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{{short description|American singer and actress (born 1958)}} | |||
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{{About|the singer|the religious figure|Mary, mother of Jesus|other uses}} | |||
{{cleanup-date|February 2006}} | |||
{{redirect|Queen of Pop}} | |||
<!--Geez. Avoid over-information, there's no need to put every little thing that Madonna said or did. This is not a news site and not a fan page--> | |||
{{pp-blp|small=yes}} | |||
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{{Infobox musical artist 2 | |||
{{Good article}} | |||
|Name = Madonna | |||
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}} | |||
|Img = Confessions Tour.jpg | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} | |||
|Img_capt = Upcoming Confessions Tour Poster. | |||
{{Infobox person | |||
|Background = #f0e68c | |||
| name = Madonna | |||
|Birth_name = Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone | |||
| image = MadonnaO2171023 (97 of 133) (53269593787) (cropped).jpg | |||
|Born = August 16, 1958 | |||
| caption = Madonna in October 2023 | |||
|Died = | |||
| alt = Madonna standing in front of a microphone | |||
|Origin = ], ] | |||
| birth_name = Madonna Louise Ciccone | |||
|Instruments = ] | |||
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|8|16}} | |||
|Genre = ], ] | |||
| birth_place = ], US<!-- Per ], "the use or non-use of periods (full stops) should also be consistent with other country abbreviations in the same article (thus 'the US, UK, and USSR', not 'the U.S., UK, and USSR')." --> | |||
|Occupation(s) = ], ], ] | |||
| spouse = {{Plainlist| | |||
|Years_active = 1982–present | |||
* {{marriage|]|1985|1989|end=divorced}} | |||
|Label = ]<br/> | |||
* {{marriage|]|2000|2008|end=divorced}} | |||
] (]- )</small></br><small>] (1992-2004)</small></br> <small>] (1982-1991) </small> | |||
}} | |||
|Notable_albums = ''Like A Virgin'', ''True Blue'', ''Immaculate Collection'', ''Ray Of Light'', ''Music'', ''Confessions On A Dancefloor'' | |||
| partner = Carlos Leon (1995–1997) | |||
|Notable_songs = "Like A Virgin", "Like A Prayer", "Vogue", "Take A Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up" | |||
| children = 6, including ] | |||
|Related_acts = ], ] | |||
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|actress|dancer|record producer|director|author|businesswoman}} | |||
|URL = http://www.madonna.com | |||
| years_active = 1979–present | |||
http://www.iconmadonna.com (Official Madonna Fan Club) | |||
| works = {{flatlist| | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
** ] | |||
** ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| awards = ] | |||
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes | |||
| origin = ], US | |||
| genre = {{hlist|]|]|]|}} | |||
| instruments = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}}<!--- If you think an instrument should be listed or removed, a discussion to reach consensus is needed first per: https://en.wikipedia.org/Template:Infobox_musical_artist#instrument---> | |||
| label = {{hlist|]|]|]|]}}<!--Listed in chronological order --> | |||
| past_member_of = {{hlist|]|]}} | |||
}} | |||
| relatives = ] (brother) | |||
| website = {{URL|madonna.com}} | |||
| signature = Madonna's signature.svg | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Madonna Louise Ciccone'''{{efn|Madonna goes by her ], and has used the name and trademark since 1979 according to the ] (WIPO).<ref>{{cite news|author=Geneva |date=October 16, 2000 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/10/16/madonna.cybersquatter.reut/ |title=Madonna wins domain name battle |publisher=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119165330/http://edition.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/10/16/madonna.cybersquatter.reut/ |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 30, 2022}}</ref>}} ({{IPAc-en|tʃ|ᵻ|ˈ|k|oʊ|n|i}} {{respell|chih|KOH|nee}}; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress.<!--Only the most notable occupations associated with her, other less notable occupations should be listed in the infobox. --> Commonly known as the "'''Queen of Pop'''", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting and visual presentation. Madonna's works, which incorporate social, political, ], and ] themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. A ] spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries, she was called one of the most "well-documented figures of the ]" by the ] in 2008. Various ], ] and ] works have been created about her, including an academic sub-discipline called ]. | |||
''' Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone'''<ref>. The Biography Channel. Retrieved 16 March 2006.</ref> (born ], ]) is an ] ] ], ], ], ], ], and ]. She is internationally well known for reinventing her image, creating innovative music videos, and generating controversy in both her work and personal life. | |||
Madonna moved to ] in 1978 to pursue a career in dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands ] and ], she rose to solo stardom with ]. Madonna has obtained a total of ], including '']'' (1984), '']'' (1986), and '']'' (1990)—which became some of the ]—as well as '']'' (2005), her ]. Her albums '']'' (1989), '']'' (1998), and '']'' (2000) were ranked among '']''{{'}}s ]. ] of top-charting songs includes "]", "]", "]", "]", "]", "]", "]", "]" and "]".<!-- To avoid excessive listing and undue weight, we list 3 most popular No. 1 singles from each of the '80s, '90s, '00s decade--> | |||
According to the '']'', Madonna is the most successful female recording artist of all time as of ]. She has sold an estimated 120 million albums worldwide.<ref></ref> In a ] press release, her record label, Warner Bros., reported she had international sales in excess of 200 million albums.<ref></ref> Apart from achieving twelve #1 hits and 36 top ten hits on the U.S ] ], she has garnered numerous ] for her music, videos and films. Madonna is commonly refered to as the "Queen of Pop" and a pop icon because of her consistent and unprecedented contribution to pop music as well as her international success and fame. | |||
Her popularity was enhanced by ] such as '']'' (1985), '']'' (1990), '']'' (1992) and '']'' (1996). While she won a ] for the lattermost, many of her other films were not as well received. As a ], Madonna founded the company ] in 1992, which included Maverick Records, one of the most successful ] in history. Her other ventures include ], ], ] and filmmaking. She contributes to ], having founded the ] in 1998 and ] in 2006, and advocates for ] and ]. | |||
==Biography== | |||
===Early life=== | |||
Madonna Louise Ciccone was the third of six children born to an ] ] engineer, Silvio "Tony" P. Ciccone, and Madonna Louise Fortin (from a ] family in ]). She was raised in a ] family in the ] suburbs of ] and ]. | |||
Madonna is the world's ] and the ] to accumulate US$1 billion from ]. She is the ] in the history of the US ] chart and has achieved ] in between ]. ] include seven ], two ], 20 ], 17 ], and an ] into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. On '']'' annual rankings, Madonna became the ] a record 11 times across four decades (1980s–2010s). '']'' named her the ] (1980s), the ], and the ]. She was also listed among ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s ] and ] ever. | |||
Madonna's mother died of ] at the age of thirty on ] ]; Madonna was five years old. The singer has frequently discussed the impact her mother's death had on her life and career. Tony Ciccone later married the family housekeeper, Joan Gustafson, and had two children with her. | |||
== Life and career == | |||
Tony required all of his children to take music lessons. After a few months of piano lessons, Madonna convinced her father to allow her to take ballet classes instead, and she proved to be a gifted dancer. | |||
=== 1958–1978: Early life === | |||
Madonna Louise Ciccone{{sfn|Leonard|D'Acierno|1998|p=492}} was born in ] on August 16, 1958, to Catholic parents Madonna Louise (née Fortin) and Silvio Anthony "Tony" Ciccone.<ref name="mom">{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|pp=11–13}}</ref><ref name=allmusicbio>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madonna-mn0000237205/biography|title=Madonna Biography|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|publisher=]|access-date=April 13, 2015|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|archive-date=January 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124145233/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madonna-mn0000237205/biography|url-status=live}}</ref> Her father's parents were Italian emigrants from ] while her mother was of ] descent.{{sfn|Taraborrelli|2002|p=10}} Tony Ciccone worked as an optics engineer for ] and its successor, ], on military projects. Since Madonna had the same name as her mother, family members called her "Little Nonnie".<ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=2}}</ref> Her mother died of breast cancer on December 1, 1963, when Madonna was five years old. Madonna grew up in the Detroit suburbs of ] and Avon Township (now ]), alongside her two older brothers—Anthony (1956–2023) and Martin (born 1957)—and three younger siblings—Paula (born 1959), ] (1960–2024), and Melanie (born 1962).<ref name="thechild">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1400097/The-child-who-became-a-star.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1400097/The-child-who-became-a-star.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=The Child Who Became a Star: Madonna Timeline|newspaper=]|date=July 26, 2006|access-date=June 9, 2008}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Madonna adopted Veronica as a confirmation name upon formally entering the Catholic Church in 1966.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/news/madonna-albums-songs-celebration-tour-queen-of-pop-legacy-40th-anniversary|title=Songbook: How Madonna Became The Queen Of Pop & Reinvention, From Her 'Boy Toy' Era To The Celebration Tour|date=July 27, 2023|access-date=October 17, 2024|archive-date=August 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801154718/https://www.grammy.com/news/madonna-albums-songs-celebration-tour-queen-of-pop-legacy-40th-anniversary|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1966, Tony married the family's housekeeper, Joan Gustafson. They remained married for 58 years until Joan's death in 2024, and had three children: Jennifer (born 1967), Mario (born 1968), and Joey (who died shortly after his 1967 birth from a heart defect).<ref name="thechild" /><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/madonna-stepmother-joan-ciccone-dies-at-81-of-cancer-8719328|title=Madonna's Stepmom Joan Ciccone Dies at 81 of 'Very Aggressive Cancer'|first=Rachel|last=DeSantis|magazine=People|date=September 26, 2024|accessdate=October 6, 2024}}</ref> | |||
Madonna attended St. Frederick's and St. Andrew's Catholic Elementary Schools, and West Middle School. She was known for her high ] (GPA) and achieved notoriety for her unconventional behavior. Madonna would perform ] and handstands in the hallways between classes, dangle by her knees from the ] during recess, and pull up her skirt during class—all so that the boys could see her underwear.<ref name="tarabio">{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=23}}</ref> She later admitted to seeing herself in her youth as a "lonely girl who was searching for something. I wasn't rebellious in a certain way. I cared about being good at something. I didn't shave my underarms or legs, and I didn't wear make-up like normal girls do. But I studied and I got good grades... I wanted to be somebody."<ref name="mom" /> | |||
Madonna attended Rochester Adams High School, where she was a straight-A student, excelled at sports and was a member of the cheerleading squad. After graduating from high school in ], Madonna received a dance scholarship to the ], where she met ballet teacher Christopher Flynn. In addition to mentoring young Madonna in the field of dance, he provided her first exposure to gay discotheques, a scene that would later have an impact on the singer's music and style. | |||
Madonna's father put her in classical piano lessons, but she later convinced him to allow her to take ballet lessons.{{Sfn|Cross|2007|p=10}} Christopher Flynn, her ballet teacher, persuaded her to pursue a career in dance.<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|pp=26–29}}</ref> Madonna later attended ] and became a straight-A student as well as a member of its cheerleading squad.<ref>{{harvnb|Claro|1994|pp=24, 27}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=9}}</ref> After graduating in January 1976, she received a dance scholarship to the ] and studied over the summer at the ] in ].<ref>{{cite news|last=Tilden|first=Imogen|title=Madonna|newspaper=]|date=July 4, 2001|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jul/04/netnotes.imogentilden|access-date=May 29, 2008|archive-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017093721/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jul/04/netnotes.imogentilden|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name= charlotteobserver /> | |||
In ], at the encouragement of Flynn, Madonna left college at the end of her second year and moved to ] to pursue a dance career. Looking back at her arrival in New York, Madonna has said: "When I came to New York it was the first time I'd ever taken a plane, the first time I've ever gotten a taxi-cab, the first time for everything. And I came here with 35 dollars in my pocket. It was the bravest thing I'd ever done."<ref>. Madonna Village. Retrieved 26 February 2006.</ref> | |||
In 1978, Madonna dropped out of college and relocated to New York City.<ref>{{cite episode|title=A Star with Staying Power|url=http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/madonna/profile.html|year=2004|access-date=April 22, 2015|series=People in the News|network=]|credits=Hosted by Paula Zahn|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220123911/http://edition.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/people/shows/madonna/profile.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She said of her move to New York, "It was the first time I'd ever taken a plane, the first time I'd ever gotten a taxi cab. I came here with $35 in my pocket. It was the bravest thing I'd ever done."<ref>{{harvnb|Rettenmund|1995|p=45}}</ref> Madonna soon found an apartment in the ] neighborhood of the ]<ref>{{Harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=37}}</ref> and had little money while working as a hatcheck girl for the ], an elevator operator at ], and with ] troupes. She took classes at the ], eventually performing with ] Dance Theater.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|last=Anderson|first=Christopher|date=October 14, 1991|title=Madonna Rising|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EkNwz83JvvkC&q=dan+gilroy+madonna+synagogue+i&pg=PA44|magazine=New York|pages=40–51|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-date=July 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727072342/https://books.google.com/books?id=EkNwz83JvvkC&q=dan+gilroy+madonna+synagogue+i&pg=PA44|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name= charlotteobserver>{{cite news|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article23418204.html|title=Madonna before she was Madonna – dancing at American Dance Festival|newspaper=]|access-date=December 14, 2015|date=June 7, 2015|last=Menconi|first=David|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053426/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article23418204.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode|title=Madonna: Queen of Pop|series=Biography|network=]|minutes=5|credits=Hosted by Jim Wallasky}}</ref> She also studied dance under the tutelage of the noted American dancer and choreographer ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/04/everything-we-know-about-madonnas-new-album-madame-x.html|title=Everything We Know About Madonna's New Album ''Madame X''|last=Polk|first=Milan|website=Vulture|date=April 22, 2019|access-date=May 21, 2019|archive-date=April 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422231216/https://www.vulture.com/2019/04/everything-we-know-about-madonnas-new-album-madame-x.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna started to work as a backup dancer for other established artists. One night, while returning from a rehearsal, a pair of men held her at knifepoint and forced her to perform ]. 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."<ref>{{harvnb|O'Brien|2007|p=56}}</ref> | |||
Madonna would brave financial difficulties throughout this time, living in squalor (when not living off the kindness of friends and lovers) and working a series of low-paying jobs. She would turn to nude modeling to make ends meet. During this time, she also studied with modern dance legend ] as well as a Graham disciple, ]. Madonna later performed with several ] companies, including ] and the ]. | |||
=== 1979–1983: Career beginnings, rock bands, and ''Madonna'' === | |||
While performing as a dancer for French disco star ] on his ] world tour, Madonna met and became romantically involved with musician Dan Gilroy, with whom she would start her first rock band, the Breakfast Club, in New York. Madonna played drums and later sang and played guitar and the drums with The Breakfast Club before forming Emmy in ] with drummer and former boyfriend ]. She then broke off with Bray to write and produce a number of solo disco and dance songs that brought her local fame in ] dance clubs, particularly ] and ]. A ] of Madonna's Bray collaborations caught the ear of popular New York DJ/Producer ], who brought the tape to the attention of Sire Records. | |||
In 1979, Madonna became romantically involved with musician ].<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine|last=Connelly|first=Christopher|date=November 22, 1984|title=Madonna Goes All the Way|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/madonna-goes-all-the-way-203328/|access-date=April 27, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=April 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410131720/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/madonna-goes-all-the-way-203328/|url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly after meeting him, she successfully auditioned to perform in Paris with French disco artist ] as his backup singer and dancer.<ref name=":0" /> During her three months with Hernandez's troupe, she also traveled to Tunisia before returning to New York in August 1979.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{harvnb|Bego|2000|p=52}}</ref> Madonna moved into an abandoned synagogue where Gilroy lived and rehearsed in ].<ref name=":0" /><ref name="tarabio" /> Together they formed her first band, the ], for which Madonna sang and played drums and guitar.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=47}} While with the band, Madonna briefly worked as a hat-check girl at the Russian Tea Room, and she made her acting debut in the low-budget indie film '']'', which was not released until 1985.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Palmer|first=Landon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jPUTEAAAQBAJ&q=madonna+auditioned+fame+1982&pg=PA184|title=Rock Star/Movie Star: Power and Performance in Cinematic Rock Stardom|date=June 30, 2020|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-088842-8|pages=184|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-date=June 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607160814/https://books.google.com/books?id=jPUTEAAAQBAJ&q=madonna+auditioned+fame+1982&pg=PA184#v=snippet&q=madonna%20auditioned%20fame%201982&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Bessman|first=Jim|date=August 3, 1985|title=Madonna's 'Sacrifice' Hits Home Market|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=madonna+a+certain+sacrifice&pg=PT29|magazine=Billboard|pages=30|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-date=June 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607160924/https://books.google.com/books?id=uSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=madonna+a+certain+sacrifice&pg=PT29#v=snippet&q=madonna%20a%20certain%20sacrifice&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1980, Madonna left the Breakfast Club with drummer ], who was her boyfriend in Michigan, and they formed the band Emmy and the Emmys.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Graff|first=Gary|date=April 25, 1987|title=Bray's Loyalty To Madonna Pays Off|work=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-04-25-8701310985-story.html|access-date=April 27, 2021|archive-date=June 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603075715/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-04-25-8701310985-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> They rekindled their romance and moved into ] in Manhattan.<ref name=":0" /> The two began writing songs together and they recorded a four-song demo tape in November 1980, but soon after, Madonna decided to promote herself as a solo artiste.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Runtagh|first=Jordan|date=September 7, 2019|title=30 Fascinating Early Bands of Future Music Legends|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/30-fascinating-early-bands-of-future-music-legends-200891/|access-date=April 27, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=April 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427121338/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/30-fascinating-early-bands-of-future-music-legends-200891/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> | |||
It was at this time that Madonna received her first starring film role - a part in the low-budget independent film ''].'' | |||
In March 1981, Camille Barbone, who ran Gotham Records in the Music Building, signed Madonna to a contract with Gotham and worked as her manager until February 1982.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=94}}{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=105}}<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cihak|first=Lennon|date=April 27, 2020|title=Madonna's former manager Camille Barbone on filtering out bullsh*t|url=https://lennoncihak.com/podcast/camille-barbone|access-date=April 28, 2021|website=Lennon Cihak|archive-date=May 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513114920/https://lennoncihak.com/podcast/camille-barbone|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna frequented nightclubs to get disc jockeys to play her demo.{{Sfn|Cross|2007|p=25}} DJ ] at ] took an interest in her music and they began dating.<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 16, 2013|title=Mark Kamins Dead: DJ-Producer Who Dated And Discovered Madonna Dies At 57|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mark-kamins-dead-dj-producer-madonna_n_2702502|access-date=August 4, 2021|website=HuffPost|archive-date=August 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804122121/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mark-kamins-dead-dj-producer-madonna_n_2702502|url-status=live}}</ref> Kamins arranged a meeting with Madonna and ], the president of ], a subsidiary of ].{{Sfn|Cross|2007|p=25}} Madonna signed a deal for a total of three singles, with an option for an album.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=June 14, 2018|title=How I Met Madonna, by Seymour Stein, the Man Who Signed Her|url=https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/how-i-met-madonna-by-seymour-stein-the-man-who-signed-her-book-excerpt-1202846755/|access-date=August 4, 2021|magazine=Variety|archive-date=June 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608072508/https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/how-i-met-madonna-by-seymour-stein-the-man-who-signed-her-book-excerpt-1202846755/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===The first album=== | |||
], ''Everybody'', featured her sporting a ].]] | |||
In ], Madonna inked a singles deal with ] that paid her $5,000 per song. Her first single, "]," was produced by ]. Although it did not become a pop hit, it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Dance Chart. It also gained some airplay on R&B radio stations, leading many to assume that Madonna was a black artist. When "Everybody" was released, Madonna's picture did not appear on the single cover sleeve, because Sire did not want to risk losing the black audience (Madonna's core purchasing audience at that point) by advertising that Madonna was white. | |||
Kamins produced her debut single, "]", which was released in October 1982.{{Sfn|Cross|2007|p=25}} In December 1982, Madonna performed the song live for the first time at Danceteria.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=211}}<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Bickford|first=Malina|date=September 8, 2014|title="It Was a Beautiful Thing:" Danceteria and the Birth of Madonna|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvjawa/it-was-a-beautiful-thing-danceteria-and-the-birth-of-madonna|access-date=April 27, 2021|magazine=Vice|archive-date=June 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608072507/https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvjawa/it-was-a-beautiful-thing-danceteria-and-the-birth-of-madonna|url-status=live}}</ref> She made her first television appearance performing "Everybody" on '']'' in January 1983, although it had actually been filmed a month prior.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Fiorillo|first=Victor|date=April 10, 2016|title=Facebook Flame Wars, Legal Action, and "Death Threats": Dancin' on Air's Family Feud Boils Over|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/04/10/dancin-on-air-dance-party-usa/|magazine=]|access-date=April 27, 2021|archive-date=April 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427061900/https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/04/10/dancin-on-air-dance-party-usa/|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 1983, she promoted the single with nightclub performances in the United Kingdom.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=118}} Her second single, the double A-side "]" / "]", was released in March 1983. Both this single and "Everybody" reached number three on '']'' magazine's ] chart.<ref>{{cite news|title=Madonna, Beastie Boys Nominated For Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame|publisher=]|date=September 23, 2007|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1570747/20070927/beastie_boys.jhtml|access-date=May 29, 2008|last=Orzeck|first=Kurt|archive-date=May 3, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503045056/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1570747/20070927/beastie_boys.jhtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> "Burning Up" / "Physical Attraction" also charted at number 13 in Australia.<ref name=kent>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=188}}</ref> During this period, Madonna was in a relationship with artist ] and living at his loft in ].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fretz|first=Eric|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XDsYOhjGVDIC&q=basquiat+madonna+crosby&pg=PA105|title=Jean-Michel Basquiat: A Biography|date=2010|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-38056-3|pages=105|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-date=June 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607160849/https://books.google.com/books?id=XDsYOhjGVDIC&q=basquiat+madonna+crosby&pg=PA105|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Aniftos|first=Rania|date=December 6, 2018|title=Madonna Posts Throwback Photo With Ex-Boyfriend Jean-Michel Basquiat|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8489113/madonna-throwback-photo-jean-michel-basquiat|access-date=August 5, 2020|magazine=]|archive-date=August 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815172710/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8489113/madonna-throwback-photo-jean-michel-basquiat|url-status=live}}</ref> Basquiat introduced her to art curator ], who had managed some ] bands and co-founded the ].<ref name=":2" /> Madonna invited Cortez to be her manager, but he declined.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=July 14, 2021|title=Diego Cortez obituary|url=http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/jul/14/diego-cortez-obituary|access-date=August 3, 2021|newspaper=The Guardian|archive-date=July 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725112617/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/jul/14/diego-cortez-obituary|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Madonna's next single was "Physical Attraction," another hit on the Billboard Dance Chart which nonetheless failed to become a pop hit. However, the success of these singles on the Dance Chart encouraged Sire to invest in a full-length album. Six new songs were recorded for the album and they would be included along with the first two singles. | |||
Following the success of the singles, Warner hired ] to produce her debut album, '']''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Howe|first=Sean|date=July 29, 2013|title=How Madonna Became Madonna: An Oral History|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/how-madonna-became-madonna-an-oral-history-94288/|access-date=April 27, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923074053/https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/how-madonna-became-madonna-an-oral-history-94288/|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Madonna was dissatisfied with the completed tracks and disagreed with Lucas' production techniques, so she decided to seek additional help.<ref name="tara1">{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=43}}</ref> She asked ], the ] at Fun House, to help finish the album's production and a romance ensued.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jellybean Benitez Remembers NYC Clubs of Yesteryear|url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2016/05/jellybean-benitez-remembers-nyc-clubs-of-yesteryear|access-date=August 3, 2021|website=Redbull Music Academy|archive-date=May 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518092340/http://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2016/05/jellybean-benitez-remembers-nyc-clubs-of-yesteryear|url-status=live}}</ref> Benitez remixed most of the tracks and produced "]", which was her first international top-ten song. The album was released in July 1983, and peaked at number eight on the ]. It yielded two top-ten singles on the ], "]" and "]".<ref name="ach" /> In late 1983, Madonna's new manager, ], secured a meeting for her with film producer ], who asked her to play the part of a club singer in the romantic drama '']''.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=121}} | |||
Madonna released her self-titled first album, '']'', in July ] (it was repackaged and retitled "Madonna - The First Album" for Europe and overseas in ]). It was produced by ], with one song being produced by ], with whom Madonna had had a brief romance. The next single off the now full-length album was "Burning Up," which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Chart. Although the album sold slowly at first, sales picked up with the release of the fourth single, "Holiday." The song became Madonna's first bonafide hit, peaking at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and nudging the album to a #8 peak on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart. The following single, "Borderline," became Madonna's first Top 10 hit, while the sixth and final single, "Lucky Star," landed in the Top 5. The album sold nearly two million copies in the U.S. at the time of release and currently stands at 5 times platinum. | |||
=== 1984–1987: ''Like a Virgin'', first marriage, ''True Blue'', and ''Who's That Girl'' === | |||
Madonna's image was a sexy and playful combination of pop and punk culture, and her increasingly elaborate ] soon became fixtures on the newly established ] network. Madonna would join such ] stars as ] and ] in using the music video medium to create a new brand of image-conscious multimedia star, much to the ire of music critics and rock musicians who saw such tactics as an unapologetic abuse of style over substance. | |||
]]] | |||
In January 1984, Madonna gained more exposure by performing on '']'' and '']''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Myers|first=Justin|date=February 7, 2014|title=Official Charts Flashback: 30 years of Holiday, Madonna's first Top 10 hit|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-charts-flashback-30-years-since-madonna-s-first-top-10-hit__4712/|access-date=April 27, 2021|publisher=Official Charts Company|archive-date=April 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427120705/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/official-charts-flashback-30-years-since-madonna-s-first-top-10-hit__4712/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Archive-John-Mitchell|date=April 19, 2012|title=Dick Clark, Thank You For Introducing Madonna to The World|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1683483/dick-clark-madonna/|access-date=April 27, 2021|publisher=MTV News|archive-date=April 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427120705/http://www.mtv.com/news/1683483/dick-clark-madonna/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="TOTP_26Jan1984">{{cite web |title=First Appearance on Top of the Pops |url=https://totparchive.co.uk/episode.php?id=1036 |website=Top of The Pops Archive |access-date=September 5, 2023 |archive-date=September 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230905111816/https://totparchive.co.uk/episode.php?id=1036 |url-status=live }}</ref> Her image, performances and music videos influenced many young girls and women.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=February 27, 2013|title=90 Years, 140 TIME Cover Stars: The Celebs Who Defined a Century of Entertainment|magazine=Time|url=https://entertainment.time.com/2013/02/27/time-cover-celebrity-showbiz/slide/madonna/|access-date=April 27, 2021|issn=0040-781X|archive-date=April 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427221119/https://entertainment.time.com/2013/02/27/time-cover-celebrity-showbiz/slide/madonna/|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna's style became one of the female ].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Barr|first=Sabrina|date=August 16, 2020|title=How Madonna has shaped modern fashion trends over the last four decades|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/madonna-birthday-material-girl-fashion-influencer-style-80s-a8490701.html|access-date=April 27, 2021|newspaper=The Independent|archive-date=August 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821093311/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/madonna-birthday-material-girl-fashion-influencer-style-80s-a8490701.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Created by stylist and jewelry designer ], the look consisted of lace tops, skirts over ], ] stockings, jewelry bearing the ], bracelets and bleached hair.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 26, 2018|title=Dress you up: Meet Maripol, the woman behind Madonna's early, iconic look|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/dress-meet-maripol-woman-behind-madonnas-early-iconic-look-015528814.html|access-date=April 27, 2021|publisher=Yahoo!|archive-date=April 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427221120/https://www.yahoo.com/news/dress-meet-maripol-woman-behind-madonnas-early-iconic-look-015528814.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Clerk|2002|p=20}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Voller|1999|p=22}}</ref> Madonna's popularity continued to rise globally with the release of her second studio album, '']'', in November 1984. It became her first number-one album in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, the UK and the US.<ref name="bbalbums">{{cite web|title=Madonna – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madonna-p64565/charts-awards/billboard-albums|access-date=February 24, 2010|publisher=]|archive-date=June 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607160850/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madonna-mn0000237205|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Rettenmund|1995|p=67}}</ref> ''Like a Virgin'' became the first album by a female to sell over five million copies in the US.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Grein|first=Paul|date=August 10, 1985|title=Hot Madonna: July Fills Her Coffers With RIAA Metal|magazine=]|volume=97|issue=32|page=7|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6iQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA7|access-date=September 27, 2016|archive-date=June 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607160731/https://books.google.com/books?id=6iQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA7#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> It was later ] by the ] (RIAA), and has sold over 21 million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-08-15/contrasting-fortunes-as-madonna-jacko-turn-50/477174|title=Contrasting fortunes as Madonna and Jacko turn 50|date=August 15, 2008|publisher=]|access-date=August 24, 2009|archive-date=October 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022170704/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-08-15/contrasting-fortunes-as-madonna-jacko-turn-50/477174|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The album's ] served as its first single, and topped the Hot 100 chart for six consecutive weeks.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Ask Billboard: A Lot To 'Like' About Far*East Movement|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/952823/ask-billboard-a-lot-to-like-about-fareast-movement|magazine=Billboard|date=October 22, 2010|access-date=September 2, 2012|archive-date=April 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403073011/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/952823/ask-billboard-a-lot-to-like-about-fareast-movement|url-status=live}}</ref> It attracted the attention of conservative organizations who complained that the song and its accompanying video promoted premarital sex and undermined family values,<ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=31}}</ref> and moralists sought to have the song and video banned.<ref>{{harvnb|Voller|1999|p=18}}</ref> Madonna received huge media coverage for her performance of "Like a Virgin" at the first ]. Wearing a wedding dress and white gloves, Madonna appeared on stage atop a giant wedding cake and then rolled around suggestively on the floor. MTV retrospectively considered it one of the "most iconic" pop performances of all time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1978552/madonna-video-music-awards-like-a-virgin/|title=Here's The Wardrobe Malfunction That Made Madonna's 'Like A Virgin' VMA Performance Legendary|first=Christina|last=Garibaldi|date=October 28, 2014|publisher=]|access-date=September 4, 2017|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143212/http://www.mtv.com/news/1978552/madonna-video-music-awards-like-a-virgin/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The second single, "]", reached number two on the Hot 100.<ref name="ach" /> While filming the single's music video, Madonna started dating actor ]. They married on her birthday in 1985.<ref name=secretlife>{{cite news|last=Greig|first=Geordie|author-link=Geordie Greig|title=Geordie Greig Meets Madonna: Secret Life of a Contented Wife|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article586950.ece|newspaper=]|date=November 6, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906113359/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article586950.ece|access-date=March 30, 2021|archive-date=September 6, 2008}}</ref> | |||
===Like A Virgin=== | |||
]" music video.]] | |||
In ], Madonna released '']''. The album, produced by ], became her first #1 album in the U.S. Billboard Top 200. Buoyed by the success of its ] (which hit number one across the globe, including a six week stay at the top of the Billboard Hot 100), ''Like a Virgin'' became an international success, spawning three more Billboard top five singles ("]", "]" and "]") and eventually being awarded the ] certification by the RIAA for shipments exceeding 10 million albums in the U.S.. | |||
Madonna entered mainstream films in February 1985, beginning with her cameo in ''Vision Quest''. The soundtrack contained two new singles, her US number-one single, "]", and another track "]".<ref name="ach">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/madonna/chart-history/hsi/|title=Madonna Chart History (Hot 100)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=March 12, 2009|archive-date=November 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117004354/https://www.billboard.com/artist/madonna/chart-history/hsi/|url-status=live}}</ref> She also played the title role in the 1985 comedy '']'', a film which introduced the song "]", her first number-one single in the UK.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4753366.stm|work=BBC News|date=February 26, 2006|title=Madonna Scores 12th Chart Topper in the UK|access-date=June 9, 2008|archive-date=September 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915210607/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4753366.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Her popularity caused the film to be perceived as a Madonna vehicle, despite how she was not billed as a ].<ref name="AmericanF">{{cite magazine|magazine=]|page=20|volume=10|year=1984|issn=1536-3155 |title=Desperately Seeking Madonna}}</ref> '']'' film critic ] named it one of the ten best films of 1985.<ref>{{cite news|last=Van Gelder|first=Lawrence|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/02/arts/critics-choices-cable-tv.html|title=Critic's Choices|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 2, 1986|access-date=April 25, 2012|archive-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017150233/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/02/arts/critics-choices-cable-tv.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Madonna's performance at the First Annual ]s, in which she writhed on the stage wearing a combination bustier/wedding gown, lacy stockings and garters and her trademark "Boy Toy" belt, was the first of several public displays that boosted Madonna's fan base as much as they incensed critics. | |||
]|alt=A blond woman onstage with curly hair holding a microphone, wearing a black dress]] | |||
In ], Madonna broke out into mainstream film roles, beginning with a brief appearance playing a club singer in the film '']'', a film that contained her second #1 Billboard hit, the ]-nominated ballad "]". A second track from the film, "]" was released outside the U.S. Later that same year, she received modest commercial and critical success for her starring role in ]'s film '']'', which grossed $27 Million in the U.S.<ref>.</ref> Its soundtrack contained another Madonna song, "]", which, as the flip side to the ''Like a Virgin'' track "Angel," reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. | |||
Beginning in April 1985, Madonna embarked on her first concert tour in North America, ], with the ] as her opening act. The tour saw the peak of ] phenomenon, with many female attendees dressing like her.<ref>{{harvnb|Voller|1999|p=21}}</ref> At that time, she released two more songs, "]" and "]", making all four singles from the album peak inside the top five on the Hot 100 chart.<ref>{{harvnb|George-Warren|Romanowski|Pareles|2001|pp=23–25}}</ref> "Angel" also topped the Australian charts.<ref name=kent/> In July, '']'' and '']'' magazines published a number of nude photos of Madonna, taken when she moonlighted as an ] in 1978.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Farber|first=M. A.|date=August 2, 1985|title=From Marilyn To Madonna, The Unglamorous Business Of Posing In The Nude|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/02/nyregion/from-marilyn-to-madonna-the-unglamorous-business-of-posing-in-the-nude.html|access-date=April 28, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=May 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513114920/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/02/nyregion/from-marilyn-to-madonna-the-unglamorous-business-of-posing-in-the-nude.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She had posed for the photographs because she needed money at the time, and was paid as little as $25 a session.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=135}} The publication of the photos caused a media uproar, but Madonna remained "unapologetic and defiant".<ref name=musicobio>{{cite web|author=Dion, Richard|url=http://www.musicomania.ca/madonna/biography.htm|title=Madonna Biography|publisher=Musicomania|access-date=April 23, 2012|archive-date=July 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702010718/http://www.musicomania.ca/madonna/biography.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The photographs were ultimately sold for up to $100,000.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=135}} She referred to these events at the 1985 outdoor ] charity concert, saying that she would not take her jacket off because " might hold it against me ten years from now."<ref name=musicobio /><ref>{{harvnb|Metz|Benson|1999|p=67}}</ref> | |||
In the UK, "]" was released as a single in ] ] and gave Madonna her first #1 (she was also at #2 with a re-release of "]" at the same time). It was later included as a bonus track on the ] re-release of the album ''Like a Virgin''. Madonna concluded her year on the U.K. chart having notched up 8 top ten hits in ] alone. Madonna launched her first full-scale live performance tour titled "]." News reports from the tour would highlight the advent of the "Madonna ]" - hordes of teenage girls around the country dressing in ], ]s, torn t-shirts, and lacy bras, with armfuls of black rubber bangles, teased, bow-tied hair and a stressed ] above the lip to emulate the star. | |||
In June 1986, Madonna released her third studio album, '']'', which was inspired by and dedicated to her husband Penn.<ref>{{harvnb|Clerk|2002|p=77}}</ref> '']'' was impressed with the effort, writing that the album "sound as if it comes from the heart".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Madonna: True Blue|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Sigerson|first=David|date=July 7, 1986|access-date=May 28, 2008 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/7076/36379|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629005730/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/7076/36379|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 29, 2012}}</ref> Five singles were released—"]", "]", "]", "]", and "]"—all of which reached number one in the US or the UK.<ref name="ach" /><ref name="UKchart">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28948/madonna/|title=Madonna: Artist Discography|date=January 14, 1984 |publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=May 25, 2009|archive-date=March 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318212925/http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28948/madonna/|url-status=live}}</ref> The album topped the charts in 28 countries worldwide, an unprecedented achievement at the time, and remains Madonna's bestselling studio album, with sales of 25 million copies.<ref>{{harvnb|Bohem|1990|p=78}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1682061/madonna-lionel-richie-top-billboard.jhtml|title=Madonna And Lionel Richie To Reunite On Billboard Charts?|first=Gil|last=Kaufman|publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)|date=March 29, 2012|access-date=April 7, 2012|archive-date=March 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331201523/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1682061/madonna-lionel-richie-top-billboard.jhtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''True Blue'' was featured in the 1992 edition of '']'' as the bestselling album by a woman of all time.<ref>{{harvnb|McFarlan|1992|p=186}}</ref> | |||
In ] of ], a number of black and white nude photos of Madonna surfaced, published in both '']'' and '']'' magazines. The photos were taken during the late ], when she had posed for art photographers in New York City as a way to make money. That same month, Madonna performed at the ] charity concert. Madonna lost a court battle in ] ] over the video release of '']'', the low-budget film she starred in during her pre-fame New York years. She also met and fell in love with actor ], whom she met on the set of the "Material Girl" video when he made a surprise visit. On her twenty-seventh birthday, ] ], she and Penn were married in an outdoor ceremony in ]. | |||
