2. "Everybody" (UK 12" Dub/Dub Version) – 5:55

• 1995 European 2-track CD single

1. "Everybody" (Album Version) – 4:55
2. "Everybody" (Dub Version) – 8:58

• 2022 Remastered 40th anniversary digital single

1. "Everybody" (7" Edit - 2022 Remaster) – 3:57
2. "Everybody" (7" Instrumental - 2022 Remaster) – 4:14

Remixed by Rusty Egan.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album and twelve-inch single liner notes.

• Madonna – vocals, writer
• Mark Kamins – producer
• Butch Jones – engineering
• Christine Sauers – art direction, design
• Lou Beach – artwork

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

Bibliography

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• {{Cite book |author-link=Andrew Morton (writer)
• {{Cite book |author-link=Matthew Rettenmund
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• {{Cite book |author-link=J. Randy Taraborrelli

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