Madonna - Everybody

About "Everybody"

"Everybody" is a song written and recorded by American singer Madonna and produced by DJ Mark Kamins. In 1982, the singer was living with her former Michigan boyfriend Stephen Bray in New York, and since dance music was in style, they created a demo with four dance tracks, one of which was "Everybody". Madonna, who was not signed to any record label at the time, pitched the tape on her own: she would go to local nightclubs and try to convince the DJs there to play it. She met and befriended DJ Mark Kamins at Danceteria nightclub, who played "Everybody" to a positive reception from the crowd. Afterwards, Kamins took the tape to Sire Records, where Seymour Stein, the label's president, signed Madonna for two twelve-inch singles.

Recorded in three days at the Bob Blank’s Blank Tape Recording Studios, "Everybody" was officially released as Madonna's debut single on October 6, 1982. It was then added to the singer's 1983 self-titled album. A post-disco dance song with R&B elements, its lyrics invite the listener to dance and lose inhibitions. Music critics reacted positively towards the song, singling out its sound. In retrospective reviews, it is now considered one of Madonna's best songs. It was the singer's first entry on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play Chart, where it peaked at number three.

By incorporating R&B elements in its music and not including Madonna's image on the cover artwork, marketing for the song gave the impression that she was a black artist. That misconception was cleared with the song's music video, which was directed by Ed Steinberg; it shows the singer and two backup dancers performing at New York's Paradise Garage. The clip helped to further promote the song and Madonna in the dance scene. After a number of live performances throughout late 1982 and early 1983, "Everybody" was included on three of the singer's concert tours, with the Celebration Tour of 2023–2024 being the most recent.