12"ers+2

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12"er+2 is the rare first compilation album by singer Madonna. Its release was cancelled in 1985 by Sire Records, but was later available in September 1985 as a promotional only cassette in Japan. ^[1][2]

[edit] Album information

Back in the mid-80s, Warner Bros. launched a series of remix albums as bonus release to compliment the catalogues of their big acts. These albums collected together the popular 'Extended Remixes' which were popular on singles at the time, and the albums were known as "12"ers". Simply Red and Phil Collins are examples of Warner artists who released 12"ers albums.^[3]

Warner planned to release a version for Madonna. It got to the stage of designing artwork and choosing the tracklisting. Madonna's album was to collect the Extended 12" Mixes of six of her biggest hits from her first two albums, together with the standard versions of two non-album cuts 'Ain't No Big Deal' and 'Into The Groove' (the +2 from the title) and release the package in garish red and yellow abstract artwork celebrating the recently completed 1985 Virgin Tour.^[4]

The release was cancelled probably due to the relentless release schedule of Madonna products available in 1985 (Warner Bros. and Geffen Records were in danger of saturating the market with Madonna products). The Like A Virgin album was re-launched in many territories to include 'Into The Groove' and also by this stage Madonna was headlong into the True Blue album project.^[5]

Of course, this isn't the only time a planned remix compilation has been cancelled. The infamous 1999 'Veronica Electronica' remix collection of Ray of Light songs was cancelled in favour of a new studio album. Also, the rumoured full length American Life Remix album never came to be, although with the release of the Remixed & Revisited project, fans were able to add a collection of rock mixes to their collections.^[6]

There is only one known copy of the Japanese promo cassette of this mysterious release, no other issues have been documented to date.^[7]

[edit] Track listing

Side One
1. "Ain't No Big Deal"
2. "Dress You Up" (The 12" Formal Mix)
3. "Angel" (Extended Dance Mix)
4. "Lucky Star" (U.S. Remix)

Side Two
1. "Into The Groove"
2. "Material Girl" (Jellybean Dance Mix)
3. "Borderline" (U.S. Remix)
4. "Like A Virgin" (Extended Dance Remix)

[edit] References

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