Madonna
American singer and actress (born 1958)

Madonna
Madonna standing behind a microphone
Madonna in 2023
Born
Madonna Louise Ciccone

(1958-08-16) August 16, 1958 (age 67)
Bay City, Michigan, US
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • actress
Years active1979–present
Works
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1985; div. 1989)​
​
​
(m. 2000; div. 2008)​
PartnerCarlos Leon (1995–1997)
Children6, including Lourdes Leon
RelativesChristopher Ciccone (brother)
AwardsFull list
Musical career
OriginNew York City
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Labels
Formerly of
Musical artist
Websitemadonna.com
Signature

Madonna Louise Ciccone[a] (/tʃɪˈkoʊni/ chih-KOH-nee; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Queen of Pop", she is regarded as a cultural icon spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries. She is known for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, and visual presentation, with works that incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes and have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. Madonna is often deemed one of the greatest figures in the history of popular music.

Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy, she rose to solo stardom with her debut studio album, Madonna (1983). She has since earned eighteen multi-platinum albums, including Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986), and The Immaculate Collection (1990)—some of the best-selling albums of all time—and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), her 21st-century bestseller. Like a Prayer (1989), Ray of Light (1998), and Music (2000) were ranked among Rolling Stone's greatest albums of all time. Madonna's top-charting singles include "Like a Virgin", "Material Girl", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes".

Madonna has starred in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996), with the lattermost winning her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Many of her other films were not well-received. Her business endeavors encompass the company Maverick (1992–2009), which included Maverick Records—one of the most successful artist-run labels. She has also pursued fashion brands, written works, health clubs, and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities, having founded the Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006, and advocates for gender equality and LGBT rights.

Madonna is the best-selling female music artist of all time and the first female performer to accumulate US$1 billion from her concerts. She is the most successful solo artist on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has 44 number-one singles across major global music markets. Her accolades include seven Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, 20 MTV Video Music Awards, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. Madonna was the world's highest-paid female musician for a record eleven years across four decades (1980s–2010s). She has become the subject of various scholarly, literary, and artistic works, as well as a mini-academic sub-discipline called Madonna studies.

Life and career

1958–1978: Early life

Madonna Louise Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan, on August 16, 1958.[2] Her father, Silvio "Tony" Ciccone, worked as an optics and military engineer and physicist for Chrysler Defense and later General Dynamics Land Systems; her mother, Madonna Louise (née Fortin), was an X-ray technician.[3] Tony's parents were Italian emigrants from Pacentro, while her mother was of French-Canadian descent.[4] Since Madonna shared her name with her mother, family members referred to her as "Little Nonnie".[5] Madonna was raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township (now Rochester Hills), alongside her two older brothers, Anthony and Martin, and her three younger siblings, Paula, Christopher, and Melanie.[6][7]

When Madonna was five years old, her mother died of breast cancer on December 1, 1963.[8] In 1966, she adopted Veronica as a confirmation name upon receiving the sacrament in the Catholic Church.[9] That same year, Tony married the family's housekeeper, Joan Gustafson. They were married for 58 years until Joan's death in 2024, and had three children: Joey (who died shortly after his 1967 birth from a heart defect), Jennifer, and Mario.[10][11] Madonna attended St. Frederick's and St. Andrew's Catholic elementary schools, as well as West Middle School.[12] She earned high grades—her father gave her a quarter for every A—and was notorious for her unconventional behavior. Madonna performed cartwheels and handstands in the hallways between classes, hung upside down from the monkey bars during recess, and lifted her skirt in class to amuse the boys.[13]

In retrospect, Madonna described herself as a "lonely girl who was searching for something", explaining: "I wasn't rebellious in a certain way. I cared about being good at something. I didn't shave under my arms and I didn't wear makeup like normal girls do. But I studied and I got good grades [...] I wanted to be somebody."[14] Her father initially enrolled her in classical piano lessons, but she eventually persuaded him to let her study ballet instead. Her ballet teacher, Christopher Flynn, inspired her to pursue a career in dance.[15] While attending Rochester Adams High School, Madonna was a straight-A student and a member of the cheerleading squad.[16] After graduating in January 1976, she received a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan and spent the summer studying at the American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina.[17]

In 1978, Madonna left college and moved to New York City.[18] She called the decision "the bravest thing [she'd] ever done"; it was the first time she had ever flown on a plane or taken a taxi, and she arrived with "$35 in [her] pocket".[19] She settled in the Alphabet City area of the East Village and supported herself with limited means by working various jobs—including as a hatcheck girl at the Russian Tea Room, an elevator operator at Terrace on the Park, and a member of modern dance troupes.[20][21] Madonna took classes at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, performed with the Pearl Lang Dance Theater, and studied under dancer and choreographer Martha Graham.[22] One night, while returning from a rehearsal, two men held her at knifepoint and forced her to perform fellatio. She later found the incident to be "a taste of my weakness, it showed me that I still could not save myself in spite of all the strong-girl show. I could never forget it."[23]

1979–1983: Career beginnings, rock bands, and Madonna

In 1979, Madonna entered a romantic relationship with musician Dan Gilroy.[24] During this period, she searched for job opportunities in such publications as Variety, Backstage, and Show Business, leading to a successful audition to perform in Paris as a backup singer and dancer for French disco artist Patrick Hernandez.[25] During her little time with Hernandez's troupe, she also traveled to Tunisia and several disco-oriented European countries before returning to New York that same year.[26] Madonna relocated to an abandoned synagogue in Corona, Queens, where Gilroy and his brother Ed resided and practiced.[27] The group slept in the basement and used its meeting space both to rehearse and record music for their band, Breakfast Club, for which Madonna sang and played drums and guitar.[28]

Madonna made her acting debut in the low-budget indie film A Certain Sacrifice, which was shot in two parts during 1979 and 1981. She unsuccessfully attempted to block its 1985 release through legal action against director Stephen Jon Lewicki. The film was primarily criticized for its explicit sexual and violent content.[29] In 1980, after leaving the Breakfast Club and ending her relationship with Gilroy, Madonna reunited with drummer Stephen Bray, whom she had previously dated in Michigan, and together they formed the band Emmy.[30] By 1982, she and Bray lived and rehearsed at the Music Building in Manhattan, where they wrote songs and recorded a four-track demo tape.[31] After leaving Emmy, Camille Barbone, who ran Gotham Records in the Music Building, signed Madonna to a contract with the label in March 1981, working as her manager until February 1982.[32] Her creative partnership with Bray continued for many years.[33]

In 1982, Madonna visited nightclubs to persuade disc jockeys (DJs) to play her demo, leading DJ Mark Kamins at Danceteria to take an interest in her music and begin a romance with her.[34] He arranged a meeting with Seymour Stein, president of Sire Records—a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records—after which she signed a two-single deal.[35] Kamins produced her debut single, "Everybody", which was released in October 1982 and promoted with television and nightclub performances.[36][37] Her second single, the double A-side "Burning Up" / "Physical Attraction", was released in March 1983. Both "Everybody" and "Burning Up" / "Physical Attraction" reached number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.[38] During this period, Madonna was in a relationship with artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and living in his SoHo loft.[39] Basquiat introduced her to art curator Diego Cortez, who had managed several punk bands. Cortez declined to manage Madonna when she requested for him to do so.[40]

Warner hired Reggie Lucas to produce her debut studio album, Madonna.[41] Madonna was dissatisfied with many of the tracks, prompting her to seek additional support. She enlisted DJ John "Jellybean" Benitez to help complete the album, and the two began a brief romantic relationship.[42] Benitez remixed most of the songs and produced "Holiday", her breakthrough song.[43] Madonna was released on July 27, 1983, to generally favorable reviews, and peaked at number eight on the US Billboard 200.[44][45] The album generated two US Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles: "Borderline" and "Lucky Star". In late 1983, Madonna's new manager, Freddy DeMann, arranged a meeting with film producer Jon Peters, who offered her the role of a club singer in the romantic drama Vision Quest (1985).[46]

1984–1987: Like a Virgin, first marriage, True Blue, and Who's That Girl

Black and white photo of a young Madonna performing
Madonna performing in 1985 during the Virgin Tour

