The song, “Celebration”, was originally recorded by Madonna in 2009

By 2009, Madonna had released the albums “American Life, “Confessions On A Dance Floor” and “Hard Candy” which had followed her 2001 best of collection, “G.H.V.2”. She released “Celebration” that Autumn, a celebration of 25 years of hits stretching back to “Holiday” in 1984 and for it she wrote and recorded the title track with British DJ and producer Paul Oakenfold along with Ian Green and Ciaran Gribbin. But the version used for the official video is very different to the single that was released across Europe that Summer. This “Celebration” was produced by Italian DJ Marco ‘Benny’ Benassi. Stateside it made No.71 on the singles chart and No.1 on the Dance chart.

Over in the UK and across mainland Europe, fans were treated to the Oakenfold remix, slightly shorter in length, but packing in a massive punch on the dancefloor and taking Madonna back to her clubbing sound of the “Confessions” album and earlier anthems. This version was a top five and a top ten hit internationally, peaking at No.1 in eight countries across the continent and No.3 on the UK singles chart, and No.1 on the UK Dance chart. The album itself would go on to sell over four million copies worldwide. In 2023, “Celebration” turned up as the title of Madonna’s greatest hits tour celebrating 40 years of chart smashes, while the song itself closed the show, being ‘gelled’ together with her 2000 number one, “Music”.

But which version is the best? BENASSI’s US version or OAKENFOLD’s international version?