176-463: Madonna Louise Ciccone ( / tʃ ɪ ˈ k oʊ n i / ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded 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
352-719: 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
528-598: 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 . 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
704-524: A sexual icon . Many have considered Madonna's sexuality as one of the focal points of her career. The Oxford Dictionary of English (2010) even credited her image as a sex symbol as a source of her international stardom. Her sexual displays have drawn numerous analyses by scholars, sexologists , feminists , and other authors. Due to her constant usage of explicit sexual content, she faced censorship for her videos, stage performances and other projects. The criticism of Madonna's overt sexuality would become
880-546: A "man-eater" and how "she used sex to climb to the top". Author Adam Sexton called some press pieces as a "creepy moralism" decrying that "reading articles about Madonna, you could get the idea that it was the habit of pop journalists to marry the first person they slept with". In the compendium The Madonna Connection (1993), scholars even wrote that "it is no surprise, then that rumors of Madonna testing HIV-positive have been incredibly persistent". They wrote that certain segments of our culture find comfort in identifying her as
1056-492: A "remember the dead, and affirm the living". Editors of History+ for Edexcel A Level (2015), summed up that "she talked a great deal about sex, promoted safe sex in her interviews, distributed condoms at her concerts and performed at AIDS benefits". Upon the publication of her first book, Sex (1992), Madonna stated that if people "could talk about [sex] freely, we would have more people practicing safe sex, we wouldn't have people sexually abusing each other". Madonna donated
1232-769: A "sexologist" herself due her to body of work or public statements. In 1991, New Internationalist regarded Madonna as a "hotly debated sexual icon". Deborah Bell from University of North Carolina , wrote in Masquerade (2015), that "much has been written about Madonna and sexual identity ". British media sociologist, David Gauntlett asserts Madonna's image as a sexual free spirit has been "emphatically defined". Aware of other precursors, by 2002, Australian professor Jeff Lewis commented "more than any other single female figure, [she] has self-consciously 'explored' and displayed women's sexuality ". Scholar of sexuality studies John Paul De Cecco and Grant Lukenbill, considered she
1408-417: A 1984 interview with MTV, saying "I don't think that I'm using sex to sell myself, I think that I'm a very sexual persona and that comes through in my performing, and if that's what gets people to buy my records, then that's fine. But I don't think of it consciously, 'Well, I'm going to be sexy to get people interested in me' It's the way I am, the way I've always been". Simone, said that in other words, Madonna
1584-431: A Dance Floor (2005). She has amassed a catalog of various high-charting songs, including " Holiday ", " Like a Virgin ", " La Isla Bonita ", " Like a Prayer ", " Vogue ", " Take a Bow ", " Frozen ", " Music ", " Hung Up " and " 4 Minutes ". Madonna's 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
1760-456: 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
1936-510: 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
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#17330857950502112-425: 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
2288-666: 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
2464-568: A carrier of the AIDS virus—a disease perceived by some as a punishment for immoral behavior— and making Madonna HIV-positive establishes her moral guilt and provides for her ultimate containment by death. The Madonna studies saw a framework of its developments in theories about sexuality , although Rosemary Pringle from Griffith University , wrote in Transitions: New Australian feminisms (2020), that "there has been much controversy in
2640-399: A certain extent", but he argues "Madonna's barrier-smashing really was different" and also suggests despite she polarized views, "she was necessary". In the 1990s, Madonna's critic bell hooks charged the singer because she felt many black women who are disgusted by Madonna's flaunting of sexual experience are enraged due she is "able to project and affirm with material gain has been the stick
2816-407: A challenge view to definitions of femininity and masculinity , according to author John Price. He continued saying that Madonna was a leading female figure who represented to many young women across the world, an "empowering figure" in control of her own body. American philosopher Susan Bordo , explains that the singer demonstrated her wannabes , the possibility of a female heterosexuality that
2992-662: 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". 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
3168-546: 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
3344-597: A confirmation name upon 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. They had two children, Jennifer (born 1967) and Mario (born 1968). 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
3520-498: A constant through her career. She decried a double-standard in some opportunities, for which commentators such as Lilly J. Goren , Alina Simone and David Gauntlett have supported some of her statements. She further polarized views about overtly sexuality in an aged woman in media. During the AIDS crisis, Madonna had also promoted safe sex as a means of inhibiting the spread of the virus, and she has advocated for women's sexuality. Reviews transcended her own career, as her impact in
3696-684: 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. This
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#17330857950503872-645: 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
4048-469: 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 [but] Madonna would do well to hang on to her day job." On March 10, 2008, Madonna