Madonna starred in the critically panned film '']'' in 1986, for which she received her first ] for ].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/gallery/sizzle-or-fizzle-real-life-couples-screen/|title=Sizzle or Fizzle? Real-Life Couples On Screen|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=February 14, 2014|access-date=April 11, 2014|archive-date=April 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406015016/http://www.ew.com/gallery/sizzle-or-fizzle-real-life-couples-screen|url-status=live}}</ref> She made her theatrical debut in a production of ]'s ''Goose and Tom-Tom''; the film and play both co-starred Penn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribute.ca/people/madonna-/4085/|title=Madonna Biography|publisher=] Media Group|access-date=June 9, 2008|archive-date=October 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002222310/http://www.tribute.ca/people/madonna-/4085/|url-status=live}}</ref> The next year, Madonna was featured in the film '']''. She contributed four songs to its soundtrack, including the ] and "]".<ref name="bbsingles">{{cite web|title=Madonna – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madonna-p64565/charts-awards/billboard-singles|access-date=February 24, 2010|publisher=]|archive-date=October 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101021021900/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madonna-p64565/charts-awards/billboard-singles|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna embarked on the ] in June 1987, which continued until September.<ref name="showstealer" /><ref name="Voller 1999 29">{{harvnb|Voller|1999|p=29}}</ref> It broke several attendance records, including over 130,000 people in a show near Paris, which was then a record for ].<ref name="paris1987">{{cite news|url=http://elpais.com/diario/1987/08/31/cultura/557359210_850215.html|title=Madonna convocó en París a 130.000 personas|language=es|access-date=May 4, 2009|newspaper=]|location=Madrid|publisher=]|last=Bassets|first=Luis|date=August 31, 1987|archive-date=November 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118090803/http://elpais.com/diario/1987/08/31/cultura/557359210_850215.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that year, she released a remix album of past hits, '']'', which reached number 14 on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref name="bbalbums" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r12207|title=Madonna – You Can Dance|date=December 2, 1987|access-date=May 18, 2010|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=]|archive-date=June 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607160930/https://www.allmusic.com/album/you-can-dance-mw0000197952/trackListingAjax|url-status=live}}</ref> After a tumultuous two years' marriage, Madonna filed for divorce from Penn on December 4, 1987, but withdrew the petition a few weeks later.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 17, 1987|title=Madonna Halts Divorce|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-17-mn-29804-story.html|url-access=subscription|access-date=February 2, 2022|archive-date=February 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202031439/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-17-mn-29804-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Kaufman|first=Joanne|date=December 14, 1987|title=Everyone Said It Wouldn't Last...|url=https://people.com/archive/cover-story-everyone-said-it-wouldnt-last-vol-28-no-24/|access-date=February 2, 2022|magazine=People|archive-date=January 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130134948/https://people.com/archive/cover-story-everyone-said-it-wouldnt-last-vol-28-no-24/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===True Blue=== | |||
]" music video.]] | |||
In ], Madonna released her third album, '']'' and also undertook production duties for the first time with this release. The album, also produced by ] and Stephen Bray, quickly rose to #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and included five hit singles: the number-one hits "]", (the theme from the film '']'', , "]," and "]," as well as the top ten hits "]" and "]". | |||
=== 1988–1991: ''Like a Prayer'', ''Dick Tracy'', and ''Truth or Dare'' === | |||
''True Blue'' videos showed Madonna's continued interest in pushing boundaries of the music video medium to a cinematic level, including elaborate art direction, cinematography and film devices such as character and plot. Though Madonna had already made videos expressing her sexuality and overflowing with pop cultural references, Madonna would add religious iconography, gender archetypes and social issues to her ''oeuvre'' and these concepts would carry through her work for years to come. | |||
]|alt=A blond woman onstage with curly hair, and wearing a white corset and black pants. The background is black and smoky.]] | |||
She made her ] debut in the production of '']'' at the ] from May to August 1988.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Winship|first=Frederic M.|date=May 4, 1988|title=Madonna makes unimpressive Broadway debut in Mamet play|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/05/04/Madonna-makes-unimpressive-Broadway-debut-in-Mamet-play/2896578721600/|access-date=February 1, 2022|work=United Press International|archive-date=February 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202031437/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/05/04/Madonna-makes-unimpressive-Broadway-debut-in-Mamet-play/2896578721600/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=August 8, 1988|title='Speed-the-Plow' Cast to Be Changed|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/08/theater/speed-the-plow-cast-to-be-changed.html|access-date=February 2, 2022|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=February 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202031436/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/08/theater/speed-the-plow-cast-to-be-changed.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the ], Madonna filed an assault report against Penn after an alleged incident at their Malibu home during the New Year's weekend.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|last=Wilson|first=Jeff|date=January 11, 1989|title=Madonna Withdraws Assault Complaint Against Sean Penn|url=https://apnews.com/article/02821457861985f54b771ded83b89ba0|access-date=February 2, 2022|work=Associated Press News|archive-date=February 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202031439/https://apnews.com/article/02821457861985f54b771ded83b89ba0|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Incident Behind Those Sean Penn Domestic Abuse Allegations|date=September 22, 2015|url=http://yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/celeb-news/the-incident-behind-those-sean-penn-domestic-abuse-allegations-200453426.html|access-date=February 1, 2022|publisher=Yahoo!|archive-date=January 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130221902/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/celeb-news/the-incident-behind-those-sean-penn-domestic-abuse-allegations-200453426.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna filed for divorce on January 5, 1989, and the following week she reportedly asked that no criminal charges be pressed.<ref>{{Cite news|date=January 5, 1989|title=Madonna files for divorce from Sean Penn|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/01/05/Madonna-files-for-divorce-from-Sean-Penn/4310599979600/|access-date=February 1, 2022|work=United Press International|archive-date=February 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202031439/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/01/05/Madonna-files-for-divorce-from-Sean-Penn/4310599979600/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> | |||
Madonna appeared with her then-husband, actor Sean Penn, in the ] film '']'', which was unanimously panned by critics and performed poorly at the box office. Madonna was awarded the "Worst Actress" trophy at the Golden Raspberry Awards two years in a row for her roles in ''Shanghai'' and the ] comedy '']''. While '']'' was a critical and commercial failure, it gave Madonna a Platinum-certified ] that included the international number-one hit ] and the number-two hit, "]." In Europe ] was released late ] and reached the UK top 10. | |||
In January 1989, Madonna signed an endorsement deal with soft-drink manufacturer ].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Stefan|first=Fatsis|date=January 25, 1989|title=Pepsi Signs Madonna As Cola Ad Wars Intensify|url=https://apnews.com/article/f3eab00761da7c9da7d7fe839bcd3be2|access-date=February 2, 2022|work=Associated Press News|archive-date=February 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202032937/https://apnews.com/article/f3eab00761da7c9da7d7fe839bcd3be2|url-status=live}}</ref> In one Pepsi commercial, she debuted "]", the lead single and title track from her ]. The music video featured ] such as ] and ], and a dream of making love to a saint, leading the ] to condemn the video. Religious groups sought to ban the commercial and boycott Pepsi products. Pepsi revoked the commercial and canceled her sponsorship contract.<ref name="foxbio">{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/madonna-biography-discography-filmography|title=Madonna Biography, Discography, Filmography|publisher=]|access-date=June 5, 2008|date=January 3, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025145239/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,193740,00.html?sPage=fnc.entertainment%2Fmadonna|archive-date=October 25, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Pepsi cancels Madonna ad|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/05/business/pepsi-cancels-madonna-ad.html|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 2, 2012|date=April 5, 1989|archive-date=September 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924233149/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/05/business/pepsi-cancels-madonna-ad.html|url-status=live}}</ref> "Like a Prayer" topped the charts in many countries, becoming her seventh number-one on the Hot 100.<ref name="bbsingles" /><ref name="ach" /> | |||
Madonna embarked on the successful "]" in the summer of ], beginning her long association with backing vocalists and dancers ] and ] and moving closer to the more elaborately-staged theater-inspired concert. The tour also marked her first run-in with the ]. The ] unsuccessfully urged fans not to attend her performances in ], and the Vatican expressed outrage at the unveiling of a racy 13-foot Madonna statue in the Italian town of Pacentro. The Italian show would be later released on video in ] under the name ]. | |||
Madonna co-wrote and co-produced the album ''Like a Prayer'' with ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite AV media|year=1989|title=]|medium=Audio CD|people=Madonna|publisher=Sire Records}}</ref> Music critic ] from ''Rolling Stone'' praised it "as close to art as pop music gets ... 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."<ref name="laprsreview">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/7480/37150|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121208142706/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/7480/37150|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 8, 2012|title=Madonna: Like A Prayer: Review|access-date=January 21, 2007|last=Considine|first=J.D.|author-link=J.D. Considine|date=April 6, 1989|magazine=]}}</ref> ''Like a Prayer'' peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and sold 15 million copies worldwide.<ref name="bbalbums" /><ref name="Time">{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5793713/madonna-100-women-of-the-year/|title=100 WOMEN OF THE YEAR, 1989: Madonna|magazine=]|date=March 5, 2020|access-date=January 9, 2021|archive-date=March 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304234725/https://time.com/5793713/madonna-100-women-of-the-year/|url-status=live}}</ref> Other successful singles from the album were "]" and "]", which both peaked at number two in the US, as well as the UK top-five "]" and the US top-ten "]".<ref name="bbsingles" /><ref name="ach" /> By the end of the 1980s, Madonna was named as the "Artist of the Decade" by MTV, ''Billboard'' and '']'' magazine.<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=217}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Michael, Madonna Top 'Billboard' Poll|newspaper=]|date=May 25, 1990|issn=0897-0920|page=23}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Bego|2000|p=232}}</ref> | |||
Madonna ended ] with the release of her Platinum-certified remix album entitled '']''. The album included one new song, ], which was released only in Japan. Madonna filed assault charges against Sean Penn in ], ]; there had been reports of abuse against Madonna herself. They officially separated on ]st and divorced on ]th, ], after four years of marriage. | |||
Madonna starred as ] in the film ] (1990), with ] playing the title role.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=163}} The film went to ] for two weeks and Madonna received a ] nomination for ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dicktracy.htm|title=Dick Tracy|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=April 11, 2014|archive-date=April 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428025956/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dicktracy.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> To accompany the film, she released the soundtrack album, '']'', which included songs inspired by the film's 1930s setting. It also featured the US number-one song "]" and "]".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/news/poll-vogue-is-fave-madonna-chart-topper-876281.story|title=Poll: 'Vogue' Is Fave Madonna Chart-Topper|magazine=Billboard|date=September 15, 2000|last=Herrera|first=Monica|access-date=December 14, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110062727/http://www.billboard.com/news/poll-vogue-is-fave-madonna-chart-topper-876281.story|archive-date=November 10, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Pitts|2004|p=40}}</ref> While shooting the film, Madonna began a relationship with Beatty, which dissolved shortly after the premiere.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118117,00.html|title=He Still Leaves 'Em Breathless|first=Elizabeth|last=Sporkin|date=July 2, 1990|magazine=People|access-date=July 30, 2009|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201859/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118117,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Calderone|first=Ana|date=November 21, 2016|title=Warren Beatty Opens Up About Dating Madonna|url=https://people.com/movies/warren-beatty-madonna-dick-tracy-truth-or-dare/|access-date=August 4, 2021|magazine=People|archive-date=August 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804142141/https://people.com/movies/warren-beatty-madonna-dick-tracy-truth-or-dare/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Like A Prayer=== | |||
]" a controversial music video.]] | |||
In April 1990, Madonna began her ], which ended in August.<ref>{{cite web|title=Madonna.com > Tours > Blond Ambition Tour|url=http://www.madonna.com/tour/index/tour/id/2|publisher=Madonna.com|access-date=September 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107141042/http://madonna.com/tour/index/tour/id/2|archive-date=November 7, 2014}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' called it an "elaborately choreographed, sexually provocative extravaganza" and proclaimed it "the best tour of 1990".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Crucifixes, Leather and Hits|date=June 1, 2006|last=Walters |first=Barry|magazine=Rolling Stone|issn=0035-791X|volume=1067|issue=56}}</ref> The tour generated strong negative reaction from religious groups for her performance of "Like a Virgin", during which two male dancers caressed her body before she simulated masturbation.<ref name="showstealer">{{cite news|first=Neil|last=Smith|date=May 24, 2004|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3704915.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Show Stealer Madonna on Tour|access-date=February 12, 2008|archive-date=August 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804221111/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3704915.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In response, Madonna said, "The tour in no way hurts anybody's sentiments. It's for open minds and gets them to see sexuality in a different way. Their own and others".<ref name="carrie">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/carrie-fisher-interviews-madonna-about-men-sex-drugs-death-w457927|last=Fisher|first=Carrie|author-link=Carrie Fisher|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=August 1991|title=True Confessions: The Rolling Stone Interview With Madonna|access-date=November 9, 2017|archive-date=August 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821085704/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/carrie-fisher-interviews-madonna-about-men-sex-drugs-death-w457927|url-status=dead}}</ref> ] won Madonna her first ], in the category of ].<ref name="grammy" /> In October 1990, Madonna lent her voice to a Public Service Announcement (PSA) supporting ]'s efforts in voter registration.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rock The Vote |url=https://todayinmadonnahistory.com/tag/rock-the-vote/ |access-date=May 15, 2023 |website=Today In Madonna History |archive-date=May 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230515173212/https://todayinmadonnahistory.com/tag/rock-the-vote/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
In ], at the age of 30, Madonna released '']''. The album spawned five singles, including top ten hits "]," "]," "]" and "]," as well as the top 20 hit "]." ''Like a Prayer'' is often cited by critics as the best album of her career. "Cherish" became the third of Madonna's singles to top the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart, following "Live to Tell" and "La Isla Bonita." A sixth track from the album, "Dear Jessie," was successfully promoted as a single outside the U.S. and accompanied by an animated video. | |||
Madonna's first greatest-hits ], '']'' (1990), was released in November including two new songs, "]" and "]".<ref name="cross28">{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=128}}</ref> The album was certified diamond by RIAA and sold over 30 million copies worldwide, becoming the ] compilation album by a solo artist in history.<ref name="diamond">{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=top_tallies&ttt=DA#search_section|title=Gold & Platinum: Diamond Awards|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|access-date=January 3, 2010|archive-date=January 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105175018/http://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=top_tallies&ttt=DA#search_section|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TICsales">{{cite news|url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/08/16/happy-birthday-madonna/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712132240/http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/08/16/happy-birthday-madonna/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 12, 2012|title=Happy Birthday, Madonna!|first=John|last=Mitchell|publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)|date=August 16, 2011|access-date=August 18, 2011}}</ref> "Justify My Love" reached number one in the US becoming her ninth number-one on the Hot 100.<ref name="ach" /> Her then-boyfriend model ] co-starred in the music video, which featured scenes of ], ], same-sex kissing, and brief nudity.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Mackie|first=Drew|date=November 2, 2015|title=Justify My Love Turns 25: 20 Things You Didn't Know|url=https://people.com/celebrity/justify-my-love-turns-25-20-things-you-didnt-know/|access-date=August 4, 2021|magazine=People|archive-date=August 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810212221/https://people.com/celebrity/justify-my-love-turns-25-20-things-you-didnt-know/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lippens|first=Nate |url=http://entertainment.msn.com/green/madonna10things/|publisher=]|title=Making Madonna: 10 Moments That Created an Icon|year=2007 |access-date= January 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610214016/http://entertainment.msn.com/green/madonna10things/ |archive-date=June 10, 2011}}</ref> The video was deemed too sexually explicit for MTV and was banned from the network.<ref name="rebel">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1998/11/20/justify-my-love-was-too-raunchy-1990/|title=Madonna Banned|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=May 27, 2008|last=Rich|first=Joshua|date=November 20, 1998|archive-date=September 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918111453/https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,285759,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Her first documentary film, '']'' (known as ''In Bed with Madonna'' outside North America), was released in May 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/BVF063175/ |title=In Bed With Madonna – BBFC rating|publisher=]|access-date=September 6, 2012}}</ref> Chronicling her Blond Ambition World Tour, it became the highest-grossing documentary of all time (surpassed eleven years later by ]'s '']'').<ref>{{cite news|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2003/jan/03/entertainment/et-munoz3/2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503095431/http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jan/03/entertainment/et-munoz3/2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |title=Little pictures have a big year |first=Lorenza|last=Munoz |date=January 3, 2003 |newspaper=] |access-date=August 12, 2017}}</ref> | |||
The music video for "Like a Prayer" featured many ] symbols, such as ], and was condemned by the ] for its "]" mixture of Catholic symbolism and eroticism. The highlights of the video feature an innocent black man being mistaken for a murderer by police as well as Madonna singing in a field of burning crosses. While the video's symbolism denounced racism, the video had a different effect entirely. | |||
=== 1992–1997: Maverick, ''Erotica'', ''Sex'', ''Bedtime Stories'', ''Evita'', and motherhood === | |||
Madonna had just signed a deal with soft drink manufacturer ]. Her song "Like a Prayer" would be debuted in a Pepsi commercial in which Madonna would appear. The commercial aired, which was not controversial in itself, and basically showed Madonna dancing with the Andre Crouch Choir (who also sang on the song) and everyone enjoying Pepsi. Madonna, however, already had different ideas for the music video. When the video debuted, looking strikingly similar to the commercial but including all the controversial acts, Pepsi was bombarded with complaints. Boycotts were threatened against the company and Pepsi, unable to get the protesters to realize that the commercial and video contained different content, succumbed to pressure, pulled their commercial off the air, and cancelled all plans for future commercials with Madonna. Though the deal with Pepsi called for three commercials, Madonna kept her 5 million dollar fee since Pepsi had canceled the contract. Deciding it didn't need another round of bad press if legal proceedings were to follow, Pepsi did not fight payment to the artist for nonfulfillment of the contract. | |||
] in 1993|alt=A woman with short blonde hair, wearing a green bra and purple pants, singing to a microphone, held in her left hand.]] | |||
In 1992, Madonna starred in '']'' as Mae Mordabito, a baseball player on an all-women's team.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bergren |first=Joe |date=July 1, 2022 |title=Tom Hanks on 'A League of Their Own's Madonna Casting (Flashback) |url=https://www.etonline.com/tom-hanks-on-a-league-of-their-owns-madonna-casting-and-why-people-love-baseball-flashback-186604 |access-date=January 12, 2024 |work=Entertainment Tonight |archive-date=January 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112090515/https://www.etonline.com/tom-hanks-on-a-league-of-their-owns-madonna-casting-and-why-people-love-baseball-flashback-186604 |url-status=live }}</ref> It reached ] and became the tenth-highest-grossing film of the year in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=leagueoftheirown.htm|title=A League of Their Own|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=April 11, 2014|archive-date=April 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140411175913/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=leagueoftheirown.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> She recorded the film's theme song, "]", which became her tenth number-one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the most by any female artist at the time.<ref name="ach" /> In April, Madonna founded her own entertainment company, ], consisting of a record company (Maverick Records), a film production company (Maverick Films), and associated music publishing, television broadcasting, book publishing, and merchandising divisions.<ref name="NYT - $60 million" /> The deal was a joint venture with ] and paid Madonna an advance of $60 million. It gave her 20% royalties from the music proceedings, the highest rate in the industry at the time, equaled only by ]'s royalty rate established a year earlier with ].<ref name="NYT - $60 million">{{cite news|first=Stephen|last=Holden|author-link=Stephen Holden|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/20/arts/madonna-makes-a-60-million-deal.html|work=]|title=Madonna Makes a $60 Million Deal|access-date=May 27, 2008|date=April 20, 1992|archive-date=May 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511013845/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/20/arts/madonna-makes-a-60-million-deal.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Her company later went on to become one of the most successful ] in history, producing multi-platinum artists such as ] and ].<ref name="labelsuit" /><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2004/06/15/madonna-sells-her-record-label/|title=Madonna sells her record label|magazine=]|first=Gary|last=Susman|date=June 15, 2004|access-date=December 30, 2020|archive-date=March 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310152428/https://ew.com/article/2004/06/15/madonna-sells-her-record-label/|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that year, Madonna co-sponsored the first museum retrospective for her former boyfriend artist Jean-Michel Basquiat at the ] in New York.<ref>{{Cite news|last=D'Arcy|first=David|date=November 1, 1992|title=Whitney compares Basquiat to Leonardo da Vinci in new retrospective|url=http://www.theartnewspaper.com/archive/basquiat-as-leonardo-da-vinci|access-date=August 2, 2020|newspaper=The Art Newspaper|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022010900/https://www.theartnewspaper.com/archive/basquiat-as-leonardo-da-vinci|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Larson|first=Kay|date=November 9, 1992|title=Wild Child|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BeUCAAAAMBAJ&q=madonna+whitney+1992+basquiat&pg=PA74|magazine=New York|pages=74|access-date=October 3, 2020|archive-date=June 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607161326/https://books.google.com/books?id=BeUCAAAAMBAJ&q=madonna+whitney+1992+basquiat&pg=PA74#v=snippet&q=madonna%20whitney%201992%20basquiat&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===The Immaculate Collection=== | |||
In ], at the age of 32, Madonna starred as Breathless Mahoney in '']'' alongside ], with whom she had a brief relationship. She earned some good reviews for the role, though critics pointed out that it continued her tradition of performing well when portraying characters quite similar to herself. | |||
In October 1992, Madonna simultaneously released her fifth studio album, '']'', and her ], '']''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Holden|first=Stephen|date=October 18, 1992|title=Recordings View; Selling Sex and (Oh, Yes) a Record|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/18/arts/recordings-view-selling-sex-and-oh-yes-a-record.html|access-date=February 1, 2022|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110029/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/18/arts/recordings-view-selling-sex-and-oh-yes-a-record.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Consisting of sexually provocative and explicit images, photographed by ], the book received strong negative reaction from the media and the general public, but sold 1.5 million copies at $50 each in a matter of days.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=183}}<ref name="SEX and Erotica">{{cite web|first=Gregory|last=Kirschling|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,365681,00.html|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|title=The Naked Launch|access-date=May 27, 2008|date=October 25, 2002|archive-date=January 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115134604/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,365681,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The widespread backlash overshadowed ''Erotica'', which ended up as her lowest selling album at the time.<ref name="SEX and Erotica" /> Despite positive reviews, it became her first studio album since her debut album not to score any chart-topper in the US. The album entered the ''Billboard'' 200 at number two. It yielded the Hot 100 top-ten hits "]" and "]".<ref name="bbalbums" /><ref name="ach" /> At the time Madonna had been dating rapper ] and she at one point proposed to him. They broke up following the release of ''Sex'', with Ice claiming that he was included in the book without his consent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vanilla Ice Reflects On Crazy Madonna Relationship |url=https://www.iheartradio.ca/en/music-news/vanilla-ice-reflects-on-crazy-madonna-relationship-1.19179996.html |access-date=March 30, 2024 |publisher=iHeartRadio |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330202748/https://www.iheartradio.ca/en/music-news/vanilla-ice-reflects-on-crazy-madonna-relationship-1.19179996.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=January 31, 2023 |title=Vanilla Ice Describes His Reaction to Surprise 1990s Madonna Marriage Proposal: 'This Is Too Fast!' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/vanilla-ice-reaction-surprise-madonna-marriage-proposal-1235208544/ |access-date=March 30, 2024 |magazine=Billboard |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330202747/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/vanilla-ice-reaction-surprise-madonna-marriage-proposal-1235208544/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Madonna continued her provocative imagery in the 1993 ], '']'', a film which contained scenes of ] and ]. Critics poorly received the film.<ref>{{harvnb|Metz|Benson|1999|pp=17–20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/body_of_evidence/|title=Body of Evidence|website=]|date=December 3, 2002|agency=]|access-date=June 9, 2008|archive-date=June 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623103731/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/body_of_evidence/?|url-status=live}}</ref> She also starred in the film '']'', which was released straight to video in North America. ''The New York Times'' described the film as "angry and painful, and the pain feels real."<ref>{{cite news|last=Maslin|first=Janet|author-link=Janet Maslin|title=A Movie Within a Movie, With a Demure Madonna|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0CE5DF103AF93AA25752C1A965958260|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 19, 1993|access-date=June 10, 2008|archive-date=February 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219175200/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0CE5DF103AF93AA25752C1A965958260|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
'']: Music from and Inspired by the Film 'Dick Tracy' '' spawned the single, "]," which is arguably the biggest hit of Madonna's career. The video for it popularized a dance trend in which people strike poses like fashion models in magazines (such as '']'', hence the term "voguing"). "Vogue" (also directed by ]) would routinely be ranked as one of the top four music videos of all time by MTV during the early ]. ''I'm Breathless'' also featured the song "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)," which won the Academy Award for best song in ] and led to a memorable performance at the ceremony. | |||
In September 1993, Madonna embarked on ], in which she dressed as a whip-cracking ] surrounded by topless dancers. In Puerto Rico she rubbed the island's flag between her legs on stage, resulting in outrage among the audience.<ref name="showstealer" /> In March 1994, ] on the '']'', using profanity that required censorship on television, and handing Letterman a pair of her panties and asking him to smell it.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Glass|first=Joshua|date=March 28, 2019|title=Madonna's Iconic Cursing on David Lettermen|url=https://www.crfashionbook.com/celebrity/a26974360/madonna-david-lettermen-censorship-interview/|access-date=February 16, 2022|magazine=CR Fashion Book|archive-date=February 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216211336/https://www.crfashionbook.com/celebrity/a26974360/madonna-david-lettermen-censorship-interview/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The releases of her sexually explicit book, album, and film, and the aggressive appearance on Letterman all made critics question Madonna as a sexual renegade. Critics and fans reacted negatively, commenting that "she had gone too far" and her career was over.<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|pp=232–235}}</ref> Around this time, Madonna briefly dated rapper ] and basketball player ].<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Igoe|first=Katherine J.|date=July 19, 2020|title=The Dennis Rodman-Madonna Relationship Was a Whirlwind|url=https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a33276130/dennis-rodman-madonna-relationship/|access-date=August 5, 2020|magazine=Marie Claire|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808120011/https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a33276130/dennis-rodman-madonna-relationship/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=March 12, 2015|title=Madonna Talks Her Rise to the Top, Dating Tupac, and Her Infamous VMAs Performance During Her First Interview With Howard|url=https://www.howardstern.com/news/2015/03/11/the-madonna-interview-ten-things-you-need-to-know/|access-date=August 5, 2020|publisher=Howard Stern|archive-date=October 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028204954/https://www.howardstern.com/news/2015/03/11/the-madonna-interview-ten-things-you-need-to-know/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Candace C.|title=Tupac Shakur letter reveals he split from Madonna because she's white|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/tupac-shakur-letter-reveals-split-madonna-shes-white/story?id=48458727|agency=ABC News|access-date=July 12, 2017|date=July 6, 2017|archive-date=July 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711002326/http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/tupac-shakur-letter-reveals-split-madonna-shes-white/story?id=48458727|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
]" music video was a black-and-white video.]] | |||
Madonna released her first greatest hits album, '']'', towards the end of ]. The album was dedicated to the "Pope", her "divine inspiration". Many have believed the dedication refers to the Catholic Church leader, but it in fact refers to Madonna's brother Christopher Ciccone. Madonna refers to her brother by the nickname "The Pope" because he manages everything. ''The Immaculate Collection'' includes fifteen of her biggest hits as well as two new songs. The collection went to #1 on many international bestseller lists, spending 9 weeks at the summit in the UK alone. | |||
Biographer ] described her ballad "]" (1994) as an attempt to tone down her provocative image. The song was recorded for ]'s 1994 film '']''.<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=242}}</ref> She made a subdued appearance with Letterman at an awards show and appeared on '']'' after realizing that she needed to change her musical direction to sustain her popularity.<ref name="tara235" /> With her sixth studio album, '']'' (1994), Madonna employed a softer image to try to improve the public perception.<ref name="tara235">{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=235}}</ref> The album debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200 and generated two US top-five hits, "]" and "]", the latter topping the Hot 100 for seven weeks, the longest period of any Madonna single.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Madonna's 40 Biggest Billboard Hits|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/list/499398/madonnas-40-biggest-billboard-hits|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 2, 2012|archive-date=April 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406085727/https://www.billboard.com/articles/list/499398/madonnas-40-biggest-billboard-hits|url-status=live}}</ref> '']'', a collection of ballads, was released in November 1995. The album featured three new songs: "]", "]", and a cover of ]'s "]".<ref name="ach" /><ref name="str">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r431248|title=Something to Remember|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|date=November 17, 1995|publisher=]|access-date=July 30, 2009|archive-date=November 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107150858/https://www.allmusic.com/album/something-to-remember-mw0000176974|url-status=live}}</ref> An enthusiastic collector of ], Madonna sponsored the first major retrospective of ]'s work at the ] in 1995.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Outwater|first=Myra Y.|date=November 12, 1995|title=Modotti Photos Capture Mexican Life|newspaper=The Morning Call|url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1995-11-12-3063752-story.html|access-date=February 1, 2022|archive-date=April 4, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210404174741/https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1995-11-12-3063752-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The following year, she sponsored an exhibition of Basquiat's paintings at the ] in London.<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 17, 1996|title=Madonna Sponsors Show|page=5|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> The following year, she sponsored artist ]'s retrospective at the ] in New York.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Vogel|first=Carol|date=February 16, 2012|title=Cindy Sherman Unmasked|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/arts/design/moma-to-showcase-cindy-shermans-new-and-old-characters.html|access-date=February 1, 2022|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=February 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201101740/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/arts/design/moma-to-showcase-cindy-shermans-new-and-old-characters.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Despite the radio success of the single release of "]", the sexual content of both the song's lyrics and its video proved to be too much for ] USA. The network executives decided they could not air it. Madonna's record company decided to sell the video on ] as a "video single", the first one ever released. It sold over 400,000 copies, and the CD single sold over one million. "Justify My Love" reached #1 in the ] singles chart, while the follow-up, "]," went to #9. | |||
{{Quote box|width=20%|align=left|quote=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.|source=—Madonna talking about her role in ''Evita''<ref>{{harvnb|Michael|2004|p=67}}</ref>}} | |||
In February 1996, Madonna began filming the musical '']'' in Argentina.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Madonna's role as Evita angers many Argentines|newspaper=Tampa Bay Times|url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1996/01/20/madonna-s-role-as-evita-angers-many-argentines/|access-date=February 1, 2022|archive-date=February 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201202448/https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1996/01/20/madonna-s-role-as-evita-angers-many-argentines/|url-status=live}}</ref> For a long time, Madonna had desired to play Argentine political leader ] and wrote to director ] to explain why she would be perfect for the part. After securing the title role, she received vocal coaching and learned about the history of Argentina and Perón. During filming Madonna became ill several times, after finding out that she was pregnant, and from the intense emotional effort required with the scenes.<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=276}}</ref> Upon ''Evita''{{'}}s release in December 1996, Madonna's performance received praise from film critics.<ref name="evitany">{{cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B02E0D91E31F936A15751C1A960958260|title=Madonna, Chic Pop Star, As Chic Political Leader|date=December 6, 1996|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Maslin|first=Janet|access-date=May 26, 2009|author-link=Janet Maslin|archive-date=August 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824182854/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B02E0D91E31F936A15751C1A960958260|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="msn">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,295501,00.html|title=Evita (1997)|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|last=Gleiberman|first=Owen|date=December 20, 1996|access-date=June 9, 2008|archive-date=September 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918111557/https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,295501,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=285}}</ref> Zach Conner of '']'' magazine remarked, "It's a relief to say that ''Evita'' is pretty damn fine, well cast and handsomely visualized. Madonna once again confounds our expectations."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985711,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717024917/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985711,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 17, 2007|title=Cinema: Madonna and Eva Peron: You Must Love Her |last=Corliss|first=Richard|date=December 16, 1996|access-date=May 26, 2010|magazine=Time}}</ref> For the role, she ] the ] for ].<ref name="cnn2008">{{cite news|first=Stephanie|last=Busari|title=Hey Madonna, Don't Give Up the Day Job!|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/18/madonna.movies/?iref=mpstoryview|publisher=]|date=March 24, 2008|access-date=March 21, 2008|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303200029/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/18/madonna.movies/?iref=mpstoryview|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In ], Madonna starred in her first documentary film, '']'', which chronicled her "];" the title was changed to ''Truth or Dare'' for its U.S. release. In it, her personality and private life were explored in intimate detail. The film showed her backstage of the tour as well as confronting family members and visiting the grave of her mother. The film grossed US$15 million in the U.S. and another US$20 million overseas, making it commercially the most successful documentary of its time. | |||
The ], containing songs mostly performed by Madonna, was released as a ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r248416|title=Madonna – Evita (Original Soundtrack) Overview|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|date=September 23, 1997|publisher=]|access-date=February 24, 2010|archive-date=November 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107150812/https://www.allmusic.com/album/evita-the-complete-motion-picture-music-soundtrack-mw0000023920|url-status=live}}</ref> It included "]" and "]"; the latter reached number one in countries across Europe.<ref name="euro">{{cite magazine|title=Hits of the World: Eurochart Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|date=February 8, 1997|page=41|volume=109|issue=6|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wA4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41|access-date=August 4, 2015|archive-date=November 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107150813/https://books.google.com/books?id=wA4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna was presented with the Artist Achievement Award by ] at the 1996 ].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=swkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA12|title=Performers, Presenters Add Spark To Billboard Music Awards|page=12|magazine=Billboard|date=December 21, 1996 |access-date=March 20, 2014|volume=108|issue=51|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> On October 14, 1996, she gave birth to ], her daughter with fitness trainer Carlos Leon.<ref>{{harvnb|Voller|1999|p=221}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-15-me-54133-story.html|title=Madonna Gives Birth to Daughter|last1=Lacher|first1=Irne|last2=Malnic|first2=Eric|date=October 15, 1996|newspaper=]|access-date=August 1, 2015|archive-date=September 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915193936/http://articles.latimes.com/1996-10-15/local/me-54133_1_madonna-gave-birth|url-status=live}}</ref> Biographer ] writes that although Madonna often worried that her pregnancy would harm ''Evita'', she reached some important personal goals: "Now 38 years old, Madonna had at last triumphed on screen and achieved her dream of having a child, both in the same year. She had reached another turning point in her career, reinventing herself and her image with the public."<ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=71}}</ref> Her relationship with Carlos Leon ended in May 1997 and she declared that they were "better off as best friends".<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=288}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=134}}</ref> | |||
In ], Madonna appeared in the ] film, ''],'' which revolved around a women's baseball team. Her performance was heralded by critics as a return to the form she'd hinted at in ''Desperately Seeking Susan''. She wrote and performed the film's theme song, the #1 hit "]." It became a worldwide hit and Madonna's tenth ] #1 single. | |||
=== 1998–2002: ''Ray of Light'', ''Music'', second marriage, and touring comeback === | |||
===Erotica=== | |||
After Lourdes's birth, Madonna became involved in Eastern mysticism and ], introduced to her by actress ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/kabbalah-is-madonna-losing-her-religion-6095969.html|title=Kabbalah: is Madonna losing her religion?|last=Barnes|first=Anthony|date=July 9, 2006|access-date=May 26, 2010|work=The Independent|location=London|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305102102/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/kabbalah-is-madonna-losing-her-religion-6095969.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Her seventh studio album, '']'', (1998) reflected this change in her perception and image.<ref>{{harvnb|Rooksby|2004|p=50}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Michael|2004|p=46}}</ref> She collaborated with electronica producer ] and wanted to create a sound that could blend dance music with pop and British rock.<ref name="wync" /> American music critic ] explained that what Madonna searched for with Orbit "was a kind of a lushness that she wanted for this record. ] and ] were happening in the 90s and had a lot of different forms. There was very experimental, more hard stuff like ]. There was party stuff like ]. That's not what Madonna wanted for this. She wanted something more like a singer-songwriter, really. And William Orbit provided her with that."<ref name="wync">{{cite web|url=http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/madonna-ray-of-light/|title='Ray Of Light' Was Madonna's 'Mid-Life Enlightenment' Record|date=September 13, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2014|last=Powers|first=Ann|author-link=Ann Powers|work=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210144342/http://soundcheck.wnyc.org/story/madonna-ray-of-light/|archive-date=February 10, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
]" music video.]] | |||
The erotic book '']'', photographed by ], was released on ], ] and sold for $49.95 each. Adult in nature, it featured Madonna as the centerpiece of photographs along with other celebrities of the time depicting various sexual fantasies and acts including ]ism, ] and ]. It became an instant bestseller. | |||
The album garnered critical acclaim, with '']'' calling it "one of the great pop masterpieces of the '90s"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/madonna-ray-of-light|title=Madonna: Ray Of Light {{!}} Album Review|date=March 9, 2003|access-date=July 17, 2009|last=Cinquemani|first=Sal|work=]|archive-date=June 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602003946/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/madonna-ray-of-light|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Ray of Light'' was honored with four ]—including ] and ]—and was nominated for both ] and ].<ref name="madonnasecret">{{cite news |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/10/wb.madonna.album/index.html |title=Madonna's secret to making 'Music'|date=November 10, 2000 |publisher=]|access-date=February 9, 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120808011138/http://articles.cnn.com/2000-11-10/entertainment/wb.madonna.album_1_mirwais-ahmadzai-disco-science-guy-oseary?_s=PM%3ASHOWBIZ |archive-date= August 8, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' listed it among "]".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531 |magazine=] |title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time |access-date=June 6, 2008 |archive-date=March 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301020434/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Commercially, the album peaked at number-one in numerous countries and sold more than 16 million copies worldwide.<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=303}}</ref> The album's lead single, "]", became Madonna's first single to debut at number one in the UK, while in the US, it became her sixth number-two single, setting another record for Madonna as the artist with the most number-two hits.<ref name="ach" /><ref>{{harvnb|Metz|Benson|1999|p=167}}</ref> The second single, "]", debuted at number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref>{{cite web|title=Madonna.com > Discography > Ray of Light |url=http://madonna.com/discography/index/album/albumId/7/ |publisher=Madonna.com |access-date=September 2, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100102021650/http://madonna.com/discography/index/album/albumId/7/ |archive-date=January 2, 2010}}</ref> The 1998 edition of '']'' documented that "no female artist has sold more records than Madonna around the world".<ref>{{harvnb|Glenday|1998|p=228}}</ref> | |||
