Madonna, Pepsi, “Like a Prayer,” and the Music Video That Rewired Pop Capitalism
Madonna’s divorce from Sean Penn was finalized on January 25, 1989, the same day Pepsi announced an unprecedented agreement with her. She would release her new single, “Like a Prayer,” during a Pepsi commercial in exchange for $5 million and Pepsi’s sponsorship of her next tour. The ad marked the first time a record would…