4224-545: A double-standard in her industry. For instance, Gauntlett compared the sexuality deployment between male and female artists. On the point, he compared male artists such as Elvis Presley and Mick Jagger explaining they were called "sex gods" due their sexual display and appeal. But, in the context of Madonna and women, scholar further adds this role was "unexpected" and "challenging". In 1993, scholar E. Ann Kaplan compared how male pop stars from Presley to Michael Jackson and Prince "have gotten away exploring male sexuality", but
4400-610: A dozen continents". Professor Santiago Fouz-Hernandez wrote in Madonna's Drowned Worlds (2004) that she symbolized " sexual liberation " for women in many cultures. On the other hand, Donald C. Miller, in Coming of Age in Popular Culture (2018), described that she consistently intertwined sexuality with religion , feeling it was something that set her apart from earlier female performers. Shortly after her debut, Madonna's sexuality offered
4576-477: 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 studio album . Madonna followed it with a series of successful albums , including all-time bestsellers Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986), and The Immaculate Collection (1990), the critically acclaimed Like a Prayer (1989), as well as Grammy Award winners Ray of Light (1998) and Confessions on
4752-414: A female desiring gaze to centre stage. To Simone, "Madonna's sexiness was different, more brutal. And it would only become more so as time went on". The staff of The New Zealand Herald regards Madonna as a "pioneer" of intelligent sex appeal. Editors of Controversial Images (2012), credited that "the unprecedented visibility of sexuality" which Madonna embraced, has also contributed to the creation of
4928-537: A female icon like Madonna "creates disturbance". In Madonnaland (2016), Alina Simone wrote that the sexual double standard becomes clear, when compare Madonna to "famously libidinous " artists like Jim Morrison or Jagger. In 2016, Emily Ratajkowski uses Madonna and Jagger to compare sexism in the industry, because she receives commentaries such as "desperate" or "a hot mess" contrary to him. Since both are performers with similar artistic sexuality brands, she asked: "So why does Madonna get flak for it while Jagger
5104-734: 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
5280-427: 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:
5456-612: A less-centered role. Others, for instance, gave her a prominent negative cultural role over others. In Sex Symbols (1999), editor explained that Madonna "has pushed the boundaries that most women do not wish to broach". In The Happy Stripper (2007), author said that some feminist critics said Madonna "degraded" womanhood, calling her "vulgar, sacrilegious, stupid, shallow [and] opportunistic". Professor Mandy Merck from Royal Holloway in Perversions: Deviant Readings by Mandy Merck (1993), reminding said that "the story of
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5632-412: 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
5808-558: 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
5984-588: 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
6160-498: A more powerful, if crass, version of women's sexuality". In Queer in the Choir Room (2014), Michelle Parke goes further saying "Madonna single-handedly accelerated the battle between opposing ideas of appropriate expression of female sexuality". British journalist Matt Cain argued Madonna brought female sexuality "front and centre". In Gauntlett's view, Madonna did not invent sexiness in pop, but she could be credited with bringing
6336-629: 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 "[the media] might hold it against me ten years from now." In June 1986, Madonna released her third studio album, True Blue , which
6512-475: A particularly popular route of expressions for female musicians at the time". Although, she wouldn't out it "all on Madonna", American singer Sheryl Crow granted her a more serious role than others for damage the image of women using sex as a "form of power" in their "business form". Some others praised Madonna's path, such as Tove Lo , or Christina Aguilera . Lo said: "Madonna broke down barriers to allow female artists to express their sexuality. Madonna paved
6688-406: A percentage of " Papa Don't Preach " (1986) profits to programs advocating sexual responsibility, although it was Planned Parenthood of New York that initially requested it. In a 1988 advertisement for schoolkids, Madonna told "avoid casual sex and you'll avoid AIDS " and "stay away from people who shoot drugs". In the early 1990s, Sire Records had a 900 hotline (900-990-SIRE) that featured
6864-474: A piece of the criticism that Madonna faced in the past. Madonna herself, supported Miley Cyrus against criticism for her highly sexualised image in the mid-2010s. Ambiguity and contradictory perspectives: Treva B. Lindsey, a professor of Ohio State University writing for NBC News in 2022, doesn't give "too much" credit to Madonna, but to Blues singers of the mid-20th century, whom says them influenced more in popular culture and on others while mentioning
7040-525: 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
7216-541: 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 ";
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7392-416: A remark on it. In 100 Entertainers Who Changed America (2013), Robert Sickels believes that in her 1980s-works, Madonna portrayed herself as the "modern woman": Comfortable in and gratified by her own sexuality, but still a powerful female. She took the idea further in her next decade, Sickels says. In Contesting Feminist Orthodoxies (1996), authors explained that the singer not only represented herself as
7568-424: A repository of all of these ideas, except now she plays with these in an aging body. In 2018, sexologist Ana Fernández Alonso from Miguel de Cervantes European University , taught in a Madonna's class in the University of Oviedo that she is an "important" icon for women and for the way of understanding human sexuality in general, and sexual relations in particular. Madonna had promoted safe sex awareness in