That same year, in the wake of publicity generated by the book, Madonna, at the age of 34, released her next album, '']''. The two were linked together by the public due to their generally close release dates and overt sexual content. She co-wrote and produced this record mostly with ]. Almost a companion piece to the book, it featured sexual anthems that made no attempt to disguise their star's appetite for erotic fantasy and role-playing. The album spawned two U.S. top ten hits, including "]," which became the highest-debuting (#3) single in the history of the ] Chart. The controversial video only aired a total of three times on ]. In the U.S., "Erotica" was followed by "Deeper And Deeper" (#7), "Bad Girl" (#36) and "]" (#14). After a string of 29 consecutive top-20 singles (beginning with "Holiday"), "Bad Girl" was the first single not to break into the U.S. pop top 20. On the other hand, the ballad "Rain" was the only one of the album's singles to be played on Adult Contemporary radio; the kinder, gentler nature of the song and its video stood in direct contrast to the rest of the album. | |||
Madonna founded ] which focused on women, education, global development and humanitarian.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/glitzy-giving/madonna.html|title=Madonna|work=]|access-date=August 27, 2018|archive-date=August 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180827075601/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/glitzy-giving/madonna.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She recorded the single "]" for the 1999 film '']'', which earned her a ].<ref name="grammy">{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=Madonna&title=&year=All&genre=All|title=Grammy Award Winners – Madonna|publisher=]|access-date=May 27, 2008|archive-date=July 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711123539/http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=madonna&title=&year=All&genre=All|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna starred in the 2000 ] film '']'', directed by ]. The film opened at number two on the US box office with $5.9 million grossed in its first week, but this quickly diminished.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=nextbestthing.htm|title=The Next Best Thing|publisher=Box Office Mojo|access-date=April 11, 2014|archive-date=April 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401091040/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=nextbestthing.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> She also contributed two songs to the film's soundtrack—a cover of ]'s 1971 song "]" and an original song "Time Stood Still"—the former became her ninth UK number-one single.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/americanpie.shtml|title=Top 100 47: American Pie|publisher=]|access-date=June 9, 2008|archive-date=May 21, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521160606/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/americanpie.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>], the highest-grossing tour of the year by a solo artist|alt=A blond woman sitting on a block of hay. She is playing a guitar and singing in front of a standing microphone. She has short hair and wears gray-colored cowboy clothes.]] | |||
'']'' was regarded by U.S. commentators as an exercise in ] ], with Madonna's character accused of killing her lover by means of sexual intercourse. The film was ] and contained copious nudity and graphic sex scenes. '']'' was similar in its graphic and violent content. | |||
Madonna released her eighth studio album, '']'', in September 2000.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hé |first=Kristen S. |date=March 24, 2020 |title=Madonna in 2000: Reinventing Pop 'Music' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-in-2000-reinventing-pop-music-9341347/ |access-date=January 12, 2024 |magazine=Billboard |archive-date=May 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519163943/https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-in-2000-reinventing-pop-music-9341347/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It featured elements from the ]-inspired ''Ray of Light'' era, and like its predecessor, received acclaim from critics. Collaborating with French producer ], Madonna commented: "I love to work with the weirdos that no one knows about—the people who have raw talent and who are making music unlike anyone else out there. ''Music'' is the future of sound."<ref name="bronmusic">{{harvnb|Bronson|2002|p=989}}</ref> ] from ] felt that "''Music'' blows by in a kaleidoscopic rush of color, technique, style and substance. It has so many depth and layers that it's easily as self-aware and earnest as ''Ray of Light''."<ref>{{harvnb|Erlewine|Bogdanov|Woodstra|2002|p=245}}</ref> The album took the number-one position in more than 20 countries worldwide and sold four million copies in the first ten days.<ref name="madonnasecret" /> In the US, ''Music'' debuted at the top, and became her first number-one album in eleven years since ''Like a Prayer''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/news/after-11-year-absence-madonnas-back-876212.story|title=After 11 Year Absence, Madonna's Back At No. 1|date=September 28, 2000|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110063144/http://www.billboard.com/news/after-11-year-absence-madonnas-back-876212.story|archive-date=November 10, 2011}}</ref> It produced three singles: the Hot 100 number-one "]", "]", and "]".<ref name="ach" /> The music video of "What It Feels Like for a Girl" depicted Madonna committing acts of crime and vandalism, and was banned by MTV and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/03/23/madonna.video.idg/index.html?_s=PM:TECH|title=Controversial new Madonna video airs on the Web|publisher=]|date=March 23, 2001|access-date=June 9, 2008|last=Lee|first=Hann C.|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201033010/http://edition.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/03/23/madonna.video.idg/index.html?_s=PM%3ATECH|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Madonna's ] world tour '']'' was her most explicit and controversial to date. Coming off the back of the '']'' album, her critically-panned film '']'' and her infamous '']'', ''The Girlie Show'' showed the singer at her most confrontational. She opened the show dressed as a whip-cracking dominatrix, surrounded by topless dancers including Luca Tomassini and ]. | |||
Madonna met director ] in mid-1998, and gave birth to their son Rocco John Ritchie in Los Angeles on August 11, 2000.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 11, 2000|title=Madonna Gives Birth to Baby Boy|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=116318&page=1|access-date=February 2, 2022|agency=ABC News|archive-date=February 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202031435/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=116318&page=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Rocco and Madonna suffered complications from the birth due to her experiencing ].{{Sfn|Cross|2007|p=88}} He was christened at ] in ], Scotland, on December 21, 2000.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 21, 2000|title=Madonna's Son Baptized|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=111609&page=1|access-date=February 2, 2022|agency=ABC News|archive-date=October 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007094453/http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=111609&page=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna married Ritchie the following day at nearby ].<ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|pp=xix; 88–89}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Madonna's wedding will be the Highlands' biggest fling|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1377478/Madonnas-wedding-will-be-the-Highlands-biggest-fling.html?mobile=true|first1=Hugh|last1=Davies|first2=Philip|last2=Aldrick|newspaper=]|location=London|date=December 8, 2000|access-date=May 8, 2014|archive-date=August 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805071510/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1377478/Madonnas-wedding-will-be-the-Highlands-biggest-fling.html?mobile=true|url-status=live}}</ref> After an eight-year absence from touring, Madonna started her ] in June 2001.<ref name="showstealer" /> The tour visited cities in the US and Europe and was the highest-grossing concert tour of the year by a solo artist, earning $75 million from 47 sold-out shows.<ref name=grossdwt>{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=December 29, 2001|title=The Year in Touring|magazine=Billboard|volume=113|issue=52|page=44|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> She also released her second greatest-hits collection, '']'', which compiled 15 singles during the second decade of her recording career. The album debuted at number seven on the ''Billboard'' 200 and sold seven million units worldwide.<ref name="allmusicghv2">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r559135|title=Madonna – GHV2|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|date=November 12, 2001|publisher=]|access-date=May 26, 2009|archive-date=November 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107150821/https://www.allmusic.com/album/ghv2-mw0001777679|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://business.highbeam.com/411456/article-1G1-170226619/warner-finds-solace-farewell-cd|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224000116/https://business.highbeam.com/411456/article-1G1-170226619/warner-finds-solace-farewell-cd|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 24, 2015|last=Arthington|first=Mirra|date=October 7, 2007|title=Warner finds solace in farewell CD|journal=Music Week|page=21|access-date=February 5, 2016}}</ref> | |||
Controversy followed the pop star around the globe. She caused uproar in ] by rubbing the island's flag between her legs on stage, while ] ] protested against her first-ever show in ]. Madonna would later comment that this period of her life was designed to give the world every single morsel of what they seemed to be demanding in their invasion of her private life. She hoped that once it was all out in the open, people could settle down and focus on her work. | |||
Madonna starred in the film '']'', directed by Ritchie. Released ] in the UK, the film was a commercial and critical failure.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2426783.stm|title=Madonna flop goes straight to video|publisher=BBC|date=November 8, 2002|access-date=June 3, 2008|archive-date=September 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915210359/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2426783.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2002 she appeared in London in the ] play '']'' at the ] (billed as 'Madonna Ritchie'), to universally bad reviews and was described as "the evening's biggest disappointment" by one.<ref>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Billington|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2002/may/24/theatre.artsfeatures2|title=Up for Grabs, Wyndham's Theatre, London Stage|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=December 7, 2012|date=May 25, 2002|archive-date=December 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216191855/http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2002/may/24/theatre.artsfeatures2|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/upforgrabs-rev|title=Theatre review: Up for Grabs at Wyndham's|publisher=Britishtheatreguide.info|access-date=December 7, 2012|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222122039/http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/upforgrabs-rev|url-status=live}}</ref> That October, she released "]", the title song of the ] film '']'', in which she also had a ], described by Peter Bradshaw from '']'' as "incredibly wooden".<ref>{{cite news|first=Peter|last=Bradshaw|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/nov/15/artsfeatures.jamesbond|title=Film: Die Another Day|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=December 7, 2012|date=September 13, 2006|archive-date=December 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206215037/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/nov/15/artsfeatures.jamesbond|url-status=live}}</ref> The song reached number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was nominated for both a ] and a ].<ref name="ach" /> | |||
===Bedtime Stories / Evita=== | |||
]"]] | |||
In ], at the age of 36, Madonna released '']''. It included "]", produced by ], and "]", co-written and co-produced by singer/songwriter/producer ] (who also sang backup on the track). "Take a Bow" topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks, breaking her previous record of six weeks with "Like a Virgin," and would later help her win the lead role in '']''. The album was nominated for a ] in the same year, and Madonna sang "Take a Bow" at the ]. | |||
=== 2003–2006: ''American Life'' and ''Confessions on a Dance Floor'' === | |||
In an attempt to improve her acting credentials, Madonna opted over the next few years to take small roles in ]. She appeared as a singing ] girl in '']'' (]) and as a witch in '']'' (1995). She played the ] part of a ] company owner in ]'s unsuccessful '']'' in ]. | |||
], the highest-grossing tour of the year|alt=Madonna and her backup dancers in military constumes performing onstage with their right hands held upright into a fist.]] | |||
In 2003, Madonna collaborated with fashion photographer ] for an exhibition installation named X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS, which ran from March to May in New York's ] gallery, and also travelled the world in an edited form.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lieberman|first=Rhonda|title=Weighty Madonna: Rhonda Lieberman on 'X-STaTIC PRo=CeSS'|url=https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-101779141/weighty-madonna-rhonda-lieberman-on-x-static-pro-cess|date=May 9, 2003|magazine=Artforum International|publisher=]|access-date=January 5, 2017|url-access=subscription|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201033056/https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-101779141/weighty-madonna-rhonda-lieberman-on-x-static-pro-cess|url-status=live}}</ref> The same year, Madonna released her ninth studio album, '']'', which was based on her observations of American society.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/american-life|title=American Life by Madonna: Review|publisher=]|access-date=December 30, 2007|archive-date=April 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405221740/http://www.metacritic.com/music/american-life|url-status=live}}</ref> She explained that the record was "like a trip down memory lane, looking back at everything I've accomplished and all the things I once valued and all the things that were important to me." Larry Flick from '']'' felt that "''American Life'' is an album that is among her most adventurous and lyrically intelligent", while also condemning it as "a lazy, half-arsed effort to sound and take her seriously."<ref name="mtvamerican">{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/madonna/news_feature_042203/ |title=Madonna: Her American Life|date=April 9, 2003|access-date=May 26, 2010|last=Norris|first=John|publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030605140124/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/madonna/news_feature_042203/ |archive-date=June 5, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Flick|first=Larry|date=March 2003|title=All-American Girl |magazine=]|issue=887|page=45|issn=0001-8996}}</ref> The original music video of its ] caused controversy due to its violence and ] imagery, and was withdrawn after the ] started. Madonna voluntarily censored herself for the first time in her career due to the political climate of the country, saying that "there was a lynch mob mentality that was going on that wasn't pretty and I have children to protect."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=124267|title=EXCLUSIVE: Madonna's Latest Makeover|date=January 6, 2006|publisher=]|access-date=January 18, 2021|archive-date=January 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122184357/https://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=124267|url-status=live}}</ref> The song stalled at number 37 on the Hot 100,<ref name="ach" /> while the album became her lowest-selling album at that point with four million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hastings|first=Chris |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1500733/Thank-you-for-the-music-How-Madonnas-new-single-will-give-Abba-their-greatest-ever-hit.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1500733/Thank-you-for-the-music-How-Madonnas-new-single-will-give-Abba-their-greatest-ever-hit.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Thank You For the Music! How Madonna's New Single Will Give Abba Their Greatest-Ever Hit|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=October 16, 2005|access-date=January 7, 2008|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | |||
Madonna gave another provocative performance later that year at the ], when she kissed singers ] and ] while singing the track "]".<ref>{{cite news|last=Moss|first=Corey|date=August 28, 2003|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1477729/madonna-smooches-with-britney-and-christina-justin-coldplay-win-big-at-vmas/|title=Madonna Smooches With Britney And Christina|publisher=MTV|access-date=January 5, 2017|archive-date=July 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704163407/http://www.mtv.com/news/1477729/madonna-smooches-with-britney-and-christina-justin-coldplay-win-big-at-vmas/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gardner|first=Elysa|date=August 28, 2003|title=Madonna, Spears, Aguilera shock at MTV Awards|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/awards/mtvmusicawards/2003-08-28-mtv-vma_x.htm|work=USA Today|access-date=January 5, 2017|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035434/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/awards/mtvmusicawards/2003-08-28-mtv-vma_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2003, she provided guest vocals on Spears' single "]".<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=233}}</ref> It was followed with the release of '']''. The EP contained remixed versions of songs from ''American Life'' and included "Your Honesty", a previously unreleased track from the ''Bedtime Stories'' recording sessions.<ref>{{harvnb|Brackett|Hoard|2004|p=304}}</ref> Madonna also signed a contract with ] to be the author of five children's books. The first of these books, titled '']'', was published in September 2003. The story was about four English schoolgirls and their envy and jealousy of each other.<ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=97}}</ref> The book debuted at the top of ], and became the fastest-selling children's picture book of all time.<ref name="womenworld">{{harvnb|Horton|Simmons|2007|pp=196–198}}</ref> Madonna donated all of its proceeds to a children's charity.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2003/09/26/why-madonnas-new-book-worth-checking-out/|title=Why Madonna's new book is worth checking out|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|first=Missy|last=Schwartz|date=September 26, 2003|access-date=June 14, 2020|archive-date=June 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614023952/https://ew.com/article/2003/09/26/why-madonnas-new-book-worth-checking-out/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In late ], Madonna released '']'', a collection of her greatest ballads. It featured "You'll See," one of three new songs, which went top ten. Madonna was also began gearing up to play the coveted role of ] in the 1996 film adaptation of '']'', a role she had campaigned for ten years. | |||
The next year Madonna and Maverick sued ] and its former parent company Time Warner, claiming that mismanagement of resources and poor bookkeeping had cost the company millions of dollars. In return, Warner filed a countersuit alleging that Maverick had lost tens of millions of dollars on its own.<ref name=labelsuit>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3570563.stm |title=Madonna's label sues record giant |publisher=BBC |date=March 26, 2004 |access-date=June 7, 2008 |archive-date=October 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017094500/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3570563.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/madonna-421-1337028|title=Madonna sells record company|magazine=]|date=August 26, 2007 |archive-date= November 19, 2007|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071119022613/http://www.nme.com/news/madonna/30546|url-status=live|access-date= January 5, 2017}}</ref> The dispute was resolved when the Maverick shares, owned by Madonna and Ronnie Dashev, were purchased by Warner. Madonna and Dashev's company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warner Music, but Madonna was still signed to Warner under a separate recording contract.<ref name=labelsuit /> | |||
The ] film marked the first time that Madonna was heralded as an actress in a leading role. She delivered a ]-winning performance and was critically praised. The '']'' soundtrack went on to become Madonna's twelfth platinum album, spawning the singles "]" and "]," the latter receiving an ] for best original song in a film. While "You Must Love Me" was a moderate hit on radio and ], it was a dance ] of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" that cemented the soundtrack's mainstream pop success. The remix became a worldwide top ten hit in ] ]/] ]. The final release from this soundtrack was "Another Suitcase In Another Hall", which reached No.7 in the UK. | |||
In mid-2004, Madonna embarked on the ] in the US, Canada and Europe. It became the highest-grossing tour of 2004, earning around $120 million and became the subject of her documentary '']''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/65316/madonna-heads-list-of-years-top-tours|title=Madonna Heads List Of Year's Top Tours|date=January 2, 2005|access-date=March 29, 2014|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=August 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823202619/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/65316/madonna-heads-list-of-years-top-tours|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/im-going-to-tell-you-a-secret-r834380|title=Madonna – I'm Going to Tell You a Secret|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|date=June 12, 2006|publisher=]|access-date=October 30, 2009|archive-date=October 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101022062115/http://www.allmusic.com/album/im-going-to-tell-you-a-secret-r834380|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2004, she was inducted into the ] as one of its five founding members, along with ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/cliff-richard-and-robbie-williams-join-british-musics-hall-of-fame-19889.html|title=Cliff Richard and Robbie Williams join British music's Hall of Fame|work=The Independent|first=Louise|last=Jury|date=November 12, 2004|access-date=March 12, 2014|location=London|archive-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017093947/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/cliff-richard-and-robbie-williams-join-british-musics-hall-of-fame-19889.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' ranked her at number 36 on its special issue of the ], featuring an article about her written by Britney Spears.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Immortals: The First Fifty|magazine=Rolling Stone|volume=1092|issue=22|issn=0035-791X |date=November 9, 2006}}</ref> In January 2005, Madonna performed a cover version of the ] song "]" at ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-01-16/hollywood-music-stars-join-forces-in-tsunami/619556|title=Hollywood, music stars join forces in tsunami telethon|publisher=]|access-date=June 14, 2008|date=January 16, 2005|archive-date=September 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920095810/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-01-16/hollywood-music-stars-join-forces-in-tsunami/619556|url-status=live}}</ref> She also performed at the ] benefit concert in London in July 2005.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/thelive8event/|publisher=BBC|title=The Live 8 Event|access-date=June 14, 2008|archive-date=June 13, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050613234653/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/thelive8event/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In ], Madonna became pregnant by her lover at the time, personal trainer ], and on ] gave birth to her daughter, Lourdes Maria (Lola) Ciccone Leon. The next year Madonna began studying ], a mystical interpretation of the ]. She took ] lessons and pursued a vigorous exercise regime that brought her body to a peak of toned fitness. | |||
{{Quote box|width=25%|align=right|quote=When I wrote ''American Life'', I was very agitated by what was going on in the world around me, ... I was angry. I had a lot to get off my chest. I made a lot of political statements. But now, I feel that I just want to have fun; I want to dance; I want to feel buoyant. And I want to give other people the same feeling. There's a lot of madness in the world around us, and I want people to be happy.|source=—Madonna talking about ''Confessions on a Dance Floor''.<ref name="dq">{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/madonna/news_feature_051107/ |title=Madonna: Dancing Queen |last=Vineyard |first=Jennifer |date=November 7, 2005 |publisher=] |access-date=July 1, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017015126/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/madonna/news_feature_051107/ |archive-date=October 17, 2014 }}</ref>}} | |||
===Ray Of Light=== | |||
] in 2006]] | |||
]" music video.]] | |||
Her tenth studio album, '']'', was released in November 2005. Musically the album was structured like a club set composed by a DJ. It was acclaimed by critics, with Keith Caulfield from '']'' commenting that the album was a "welcome return to form for the Queen of Pop."<ref name="bbalbum">{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=November 19, 2005|title=Albums: Confessions on a Dance Floor|magazine=Billboard|volume=117|issue=47|page=45|issn=0006-2510|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5RQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA45|access-date=July 27, 2009|archive-date=November 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107150814/https://books.google.com/books?id=5RQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA45#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> The album won a ].<ref name="grammy" /> ''Confessions on a Dance Floor'' and its lead single, "]", went on to reach number one in 40 and 41 countries respectively, earning a place in ''Guinness World Records''.<ref name="guinness">{{harvnb|Glenday|2007|p=187}}</ref> The song contained a sample of ]'s "]", only the second time that ABBA has allowed their work to be used. ABBA songwriter ] remarked "It is a wonderful track—100 per cent solid pop music."<ref>{{cite news|title=Madonna 'begged' Abba for sample|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4354028.stm|publisher=BBC|access-date=September 2, 2012|date=October 18, 2005|archive-date=August 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805103920/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4354028.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> "]", the second single, became Madonna's twelfth number-one single in the UK.<ref name="BBC" /> | |||
Madonna embarked on the ] in May 2006, which had a global audience of 1.2 million and grossed over $193.7 million, becoming the highest-grossing tour to that date for a female artist.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57197/madonnas-confessions-tour-sets-record|title=Madonna's 'Confessions' Tour Sets Record|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=September 4, 2006|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 24, 2010|archive-date=July 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712034331/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57197/madonnas-confessions-tour-sets-record|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna used religious symbols, such as the ] and ], in the performance of "Live to Tell". It caused the ] and the ] to urge all their members to boycott her concert.<ref>{{cite news|title=Boycott of Madonna Moscow concert urged|work=]|date=August 18, 2006|access-date=January 21, 2008|url=http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/30080/boycott-of-madonna-moscow-concert-urged/|publisher=The Emanu-El|last=Khyam|first=Omar|archive-date=August 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811015418/http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/30080/boycott-of-madonna-moscow-concert-urged/|url-status=live}}</ref> At the same time, the ] (IFPI) announced officially that Madonna had sold over 200 million copies of her albums alone worldwide.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/plat_month_20060913.html |title=Keane, Shakira, Coldplay and Madonna scoop summer Platinum Awards|publisher=]|date=September 13, 2006|access-date=November 10, 2017|archive-date=November 4, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104041040/http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/plat_month_20060913.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
In March of ], at the age of 39, she released '']'', an album co-produced by ]an ] performer ]. The release was Madonna's most critically-acclaimed recording since ''Like a Prayer'' and her biggest hit in nearly ten years, selling more than seventeen million copies worldwide. It spawned two U.S. top-five singles, with "]" and "]." Madonna also received three Grammy awards for ''Ray of Light''. Other singles were "]," "]," and "]" which had her dress up as a ] for the video. The video for "Ray Of Light" was directed by ] director ] and won Madonna a couple of ] in ] - including Video Of The Year. | |||
While on tour, Madonna founded the charitable organization ], and partially funded an orphanage in and traveling to that country.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 9, 2006|title=Madonna In Malawi|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/madonna-in-malawi/|access-date=April 27, 2021|publisher=CBS News|archive-date=April 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427221119/https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/madonna-in-malawi/|url-status=live}}</ref> While there, she decided to adopt a boy named David Banda in October 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6039380.stm|title=Madonna 'adopts child in Africa'|date=October 11, 2006|publisher=BBC|access-date=December 31, 2014|archive-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017094624/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6039380.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The adoption raised strong public reaction, because Malawian law requires would-be parents to reside in Malawi for one year before adopting, which Madonna did not do.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/05/04/madonna.adoption/index.html|title=Madonna's adoption appeal begins in Malawi|publisher=]|date=April 4, 2009|access-date=February 24, 2010|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041504/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/05/04/madonna.adoption/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> She addressed this on '']'', saying that there were no written adoption laws in Malawi that regulated foreign adoption. Madonna described how Banda had been suffering from ] after surviving ] and ] when they first met.<ref>{{cite news|first=Ed|last=Pilkington|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/oct/26/arts.usa|title=Confessions on a TV show: Oprah hears Madonna's side of the story|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=June 9, 2008|date=October 26, 2006|archive-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017093830/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/oct/26/arts.usa|url-status=live}}</ref> Banda's biological father, Yohane, commented: "These so-called human rights activists are harassing me every day, threatening me that I am not aware of what I am doing ... They want me to support their court case, a thing I cannot do for I know what I agreed with Madonna and her husband." The adoption was finalized in May 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-10-23-madonna-oprah_x.htm?csp=27|title=Madonna speaks out over furor|newspaper=USA Today|last=Thomas|first=Karen|date=October 26, 2006|access-date=June 14, 2008|archive-date=March 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327234745/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-10-23-madonna-oprah_x.htm?csp=27|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/court-rules-that-madonna-may-adopt-malawi-girl/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0|title=Court Rules That Madonna May Adopt Malawi Girl|last=Itzkoff|first=David|date=June 12, 2009|access-date=March 29, 2014|newspaper=The New York Times|archive-date=January 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112210954/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/court-rules-that-madonna-may-adopt-malawi-girl/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
After '']'', Madonna contributed the top twenty airplay hit "]" to the soundtrack of the '']'' film in ]. In ], Madonna focused next on her pet project, a film called '']''. Critics and audiences alike panned the film, which marked yet another disappointment in Madonna's ill-fated film career. The soundtrack spawned the worldwide (excluding the U.S., where it stalled at #29) #1 hit, "]," a dance cover version of the ] classic. | |||
<!--for information on the plagiarism case, people can access the "Frozen" main page--> | |||
=== 2007–2011: Filmmaking, ''Hard Candy'', and business ventures === | |||
===Music=== | |||
] which held the record for the highest-grossing tour for a female artist for 15 years|alt=Madonna playing a guitar onstage singing in front of a microphone. She wears a black leotard and white hat with boots.|243x243px]] | |||
]" music video.]] | |||
In ], at the age of 42, Madonna released the album '']''. A commercial and critical hit, it saw Madonna abandon her earlier sexual and religious themes for throwaway lyrics and the "party" spirit of dance, pop, and ]. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 selling 420,000 copies its first week. ''Music'' was produced partly by Orbit and French ] musician ]. It spawned her twelfth #1 single, "]," plus the hits "]" and "]." Madonna was pregnant with her second child, Rocco, during the shooting of the "Music" video, parts of which contain ]. The controversial "What It Feels Like for a Girl" video, directed by her husband, film director ], was banned by MTV and VH1 after just one airing due to its graphic violence. "Music" was nominated for four Grammys and was certified triple platinum in the U.S.. | |||
Madonna released and performed the song "]" at the ] in July 2007.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Mark|last=Sutherland|date=July 7, 2007|title=Live Earth London Wraps With Madonna Spectacular|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1051072/live-earth-london-wraps-with-madonna-spectacular|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=December 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216124605/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1051072/live-earth-london-wraps-with-madonna-spectacular|url-status=live}}</ref> She announced her departure from Warner Bros. Records, and declared a new $120 million, ten-year ] with ].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1048045/update-madonna-confirms-deal-with-live-nation|title=Update: Madonna Confirms Deal With Live Nation|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=October 16, 2007|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 25, 2010|archive-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211095738/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1048045/update-madonna-confirms-deal-with-live-nation|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2008, Madonna produced and wrote '']'', a documentary on the problems faced by Malawians; it was directed by Nathan Rissman, who worked as Madonna's gardener.<ref name=iabwa>{{cite news|first=Mark|last=Brown|date=May 23, 2008|title=Acclaim for Madonna's Malawi documentary|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/may/23/cannesfilmfestival.popandrock|location=London|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017093827/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/may/23/cannesfilmfestival.popandrock|url-status=live}}</ref> She also directed her first film, '']''. The plot of the film revolved around three friends and their aspirations. ''The Times'' said she had "done herself proud" while ''The Daily Telegraph'' described the film as "not an entirely unpromising first effort Madonna would do well to hang on to her day job."<ref>{{cite web|last=Christopher|first=James|date=February 14, 2008|title=Review: Madonna's Filth and Wisdom |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article3364108.ece |access-date=December 31, 2016 |url-access=subscription |location=London|work=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510113457/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article3364108.ece|archive-date=May 10, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Filth and Wisdom: Don't give up the day job, Madonna|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3671154/Filth-and-Wisdom-Dont-give-up-the-day-job-Madonna.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3671154/Filth-and-Wisdom-Dont-give-up-the-day-job-Madonna.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=June 14, 2008 |last=Johnston|first=Sheila|location=London|date=February 14, 2008}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On March 10, 2008, Madonna was inducted into the ] in her first year of eligibility.<ref name="rsinducted">{{cite magazine|date=September 27, 2007|first=Jonathan|last=Cohen|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1048851/madonna-beasties-mellencamp-up-for-rock-hall|title=Madonna, Beasties, Mellencamp Up For Rock Hall|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=December 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216013847/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1048851/madonna-beasties-mellencamp-up-for-rock-hall|url-status=live}}</ref> She did not sing at the ceremony but asked fellow Hall of Fame inductees and Michigan natives ] to perform her songs "Burning Up" and "Ray of Light".<ref>{{cite news|title=Madonna Has Her Say At Rock Hall Ceremony|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/madonna-has-her-say-at-rock-hall-ceremony/|date=March 10, 2008|publisher=]|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=December 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223064734/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/madonna-has-her-say-at-rock-hall-ceremony/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Madonna married Ritchie on ] ] at ] in ]. She also appeared in ''Star'', a short commercial film directed for ] by Ritchie, and then began working on '']'' at the end of the year. The film, released in ], was critically panned and went on to become yet another in a string of acting flops. | |||
Madonna released her eleventh studio album, '']'', in April 2008. Containing ] and ] influences, the songs on ''Hard Candy'' were autobiographical in nature and saw Madonna collaborating with ], ], ] and ].<ref name="timbalandhot">{{cite news|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|date=August 8, 2007|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1566579/timbaland-talks-about-his-and-justin-timberlakes-hot-collabo-with-madonna/|title=Timbaland Talks About His And Justin Timberlake's 'Hot' Collabo With Madonna|publisher=MTV|archive-date=October 1, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001063705/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1566579/20070807/timbaland.jhtml|url-status=dead|access-date=December 31, 2016}}</ref> The album debuted at number one in 37 countries and on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=4909856&page=1|title=Madonna's Latest Transformation: Crusading Filmmaker|last1=McFadden|first1=Cynthia|last2=Sherwood|first2=Roxanna|last3=Escherich|first3=Katie|date=May 23, 2008|access-date=March 6, 2021|publisher=]|archive-date=May 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516115209/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=4909856&page=1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045488/madonna-leads-busy-billboard-200-with-7th-no-1|title=Madonna Leads Busy Billboard 200 with 7th #1|magazine=Billboard|last=Hasty|first=Katie|date=May 7, 2008|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=May 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523062750/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045488/madonna-leads-busy-billboard-200-with-7th-no-1|url-status=live}}</ref> Caryn Ganz from ''Rolling Stone'' complimented it as an "impressive taste of her upcoming tour",<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-debuts-hard-candy-with-justin-timberlake-at-new-york-club-show-20080501|title=Madonna Debuts ''Hard Candy'' With Justin Timberlake at New York Club Show|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Caryn|last=Ganz|date=May 1, 2008|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422144459/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-debuts-hard-candy-with-justin-timberlake-at-new-york-club-show-20080501|url-status=dead}}</ref> while BBC correspondent Mark Savage panned it as "an attempt to harness the urban market".<ref>{{cite news|last=Savage|first=Mark|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7336448.stm|title=Review: Madonna's Hard Candy|publisher=BBC|date=April 8, 2008|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=April 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414214003/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7336448.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In ], Madonna went on her "]." It was sold out and was Madonna's first world tour since ]'s "]." It was later shown on a television special in the U.S. and released on DVD in ] ] to coincide with the release of her second Greatest Hits album, '']''. Unlike her previous greatest hits compilation, ''GHV2'' featured a selection of radio edits of her hits from the 1992–2001 period, but did not contain any new songs. The only single release was an instore/radio megamix containing songs from that era named "Thunderpuss GVH2 Megamix." | |||
"]" was released as the album's lead single and peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It was Madonna's 37th top-ten hit on the chart and pushed her past ] as the artist with the most top-ten hits.<ref name="mariahmadonna">{{cite magazine|date=April 2, 2008|first=Silvio|last=Pietroluongo|title=Mariah, Madonna Make Billboard Chart History|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045998/mariah-madonna-make-billboard-chart-history|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=June 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629212719/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045998/mariah-madonna-make-billboard-chart-history|url-status=live}}</ref> In the UK she retained her record for the most number-one singles for a female artist; "4 Minutes" becoming her thirteenth.<ref>{{cite news|last=Schmidt|first=Veronica|date=April 21, 2008|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3789058.ece|title=Madonna Goes to No. 1 For the 13th Time|location=London|website=The Times|access-date=December 31, 2016|url-access=subscription|archive-date=July 19, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719031639/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3789058.ece|url-status=dead}}</ref> To further promote the album, she embarked on the ], her first major venture with Live Nation. With a total gross of $408 million, it ended up as the second ], behind ]'s ].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Ray|last=Waddell|date=January 30, 2009|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269509/madonna-resuming-sticky-sweet-tour-this-summer|title=Madonna Resuming Sticky & Sweet Tour This Summer|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=December 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216100733/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269509/madonna-resuming-sticky-sweet-tour-this-summer|url-status=live}}</ref> It remained the highest-grossing tour by a solo artist until ]' ] surpassed it in 2013.<ref name="The Wall Live">{{cite magazine|first=Bob|last=Allen|date=October 4, 2013|title=Roger Waters Passes Madonna For Solo Boxscore Record With 459 m Wall Live|url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/5748070/roger-waters-passes-madonna-for-solo-boxscore-record-with-459m-wall-live|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 31, 2016|archive-date=June 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614073359/https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/5748070/roger-waters-passes-madonna-for-solo-boxscore-record-with-459m-wall-live|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In ], Madonna performed the theme song to the ] film '']'', a worldwide top-ten hit (#8 on the Billboard Hot 100). She also had a cameo in the film as a fencing instructor named Verity. The song was nominated for both a ] for Best Original Song and a Golden Raspberry for Worst Song. | |||
] in 2012|alt=Madonna in a gown, holding an award statue in her left hand, talking to a standing microphone.]] | |||
===American Life=== | |||
In July 2008, ] released a book titled '']'', which caused a rift between Madonna and him, because of unsolicited publication.<ref>{{cite news|title=Madonna's brother's book explores Guy Ritchie marriage|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/2279132/Madonnas-brothers-book-explores-Guy-Ritchie-marriage.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/2279132/Madonnas-brothers-book-explores-Guy-Ritchie-marriage.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=July 10, 2008|access-date=January 1, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> By fall, Madonna filed for divorce from Ritchie, citing irreconcilable differences.<ref>{{cite news|title=Madonna and Ritchie Confirm Split|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7672083.stm|work=BBC News|date=October 16, 2008|access-date=November 15, 2008|archive-date=September 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918093615/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7672083.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2008, Madonna's spokesperson announced that Madonna had agreed to a divorce settlement with Ritchie, the terms of which granted him between £50–60 million (${{to USD|50|GBR}}–{{to USD|60|GBR}} million), a figure that included the couple's ] and residence and ] in England.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7784519.stm|title=Madonna gives Guy £50m in divorce|work=BBC News|date=December 15, 2008|access-date=March 19, 2010|archive-date=February 15, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215095900/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7784519.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The marriage was dissolved by District Judge Reid by '']'' at the clinical Principal Registry of the Family Division in ], London. They entered a compromise agreement for Rocco and David, then aged eight and three respectively, and divided the children's time between Ritchie's London home and Madonna's in New York, where the two were joined by Lourdes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/nov/22/madonna-guy-ritchie-divorce|title=Madonna and Ritchie granted quickie divorce|first=Jo|last=Adetunji|newspaper=The Guardian|date=November 22, 2008|access-date=March 19, 2010|archive-date=July 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729175438/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/nov/22/madonna-guy-ritchie-divorce|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/11/21/madonna.ritchie.divorce/?iref=hpmostpop|title=Madonna, Ritchie granted quick divorce|publisher=]|date=December 15, 2008|access-date=March 19, 2010|archive-date=May 22, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522170101/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/11/21/madonna.ritchie.divorce/?iref=hpmostpop|url-status=live}}</ref> Soon after, Madonna applied to adopt Chifundo "Mercy" James from Malawi in May 2009, but the country's High Court rejected the application because Madonna was not a resident there.<ref name="mercyjames">{{cite news|first1=Mabvuto|last1=Banda|first2=Michael|last2=Georgy|date=May 25, 2009|editor-first=Louise|editor-last=Ireland|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269052/madonna-loses-adoption-bid-in-malawi|title=Madonna Loses Adoption Bid in Malawi|magazine=]|agency=Reuters|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=December 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216073758/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269052/madonna-loses-adoption-bid-in-malawi|url-status=live}}</ref> She re-appealed, and on June 12, 2009, the Supreme Court of Malawi granted her the right to adopt Mercy.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/madonna-wins-adoption-battle/|title=Madonna Wins Adoption Battle|publisher=]|date=June 12, 2009|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=January 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125213331/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/madonna-wins-adoption-battle/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
