“Into The Groove” by Madonna has an interesting history.

If you were living in the United States in the 1980s, do you remember ever purchasing a 7″ 45 RPM single of “Into The Groove?” Do you remember even SEEING a 7″ 45 RPM single for “Into The Groove?” How about in your local jukebox… no?

There’s a very good reason why you don’t remember a 7″ single for “Into The Groove”… it’s because there wasn’t a 7″ single for “Into The Groove!”

Here’s what happened:

March 29th, 1985 — “Desperately Seeking Susan” starring Madonna is released to movie theaters. “Into The Groove” is used in the movie. A music video made solely of clips from the movie is created.

April 10th, 1985 — Madonna releases the single, “Angel.” The B-side of the 7″ in the United States contains a dance mix edit of “Angel.” HOWEVER, the 12″ released to clubs, select record stores, and some radio stations has “Into The Groove” on the flip-side of “Angel.”

First club DJs and then radio programmers begin flipping “Angel” over and playing “Into The Groove,” and their audiences go WILD.

July 13th, 1985 — Madonna performs “Into The Groove” as part of her set during the Live Aid concert for famine relief.

July 23rd, 1985 — “Into The Groove” gets a proper 7″ single release worldwide… EXCEPT in the United States. Why? Because the record label was afraid of releasing another single so quickly on the heels of “Angel.”

Despite this, radio stations in and outside of the U.S. race to add it to their playlists.

Because “Into The Groove” never graces the A-side of a single in the United States, it never appears on any Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Autumn 1985 — Madonna’s LP “Like A Virgin” is re-released with the addition of “Into The Groove,” but again the United States misses out on this re-packaging.

November 18th, 1987 — Madonna releases a remix LP of some of her hits titled “You Can Dance” (a title taken from the opening lines of “Into The Groove:” “…And you can dance / if you want to…”). “Into The Groove” receives a spectacular 8 and 1/2 minute remix.

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By the end of the 1980s, “Into The Groove” is honored by Billboard Magazine as the Dance Single of The Decade.
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September 18th, 2009 — “Into The Groove” finally appears on an album in the United States in its original hit form (the version on “The Immaculate Collection” is a remix and edit) for the first time, on the compilation titled “Celebration.”