7744-423: A safe-sex message from Madonna. During this decade, she also mentioned about unsafe sex: "I'm not going to sit here and say that from the time I found out about AIDS, I've always had intercourse with a man with a condom on". American professor and critic, Louis Menand called her "a leading spokesperson for safe sex" in his book American Studies (2003). In 2015, sexologist Ana Fernández Alonso deemed Madonna as
7920-572: 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
8096-437: A sexual icon or sex symbol , either press or academic publications called her variously regarding her sexuality. In Girl Heroes (2002), Susan Hopkins called her "Queen of Sexual Politics". Esquire named her the "Sex Queen of America" in 1994. Others similarly called her a "Sex Queen" and a "Porn Queen". In late 1990s, Boze Hadleigh felt and expressed she "become a sex goddess for all generations and genders". Madonna
8272-470: A sexual subject/ object , but expressly proposed sexuality as a praxis of and towards artistic freedom, women's liberation , and indeed, gay liberation . Psychiatrist and author Jule Eisenbud commented that she reached a level "equivalent to masculinity" and "has allowed her to maintain her status as a sex symbol". Psychologist Jonathan Young , expressed: [...] through sexually muscular scenarios of female domination , Madonna turns feminine sexuality as it
8448-455: 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. She made her Broadway debut in
8624-507: 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,
8800-429: 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
8976-461: 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),
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#17330857950509152-406: 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,
9328-467: 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
9504-437: A substantial portion of positive reactions, citing that she was viewed by others as "acting responsibly" in bringing sex to the fore, so forcing the media, schools and parents alike to confront the "inconsistencies inherent" in the public attitude towards female sexuality. Providing a retrospective, Stephanie Rosenbloom from The New York Times explains: "Never had we seen someone so bold, so powerful, so sexually aggressive who
9680-455: A tabloid-fixture at some stage; in Profiles of Female Genius (1994), author Gene Landrum describes that Madonna's libidinal energy and sexuality become in her major attraction for the media and "it has become the focal point for her whole career". Madonna herself noted the "bad press" about her sexuality as early as 1985. Historian Andrea Stuart cited a tabloid headline where Madonna was called
9856-518: A thing I cannot do for I know what I agreed with Madonna and her husband." The adoption was finalized in May 2008. 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 ,
10032-711: 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
10208-489: Is also of the idea that future female artists from post Madonna-era, have accessibility to express their own sexuality largely thanks "after her". In 2012, The Advocate said that her career was based in pushing sexual boundaries, paving the way, and "everyone since [...] has walked that path". By 2017, Sergio del Amo, editor of Spanish newspaper El País commented that Madonna paved the way for several artists to express themselves in terms of sexuality and without receiving
10384-410: 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
10560-448: Is celebrated?". However, related to comparison of sexism, Melanie Sjoberg from Australian conservative outlet Green Left labeled an almost identical question as "the obvious feminist question". American author Sharon Lechter described Madonna as a woman who was able to appreciate, value, and express her sexual energy. For Lechter, "sexual energy" can create "financial fuel for women as well as men". Pete Hamill commented that "she
10736-424: Is conventionally defined inside out: she reveals the hidden fantasy within women's [...]". The way she deployed her sexuality while aging continued to draw commentaries. Hopkins commented that she was "ageing before the world [...] but she keeps presenting herself as a kind of 'sexual revolutionary'". In 2008, Blender ' s editor-in-chief, Joe Levy commented about her entrance into the middle age , that "she
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#173308579505010912-501: Is given in US dollars , annual rates of change for all countries other than the United States are heavily influenced by exchange rate fluctuations, as well as by actual changes in revenue in local currency terms. The information presented in this page only accounts for revenue generated from the recorded music industry (recorded music and auxiliary revenues generated by these recordings), and
11088-522: Is it okay for the world to sexualise Madonna, but she can't sexualise herself?". Inspired in Madonna, Netherlands-based company VDM International started to sell condoms in the late 1990s, throughout Europe and Japan, receiving a "high demand". Named the "Madonna Condoms", it featured the singer's face on the boxes and internal package, taken from her nude photos shoot by Martin Schreiber in 1979 whom sold them
11264-836: Is not reflective of the entirety of the music industry , including sectors such as publishing, live music, etc. The United States has remained the biggest market for recorded music in IFPI history, except in 2010 when Japan topped the list. The largest Asian music market, Japan has always stayed within the top two. The other largest music markets by region include the United Kingdom in Europe, Australia in Oceania, and Brazil in South America. Meanwhile, United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany , France , and Canada have consistently appeared among
11440-421: Is now "threatening to compromise" her "uncompromisable legacy". They called her for being "desperate". [...] artists like Linda Ronstadt and Madonna used their sexuality as a weapon to gain equal footing in the male-dominated rock world. The body of criticisms Madonna faced was also a subject of interpretations by others, albeit she was herself a challenge figure (deemed by some as radical ). Some reviewers felt
11616-518: 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