]" video was widely seen as controversial and was revoked on the day of its release.]] | |||
Lackluster reception for Madonna's ninth studio album, "]," caused her reputation to take a turn for the worse in early ]. In yet another move that followed her pattern of creating controversy in the wake of an album's release, she filmed a ] for "]" which included visceral scenes depicting explosions and blood. Only days before the video premiered, the scenes with footage of bleeding war victims were removed and a scene of her tossing a hand grenade into the lap of a ] ] was added. Perhaps mindful of the protests and boycotts in the USA that had greeted the ] after they made some anti-war comments, Madonna decided not to release the original version of the video and instead opted to release a treated version showing Madonna singing the song in front of the flags of different countries. The single reached #1 in three countries and was a #2 hit in the UK, but failed to even make the top 30 in the U.S. Worldwide, it became the lowest-selling album of Madonna's career. The subsequent singles "]" and "]" again placed Madonna on the U.K (#2 and #11) and Canadian (#5 and #3 respectively) charts, but didn't crack the U.S. singles chart. The ballad "]" was released as a single in a restricted number of countries, where it enjoyed moderate success. | |||
Madonna concluded her contract with Warner by releasing her third greatest-hits album, '']'', in September 2009. It contained the new songs "]" and "]" along with 34 hits spanning her musical career with the label.<ref name="celebraterelease">{{cite magazine|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=July 23, 2009|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/267968/madonnas-celebration-hits-collection-to-feature-two-new-songs|title=Madonna's ''Celebration'' Hits Collection to Feature Two New Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 23, 2009|archive-date=June 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629175333/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/267968/madonnas-celebration-hits-collection-to-feature-two-new-songs|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Celebration'' reached number one in several countries, including Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Sexton|first=Paul|date=October 2, 2009|title=Madonna's ''Celebration'' Tops Euro Chart|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/267210/madonnas-celebration-tops-euro-chart|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 20, 2016|archive-date=March 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313203949/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/267210/madonnas-celebration-tops-euro-chart|url-status=live}}</ref> She appeared at the ] to speak in tribute to deceased pop singer ].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Crosley|first1=Hillary|first2=Gil|last2=Kaufman|date=September 13, 2009|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1621390/madonna-pays-tearful-tribute-to-michael-jackson-at-2009-vmas/|title=Madonna Pays Tearful Tribute To Michael Jackson At 2009 VMAs|publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091004084438/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621390/20090913/jackson_michael.jhtml|archive-date=October 4, 2009|access-date=January 1, 2017}}</ref> Madonna ended the 2000s as the bestselling single artist of the decade in the US and the most-played artist of the decade in the UK.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/decadeendcharts/2009/singles-sales-artists|title=Decade End Charts: Singles Sales Artists|magazine=Billboard|year=2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227231038/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/decadeendcharts/2009/singles-sales-artists|archive-date=December 27, 2012|access-date=January 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8603409.stm|title=Madonna 'most played' artist of decade|work=BBC News|date=April 5, 2010|access-date=November 13, 2010|archive-date=December 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201033746/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8603409.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Billboard'' also announced her as the third top-touring artist of the decade—behind only the Rolling Stones and ]—with a gross of over $801 million, 6.3 million attendance and 244 sell-outs of 248 shows.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Top Touring Artists of the Decade|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266415/top-touring-artists-of-the-decade|magazine=Billboard|date=December 11, 2009|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=March 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316061805/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266415/top-touring-artists-of-the-decade|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Madonna performed "Hollywood" in ] ] and kissed ] and ] on stage. This performance became one of the most talked-about performances in the history of MTV Video Music Awards <ref>]</ref>. Shortly thereafter, she scored a hit - a duet with ], "]", and released the EP '']'' with remixes from '']''. The EP's enjoyed only moderate sales. In some countries ''Remixed & Revisited'' charted as a single, in others as an EP and in some as an album. | |||
Madonna performed at the ] concert in January 2010.<ref>{{cite news|last=Johnston|first=Maura|author-link=Maura Johnston |date=January 22, 2010|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1630335/madonna-brings-classic-like-a-prayer-to-hope-for-haiti-now-telethon/|title=Madonna Brings Classic 'Like A Prayer' To ''Hope for Haiti Now'' Telethon|publisher=]|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=September 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923023954/http://www.mtv.com/news/1630335/madonna-brings-classic-like-a-prayer-to-hope-for-haiti-now-telethon/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Her third live album, '']'', was released in April, debuting at number ten on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref name="bbalbums" /> It also became her 20th top-ten on the ], breaking the Beatles' record for the most top-ten album by an international act in Japan.<ref name="japanrecord">{{cite news|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/75011/full/|title=マドンナ、TOP10入り獲得数20作でザ・ビートルズ抜き歴代単独1位|language=ja|publisher=]|date=April 6, 2010|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=May 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160521060952/http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/75011/full/|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna granted American television show, '']'', the rights to her entire catalog of music, and the producers created ] featuring her songs exclusively.<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine|last=Stack|first=Tim|date=October 21, 2009|url=https://ew.com/article/2009/10/21/glee-exlcusive-madonna-is-in-is-adam-lambert-next/|title=''Glee'' Exclusive: Madonna is on board! Is Adam Lambert next?|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=March 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323100815/http://www.ew.com/article/2009/10/21/glee-exlcusive-madonna-is-in-is-adam-lambert-next|url-status=live}}</ref> She also collaborated with Lourdes and released the ] clothing line, inspired by her punk-girl style when she rose to fame in the 1980s.<ref name="mgclothing">{{cite news|first=Jill|last=Serjeant|editor-first=Bob|editor-last=Tourtellotte|date=August 20, 2010|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-madonna-idUSTRE67J3YP20100820|title=Madonna sued over 'Material Girl' clothing line|work=]|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=January 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102081443/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-madonna-idUSTRE67J3YP20100820|url-status=live}}</ref> In October, she opened a series of fitness centers around the world named ],<ref>{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Joyce|date=October 26, 2010|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/madonna-to-open-hard-candy-gym-chain/|title=Madonna to Open ''Hard Candy'' Gym Chain|access-date=January 1, 2017|publisher=]|archive-date=September 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916095708/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/madonna-to-open-hard-candy-gym-chain/|url-status=live}}</ref> and three months later unveiled a second fashion brand called ] which included footwear, perfumes, underclothing, and accessories.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.madonna.com/news/title/madonna-and-mg-icon-announce-the-launch-of-the-truth-or-dare-by-madonna-brand-|title=Madonna And MG Icon Announce The Launch of The 'Truth or Dare by Madonna' Brand|date=November 3, 2011|publisher=Madonna.com|access-date=January 1, 2017|archive-date=April 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404032134/http://www.madonna.com/news/title/madonna-and-mg-icon-announce-the-launch-of-the-truth-or-dare-by-madonna-brand-|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In ], Madonna embarked on the "]," during which she played fifty-six dates in the U.S. and Europe. The tour became the highest-grossing tour of ], earning 125 million dollars according to ]. Madonna was both complimented and criticized for including a notable amount of her past hits on the set list. Some critics noted that Madonna has previously stated she had no desire to tour with her older hits from the ]. She also performed in an aid concert that ] organized, called ''Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope''. | |||
Madonna directed her second feature film, '']'', a ] about the affair between ] and ]. Co-written with ], the film was premiered at the ] in September 2011.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/madonna-directing-w-e-1118015190/|title=Madonna directing 'W.E.'|last=Jafaar|first=Ali|date=February 13, 2010|magazine=]|access-date=February 15, 2010|archive-date=November 26, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126224408/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118015190?refCatId=16|url-status=live}}</ref> Critical and commercial response to the film was negative.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/we|title=W.E. Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic|publisher=Metacritic|date=December 9, 2011|access-date=May 13, 2012|archive-date=May 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514012038/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/we|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/we_2011/|title=W.E.|website=Rotten Tomatoes|date=May 2, 2012|access-date=May 13, 2012|archive-date=May 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507151242/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/we_2011/|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna contributed the ballad "]" for the film's soundtrack, which won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677336/golden-globes-2012-madonna-best-original-song-masterpiece.jhtml|title=Madonna's 'Masterpiece' Wins The Golden Globe|access-date=January 16, 2012|date=January 15, 2012|publisher=]|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|archive-date=May 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130519170133/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677336/golden-globes-2012-madonna-best-original-song-masterpiece.jhtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Madonna also faced a brief battle with Warner Brothers Records, with whom she shared record label ], Madonna sold her shares in Maverick. | |||
=== 2012–2016: Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, ''MDNA'', and ''Rebel Heart'' === | |||
===Confessions On A Dance Floor=== | |||
] and a ], performing during the ] on February 5, 2012|alt=A groupe of performers onstage, with Madonna and Cee Lo Green at the front. They are all wearing black costumes with red and white stripes.]] | |||
]" music video.]] | |||
In February 2012, Madonna headlined the ] at the ] in ], Indiana.<ref name="nfl12">{{cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-xlvi-halftime-show-will-feature-madonna-09000d5d824bf8ea|title=Super Bowl XLVI Halftime show featured Madonna|date=December 4, 2011|publisher=]|access-date=December 5, 2011|archive-date=January 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107053712/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d824bf8ea/article/super-bowl-xlvi-halftime-show-will-feature-madonna|url-status=live}}</ref> Her performance was visualized by ] and ], and featured special guests ], ], ] and ]. It became the then most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history with 114 million viewers, higher than the game itself.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bauder|first=David|url=https://vancouversun.com/sports/football/super-bowl/Super+Bowl+most+watched+show+history+draws+record+million+viewers/6109753/story.html|title=Super Bowl most watched TV show in U.S. history, draws record 111.3 million viewers|work=Vancouver Sun|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208221945/http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/football/super-bowl/Super%2BBowl%2Bmost%2Bwatched%2Bshow%2Bhistory%2Bdraws%2Brecord%2Bmillion%2Bviewers/6109753/story.html|archive-date=February 8, 2012|date=February 6, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the event, she performed "]", the lead single from her twelfth studio album, '']''. It became her record-extending 38th top-ten single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/505114/madonna-scores-record-extending-38th-hot-100-top-10|title=Madonna Scores Record-Extending 38th Hot 100 Top 10|magazine=Billboard|date=September 14, 2009|access-date=February 26, 2012|archive-date=March 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329105138/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/505114/madonna-scores-record-extending-38th-hot-100-top-10|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In ], she released her 10th studio album '']'' which debuted at #1 on the ], selling 350,606 copies in its first week. It also debuted at #1 in 40 different countries setting a new record previously held by ]. ''Confessions'' was produced primarily by Madonna and ] but also included tracks by ] and ]. The album received the most positive reviews since ]'s '']''. | |||
''MDNA'' was released in March 2012 and saw collaboration with various producers, including William Orbit and ].<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-material-girl-is-back-on-the-dance-floor-138285024.html|title=The Material Girl is Back on the Dance Floor|publisher=Interscope Records|agency=]|date=January 29, 2012|access-date=January 29, 2012|archive-date=September 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906230647/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-material-girl-is-back-on-the-dance-floor-138285024.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It was her first release under her three-album deal with ], which she signed as a part of her 360 deal with Live Nation.<ref name="InterscopeDeal">{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/madonna-interscope-live-nation-deal-273943|title=Madonna's Interscope-Live Nation Deal Worth $40 Million; Album Due Out in March|author=Halperin, Shirley|date=December 15, 2011|work=]|access-date=December 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107195417/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/madonna-interscope-live-nation-deal-273943|archive-date=January 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> She was signed to the record label since Live Nation was unable to distribute music recordings.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7385849/live-nation-michael-rapino-upselling-360-deals|title=Live Nation's Michael Rapino Wants to Upsell You, Talks Streaming and Madonna-Like 360 Deals|date=May 26, 2016|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 28, 2018|archive-date=May 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529135107/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7385849/live-nation-michael-rapino-upselling-360-deals|url-status=live}}</ref> ''MDNA'' became Madonna's fifth consecutive studio record to debut at the top of the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/497329/madonna-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200-lionel-richie-at-no-2|title=Madonna Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200, Lionel Richie at No. 2|magazine=Billboard|date=September 14, 2009|access-date=April 7, 2012|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|archive-date=March 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330220114/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/497329/madonna-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200-lionel-richie-at-no-2|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was mostly promoted by ], which lasted from May to December 2012.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Cadan|first=Dan|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-kicks-off-mdna-tour-in-tel-aviv-20120601|title=Madonna Kicks Off 'MDNA' Tour in Tel Aviv|magazine=]|date=June 1, 2012|access-date=June 7, 2012|archive-date=October 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025132401/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-kicks-off-mdna-tour-in-tel-aviv-20120601|url-status=dead}}</ref> The tour featured controversial subjects such as violence, firearms, human rights, nudity and politics. With a gross of $305.2 million from 88 sold-out shows, it became the highest-grossing tour of 2012 and then-tenth highest-grossing tour of all time.<ref name="mdna boxscore">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1526267/madonnas-mdna-tour-makes-billboard-boxscores-all-time-top-10|title=Madonna's 'MDNA' Tour Makes Billboard Boxscore's All-Time Top 10|magazine=Billboard|first=Ray|last=Waddell|date=January 24, 2013|access-date=May 19, 2013|archive-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201084714/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1526267/madonnas-mdna-tour-makes-billboard-boxscores-all-time-top-10|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna was named the top-earning celebrity of the year by ''],'' earning an estimated $125 million.<ref name="earning2013">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-madonna-top-earning-celebrity-2013-forbes-mdna-20130828,0,2147727.story|title=Madonna is Forbes' top-earning celebrity thanks to MDNA tour|first=Nardine|last=Saad|work=]|date=August 28, 2013|access-date=August 31, 2013|archive-date=August 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831002536/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-madonna-top-earning-celebrity-2013-forbes-mdna-20130828,0,2147727.story|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The first single, '']'', peaked at #1 in 41 countries and became No.1 for a record 15 weeks on the United World Charts. The track features a sample of the popular ] song "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight)." With the chart success of '']'', Madonna tied Elvis Presley in the record for the most top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, titled "]," entered the UK top 40 at #1. It has also hit #1 in four other countries and reached the top ten in most others. "]" has been pinned as the third single from the album to have a late spring/early summer release. | |||
Madonna collaborated with Steven Klein and directed a 17-minute film, '']'', which was released on ] in September 2013.<ref name="Hive">{{cite web|title=BitTorrent and Madonna join forces for free speech|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048892/bittorrent-and-madonna-join-forces-for-free-speech.html|work=]|access-date=September 23, 2013|first=Caitlin|last=McGarry|date=September 17, 2013|archive-date=January 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124132810/http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048892/bittorrent-and-madonna-join-forces-for-free-speech.html|url-status=live}}</ref> With the film she launched the Art for Freedom initiative, which helped to promote "art and free speech as a means to address persecution and injustice across the globe". The website for the project included over 3,000 art related submissions since its inception, with Madonna regularly monitoring and enlisting other artists like ] and ] as guest curators.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-names-katy-perry-art-for-freedom-guest-curator-20140107|title=Madonna Names Katy Perry Art for Freedom Guest Curator|last=Blistein|first=John|date=January 7, 2014|access-date=May 23, 2014|magazine=]|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612163423/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-names-katy-perry-art-for-freedom-guest-curator-20140107|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Madonna also released her second documentary, titled '']'', which had been filmed during her ] Re-Invention world tour. She opened the ] and the ] with Gorillaz. Madonna also announced she would tour the world in the summer of ]. | |||
By 2013, Madonna's ] had built ten schools to educate 4,000 children in Malawi at a value of $400,000.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldstein |first1=Sasha |title=Madonna sends Malawi president an error-filled handwritten letter, leaves the country without meeting Joyce Banda |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/madonna-leaves-malawi-charity-visit-article-1.1310137 |website=Daily News|location=New York |access-date=March 22, 2021 |date=April 7, 2013 |archive-date=April 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415170353/https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/madonna-leaves-malawi-charity-visit-article-1.1310137 |url-status=live }}</ref> When Madonna visited the schools in April 2013, ] ] accused her of exaggerating the charity's contribution.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22103748|title=Malawi labels Madonna a 'bully' after recent visit|publisher=BBC|date=April 11, 2013|access-date=April 11, 2013|archive-date=April 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411013747/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22103748|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna was saddened by Banda's statement, but clarified that she had "no intention of being distracted by these ridiculous allegations". It was later confirmed that Banda had not approved the statement released by her press team.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/12/malawi-president-attack-madonna-goof|title=Malawi president's attack on Madonna said to be a 'goof'|date=April 12, 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=April 15, 2013|first1=Godfrey|last1=Mapondera|first2=David|last2=Smith|archive-date=August 27, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827004300/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/12/malawi-president-attack-madonna-goof|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna also visited her hometown Detroit during May 2014, and donated funds to help with the city's ].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Madonna Aims to Help Detroit Hometown by Funding Charities|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-aims-to-help-detroit-hometown-by-funding-organizations-20140630|last=Grow|first=Kory|date=June 30, 2014|access-date=July 1, 2014|magazine=]|archive-date=October 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004191615/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-aims-to-help-detroit-hometown-by-funding-organizations-20140630|url-status=dead}}</ref> The same year, her business ventures extended to ] products with the launch of ] in Tokyo, Japan.<ref name="skin">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-hook/5901239/madonna-premiering-skin-care-brand-in-japan|title=Madonna Premiering Skin Care Brand in Japan|last=Rutherford|first=Kevin|date=February 14, 2014|access-date=February 14, 2014|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=March 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302044928/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-hook/5901239/madonna-premiering-skin-care-brand-in-japan|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Madonna was nominated for five Australian MTV AVMAs and one MTV Asia Award. She is lending her voice to the big budget (approximately 80 million dollars) ] animated film ''''. Madonna provides the voice of Princess Selenia. The film, directed by ], is expected to be released in ] ]. | |||
Madonna's thirteenth studio album, '']'', was released in March 2015, three months after its thirteen ] leaked onto the internet.<ref name="ggtheft">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/dec/21/madonna-album-hack-living-state-terror|title=Madonna: I did not say, 'Hey, here's my music, and it's finished.' It was theft|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|date=December 21, 2014|access-date=December 22, 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|archive-date=December 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221231056/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/dec/21/madonna-album-hack-living-state-terror|url-status=live}}</ref> Unlike her previous efforts, which involved only a few people, Madonna worked with a large number of collaborators, including ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/my-seven-minute-speed-date-interview-with-madonna/article16897104/|title=My seven-minute, speed-date interview with Madonna|first=Sarah|last=Hampson|date=February 14, 2014|access-date=March 1, 2014|work=]|location=Toronto|archive-date=March 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317111230/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/my-seven-minute-speed-date-interview-with-madonna/article16897104/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Madonna hits studio with Kills|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/madonna-hits-studio-with-kills-30177378.html|work=]|date=November 4, 2014|access-date=April 15, 2014|archive-date=April 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416191756/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/madonna-hits-studio-with-kills-30177378.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Introspection was listed as one of the foundational themes prevalent on the record, along with "genuine statements of personal and careerist reflection".<ref name="slant3">{{cite news|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/madonna-releases-three-more-songs-from-rebel-heart-joan-of-arc-iconic-hold-tight|title=Madonna Releases Three More Songs from Rebel Heart: 'Joan of Arc', 'Iconic', & 'Hold Tight'|last=Mac|first=Sam C.|work=Slant Magazine|access-date=February 26, 2015|date=February 9, 2015|archive-date=February 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211100550/http://www.slantmagazine.com/house/article/madonna-releases-three-more-songs-from-rebel-heart-joan-of-arc-iconic-hold-tight|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna explained to ] of ''The New York Times'' that, although she has never looked back at her past endeavors, reminiscing about it felt right for ''Rebel Heart''.<ref name="nytint">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/06/arts/music/madonna-talks-about-rebel-heart-her-fall-and-more.html|title=Madonna Talks About 'Rebel Heart,' Her Fall and More|first=Jon|last=Pareles|date=March 6, 2015|access-date=March 7, 2015|author-link=Jon Pareles|work=The New York Times|archive-date=March 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150306211620/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/06/arts/music/madonna-talks-about-rebel-heart-her-fall-and-more.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Music critics responded positively towards the album, calling it her best effort in a decade.<ref>{{cite web|title=Reviews for Rebel Heart|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/rebel-heart/madonna|publisher=]|access-date=March 20, 2015|archive-date=March 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315160531/http://www.metacritic.com/music/rebel-heart/madonna|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Recently, Madonna announced a global concert tour to support the album. ], due to run from May to ] ], will cover North America, Japan and Europe. | |||
] in 2016|alt=Madonna looking to her right while singing onstage, with her right hand on her waist.]] | |||
==Personal life == | |||
From September 2015 to March 2016, Madonna embarked on the ] to promote the album. The tour traveled throughout North America, Europe and Asia and was Madonna's first visit to Australia in 23 years, where she also performed a ] for her fans.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Spanos|first1=Brittany |title=Madonna Plots Rebel Heart Tour for North America, Europe|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=March 2, 2015|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-plots-rebel-heart-tour-for-north-america-europe-20150302|access-date=March 2, 2015|archive-date=March 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304174410/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-plots-rebel-heart-tour-for-north-america-europe-20150302|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Madonna completes her Rebel Heart tour in Sydney amid criticism |last=Bhandari |first=Subel |magazine=] |date=March 22, 2015 |url=http://borneobulletin.com.bn/madonna-completes-her-rebel-heart-tour-in-sydney-amid-criticism/ |access-date=March 22, 2015|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227150407/http://borneobulletin.com.bn/madonna-completes-her-rebel-heart-tour-in-sydney-amid-criticism/ |archive-date=February 27, 2017}}</ref> The Rebel Heart Tour grossed a total of $169.8 million from the 82 shows, with over 1.045 million ticket sales.<ref name="rebelheartgross">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7271843/madonna-extends-record-highest-grossing-solo-touring-artist|title=Madonna Extends Record as Highest-Grossing Solo Touring Artist: $1.31 Billion Earned|last=Allen|first=Bob|date=March 24, 2016|access-date=March 24, 2016|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=December 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204051754/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7271843/madonna-extends-record-highest-grossing-solo-touring-artist|url-status=live}}</ref> While on tour, Madonna became engaged in a legal battle with Ritchie, over the custody of their son Rocco. The dispute started when Rocco decided to continue living in England with Ritchie when the tour had visited there, while Madonna wanted him to travel with her. Court hearings took place in both New York and London. After multiple deliberations, Madonna withdrew her application for custody and decided to resolve the matter privately.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35862049|title=Judge rules on Madonna custody dispute|last=Savage|first=Mark|date=March 21, 2016|access-date=March 22, 2016|work=BBC News|archive-date=March 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321185626/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35862049|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
===Italian influence=== | |||
Though Madonna Ciccone is half ], more often the influence of her ] heritage has been reflected in her work. Perhaps this is because Madonna's ] mother died when Madonna was five and Madonna was subsequently raised by her ] father. | |||
References to Madonna's Italian heritage have often been found in her work. In the video for "Truth or Dare"/"In Bed with Madonna", Madonna describes herself as "Italian American". She says, "I'm an Italian American and proud of it." In her ] documentary ''I'm Going To Tell You a Secret'', Madonna jokingly states that she has "big Italian thighs". In the video for ] she wears a shirt that says, "Italians Do It Better."<ref></ref> Madonna has described her birth name (Madonna Ciccone) as being "very Italian". The video for her second concert tour, the "Who's That Girl?" tour, was filmed mainly in ]; the video is titled "Ciao Italia: Madonna Live from Italy".<ref></ref> The video to her first #1 song, ], featured Madonna performing in ]. | |||
In October 2016, ''Billboard'' named Madonna its ]. Her "blunt and brutally honest" speech about ageism and sexism at the ceremony received widespread coverage in the media.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Madonna Is Billboard's 2016 Woman of the Year|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/events/women-in-music/7541832/madonna-2016-woman-of-the-year|access-date=October 14, 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=October 14, 2016|archive-date=October 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014204125/http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/women-in-music/7541832/madonna-2016-woman-of-the-year|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="woman2016">{{cite magazine|title=Madonna Delivers Her Blunt Truth During Fiery, Teary Billboard Women In Music Speech|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/events/women-in-music/7616927/madonna-billboard-woman-of-the-year-labrinth|access-date=January 24, 2017|magazine=Billboard|date=December 9, 2016|last=Lynch|first=Joe|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202072939/http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/women-in-music/7616927/madonna-billboard-woman-of-the-year-labrinth|url-status=live}}</ref> The next month Madonna, who actively supported ] during the ], performed an impromptu acoustic concert at ] in support of ].<ref name="impromptu">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7565917/madonna-surprise-performance-washington-square-park-new-york|title=Madonna Gives Surprise Performance in New York's Washington Square Park in Support of Hillary Clinton|last=Shouneyia|first=Alexa|date=November 7, 2016|access-date=November 8, 2016|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=November 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108023426/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7565917/madonna-surprise-performance-washington-square-park-new-york|url-status=live}}</ref> Upset that ] won the election, Madonna spoke out against him at the ], a day after ].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7662586/watch-madonna-drop-f-bomb-womens-march-on-washington-donald-trump-protest|title=Watch Madonna Drop F-Bomb on Live TV at Women's March on Washington|magazine=Billboard|date=January 20, 2017|access-date=January 21, 2017|archive-date=January 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123071701/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7662586/watch-madonna-drop-f-bomb-womens-march-on-washington-donald-trump-protest|url-status=live}}</ref> She sparked controversy when she said that she "thought a lot about blowing up the White House".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/21/politics/madonna-speech-march/|title=In R-rated anti-Trump rant, Madonna muses about 'blowing up White House'|publisher=]|first=Eric|last=Levenson|date=January 21, 2017|access-date=January 22, 2017|archive-date=January 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123213118/http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/21/politics/madonna-speech-march|url-status=live}}</ref> The following day, Madonna asserted she was "not a violent person" and that her words had been "taken wildly out of context".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-clarifies-out-of-context-remark-from-womens-march-w462373|date=January 22, 2017|access-date=January 22, 2017|title=Madonna Clarifies 'Out of Context' Remark From Women's March|first=Daniel|last=Krepps|magazine=Rolling Stone|archive-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327010827/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/madonna-clarifies-out-of-context-remark-from-womens-march-w462373|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Fellow Italian American pop singer ] has been quoted as saying that she and Madonna are related by marriage - Stefani has claimed that her great aunt married a man from ] (the area of Michigan that Madonna is from) with the last name "Ciccone." Madonna also shares a common French Canadian ancestor with fellow singer ].<ref>. 'The Arizona Republic''. 23 October 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2006.</ref> <ref>. Dick Eastman Online. 12 June 2002. Retrieved 23 March 2006.</ref> | |||
=== 2017–2021: Move to Lisbon and ''Madame X'' === | |||
===Gay community=== | |||
] | |||
In February 2017, Madonna adopted four-year-old twin sisters from Malawi named Estere and Stella,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mponda|first1=Félix|title=Madonna Adopts 4-year-old Twin Girls in Malawi|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/malawi-court-allows-madonna-adopt-twin-girls-official-005130179.html|access-date=February 7, 2017|publisher=]|date=February 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207192701/https://www.yahoo.com/news/malawi-court-allows-madonna-adopt-twin-girls-official-005130179.html|archive-date=February 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7694305/madonna-new-twins-singing-twinkle-twinkle-little-star-video|title=Madonna Shares Video of New Twins Singing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'|last=Stutz|first=Colin|magazine=Billboard|date=February 20, 2017|access-date=February 20, 2017|archive-date=February 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220173722/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7694305/madonna-new-twins-singing-twinkle-twinkle-little-star-video|url-status=live}}</ref> and she moved to live in ], Portugal, in mid-2017 with her adoptive children.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/05/entertainment/madonna-portugal/index.html|title=Madonna is happy she moved|first=Lisa|last=Respers|publisher=]|access-date=September 6, 2017|date=September 5, 2017|archive-date=September 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905221315/http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/05/entertainment/madonna-portugal/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In July, she opened the ] in Malawi, a children's hospital built by her Raising Malawi charity.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-madonna/malawi-hails-madonnas-motherly-spirit-at-opening-of-new-hospital-idUSKBN19W1XX|title=Malawi hails Madonna's 'motherly spirit' at opening of new hospital|work=Reuters|first=Frank|last=Phiri|date=July 11, 2017|access-date=May 28, 2018|archive-date=June 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624232821/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-madonna/malawi-hails-madonnas-motherly-spirit-at-opening-of-new-hospital-idUSKBN19W1XX|url-status=live}}</ref> The ] chronicling the Rebel Heart Tour was released in September 2017, and won Best Music Video for Western Artists at the 32nd ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.golddisc.jp/award/32/Prize_2.html#gd32_24|title=The 32nd Japan Gold Disc Award|publisher=]|language=ja|access-date=February 27, 2018|archive-date=October 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004145125/http://www.golddisc.jp/award/32/Prize_2.html#gd32_24|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rebel-heart-tour-mw0003080350|title=Rebel Heart Tour > Madonna|publisher=]|access-date=May 13, 2018|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612163654/https://www.allmusic.com/album/rebel-heart-tour-mw0003080350|url-status=live}}</ref> That month, Madonna launched MDNA Skin in select stores in the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/beauty/7980721/madonna-skincare-line-everything-to-know-about-mdna-skin|title=Everything You Need to Know About Madonna's Newest Venture, MDNA Skin|last=Gray|first=Yasmin|date=September 26, 2017|access-date=May 13, 2018|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=May 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523043525/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/beauty/7980721/madonna-skincare-line-everything-to-know-about-mdna-skin|url-status=live}}</ref> A few months earlier, the auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll had put up Madonna's personal items like love letters from ], cassettes, underwear and a hairbrush for sale. Darlene Lutz, an art dealer who had initiated the auction, was sued by Madonna's representatives to stop the proceedings. Madonna clarified that her celebrity status "does not obviate my right to maintain my privacy, including with regard to highly personal items". Madonna lost the case and the presiding judge ruled in favor of Lutz who was able to prove that in 2004 Madonna made a legal agreement with her for selling the items.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/24/madonna-loses-legal-battle-prevent-auction-tupac-letter-personal/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/24/madonna-loses-legal-battle-prevent-auction-tupac-letter-personal/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Madonna loses legal battle to prevent auction of Tupac letter and other personal items|date=April 24, 2018|access-date=May 13, 2018|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | |||
While living in Lisbon, Madonna met ], who introduced her to many local musicians playing ], ] and ]. They regularly invited her to their "living room sessions", thus she was inspired to make her 14th studio album, '']''.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Madonna Talks Giving 'Zero You-Know-Whats' on New 'Madame X' Album at London 'Medellin' Video Premiere|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8508668/madonna-medellin-video-premiere-london-inside-interview-madame-x|magazine=Billboard|author=Smirke, Richard|access-date=September 11, 2019|date=April 24, 2019|archive-date=April 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425060614/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8508668/madonna-medellin-video-premiere-london-inside-interview-madame-x|url-status=live}}</ref> Madonna produced the album with several musicians, primarily her longtime collaborator ] and ].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8515947/madonna-madame-x-stream-it-now|title=Madonna's 'Madame X' Is Here: Stream It Now|date=June 14, 2019|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 11, 2020|archive-date=September 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920183550/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8515947/madonna-madame-x-stream-it-now|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was critically well received, with '']'' deeming it "bold, bizarre, self-referential and unlike anything Madonna has ever done before."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/madonna-madame-x-review|title=Madonna – 'Madame X' review|work=]|last=Hunt|first=El|date=June 5, 2019|access-date=June 6, 2019|archive-date=June 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605142330/https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/madonna-madame-x-review|url-status=live}}</ref> Released in June 2019, ''Madame X'' debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming her ninth number-one album there.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8517120/madonna-madame-x-No1-debut-billboard-200-chart|title=Madonna Achieves Ninth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Madame X'|magazine=Billboard|first=Keith|last=Caulfield|date=June 23, 2019|access-date=June 23, 2019|archive-date=October 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022063058/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8517120/madonna-madame-x-No1-debut-billboard-200-chart|url-status=live}}</ref> All four of its singles—"]", "]", "]" and "]"—topped the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs chart, extending her record for most number-one entries on the chart.<ref name="DanceRecord" /> | |||
:''Main article: ]'' | |||
] in 2020|alt=Madonna singing onstage in front of a greenish backdrop, while wearing black costumes and an eye-patch.]] | |||
Madonna has long been a ]. Many of her performances have incorporated aspects of "gay culture", the most famous example being her hit song ]. In the ], a time before most celebrities felt comfortable lending their support to ] charities, Madonna was one of the first major artists to speak out about the need for money for AIDS research. ], the largest ] magazine in the United States, once declared Madonna "the greatest gay icon of all time". | |||
The previous month, Madonna appeared as the interval act at the ] and performed "Like a Prayer", and then "]" with rapper ].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/may/19/madonna-was-excruciating-eurovision-2019|title=Madonna was excruciating: what we learned from Eurovision 2019|last=Belam|first=Martin|date=May 18, 2019|newspaper=]|access-date=September 11, 2020|archive-date=September 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929085239/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/may/19/madonna-was-excruciating-eurovision-2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Her ], an all-] tour in select cities across North America and Europe, began on September 17, 2019. In addition to much smaller venues compared to her previous tours, she implemented a no-phone policy in order to maximize the intimacy of the concert.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.papermag.com/madonna-madame-x-tour-2640455216.html|title=Madonna X-periments With the 'Madame X Tour'|last=Stern|first=Bradley|magazine=]|date=September 20, 2019|access-date=November 12, 2019|archive-date=September 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920204700/https://www.papermag.com/madonna-madame-x-tour-2640455216.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to '']'', the tour earned $51.4 million in ticket sales.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.pollstar.com/article/women-at-the-top-boxoffice-stars-in-pre-pandemic-2020-147666|title=Women At The Top: Boxoffice Stars In Pre-Pandemic 2020|magazine=]|date=March 23, 2021|first=Bob|last=Allen|access-date=July 11, 2021}}</ref> That December, Madonna started dating Ahlamalik Williams, a dancer who began accompanying her on the Rebel Heart Tour in 2015.<ref name="The Times of India 2021">{{cite news| title=Madonna packs on some PDA with boyfriend Ahlamalik Williams while celebrating her 63rd birthday | newspaper=]|date=August 22, 202 | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/english/hollywood/news/madonna-packs-on-some-pda-with-boyfriend-ahlamalik-williams-while-celebrating-her-63rd-birthday/articleshow/85530879.cms | access-date=August 22, 2021|author=Asian News International (ANI)|author-link=Asian News International}}</ref><ref name="Nast 2021">{{cite magazine | last=Léger | first=Marie | title=Who is Ahlamalik Williams, Madonna's boyfriend? | magazine=]| date=August 20, 2021 | url=https://www.vogue.fr/wedding/article/ahlamalik-williams-madonnas-boyfriend | access-date=August 22, 2021}}</ref> However, the Madame X Tour faced several cancellations due to her recurring knee injury, and eventually ended abruptly on March 8, 2020, three days before its planned final date, after the French government banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people due to ].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.spin.com/2020/03/madonna-cancels-paris-tour-date-after-stage-fall/|title=Madonna Cancels Paris Tour Date After Stage Fall|magazine=]|date=March 2, 2020|access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/madonna-coronavirus-madame-x-tour-cancelled-paris-dates-refund-a9389156.html|title=Madonna forced to end Madame X Tour early due to coronavirus restrictions|first=Clémence|last=Michallon|newspaper=]|date=March 9, 2020|access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref> She later revealed she had ] for ] antibodies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/music/madonna-coronavirus-antibodies/|title=Madonna reveals she tested positive for coronavirus antibodies, but is 'not currently sick'|magazine=]|access-date=September 11, 2020|first=Joey|last=Nolfi}}</ref> In April 2020, Madonna announced her financial support for the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator led by the ], ] and ],<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Au-Yeung |first=Angel |date=April 3, 2020 |title=A Bill Gates-Backed Accelerator For COVID-19 Therapeutics Treatment Partners With Madonna And Mark Zuckerberg's Chan Zuckerberg Initiative |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/angelauyeung/2020/04/03/a-bill-gates-backed-accelerator-for-covid-19-coronavirus-therapeutics-treatment-partners-with-madonna-and-mark-zuckerbergs-chan-zuckerberg-initiative/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220118165740/https://www.forbes.com/sites/angelauyeung/2020/04/03/a-bill-gates-backed-accelerator-for-covid-19-coronavirus-therapeutics-treatment-partners-with-madonna-and-mark-zuckerbergs-chan-zuckerberg-initiative/?sh=54ee18948067 |archive-date=January 18, 2022 |access-date=September 10, 2023 |magazine=]}}</ref> and donated an additional $1 million to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help fund research creating a new vaccine.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/madonna-donates-1-million-to-fund-hoping-to-create-coronavirus-vaccine-2640982|title=Madonna donates $1 million to fund hoping to create coronavirus vaccine|date=April 4, 2020|magazine=]|access-date=September 11, 2020|first=Will|last=Richards}}</ref> | |||