In January 1984, Madonna gained further exposure with performances on American Bandstand and Top of the Pops.[47] Wanting the material on her second studio album, Like a Virgin, to be "stronger" than that of her debut, she selected all of the songs herself, five of which she wrote or co-wrote.[48] A dance and synth-pop record, Like a Virgin was released on November 12, 1984,[49] and became her first number-one album in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, the UK and the US.[50] Within the lattermost nation, the album remained atop the Billboard 200 for three weeks and is the first album by a woman to sell over five million copies.[51][52] Like a Virgin has sold over 21 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.[53][54]

The album's title track, "Like a Virgin", was selected as its lead single.[55] It was her first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the chart for six consecutive weeks.[56][57] "Like a Virgin" attracted the attention of conservative organizations, who complained that the song and its accompanying video promoted premarital sex and undermined family values; moralists sought to have the song and video banned.[58] Madonna then attracted significant media attention for her performance of the song at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. Dressed in a wedding gown and white gloves, she appeared atop a large wedding cake before moving across the stage in a provocative manner.[59] MTV News later described the performance as one of the most iconic in pop music history.[60] Like a Virgin's next single, "Material Girl", peaked at number two in the US.[61]

Madonna began a relationship with actor Sean Penn while filming the music video for "Material Girl" and the two married on her twenty-seventh birthday in 1985.[62][63] The soundtrack of Vision Quest (1985) included "Crazy for You"—her second Billboard Hot 100 number-one single.[64] That same year, she starred as titlular character in the comedy Desperately Seeking Susan, depicting a free-spirited bohemian drifter whose path intersects with a bored housewife through personal ads.[65] The film introduced "Into the Groove", her first number-one single on the UK Singles Chart.[66] Desperately Seeking Susan was named one of the ten best films of 1985 by Vincent Canby, a The New York Times film critic.[67] In April 1985, Madonna began her first North American concert series, the Virgin Tour.[68] The tour coincided with the height of the Madonna wannabe phenomenon, as many of her young female fans adopted her fashion style.[69] Styled by Maripol, her look—which included lace tops, skirts over capri pants, fishnet stockings, crucifix jewelry, stacked bracelets, and bleached hair—became widely associated with 1980s female fashion trends.[70][71]

A blonde woman onstage with curly hair holding a microphone, wearing a black dress
Madonna performing during the 1987 Who's That Girl World Tour

Around this time, Madonna released two additional singles, "Angel" and "Dress You Up", both of which reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100.[72] In July 1985, Penthouse and Playboy published nude photographs of Madonna taken in 1978, when she worked as an art model.[73] She had posed for the images for modest pay, reportedly $25 per session; the photographs were later sold for up to $100,000.[74] The publication caused significant media attention, though Madonna remained unapologetic.[75] At the 1985 Live Aid concert, she referenced the controversy, remarking that she would not remove her jacket when believing that the media "might hold it against me ten years from now".[76]

For her third studio album, True Blue, Madonna co-wrote and co-produced every track on the record.[77] True Blue, inspired by and dedicated to her husband Penn, was released on June 30, 1986, to critical acclaim.[78] It topped the charts in an unprecedented 28 countries worldwide, including the US, where it remained at number one on the Billboard 200 for five weeks.[79][80] True Blue made Madonna the second female artist—following Whitney Houston—to score three US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles from one album: "Live to Tell", "Papa Don't Preach", and "Open Your Heart".[81] Its two other singles, "True Blue" and "La Isla Bonita", peaked within the top five.[82] True Blue was the best-selling album of 1986, the best-selling of the 1980s by a female artist, and one of the best-selling albums of all time, with 25 million copies sold globally.[83][84]

Madonna appeared in the film Shanghai Surprise (1986) alongside Penn, which was critically unsuccessful and earned her the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress.[85][86] She made her stage debut the same year in David Rabe's Goose and Tom-Tom, which also co-starred Penn.[87] In 1987, she starred in the film Who's That Girl and contributed four songs to its soundtrack, including "Who's That Girl" and "Causing a Commotion", which peaked at numbers one and two on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.[88] In June, she embarked on the Who's That Girl World Tour, which broke several attendance records, including a performance near Paris attended by over 130,000 people—the highest for a female artist at the time.[89][90] In 1987, she released You Can Dance, a remix album with reworked versions of songs from her earlier releases.[91] After a turbulent two-year marriage, Madonna filed for divorce from Penn on December 4, 1987, though she later withdrew the petition.[92]

1988–1991: Like a Prayer, Dick Tracy, and The Immaculate Collection

A blond woman onstage with curly hair, and wearing a white corset and black pants. The background is black and smoky.
Madonna performing at the 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour

Madonna made her Broadway theatre debut in the play Speed-the-Plow at the Royale Theatre, running from May to August 1988.[93] According to the Associated Press, she filed an assault report against Penn following an alleged incident at their Malibu residence over the New Year's weekend.[94] Madonna filed for divorce on January 5, 1989, and reportedly requested the following week that no criminal charges be pursued.[95] That month, Madonna signed an endorsement agreement with soft-drink company Pepsi.[96] In a commercial for the company, she premiered "Like a Prayer", whose accompanying music video featured Catholic imagery such as stigmata and cross burning, as well as a dream sequence depicting intimacy with a saint, prompting condemnation from the Vatican.[97][98] Religious organizations called for a boycott of Pepsi products, leading the company to withdraw the commercial and terminate her sponsorship deal.[99]

"Like a Prayer" was released as the lead single from her fourth studio album, also titled Like a Prayer. It became her seventh number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks atop the chart.[100] Madonna drew inspiration from her turbulent relationship and divorce from Penn to create the album, co-writing and co-producing the album alongside Patrick Leonard, Stephen Bray, and Prince.[101] In the US, Like a Prayer was released on March 21, 1989, to universal acclaim from critics. Rolling Stone's J. D. Considine described it as "proof not only that Madonna should be taken seriously as an artist but that hers is one of the most compelling voices of the Eighties".[102] Like a Prayer spent six weeks atop the Billboard 200—the longest of any of her albums—and eventually sold 15 million copies worldwide.[103][104] The singles "Express Yourself" and "Cherish" both peaked at number two in the US, while "Keep It Together" peaked within the top ten.[103] By the end of the 1980s, Billboard and Musician had named her "Artist of the Decade".[105][106]

In April 1990, Madonna launched the Blond Ambition World Tour.[107] Described by Rolling Stone as an "elaborately choreographed, sexually provocative extravaganza", the tour was named the best of 1990 by the magazine.[108] It drew criticism from religious organizations, particularly for her performance of "Like a Virgin", in which she simulated masturbation while being caressed by two male dancers.[89] Madonna defended the show, stating that it was intended for "open minds" and encouraged audiences to view sexuality differently.[109] The live recording of the tour earned Madonna the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video.[110] Her first documentary film, Truth or Dare (titled In Bed with Madonna outside North America), was released in May 1991.[111][112] Chronicling her Blond Ambition World Tour, it became the highest-grossing documentary ever at the time, a record it held until it was surpassed eleven years later by Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine.[113]

Madonna portrayed Breathless Mahoney in the film Dick Tracy (1990), directed by and starring Warren Beatty in the title role. The film topped the US box office for two consecutive weeks, and Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly praised Madonna's performance, saying that he wished she had been given more screen time.[114][115] To accompany the film, she released the soundtrack album I'm Breathless, with songs largely inspired by 1930s music.[116] It spawned the single "Vogue", which topped the charts in more than 30 countries, including the US, where it peaked at number one on the Hot 100 for three weeks.[117][118] During production, Madonna and Beatty began a relationship that ended shortly after the film's premiere.[119] In October 1990, she recorded a Public Service Announcement supporting Rock the Vote's voter registration campaign.[120]