11792-402: Is the triumphant mistress of her medium: The sexual imagination". On the other hand, in 1990, Caryn James paid tribute to Madonna's "honesty about using sexuality to gain control and power". About an aged Madonna, at the 2021 International Conference on Human Aspects of Information, participants found as disgusting the criticism of the aging nature of sexuality. They took the Madonna's case, as
11968-423: Is trying to go somewhere no one has gone before" with the possible exception of Cher . In 2018, music scholar Freya Jarman at the University of Liverpool felt Madonna was "demonstrating a new kind of relevance". In 2024, Eric Cabahug from The Post , says that her sexuality deployment shifted to against of "the ageist machine". Madonna is "... ultimately the epitome of women's sexuality ... at best ambiguous in
12144-524: 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 . In January 1984, Madonna gained more exposure by performing on American Bandstand and Top of
12320-519: The Hutchinson Encyclopedia even referred to her as a "U.S. pop singer and actress who presents herself on stage and in videos with an exaggerated sexuality". In 2000, Brian McCollum from Knight Ridder made a comparative in AlltheWeb 's results using the phrases "Madonna and music" which garnered 235,000 hits and "Madonna and sex" landing more than 333,000 results. Her sexuality also became
12496-498: 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. When I wrote American Life , I was very agitated by what was going on in the world around me, ... I was angry. I had
12672-488: 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
12848-403: 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
13024-482: 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
13200-677: 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
13376-537: The Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006, and advocates for gender equality and LGBT rights . With sales of over 300 million records worldwide, Madonna is the best-selling female recording artist of all time . 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 . She became
13552-620: 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
13728-426: 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
13904-512: The greatest woman in music by VH1 , and as the greatest music video artist ever by MTV and Billboard . She was also listed among Rolling Stone ' s greatest artists and greatest songwriters of all time. 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
14080-423: The "misogynistic rhetoric" targeting her highlights it, by "ridiculizing her sexual agency and humiliating it" by using comparison with younger stars, as a way to shame Madonna. Constantine Chatzipapatheodoridis, a Greek adjunct lecturer at University of Patras , wrote that "Madonna responses vary when openly provokes the public with overt sexuality". Madonna addressed criticism of "setting women back 30 years" in
14256-503: The 1980s and 1990s during the AIDS crisis as a means of inhibiting the spread of the virus, and continued to do the same in the next years, as reported Jason Mattera . In Madonna as Postmodern Myth (2002), French scholar Georges-Claude Guilbert concurred saying she often reminds her public during interviews and concerts to use condoms. Frances Negrón-Muntaner , commented in Boricua Pop (2004), she used her concerts to promote safe sex as
14432-449: The 20th and 21st centuries, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame called her one of the most "well-documented figures of the modern age" in 2008. Various scholarly reviews, literature , and art works have been created about her along with an academic mini subdiscipline devoted to her called Madonna studies . Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in dance. After performing as
14608-592: 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
14784-460: 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
14960-464: 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
15136-456: 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
15312-586: 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
15488-590: The academy about the cultural and sexual politics of Madonna". Her notoriety, was commented on by Chuck Klosterman in Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (2004): "Whenever I hear intellectuals talk about sexual icons of the present day, the name mentioned most is Madonna". Citing Steven Anderson's views on Madonna in 1989, qualifying her as "a repository of all our ideas" on topics such as sex, Deborah Jermyn in Female Celebrity and Ageing (2016) wrote Madonna still functions as
15664-405: 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
15840-498: 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. At the 23rd Japan Gold Disc Awards , Madonna received her fifth Artist of the Year trophy from Recording Industry Association of Japan , the most for any artist. To further promote the album, she embarked on the Sticky & Sweet Tour , her first major venture with Live Nation. With
16016-526: 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
16192-436: The author of Someone like-- Adele (2012) whom describes the "trail blazed by Madonna", explained that some artists did not followed it and proposes a "turning point" in consumer music culture contextualizing the case of Adele . By this time, authors of Future Texts (2012), also explained that some millennial pop divas such as Britney Spears or Lady Gaga, used it without "any of the subversive elements that made Madonna's work
16368-591: 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
16544-767: 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
16720-456: 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
16896-436: The cases of female rappers such as Lil' Kim , Mary J. Blige or Missy Elliott among many others. However, back in 2019, Australian magazine The Music commented "Madonna's corporeal feminism impacted on female rappers" such as Cardi B or Lil' Kim among many others female rappers. Some of them, publicly recognized Madonna's influence, including Lil' Kim who held she modeled her own career in that of Madonna. Others like
17072-889: 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,