Madonna and Missy Elliott provided guest vocals on ]'s single "]", from Lipa's 2020 remix album '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/dua-lipa-announces-levitating-remix-featuring-madonna-and-missy-elliott__30336|title=Dua Lipa announces new single ft. Madonna and Missy Elliott|publisher=]|last=White|first=Jack|date=July 27, 2020|access-date=August 1, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200801032934/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/dua-lipa-announces-levitating-remix-featuring-madonna-and-missy-elliott__30336/|archive-date=August 1, 2020}}</ref> She also started work on a film biopic about her life, which she intended to direct.<ref name = Grobar>{{cite news|url = https://deadline.com/2023/01/madonna-biopic-at-universal-not-moving-forward-1235239722/|title = Madonna Biopic At Universal Not Moving Forward|work = ]|date = January 24, 2023|accessdate = January 24, 2023|last = Grobar|first = Matt}}</ref> ] and ] worked on the script at various points and ] was cast as Madonna before the project was postponed.<ref name = Grobar/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/madonna-biopic-diablo-cody-movie-screenplay/|title=Madonna reveals plot details for biopic movie: Andy Warhol, 'Vogue' dancers, Evita, more|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|first=Joey|last=Nolfi|date=September 11, 2020|access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 25, 2023|title=Madonna biopic scrapped after singer's world tour announced|newspaper=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/25/madonna-biopic-scrapped-after-singers-world-tour-announced|access-date=January 25, 2023|first=Michael|last=Sun}}</ref> Madonna released '']'', a documentary film chronicling the tour of the same name, on ] in October 2021.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.it/musica/news-musica/madonna-il-film-sul-tour-di-madame-x-uscira-in-ottobre/570357/|title=Madonna, il film sul tour di 'Madame X' uscirà in ottobre|magazine=] Italy|date=July 8, 2021|access-date=July 9, 2021|language=it}}</ref> | |||
===Kabbalah Centre=== | |||
Since the late-], Madonna has become a devotee of the disputed ] and a disciple of its controversial head ] ] and his wife Karen. Madonna and husband ] attend ] classes and have been reported to have adopted a number of aspects of the movement and associated with ]. The media has reported that Madonna has taken on the Biblical name of ''']''', has donated millions of dollars to the Kabbalah Centre in London, New York and Los Angeles; no longer performs on Friday nights because it's the time when the ]ish ] begins; wears a ]; and has visited ] with members of the Kabbalah Centre to celebrate some of the ]s. She also studies personally with her own private-tutor, rabbi Eitan Yardeni, whose wife Sarah Yardeni runs Madonna's favorite charitable project, "Spirituality for Kids," a subsidiary of the Kabbalah Centre.<ref>Mim Udovitch. . 20 June 2005. Retrieved 26 February 2006.</ref> Madonna reportedly donated 21 million dollars towards a new Kabbalah school for children.<ref>. The Times of India. 5 August 2004. Retrieved 26 February 2006.</ref> | |||
Recently references to Kabbalah Centre beliefs and principles have appeared in her music, including the track "]" from '']'' (''I sleep much better at night / I feel closer to the Light / Now I'm gonna try / To Improve my life''). | |||
=== 2022–present: ''Finally Enough Love'', the Celebration Tour and new projects === | |||
Controversy erupted again well before the release of her most recent album '']''. Many Israeli rabbis condemned Madonna and the forthcoming song "Isaac" (tenth on its track listing) because they believed the song to be a tribute to Rabbi ], also known as Yitzhak Luria (]-]), one of the greatest Kabbalists of all time, and claimed that Jewish law forbids using a holy rabbi's name for profit. (Whether Jewish law actually forbids this, or the rabbis were simply uncomfortable with Madonna's song, is disputed). In interviews, Madonna had called this song: "The ]" and rumors spread that it was based on the major episode in the life of the Hebrew patriarch ]. Despite continued accusations that the song is about Isaac Luria, Madonna has repeatedly denied such accusations, claiming she could not think of a title for the song and, therefore, named it after Yitzhak (Isaac) Sinwani. In the song, Madonna sings with Sinwani, an Israeli singer, who is chanting a ] song. Said Madonna: "The album isn't even out, so how could Jewish scholars in Israel know what my song is about? I don't know enough about Isaac Luria to write a song, though I've learned a bit in my studies."<ref>Elysa Gardner. . USA Today. 27 October 2005. Retrieved 26 February 2006.</ref> | |||
On Madonna's 63rd birthday, she officially announced her return to Warner Bros. Records in a global partnership which granted the label rights to her entire recorded music catalog, including the last three albums released under Interscope. Under the contract, Madonna launched a series of catalog reissues beginning in 2022, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of her recording career. A remix album titled '']'' was released on August 19, with a 16-track abridged edition being available for streaming since June 24.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/madonna-warner-music-career-spanning-reissue-campaign-partnership-1212466/|title=Madonna Partners With Warner Music for Career-Spanning Reissue Campaign|first=Daniel|last=Kreps|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=August 16, 2021|access-date=August 16, 2021}}</ref> Consisting of her 50 number-one songs on ''Billboard''{{'}}s Dance Club Songs chart, the remix album highlighted "how meaningful dance music has always been" to Madonna's career, and became her 23rd top-ten album on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/music/madonna-releases-finally-enough-love-50-number-ones-remix-album/|title=Madonna Unveils 'Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones', an Epic Career-Spanning Remix Compilation|first=Jack|last=Irvin|magazine=People|date=August 19, 2022|access-date=August 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/madonna-first-woman-with-billboard-200-top-10-albums-each-decade-1235132467/|title=Madonna Becomes First Woman to Earn Billboard 200 Top 10 Albums Each Decade Since the '80s|first=Keith|last=Caulfield|magazine=Billboard|date=August 29, 2022|access-date=September 12, 2022}}</ref> | |||
Throughout 2022 to 2023, Madonna released a number of stand-alone tracks, including "Hung Up on Tokischa" (a remix of "Hung Up", featuring rapper ])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/pop/madonna-tokischa-hung-up-video/|title=Madonna Makes Out With Tokischa In Their 'Hung Up' Remix Video|website=]|last=Villa|first=Lucas|date=September 20, 2022|access-date=December 10, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-10-10/madonna-gay-tiktok-reaction-queerbaiting-support|title='Madonna is gay?' Fans and critics are hung up on the pop icon's cryptic TikTok|website=Los Angeles Times|last=Del Rosario|first=Alexander|date=October 10, 2022|access-date=December 10, 2022}}</ref> and a 2015 demo recorded during the ''Rebel Heart'' sessions called "]" to all digital outlets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://retropopmagazine.com/madonna-releases-back-that-up-to-the-beat-demo-after-the-track-goes-viral-on-tiktok/|title=Madonna releases 'Back That Up To The Beat' demo after the track goes viral on TikTok|last=Grotto|first=Connor|date=December 30, 2022|accessdate=December 22, 2024|website=Retro Pop}}</ref> She also collaborated on three songs on ] album '']'' (2023)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Curto |first1=Justin |title=Madonna Is Christine's Newest Queen |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/03/madonna-christine-and-the-queens-new-album.html |website=]|date=March 8, 2023 |access-date=March 8, 2023}}</ref> and with ] and ] on the single "]", which was taken from the ] to the drama series '']''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/the-weeknd-madonna-playboi-carti-popular-the-idol-vol-1-soundtrack-listen-1235344191/|title=The Weeknd, Madonna & Playboi Carti Come Together on 'Popular' Track: Stream It Now|magazine=Billboard|last=Mamo|first=Heran|date=June 2, 2023|access-date=June 2, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-weeknd-teams-up-with-madonna-and-playboi-carti-for-new-track-popular-listen-here-3450944|title=The Weeknd teams up with Madonna and Playboi Carti for 'Popular'|magazine=NME|last=Dunworth|first=Liberty|date=June 2, 2023|access-date=June 2, 2023}}</ref> | |||
Madonna has openly defended her Kabbalah studies by stating, for example: | |||
]]] | |||
:''I wouldn't say studying Kabbalah for eight years goes under the category or falls under the category of being a fad or a trend. Now there might be people who are interested in it because they think it's trendy, but I can assure you that studying Kabbalah is actually a very challenging thing to do. It requires a lot of work, a lot of reading, a lot of time, a lot of commitment and a lot of discipline.''<ref>. FemaleFirst.com. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 26 February 2006.</ref> | |||
In January 2023, Madonna announced ], her first greatest hits concert tour, which was set to run from July 2023 to January 2024.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Paul |first1=Larisha |title=Madonna Unveils Ultimate Greatest Hits Show 'The Celebration Tour' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/madonna-the-celebration-tour-announcement-1234662120/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=July 19, 2023 |date=January 17, 2023}}</ref> However, on June 24, 2023, the singer was hospitalized after being found unresponsive in her New York City apartment.<ref name="auto">{{cite news|url=https://www.liherald.com/stories/madonnas-tour-postponed-after-long-days-at-coliseum,184403|title=Madonna's tour postponed after long days at Coliseum|first=Brandon|last=Cruz|date=July 10, 2023|newspaper=]|access-date=September 15, 2023}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/madonna-speaks-health-scare-left-140343767.html|title=Madonna Speaks Out After Health Scare Left Her Unresponsive|date=July 10, 2023|access-date=September 15, 2023|publisher=Yahoo! News|last=Cooper|first=Alex}}</ref> She was admitted for five days and received treatment in the intensive care unit under ].<ref name="auto"/> Madonna later stated that she had been in a medically induced coma for 48 hours during her hospitalization<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/madonna-home-hospital-being-intubated-082107983.html|title=Madonna Home From The Hospital After Being Intubated For Serious Bacterial Infection|date=June 29, 2023|publisher=Yahoo}}</ref> for a "serious bacterial infection" following a low-grade fever. As a result, the initial North American leg of the tour was postponed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Madonna Officially Postpones Celebration Tour|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/10/arts/music/madonna-celebration-tour-postponed.html|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=July 19, 2023|date=July 10, 2023|last=Sisario|first=Ben}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/madonna-opens-health-scare-says-was-coma-48-hours-rcna130678|title=Madonna opens up about health scare, says she was in coma for 48 hours|date=December 20, 2023|publisher=NBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abc7chicago.com/madonna-induced-coma-health-update-brooklyn/14205603/|title=Madonna reveals she was in 'an induced coma' this summer, thanks friend who 'saved' her life|date=December 20, 2023|publisher=ABC7 Chicago}}</ref> | |||
The Celebration Tour finally began in October 2023, at ] in London and garnered critical acclaim.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/madonna-celebration-tour-review-a-nightclub-performance-on-arena-scale-hs5sxbj3g|title=Madonna Celebration Tour review – a nightclub performance on arena scale|newspaper=The Times|last=Hodgkinson|first=Will|date=October 15, 2023|access-date=October 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67098882|title=Madonna's Celebration Tour reviewed: The Queen of pop brings out her crown jewels|work=BBC News|last=Savage|first=Mark|date=October 15, 2023|access-date=October 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/15/madonna-review-queen-of-pop-greatest-hits-o2-london-celebration|title=Madonna review – queen of pop dazzles with her greatest hits|newspaper=The Guardian|last=Petridis|first=Alexis|date=October 15, 2023|access-date=October 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/14/arts/music/madonna-celebration-tour-london.html|title=Madonna Celebrates Four Decades of Hits With Career-Spanning Spectacle|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 14, 2023|access-date=October 15, 2023}}</ref> It ended the following May with a free concert at ] in ] which was attended by 1.6 million people, making it ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/madonna-1-6million-crowd-rio-de-janeiro-copacabana-beach-final-night-celebration-tour-1235904728/ |title=Madonna Makes History With 1.6million Crowd In Rio On Final Night Of Tour |date=May 5, 2024 |access-date=May 5, 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood |first=Caroline |last=Frost }}</ref><ref name="record1" /> This tour grossed $225.4 million from 80 shows, making Madonna the first female artist to gross over $100 million with six different concert tours.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Frankenberg|first=Eric|title=Madonna is only woman to achieve this boxscore feat as the Celebration Tour wraps |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/madonna-the-celebration-tour-225-million-1235674536/|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 10, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510023201/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/madonna-the-celebration-tour-225-million-1235674536/ |archive-date=May 10, 2024 |date=May 9, 2024}}</ref> | |||
===Political views=== | |||
During these years, Madonna lost multiple family members, starting with her eldest brother Anthony dying in February 2023 at age 66.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-64779134|title=Madonna's older brother Anthony Ciccone dies aged 66|first=Nathan|last=Williams|publisher=BBC News|date=February 22, 2023|accessdate=October 6, 2024}}</ref> Her younger brother Christopher also died the following year on October 4, 2024, in ] at age 63 from ], according to a statement from his family. He died just two weeks after the death of their stepmother Joan.<ref name=relativesdie>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/madonna-brother-christopher-ciccone-dead-1235794103/|title=Madonna's Younger Brother Christopher Ciccone Dies at 63|first=Mitchell|last=Peters|magazine=Billboard|date=October 6, 2024|accessdate=October 6, 2024}}</ref> Madonna dedicated a lengthy Instagram post to him saying, "I admired him We found our way back to each other. I did my best to keep him alive as long as possible. He was in so much pain towards the end There will never be anyone like him".<ref name="GrdnAP2024">{{cite news |date=October 6, 2024 |title=Christopher Ciccone, artist and Madonna's brother, dies at age 63 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/oct/06/christopher-ciccone-dead-madonnas-brother |access-date=October 7, 2024 |work=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> | |||
It's no that Madonna can't stand ]. | |||
In 2004 she endorsed Wesley Clark in an to her fans, saying at the time that "the future I wish for my children is at risk." She has also to see Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11'. | |||
Following the Celebration Tour, Madonna restarted work on her biographical film<ref name="WTGtitle">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/madonna-returns-work-biopic-screenplay-reveals-title-whos-that-girl-8678656|title=Madonna returns to work on delayed biopic, reveals movie title ''Who's That Girl'' with Julia Garner still set to star|magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> and later complained of producers wanting her to "downsize-down scale-think smaller" with regard to the project. She considered reworking it into a television series as a result.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Nolfi |first1=Joey |title=Madonna 'struggling' over producers wanting to 'downsize' biopic, teases potential TV series instead: 'We cannot shrink' |url=https://ew.com/madonna-biopic-movie-potential-tv-series-8747273 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=December 16, 2024|date=November 18, 2024}}</ref> Madonna shifted her focus towards conceiving new music with ], writing in December 2024 that "these past few months has been medicine for my soul. Songwriting and making music is the one area where I don't need to ask anyone for their permission. I'm so excited to share it with you".<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Aniftos |first1=Rania |title=Madonna Reveals She's Working on New Music for 2025 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/madonna-working-on-new-music-2025-1235858019/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=December 16, 2024|date=December 16, 2024}}</ref> | |||
In 2004 the following was to Madonna: | |||
<blockquote><i>Unfortunately our current government cannot see the big picture. They think too small. They suffer from the "what's in it for me?" syndrome. The simple truth is that the current administration has squandered incredible opportunities to bring the world together, to promote peace in regions that have only known war, to encourage health in places that are ravaged with disease, to make us more secure by living up to our principles at home and abroad. The simple truth is that the policies of our current administration do not reflect what is great about America.</i> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
== |
== Artistry == | ||
=== Influences === | |||
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| footer = From left to right: Madonna has been inspired by movie stars such as ] (pictured in 1934) to art-world figures such as ] (1926), aside from musicians like ] (1990). | |||
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Madonna has called ] one of her idols. She said Sinatra's "]" made a major impression on her.<ref name="hot" /> As a young woman, she attempted to broaden her taste in literature, art, and music, and during this time became interested in classical music. She noted that her favorite style was ], and loved ] and ] because she liked their "feminine quality".<ref>{{harvnb|Michael|2004|p=199}}</ref> Madonna's major influences include ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ], as well as dancers ] and ].{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="femaleinfluence">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/madonna-for-the-first-time-her-friends-and-lovers-speak-out-463608.html|title=Madonna: For the first time, her friends and lovers speak out|newspaper=The Independent|author=O'Brien, Lucy|date=September 1, 2007|access-date=September 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Music/9901/19/madonna.lkl/|last=King|first=Larry|author-link=Larry King|title=Interview: Madonna reviews life on Larry King Live|publisher=]|date=January 19, 1999|access-date=June 9, 2008}}</ref><ref>'']'', #99, December 1994. Madonna interview by ]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/-/entertainment/13445956/patti-smiths-gloria-inspired-madonna/ |title=Patti Smith's Gloria inspired Madonna |publisher=Yahoo! News |date=April 17, 2012 |access-date=June 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627093032/http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/-/entertainment/13445956/patti-smiths-gloria-inspired-madonna |archive-date=June 27, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/madonna-inspired-by-patti-smith-7647008.html/ |title=Madonna inspired by Patti Smith | work=The Standard |date=April 16, 2012 |access-date=November 24, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Lynch |first=Joe |date=December 9, 2016 |title=Madonna Delivers Her Blunt Truth During Fiery, Teary Billboard Women In Music Speech |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/madonna-billboard-woman-of-the-year-labrinth-7616927/ |access-date=January 8, 2024 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref>}} She also grew up listening to ], whose show was the first rock concert she ever attended.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rockhall.com/inductees/david-bowie/transcript/madonna-accepts-for-david-bowi/|title=Madonna accepts for David Bowie|publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|access-date=March 24, 2014|archive-date=March 4, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304111322/https://rockhall.com/inductees/david-bowie/transcript/madonna-accepts-for-david-bowi/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another inspiration is American writer ], whose quote "artists are here to disturb the peace" is frequently used by Madonna.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Beaumont-Thomas |first=Ben |date=October 18, 2023 |title='We cannot lose our humanity': Madonna addresses Israel-Hamas war on stage in London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/18/we-cannot-lose-our-humanity-madonna-addresses-israel-hamas-war-on-stage-in-london |access-date=July 3, 2024 |newspaper=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XYQHB5Oy20&t=65s |title=Madonna on Madame X and Getting Into Good Trouble |first=Jimmy |last=Fallon |date=October 8, 2021 |time=1:05 |via=YouTube}}</ref>{{quote box| | |||
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| source = —] on Madonna's influences.<ref name="Natgeo">{{cite web|url=http://ipod-ngsta.test.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/aug16/happy-birthday-madonna/|title=Aug 16, 1958 CE: Happy Birthday, Madonna|access-date=August 16, 2022|archive-date=June 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613083457/http://ipod-ngsta.test.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/aug16/happy-birthday-madonna/|publisher=]|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
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During her childhood, Madonna was inspired by actors, later saying, "I loved Carole Lombard and Judy Holliday and Marilyn Monroe. They were all incredibly funny, and they were silly and sweet and they were girls and they were feminine and sexy. I just saw myself in them, my funniness and my need to boss people around and at the same time be taken care of. My girlishness. My knowingness and my innocence. Both."<ref name="hot">{{cite magazine |last=Worrell |first=Denise |date=May 27, 1985 |title=Now: Madonna On Madonna |url=https://time.com/vault/issue/1985-05-27/page/91/ |magazine=Time |access-date=May 24, 2023 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Her "Material Girl" music video recreated Monroe's look in the song "]", from the film '']'' (1953). She studied the screwball comedies of the 1930s, particularly those of Lombard, in preparation for the film ''Who's That Girl''. The video for "Express Yourself" (1989) was inspired by ]'s ] '']'' (1927). The video for "Vogue" recreated the style of ] photographs, in particular those by ], and imitated the poses of ], Carole Lombard, and ], while the lyrics referred to many of the stars who had inspired her, including ], described by Madonna as an idol.<ref name="carrie" /><ref>{{harvnb|Victor|2001|p=78}}</ref> | |||
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Influences also came to her from ], such as through the works of Mexican artist ].<ref>{{harvnb|Voller|1999|p=170}}</ref> The music video of the song "Bedtime Story" featured images inspired by the paintings of Kahlo and ].<ref>{{harvnb|Guralnick|Wolk|2000|p=149}}</ref> Madonna is also a collector of ]'s ] paintings and has included them in her music videos and tours.<ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=47}}</ref> Her video for "]" (2003) was an homage to the work of photographer ]; Bourdin's son subsequently filed a lawsuit for unauthorized use of his father's work.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Gary|last=Susman|url=https://ew.com/article/2003/09/30/madonna-faces-copyright-suit-over-video-images/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly|title=Madonna faces copyright suit over video images |date=September 30, 2003|access-date=June 14, 2008}}</ref> Pop artist ]'s use of sadomasochistic imagery in his underground films were reflected in the music videos for "Erotica" and "Deeper and Deeper".<ref>{{harvnb|Guilbert|2002|p=69}}</ref> | |||
==See also== | |||
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Madonna's Catholic background has been reflected throughout her career, from her fashion use of ] to her musical outputs, including on ''Like a Prayer'' (1989).<ref>{{harvnb|O'Brien|2007|pp=126–131}}</ref><ref name="fouz">{{harvnb|Fouz-Hernández|Jarman-Ivens|2004|pp=67–70}}</ref> Her album ''MDNA'' (2012) has also drawn many influences from her Catholic upbringing, and since 2011 she has been attending meetings and services at an ] center, a Catholic institution that encourages spirituality through everyday life.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deseret.com/2011/5/10/20190702/spiritual-girl-madonna-s-shifting-beliefs/|title=Spiritual girl: Madonna's shifting beliefs|author=Michael De Groote|date=May 10, 2011|work=Deseret News|access-date=March 11, 2016}}</ref> In a 2016 interview, she commented: "I always feel some kind of inexplicable connection with Catholicism. It kind of shows up in all of my work, as you may have noticed."<ref>{{cite web|publisher=]|title=Madonna wants the Pope to know that Jesus supports abortion|date=June 21, 2019|author=Parke, Caleb|url-status=live|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/madonna-abortion-jesus-pope|archive-date=January 10, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210110045419/https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/madonna-abortion-jesus-pope}}</ref> Her study of the ] was also observed in Madonna's music, especially albums like ''Ray of Light'' and ''Music''.<ref name="kab">{{harvnb|Friskics-Warren|2006|p=72}}</ref> Speaking of religion in a 2019 interview with ] of '']'' Madonna stated, "The God that I believe in, created the world ... He/Her/They isn't a God to fear, it's a God to give thanks to." In an appearance on '']'' she added, "The idea that in any church you go, you see a ] and everyone genuflects and prays to him ... in a way it's ]/] because people are worshipping a thing."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.today.com/video/madonna-shares-what-motherhood-taught-her-61829189774|title=Madonna shares what motherhood taught her|work=Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/2019/06/18/madonna-andrew-denton-eye-patch/|title=Madonna tells Andrew Denton about her bizarre eye patch|date=June 18, 2019|work=The New Daily|first=Kate|last=Halfpenny|access-date=November 24, 2023}}</ref> | |||
== External links == | |||
=== Musical style and composition === | |||
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{{quote box||align=|width=25em|quote= is a brilliant pop melodist and lyricist. I was knocked out by the quality of the writing ... I know she grew up on ] and ], 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.|source=—], on co-writing with Madonna.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idolator.com/7444244/madonna-ray-of-light-anniversary-15-backtracking|title=Madonna's 'Ray Of Light' Turns 15: Backtracking|first=Stephen|last=Sears|date=March 4, 2013|website=]|access-date=January 29, 2014}}</ref> | |||
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Madonna's music has been the subject of much analysis and scrutiny. ], author of ''Contemporary Strategy Analysis'' (2005), commented that Madonna's musical career has been a continuous experimentation with new musical ideas and new images and a constant quest for new heights of fame and acclaim.<ref>{{harvnb|Grant|2005|p=3}}</ref> Thomas Harrison in the book ''Pop Goes the Decade: The Eighties'' deemed Madonna "an artist who pushed the boundaries" of what a female singer could do, both visually and lyrically.<ref>{{harvnb|Harrison|2017|p=213}}</ref> Professor Santiago Fouz-Hernández asserted, "While not gifted with an especially powerful or wide-ranging voice, Madonna has worked to expand her artistic palette to encompass diverse musical, textual and visual styles and various vocal guises, all with the intention of presenting herself as a mature musician."<ref name="fouz55">{{harvnb|Fouz-Hernández|Jarman-Ivens|2004|pp=55–58}}</ref> | |||
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Madonna has remained in charge in every aspect of her career, including as a writer and producer in most of her own music.<ref name="Rolling Biography">{{cite magazine|last=Ganz|first=Caryn|year=2004|title=Biography – Madonna|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/madonna/biography|magazine=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315190324/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/madonna/biography|archive-date=March 15, 2011|access-date=April 29, 2008}}</ref><ref name="music credit">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madonna-mn0000237205/credits|title=Madonna > Credits|publisher=]|access-date=March 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803190953/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/madonna-mn0000237205/credits|archive-date=August 3, 2020}}</ref> Her desire for control had already been seen during the making of her debut album, where she fought Reggie Lucas over his production output. However, it was not until her third album that Warner allowed Madonna to produce her own album.<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=85}}</ref> Stan Hawkins, author of ''Settling the Pop Score'' explained, "it is as musician and producer that Madonna is one of the few female artists to have broken into the male domain of the recording studio. Undoubtedly, Madonna is fully aware that women have been excluded from the musical workplace on most levels, and has set out to change this."<ref>{{harvnb|Hawkins|2017|page=59}}</ref> Producer ] stated: "You don't produce Madonna, you collaborate with her... She has her vision and knows how to get it."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popjustice.com/articles/stuart-price-interview/|title=Stuart Price interview|website=]|date=November 16, 2005|access-date=November 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105224609/https://www.popjustice.com/articles/stuart-price-interview/|archive-date=November 5, 2016}}</ref> Despite being labeled a "control freak", Madonna has said that she valued input from her collaborators.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/madonna-205-1271319|title=Madonna: 'I'm not a control freak'|work=]|date=March 17, 2012|access-date=January 18, 2020}}</ref> She further explained: | |||
'''Articles of interest:''' | |||
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I like to have control over most of the things in my career but I'm not a ]. 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.<ref>{{harvnb|Michael|2004|p=106}}</ref>}} | |||
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Madonna's early songwriting skill was developed during her time with the ] in 1979.<ref name="goldmine">{{cite magazine|last=Baron|first=Bruce|date=July 2, 1999|title=Madonna – From Genesis to Revelations|magazine=]|volume=25|issue=494|issn=1055-2685}}</ref> She subsequently became the sole writer of five songs on her debut album, including "Lucky Star" which she composed on synthesizer.<ref name="zollo616">{{harvnb|Zollo|2003|p=616}}</ref> As a songwriter, Madonna has registered more than 300 tracks to ] (ASCAP), including 18 songs written entirely by herself.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/writer/125053706/CICCONE%20MADONNA%20L|title=ACE Repertory: Madonna L. Ciccone|publisher=]|access-date=November 11, 2017}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' has named her "an exemplary songwriter with a gift for ] and indelible lyrics."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/madonna/albumguide|title=Madonna: Album Guide|magazine=]|access-date=January 7, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705190231/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/madonna/albumguide|archive-date=July 5, 2011}}</ref> Despite having worked with producers across many genres, the magazine noted that Madonna's compositions have been "consistently stamped with her own sensibility and inflected with autobiographical detail."<ref name="RSsongwriters" /> ], who co-wrote many of her hit songs, called Madonna "a ] songwriter", explaining: "Her sensibility about ]—from the beginning of the ] to the end of the verse and how the verse and the chorus influence each other—is very deep. Many times she's singing notes that no one would've thought of but her."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/madonnas-ray-of-light-6-things-you-didnt-know-197343/|title=Madonna's 'Ray of Light': 6 Things You Didn't Know|first=Barry|last=Walters|date=February 22, 2018|magazine=]|access-date=January 18, 2020}}</ref> Barry Walters from '']'' credited her songwriting as the reason of her musical consistency.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=495Bl1_hMr8C&pg=PA48|title=The Ten That Matter Most: Madonna|date=April 19, 1995|via=Google Books}}</ref> Madonna has been nominated for being inducted into the ] three times.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/960551/60-crazy-facts-about-madonna-you-probably-didn-t-know|title=60 Crazy Facts About Madonna You Probably Didn't Know|first=Billy|last=Nilles|date=August 16, 2020|publisher=]|access-date=January 18, 2020}}</ref> In 2015, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked Madonna at number 56 on the "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time" list.<ref name="RSsongwriters">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-songwriters|title=The 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time|magazine=]|access-date=April 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813101755/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-songwriters|archive-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref> | |||
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|description = Madonna wrote all the lyrics and partial melodies of "Live to Tell", an ] ballad, which was noted as her first musical reinvention.<ref name="auto1" /> | |||
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|description2= An uptempo ] song, "Ray of Light" showcases Madonna's post-''Evita'' upper ].<ref name="vocal" /> | |||
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Madonna's discography is generally categorized as pop, ], and dance.<ref name="fouz4" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/8xzeg4/how-to-get-into-madonna-best-music|title=The Guide to Getting Into Madonna, Holy Mother of Modern Pop|work=]|first=Nick|last=Levine|date=June 14, 2019|access-date=January 18, 2020}}</ref> Nevertheless, Madonna's first foray into the music industry was dabbling in rock music with Breakfast Club and Emmy.<ref name="rock star">{{cite news|url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23298744|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310190607/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23298744/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2008|title=Madonna: A true blue rock star|last=Sclafani|first=Tony|date=March 7, 2008|access-date=January 14, 2011|publisher=]}}</ref> As the frontwoman of Emmy, Madonna recorded about 12–14 songs that resemble the punk rock of that period.<ref name="goldmine" /> Madonna soon abandoned playing rock songs by the time she signed to ], which eventually dropped her since they were unhappy with her new ] direction.<ref>{{harvnb|Rooksby|2004|p=4}}</ref> According to Erlewine, Madonna began her career as a ] diva, in an era that did not have any such divas to speak of. In the beginning of the 1980s, disco was an anathema to the mainstream pop, and Madonna had a huge role in popularizing dance music as mainstream music.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/madonna-mw0000268192|title=Madonna – Madonna > Overview|publisher=]|access-date=March 22, 2014}}</ref> ] in the book ''American Pop: Hit Makers, Superstars, and Dance Revolutionaries'' referred to Madonna as "a pioneer" of ].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kbBDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA31|title=American Pop: Hit Makers, Superstars, and Dance Revolutionaries|first=Arie|last=Kaplan|date=January 1, 2017|publisher=Millbrook Press|isbn=978-1-5124-5649-3|via=Google Books}}</ref> According to Fouz-Hernández, "Madonna's frequent use of dance idioms and subsequent association with gay or sexually liberated audiences, is seen as somehow inferior to 'real' ]. But Madonna's music refuses to be defined by narrow boundaries of gender, sexuality or anything else."<ref name="fouz55" /> | |||
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The "cold and emotional" ] "Live to Tell", as well as its parent album ''True Blue'' (1986), is noted as Madonna's first musical reinvention.<ref name="auto1">{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=122}}</ref> '']'' writer Peter Piatkowski described it as a "very deliberate effort to present Madonna as a mature and serious artist."<ref name="PopMattersTrueBlue35">{{cite web |last1=Piatkowski |first1=Peter |title=35 years ago Madonna staged on her (first) bid for artistic credibility with 'True Blue' |url=https://www.popmatters.com/madonna-true-blue-35atr |work=PopMatters |access-date=May 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629134625/https://www.popmatters.com/madonna-true-blue-35atr |archive-date=June 29, 2021 |date=June 29, 2021}}</ref> She continued producing ballads in between her upbeat material, although albums such as ''Madonna'' (1983) and ''Confessions on a Dance Floor'' (2005) consist of entirely dance tracks.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/madonnas-50-greatest-songs-w430518/|title=Madonna's 50 Greatest Songs|magazine=]|date=July 27, 2016|access-date=August 8, 2017|archive-date=July 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730115550/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/madonnas-50-greatest-songs-w430518|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=3570|title=Madonna – Confessions on a Dance Floor|first=Thomas|last=Inskeep|work=]|date=November 21, 2005|access-date=October 21, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010013207/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=3570|archive-date=October 10, 2009}}</ref> With ''Ray of Light'' (1998), critics acknowledged Madonna for bringing electronica from its underground status into massive popularity in mainstream music scene.<ref name="underground">{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=301}}</ref> Her other sonically drastic ventures include the 1930s ] ] on ''I'm Breathless'' (1990);<ref>{{harvnb|O'Brien|2007|p=207}}</ref> lush ] on ''Bedtime Stories'' (1994);<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/all-82-madonna-singles-ranked/5/|title=All 82 Madonna Singles Ranked|date=April 14, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020|work=]}}</ref> operatic ] on ''Evita'' (1996);<ref>{{harvnb|O'Brien|2007|p=307}}</ref> guitar-driven ] on ''American Life'' (2003);<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/madonna-american-life-1417|title=Madonna: American Life|last=Cinquemani|first=Sal|date=July 11, 2008|work=]|access-date=August 11, 2011}}</ref> as well as multilingual ] on ''Madame X'' (2019).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Juzwiak |first1=Rich |title=Madonna: ''Madame X'' Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/madonna-madame-x/ |website=] |access-date=January 7, 2020 |date=June 18, 2019}}</ref> | |||
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{{wikiquotepar|Madonna Ciccone}} | |||
=== Voice and instruments === | |||
{{commons|Madonna (entertainer)}} | |||
] of "A New Level" by ] band ] during the 2008 ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://decibelmagazine.com/blog/featured/that-time-monte-pittman-taught-madonna-a-pantera-riff|title=That Time Monte Pittman Taught Madonna a Pantera Riff|work=]|date=January 20, 2014|access-date=May 18, 2016}}</ref>]] | |||
{{Madonna}} | |||
Possessing a ] ],<ref>{{harvnb|Dean|2003|p=34}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/madonna-like-a-prayer/|title=Madonna: Like a Prayer|work=]|date=August 16, 2017|access-date=November 19, 2017|first=Maura|last=Johnston}}</ref> Madonna has always been self-conscious about her voice.<ref name="fouzvocal">{{harvnb|Fouz-Hernández|Jarman-Ivens|2004|pp=59–61}}</ref> ], author of ''Madonna: Blonde Ambition'', called her "the perfect vocalist for lighter-than-air songs", despite not being a "heavyweight talent".<ref>{{harvnb|Bego|2000|p=122}}</ref> According to Tony Sclafani from ], "Madonna's vocals are the key to her rock roots. Pop vocalists usually sing songs 'straight', but Madonna employs subtext, ], aggression and all sorts of vocal idiosyncrasies in the ways ] and ] did."<ref name="rock star" /> Madonna used a bright, girlish vocal ] in her early albums which became passé in her later works. The change was deliberate since she was constantly reminded of how the critics had once labeled her as "] on ]".<ref name="fouzvocal" /> During the filming of ''Evita'' (1996), Madonna had to take vocal lessons, which increased her range further. Of this experience she commented, "I studied with a vocal coach for ''Evita'' and I 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."<ref name="vocal">{{cite magazine|last1=Lamsweerde|first1=Inez van|first2=Barry|last2=Walters|date=April 1998|title=Madonna Chooses Dare|magazine=]|volume=14|issue=4|pages=70–76|issn=0886-3032|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jq-A2xEoAHIC&pg=PA70|access-date=February 26, 2010}}</ref> | |||
Besides singing, Madonna has the ability to play several musical instruments. Piano was the first instrument taught to her as a child.{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=47}} In the late 1970s, she learned to play drum and guitar from her then-boyfriend Dan Gilroy, before joining the Breakfast Club lineup as the drummer.<ref name="Gnojewski57">{{harvnb|Gnojewski|2007|p=57}}</ref> She later played guitar with the band Emmy as well as on her own ].<ref name="Premadonna">{{cite AV media notes|title=]|author=Madonna|year=1997|type=CD, VHS|publisher=Soultone|id=83332-2}}</ref> After her career breakthrough, Madonna was absent performing with guitar for years, but she is credited for playing ] on ''Madonna'' (1983) and synthesizer on ''Like a Prayer'' (1989).<ref name="music credit" /> In 1999, Madonna had studied for three months to play the violin for the role as a violin teacher in the film '']'', but she eventually left the project before filming began.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/1999/nov/01/slashmeister-craven-tackles-different-genre-with-m/|title='Slashmeister' Craven tackles different genre with 'Music'|first=Valerie|last=Kuklenski|work=]|date=November 1, 1999|access-date=March 22, 2014}}</ref> Madonna decided to perform with guitar again during the promotion of ''Music'' (2000) and recruited guitarist ] to help improve her skill.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/monte-pittman-reveals-what-its-like-on-tour-with-madonna-1.1030924|title=Monte Pittman reveals what it's like on tour with Madonna|first=Kelly|last=Crane|work=]|date=June 3, 2012|access-date=March 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130150854/https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/monte-pittman-reveals-what-its-like-on-tour-with-madonna-1.1030924|archive-date=November 30, 2020}}</ref> Since then, Madonna has played guitar on every tour, as well as her studio albums.<ref name="music credit" /> She received a nomination for Les Paul Horizon Award at the 2002 ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452328/madonna-next-guitar-god.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223145736/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452328/madonna-next-guitar-god.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 23, 2014|title=Madonna: The Next Guitar God?|publisher=]|first=Abbey|last=Goodman|date=February 15, 2002|access-date=March 14, 2014}}</ref> | |||
=== Music videos and performances === | |||
{{See also|Madonna videography}} | |||
In ''The Madonna Companion'', biographers Allen Metz and Carol Benson noted that Madonna had used MTV and music videos to establish her popularity and enhance her recorded work more than any other recent pop artist.<ref name="metz2">{{harvnb|Metz|Benson|1999|p=161}}</ref> According to them, many of her songs have the imagery of the music video in strong context, while referring to the music. Cultural critic ] in his book ''Nots'' (1993) felt that the ] form par excellence is the video and the reigning "queen of video" is Madonna. He further asserted that "the most remarkable creation of MTV is Madonna. The responses to Madonna's excessively provocative videos have been predictably contradictory."<ref>{{harvnb|Taylor|1993|p=191}}</ref> The media and public reaction towards her most-discussed songs such as "Papa Don't Preach", "Like a Prayer", or "Justify My Love" had to do with the music videos created to promote the songs and their impact, rather than the songs themselves.<ref name="metz2" /> Morton felt that "artistically, Madonna's songwriting is often overshadowed by her striking pop videos."{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=15}} In 2003, MTV named her "The Greatest Music Video Star Ever" and said that "Madonna's innovation, creativity, and contribution to the music video art form is what won her the award."<ref>{{harvnb|Landrum|2007|p=258}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/90893349/|title=Madonna tops list of 'Greatest Video Stars' on MTV|work=]|page=99|date=April 25, 2003|access-date=June 3, 2021|first=Terry|last=Morrow}}</ref> In 2020, ''Billboard'' ranked her atop the 100 Greatest Music Video Artists of All Time.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=August 27, 2020|title=The 100 Greatest Music Video Artists of All Time: Staff List|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/list/9440075/100-best-music-video-artists|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827203952/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/list/9440075/100-best-music-video-artists|archive-date=August 27, 2020|access-date=August 28, 2020|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> | |||
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| alt1 = Madonna dancing with a group of dancers wearing black outfits | |||
| image2 = Madonna - Rebel Heart Tour Cologne 2 (22851518577).jpg | |||
| alt2 = Madonna in a jeweled black dress playing a ukulele while singing to a microphone | |||
| footer = Madonna's live performances vary from choreographed routines such as ] (''above'') to stripped-down ones with only a ] (''below''). | |||
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Madonna's initial music videos reflected her American and ] mixed street style combined with a flamboyant glamour.<ref name="metz2" /> She was able to transmit her avant-garde ] fashion sense to the American audience.<ref>{{harvnb|Metz|Benson|1999|p=163}}</ref> The imagery and incorporation of Hispanic culture and Catholic symbolism continued with the music videos from the ''True Blue'' era.<ref>{{harvnb|Fouz-Hernández|Jarman-Ivens|2004|p=145}}</ref> Author ] noted, "such 'multiculturalism' and her culturally transgressive moves turned out to be highly successful moves that endeared her to large and varied youth audiences."<ref>{{harvnb|Kellner|1995|p=271}}</ref> Madonna's Spanish look in the videos became the fashion trend of that time, in the form of boleros and layered skirts, accessorizing with rosary beads and a crucifix as in the video of "La Isla Bonita".<ref>{{harvnb|Clerk|2002|p=44}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Rettenmund|1995|p=34}}</ref> Academics noted that with her videos, Madonna was subtly reversing the usual role of male as the dominant sex.<ref>{{harvnb|Welton|1998|p=234}}</ref> This symbolism and imagery was probably the most prevalent in the music video for "Like a Prayer". The video included scenes of an African-American church choir, Madonna being attracted to a black saint statue, and singing in front of burning crosses.<ref>{{harvnb|Cross|2007|p=70}}</ref> | |||
