After spending most of my life vacillating between punk ethos and hipster snobbery, I’ve been trying to be a better poptimist. I’ve been trying to let go of my musical superiority complex and allow myself to enjoy vapid pop music.

And it doesn’t get much more vapid or poppy than Madonna herself.

While I haven’t dug deep enough into the history of top 40 teeny boppers to write a strong defense of the claim, I think it’s pretty safe to say that Madge is the archetype for these sorts of figures. Everyone from Britney Spears to Katy Perry to Ariana Grande has looked to Madonna as inspiration, in fashion, musical style, and coy (or not so coy) sexuality.

But listening to her second record, there’s much more beneath the surface. And while her image may have been much of what catapulted her into the spotlight, under the provocative costumes and pop sheen was a sophistication that justified her massive success.

The most obvious piece of evidence that Madonna knew exactly what the hell she was doing was producer Nile Rodgers, hand-picked by Madonna due to his work on David Bowie’s Let’s Dance. And the decision paid off handsomely. The record’s pedigree is instantly identifiable, from the Kraftwerky  synths that form the foundation for “Material Girl” to the urgent Devo-esque “Over and Over.”

And honestly, since picking this up in a thrift store in Stockholm for 10 Kroner four years ago, this record has sat on my shelf, unplayed. I expected the two singles to shine, but not much else. But many of the deep cuts are just as good as the singles. In fact, the title track—while still endearing—might be one of the weakest tracks here.  “Angel” and “Pretender” alone are each worth the cost of the album.

And while Madonna’s career may have taken some unfortunate turns throughout the years (specifically the worst Bond theme of all time), Like A Virgin stands the test of time. It’s one of those rare records that is both of-the-moment and timeless. The definitive work of an artist that became the archetype for generations of pop singers to come.