Madonna's first greatest-hits compilation album, The Immaculate Collection, was released in November 1990.[121] The album has sold 30 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling compilation album by a solo artist and one of the best-selling albums of all time.[122][123] The set included two new songs, "Justify My Love" and "Rescue Me".[124] Model Tony Ward, Madonna's then-boyfriend, co-starred in the music video for "Justify My Love", which included imagery of sadomasochism, bondage, same-sex intimacy, and brief nudity.[125][126] Considered too sexually explicit, the video was banned by MTV.[127] The resulting controversy contributed to the song reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her ninth chart-topping single.[124]

1992–1997: Maverick, Erotica, Sex, Bedtime Stories, Evita, and motherhood

In 1992, Madonna appeared in the film A League of Their Own as Mae Mordabito, a member of an all-women's baseball team.[128] The film reached number one at the US box office in its second weekend of release.[129] Madonna also recorded its theme song, "This Used to Be My Playground", which became her tenth Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, the most of any woman at the time.[130][131] In April 1992, Madonna established the entertainment company Maverick, which included a record label, film production unit, and divisions for music publishing, television, book publishing, and merchandising. The venture was a joint partnership with Time Warner and provided her with a $60 million advance and a 20 percent royalty rate—the highest in the industry at the time.[132]

Madonna with short blonde hair, wearing a green bra and purple pants, singing to a microphone, held in her left hand.
Madonna performing at the Girlie Show in 1993

Maverick went on to become one of the most successful artist-run labels in history, signing multi-platinum acts such as Alanis Morissette and Michelle Branch.[133] Later in 1992, Madonna co-sponsored the first museum retrospective of her former partner, artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.[134] She released her fifth studio album, Erotica, on October 20, 1992, in the US, and published her coffee table book Sex a day later.[135][136] Sex featured sexually provocative and explicit images photographed by Steven Meisel and drew strong negative reactions from both the media and the general public; initial interest propelled the book to the top of The New York Times Best Seller list.[137] A Washington Post writer described it as an "oversized, overpriced, [and boring] coffee table book of hardcore sexual fantasies".[138]

The widespread backlash overshadowed Erotica, which became her lowest-selling album at the time.[139] It debuted and peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200, and received favorable reviews from critics.[135] Two of its singles—"Erotica" and "Deeper and Deeper"—reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.[140] During this period, Madonna was in a relationship with rapper Vanilla Ice, to whom she proposed.[141] The pair separated following the release of Sex, with Vanilla Ice claiming he had been included in the book without his consent.[142] Madonna extended her provocative themes in the 1993 erotic thriller Body of Evidence, which featured scenes of sadomasochism and bondage and was poorly received by critics.[143]

In September 1993, Madonna played an abused wife in a troubled marriage to a filmmaker in Dangerous Game, though her performance in the film was met with negative reception.[144][145] She launched the Girlie Show that month, during which she appeared as a whip-cracking dominatrix and performed alongside topless dancers.[89] She made a highly publicized appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman in March 1994, using profanity that required broadcast censorship and handing Letterman a pair of her underwear while urging him to smell it. The sexually explicit releases of Sex and Erotica, along with her film roles and controversial Letterman appearance, prompted commentators to question her dependence on provocative imagery.[146] Madonna briefly dated rapper Tupac Shakur and basketball player Dennis Rodman around this time.[147]

Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli viewed Madonna's ballad "I'll Remember"—recorded for the film With Honors (1994)—as an effort to soften her provocative image.[148] With her sixth studio album, Bedtime Stories, Madonna embraced a gentler sound and image to regain public favor.[149] Released in the US on October 25, 1994, the album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and produced two top-three US singles: "Secret and "Take a Bow", the latter spending seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100—her longest-running number one.[150] Madonna sponsored the first major retrospective of Tina Modotti's work at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1995,[151] and later supported exhibitions of Basquiat's paintings at London's Serpentine Gallery and Cindy Sherman at New York's Museum of Modern Art.[152][153]

This is the role I was born to play. I put everything of me into this because it was much more than a role in a movie. It was exhilarating and intimidating at the same time. And I am prouder of Evita than anything else I have done.

—Madonna talking about her role in Evita[154]

In February 1996, Madonna began filming the musical Evita in Argentina.[155] Having long aspired to portray Argentine political leader Eva Perón, she wrote to director Alan Parker to express her interest in the role. After being cast, she undertook vocal training and studied Argentina's history of and Perón's life. During production, Madonna experienced several bouts of illness related to pregnancy and the emotional demands of the film.[156] Upon its release in December 1996, her performance was met with positive reviews from critics.[157][158][159] Richard Corliss, writing for Time, described the film as well cast and visually impressive and lauded Madonna's ability to exceed expectations.[160] Her portrayal earned her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.[161]

The Evita soundtrack, which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, contained songs primarily performed by Madonna. These included "You Must Love Me" and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", the latter of which topped the European singles chart.[162][163] At the 1996 Billboard Music Awards, Madonna was presented with the Artist Achievement Award.[164] On October 14, 1996, she gave birth to her daughter, Lourdes "Lola" Maria Ciccone Leon, with fitness trainer Carlos Leon.[165] According to biographer Mary Cross, Madonna—who had expressed concern that her pregnancy might jeopardize Evita—fulfilled significant personal goals: "Madonna had at last triumphed on screen and achieved her dream of having a child, both in the same year [...] reinventing herself and her image with the public".[166] Her relationship with Carlos ended in May 1997, and she stated that they were "better off as best friends".[167]

1998–2002: Ray of Light, Music, second marriage, and touring comeback

After the birth of Lourdes, Madonna developed an interest in Eastern mysticism and Kabbalah, introduced to her by actress Sandra Bernhard.[168] Her seventh studio album, Ray of Light, reflected this change in her perception and image.[169] She collaborated with electronic music producer William Orbit to create a fusion of dance, pop, and British rock styles.[170][171] Music critic Ann Powers said Madonna sought "a kind of lushness" for the album rather than the party-oriented sounds of 1990s techno and rave genres, opting instead for a more singer-songwriter approach that Orbit helped her achieve.[171] Ray of Light was released on February 22, 1998,[172] to acclaim from critics.[173] Slant deemed it "one of the great pop masterpieces of the '90s",[174] and Los Angeles Times's Robert Hilburn called it her most satisfying record.[175] Ray of Light debuted at number one in 17 countries.[176] In the US, it opened at number two on the Billboard 200 and yielded the highest first-week sales for an album by a woman at the time.[177]

The album's two highest-charting singles, "Frozen" and "Ray of Light", peaked at numbers two and five on the US Billboard Hot 100, with the former becoming her first song to debut at number one in the UK.[178][179] At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, Madonna won four awards, including Best Pop Album for Ray of Light, and Best Dance Recording and Best Short Form Music Video for the title track.[180] In 1998, Madonna established the Ray of Light Foundation, a non-profit for women, education, global development, and humanitarian aid.[181] She recorded the single "Beautiful Stranger" for the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), which earned her a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.[182] She starred as a yoga teacher in the comedy-drama The Next Best Thing (2000), which received negative reviews and opened at number two at the US box office.[183] For the soundtrack, she recorded a cover of Don McLean's "American Pie", her ninth UK number-one single.[184]

A blond woman sitting on a block of hay, playing guitar and singing in front of a microphone.
Madonna performing at the Drowned World Tour in 2001

On September 18, 2000, Madonna released her eighth studio album, Music, to critical acclaim.[185][186] She collaborated with French producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï, saying that she preferred working with unconventional, lesser-known artists who "have raw talent and who are making music unlike anyone else out there", describing Music as "the future of sound".[187][188] The album reached number one in over 20 countries and sold four million copies within its first ten days of release.[189] In the US, Music debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming her first number-one album in eleven years since Like a Prayer.[190] The record spawned the top-five singles "Music" and "Don't Tell Me", the first of which became her twelfth number-one on the Billboard Hot 100.[57][191] The music video for "What It Feels Like for a Girl" portrayed Madonna engaging in acts of crime and vandalism, leading to its ban from MTV and VH1.[192]