Madonna's acting performances in films have frequently received poor reviews from film critics. Stephanie Zacharek stated in ''Time'' that, " seems wooden and unnatural as an actress, and it's tough to watch because she's clearly trying her damnedest." According to biographer ], "Madonna puts a brave face on the criticism, but privately she is deeply hurt."{{Sfn|Morton|2001|p=218}} After the critically panned ] ''Swept Away'' (2002), Madonna vowed never to act again in a film.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Busari|first=Stephanie|date=March 24, 2008|title=Hey Madonna, don't give up the day job!|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/18/madonna.movies/?iref=mpstoryview|access-date=August 4, 2021|publisher=CNN}}</ref> While reviewing her career retrospective titled ''Body of Work'' (2016) at New York's ] hall, ''The Guardian''{{'}}s Nigel M. Smith wrote that Madonna's film career suffered mostly due to lack of proper material supplied to her, and she otherwise "could steal a scene for all the right reasons".<ref name="filmcareerretro">{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Nigel M.|title=Is Madonna's acting really that bad? A career retrospective lets you be the judge|newspaper=The Guardian|date=August 21, 2016 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/21/madonna-acting-career-metrograph-new-york-retrospective|access-date=August 25, 2016}}</ref> | |||
Metz noted that Madonna represents a ] as she is often perceived as living her whole life as a performance. While her big-screen performances are panned, her live performances are critical successes.<ref>{{harvnb|Metz|Benson|1999|p=290}}</ref> Madonna was the first artist to have her concert tours as reenactments of her music videos. Author Elin Diamond explained that reciprocally, the fact that images from Madonna's videos can be recreated in a live setting enhances the original videos' realism. She believed that "her live performances have become the means by which mediatized representations are naturalized".<ref>{{harvnb|Diamond|1996|p=202}}</ref> Taraborrelli said that encompassing multimedia, latest technology and sound systems, Madonna's concerts and live performances are "extravagant show piece, walking art show."<ref>{{harvnb|Taraborrelli|2002|p=90}}</ref> | |||
Chris Nelson from '']'' commented that "artists like Madonna and ] set new standards for showmanship, with concerts that included not only elaborate costumes and precision-timed pyrotechnics but also highly athletic dancing. These effects came at the expense of live singing."<ref name="sync">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/01/arts/music/01NELS.html?pagewanted=1|title=Lip-Synching Gets Real|last=Nelson |first=Chris|date=February 1, 2004|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 25, 2010|url-access=limited}}</ref> Thor Christensen of '']'' commented that while Madonna earned a reputation for ] during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, she has subsequently reorganized her performances by "stay mostly still during her toughest singing parts and the dance routines to her backup troupe ... ather than try to croon and dance up a storm at the same time."<ref name="lip-sync">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/90158411/|last1=Christensen|first1=Thor|title=Loose Lips: Pop Singers' Lip-Syncing In Concert Is An Open Secret|page=B.8|newspaper=]|date=September 15, 2001|issn=1068-624X|access-date=August 4, 2018|url-access=subscription}}</ref> To allow for greater movement while dancing and singing, Madonna was one of the earliest adopters of hands-free radio-frequency ], with the headset fastened over the ears or the top of the head, and the microphone capsule on a boom arm that extended to the mouth. Because of her prominent usage, the microphone design came to be known as the "Madonna mic".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://harada-sound.com/sound/handbook/rfmics.html|title=Kai Harada, sound designer and sound handbook author, writes about 'The Feeding and Care of RF Microphones'|last=Harada|first=Kai|date=September 1, 2007|publisher=Harada-Sound.com|access-date=March 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/wimbledons-no-1-seat-455502.html|title=Wimbledon's No 1 seat|last=Castle|first=Andrew|date=July 2, 2007|work=The Independent|access-date=March 17, 2010|author-link=Andrew Castle |location=London}}</ref> | |||
== Legacy == | |||
{{Main|Cultural impact of Madonna}} | |||
{{Quote box|align=right|width=20%|quote=She's a major ] and when she passes, the retrospectives will loom larger and larger in history.|source=—Academic ] on Madonna (2017).<ref name="Paglia2017">{{cite web|url=https://www.chatelaine.com/living/books/camille-paglia-free-women-free-men/|title=Camille Paglia cuts the 'malarkey': Women just need to toughen up|first=Sarah|last=Boesveld|work=]|date=June 27, 2017|access-date=April 4, 2021|archive-date=May 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180525091538/https://www.chatelaine.com/living/books/camille-paglia-free-women-free-men/|url-status=live}}</ref>}} | |||
Madonna has built a legacy that transcends music and has been studied by ]s, historians, and other scholars, contributing to the rise of ], a subfield of American ].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2943458/madonna-billboard-woman-of-the-year-2016/|title=Madonna Is the Queen of Pop (And Also 2016, According to Billboard)|date=October 14, 2016|access-date=March 29, 2021|last=Hughes|first=Hilary|publisher=]|archive-date=July 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725194954/http://www.mtv.com/news/2943458/madonna-billboard-woman-of-the-year-2016/}}</ref><ref name="Orlando">{{cite web|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-01-06/news/9101030989_1_madonna-ciccone-madonna-videos-thesis|title=The Madonna Thesis Is Madonna Just A Well-toned Rock Star, Or Is She Affecting Your View of the World? Graduate Student Chip Wells Thinks His Master's Thesis Holds The Answer|date=January 6, 1991|access-date=February 10, 2015|work=]|first=Barbara|last=Stewart|pages=1–3|archive-date=January 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126062811/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-01-06/news/9101030989_1_madonna-ciccone-madonna-videos-thesis|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="hall2006">{{harvnb|Hall|2006|pages=445–446}}</ref> According to ], "saying that Madonna is just a pop star is as inappropriate as saying that ] is just a ]. Madonna is one of the classic symbols of ]."<ref name="Fresan88">{{harvnb|Aguilar Guzmán|2010|p=88}}</ref> ''] Spain'' wrote, "She became the first master of ] in history, years before the internet was massively used. Madonna was everywhere; in the almighty music television channels, 'radio formulas', magazine covers and even in bookstores. A pop dialectic, never seen since ]'s reign, which allowed her to keep on the edge of trend and commerciality."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://rollingstone.es/specials/view/mujeres-que-cambiaron-las-reglas-del-rock|title=Mujeres que cambiaron las reglas del rock|magazine=] Spain|access-date=April 14, 2013|date=April 14, 2012|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110210540/http://rollingstone.es/specials/view/mujeres-que-cambiaron-las-reglas-del-rock|archive-date=November 10, 2013}}</ref> William Langley from '']'' felt that "Madonna has changed the world's ], has done more things as more different people than anyone else is ever likely to."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/profiles/2530197/Madonna-mistress-of-metamorphosis.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/profiles/2530197/Madonna-mistress-of-metamorphosis.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Madonna, mistress of metamorphosis|first=William|last=Langley|newspaper=]|date=August 9, 2008|access-date=April 6, 2013}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Professor Diane Pecknold noted that "nearly any poll of the biggest, greatest, or best in popular culture includes name".<ref name="hall2006" /> In 2012, ] ranked Madonna as the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/1238/the-100-greatest-women-in-music/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418005547/http://www.vh1.com/news/1238/the-100-greatest-women-in-music/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 18, 2015|title=VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music|first=Mark|last=Graham|publisher=]. ]|date=February 13, 2012|access-date=February 14, 2012}}</ref> | |||
] museum in Hong Kong]] | |||
''Spin'' writer Bianca Gracie stated that "the ']' isn't enough to describe Madonna—she is Pop. formulated the ] of what a pop star should be."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2020/12/the-most-influential-artists-3-madonna/|title=The Most Influential Artists: #3 Madonna|first=Bianca|last=Gracie|work=]|date=December 4, 2020|access-date=January 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220140243/https://www.spin.com/2020/12/the-most-influential-artists-3-madonna/|archive-date=December 20, 2020}}</ref> According to Sclafani, "It's worth noting that 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."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26164523/ns/today-entertainment/t/has-madonna-surpassed-beatles|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722173117/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26164523/ns/today-entertainment/t/has-madonna-surpassed-beatles|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 22, 2011|title=At 50, has Madonna surpassed the Beatles?|publisher=]. ]|first=Tony|last=Sclafani|date=August 12, 2008|access-date=April 29, 2012}}</ref> In 2008, the ] listed her among the most "well-documented figures of the modern age".<ref name="RockHall">{{cite web|url=https://rockhall.com/inductees/madonna/bio/|title=Madonna Biography|publisher=]|year=2008|access-date=April 15, 2015|archive-date=March 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329062011/https://rockhall.com/inductees/madonna/bio/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Four years later, its director Howard Kramer asserted that "Madonna and the career she carved out for herself made possible virtually every other female pop singer to follow ... She certainly raised the standards of all of them ... She redefined what the parameters were for female performers."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2012/11/1/flamboyant_divas_can_thank_madonna.htm|title=Flamboyant Divas Can Thank Madonna|work=]|date=November 1, 2012|first=Kellie B.|last=Gormly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110211325/http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/2012/11/1/flamboyant_divas_can_thank_madonna.htm|archive-date=November 10, 2013|access-date=November 8, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Andy Bennett and Steve Waksman, authors of ''The SAGE Handbook of Popular Music'' (2014), noted that "almost all female pop stars of recent years—], ], ], ], ], and others—acknowledge the important influence of Madonna on their own careers."<ref name="fouz4">{{harvnb|Bennett|Waksman|2014|p=568}}</ref> Madonna has also influenced male artists, inspiring rock frontmen ] of ] and ] of ] to become musicians.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/madonna-inspired-liam-gallagher-to-become-a-musician-117090100160_1.html|title=Madonna inspired Liam Gallagher to become a musician|work=]|date=September 1, 2017|access-date=September 1, 2017|agency=Press Trust of India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://elvisduran.iheart.com/content/2017-07-20-remembering-our-time-with-chester-bennington/|title=Remembering Our Time with Chester Bennington|work=]|date=February 21, 2017 |access-date=September 1, 2017}}</ref> | |||
Madonna's ] has benefited her career and catalyzed public discourse on sexuality and ].<ref name="fouz3">{{harvnb|Fouz-Hernández|Jarman-Ivens|2004|p=168}}</ref> ''The Times'' wrote that she had "started a revolution amongst women in music ... Her attitudes and opinions on sex, nudity, style, and sexuality forced the public to sit up and take notice."<ref>{{harvnb|Fouz-Hernández|Jarman-Ivens|2004|p=162}}</ref> Professor ] noted that the sense of empowerment that Madonna offers is inextricably connected with the pleasure of exerting some control over the meanings of self, of sexuality, and of one's social relations.<ref>{{harvnb|Fiske|1989|p=102}}</ref> In ''Doing Gender in Media, Art and Culture'' (2009), the authors noted that Madonna, as a female celebrity, performer, and pop icon, can unsettle standing feminist reflections and debates.<ref name="van der Tuin">{{harvnb|Buikema|van der Tuin|2009|p=119}}</ref> According to lesbian feminist ], Madonna represents woman's occupancy of what ] calls the category of sex, as powerful, and appears to gleefully embrace the performance of the sexual ] allotted to women.<ref>{{harvnb|Jeffreys|2005|p=96}}</ref> Professor ] has referred to her as "an almost sacred feminist icon".<ref name="Sut Jhally">{{harvnb|Jhally|2006|p=194}}</ref> | |||
Writing for ''The Guardian'', ] stated that Madonna has "broke down social barriers" and brought ] to the forefront, by frequently featuring ], ], and ] in her works.<ref name="MattCain2">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jul/15/matt-cain-on-madonna-homophobic-interviewers-gay-culture|title=Matt Cain on Madonna: 'She opened up gay culture to the mainstream'|date=July 15, 2018|access-date=February 12, 2022|work=The Guardian|archive-date=July 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715090504/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jul/15/matt-cain-on-madonna-homophobic-interviewers-gay-culture|url-status=live|first=Matt|last=Cain|author-link=Matt Cain (writer)}}</ref> An author said that "by making culture generally available, Madonna becomes the culture of all social classes".<ref name="McMillanIndia">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=em4LAQAAMAAJ&q=Madonna |title=Madonna: The Politics of Sex |publisher=] |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-4039-2988-4 |location=India |page=143 |url-access=limited |via=Google Books}}</ref> Canadian professor ] gave her point of view saying that Madonna's peculiarity is that "she has cruised so freely through so many cultural terrains" and she "has been a ']' within self-propelling subcultures just as she became a major."<ref name="Faith">{{cite book|jstor=10.3138/j.ctt2tv4xw#|title=Madonna, Bawdy & Soul|url=https://archive.org/details/madonnabawdysoul0000fait|url-access=registration|last=Faith|first=Karlene|author-link=Karlene Faith|date=1997|publisher=]|isbn=1-4426-7688-4}}</ref> ] president ] stated that Madonna "always has and always will be the LGBTQ community's greatest ]",<ref name="Ally">{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/duty-honor-madonna-reflects-decades-lgbtq-activism-n1002166|title='A duty and an honor': Madonna reflects on decades of LGBTQ activism|date=May 5, 2019|access-date=March 29, 2021|publisher=]|first=Brian|last=Latimer|archive-date=June 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606050910/https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/duty-honor-madonna-reflects-decades-lgbtq-activism-n1002166|url-status=live}}</ref> while '']'' dubbed her as "]".<ref name="Advocate">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.advocate.com/print-issue/cover-stories/2012/02/02/madonna-truth-she-never-left-you|title=Madonna: The Truth Is She Never Left You|magazine=]|date=February 2, 2012|access-date=February 3, 2012|first=Ari|last=Karpel|archive-date=February 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203171357/http://news.advocate.com/post/16914705360/madonna-the-truth-is-she-never-left-you|url-status=dead}}</ref> Madonna herself stated in 2024, "Aside from my birthday, ] is the most important day of the year."<ref name=NYCPrideMostImportantDay>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/06/30/madonna-pride-new-york-ladyland-festival/74262346007/#:~:text=%22Thank%20you%20all%20for%20coming,you%2C%20I%20am%20nothing.%22|title=Madonna celebrates NYC Pride at queer music fest: 'Most important day of the year'|author=Brendan Morrow|newspaper=]|date=June 30, 2024|access-date=July 7, 2024|quote="Thank you all for coming out," Madonna told the crowd, according to a video shared on social media. "Aside from my birthday, New York Pride is the most important day of the year." She concluded, "Thank you all, New York City. Without you, I am nothing."}}</ref> | |||
Madonna has received acclaim as a role model for ], "achieving the kind of financial control that women had long fought for within the industry", and generating over $1.2 billion in sales within the first decade of her career.<ref name="Routledge">{{harvnb|Kramarae|Spender|2000|p=459}}</ref> According to Gini Gorlinski in the book ''The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time'' (2010), Madonna's levels of power and control were "unprecedented" for a woman in the entertainment industry.<ref>{{harvnb|Gorlinski|2010|p=330}}</ref> ] academics called her a "dynamic entrepreneur" worth copying; they identified her vision of success, her understanding of the music industry, her ability to recognize her own performance limits (and thus bring in help), her willingness to work hard and her ability to adapt as the keys to her commercial success.<ref name=LBS>{{cite news|url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/graduate_management/article1293585.ece|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110515015953/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/graduate_management/article1293585.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 15, 2011|title=Case Study: Madonna|first1=Jamie|last1=Anderson|first2=Martin|last2=Kupp|newspaper=The Times|date=January 18, 2007|access-date=August 3, 2009}}</ref> Morton wrote that "Madonna is opportunistic, manipulative, and ruthless—somebody who won't stop until she gets what she wants—and that's something you can get at the expense of maybe losing your close ones. But that hardly mattered to her."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Morton|first=Andrew|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/49701778|title=Madonna|publisher=St. Martin's Paperbacks|year=2002|isbn=978-0-312-98310-9|edition=|location=New York|pages=89|oclc=49701778}}</ref> | |||
== Achievements == | |||
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Madonna|List of Madonna records and achievements}} | |||
] in London, England.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5236386.stm|title=Madonna gets first Wembley honour|work=BBC News|date=August 2, 2006|access-date=December 7, 2010}}</ref>]] | |||
'']'' estimated Madonna's ] at $850 million as of 2024,<ref name="FB">{{cite magazine|title=Forbes Profile: Madonna|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/madonna/?sh=206ae89327ac|access-date=May 30, 2024|year=2024|magazine=]}}</ref> making her one of the ]. She became ''Forbes''{{'}}s annual ] 11 times across the 1980s,<ref>Annual earning list: | |||
*1987: {{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-09-07-fi-4174-story.html|title=Of the Show Biz Rich, Bill Cosby Is Top Star|date=September 7, 1987|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 27, 2022}} | |||
*1988: {{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/1f09f14d8a483ef74af98ecd963d44e6|title=Michael Jackson Overtakes Cosby as Highest-Paid Entertainer|work=]|date=September 19, 1988|access-date=July 27, 2022}} | |||
*1989: {{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1989/CB-1989-09-30.pdf#page=6|title=Tickertape: Million Dollar Bash|magazine=]|page=6|date=November 30, 1989|first=Billy|last=Barty|author-link=Billy Barty|access-date=July 27, 2022}}</ref> 1990s,<ref>Annual earning list: | |||
*1990: {{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u68DAAAAMBAJ&dq=Madonna&pg=PA54|title=Cosby Heads Forbes List of Highest Paid in Show Biz: The 'Forbes' Top 40|magazine=]|page=54|date=October 1, 1990|volume=78|number=25|access-date=July 27, 2022}} | |||
*1991: {{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-09-26-vw-4266-story.html|title=High Life : A Weekly Forum for High School Students: Foothill Teen Wins Poster Prize|date=September 26, 1991|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 27, 2022}} | |||
*1992: {{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n1gEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Madonna&pg=PA13|title=Hollywood Grapevine: The 44th Annual Emmy Awards: Disaster|magazine=]|page=13|date=October 1992|volume=99|number=7|first=Ron|last=Brewington|access-date=July 27, 2022}} | |||
*1993: {{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WsEDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Madonna&pg=PA13|title=Oprah Tops Forbes List of Highest Grossing Celebs|magazine=Jet|page=13|date=September 27, 1993|volume=84|number=22|access-date=July 27, 2022}}</ref> 2000s,<ref>Annual earning list: | |||
*2005: {{cite magazine|url=http://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/53/Musicians_Pay_1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060307033514/http://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/53/Musicians_Pay_1.html|archive-date=March 7, 2006|title=The Celebrity 100 > Musicians|date=March 7, 2006|magazine=Forbes}} | |||
*2007: {{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/2007/09/19/music-madonna-rolling_stones-biz-media-cx_lh_0919musicians.html|title=The Top-Earning Musicians|magazine=Forbes|date=September 19, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727110557/https://www.forbes.com/2007/09/19/music-madonna-rolling_stones-biz-media-cx_lh_0919musicians.html|archive-date=July 27, 2022|access-date=July 28, 2022|url-status=bot: unknown}} | |||
*2009: {{cite magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/06/22/top-eaning-musicians-business-entertainment-musicians_slide.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220727055559/https://www.forbes.com/2009/06/22/top-eaning-musicians-business-entertainment-musicians_slide.html|title=In Pictures: The Year's Top-Earning Musicians|magazine=Forbes|date=June 22, 2009|archive-date=July 27, 2022|access-date=July 27, 2022}}</ref> and 2010s.<ref name="earning2013"/> She is recognized as the best-selling female music artist of all time by the '']'',{{efn|name="sales"|In 2006, the ] (IFPI) officially announced that Madonna had sold over 200 million copies of her albums alone worldwide.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/plat_month_20060913.html |title=Keane, Shakira, Coldplay and Madonna scoop summer Platinum Awards|publisher=]|date=September 13, 2006|access-date=November 10, 2017|archive-date=November 4, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104041040/http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/plat_month_20060913.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since then, her total ] have varied from 300 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/madonnas-top-40-most-downloaded-tracks-revealed-1309/|title=Madonna's Top 40 most downloaded tracks revealed!|last=Lane|first=Dan|date=March 29, 2012|publisher=]|access-date=January 27, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/u2-strike-a-chord-in-the-best-albums-from-2009-1997058.html|title=U2 strike a chord in the best albums from 2009|last=Egan|first=Barry|date=January 3, 2010|work=]|access-date=July 23, 2010}}</ref> to 400 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2023/10/madonna-cements-status-as-biggest-selling-female-recording-artist-of-all-time-760147|title=Madonna cements status as biggest-selling female recording artist of all time|first=Vicki|last=Newman|work=]|date=October 25, 2023|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/becoming-madonna-documentary-sky-1236071618/|title='Becoming Madonna' Promises "Immersive, Archive-Driven" Look at Singer's Rise to Stardom|magazine=]|first=Lily|last=Ford|date=November 26, 2024|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/entertainment/becoming-madonna-trailer-unveils-the-untold-story-of-the-queen-of-pop-1503377781.html|title='Becoming Madonna' trailer unveils the untold story of the queen of pop|date=December 20, 2024|newspaper=]|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref>}} and has a total of 18 albums certified ] in multiple countries.{{efn|Madonna is tied with ] for the most ] albums by a female artist with 12.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/barbra-streisand-other-19-top-slideshow-wp-061558932/photo-p-madonna-58-tied-streisand-photo-061558849.html|title=Barbra Streisand and the Other 19 Top-Selling Female Recording Artists of All Time|publisher=]|first=Paul|last=Grein|date=April 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502051052/https://ca.news.yahoo.com/barbra-streisand-other-19-top-slideshow-wp-061558932/photo-p-madonna-58-tied-streisand-photo-061558849.html|archive-date=May 2, 2020|access-date=December 24, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> Her other albums certified ] outside the United States are '']'' (1987),<ref name="snep">{{cite certification|region=France|type=album|artist=Madonna|access-date=July 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/80s/1987/M&M-1987-12-26.pdf|title=Gold & Platinum Awards 1987|magazine=]|pages=44–46|date=December 26, 1987|access-date=July 7, 2019}}</ref> '']'' (2001),<ref name="bpi">{{cite certification|region=United Kingdom|artist=Madonna|type=album|access-date=March 18, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue650.pdf|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20021001140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20021002-0000/Issue650.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-01|title=ARIA Report: Issue No 650|access-date=May 18, 2018|publisher=ARIA Charts. Australian Web Archive}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> '']'' (2005),<ref name="bpi"/><ref name="snep"/> '']'' (2008),<ref>{{cite web |title=Чарт продаж. Россия 39-2009 |url=http://www.2m-online.ru/news/detail.php?ID=5479 |publisher=National Federation of Phonogram Producers (NFPF) |access-date=December 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091218061148/http://www.2m-online.ru/news/detail.php?ID=5479 |archive-date=December 18, 2009 |language=ru |date=September 30, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Madonně vychází DVD z nejúspěšnějšího turné historie |url=https://www.tyden.cz/rubriky/kultura/hudba/madonne-vychazi-dvd-z-nejuspesnejsiho-turne-historie_163733.html?showTab=nejctenejsi-7 |work=] |access-date=December 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312180319/https://www.tyden.cz/rubriky/kultura/hudba/madonne-vychazi-dvd-z-nejuspesnejsiho-turne-historie_163733.html?showTab=nejctenejsi-7 |archive-date=March 12, 2021 |language=cs |date=March 29, 2010}}</ref> '']'' (2009),<ref name="bracert"/><ref name="bpi"/> and '']'' (2012).<ref name="bracert">{{cite certification|region=Brazil|artist=Madonna|type=album|access-date=September 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://lenta.ru/articles/2012/12/28/chart/|publisher=Lenta.ru|title=2012 Year-End Top Russian Albums Chart|access-date=December 28, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121231131125/http://lenta.ru/articles/2012/12/28/chart/|archive-date=December 31, 2012|language=ru}}</ref>}} According to the ] (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the third ], with 65.5 million certified ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=top_tallies&ttt=TAA#search_section|title=Top Selling Artists|publisher=]|access-date=June 9, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/newsitem.php?news_year_filter=1999&resultpage=2&id=3ABF3EC8-EF5B-58F9-E949-3B57F5E313DF|title=The American Recording Industry Announces Its Artists of the Century|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|date=November 10, 1999|access-date=January 30, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930200852/http://www.riaa.com/newsitem.php?news_year_filter=1999&resultpage=2&id=3ABF3EC8-EF5B-58F9-E949-3B57F5E313DF|archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref> In Japan, the world's second largest market, Madonna has received 17 ] from the ] (RIAJ), including the most ] wins by a solo artist (five).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gdlist/pdf/gd1-20_list.pdf|script-title=ja:ゴールドディスク大賞受賞者一覧|publisher=]|date=1987–2006|access-date=November 26, 2010|language=ja|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513221245/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gdlist/pdf/gd1-20_list.pdf|archive-date=May 13, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://wmg.jp/artist/madonna/news_23642.html|script-title=ja:第23回日本ゴールドディスク大賞で"アーティスト・オブ・ザ・イヤー"を受賞!|language=ja|date=March 3, 2009|access-date=March 4, 2009|publisher=]|archive-date=August 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812211904/https://wmg.jp/artist/madonna/news_23642.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Madonna had generated over US$1.6 billion from ticket sales of her concert tours throughout her career,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Frankenberg|first=Eric|title=Madonna Is Only Woman to Achieve This Boxscore Feat as The Celebration Tour Wraps|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/madonna-the-celebration-tour-225-million-1235674536/|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 10, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510023201/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/madonna-the-celebration-tour-225-million-1235674536/ |archive-date=May 10, 2024 |date=May 9, 2024}}</ref> Madonna was the ],<ref name="Poll">{{cite web|title=Top Touring Artists Of The Pollstar Era|url=https://data.pollstar.com/Chart/2022/07/072522_top.touring.artists_1020.pdf|access-date=August 3, 2022|work=]|pages=1, 3|date=July 7, 2022|archive-date=August 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805190603/https://data.pollstar.com/Chart/2022/07/072522_top.touring.artists_1020.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> before being overtaken by ] in 2023, according to '']''. ] include her ]'s concert in ], Paris (130,000 audience) and her ]'s concert in ], Rio de Janeiro (120,000 audience).<ref name="paris1987" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-22545124.html |title=Madonna Concert Draws 120,000 |date=November 8, 1993|newspaper=] |access-date=November 29, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129123752/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-22545124.html |archive-date=November 29, 2017}}</ref> The closing performance of ], in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro on May 5, 2024, drew over 1,6 million people, becoming the ].<ref name="record1">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/madonna-celebration-tour-record-setting-1-6-million-fans-brazil-1235015393/|title=Madonna Closes Out Celebration Tour in Front of Record-Setting 1.6 Million Fans in Brazil|date=May 5, 2024|access-date=May 5, 2024|first=Daniel|last=Kreps|magazine=Rolling Stone|url-access=subscription|archive-date=May 5, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240505142758/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/madonna-celebration-tour-record-setting-1-6-million-fans-brazil-1235015393/|url-status=live}}</ref> She has also won seven ]s and twenty ]s, including the 1986 ] for which she became the first female recipient.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/madonna |title=Madonna |publisher=]|access-date=August 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117043843/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/madonna |archive-date=November 17, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Who has won the most MTV Video Music Awards?|date=March 2008|magazine=]|issn=1070-4701|volume=16|issue=2 |page=58}}</ref> | |||
According to '']'', Madonna is the most successful solo artist in the Hot 100 chart history (second overall behind ]) and the most successful dance club artist of all time.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-hot-100-artists|title=Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists Chart|magazine=Billboard|date=November 12, 2015|access-date=March 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7595888/top-dance-club-songs-artists-madonna-greatest-of-all-time|title=Greatest of All Time: Madonna Is Billboard's No. 1 Dance Club Songs Artist|first=Gordon|last=Murray |date=November 30, 2016|access-date=December 1, 2016 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> With a total of 50 ] chart-toppers, Madonna became the artist with the most number ones on any singular ], pulling ahead of ] with 44 number-one songs on the ] chart.<ref name="DanceRecord">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8551014/madonna-milestone-50th-no-1-dance-club-songs-chart|title=Madonna Achieves Milestone 50th No. 1 on Dance Club Songs Chart With 'I Don't Search I Find'|last=Murray|first=Gordon|date=February 13, 2020|access-date=February 19, 2020|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> She has also scored 38 top-ten singles on the Hot 100; she held the record among all artists for nearly two decades (between 2002 and 2020), before being overtaken by ] and by Taylor Swift in 2022 among females.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/photos/7573477/women-with-the-most-billboard-hot-100-top-10s|title=Women With the Most Billboard Hot 100 Top 10s|date=November 16, 2016|access-date=December 17, 2020|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524145900/https://www.billboard.com/photos/7573477/women-with-the-most-billboard-hot-100-top-10s|archive-date=May 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53565332|title=Drake overtakes Madonna and The Beatles to break US Billboard chart record|work=]|first=Mark|last=Savage|date=July 28, 2020|access-date=December 24, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/taylor-swift-all-hot-100-top-10-anti-hero-1235163664/|title=Taylor Swift Makes History as First Artist With Entire Top 10 on Billboard Hot 100, Led by 'Anti-Hero' at No. 1|date=October 31, 2022|access-date=October 31, 2022|magazine=Billboard|first=Gary|last=Trust}}</ref> ''Billboard'' named her the ] twice (1985 and 1989).<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9351151/billbaord-greatest-pop-star-by-year-winners|title=20 Fun Facts About Billboard's 'Greatest Pop Star by Year' Selections|date=April 3, 2020|first=Paul|last=Grein|access-date=April 28, 2022|magazine=Billboard|archive-date=April 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423103418/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9351151/billbaord-greatest-pop-star-by-year-winners}}</ref> From "Like a Virgin" (1984) to "Give Me All Your Luvin'" (2012), a total of ] have topped the ] in at least one of the ], including the ] (12),<ref name="hot100">{{cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/madonnas-40-biggest-billboard-hits/|title=Madonna’s 40 Biggest Billboard Hits|magazine=]|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc|first=Keith|last=Caulfield|date=August 16, 2024|access-date=January 11, 2025}}</ref> the ] (13),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/artists-with-the-most-number-1-singles-on-the-uk-chart__23765/|title=Artists with the most Number 1 singles on the UK chart|first=Justin |last=Myers|publisher=Official Charts Company |date=January 3, 2020|access-date=March 22, 2020}}</ref> ] (24),{{efn|Madonna has more number-one singles than any other act in Canadian music history, with 18 singles during the '']'' era, 2 singles during the ] era, and 4 singles between 2000 and 2007 on the ].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=Madonna& |title=Madonna – Canada Top Singles |magazine=]|publisher=] |access-date=January 11, 2025|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101206190455/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=v2a76h62to0aart05gg0u3agj2&q1=Madonna |archive-date=December 6, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/madonna/chart-history/can/|title=Madonna – Canadian Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 26, 2019}}</ref>}} ] (11),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/news/all-the-aria-singles-chart-1s|title=All The ARIA Singles Chart #1s|publisher=]|date=June 1, 2022|access-date=January 11, 2025}}</ref> ] (23),<ref>{{cite book|last=Spinetoli|first=John Joseph|title=Artisti In Classifica Singoli: 1960–1999 |url=https://www.musicaedischi.it/pubblicazioni.php |date=January 2000 |publisher=]|location=Milan|pages=217–222}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://italiancharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Madonna|title=Madonna Discography: Italy|publisher=Italiancharts.com at Hung Medien |access-date=December 2, 2009}}</ref> and ] (21).{{sfn|Salaverri|2005}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://spanishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Madonna |title=Madonna discography|access-date=November 14, 2010 |publisher=] Spanishcharts.com at Hung Medien}}</ref> At the 40th anniversary of the ], Madonna was ranked as the most successful singles artist in German chart history.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7942027/germany-official-music-charts-40th-anniversary |title=Germany's Music Charts Turn 40: Facts and Milestones in the 4th Biggest Music Market|first=Wolfgang |last=Spahr|date=August 28, 2017|access-date=August 28, 2017|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> | |||
== Discography == | |||
{{Main|Madonna albums discography|Madonna singles discography|List of songs recorded by Madonna}} | |||
{{div col}} | |||
* '']'' (1983) | |||
* '']'' (1984) | |||
* '']'' (1986) | |||
* '']'' (1989) | |||
* '']'' (1992) | |||
* '']'' (1994) | |||
* '']'' (1998) | |||
* '']'' (2000) | |||
* '']'' (2003) | |||
* '']'' (2005) | |||
* '']'' (2008) | |||
* '']'' (2012) | |||
* '']'' (2015) | |||
* '']'' (2019) | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
== Filmography == | |||
{{Main|Madonna filmography}} | |||
'''Films starred''' | |||
{{div col}} | |||
* '']'' (1985) | |||
* '']'' (1985) | |||
* '']'' (1986) | |||
* '']'' (1987) | |||
* '']'' (1989) | |||
* '']'' (1990) | |||
* '']'' (1991) | |||
* '']'' (1992) | |||
* '']'' (1993) | |||
* '']'' (1993) | |||
* '']'' (1995) | |||
* '']'' (1996) | |||
* '']'' (1996) | |||
* '']'' (2000) | |||
* '']'' (2002) | |||
* '']'' (2005) | |||
* '']'' (2006) | |||
* '']'' (2021) | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
'''Films directed''' | |||
* '']'' (2008) | |||
* '']'' (2011) | |||
* '']'' (2013) | |||
== Tours == | |||
{{Main|List of Madonna concerts}} | |||
{{div col}} | |||
* ] (1985) | |||
* ] (1987) | |||
* ] (1990) | |||
* ] (1993) | |||
* ] (2001) | |||
* ] (2004) | |||
* ] (2006) | |||
* ] (2008–2009) | |||
* ] (2012) | |||
* ] (2015–2016) | |||
* ] (2019–2020) | |||
* ] (2023–2024) | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
== Enterprises == | |||
{{Main article|Madonna and business}} | |||
{{See also|Madonna fashion brands}} | |||
* ] (1992–2004) | |||
* ] (1998) | |||
* ] (2006) | |||
* ] (2010–2019) | |||
* ] (2011–2018) | |||
== See also == | |||
{{Portal|Biography|Pop music|United States}} | |||
{{div col}} | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
{{clear}} | |||
== Notes == | |||
{{Notelist}} | |||
== References == | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
=== Book sources === | |||
{{See also|Bibliography of works on Madonna}} | |||
{{refbegin|30em}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Aguilar Guzmán|first=Marcela|title=Domadores de historias. Conversaciones con grandes cronistas de América Latina|publisher=RIL Editores|year=2010|isbn=978-956-284-782-7|language=es}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Bego|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Bego|title=Madonna: Blonde Ambition|publisher=Cooper Square Press|year=2000|isbn=978-0-8154-1051-5}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last1=Bennett|first1=Andy|last2=Waksman|first2=Steve|title=The SAGE Handbook of Popular Music|publisher=]|year=2014|isbn=978-1-4739-1440-7}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Bohem|first=David A.|title=Guinness World Records 1990|publisher=]|year=1990|isbn=978-0-8069-5791-3|title-link=Guinness World Records}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Bronson|author-link=Fred Bronson|first=Fred|title=The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits|publisher=Billboard books|year=2002|isbn=978-0-8230-7677-2}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last1=Brackett|first1=Nathan|last2=Hoard|first2=Christian|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|year=2004|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8|url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac}} | |||
* {{cite book|first1=Rosemarie|last1=Buikema|first2=Iris|last2=van der Tuin|title=Doing Gender in Media, Art and Culture|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year=2009|isbn=978-0-203-87680-0}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Claro|first=Nicole|title=Madonna|year=1994|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-7910-2330-3|url=https://archive.org/details/madonna00clar}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Clerk|first=Carol|title=Madonnastyle|year=2002|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-7119-8874-3}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Cross|first=Mary|title=Madonna: A Biography|year=2007|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-313-33811-3}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Dean|first=Maury|title=Rock 'n' Roll Gold Rush: A Singles Un-Cyclopedia|year=2003|publisher=Algora Publishing|isbn=978-0-87586-207-1}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Diamond|first=Elin|year=1996|title=Performance and Cultural Politics|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-12767-7}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last1=Erlewine|first1=Stephen Thomas|first2=Vladimir|last2=Bogdanov|first3=Chris|last3=Woodstra|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=AllMusic Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul|publisher=]|year=2002|page=1399|isbn=978-0-87930-653-3}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Jeffreys|first=Sheila|author-link=Sheila Jeffreys|title=Beauty and Misogyny: Harmful Cultural Practices In The West|publisher=]|year=2005|isbn=978-0-415-35183-6}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Fiske|first=John|author-link=John Fiske (media scholar)|title=Reading the popular|publisher=Routledge|year=1989|isbn=978-0-415-07875-7}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last1=Fouz-Hernández|first1=Santiago|first2=Freya|last2=Jarman-Ivens|title=Madonna's Drowned Worlds|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-7546-3372-3|year=2004|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/madonnasdrownedw0000unse}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Friskics-Warren|first=Bill|title=I'll Take You There: Pop Music and the Urge for Transcendence|year=2006|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-8264-1921-7}} | |||
* {{Cite book|editor-last=George-Warren|editor-first=Holly|editor-last2=Romanowski|editor-first2=Patricia|editor-last3=Pareles|editor-first3=Jon|editor-link3=Jon Pareles|year=2001|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-7432-0120-9|title=The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll|url=https://archive.org/details/rollingstoneency00holl}} | |||
* {{Cite book|title=Guinness World Records 1998|first=Craig|last=Glenday|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-85112-070-6|year=1998}} | |||
* {{Cite book|title=Guinness World Records 2007|first=Craig|last=Glenday|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-553-58992-4|year=2007|url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec0700guin}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Gnojewski|first=Carol|title=Madonna: Express Yourself|publisher=]|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7660-2442-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/madonnaexpressyo0000gnoj}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Gorlinski|first=Gini|title=The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time|publisher=]|year=2010|isbn=978-1-61530-056-3}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Grant|first=Robert M.|author-link=Robert M. Grant (economist)|title=Contemporary Strategy Analysis|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell|year=2005|isbn=978-1-4051-1999-3|url=https://archive.org/details/contemporarystra00gran_4}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Guilbert|first=Georges-Claude|title=Madonna as Postmodern Myth|publisher=McFarland|year=2002|isbn=978-0-7864-1408-6|author-link=Georges Claude Guilbert}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last1=Guralnick|first1=Peter|first2=Douglas|last2=Wolk|title=Best Music Writing|year=2000|publisher=Da Capo Press|isbn=978-0-306-80999-6|url=https://archive.org/details/dacapobestmusicw00gura}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Hall|first=Dennis|title=American Icons|publisher=]|year=2006|isbn=0-313-02767-6}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Harrison|first=Thomas|title=Pop Goes the Decade: The Eighties|year=2017|publisher=]|isbn=978-1-4408-3667-1}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Hawkins|first=Stan|title=Settling the Pop Score: Pop Texts and Identity Politics|publisher=]|year=2017|isbn=978-1-351-54910-3}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last1=Horton|first1=Ros|last2=Simmons|first2=Sally|title=Women Who Changed the World|year=2007|publisher=Quercus|isbn=978-1-84724-026-2}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Jhally|first=Sut|title=The Spectacle of Accumulation: Essays in Culture, Media, And Politics|publisher=]|year=2006|isbn=978-0-8204-7904-0|author-link=Sut Jhally}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Kellner|first=Douglas|title=Media Culture: Cultural Studies, Identity, and Politics Between the Modern and the Postmodern|publisher=]|year=1995|author-link=Douglas Kellner|isbn=978-0-415-10570-5}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last1=Kramarae|first1=Cheris|first2=Dale|last2=Spender|title=Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge|publisher=]|year=2000|isbn=978-0-415-92091-9}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Landrum|first=Gene N.|title=Paranoia & Power: Fear & Fame of Entertainment Icons|publisher=Morgan James Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-60037-273-5}} | |||
* {{cite book|last1=Leonard|first1=George J.|last2=D'Acierno|first2=Pellegrino|title=The Italian American Heritage: A Companion to Literature and Arts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nevq7gnw-WgC&pg=PA492|year=1998|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-8153-0380-0}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=McFarlan|first=Donald|title=The Guinness Book of Records 1992|year=1992|publisher=Guinness |isbn=978-0-85112-378-3|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessbookofre0000unse}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last1=Metz|first1=Allen|first2=Carol|last2=Benson|title=The Madonna Companion: Two Decades of Commentary|publisher=]|year=1999|isbn=978-0-8256-7194-4}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Morton|first=Andrew|title=Madonna|publisher=]|year=2001|isbn=978-1-85479-888-6|location=London|author-link=Andrew Morton (writer)|title-link=Madonna (book)}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=O'Brien|first=Lucy|title=Madonna: Like an Icon|year=2007|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-593-05547-2|author-link=Lucy O'Brien|title-link=Madonna: Like an Icon}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Pitts|first=Michael|title=Famous Movie Detectives|year=2004|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-3690-7}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Rettenmund|first=Matthew|author-link=Matthew Rettenmund|title=Madonnica: The Woman & The Icon From A To Z|isbn=978-0-312-11782-5|publisher=]|year=1995}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Michael|first=Mick St.|title=Madonna talking: Madonna in Her Own Words|year=2004|publisher=]|isbn=978-1-84449-418-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/madonnatalkingma0000stmi}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Rooksby|first=Rikky|title=The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna|year=2004|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-7119-9883-4|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/madonnacompleteg0000rook}} | |||
* {{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Taraborrelli|first=J. Randy|author-link=J. Randy Taraborrelli|title=Madonna: An Intimate Biography|publisher=]|year=2002|isbn=978-0-7432-2880-0|title-link=Madonna: An Intimate Biography}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Taylor|first=Mark C.|author-link=Mark C. Taylor (philosopher)|title=Nots|publisher=]|year=1993|isbn=978-0-226-79131-9}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Tetzlaff|first=David|title=Metatextual Girl|publisher=Westview Press|year=1993|isbn=978-0-8133-1396-2|url=https://archive.org/details/madonnaconnectio00schw}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Victor|first=Barbara|title=Goddess, Inside Madonna|publisher=Cliff Street Books|year=2001|isbn=978-0-06-019930-2}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Voller|first=Debbie|title=Madonna: The Style Book|publisher=]|year=1999|isbn=978-0-7119-7511-8}} | |||
* {{Cite book|last=Welton|first=Donn|title=Body and Flesh: A Philosophical Reader|publisher=]|year=1998|isbn=978-1-57718-126-2}} | |||
*{{citation|last=Zollo|first=Paul|author-link=Paul Zollo|title=Songwriters on Songwriting|publisher=]|year=2003|isbn=978-0-306-81265-1}} | |||
{{refend}} | |||
== External links == | |||
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* {{Official website}} | |||
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p64565|label=Madonna}} | |||
* {{IMDb name|187|Madonna}} | |||
* {{Rockhall}} | |||
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{{Madonna|state=expanded}} | |||
{{Madonna songs}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 16:57, 11 January 2025
American singer and actress (born 1958) This article is about the singer. For the religious figure, see Mary, mother of Jesus. For other uses, see Madonna (disambiguation). "Queen of Pop" redirects here. For other uses, see Queen of Pop (disambiguation).