17248-415: 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
17424-547: 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 and sexuality American singer-songwriter Madonna has been considered
17600-496: 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
17776-415: 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
17952-515: The concept further than any other female artist before her, Madonna sold herself almost exclusively in terms of her sexuality". She further polarized views by using an open sexuality while aging, most notoriously when she entered into her 40s with a response by audience with commentaries like "desperate", "cringey" and "give it up", according to Grazia magazine. Scholar Deborah Jermyn argues that Madonna for new audiences and her experimentation with sexuality, suggests and has come to mean "nothing" if
18128-756: The decade" (1990s). Author Stuart Jeffries in Everything, All the Time, Everywhere: How We Became Postmodern (2021), deemed Madonna as the leading sex symbol of the postmodern era , and a different one from Marilyn Monroe , who he defined as the leading sex symbol of the modern era. Similarly, Dylan Jones felt and referred to her as "the most famous sex symbol since Marilyn Monroe". In Record Collecting for Girls (2011), Courtney Smith documented that most people associate Madonna with sex. Vulture ' s Meaghan Garvey summarized at least in her first 20 years of career, "no one talked about Madonna without talking about sex". By
18304-445: The doors for other women artists as she established a "new frontier" for female sexuality through a variety of popular vehicles and technologies. Another supporter is professor Robert Sickels, who describes her sexuality have been "vastly influential in paving the way" for not only the sexual expression of future female musicians, but also the acceptance of different forms of sexuality of countless of artists. Sociologist David Gauntlett
18480-417: The earth by attacking our reproductive psychology". She received attention of groupings like feminists. Some defined her sexuality as antifeminism , while different third-wave feminists who emerged in the 1990s, embraced Madonna as a symbol of female sexuality . Commenting about her divisive feminist reception, researcher Brian McNair held that "pro and anti-porn feminist made of her a symbol of all that
18656-611: The end" Madonna has been often criticized due her deployment of sexuality, by different spheres, including academics and mainstream media. In early 1990s, Pennsylvania State University 's Lisa Henderson elaborated that it became one of the reasons why some segments of society hate the singer, for challenging the sexual status quo. Media scholars Charlotte Brunsdon and Lynn Spigel , explained that she "inverted" or at least "challenged", America's notions of sex, gender and power exploring taboos. Essayist Hal Crowther described: "I think of Madonna as Roboslut, an alien programmed to conquer
18832-561: The entertainment industry was documented by different publications and authors. Depending on the reviewer's point of view, she is credited to reinforce or open up a variety of things in mass media culture, both positive and negative. American historian Lilly J. Goren commented that Madonna perpetuated the public perception of women performers as feminine and sexual objects , but also found that industry exploited her concepts of using sexuality to "gain power" ( empowerment ) and sell more records . An editor defined that "her sexuality never rested on
19008-470: 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
19184-437: 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
19360-565: 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
19536-461: 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
19712-447: The first ever woman to accumulate US$ 1 billion in concert revenue , with six of her solo headlining tours having grossed over US$ 100 million each. Forbes has named her the world's highest-paid female musician a record 11 times across four separate decades (1980s–2010s). Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, her first year of eligibility. She was ranked as
19888-455: 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
20064-679: 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
20240-509: The headline of every newspaper and magazine. Everything I read about myself was damning. I was called a whore and a witch. One headline compared me to Satan . I said, 'Wait a minute, isn't Prince running around with fishnets and high heels and lipstick with his butt hanging out?' Yes, he was. But he was a man". For historian Lilly J. Goren , Madonna "correctly argued" that it is a double standard to criticize her for using sexuality to gain power but not to criticize Presley or Jagger for employing
20416-786: 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
20592-770: The idea of being attractive", while in 101 Albums That Changed Popular Music (2009), author pointed out that performers like Madonna used "their sexuality as a weapon to gain equal footing the male-dominated rock world". Her influence on others was also quoted; the earliest reviewers noted an influence on her fandom , including the LGBT community and young female audiences, called Madonna wannabes . Another group explored her influence on other female artists, with feminist scholars Cheris Kramarae and Dale Spender describing her dominant influence by saying "she created an illusion of sexual availability that many female pop artists felt compelled to emulate". Due to her mainstream sexual-brand, she
20768-736: 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." 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,
20944-414: The late 1980s, physicist Stephen Hawking even name-checked the singer by joking: "I have sold more books on physics than Madonna has on sex". That perception was stronger in the 1990s; Mark Bego reflected "since her arrival on the scene ten years ago, Madonna has become so synonymous with sex (and publicity) that it may be hard to remember that she started as a musical phenomenon." The 1996 edition of
21120-602: 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
