Madonna will release 'expansive' versions of her classic albums for the first time
Madonna is working on new versions of classic material, girl.
In celebration of her 63rd birthday and upcoming 40th year as a recording artist, the pop icon announced Monday that a new deal with Warner Music Group will entail the release of "an extensive, multi-year series of catalog releases that will revisit the groundbreaking music that made her an international icon" for the first time, including "expansive deluxe editions" of her classic albums as well as "unique releases for special events" — all of which will be personally curated by Madonna.
Isabel Infantes/PA Images via Getty Images Madonna will release expansive deluxe editions of her classic albums.
The partnership will start rolling out curated releases in 2022 and see Warner representing all of Madonna's releases by the end of 2025, including her last trio of albums, MDNA, Rebel Heart, and Madame X, which were ultimately distributed through Interscope following the singer's decades-long relationship with Warner that began with the release of her first single, "Everybody," under the label's Sire banner in 1982.
Warner's new deal encompasses 17 studio albums (including smashes like Like a Virgin, True Blue, Like a Prayer, Ray of Light, Music, and more), plus hit singles ("Vogue," "Into the Groove," and "Express Yourself," among others), soundtrack recordings, live albums, and other compilations.
"Since the very beginning, Warner Music Group has helped bring my music and vision to all my fans around the world with the utmost care and consideration," Madonna said in a statement announcing the move, which was partially executed by her longtime manager Guy Oseary. "They have been amazing partners, and I am delighted to be embarking on this next chapter with them to celebrate my catalogue from the last 40 years."
Madonna and Warner Music Group today announced a milestone, career-spanning global partnership that includes a new agreement for her entire recorded music catalog... Read more: https://t.co/VvC1nK2NDz pic.twitter.com/BIxYf7CkWY
— Madonna (@Madonna) August 16, 2021
Elsewhere, Madonna will star in the Paramount+ concert film adaptation of her Madame X tour, which hit theaters around the world in support of the 2019 album, which became her ninth No. 1–charting studio set in the United States. The documentary film will premiere Oct. 8 on the streaming service.
She is also working on a biopic about her life, which she will direct from a script partially written by Oscar-winning Juno scribe Diablo Cody, who completed a draft with Madonna before Erin Wilson took over the screenplay.
In celebration of her birthday, Madonna also challenged her fans to support charitable causes in her name, specifically asking them to adopt a bed at the Mercy James Centre hospital in Malawi, which was built to house children recuperating from surgery as they regain strength from intensive care.
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