1985 Pop Anthem Is One of the Greatest Songs Ever-Yet It Never Even Charted

There are a lot of ways to determine a song's success. Where it charts is just one determining factor, and sometimes it means absolutely nothing in the overall legacy of a song.

Madonna's catalogue of pop favorites holds up against anyone's in music history, and 1985's "Into the Groove" is at the top of the list. Written for the movie Desperately Seeking Susan, which also starred Madonna alongside Rosanna Arquette, "Into the Groove" became one of the most iconic movie soundtrack songs of the decade. It never charted in the United States, though? How is this possible?

Simple. The song was never released as a single in America. It was on the B-side of "Angel" instead. It wasn't a lack of quality or popularity, just a case of a musician having so many great songs that her record label couldn't determine which ones to push to the forefront. The fans seemed to have decided for them, though.

"Into the Groove" is an energetic and powerful call to get on your feet and celebrate dance music. The song can instantly put even the sourest soul in a good mood because Madonna understood how good vibes are the heart of a song more than any instrument or lyrics.

"Into the Groove" was a major No. 1 hit single in another big country outside the United States: the United Kingdom. It was her first No. 1 across the pond and proves that the song may have similarly hit No. 1 in America if it had been released as a single.

The British still love this song and are pushing it onto the charts this year. It hit No. 52 on the U.K. Downloads charts back in March.

The 67-year-old legend has actually been reintegrated into the pop culture zeitgeist a lot recently. She went viral after performing with Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella last month. Their performance of "Like a Prayer" was the biggest of the festival, but they also sang an original song together, "Bring Your Love".

Whether it's now or 40 years ago, somebody somewhere is getting into the groove with Madonna. She's the template for all other female artists to follow.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 8:00 AM.