21296-426: The lattermost won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress , many of her other films were not as well received. As a businesswoman , she founded the company Maverick in 1992, which included Maverick Records, one of the most successful artist-run labels in history. Madonna's other ventures include fashion brands , written works , health clubs and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities , having founded
21472-604: The license. The US rights was bought by CondoMania, a Hollywood-based company. Its president and founder Adam Glickman, stated that "he's using the 'Madonna Condom' to help educate people about safe sex". According to Los Angeles Times , CondoMania began selling the condoms on August 25 in 2001, and sold more than 1,000 boxes in its first three days. During 2004 and 2005, thousands of Madonna Condoms were donated to organizations such as The Douglas County AIDS Project, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center and New York's Gay Men's Health Crisis . In her first decades, aside to being named
21648-470: The lists of Toronto Sun ' s 50 Greatest Sex Symbols in history (2006) and VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists (2002). Madonna has been referred to as a sexual icon or sex symbol ; media outlets such as American Masters , suggest that the singer continued to be a sexual icon as "she's gotten older". The Oxford Dictionary of English (2010) credited her image as a sex symbol as a source of her international stardom. In 2011, author Glenn Ward said that it
21824-540: The mainstream". To scholar Brian McNair, Madonna's figure announced the arrival of a new phase in Western sexual culture. Other group similarly explored how she pionereed or introduced to the mainstream new connotations in sexuality and other areas. Some called her a "trailblazer". Semiotician Marcel Danesi believes Madonna introduced a new form of feminism, liberating women to express their sexuality on "their own terms". Professor Patrice Oppliger , held "Madonna pioneered
22000-456: 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
22176-459: The mothers of pop-porn chic . Alaina Demopoulos, an editor from The Guardian reminds some criticisms from Black community after the singer gave self-credit on her role, while Demopoulos ironized Madonna "would like to remind us all that she invented sex". Tony Hicks, a music critic from Riff magazine about similar criticisms related to the African American culture, said "it's true, to
22352-454: The music industry exploited Madonna's tactics "in order to increase sales". She further explains, the singer "challenged how sexuality and sex should be portrayed on MTV", later arguing: "With the popularity of Madonna and through the medium of MTV, the music industry worked to produce solo acts such as Debbie Gibson, Pebbles, and Tiffany. The use of the media to market sexuality and thereby sell records has only increased in recent decades". About
22528-480: 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
22704-477: 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
22880-521: The pop music diva —a powerful female music performer who explores sexuality openly and purposefully. E. San Juan Jr. commented "she is credited too with the exercise of 'gender-free sex', blurring the male/female boundaries by flirting with bisexuality, multiple partners and cross-dressing" among other things. In 2012, Sara Marcus devoted an article in Salon as "a celebration of the way she changed sexual mores ". Paglia even praised her for "having changed
23056-409: The post-Madonna universe, artists feel the pressure to expose their bodies in order to sell albums. Feminist scholars Cheris Kramarae and Dale Spender explained "Madonna may have preached control, but she created an illusion of sexual availability that many female pop artists felt compelled to emulate". Conversely, Goren also explored how others taken benefit of Madonna's sexuality. She found that
23232-453: The pro-prostitution organization Network of Sex Work Projects , understands Madonna to have aided in the normalization of prostitution in malestream culture. She then credits Madonna with making their work very much easier in the 1980s. Madonna promoted the costume and practices of prostitution as a model for girls and women and contributed to the cultural normalisation of prostitution. Credits to Madonna were dismissed by others giving her
23408-673: 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
23584-400: The public, due to the "damaging" Madonna's usage of her sexuality. In 2004, Shmuley Boteach criticized her by saying that for more than two decades, she has been allowed to "destroy" the female recording industry by erasing the line that separates music from pornography. As before Madonna, it was possible for women more famous for their voices than their cleavage. Boteach further adds, that in
23760-670: 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
23936-427: The same tactics. An impact (both negative and positive), was further discussed by different authors and publications. In 2006, Ottawa Citizen ' s Dunlevy T'cha, said that "many critics" seen her "variously", including embodying the "contradictions of a society fascinated by fame, ambivalent about sexuality, hostile toward women". Madonna set the trend for promoting a highly sexualized form of femininity, that
24112-439: The sex goddess can never be entirely her own", because despite Madonna may seem to be "the most self-authored sexual artifact of this (or any other) time", her career coincides with long-held positions on pornography, fashion and sexual conduct. In Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice (2011), Chris Barker said that Madonna is a significant point of reference in the raunch culture . According to Hypebot , Cher and Madonna were
24288-605: The sexiest female artist. Author Brian D'Amato called Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and the Mona Lisa , as the three sexiest women ever being with the letter " M ". List of largest recorded music markets#Statistics The world's largest recorded music markets are listed annually by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). The ranking is based on retail value (rather than units) each market generates respectively per year; retail value generated by each market varies from year to year. As all financial data