Madonna met director Guy Ritchie in mid-1998 and gave birth to their son, Rocco John Ritchie, in Los Angeles on August 11, 2000.[193] She and Rocco experienced complications during the birth due to her placenta praevia.[194] He was christened at Dornoch Cathedral in Scotland on December 21, 2000, and Madonna married Ritchie the following day at nearby Skibo Castle.[195] After an eight-year hiatus from touring, she launched the Drowned World Tour in June 2001, which visited cities across the US and Europe, becoming the highest-grossing tour of the year by a solo artist with $75 million in revenue.[196][197] That same year, she released her second greatest-hits album, GHV2, featuring a selection of her successful songs from the 1990s onward. It debuted at number seven in the US and sold seven million copies worldwide.[198][199]

In 2002, Madonna starred in Ritchie's Swept Away, a remake of Lina Wertmüller's 1974 film.[200] The film was commercially unsuccessful and universally panned,[201][202] with A. O. Scott, writing for The New York Times, stating that "a role like this one requires the surrender of emotional control, something Madonna seems constitutionally unable to achieve".[203] In May 2002, she appeared in the West End play Up for Grabs at the Wyndhams Theatre, which was poorly received by critics.[204][205][206] Later that year, Madonna released "Die Another Day", the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name, in which she also had a cameo role that Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described as "incredibly wooden".[207][208] The song reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100,[57] and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and two Grammy Awards.[209]

2003–2006: American Life and Confessions on a Dance Floor

Madonna and her backup dancers in military costumes performing onstage with their right hands held upright into a fist.
Madonna performing at the Re-Invention World Tour in 2004

In 2003, Madonna worked with fashion photographer Steven Klein on an exhibition installation titled X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS. The project was presented from March to May at New York's Deitch Projects gallery and was later shown internationally in a revised version.[210] She reunited with Ahmadzaï to produce her ninth studio album, American Life—a reflection of her views on American society. The record, released on April 21, 2003, was met with mixed reception and debuted atop the US Billboard 200.[211][212][213] By 2005, it had become her lowest-selling release, with worldwide sales of four million copies.[214] Its title track was its only song to enter the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 37.[212]

The original music video of "American Life" caused controversy due to its violence and anti-war imagery, and was withdrawn after the 2003 invasion of Iraq started. Madonna voluntarily censored herself due to the political climate of the country.[215] She kissed singers Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera while performing "Hollywood" in a highly publicized at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.[216][217] She then released Remixed & Revisited, an extended play featuring new remixes of songs from American Life and the unreleased "Your Honesty".[218] Madonna signed a contract with Callaway Arts & Entertainment to write five children's books. The first, titled The English Roses, was published in September 2003 and tells the story of four English schoolgirls struggling with envy and jealousy. The book became the fastest-selling children's picture book at the time, with all proceeds donated to a children's charity.[219][220]

In March 2004, Madonna and Maverick filed a lawsuit against Warner Music Group and its former parent company, Time Warner, alleging financial mismanagement and poor accounting practices that resulted in significant losses. Warner countersued, claiming Maverick had incurred substantial losses independently. The dispute was settled when Warner acquired the Maverick shares held by Madonna and Ronnie Dashev, making the company a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music. Madonna remained signed to Warner under a separate recording contract.[221][222] She launched the Re-Invention World Tour in May, performing across North America and Europe.[223][224] The tour became 2004's highest-grossing, earning over $120 million, and was later chronicled in her documentary I'm Going to Tell You a Secret (2005).[225] In November 2004, she was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame as one of its five founding members.[226]

Madonna wearing sunglasses and a disco-inspired bodysuit performing
Madonna performing at the Confessions Tour in 2006

In January 2005, Madonna performed John Lennon's "Imagine" at Tsunami Aid and later appeared at the Live 8 benefit concert in London six months later.[227][228] She initially worked with Ahmadzaï to produce her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, but later turned to Stuart Price to attain the sound she was seeking.[229] Structured like a continuous DJ-mixed club set, the album was released in the US on November 15, 2005, to critical acclaim.[229] Keith Caulfield, writing in Billboard, heralded the album as a "welcome return to form for the Queen of Pop".[230] Confessions on a Dance Floor topped the charts in a record-breaking 40 countries, won Madonna the Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, and sold over 10 million copies worldwide.[231][232][233]

The lead single, "Hung Up", reached number one in a record-breaking 41 countries. It sampled ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", marking the second time the band permitted such use. ABBA songwriter Björn Ulvaeus called it "a wonderful track—100 per cent solid pop music".[234][235] The album's second single, "Sorry", became Madonna's twelfth number-one single in the UK.[66] Madonna launched the Confessions Tour in May 2006, which grossed more than $193.7 million, making it the highest-grossing tour by a woman at the time.[236] During the performance of "Live to Tell", she used religious imagery, including a crucifix and a crown of thorns, prompting the Russian Orthodox Church and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia to call for a boycott.[237]

While touring, Madonna founded the charitable organization Raising Malawi and helped fund an orphanage in the country.[238] There, she decided to adopt a boy named David Banda in 2006. The adoption provoked public debate, as Malawian law required prospective parents to reside in the country for one year before adopting, a condition Madonna did not meet.[239][240] Malawi's Minister of Women and Child Development, Kate Kainja, had also blocked officials from traveling to meet Madonna and Ritchie as potential adopters.[241] Speaking on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Madonna explained that Malawi had no formal adoption laws for foreigners and described how Banda had been suffering from pneumonia after surviving malaria and tuberculosis.[242][243] Banda's father, Yohane, defended the adoption, saying he understood and supported the arrangement. The adoption was finalized in May 2008.[244][245]

2007–2011: Filmmaking, Hard Candy, and business ventures

Madonna wearing a loose dress with black and brown prints on it. She is looking to the right and smiling.
Madonna at the premiere of I Am Because We Are in 2008

In July 2007, Madonna released and performed the song "Hey You" at the London Live Earth concert.[246] She subsequently announced her departure from Warner Bros. Records and signed a ten-year, $120 million 360 deal with Live Nation.[247] She produced and wrote I Am Because We Are (2008), a documentary directed by Nathan Rissman that addressed social issues in Malawi.[248] That same year, she directed her first feature film, Filth and Wisdom, which follows three friends pursuing their ambitions.[249] Reviews were largely negative,[250] with The Times describing it as a commendable debut and The Daily Telegraph calling it a promising but imperfect first effort.[251][252] On March 10, 2008, Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during her first year of eligibility.[253] She did not perform at the ceremony but invited the Stooges to perform her songs "Burning Up" and "Ray of Light".[254]

Madonna worked with Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and Pharrell Williams to produce her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy.[255] Released on April 29, 2008,[256] Hard Candy debuted atop the charts of 37 countries, including the US Billboard 200.[257][258] The lead single, "4 Minutes", peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her thirty-seventh top-ten entry in the US and surpassing Elvis Presley's record for the most top-ten songs.[259] In the UK, "4 Minutes" extended her record as the female artist with the most number-one singles.[260] Rolling Stone's Caryn Ganz described Hard Candy as "an impressive preview of her upcoming tour",[261] while BBC correspondent Mark Savage criticized it as "an attempt to capture the urban market".[262] She launched the Sticky & Sweet Tour in August 2008, her first major venture with Live Nation. Grossing over $408 million, it became the second highest-grossing tour of all time and the highest-grossing tour by a solo artist.[263][264]

In July 2008, Madonna's brother Christopher published the book Life with My Sister Madonna, which created a rift between the two due to its unauthorized release.[265] In October, Madonna filed for divorce from Ritchie, citing irreconcilable differences.[266] Two months later, her spokesperson confirmed that a settlement had been reached, granting Ritchie between £50–60 million ($68.49–82.19 million), including the couple's London pub, residence, and Wiltshire estate.[267] The marriage was formally dissolved through a decree nisi at the Principal Registry of the Family Division in High Holborn, London. Custody of their sons, Rocco and David, then aged eight and three, was shared between Ritchie's London home and Madonna's residence in New York, where they lived alongside Lourdes.[268][269] In May 2009, Madonna applied to adopt Chifundo "Mercy" James from Malawi, but the country's High Court denied the request on the grounds that she was not a resident.[270] She appealed the decision, and in June, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling and granted her permission to adopt her.[271]

Madonna, wearing a silver top hat while holding a black guitar. She is singing into a microphone
Madonna performing during the Sticky & Sweet Tour in 2008