Madonna | |
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Madonna in October 2023 | |
Born | Madonna Louise Ciccone (1958-08-16) August 16, 1958 (age 66) Bay City, Michigan, US |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1979–present |
Works | |
Spouses |
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Partner | Carlos Leon (1995–1997) |
Children | 6, including Lourdes Leon |
Relatives | Christopher Ciccone (brother) |
Awards | Full list |
Musical career | |
Origin | New York City, US |
Genres | |
Instruments |
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Labels | |
Formerly of | |
Musical artist | |
Website | madonna |
Signature | |
Madonna Louise Ciccone (/tʃɪˈkoʊni/ chih-KOH-nee; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Commonly known as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting and visual presentation. Madonna's works, which incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. A cultural icon spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries, she was called one of the most "well-documented figures of the modern age" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008. Various scholarly, literary and artistic works have been created about her, including an academic sub-discipline called Madonna studies.
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 & the Emmys, she rose to solo stardom with her 1983 eponymous debut album. Madonna has obtained a total of 18 multi-platinum albums, including Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986), and The Immaculate Collection (1990)—which became some of the best-selling albums in history—as well as Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), her 21st-century bestseller. Her albums Like a Prayer (1989), Ray of Light (1998), and Music (2000) were ranked among Rolling Stone's greatest albums of all time. Madonna's catalog of top-charting songs includes "Like a Virgin", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up" and "4 Minutes".
Her popularity was enhanced by roles in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992) and Evita (1996). While she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for the lattermost, many of her other films were not as well received. As a businesswoman, Madonna founded the company Maverick in 1992, which included Maverick Records, one of the most successful artist-run labels in history. Her other ventures include 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 world's best-selling female recording artist of all time and the first female performer to accumulate US$1 billion from her concerts. She is the most successful solo artist in the history of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and has achieved 44 number-one singles in between major global music markets. Her accolades include seven Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, 20 MTV Video Music Awards, 17 Japan Gold Disc Awards, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. On Forbes annual rankings, Madonna became the world's highest-paid female musician a record 11 times across four decades (1980s–2010s). Billboard named her the Artist of the Decade (1980s), the Greatest Dance Artist of All Time, and the Greatest Music Video Artist of All Time. She was also listed among Rolling Stone's greatest artists and greatest songwriters ever.
Life and career
1958–1978: Early life
Madonna Louise Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan on August 16, 1958, to Catholic parents Madonna Louise (née Fortin) and Silvio Anthony "Tony" Ciccone. Her father's parents were Italian emigrants from Pacentro while her mother was of French-Canadian descent. Tony Ciccone worked as an optics engineer for Chrysler Defense and its successor, General Dynamics Land Systems, on military projects. Since Madonna had the same name as her mother, family members called her "Little Nonnie". Her mother died of breast cancer on December 1, 1963, when Madonna was five years old. Madonna grew up in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township (now Rochester Hills), alongside her two older brothers—Anthony (1956–2023) and Martin (born 1957)—and three younger siblings—Paula (born 1959), Christopher (1960–2024), and Melanie (born 1962). Madonna adopted Veronica as a confirmation name upon formally entering the Catholic Church in 1966. In 1966, Tony married the family's housekeeper, Joan Gustafson. They remained married for 58 years until Joan's death in 2024, and had three children: Jennifer (born 1967), Mario (born 1968), and Joey (who died shortly after his 1967 birth from a heart defect).
Madonna attended St. Frederick's and St. Andrew's Catholic Elementary Schools, and West Middle School. She was known for her high grade point average (GPA) and achieved notoriety for her unconventional behavior. Madonna would perform cartwheels and handstands in the hallways between classes, dangle by her knees from the monkey bars during recess, and pull up her skirt during class—all so that the boys could see her underwear. She later admitted to seeing herself in her youth as a "lonely girl who was searching for something. I wasn't rebellious in a certain way. I cared about being good at something. I didn't shave my underarms or legs, and I didn't wear make-up like normal girls do. But I studied and I got good grades... I wanted to be somebody."
Madonna's father put her in classical piano lessons, but she later convinced him to allow her to take ballet lessons. Christopher Flynn, her ballet teacher, persuaded her to pursue a career in dance. Madonna later attended Rochester Adams High School and became a straight-A student as well as a member of its cheerleading squad. After graduating in January 1976, she received a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan and studied over the summer at the American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina.
In 1978, Madonna dropped out of college and relocated to New York City. She said of her move to New York, "It was the first time I'd ever taken a plane, the first time I'd ever gotten a taxi cab. I came here with $35 in my pocket. It was the bravest thing I'd ever done." Madonna soon found an apartment in the Alphabet City neighborhood of the East Village and had little money while working as a hatcheck girl for the Russian Tea Room, an elevator operator at Terrace on the Park, and with modern dance troupes. She took classes at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, eventually performing with Pearl Lang Dance Theater. She also studied dance under the tutelage of the noted American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham. Madonna started to work as a backup dancer for other established artists. One night, while returning from a rehearsal, a pair of 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."
1979–1983: Career beginnings, rock bands, and Madonna
In 1979, Madonna became romantically involved with musician Dan Gilroy. Shortly after meeting him, she successfully auditioned to perform in Paris with French disco artist Patrick Hernandez as his backup singer and dancer. During her three months with Hernandez's troupe, she also traveled to Tunisia before returning to New York in August 1979. Madonna moved into an abandoned synagogue where Gilroy lived and rehearsed in Corona, Queens. Together they formed her first band, the Breakfast Club, for which Madonna sang and played drums and guitar. While with the band, Madonna briefly worked as a hat-check girl at the Russian Tea Room, and she made her acting debut in the low-budget indie film A Certain Sacrifice, which was not released until 1985. In 1980, Madonna left the Breakfast Club with drummer Stephen Bray, who was her boyfriend in Michigan, and they formed the band Emmy and the Emmys. They rekindled their romance and moved into the Music Building in Manhattan. The two began writing songs together and they recorded a four-song demo tape in November 1980, but soon after, Madonna decided to promote herself as a solo artiste.
In March 1981, Camille Barbone, who ran Gotham Records in the Music Building, signed Madonna to a contract with Gotham and worked as her manager until February 1982. Madonna frequented nightclubs to get disc jockeys to play her demo. DJ Mark Kamins at Danceteria took an interest in her music and they began dating. Kamins arranged a meeting with Madonna and Seymour Stein, the president of Sire Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records. Madonna signed a deal for a total of three singles, with an option for an album.
Kamins produced her debut single, "Everybody", which was released in October 1982. In December 1982, Madonna performed the song live for the first time at Danceteria. She made her first television appearance performing "Everybody" on Dancin' On Air in January 1983, although it had actually been filmed a month prior. In February 1983, she promoted the single with nightclub performances in the United Kingdom. Her second single, the double A-side "Burning Up" / "Physical Attraction", was released in March 1983. Both this single and "Everybody" reached number three on Billboard magazine's Hot Dance Club Songs chart. "Burning Up" / "Physical Attraction" also charted at number 13 in Australia. During this period, Madonna was in a relationship with artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and living at his loft in SoHo. Basquiat introduced her to art curator Diego Cortez, who had managed some punk bands and co-founded the Mudd Club. Madonna invited Cortez to be her manager, but he declined.
Following the success of the singles, Warner hired Reggie Lucas to produce her debut album, Madonna. However, Madonna was dissatisfied with the completed tracks and disagreed with Lucas' production techniques, so she decided to seek additional help. She asked John "Jellybean" Benitez, the resident DJ at Fun House, to help finish the album's production and a romance ensued. Benitez remixed most of the tracks and produced "Holiday", which was her first international top-ten song. The album was released in July 1983, and peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200. It yielded two top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, "Borderline" and "Lucky Star". In late 1983, Madonna's new manager, Freddy DeMann, secured a meeting for her with film producer Jon Peters, who asked her to play the part of a club singer in the romantic drama Vision Quest.
1984–1987: Like a Virgin, first marriage, True Blue, and Who's That Girl
In January 1984, Madonna gained more exposure by performing on American Bandstand and Top of the Pops. Her image, performances and music videos influenced many young girls and women. Madonna's style became one of the female fashion trends of the 1980s. Created by stylist and jewelry designer Maripol, the look consisted of lace tops, skirts over capri pants, fishnet stockings, jewelry bearing the crucifix, bracelets and bleached hair. Madonna's popularity continued to rise globally with the release of her second studio album, Like a Virgin, in November 1984. It became her first number-one album in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, the UK and the US. Like a Virgin became the first album by a female to sell over five million copies in the US. It was later certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and has sold over 21 million copies worldwide.
The album's title track served as its first single, and topped the Hot 100 chart for six consecutive weeks. It attracted the attention of conservative organizations who complained that the song and its accompanying video promoted premarital sex and undermined family values, and moralists sought to have the song and video banned. Madonna received huge media coverage for her performance of "Like a Virgin" at the first 1984 MTV Video Music Awards. Wearing a wedding dress and white gloves, Madonna appeared on stage atop a giant wedding cake and then rolled around suggestively on the floor. MTV retrospectively considered it one of the "most iconic" pop performances of all time. The second single, "Material Girl", reached number two on the Hot 100. While filming the single's music video, Madonna started dating actor Sean Penn. They married on her birthday in 1985.
Madonna entered mainstream films in February 1985, beginning with her cameo in Vision Quest. The soundtrack contained two new singles, her US number-one single, "Crazy for You", and another track "Gambler". She also played the title role in the 1985 comedy Desperately Seeking Susan, a film which introduced the song "Into the Groove", her first number-one single in the UK. Her popularity caused the film to be perceived as a Madonna vehicle, despite how she was not billed as a lead actress. The New York Times film critic Vincent Canby named it one of the ten best films of 1985.
Beginning in April 1985, Madonna embarked on her first concert tour in North America, the Virgin Tour, with the Beastie Boys as her opening act. The tour saw the peak of Madonna wannabe phenomenon, with many female attendees dressing like her. At that time, she released two more songs, "Angel" and "Dress You Up", making all four singles from the album peak inside the top five on the Hot 100 chart. "Angel" also topped the Australian charts. In July, Penthouse and Playboy magazines published a number of nude photos of Madonna, taken when she moonlighted as an art model in 1978. She had posed for the photographs because she needed money at the time, and was paid as little as $25 a session. The publication of the photos caused a media uproar, but Madonna remained "unapologetic and defiant". The photographs were ultimately sold for up to $100,000. She referred to these events at the 1985 outdoor Live Aid charity concert, saying that she would not take her jacket off because " might hold it against me ten years from now."
In June 1986, Madonna released her third studio album, True Blue, which was inspired by and dedicated to her husband Penn. Rolling Stone was impressed with the effort, writing that the album "sound as if it comes from the heart". Five singles were released—"Live to Tell", "Papa Don't Preach", "True Blue", "Open Your Heart", and "La Isla Bonita"—all of which reached number one in the US or the UK. The album topped the charts in 28 countries worldwide, an unprecedented achievement at the time, and remains Madonna's bestselling studio album, with sales of 25 million copies. True Blue was featured in the 1992 edition of Guinness World Records as the bestselling album by a woman of all time.
Madonna starred in the critically panned film Shanghai Surprise in 1986, for which she received her first Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress. She made her theatrical debut in a production of David Rabe's Goose and Tom-Tom; the film and play both co-starred Penn. The next year, Madonna was featured in the film Who's That Girl. She contributed four songs to its soundtrack, including the title track and "Causing a Commotion". Madonna embarked on the Who's That Girl World Tour in June 1987, which continued until September. It broke several attendance records, including over 130,000 people in a show near Paris, which was then a record for the highest-attended female concert of all time. Later that year, she released a remix album of past hits, You Can Dance, which reached number 14 on the Billboard 200. After a tumultuous two years' marriage, Madonna filed for divorce from Penn on December 4, 1987, but withdrew the petition a few weeks later.
1988–1991: Like a Prayer, Dick Tracy, and Truth or Dare
She made her Broadway debut in the production of Speed-the-Plow at the Royale Theatre from May to August 1988. According to the Associated Press, Madonna filed an assault report against Penn after an alleged incident at their Malibu home during the New Year's weekend. Madonna filed for divorce on January 5, 1989, and the following week she reportedly asked that no criminal charges be pressed.
In January 1989, Madonna signed an endorsement deal with soft-drink manufacturer Pepsi. In one Pepsi commercial, she debuted "Like a Prayer", the lead single and title track from her fourth studio album. The music video featured Catholic symbols such as stigmata and cross burning, and a dream of making love to a saint, leading the Vatican to condemn the video. Religious groups sought to ban the commercial and boycott Pepsi products. Pepsi revoked the commercial and canceled her sponsorship contract. "Like a Prayer" topped the charts in many countries, becoming her seventh number-one on the Hot 100.
Madonna co-wrote and co-produced the album Like a Prayer with Patrick Leonard, Stephen Bray, and Prince. Music critic J. D. Considine from Rolling Stone praised it "as close to art as pop music gets ... 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." Like a Prayer peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold 15 million copies worldwide. Other successful singles from the album were "Express Yourself" and "Cherish", which both peaked at number two in the US, as well as the UK top-five "Dear Jessie" and the US top-ten "Keep It Together". By the end of the 1980s, Madonna was named as the "Artist of the Decade" by MTV, Billboard and Musician magazine.
Madonna starred as Breathless Mahoney in the film Dick Tracy (1990), with Warren Beatty playing the title role. The film went to number one on the US box office for two weeks and Madonna received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actress. To accompany the film, she released the soundtrack album, I'm Breathless, which included songs inspired by the film's 1930s setting. It also featured the US number-one song "Vogue" and "Sooner or Later". While shooting the film, Madonna began a relationship with Beatty, which dissolved shortly after the premiere.
In April 1990, Madonna began her Blond Ambition World Tour, which ended in August. Rolling Stone called it an "elaborately choreographed, sexually provocative extravaganza" and proclaimed it "the best tour of 1990". The tour generated strong negative reaction from religious groups for her performance of "Like a Virgin", during which two male dancers caressed her body before she simulated masturbation. In response, Madonna said, "The tour in no way hurts anybody's sentiments. It's for open minds and gets them to see sexuality in a different way. Their own and others". The live recording of the tour won Madonna her first Grammy Award, in the category of Best Long Form Music Video. In October 1990, Madonna lent her voice to a Public Service Announcement (PSA) supporting Rock the Vote's efforts in voter registration.
Madonna's first greatest-hits compilation album, The Immaculate Collection (1990), was released in November including two new songs, "Justify My Love" and "Rescue Me". The album was certified diamond by RIAA and sold over 30 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling compilation album by a solo artist in history. "Justify My Love" reached number one in the US becoming her ninth number-one on the Hot 100. Her then-boyfriend model Tony Ward co-starred in the music video, which featured scenes of sadomasochism, bondage, same-sex kissing, and brief nudity. The video was deemed too sexually explicit for MTV and was banned from the network. Her first documentary film, Truth or Dare (known as In Bed with Madonna outside North America), was released in May 1991. Chronicling her Blond Ambition World Tour, it became the highest-grossing documentary of all time (surpassed eleven years later by Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine).
1992–1997: Maverick, Erotica, Sex, Bedtime Stories, Evita, and motherhood
In 1992, Madonna starred in A League of Their Own as Mae Mordabito, a baseball player on an all-women's team. It reached number one on the box-office and became the tenth-highest-grossing film of the year in the US. She recorded the film's theme song, "This Used to Be My Playground", which became her tenth number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, the most by any female artist at the time. In April, Madonna founded her own entertainment company, Maverick, consisting of a record company (Maverick Records), a film production company (Maverick Films), and associated music publishing, television broadcasting, book publishing, and merchandising divisions. The deal was a joint venture with Time Warner and paid Madonna an advance of $60 million. It gave her 20% royalties from the music proceedings, the highest rate in the industry at the time, equaled only by Michael Jackson's royalty rate established a year earlier with Sony. Her company later went on to become one of the most successful artist-run labels in history, producing multi-platinum artists such as Alanis Morissette and Michelle Branch. Later that year, Madonna co-sponsored the first museum retrospective for her former boyfriend artist Jean-Michel Basquiat at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
In October 1992, Madonna simultaneously released her fifth studio album, Erotica, and her coffee table book, Sex. Consisting of sexually provocative and explicit images, photographed by Steven Meisel, the book received strong negative reaction from the media and the general public, but sold 1.5 million copies at $50 each in a matter of days. The widespread backlash overshadowed Erotica, which ended up as her lowest selling album at the time. Despite positive reviews, it became her first studio album since her debut album not to score any chart-topper in the US. The album entered the Billboard 200 at number two. It yielded the Hot 100 top-ten hits "Erotica" and "Deeper and Deeper". At the time Madonna had been dating rapper Vanilla Ice and she at one point proposed to him. They broke up following the release of Sex, with Ice claiming that he was included in the book without his consent. Madonna continued her provocative imagery in the 1993 erotic thriller, Body of Evidence, a film which contained scenes of sadomasochism and bondage. Critics poorly received the film. She also starred in the film Dangerous Game, which was released straight to video in North America. The New York Times described the film as "angry and painful, and the pain feels real."
In September 1993, Madonna embarked on The Girlie Show, in which she dressed as a whip-cracking dominatrix surrounded by topless dancers. In Puerto Rico she rubbed the island's flag between her legs on stage, resulting in outrage among the audience. In March 1994, she appeared as a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman, using profanity that required censorship on television, and handing Letterman a pair of her panties and asking him to smell it. The releases of her sexually explicit book, album, and film, and the aggressive appearance on Letterman all made critics question Madonna as a sexual renegade. Critics and fans reacted negatively, commenting that "she had gone too far" and her career was over. Around this time, Madonna briefly dated rapper Tupac Shakur and basketball player Dennis Rodman.
Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli described her ballad "I'll Remember" (1994) as an attempt to tone down her provocative image. The song was recorded for Alek Keshishian's 1994 film With Honors. She made a subdued appearance with Letterman at an awards show and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno after realizing that she needed to change her musical direction to sustain her popularity. With her sixth studio album, Bedtime Stories (1994), Madonna employed a softer image to try to improve the public perception. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and generated two US top-five hits, "Secret" and "Take a Bow", the latter topping the Hot 100 for seven weeks, the longest period of any Madonna single. Something to Remember, a collection of ballads, was released in November 1995. The album featured three new songs: "You'll See", "One More Chance", and a cover of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You". An enthusiastic collector of modern art, Madonna sponsored the first major retrospective of Tina Modotti's work at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1995. The following year, she sponsored an exhibition of Basquiat's paintings at the Serpentine Gallery in London. The following year, she sponsored artist Cindy Sherman's retrospective at the MoMA in New York.
—Madonna talking about her role in EvitaThis 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.
In February 1996, Madonna began filming the musical Evita in Argentina. For a long time, Madonna had desired to play Argentine political leader Eva Perón and wrote to director Alan Parker to explain why she would be perfect for the part. After securing the title role, she received vocal coaching and learned about the history of Argentina and Perón. During filming Madonna became ill several times, after finding out that she was pregnant, and from the intense emotional effort required with the scenes. Upon Evita's release in December 1996, Madonna's performance received praise from film critics. Zach Conner of Time magazine remarked, "It's a relief to say that Evita is pretty damn fine, well cast and handsomely visualized. Madonna once again confounds our expectations." For the role, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
The Evita soundtrack, containing songs mostly performed by Madonna, was released as a double album. It included "You Must Love Me" and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"; the latter reached number one in countries across Europe. Madonna was presented with the Artist Achievement Award by Tony Bennett at the 1996 Billboard Music Awards. On October 14, 1996, she gave birth to Lourdes "Lola" Maria Ciccone Leon, her daughter with fitness trainer Carlos Leon. Biographer Mary Cross writes that although Madonna often worried that her pregnancy would harm Evita, she reached some important personal goals: "Now 38 years old, Madonna had at last triumphed on screen and achieved her dream of having a child, both in the same year. She had reached another turning point in her career, reinventing herself and her image with the public." Her relationship with Carlos Leon ended in May 1997 and she declared that they were "better off as best friends".
1998–2002: Ray of Light, Music, second marriage, and touring comeback
After Lourdes's birth, Madonna became involved in Eastern mysticism and Kabbalah, introduced to her by actress Sandra Bernhard. Her seventh studio album, Ray of Light, (1998) reflected this change in her perception and image. She collaborated with electronica producer William Orbit and wanted to create a sound that could blend dance music with pop and British rock. American music critic Ann Powers explained that what Madonna searched for with Orbit "was a kind of a lushness that she wanted for this record. Techno and rave were happening in the 90s and had a lot of different forms. There was very experimental, more hard stuff like Aphex Twin. There was party stuff like Fatboy Slim. That's not what Madonna wanted for this. She wanted something more like a singer-songwriter, really. And William Orbit provided her with that."
The album garnered critical acclaim, with Slant Magazine calling it "one of the great pop masterpieces of the '90s" Ray of Light was honored with four Grammy Awards—including Best Pop Album and Best Dance Recording—and was nominated for both Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Rolling Stone listed it among "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Commercially, the album peaked at number-one in numerous countries and sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, "Frozen", became Madonna's first single to debut at number one in the UK, while in the US, it became her sixth number-two single, setting another record for Madonna as the artist with the most number-two hits. The second single, "Ray of Light", debuted at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The 1998 edition of Guinness Book of World Records documented that "no female artist has sold more records than Madonna around the world".
Madonna founded Ray of Light Foundation which focused on women, education, global development and humanitarian. She recorded the single "Beautiful Stranger" for the 1999 film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, which earned her a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. Madonna starred in the 2000 comedy-drama film The Next Best Thing, directed by John Schlesinger. The film opened at number two on the US box office with $5.9 million grossed in its first week, but this quickly diminished. She also contributed two songs to the film's soundtrack—a cover of Don McLean's 1971 song "American Pie" and an original song "Time Stood Still"—the former became her ninth UK number-one single.
Madonna released her eighth studio album, Music, in September 2000. It featured elements from the electronica-inspired Ray of Light era, and like its predecessor, received acclaim from critics. Collaborating with French producer Mirwais Ahmadzaï, Madonna commented: "I love to work with the weirdos that no one knows about—the people who have raw talent and who are making music unlike anyone else out there. Music is the future of sound." Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic felt that "Music blows by in a kaleidoscopic rush of color, technique, style and substance. It has so many depth and layers that it's easily as self-aware and earnest as Ray of Light." The album took the number-one position in more than 20 countries worldwide and sold four million copies in the first ten days. In the US, Music debuted at the top, and became her first number-one album in eleven years since Like a Prayer. It produced three singles: the Hot 100 number-one "Music", "Don't Tell Me", and "What It Feels Like for a Girl". The music video of "What It Feels Like for a Girl" depicted Madonna committing acts of crime and vandalism, and was banned by MTV and VH1.
Madonna met director Guy Ritchie in mid-1998, and gave birth to their son Rocco John Ritchie in Los Angeles on August 11, 2000. Rocco and Madonna suffered complications from the birth due to her experiencing placenta praevia. He was christened at Dornoch Cathedral in Dornoch, Scotland, on December 21, 2000. Madonna married Ritchie the following day at nearby Skibo Castle. After an eight-year absence from touring, Madonna started her Drowned World Tour in June 2001. The tour visited cities in the US and Europe and was the highest-grossing concert tour of the year by a solo artist, earning $75 million from 47 sold-out shows. She also released her second greatest-hits collection, GHV2, which compiled 15 singles during the second decade of her recording career. The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 and sold seven million units worldwide.
Madonna starred in the film Swept Away, directed by Ritchie. Released direct-to-video in the UK, the film was a commercial and critical failure. In May 2002 she appeared in London in the West End play Up for Grabs at the Wyndhams Theatre (billed as 'Madonna Ritchie'), to universally bad reviews and was described as "the evening's biggest disappointment" by one. That October, she released "Die Another Day", the title song of the James Bond film Die Another Day, in which she also had a cameo role, described by Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian as "incredibly wooden". The song reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for both a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song.
2003–2006: American Life and Confessions on a Dance Floor
In 2003, Madonna collaborated with fashion photographer Steven Klein for an exhibition installation named X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS, which ran from March to May in New York's Deitch Projects gallery, and also travelled the world in an edited form. The same year, Madonna released her ninth studio album, American Life, which was based on her observations of American society. She explained that the record was "like a trip down memory lane, looking back at everything I've accomplished and all the things I once valued and all the things that were important to me." Larry Flick from The Advocate felt that "American Life is an album that is among her most adventurous and lyrically intelligent", while also condemning it as "a lazy, half-arsed effort to sound and take her seriously." The original music video of its title track caused controversy due to its violence and anti-war imagery, and was withdrawn after the 2003 invasion of Iraq started. Madonna voluntarily censored herself for the first time in her career due to the political climate of the country, saying that "there was a lynch mob mentality that was going on that wasn't pretty and I have children to protect." The song stalled at number 37 on the Hot 100, while the album became her lowest-selling album at that point with four million copies worldwide.
Madonna gave another provocative performance later that year at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, when she kissed singers Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera while singing the track "Hollywood". In October 2003, she provided guest vocals on Spears' single "Me Against the Music". It was followed with the release of Remixed & Revisited. The EP contained remixed versions of songs from American Life and included "Your Honesty", a previously unreleased track from the Bedtime Stories recording sessions. Madonna also signed a contract with Callaway Arts & Entertainment to be the author of five children's books. The first of these books, titled The English Roses, was published in September 2003. The story was about four English schoolgirls and their envy and jealousy of each other. The book debuted at the top of The New York Times Best Seller list, and became the fastest-selling children's picture book of all time. Madonna donated all of its proceeds to a children's charity.
The next year Madonna and Maverick sued Warner Music Group and its former parent company Time Warner, claiming that mismanagement of resources and poor bookkeeping had cost the company millions of dollars. In return, Warner filed a countersuit alleging that Maverick had lost tens of millions of dollars on its own. The dispute was resolved when the Maverick shares, owned by Madonna and Ronnie Dashev, were purchased by Warner. Madonna and Dashev's company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warner Music, but Madonna was still signed to Warner under a separate recording contract.
In mid-2004, Madonna embarked on the Re-Invention World Tour in the US, Canada and Europe. It became the highest-grossing tour of 2004, earning around $120 million and became the subject of her documentary I'm Going to Tell You a Secret. In November 2004, she was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame as one of its five founding members, along with the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley and U2. Rolling Stone ranked her at number 36 on its special issue of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, featuring an article about her written by Britney Spears. In January 2005, Madonna performed a cover version of the John Lennon song "Imagine" at Tsunami Aid. She also performed at the Live 8 benefit concert in London in July 2005.
—Madonna talking about Confessions on a Dance Floor.When I wrote American Life, I was very agitated by what was going on in the world around me, ... I was angry. I had a lot to get off my chest. I made a lot of political statements. But now, I feel that I just want to have fun; I want to dance; I want to feel buoyant. And I want to give other people the same feeling. There's a lot of madness in the world around us, and I want people to be happy.
Her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, was released in November 2005. Musically the album was structured like a club set composed by a DJ. It was acclaimed by critics, with Keith Caulfield from Billboard commenting that the album was a "welcome return to form for the Queen of Pop." The album won a Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album. Confessions on a Dance Floor and its lead single, "Hung Up", went on to reach number one in 40 and 41 countries respectively, earning a place in Guinness World Records. The song contained a sample of ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", only the second time that ABBA has allowed their work to be used. ABBA songwriter Björn Ulvaeus remarked "It is a wonderful track—100 per cent solid pop music." "Sorry", the second single, became Madonna's twelfth number-one single in the UK.
Madonna embarked on the Confessions Tour in May 2006, which had a global audience of 1.2 million and grossed over $193.7 million, becoming the highest-grossing tour to that date for a female artist. Madonna used religious symbols, such as the crucifix and Crown of Thorns, in the performance of "Live to Tell". It caused the Russian Orthodox Church and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia to urge all their members to boycott her concert. At the same time, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announced officially that Madonna had sold over 200 million copies of her albums alone worldwide.
While on tour, Madonna founded the charitable organization Raising Malawi, and partially funded an orphanage in and traveling to that country. While there, she decided to adopt a boy named David Banda in October 2006. The adoption raised strong public reaction, because Malawian law requires would-be parents to reside in Malawi for one year before adopting, which Madonna did not do. She addressed this on The Oprah Winfrey Show, saying that there were no written adoption laws in Malawi that regulated foreign adoption. Madonna described how Banda had been suffering from pneumonia after surviving malaria and tuberculosis when they first met. Banda's biological father, Yohane, commented: "These so-called human rights activists are harassing me every day, threatening me that I am not aware of what I am doing ... They want me to support their court case, a thing I cannot do for I know what I agreed with Madonna and her husband." The adoption was finalized in May 2008.
2007–2011: Filmmaking, Hard Candy, and business ventures
Madonna released and performed the song "Hey You" at the London Live Earth concert in July 2007. She announced her departure from Warner Bros. Records, and declared a new $120 million, ten-year 360 deal with Live Nation. In 2008, Madonna produced and wrote I Am Because We Are, a documentary on the problems faced by Malawians; it was directed by Nathan Rissman, who worked as Madonna's gardener. She also directed her first film, Filth and Wisdom. The plot of the film revolved around three friends and their aspirations. The Times said she had "done herself proud" while The Daily Telegraph described the film as "not an entirely unpromising first effort Madonna would do well to hang on to her day job." On March 10, 2008, Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. She did not sing at the ceremony but asked fellow Hall of Fame inductees and Michigan natives the Stooges to perform her songs "Burning Up" and "Ray of Light".
Madonna released her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy, in April 2008. Containing R&B and urban pop influences, the songs on Hard Candy were autobiographical in nature and saw Madonna collaborating with Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and Nate "Danja" Hills. The album debuted at number one in 37 countries and on the Billboard 200. Caryn Ganz from Rolling Stone complimented it as an "impressive taste of her upcoming tour", while BBC correspondent Mark Savage panned it as "an attempt to harness the urban market".
"4 Minutes" was released as the album's lead single and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Madonna's 37th top-ten hit on the chart and pushed her past Elvis Presley as the artist with the most top-ten hits. In the UK she retained her record for the most number-one singles for a female artist; "4 Minutes" becoming her thirteenth. To further promote the album, she embarked on the Sticky & Sweet Tour, her first major venture with Live Nation. With a total gross of $408 million, it ended up as the second highest-grossing tour of all time, behind the Rolling Stones's A Bigger Bang Tour. It remained the highest-grossing tour by a solo artist until Roger Waters' the Wall Live surpassed it in 2013.
In July 2008, Christopher Ciccone released a book titled Life with My Sister Madonna, which caused a rift between Madonna and him, because of unsolicited publication. By fall, Madonna filed for divorce from Ritchie, citing irreconcilable differences. In December 2008, Madonna's spokesperson announced that Madonna had agreed to a divorce settlement with Ritchie, the terms of which granted him between £50–60 million ($68.49–82.19 million), a figure that included the couple's London pub and residence and Wiltshire estate in England. The marriage was dissolved by District Judge Reid by decree nisi at the clinical Principal Registry of the Family Division in High Holborn, London. They entered a compromise agreement for Rocco and David, then aged eight and three respectively, and divided the children's time between Ritchie's London home and Madonna's in New York, where the two were joined by Lourdes. Soon after, Madonna applied to adopt Chifundo "Mercy" James from Malawi in May 2009, but the country's High Court rejected the application because Madonna was not a resident there. She re-appealed, and on June 12, 2009, the Supreme Court of Malawi granted her the right to adopt Mercy.
Madonna concluded her contract with Warner by releasing her third greatest-hits album, Celebration, in September 2009. It contained the new songs "Celebration" and "Revolver" along with 34 hits spanning her musical career with the label. Celebration reached number one in several countries, including Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. She appeared at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards to speak in tribute to deceased pop singer Michael Jackson. Madonna ended the 2000s as the bestselling single artist of the decade in the US and the most-played artist of the decade in the UK. Billboard also announced her as the third top-touring artist of the decade—behind only the Rolling Stones and U2—with a gross of over $801 million, 6.3 million attendance and 244 sell-outs of 248 shows.