24464-777: The singer and her sexuality to a prostitute, with the latter expanded: "I mean the music industry is obviously prostitution anyway". Many young women have followed in her path, including Ms. Aguilera and Pink. And by making overt sexuality part of her act, she even paved the way for hip-hop artists like Lil' Kim , who made waves by going nearly topless to the MTV awards. A number of academics and other commentators, discussed Madonna's influence on other performers, with professor Arthur Asa Berger recognizing her usage of sexuality has been imitated by other females. Kyra Belán, an art historian wrote in her 2018 book The Virgin in Art that Madonna has opened
24640-541: The society has used to justify its continued beating and assault on the black female body". The music industry exploited Madonna's concept of using sexuality to gain power by ensuring that other female performers were perceived as sexual objects as a means of selling albums during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. In 2009, historian Lilly J. Goren commented that Madonna perpetuated the public perception of women performers as feminine and sexual objects. And this have an effect for women musicians who wanted to be taken seriously by
24816-530: The subject of feminist inquiry". In early 2000s, Guilbert brought the example of producers and distributors having used her image to serve their interests, mentioning the case of Columbia Pictures when they gave away with magazine Hollywood Avenue an audio cassette that helped to promote A League of Their Own , saying that the tape sold sex and exploited Madonna's sexual image as well. Regarding an aged Madonna posting provocative photos on social media, Grazia magazine discussed it in an article titled "why
24992-578: The table are based on IFPI 2004 annual report, except where noted below. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Notes ^ Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2004 annual report, except where noted below. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2004 annual report, except where noted below. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Source: Figures within
25168-409: The table are based on IFPI 2006 annual report, except where noted below. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Notes ^ Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2005 annual report, except where noted below. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Notes ^ Source: Figures within
25344-569: The table are based on IFPI 2009 annual report. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2008 annual report, except where noted below. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Notes ^ Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2007 annual report, except where noted below. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Notes ^ Source: Figures within
25520-400: The table are based on IFPI Global Music Report 2021. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI Global music report 2020. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI Global music report 2019. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI Global music report 2018. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI Grobal music report 2017. Source: Figures within
25696-536: The table are based on IFPI Grobal music report 2016. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2014 annual report. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2013 annual report. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2012 annual report. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2011 annual report. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI 2010 annual report. Total units figures are derived by addition of figures reported by referenced sources. Source: Figures within
25872-423: 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
26048-410: 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
26224-558: 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,
26400-464: The top ten music markets throughout IFPI history. Other countries historically having appeared in the top ten include Italy , Netherlands , South Korea , Spain , China , Russia , and Mexico . Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI Global Music Report 2024. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI Global Music Report 2023. Source: Figures within the table are based on IFPI Global Music Report 2022. Source: Figures within
26576-529: 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
26752-635: The trolling of Madonna's aging body is fundamentally misogynistic and gaining online followers by the thousands. Authors in Ageing Women in Literature and Visual Culture (2017) concludes that Madonna's refusal to retreat into silence in middle age and her repeated assertion of an overt sexuality are "demonized", especially in the context of a demonstration for women's equality. Writing for PinkNews in 2023, Marcus Wratten noted commentaries from British tabloid The Daily Mail , saying her "aggressive sexuality"
26928-408: The way millions of young women" of her generation think about sexuality. Madonna's impact was also discussed alongside the pornographic theme, mainly in the 1990s. With her Sex book alone, McNair believes she strongly influenced the sexual culture and politics at that time, because it broke a number of taboos. Her influence was also perceived in prostitution culture; Cheryl Overs, a spokesperson of
27104-414: The way— she did all this hard work for us". In similar remarks, Louise Redknapp praised her, by saying "without Madonna so many of us wouldn't have been doing what we were doing". Madonna herself, responded to Mitchell's commentaries that "women in pop are sexually exploited", saying "we are exploring our sexuality". More negative were Steve Allen and Morrissey as both similarly described and compared
27280-490: The whole entertainment industry, editors of The Twentieth Century in 100 Moments (2016), considering many examples and how today celebrities are open in ways "unimaginable a hundred years ago" to latter attribute her a notable role, saying "perhaps more than anyone else, Madonna swayed American culture in that direction at the tail end of the twentieth century". Some industry fellows like Joni Mitchell blasted Madonna, as Joe Taysom from Far Out says, before her, "it wasn't