Madonna concluded her contract with Warner Records with the release of her third greatest-hits album, Celebration, in September 2009. The compilation included two new tracks, along with thirty-four songs spanning her career with the label.[272] The album reached number one in multiple countries, including Canada, Germany, Italy, and the UK.[273] She appeared at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards to deliver a tribute to the deceased pop artist Michael Jackson.[274] By the end of the decade, Madonna was recognized as the best-selling solo artist of the 2000s in the US and the most-played artist of the decade in the UK.[275][276] Billboard ranked her as the third highest-grossing touring artist of the 2000s, with earnings exceeding $801 million, over 6.3 million attendees, and 244 sold-out performances out of 248 shows.[277] In January 2010, Madonna performed at Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief concert.[278]

Madonna's third live album, Sticky & Sweet Tour, was released in April 2010, debuting at number ten in the US.[279] That year, she authorized the television series Glee to feature her entire music catalog, leading to an episode composed exclusively of her songs.[280] She also collaborated with her daughter Lourdes to launch the Material Girl clothing line, inspired by her 1980s punk-inspired fashion.[281] In October 2010, she founded the global fitness chain Hard Candy Fitness, and in November 2011 introduced a second lifestyle brand, Truth or Dare, offering footwear, fragrances, lingerie, and accessories.[282][283] Her second directorial feature was W.E. (2011), a biographical drama about the relationship between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson.[284] The film received unfavorable critical and commercial response.[285] Its soundtrack included the ballad "Masterpiece", which earned Madonna a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[286]

2012–2016: Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, MDNA, and Rebel Heart

A group of performers onstage, with Madonna and Cee Lo Green at the front. They are all wearing black costumes with red and white stripes.
Madonna, joined by Cee Lo Green and a marching band, performing during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show on February 5, 2012

In February 2012, Madonna headlined the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.[287] Produced in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil and choreographer Jamie King, the performance featured guest appearances by LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. and CeeLo Green. The broadcast drew 114 million viewers, making it the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show at the time, surpassing the viewership of the game itself.[288][289] Madonna primarily produced her twelfth studio album, MDNA, with Orbit and Martin Solveig.[290] It was released on March 26, 2012, to generally favorable critical reception.[291][292] MDNA was Madonna's first release under a three-album agreement with Interscope Records, signed as part of her 360 deal with Live Nation, which could not distribute recorded music.[293][294]

MDNA became her fifth consecutive studio album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200.[295] "Give Me All Your Luvin'" was released as album's lead single, and became her record-extending thirty-eighth top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100.[296] She promoted the album with the MDNA Tour, which began in May 2012 and addressed themes such as violence, human rights, and politics. Grossing over $305 million from 88 sold-out shows, it was the highest-earning tour of 2012 and was one of the most profitable concert tours at the time.[297][298][299] Madonna collaborated with Steven Klein and directed a seventeen-minute film, secretprojectrevolution, which was released on BitTorrent in September 2013.[300] With the film, she launched the Art for Freedom initiative, which promotes art and free speech to combat global persecution and injustice. The project's website garnered over 3,000 submissions by January 2014, with Madonna frequently overseeing it and recruiting guest curators like David Blaine and Katy Perry.[301]

Madonna looking to her right while singing onstage, with her right hand on her waist.
Madonna performing at the Rebel Heart Tour in 2016

By 2013, Madonna's Raising Malawi had built ten schools educating 4,000 children in Malawi at a value of $400,000.[302] During her April visit, president Joyce Banda accused her of exaggerating contributions, prompting Madonna's saddened rebuttal that she would not be distracted by the "ridiculous allegations", later revealed to be unapproved by Banda herself.[303][304] In May 2014, she donated to her bankrupt hometown of Detroit, and that year launched her MDNA Skin care line in Tokyo.[305][306] Madonna released her thirteenth studio album, Rebel Heart, on March 10, 2015, three months after thirteen demos leaked online.[307] She collaborated with a large range of producers, including Avicii, Diplo, and Kanye West.[308][309] She explored introspection on the record, along with "genuine statements of personal and careerist reflection".[310]

Madonna explained to Jon Pareles of The New York Times that, although she has never looked back at her past endeavors, revisiting it felt appropriate for Rebel Heart.[311] Music critics responded positively towards the album, calling it her best effort in a decade.[312] Madonna began her Rebel Heart Tour in September 2015, which visited North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and grossed $169.8 million from the 82 shows.[313][314][315] While touring, Madonna became involved in a legal dispute with Ritchie regarding custody of their son Rocco. The conflict arose when Rocco chose to remain in England with Ritchie rather than continue traveling with Madonna. Court proceedings were held in both New York and London, but after several hearings, Madonna withdrew her custody application and opted to settle the matter privately.[316]

In October 2016, Billboard named Madonna its Woman of the Year. Her candid and outspoken speech addressing ageism and sexism garnered extensive media attention.[317][318] The following month, she performed an impromptu acoustic concert at Washington Square Park in support of Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.[319] After Donald Trump's election victory, Madonna delivered a speech at the 2017 Women's March on Washington, where a remark about "blowing up the White House" drew controversy.[320][321] She later clarified that her comments had been taken out of context and emphasized that she was not advocating violence.[322]

2017–2021: Move to Lisbon and Madame X

In February 2017, Madonna adopted four-year-old twin sisters, Estere and Stella, from Malawi, and relocated to Lisbon, Portugal, later that year with her children.[323][324] That July, she inaugurated the Mercy James Institute for Pediatric Surgery and Intensive Care in Malawi, a hospital established by her Raising Malawi foundation.[325] Her live album Rebel Heart Tour was released in September 2017 and won Best Music Video for Western Artists at the 32nd Japan Gold Disc Awards.[326][327] That same month, she launched her skincare brand MDNA Skin in selected US stores.[328] Earlier in the year, the auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll attempted to sell Madonna's personal items, including letters from Tupac Shakur and other belongings. Although she sought legal action to halt the sale, the court ruled in favor of art dealer Darlene Lutz due to a 2004 agreement authorizing the sale of the items.[329]

Madonna singing onstage in front of a greenish backdrop, while wearing black costumes and an eye-patch.
Madonna performing at the Madame X Tour in 2020

While residing in Lisbon, Madonna met Portuguese musician Dino D'Santiago, who introduced her to local artists performing fado, morna, and samba music. She frequently attended their informal "living room sessions", which inspired her fourteenth studio album, Madame X.[330] The album was released on June 14, 2019, and Madonna produced it with various musicians, primarily her longtime collaborator Mirwais and Mike Dean.[331][332] Madame X debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, her ninth to do so.[333] Its four singles—"Medellín", "Crave", "I Rise" and "I Don't Search I Find"—each reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, further extending her record for the most chart-topping entries.[334]

Madonna appeared as the interval act at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 and performed "Like a Prayer", and then "Future" with rapper Quavo.[335] Her Madame X Tour, an all-theater concert series held in select cities across North America and Europe, began in September 2019 and grossed over $51.4 million in revenue.[336][337] That December, Madonna began a relationship with dancer Ahlamalik Williams, who had previously joined her Rebel Heart Tour in 2015.[338] The tour later faced multiple cancellations due to Madonna's recurring knee injury and concluded prematurely on March 8, 2020, after the French government prohibited large gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[339][340] Later that month, she drew criticism for posting a now-deleted video on Instagram and Twitter that was regarded as insensitive.[341][342]

In April 2020, Madonna announced financial contributions to the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and Mastercard, and donated an additional $1 million to vaccine research.[343][344] A month later, Madonna revealed she had tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.[345] She and Missy Elliott contributed guest vocals to Dua Lipa's single "Levitating", featured on Lipa's 2020 remix album Club Future Nostalgia.[346] Madonna then began developing a biographical film about her life, which she planned to direct.[347] Screenwriters Erin Cressida Wilson and Diablo Cody worked on the script at different stages, and actress Julia Garner was cast in the lead role before the project was postponed.[347][348][349] In October 2021, Madonna released Madame X, a documentary film about her concert tour of the same name, through Paramount+.[350]