Madonna performed at the Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief concert in January 2010. Her third live album, Sticky & Sweet Tour, was released in April, debuting at number ten on the Billboard 200. It also became her 20th top-ten on the Oricon Albums Chart, breaking the Beatles' record for the most top-ten album by an international act in Japan. Madonna granted American television show, Glee, the rights to her entire catalog of music, and the producers created an episode featuring her songs exclusively. She also collaborated with Lourdes and released the Material Girl clothing line, inspired by her punk-girl style when she rose to fame in the 1980s. In October, she opened a series of fitness centers around the world named Hard Candy Fitness, and three months later unveiled a second fashion brand called Truth or Dare which included footwear, perfumes, underclothing, and accessories.
Madonna directed her second feature film, W.E., a biographical account about the affair between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. Co-written with Alek Keshishian, the film was premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in September 2011. Critical and commercial response to the film was negative. Madonna contributed the ballad "Masterpiece" for the film's soundtrack, which won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
2012–2016: Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, MDNA, and Rebel Heart
In February 2012, Madonna headlined the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her performance was visualized by Cirque Du Soleil and Jamie King, and featured special guests LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. and CeeLo Green. It became the then most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history with 114 million viewers, higher than the game itself. During the event, she performed "Give Me All Your Luvin'", the lead single from her twelfth studio album, MDNA. It became her record-extending 38th top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100.
MDNA was released in March 2012 and saw collaboration with various producers, including William Orbit and Martin Solveig. It was her first release under her three-album deal with Interscope Records, which she signed as a part of her 360 deal with Live Nation. She was signed to the record label since Live Nation was unable to distribute music recordings. MDNA became Madonna's fifth consecutive studio record to debut at the top of the Billboard 200. The album was mostly promoted by the MDNA Tour, which lasted from May to December 2012. The tour featured controversial subjects such as violence, firearms, human rights, nudity and politics. With a gross of $305.2 million from 88 sold-out shows, it became the highest-grossing tour of 2012 and then-tenth highest-grossing tour of all time. Madonna was named the top-earning celebrity of the year by Forbes, earning an estimated $125 million.
Madonna collaborated with Steven Klein and directed a 17-minute film, secretprojectrevolution, which was released on BitTorrent in September 2013. With the film she launched the Art for Freedom initiative, which helped to promote "art and free speech as a means to address persecution and injustice across the globe". The website for the project included over 3,000 art related submissions since its inception, with Madonna regularly monitoring and enlisting other artists like David Blaine and Katy Perry as guest curators.
By 2013, Madonna's Raising Malawi had built ten schools to educate 4,000 children in Malawi at a value of $400,000. When Madonna visited the schools in April 2013, President of Malawi Joyce Banda accused her of exaggerating the charity's contribution. Madonna was saddened by Banda's statement, but clarified that she had "no intention of being distracted by these ridiculous allegations". It was later confirmed that Banda had not approved the statement released by her press team. Madonna also visited her hometown Detroit during May 2014, and donated funds to help with the city's bankruptcy. The same year, her business ventures extended to skin care products with the launch of MDNA Skin in Tokyo, Japan.
Madonna's thirteenth studio album, Rebel Heart, was released in March 2015, three months after its thirteen demos leaked onto the internet. Unlike her previous efforts, which involved only a few people, Madonna worked with a large number of collaborators, including Avicii, Diplo and Kanye West. Introspection was listed as one of the foundational themes prevalent on the record, along with "genuine statements of personal and careerist reflection". Madonna explained to Jon Pareles of The New York Times that, although she has never looked back at her past endeavors, reminiscing about it felt right for Rebel Heart. Music critics responded positively towards the album, calling it her best effort in a decade.
From September 2015 to March 2016, Madonna embarked on the Rebel Heart Tour to promote the album. The tour traveled throughout North America, Europe and Asia and was Madonna's first visit to Australia in 23 years, where she also performed a one-off show for her fans. The Rebel Heart Tour grossed a total of $169.8 million from the 82 shows, with over 1.045 million ticket sales. While on tour, Madonna became engaged in a legal battle with Ritchie, over the custody of their son Rocco. The dispute started when Rocco decided to continue living in England with Ritchie when the tour had visited there, while Madonna wanted him to travel with her. Court hearings took place in both New York and London. After multiple deliberations, Madonna withdrew her application for custody and decided to resolve the matter privately.
In October 2016, Billboard named Madonna its Woman of the Year. Her "blunt and brutally honest" speech about ageism and sexism at the ceremony received widespread coverage in the media. The next month Madonna, who actively supported Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential election, performed an impromptu acoustic concert at Washington Square Park in support of Clinton's campaign. Upset that Donald Trump won the election, Madonna spoke out against him at the Women's March on Washington, a day after his inauguration. She sparked controversy when she said that she "thought a lot about blowing up the White House". The following day, Madonna asserted she was "not a violent person" and that her words had been "taken wildly out of context".
2017–2021: Move to Lisbon and Madame X
In February 2017, Madonna adopted four-year-old twin sisters from Malawi named Estere and Stella, and she moved to live in Lisbon, Portugal, in mid-2017 with her adoptive children. In July, she opened the Mercy James Institute for Pediatric Surgery and Intensive Care in Malawi, a children's hospital built by her Raising Malawi charity. The live album chronicling the Rebel Heart Tour was released in September 2017, and won Best Music Video for Western Artists at the 32nd Japan Gold Disc Award. That month, Madonna launched MDNA Skin in select stores in the United States. A few months earlier, the auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll had put up Madonna's personal items like love letters from Tupac Shakur, cassettes, underwear and a hairbrush for sale. Darlene Lutz, an art dealer who had initiated the auction, was sued by Madonna's representatives to stop the proceedings. Madonna clarified that her celebrity status "does not obviate my right to maintain my privacy, including with regard to highly personal items". Madonna lost the case and the presiding judge ruled in favor of Lutz who was able to prove that in 2004 Madonna made a legal agreement with her for selling the items.
While living in Lisbon, Madonna met Dino D'Santiago, who introduced her to many local musicians playing fado, morna and samba music. They regularly invited her to their "living room sessions", thus she was inspired to make her 14th studio album, Madame X. Madonna produced the album with several musicians, primarily her longtime collaborator Mirwais and Mike Dean. The album was critically well received, with NME deeming it "bold, bizarre, self-referential and unlike anything Madonna has ever done before." Released in June 2019, Madame X debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming her ninth number-one album there. All four of its singles—"Medellín", "Crave", "I Rise" and "I Don't Search I Find"—topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, extending her record for most number-one entries on the chart.
The previous month, Madonna appeared as the interval act at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 and performed "Like a Prayer", and then "Future" with rapper Quavo. Her Madame X Tour, an all-theatre tour in select cities across North America and Europe, began on September 17, 2019. In addition to much smaller venues compared to her previous tours, she implemented a no-phone policy in order to maximize the intimacy of the concert. According to Pollstar, the tour earned $51.4 million in ticket sales. That December, Madonna started dating Ahlamalik Williams, a dancer who began accompanying her on the Rebel Heart Tour in 2015. However, the Madame X Tour faced several cancellations due to her recurring knee injury, and eventually ended abruptly on March 8, 2020, three days before its planned final date, after the French government banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people due to COVID-19 pandemic. She later revealed she had tested positive for coronavirus antibodies. In April 2020, Madonna announced her financial support for the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust and Mastercard, and donated an additional $1 million to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help fund research creating a new vaccine.
Madonna and Missy Elliott provided guest vocals on Dua Lipa's single "Levitating", from Lipa's 2020 remix album Club Future Nostalgia. She also started work on a film biopic about her life, which she intended to direct. Erin Cressida Wilson and Diablo Cody worked on the script at various points and Julia Garner was cast as Madonna before the project was postponed. Madonna released Madame X, a documentary film chronicling the tour of the same name, on Paramount+ in October 2021.
2022–present: Finally Enough Love, the Celebration Tour and new projects
On Madonna's 63rd birthday, she officially announced her return to Warner Bros. Records in a global partnership which granted the label rights to her entire recorded music catalog, including the last three albums released under Interscope. Under the contract, Madonna launched a series of catalog reissues beginning in 2022, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of her recording career. A remix album titled Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones was released on August 19, with a 16-track abridged edition being available for streaming since June 24. Consisting of her 50 number-one songs on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart, the remix album highlighted "how meaningful dance music has always been" to Madonna's career, and became her 23rd top-ten album on the Billboard 200.
Throughout 2022 to 2023, Madonna released a number of stand-alone tracks, including "Hung Up on Tokischa" (a remix of "Hung Up", featuring rapper Tokischa) and a 2015 demo recorded during the Rebel Heart sessions called "Back That Up to the Beat" to all digital outlets. She also collaborated on three songs on Christine and the Queens album Paranoïa, Angels, True Love (2023) and with The Weeknd and Playboi Carti on the single "Popular", which was taken from the soundtrack to the drama series The Idol.
In January 2023, Madonna announced the Celebration Tour, her first greatest hits concert tour, which was set to run from July 2023 to January 2024. However, on June 24, 2023, the singer was hospitalized after being found unresponsive in her New York City apartment. She was admitted for five days and received treatment in the intensive care unit under intubation. Madonna later stated that she had been in a medically induced coma for 48 hours during her hospitalization for a "serious bacterial infection" following a low-grade fever. As a result, the initial North American leg of the tour was postponed.
The Celebration Tour finally began in October 2023, at the O2 Arena in London and garnered critical acclaim. It ended the following May with a free concert at Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro which was attended by 1.6 million people, making it the biggest standalone concert of all time. This tour grossed $225.4 million from 80 shows, making Madonna the first female artist to gross over $100 million with six different concert tours.
During these years, Madonna lost multiple family members, starting with her eldest brother Anthony dying in February 2023 at age 66. Her younger brother Christopher also died the following year on October 4, 2024, in Petoskey, Michigan at age 63 from pancreatic cancer, according to a statement from his family. He died just two weeks after the death of their stepmother Joan. Madonna dedicated a lengthy Instagram post to him saying, "I admired him We found our way back to each other. I did my best to keep him alive as long as possible. He was in so much pain towards the end There will never be anyone like him".
Following the Celebration Tour, Madonna restarted work on her biographical film and later complained of producers wanting her to "downsize-down scale-think smaller" with regard to the project. She considered reworking it into a television series as a result. Madonna shifted her focus towards conceiving new music with Stuart Price, writing in December 2024 that "these past few months has been medicine for my soul. Songwriting and making music is the one area where I don't need to ask anyone for their permission. I'm so excited to share it with you".
Artistry
Influences
From left to right: Madonna has been inspired by movie stars such as Jean Harlow (pictured in 1934) to art-world figures such as Frida Kahlo (1926), aside from musicians like David Bowie (1990).Madonna has called Nancy Sinatra one of her idols. She said Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" made a major impression on her. As a young woman, she attempted to broaden her taste in literature, art, and music, and during this time became interested in classical music. She noted that her favorite style was baroque, and loved Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Frédéric Chopin because she liked their "feminine quality". Madonna's major influences include Debbie Harry, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Karen Carpenter, the Supremes, Joni Mitchell, Aretha Franklin and Led Zeppelin, as well as dancers Martha Graham and Rudolf Nureyev. She also grew up listening to David Bowie, whose show was the first rock concert she ever attended. Another inspiration is American writer James Baldwin, whose quote "artists are here to disturb the peace" is frequently used by Madonna.
—National Geographic Society on Madonna's influences.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.
During her childhood, Madonna was inspired by actors, later saying, "I loved Carole Lombard and Judy Holliday and Marilyn Monroe. They were all incredibly funny, and they were silly and sweet and they were girls and they were feminine and sexy. I just saw myself in them, my funniness and my need to boss people around and at the same time be taken care of. My girlishness. My knowingness and my innocence. Both." Her "Material Girl" music video recreated Monroe's look in the song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend", from the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). She studied the screwball comedies of the 1930s, particularly those of Lombard, in preparation for the film Who's That Girl. The video for "Express Yourself" (1989) was inspired by Fritz Lang's silent film Metropolis (1927). The video for "Vogue" recreated the style of Hollywood glamour photographs, in particular those by Horst P. Horst, and imitated the poses of Marlene Dietrich, Carole Lombard, and Rita Hayworth, while the lyrics referred to many of the stars who had inspired her, including Bette Davis, described by Madonna as an idol.
Influences also came to her from the art world, such as through the works of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The music video of the song "Bedtime Story" featured images inspired by the paintings of Kahlo and Remedios Varo. Madonna is also a collector of Tamara de Lempicka's Art Deco paintings and has included them in her music videos and tours. Her video for "Hollywood" (2003) was an homage to the work of photographer Guy Bourdin; Bourdin's son subsequently filed a lawsuit for unauthorized use of his father's work. Pop artist Andy Warhol's use of sadomasochistic imagery in his underground films were reflected in the music videos for "Erotica" and "Deeper and Deeper".
Madonna's Catholic background has been reflected throughout her career, from her fashion use of rosary to her musical outputs, including on Like a Prayer (1989). Her album MDNA (2012) has also drawn many influences from her Catholic upbringing, and since 2011 she has been attending meetings and services at an Opus Dei center, a Catholic institution that encourages spirituality through everyday life. In a 2016 interview, she commented: "I always feel some kind of inexplicable connection with Catholicism. It kind of shows up in all of my work, as you may have noticed." Her study of the Kabbalah was also observed in Madonna's music, especially albums like Ray of Light and Music. Speaking of religion in a 2019 interview with Harry Smith of Today Madonna stated, "The God that I believe in, created the world ... He/Her/They isn't a God to fear, it's a God to give thanks to." In an appearance on Andrew Denton's Interview she added, "The idea that in any church you go, you see a man on a cross and everyone genuflects and prays to him ... in a way it's paganism/idolatry because people are worshipping a thing."
Musical style and composition
—Rick Nowels, on co-writing with Madonna.is a brilliant pop melodist and lyricist. I was knocked out by the quality of the writing ... 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.
Madonna's music has been the subject of much analysis and scrutiny. Robert M. Grant, author of Contemporary Strategy Analysis (2005), commented that Madonna's musical career has been a continuous experimentation with new musical ideas and new images and a constant quest for new heights of fame and acclaim. Thomas Harrison in the book Pop Goes the Decade: The Eighties deemed Madonna "an artist who pushed the boundaries" of what a female singer could do, both visually and lyrically. Professor Santiago Fouz-Hernández asserted, "While not gifted with an especially powerful or wide-ranging voice, Madonna has worked to expand her artistic palette to encompass diverse musical, textual and visual styles and various vocal guises, all with the intention of presenting herself as a mature musician."
Madonna has remained in charge in every aspect of her career, including as a writer and producer in most of her own music. Her desire for control had already been seen during the making of her debut album, where she fought Reggie Lucas over his production output. However, it was not until her third album that Warner allowed Madonna to produce her own album. Stan Hawkins, author of Settling the Pop Score explained, "it is as musician and producer that Madonna is one of the few female artists to have broken into the male domain of the recording studio. Undoubtedly, Madonna is fully aware that women have been excluded from the musical workplace on most levels, and has set out to change this." Producer Stuart Price stated: "You don't produce Madonna, you collaborate with her... She has her vision and knows how to get it." Despite being labeled a "control freak", Madonna has said that she valued input from her collaborators. She further explained:
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's early songwriting skill was developed during her time with the Breakfast Club in 1979. She subsequently became the sole writer of five songs on her debut album, including "Lucky Star" which she composed on synthesizer. As a songwriter, Madonna has registered more than 300 tracks to American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), including 18 songs written entirely by herself. Rolling Stone has named her "an exemplary songwriter with a gift for hooks and indelible lyrics." Despite having worked with producers across many genres, the magazine noted that Madonna's compositions have been "consistently stamped with her own sensibility and inflected with autobiographical detail." Patrick Leonard, who co-wrote many of her hit songs, called Madonna "a helluva songwriter", explaining: "Her sensibility about melodic line—from the beginning of the verse to the end of the verse and how the verse and the chorus influence each other—is very deep. Many times she's singing notes that no one would've thought of but her." Barry Walters from Spin credited her songwriting as the reason of her musical consistency. Madonna has been nominated for being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame three times. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Madonna at number 56 on the "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time" list.
"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."Ray of Light" (1998) An uptempo electronic dance song, "Ray of Light" showcases Madonna's post-Evita upper vocal register.
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Madonna's discography is generally categorized as pop, electronica, and dance. Nevertheless, Madonna's first foray into the music industry was dabbling in rock music with Breakfast Club and Emmy. As the frontwoman of Emmy, Madonna recorded about 12–14 songs that resemble the punk rock of that period. Madonna soon abandoned playing rock songs by the time she signed to Gotham Records, which eventually dropped her since they were unhappy with her new funk direction. According to Erlewine, Madonna began her career as a disco diva, in an era that did not have any such divas to speak of. In the beginning of the 1980s, disco was an anathema to the mainstream pop, and Madonna had a huge role in popularizing dance music as mainstream music. Arie Kaplan in the book American Pop: Hit Makers, Superstars, and Dance Revolutionaries referred to Madonna as "a pioneer" of dance-pop. According to Fouz-Hernández, "Madonna's frequent use of dance idioms and subsequent association with gay or sexually liberated audiences, is seen as somehow inferior to 'real' rock and roll. But Madonna's music refuses to be defined by narrow boundaries of gender, sexuality or anything else."
The "cold and emotional" ballad "Live to Tell", as well as its parent album True Blue (1986), is noted as Madonna's first musical reinvention. PopMatters writer Peter Piatkowski described it as a "very deliberate effort to present Madonna as a mature and serious artist." She continued producing ballads in between her upbeat material, although albums such as Madonna (1983) and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) consist of entirely dance tracks. With Ray of Light (1998), critics acknowledged Madonna for bringing electronica from its underground status into massive popularity in mainstream music scene. Her other sonically drastic ventures include the 1930s big-band jazz on I'm Breathless (1990); lush R&B on Bedtime Stories (1994); operatic show tunes on Evita (1996); guitar-driven folk music on American Life (2003); as well as multilingual world music on Madame X (2019).
Voice and instruments
Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, Madonna has always been self-conscious about her voice. Mark Bego, author of Madonna: Blonde Ambition, called her "the perfect vocalist for lighter-than-air songs", despite not being a "heavyweight talent". According to Tony Sclafani from MSNBC, "Madonna's vocals are the key to her rock roots. Pop vocalists usually sing songs 'straight', but Madonna employs subtext, irony, aggression and all sorts of vocal idiosyncrasies in the ways John Lennon and Bob Dylan did." Madonna used a bright, girlish vocal timbre in her early albums which became passé in her later works. The change was deliberate since she was constantly reminded of how the critics had once labeled her as "Minnie Mouse on helium". During the filming of Evita (1996), Madonna had to take vocal lessons, which increased her range further. Of this experience she commented, "I studied with a vocal coach for Evita and I 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."
Besides singing, Madonna has the ability to play several musical instruments. Piano was the first instrument taught to her as a child. In the late 1970s, she learned to play drum and guitar from her then-boyfriend Dan Gilroy, before joining the Breakfast Club lineup as the drummer. She later played guitar with the band Emmy as well as on her own demo recordings. After her career breakthrough, Madonna was absent performing with guitar for years, but she is credited for playing cowbell on Madonna (1983) and synthesizer on Like a Prayer (1989). In 1999, Madonna had studied for three months to play the violin for the role as a violin teacher in the film Music of the Heart, but she eventually left the project before filming began. Madonna decided to perform with guitar again during the promotion of Music (2000) and recruited guitarist Monte Pittman to help improve her skill. Since then, Madonna has played guitar on every tour, as well as her studio albums. She received a nomination for Les Paul Horizon Award at the 2002 Orville H. Gibson Guitar Awards.
Music videos and performances
See also: Madonna videographyIn The Madonna Companion, biographers Allen Metz and Carol Benson noted that Madonna had used MTV and music videos to establish her popularity and enhance her recorded work more than any other recent pop artist. According to them, many of her songs have the imagery of the music video in strong context, while referring to the music. Cultural critic Mark C. Taylor in his book Nots (1993) felt that the postmodern art form par excellence is the video and the reigning "queen of video" is Madonna. He further asserted that "the most remarkable creation of MTV is Madonna. The responses to Madonna's excessively provocative videos have been predictably contradictory." The media and public reaction towards her most-discussed songs such as "Papa Don't Preach", "Like a Prayer", or "Justify My Love" had to do with the music videos created to promote the songs and their impact, rather than the songs themselves. Morton felt that "artistically, Madonna's songwriting is often overshadowed by her striking pop videos." In 2003, MTV named her "The Greatest Music Video Star Ever" and said that "Madonna's innovation, creativity, and contribution to the music video art form is what won her the award." In 2020, Billboard ranked her atop the 100 Greatest Music Video Artists of All Time.
Madonna's live performances vary from choreographed routines such as voguing (above) to stripped-down ones with only a ukulele (below).Madonna's initial music videos reflected her American and Hispanic mixed street style combined with a flamboyant glamour. She was able to transmit her avant-garde Downtown Manhattan fashion sense to the American audience. The imagery and incorporation of Hispanic culture and Catholic symbolism continued with the music videos from the True Blue era. Author Douglas Kellner noted, "such 'multiculturalism' and her culturally transgressive moves turned out to be highly successful moves that endeared her to large and varied youth audiences." Madonna's Spanish look in the videos became the fashion trend of that time, in the form of boleros and layered skirts, accessorizing with rosary beads and a crucifix as in the video of "La Isla Bonita". Academics noted that with her videos, Madonna was subtly reversing the usual role of male as the dominant sex. This symbolism and imagery was probably the most prevalent in the music video for "Like a Prayer". The video included scenes of an African-American church choir, Madonna being attracted to a black saint statue, and singing in front of burning crosses.
Madonna's acting performances in films have frequently received poor reviews from film critics. Stephanie Zacharek stated in Time that, " seems wooden and unnatural as an actress, and it's tough to watch because she's clearly trying her damnedest." According to biographer Andrew Morton, "Madonna puts a brave face on the criticism, but privately she is deeply hurt." After the critically panned box-office bomb Swept Away (2002), Madonna vowed never to act again in a film. While reviewing her career retrospective titled Body of Work (2016) at New York's Metrograph hall, The Guardian's Nigel M. Smith wrote that Madonna's film career suffered mostly due to lack of proper material supplied to her, and she otherwise "could steal a scene for all the right reasons".
Metz noted that Madonna represents a paradox as she is often perceived as living her whole life as a performance. While her big-screen performances are panned, her live performances are critical successes. Madonna was the first artist to have her concert tours as reenactments of her music videos. Author Elin Diamond explained that reciprocally, the fact that images from Madonna's videos can be recreated in a live setting enhances the original videos' realism. She believed that "her live performances have become the means by which mediatized representations are naturalized". Taraborrelli said that encompassing multimedia, latest technology and sound systems, Madonna's concerts and live performances are "extravagant show piece, walking art show."
Chris Nelson from The New York Times commented that "artists like Madonna and Janet Jackson set new standards for showmanship, with concerts that included not only elaborate costumes and precision-timed pyrotechnics but also highly athletic dancing. These effects came at the expense of live singing." Thor Christensen of The Dallas Morning News commented that while Madonna earned a reputation for lip-syncing during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, she has subsequently reorganized her performances by "stay mostly still during her toughest singing parts and the dance routines to her backup troupe ... ather than try to croon and dance up a storm at the same time." To allow for greater movement while dancing and singing, Madonna was one of the earliest adopters of hands-free radio-frequency headset microphones, with the headset fastened over the ears or the top of the head, and the microphone capsule on a boom arm that extended to the mouth. Because of her prominent usage, the microphone design came to be known as the "Madonna mic".
Legacy
Main article: Cultural impact of Madonna—Academic Camille Paglia on Madonna (2017).She's a major historical figure and when she passes, the retrospectives will loom larger and larger in history.
Madonna has built a legacy that transcends music and has been studied by sociologists, historians, and other scholars, contributing to the rise of Madonna studies, a subfield of American cultural studies. According to Rodrigo Fresán, "saying that Madonna is just a pop star is as inappropriate as saying that Coca-Cola is just a soda. Madonna is one of the classic symbols of Made in USA." Rolling Stone Spain wrote, "She became the first master of viral pop in history, years before the internet was massively used. Madonna was everywhere; in the almighty music television channels, 'radio formulas', magazine covers and even in bookstores. A pop dialectic, never seen since the Beatles's reign, which allowed her to keep on the edge of trend and commerciality." William Langley from The Daily Telegraph felt that "Madonna has changed the world's social history, has done more things as more different people than anyone else is ever likely to." Professor Diane Pecknold noted that "nearly any poll of the biggest, greatest, or best in popular culture includes name". In 2012, VH1 ranked Madonna as the greatest woman in music.
Spin writer Bianca Gracie stated that "the 'Queen of Pop' isn't enough to describe Madonna—she is Pop. formulated the blueprint of what a pop star should be." According to Sclafani, "It's worth noting that 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." In 2008, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed her among the most "well-documented figures of the modern age". Four years later, its director Howard Kramer asserted that "Madonna and the career she carved out for herself made possible virtually every other female pop singer to follow ... She certainly raised the standards of all of them ... She redefined what the parameters were for female performers." Andy Bennett and Steve Waksman, authors of The SAGE Handbook of Popular Music (2014), noted that "almost all female pop stars of recent years—Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and others—acknowledge the important influence of Madonna on their own careers." Madonna has also influenced male artists, inspiring rock frontmen Liam Gallagher of Oasis and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park to become musicians.
Madonna's use of sexual imagery has benefited her career and catalyzed public discourse on sexuality and feminism. The Times wrote that she had "started a revolution amongst women in music ... Her attitudes and opinions on sex, nudity, style, and sexuality forced the public to sit up and take notice." Professor John Fiske noted that the sense of empowerment that Madonna offers is inextricably connected with the pleasure of exerting some control over the meanings of self, of sexuality, and of one's social relations. In Doing Gender in Media, Art and Culture (2009), the authors noted that Madonna, as a female celebrity, performer, and pop icon, can unsettle standing feminist reflections and debates. According to lesbian feminist Sheila Jeffreys, Madonna represents woman's occupancy of what Monique Wittig calls the category of sex, as powerful, and appears to gleefully embrace the performance of the sexual corvée allotted to women. Professor Sut Jhally has referred to her as "an almost sacred feminist icon".
Writing for The Guardian, Matt Cain stated that Madonna has "broke down social barriers" and brought marginalized groups to the forefront, by frequently featuring LGBT, Latino, and black culture in her works. An author said that "by making culture generally available, Madonna becomes the culture of all social classes". Canadian professor Karlene Faith gave her point of view saying that Madonna's peculiarity is that "she has cruised so freely through so many cultural terrains" and she "has been a 'cult figure' within self-propelling subcultures just as she became a major." GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis stated that Madonna "always has and always will be the LGBTQ community's greatest ally", while The Advocate dubbed her as "the greatest gay icon". Madonna herself stated in 2024, "Aside from my birthday, New York Pride is the most important day of the year."
Madonna has received acclaim as a role model for businesswomen, "achieving the kind of financial control that women had long fought for within the industry", and generating over $1.2 billion in sales within the first decade of her career. According to Gini Gorlinski in the book The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time (2010), Madonna's levels of power and control were "unprecedented" for a woman in the entertainment industry. London Business School academics called her a "dynamic entrepreneur" worth copying; they identified her vision of success, her understanding of the music industry, her ability to recognize her own performance limits (and thus bring in help), her willingness to work hard and her ability to adapt as the keys to her commercial success. Morton wrote that "Madonna is opportunistic, manipulative, and ruthless—somebody who won't stop until she gets what she wants—and that's something you can get at the expense of maybe losing your close ones. But that hardly mattered to her."
Achievements
Main articles: List of awards and nominations received by Madonna and List of Madonna records and achievementsForbes estimated Madonna's net worth at $850 million as of 2024, making her one of the wealthiest musicians in the world. She became Forbes's annual highest-paid female musician 11 times across the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. She is recognized as the best-selling female music artist of all time by the Guinness World Records, and has a total of 18 albums certified multi-platinum in multiple countries. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the third highest-certified female artist in the United States, with 65.5 million certified album-equivalent units. In Japan, the world's second largest market, Madonna has received 17 Gold Disc Awards from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), including the most Artist of the Year wins by a solo artist (five).
Madonna had generated over US$1.6 billion from ticket sales of her concert tours throughout her career, Madonna was the highest-grossing female touring artist, before being overtaken by Taylor Swift in 2023, according to Pollstar. Her biggest solo concerts by paying attendance include her Who's That Girl World Tour's concert in Parc de Sceaux, Paris (130,000 audience) and her Girlie Show's concert in Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro (120,000 audience). The closing performance of The Celebration Tour, in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro on May 5, 2024, drew over 1,6 million people, becoming the largest audience for a stand-alone concert by any artist. She has also won seven Grammy Awards and twenty MTV Video Music Awards, including the 1986 Video Vanguard Award for which she became the first female recipient.
According to Billboard, Madonna is the most successful solo artist in the Hot 100 chart history (second overall behind the Beatles) and the most successful dance club artist of all time. 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. She has also scored 38 top-ten singles on the Hot 100; she held the record among all artists for nearly two decades (between 2002 and 2020), before being overtaken by Drake and by Taylor Swift in 2022 among females. Billboard named her the Greatest Pop Star twice (1985 and 1989). 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), the United Kingdom (13), Canada (24), Australia (11), Italy (23), and Spain (21). At the 40th anniversary of the GfK Media Control Charts, Madonna was ranked as the most successful singles artist in German chart history.
Discography
Main articles: Madonna albums discography, Madonna singles discography, and List of songs recorded by Madonna- Madonna (1983)
- Like a Virgin (1984)
- True Blue (1986)
- Like a Prayer (1989)
- Erotica (1992)
- Bedtime Stories (1994)
- Ray of Light (1998)
- Music (2000)
- American Life (2003)
- Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005)
- Hard Candy (2008)
- MDNA (2012)
- Rebel Heart (2015)
- Madame X (2019)
Filmography
Main article: Madonna filmographyFilms starred
- Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
- A Certain Sacrifice (1985)
- Shanghai Surprise (1986)
- Who's That Girl (1987)
- Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989)
- Dick Tracy (1990)
- Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991)
- A League of Their Own (1992)
- Body of Evidence (1993)
- Dangerous Game (1993)
- Four Rooms (1995)
- Girl 6 (1996)
- Evita (1996)
- The Next Best Thing (2000)
- Swept Away (2002)
- I'm Going to Tell You a Secret (2005)
- Arthur and the Invisibles (2006)
- Madame X (2021)
Films directed
- Filth and Wisdom (2008)
- W.E. (2011)
- secretprojectrevolution (2013)
Tours
Main article: List of Madonna concerts- The Virgin Tour (1985)
- Who's That Girl World Tour (1987)
- Blond Ambition World Tour (1990)
- The Girlie Show (1993)
- Drowned World Tour (2001)
- Re-Invention World Tour (2004)
- Confessions Tour (2006)
- Sticky & Sweet Tour (2008–2009)
- The MDNA Tour (2012)
- Rebel Heart Tour (2015–2016)
- Madame X Tour (2019–2020)
- The Celebration Tour (2023–2024)
Enterprises
Main article: Madonna and business See also: Madonna fashion brands- Maverick (1992–2004)
- Ray of Light Foundation (1998)
- Raising Malawi (2006)
- Hard Candy Fitness (2010–2019)
- Truth or Dare by Madonna (2011–2018)
See also
- List of dancers
- List of most expensive divorces
- List of largest music deals
- List of organisms named after famous people (born 1950–present)
- List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
- LGBT culture in New York City
- NYC Pride March
Notes
- Madonna goes by her first name, and has used the name and trademark since 1979 according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
- Attributed to multiple references:
- 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. Since then, her total record sales have varied from 300 million to 400 million.
- Madonna is tied with Barbra Streisand for the most RIAA multi-platinum albums by a female artist with 12. Her other albums certified multi-platinum outside the United States are Who's That Girl (1987), GHV2 (2001), Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), Hard Candy (2008), Celebration (2009), and MDNA (2012).
- 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.
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{{cite magazine}}
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Book sources
See also: Bibliography of works on Madonna- Aguilar Guzmán, Marcela (2010). Domadores de historias. Conversaciones con grandes cronistas de América Latina (in Spanish). RIL Editores. ISBN 978-956-284-782-7.
- Bego, Mark (2000). Madonna: Blonde Ambition. Cooper Square Press. ISBN 978-0-8154-1051-5.
- Bennett, Andy; Waksman, Steve (2014). The SAGE Handbook of Popular Music. SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-1-4739-1440-7.
- Bohem, David A. (1990). Guinness World Records 1990. Sterling Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8069-5791-3.
- Bronson, Fred (2002). The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits. Billboard books. ISBN 978-0-8230-7677-2.
- Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
- Buikema, Rosemarie; van der Tuin, Iris (2009). Doing Gender in Media, Art and Culture. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-203-87680-0.
- Claro, Nicole (1994). Madonna. Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7910-2330-3.
- Clerk, Carol (2002). Madonnastyle. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-7119-8874-3.
- Cross, Mary (2007). Madonna: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-33811-3.
- Dean, Maury (2003). Rock 'n' Roll Gold Rush: A Singles Un-Cyclopedia. Algora Publishing. ISBN 978-0-87586-207-1.
- Diamond, Elin (1996). Performance and Cultural Politics. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-12767-7.
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas; Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris (2002). AllMusic Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 1399. ISBN 978-0-87930-653-3.
- Jeffreys, Sheila (2005). Beauty and Misogyny: Harmful Cultural Practices In The West. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-35183-6.
- Fiske, John (1989). Reading the popular. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-07875-7.
- Fouz-Hernández, Santiago; Jarman-Ivens, Freya (2004). Madonna's Drowned Worlds. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-3372-3.
- Friskics-Warren, Bill (2006). I'll Take You There: Pop Music and the Urge for Transcendence. Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-8264-1921-7.
- George-Warren, Holly; Romanowski, Patricia; Pareles, Jon, eds. (2001). The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. Fireside. ISBN 978-0-7432-0120-9.
- Glenday, Craig (1998). Guinness World Records 1998. Jim Pattison Group. ISBN 978-0-85112-070-6.
- Glenday, Craig (2007). Guinness World Records 2007. Bantam Books. ISBN 978-0-553-58992-4.
- Gnojewski, Carol (2007). Madonna: Express Yourself. Enslow Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7660-2442-7.
- Gorlinski, Gini (2010). The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time. Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-61530-056-3.
- Grant, Robert M. (2005). Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-1999-3.
- Guilbert, Georges-Claude (2002). Madonna as Postmodern Myth. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-1408-6.
- Guralnick, Peter; Wolk, Douglas (2000). Best Music Writing. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-80999-6.
- Hall, Dennis (2006). American Icons. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-02767-6.
- Harrison, Thomas (2017). Pop Goes the Decade: The Eighties. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-3667-1.
- Hawkins, Stan (2017). Settling the Pop Score: Pop Texts and Identity Politics. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-54910-3.
- Horton, Ros; Simmons, Sally (2007). Women Who Changed the World. Quercus. ISBN 978-1-84724-026-2.
- Jhally, Sut (2006). The Spectacle of Accumulation: Essays in Culture, Media, And Politics. Peter Lang. ISBN 978-0-8204-7904-0.
- Kellner, Douglas (1995). Media Culture: Cultural Studies, Identity, and Politics Between the Modern and the Postmodern. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-10570-5.
- Kramarae, Cheris; Spender, Dale (2000). Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women: Global Women's Issues and Knowledge. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-92091-9.
- Landrum, Gene N. (2007). Paranoia & Power: Fear & Fame of Entertainment Icons. Morgan James Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60037-273-5.
- Leonard, George J.; D'Acierno, Pellegrino (1998). The Italian American Heritage: A Companion to Literature and Arts. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-8153-0380-0.
- McFarlan, Donald (1992). The Guinness Book of Records 1992. Guinness. ISBN 978-0-85112-378-3.
- Metz, Allen; Benson, Carol (1999). The Madonna Companion: Two Decades of Commentary. Music Sales Group. ISBN 978-0-8256-7194-4.
- Morton, Andrew (2001). Madonna. London: Michael O'Mara Books. ISBN 978-1-85479-888-6.
- O'Brien, Lucy (2007). Madonna: Like an Icon. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-593-05547-2.
- Pitts, Michael (2004). Famous Movie Detectives. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3690-7.
- Rettenmund, Matthew (1995). Madonnica: The Woman & The Icon From A To Z. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-11782-5.
- Michael, Mick St. (2004). Madonna talking: Madonna in Her Own Words. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84449-418-7.
- Rooksby, Rikky (2004). The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-7119-9883-4.
- Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2002). Madonna: An Intimate Biography. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-2880-0.
- Taylor, Mark C. (1993). Nots. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-79131-9.
- Tetzlaff, David (1993). Metatextual Girl. Westview Press. ISBN 978-0-8133-1396-2.
- Victor, Barbara (2001). Goddess, Inside Madonna. Cliff Street Books. ISBN 978-0-06-019930-2.
- Voller, Debbie (1999). Madonna: The Style Book. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-7119-7511-8.
- Welton, Donn (1998). Body and Flesh: A Philosophical Reader. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-57718-126-2.
- Zollo, Paul (2003), Songwriters on Songwriting, Da Capo Press, ISBN 978-0-306-81265-1
External links
- Official website
- Madonna at AllMusic
- Madonna at IMDb
- "Madonna". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- Madonna at the TCM Movie Database
Madonna | |
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Live albums | |
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Compilation albums | |
Limited releases | |
Video releases | |
Concerts and tours | |
Films directed | |
Documentaries | |
Television | |
Books authored | |
Companies and brands | |
Works about Madonna |
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Impact and legacy | |
Related articles | |
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