27456-410: 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
27632-472: 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
27808-458: The youth culture, especially from young females were also addressed. Author Roy Shuker describes that her "transgressions of sexuality" was perhaps viewed as "extremely disturbing", but as a source of much "pleasure" for a portion of her fandom . Similarly, James Naremore reported in the 1990s, that adolescent girls construct relevance between Madonna's sexuality and their own conditions of existence. English musicologist Sheila Whiteley observed
27984-482: Was "often been implied" that Madonna's status was produced in part from the way she willfully deployed images of sexuality. Her status as a sex symbol was compared to others contemporary and earlier entertainers. Although Sara Mills cites a commentator saying in early 1990s, that "write off Madonna as 'just another sex symbol' is to fail to understand her massive appeal". In The Thirty Years' Wars (1996), Andrew Kopkind regarded Madonna as "the premier sex symbol of
28160-400: Was "one of the first major performers to blanket America with sexual code-code used specifically to appeal to the entire panorama of sexual expression". In Madonna, Bawdy & Soul (1997), Canadian scholar Karlene Faith noted her far-reaching audience saying she "has inscribed her sexual identities on the psyches of millions of children, adolescents, and adults in dozens of nations, on half
28336-493: 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
28512-463: Was being nothing if not authentic when she stripped down or dance lasciviously. The singer once expressed "her desire to push the boundaries of America's puritanical sexual codes" which are grounded in patriarchy. Commenting about her industry in 2016, after receiving the Billboard Women of the Year , Madonna reflected: "I made my Erotica album and my Sex book was released. I remember being
28688-433: Was called variously. Named by an author in the mid-1990s as the "most arcane and sexually perverse female of the twentieth century", she was further negative called a Medusa , a succubus and a Whore of Babylon . She was both praised and criticized by some industry fellows, including Steve Allen and Morrissey , who both compared her to a prostitute . Both her impact and sex appeal were recognized in listicles , topping
28864-432: Was challenging, and transformed popular culture. In 2000, British magazine New Statesman said that Madonna "irrevocably changed the media image of female sexuality". Some credits relies she brought to the mainstream awareness various issues, as researcher Brian Longhurst from University of Salford summed up that "it is argued that her videos and books, bring forms of sexual representation, which had been hidden, into
29040-423: Was good or bad (depending on their viewpoint)". Notable supporters included Paglia, whom decried Madonna's feminist critics at some stage by saying "the simplistic feminism of those 'hangdog dowdies and parochial prudes' that critici[z]e Madonna's brash sexual image is inadequate to explain the impact of this pop icon on million of woman and girls. During the height of her popularity, reactions and reception amid
29216-515: 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
29392-618: Was independent of patriarchal control. Meaghan Garven from Vulture magazine explained "her sexuality never rested on the idea of being attractive". Different reviewers and academics in popular culture, further emphasized this stage of her career, with Gauntlett arguing that her sexual assertiveness "has been one of the most distinctive elements of her life and work". In Girl Heroes (2002), Susan Hopkins held she didn't only sell sexuality, but power, or rather "sexuality as power". Similarly, Camille Paglia described her "sexual persona" as "her power", while academic Marcel Danesi made also
29568-703: 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
29744-431: Was inspired by and dedicated to her husband Penn. Rolling Stone was impressed with the effort, writing that the album "sound[s] 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
29920-477: Was not a man". Mixing audience reaction with his owns, Daryl Deino from The New York Observer asserted retrospectively in 2017: ...Madonna has never presented herself as an object of men's sexual desires; she presents herself as the conductor of her own—something that has always bothered heterosexual men. The provocateur helped take something that males controlled for centuries and turned it on them. Because of Madonna, women are allowed to want to "get laid". This
30096-696: 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
30272-595: 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
30448-406: 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 ). 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
30624-545: Was something completely looked down upon just 25 years ago. In the 1990s, by many her works "confirmed" and "intensified" her status as a sexually assertive and in-control woman. However, for others like biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli she sounded only like a lusty porn star no one could take seriously. Australian professor Graeme Turner said that Madonna can be seen as a figure who "exaggerates" (and therefore makes ridiculous) male expectations of female sexuality. In Grrrls (1996), Amy Raphael also criticized that "taking
30800-512: Was suggested as an "icon of sex appeal" by art historian David Morgan . Madonna was long considered the "Poster Girl" for "sexy" according to Grazia magazine. In 1991, psychologist Joyce Brothers echoed: "Madonna is a sexy person for our time". Similarly, in Chris Moyles 's book The Gospel According to Chris Moyles (2014), a young Madonna is cited as "one of the sexiest women on the planet". In 1987, Rolling Stone magazine crowned her as
30976-647: 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
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