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Madonna Notches Historic 44th No. 1 on Dance Club Songs Chart

By Gary Trust | February 19, 2015 9:00 PM EST

The Queen of Pop reigns again with 'Living for Love,' tying with George Strait, the King of Country, for the most leaders on a single Billboard chart. Madonna makes Billboard chart history, as she earns her 44th No. 1 on Dance Club Songs, where "Living for Love" lifts 2-1. (The ranking, dated March 7, will refresh on Billboard.com on Thursday, Feb. 26.)bWith the coronation, Madonna equals George Strait, who's logged 44 No. 1s on Hot Country Songs, for the most leaders ever by an act on a singular Billboardchart.  It's fitting history for the artists also known, respectively, and reverently, as the Queen of Pop and the King of Country.

With her 44th leading title on Dance Club Songs, which measures reports submitted by a national sample of club DJs, Madonna pulls further ahead of runners-up Beyonce and Rihanna. In fact, Madonna has tallied as many No. 1s as they have combined: 22 each. (The chart launched as a national survey in the Billboard issue dated Aug. 28, 1976.)

Madonna, who performed "Love" at the Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, matches Strait's esteemed honor, with the latter icon having stood at the Hot Country Songs summit with 44 smashes between 1982 and 2009. He first reigned with "Fool Hearted Memory" (Aug. 28, 1982) and most recently ruled with "River of Love" (April 18, 2009.)

"Love" introduces Madonna's 13th studio album, Rebel Heart, due March 10.

"The reason I wanted to call the record Rebel Heart was because I felt like it explored two very distinct sides of my personality," Madonna told Billboard's Keith Caulfield in December. "The rebellious, renegade side of me, and the romantic side of me."

Specifically of the house music-infused "Love," the ever-youthful Material Girl similarly said, "It's kind of like the old me and the new me all mixed in together."

Looking ahead, all Madonna needs is one more leader, perhaps also from Rebel Heart, to pass Strait and claim vaunted chart history -- 45 No. 1s on one ranking -- all to herself.

For now, at least, Madonna and Strait make for unparalleled Billboard chart royalty.

Here is an updated look at Madonna's 44 Dance Club Songs No. 1s, beginning with the double-sided single "Holiday"/"Lucky Star," which reached the top the week of Sept. 24, 1983. You'll notice that one of her No. 1s is an entire album: You Can Dance (1988), a collection of mostly remixes of previously released songs (and one new cut, "Spotlight"). Prior to Feb. 23, 1991, the chart wasn't always song-specific and full albums were, at some points, allowed to chart.

(For titles that spent multiple weeks at No. 1, total frames in the lead are noted in parentheses.)

1983, "Holiday"/"Lucky Star" (five weeks at No. 1)

1984, "Like a Virgin" (three)

1985, "Material Girl"
1985, "Angel"/"Into the Groove"
1987, "Open Your Heart"
1987, "Causing a Commotion (Remix)"
1988, You Can Dance (LP Cuts)
1989, "Like a Prayer" (two)
1989, "Express Yourself" (three)

1990, "Keep It Together"
1990, "Vogue" (two)
1991, "Justify My Love" (two)
1992, "Erotica"
1993, "Deeper and Deeper"
1993, "Fever"
1994, "Secret" (two)
1995, "Bedtime Story"
1997, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
1998, "Frozen" (two)
1998, "Ray of Light" (four)
1999, "Nothing Really Matters" (two)
1999, "Beautiful Stranger" (two)
2000, "American Pie"

2000, "Music" (five)

2001, "Don't Tell Me"
2001, "What It Feels Like for a Girl"
2001, "Impressive Instant" (two)
2002, "Die Another Day" (two)
2003, "American Life"
2003, "Hollywood"
2003, "Me Against the Music," Britney Spears featuring Madonna (two)
2004, "Nothing Fails"
2004, "Love Profusion"
2005, "Hung Up" (four)
2006, "Sorry" (two)
2006, "Get Together"
2006, "Jump" (two)
2008, "4 Minutes," Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland (two)
2008, "Give It 2 Me"
2009, "Celebration"

2012, "Give Me All Your Luvin'," Madonna featuring Nicki Minaj & M.I.A.

2012, "Girl Gone Wild"
2012, "Turn Up the Radio"
2015, "Living for Love"
Additional reporting by Keith Caulfield and Gordon Murray