2022–present: Finally Enough Love and the Celebration Tour

In August 2021, coinciding with her 63rd birthday, Madonna announced her return to Warner Records—the rebranded successor to Warner Bros. Records—in a global partnership granting the label rights to her entire recorded music catalog, including her three most recent albums originally released under Interscope. As part of the agreement, she began a series of catalog reissues in 2022 to mark the fortieth anniversary of her recording career. The remix album Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones was released in August, following a 16-track abridged edition made available for streaming two months prior.[351] Featuring her 50 number-one songs on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart, the album celebrated Madonna's long-standing connection to dance music and became her 23rd top-ten entry on the Billboard 200.[352][353]

Madonna with long, wavy blonde hair singing into a microphone on stage. She is dressed in an eclectic outfit.
Madonna performing during the Celebration Tour in 2023

Between 2022 and 2023, Madonna issued several standalone singles, including "Back That Up to the Beat", a previously unreleased demo from the Rebel Heart sessions that went viral on social media.[354][355] She also contributed to three tracks on Christine and the Queens' album Paranoïa, Angels, True Love (2023), and collaborated with the Weeknd and Playboi Carti on the single "Popular", featured on the soundtrack to the television drama The Idol.[356][357] In January 2023, Madonna announced the Celebration Tour, her first greatest hits concert tour.[358] The tour was to begin in July, but a month prior, she was hospitalized after being found unresponsive at her New York City residence.[358][359] She spent five days in intensive care, and later disclosed being placed in a medically induced coma for 48 hours due to a serious bacterial infection following a low-grade fever.[360][361]

The Celebration Tour commenced in October 2023 in London, receiving widespread critical acclaim.[362][363][364] It concluded the following May with a free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, which drew an audience of 1.6 million—setting records for both the largest standalone concert in history and the highest attendance ever for a female artist.[365][366] The tour grossed over $225 million across eighty shows, making Madonna the first woman to surpass $100 million in earnings from six separate concert tours.[367] Around this time, Madonna experienced the deaths of several family members, beginning with that of her eldest brother, Anthony, in February 2023.[368] Her younger brother, Christopher, died in October 2024, two weeks after that of their stepmother, Joan.[369] Madonna resumed development on the biopic but later expressed frustration with producers who urged her to downscale on the project. She began considering adapting it into a television series instead.[370][371]

Around the same time, Madonna began refocusing on music, collaborating with Price. In December 2024, she described the creative process as "medicine for my soul", adding that songwriting allows her full artistic freedom without needing anyone's approval.[372] In February 2025, she confirmed that she was working on a follow-up to Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), also produced by Price, scheduled for release in 2026 through Warner Records.[373][374] That May, Deadline Hollywood reported that Madonna had partnered with Netflix and producer Shawn Levy to develop a separate television series based on her life, unrelated to the biographical film project.[375] In July 2025, she released Veronica Electronica, a remix album initially intended to be released after Ray of Light (1998), including original versions of songs previously unreleased officially.[376] In November 2025, Madonna released the extended play Bedtime Stories: The Untold Chapter. Commemorating the 30th anniversary of her album Bedtime Stories (1994), the set contained demos, alternative versions, and rarities from the original album sessions.[377]

In January 2026, Madonna was announced as the new face of the One, a Dolce & Gabbana fragrance. That month, she released a cover of Patty Pravo's 1968 single "La bambola" as part of the campaign, which included a short film and photographs.[378][379]

Artistry

Musical style and composition

[Madonna] is a brilliant pop melodist and lyricist. I was knocked out by the quality of the writing [during Ray of Light sessions]... I know she grew up on Joni Mitchell and Motown, and to my ears she embodies the best of both worlds. She is a wonderful confessional songwriter, as well as being a superb hit chorus pop writer.

—Rick Nowels, on co-writing with Madonna.[380]

Madonna's work has been the subject of critical analysis and debate. Robert M. Grant, author of Contemporary Strategy Analysis (2005), observed that her musical career is a continual process of experimentation with new sounds and images.[381] In Pop Goes the Decade: The Eighties, Thomas Harrison described her as "an artist who pushed the boundaries" of what a female performer could achieve, both visually and lyrically.[382] Professor Santiago Fouz-Hernández observed that, while not possessing a particularly powerful or wide-ranging voice, Madonna expanded her artistic range through diverse musical, lyrical, and visual styles, "all with the intention of presenting herself as a mature musician".[383]

Rolling Stone included Madonna at number thirty-six on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" (2004).[384] She has managed all aspects of her career; she writes and produces most of her recordings.[385][386] Her desire for control in creative decisions was evident as early as her debut album, during which she reportedly disagreed with producer Reggie Lucas over the final mixes. Warner Bros. Records later allowed her to produce her third studio album independently.[387][388] According to Stan Hawkins, author of Settling the Pop Score, Madonna is among the few female artists to have entered the male-dominated space of music production, saying that she is aware of the historical exclusion of women and actively "has set out to change this".[389] Producer Stuart Price similarly remarked that "you don't produce Madonna, you collaborate with her [...] she has her vision and knows how to get it".[390] Although often described as a "control freak", Madonna has stated that she values creative input from those she works with.[391] She further explained:[392]

I like to have control over most of the things in my career but I'm not a tyrant. I don't have to have it on my album that it's written, arranged, produced, directed, and stars Madonna. To me, to have total control means you can lose objectivity. What I like is to be surrounded by really talented, intelligent people that you can trust. And ask them for their advice and get their input.

Madonna developed her early songwriting skills while performing with the Breakfast Club in 1979, and was the sole writer of five tracks on her debut studio album.[393][394][395] As a songwriter, Madonna has registered more than 300 works with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, including 18 written entirely by herself.[396] Rolling Stone deemed her "an exemplary songwriter with a gift for hooks and indelible lyrics",[397] and said that her compositions, though shaped by collaborations with producers across various genres, are consistently shaped by "her own sensibility and inflected with autobiographical detail".[398] Patrick Leonard, who co-wrote many of her songs, lauded her grasp of melodic structure and said that "many times she's singing notes that no one would've thought of but her".[399] Spin's Barry Walters similarly credited her songwriting for the consistency of her music.[400] Madonna was nominated for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014,[401] 2016,[402] and 2017,[403] and was ranked number fifty-six on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time" (2015).[398]

"Live to Tell" (1986)
Madonna wrote all the lyrics and partial melodies of "Live to Tell", an adult contemporary ballad, which was noted as her first musical reinvention.[404]
"Ray of Light" (1998)
An uptempo electronic dance song, "Ray of Light" showcases Madonna's post-Evita upper vocal register.[405]
Problems playing these files? See media help.

Madonna's discography is often categorized as pop,[406] electronica,[407][408] and dance.[409] Her earliest work began with rock-oriented projects through the bands Breakfast Club and Emmy.[410] With the latter, she recorded tracks that reflected the punk rock style of the early 1980s.[411] She left rock before signing with Gotham Records, which dropped her because of their dissatisfaction with her shift to funk.[412] In his book American Pop, Arie Kaplan referred to Madonna as "a pioneer" of dance-pop.[413] Fouz-Hernández further observed that Madonna's consistent use of dance idioms and her connection with gay and sexually liberated audiences have often been undervalued in contrast to the perceived authenticity of rock and roll, noting that her music "refuses to be defined by narrow boundaries of gender, sexuality, or genre".[383]

The "cold and emotional" ballad "Live to Tell" and its parent album True Blue (1986) are regarded as Madonna's first significant musical reinvention.[414][415] PopMatters critic Peter Piatkowski described the song as a "deliberate effort to present Madonna as a mature and serious artist".[414] Although she continued to record ballads alongside her more upbeat material, some of her albums, such as Madonna (1983) and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), are composed entirely of dance tracks.[57][416][417] With Ray of Light (1998), critics credited her with popularizing electronica and integrating it into mainstream pop music.[418][419] Her other stylistic departures include 1930s big-band jazz on I'm Breathless (1990);[420] smooth R&B arrangements on Bedtime Stories (1994);[421] operatic show tunes on Evita (1996);[422] guitar-based folk music on American Life (2003);[423] and multilingual world music influences on Madame X (2019).[424]

Influences

From left to right: Madonna has been inspired by film stars such as Marilyn Monroe (pictured in 1953), artists such as Frida Kahlo (1926), and musicians like David Bowie (1990).

Madonna has cited Nancy Sinatra as one of her idols and said that her song "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (1965) left a large impression on her.[425] As a young woman, she sought to expand her artistry through literature, art, and music, developing a particular interest in classical compositions.[426] She identified baroque as her preferred style and admired Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Frédéric Chopin, praising the "feminine quality" in their works.[427] Among Madonna's principal influences are Debbie Harry,[428] Chrissie Hynde,[429] Patti Smith,[430] Karen Carpenter,[431] the Supremes,[432] Joni Mitchell,[433] and Led Zeppelin,[434] as well as dancers Martha Graham and Rudolf Nureyev.[435]

Madonna grew up listening to David Bowie, whose concert was the first performance she ever attended, and is also inspired by American writer James Baldwin.[436][437] As a child, Madonna drew inspiration from Hollywood actresses such as Carole Lombard, Judy Holliday, and Marilyn Monroe, admiring their blend of femininity, strength, and sex appeal, and remarking that she "saw [her]self in them".[425] Her music video for "Material Girl" recreated Monroe's performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" from the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).[438] In preparation for her role in Who's That Girl, Madonna studied the 1930s screwball comedies of Lombard, whose style she sought to emulate.[439] The visual concept for her "Express Yourself" (1989) video drew influence from Fritz Lang's silent film Metropolis (1927),[440][441] while "Vogue" paid homage to the golden age of Hollywood glamor, referencing the photography of Horst P. Horst and channeling the screen presence of Marlene Dietrich, Lombard, and Rita Hayworth.[442]

Historians, musicians, and anthropologists trace her influences—from African American gospel music to Japanese fashion, Middle Eastern spirituality to feminist art history—and the ways she borrows, adapts, and interprets them.

—National Geographic Society on Madonna's influences.[443]

Madonna also drew inspiration from the visual arts, particularly from Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.[444] The music video for "Bedtime Story" (1995) incorporated imagery influenced by the works of Kahlo and Remedios Varo.[445] A collector of Tamara de Lempicka's Art Deco paintings, Madonna has featured them throughout her music videos and stage productions.[446][447] Her video for "Hollywood" (2003) paid tribute to the photography of Guy Bourdin, though it later prompted a lawsuit filed by Bourdin's son over the unauthorized use of his father's images.[448] The sadomasochistic motifs in pop artist Andy Warhol's underground films were echoed in the videos for "Erotica" and "Deeper and Deeper".[449]

Madonna's Catholic upbringing has remained a consistent influence throughout her career, from her use of the rosary as a fashion piece to the her musical inputs, including albums such as Like a Prayer (1989).[450] During 2011, she attended meetings and services at an Opus Dei center, a Catholic institution that promotes sanctity through daily life.[451] Her study of Kabbalah has also influenced her creatively, prominently on the album Ray of Light (1998).[452] In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, Madonna remarked that she has always felt an "inexplicable connection" to Catholicism and stated that it consistently manifests throughout her work.[453]

Voice and instruments

Madonna in a silver dress, playing electric guitar
Madonna playing the guitar riff of "A New Level" by heavy metal band Pantera during the 2008 Sticky & Sweet Tour[454]

Madonna possesses a mezzo-soprano vocal range and is self-conscious about her singing voice.[455][456] Mark Bego, author of Madonna: Blonde Ambition, described her as "the perfect vocalist for lighter-than-air songs" despite not being a "heavyweight talent".[457] According to Tony Sclafani of MSNBC, her vocal delivery reflects her "rock roots", explaining that, unlike most pop singers who perform songs "straight", Madonna incorporates subtext, irony, aggression, and other vocal idiosyncrasies similar to that of John Lennon and Bob Dylan.[410] In her early recordings, Madonna employed a bright, girlish timbre that she later tried to abandon after critics compared her voice to "Minnie Mouse on helium".[458] While filming Evita (1996), she took vocal training, which expanded her range. Of the experience, she said, "I studied with a vocal coach for Evita and realized there was a whole piece of my voice I wasn't using. Before, I just believed I had a really limited range and was going to make the most of it."[405]

Madonna plays several musical instruments. She first learned to play the piano as a child.[459] During the late 1970s, she was taught drums and guitar by her then-boyfriend Dan Gilroy, later joining his band, the Breakfast Club, as a drummer.[460] Madonna then performed guitar with the group Emmy.[461] After her commercial breakthrough, she rarely performed instruments publicly, though she was credited with playing the cowbell on Madonna (1983) and the synthesizer on Like a Prayer (1989).[386] In 1999, she undertook three months of violin training to prepare for a role as a violin teacher in the film Music of the Heart (1999), but withdrew from the project before filming.[462] She returned to performing with the guitar during promotion for Music (2000) with guidance from guitarist Monte Pittman to improve her technique.[463] Since then, Madonna has featured guitar performances into her studio recordings and concert tours.[386][464] She was nominated for the Les Paul Horizon Award at the 2002 Orville H. Gibson Guitar Awards.[465]

Music videos and performances

In The Madonna Companion, biographers Allen Metz and Carol Benson observed that Madonna used MTV and the music video to leverage her popularity and enhance her recordings more effectively than any other contemporary pop artist. They noticed that many of her songs are closely tied to the imagery of their accompanying videos.[466] Cultural critic Mark C. Taylor described the postmodern art form par excellence as the music video, declaring Madonna its "reigning queen" in his book Nots (1993).[467] He argued that "the most remarkable creation of MTV is Madonna", and that public reactions to her provocative videos were "predictably contradictory".[467] Critical and public discussions surrounding some of her most controversial songs—primarily "Like a Prayer"—have often focused more on their videos and cultural impact than on the songs themselves.[466] According to Morton, "artistically, Madonna's songwriting is often overshadowed by her striking pop videos".[468] Madonna was ranked as the greatest music video artist of all time by MTV in 2003 and Billboard in 2020.[469][470]

Madonna's live performances vary from choreographed routines such as voguing (above) to stripped-down ones with only a ukulele (below).

Madonna's early music videos fused American and Hispanic street style with flamboyant glamor. Through the visuals, she introduced her avant-garde Downtown Manhattan fashion sensibility to an American audience.[471] The recurring use of Hispanic cultural motifs and Catholic symbolism continued into the True Blue era.[472] According to author Douglas Kellner, Madonna's embrace of "multiculturalism" and her "culturally transgressive moves" proved to be effective in appealing to a wide range of young audiences.[473] Scholars have noted that through her visual narratives, Madonna often subverted traditional gender norms by symbolically reversing male dominance.[474] Her use of religious and racial imagery was prominent in the music video for "Like a Prayer", which depicted scenes of an African-American church choir, Madonna's attraction to a black saint statue, and her performance before burning crosses.[475]

Madonna's acting has often been met with negative reviews from film critics.[476] Biographer Andrew Morton said that although Madonna publicly dismissed the criticism, privately she was deeply affected by it.[477] Following the critical and commercial failure of Swept Away (2002), she vowed never to act in another film.[478] In a retrospective of her screen career titled Body of Work (2016) at New York's Metrograph, The Guardian's Nigel M. Smith argued that Madonna's struggles in film was largely due to the lack of quality roles available to her, stating that she could "steal a scene for all the right reasons".[479] Her concert tours often re-create her music videos; author Elin Diamond said that the ability to reproduce scenes from Madonna's videos in a live setting enhances the realism of the videos, arguing that "her live performances have become the means by which mediatized representations are naturalized".[480]

According to Taraborrelli, Madonna's concerts, which feature multimedia elements, advanced technology, and elaborate sound design, function as "extravagant show piece[s]" and "walking art show[s]".[481] Chris Nelson of The New York Times observed that artists like Madonna redefined standards of live performance with concerts "that included not only elaborate costumes and precision-timed pyrotechnics but also highly athletic dancing"—often at the expense of live vocals.[482] A writer for the Orlando Sentinel said that she later restructured her stage shows to balance choreography and live singing by remaining stationary during vocally demanding sections while delegating more complex dance sequences to her backup performers.[483] To support simultaneous singing and movement, Madonna began using a hands-free radio-frequency headset microphone, secured over the head or ears with a boom extending to the mouth.[484]

Legacy

She's a major historical figure and when she passes, the retrospectives will loom larger and larger in history.

—Academic Camille Paglia on Madonna (2017).[485]

Over a career spanning more than five decades—encompassing both the 20th and 21st centuries—Madonna has profoundly influenced popular music, earning her the nickname "Queen of Pop".[486] Her legacy transcends music and is a subject of analysis among sociologists, historians, and other scholars, giving rise to Madonna studies, a subfield of American cultural studies.[487] According to Rodrigo Fresán, describing Madonna merely as a pop star "is as inappropriate as saying that Coca-Cola is just a soda", deeming her a symbol of Made in USA.[488] The Spanish edition of Rolling Stone wrote that Madonna became "the first master of viral pop in history", achieving omnipresence across television, radio, magazines, and bookstores, an unparalleled pop dynamic not seen since the Beatles.[489] The Daily Telegraph remarked that Madonna "changed the world's social history",[490] with scholar Diane Pecknold noticing that "nearly every poll of the greatest or most influential figures in popular culture includes Madonna".[491] Critics often regard Madonna as one of the greatest figures in popular music.[492]

A wax figure with a long ponytail and large cone bra
Wax figure of Madonna at Madame Tussauds museum in Hong Kong

Spin wrote that the title "Queen of Pop" scarcely captures Madonna's impact, stating that "she is Pop" and that she established the blueprint for what a modern pop star should be.[493] Madonna became the first artist to be named the "Greatest Pop Star" of the year twice by Billboard (1985 and 1989).[494] According to Sclafani, before Madonna, "most music mega-stars were guy rockers; after her, almost all would be female singers [...] When the Beatles hit America, they changed the paradigm of performer from solo act to band. Madonna changed it back—with an emphasis on the female."[495] Many female artists into the 21st century—including Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga—have cited Madonna's as an influence on their careers.[496] Madonna has also influenced male artists, inspiring rock frontmen Liam Gallagher of Oasis and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park to become musicians.[497][498]

Madonna's use of sexual imagery has ignited widespread discussions regarding sexuality and feminism.[499] Media scholar John Fiske remarked that the empowerment Madonna conveys is closely tied to the gratification of asserting control over self-definition, sexuality, and social dynamics.[500] As discussed in Doing Gender in Media, Art and Culture (2009), Madonna's status as a female celebrity, performer, and pop icon continues to challenge and reinterpret established feminist discourses.[501] According to lesbian feminist Sheila Jeffreys, Madonna embodies what Monique Wittig terms "the category of sex" as a site of power, while deliberately embracing the performance of women's assigned sexual labor.[502] Similarly, communication scholar Sut Jhally has described her as "an almost sacred feminist icon".[503]

Writer Matt Cain observed that Madonna has helped break social barriers and elevated marginalized groups by prominently incorporating LGBTQ, Latino, and Black culture into her artistic works.[504][505][506] One author remarked that "by making culture generally available, Madonna becomes the culture of all social classes".[507] Canadian scholar Karlene Faith similarly said that Madonna's peculiarity lies in her ability to "move freely across diverse cultural terrains", describing her as a "cult figure" within multiple self-sustaining subcultures even as she achieved mainstream success.[508] GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis has affirmed that Madonna "always has and always will be the LGBTQ community's greatest ally",[509] while The Advocate characterized her as "the greatest gay icon".[510] Madonna stated in 2024, "Aside from my birthday, New York Pride is the most important day of the year".[511]

Madonna has been praised as a role model for businesswomen, having "achieved the kind of financial control that women had long fought for within the industry", and amassing over $1.2 billion in sales during the first decade of her career.[512] According to Gini Gorlinski in The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time (2010), Madonna's authority and autonomy within the entertainment industry were unprecedented for a woman at the time.[513] Scholars at the London Business School described her as a "dynamic entrepreneur" whose success model is worth emulating, identifying her vision of success, understanding of the music industry, ability to recognize her own performance limits, work ethic, and adaptability as the basis for her commercial achievements.[514] Morton called the singer "opportunistic, manipulative, and ruthless—someone who will not stop until she achieves her goals", though he added that such single-minded determination often came at the cost of personal relationships.[515]

Achievements

Madonna's handprints in concrete
Madonna was the first person to be inducted into the Wembley Square of Fame in London.[516]

Forbes estimated Madonna's net worth at $850 million as of 2025, making her one of the wealthiest musicians in the world.[517] She became Forbes's annual highest-paid female musician 11 times across the 1980s,[518] 1990s,[519] 2000s,[520] and 2010s.[521] She is recognized as the best-selling female music artist of all time by the Guinness World Records,[b] and has a total of 18 albums certified multi-platinum in multiple countries.[c] According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the fourth highest-certified female artist in the US, with 65.5 million certified album-equivalent units.[537][538] In Japan, the world's second largest market, Madonna has received 17 Gold Disc Awards from the Recording Industry Association of Japan, including the most Artist of the Year wins by a solo artist (five).[539][540]

Madonna has generated over US$1.6 billion from ticket sales of her concert tours throughout her career.[541] She was the highest-grossing female touring artist,[542] before being overtaken by Taylor Swift in 2023, according to Pollstar.[542][543][544] Her biggest solo concerts by paying attendance include her Who's That Girl World Tour concert in Parc de Sceaux, Paris (130,000 audience) and the Girlie Show's concert in Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro (120,000 audience).[545][546] The closing performance of the Celebration Tour in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, on May 5, 2024, drew over 1.6 million people, setting a record for the largest audience for a stand-alone concert by any artist at the time.[366] Madonna has won seven Grammy Awards and twenty MTV Video Music Awards, including the 1986 Video Vanguard Award for which she became the first female recipient.[547][548] Like a Prayer (1989), The Immaculate Collection (1990), Ray of Light (1998), and Music (2000) have each been included among Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[549][550] It listed "Into the Groove" (1985), "Like a Prayer" (1989), and "Vogue" (1990) among the 500 greatest songs of all time.[551]

From "Like a Virgin" (1984) to "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (2012), a total of 44 Madonna singles have topped the official chart in at least one of the world's top-ten music markets, including the United States (12),[552] the United Kingdom (13),[553] Canada (24),[d] Australia (11),[556] Italy (23),[557][558] and Spain (21).[559][560] At the 40th anniversary of the GfK Media Control Charts, Madonna was ranked as the most successful singles artist in German chart history.[561] According to Billboard, Madonna is the most successful solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100—second overall behind the Beatles—and the most successful dance club artist of all time.[562][563] She has achieved 38 top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, the most by any artist in pre-streaming era.[564] A dominant physical singles seller, she has the most number ones on the Hot 100 Singles Sales (16) and the Dance Singles Sales (33) of any artist.[565][566] With a total of 50 Dance Club Songs chart-toppers, Madonna became the artist with the most number ones on any singular Billboard chart, pulling ahead of George Strait with 44 number-one songs on the Hot Country Songs chart.[334]

Discography

Filmography

Films starred

Films directed

Tours

Enterprises

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Madonna goes by her first name, and has used the name and trademark since 1979 according to the World Intellectual Property Organization.[1]
  2. ^ In 2006, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) officially announced that Madonna had sold over 200 million copies of her albums alone worldwide.[522] Since then, her total record sales have varied from 300 million[523][524] to 400 million.[525][526][527]
  3. ^ Madonna has 12 albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.[528] Her other albums certified multi-platinum outside the US are Who's That Girl (1987),[529][530] GHV2 (2001),[531][532] Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005),[531][529] Hard Candy (2008),[533][534] Celebration (2009),[535][531] and MDNA (2012).[535][536]
  4. ^ Madonna has more number-one singles than any other act in Canadian music history, with 18 singles during the RPM era, 2 singles during the Canadian Hot 100 era, and 4 singles between 2000 and 2007 on the Canadian Singles Chart.[554][555]

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Book sources

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