Madonna is called the Queen of Pop for a reason. The Michigan-based singer was always a bit of a rebel, seeming to fight back against societal norms from childhood. Her father put her into classical music lessons in elementary school, where she soon started taking ballet.
She pursued a career in dance through college, successfully auditioning to be a backup singer and dancer for musician Dan Gilroy. She continued to perform small musical gigs until her first single, “Everybody,” was released.
Following its success, Madonna released her first self-titled debut album Madonna which led to the release of her first top ten songs, “Holiday.”
Madonna gained more exposure in the 1980s after performing on American Bandstand and Top of the Pops. Her image and style began to influence young girls, which sparked some of the biggest trends of the ‘80s.
Her popularity would reach global heights after her second album, Like a Virgin. Since then, she’s had multiple Grammy wins, gone on several world tours, and rivaled stars like Beyoncé in fame and recognition.
Madonna continued to push boundaries in mainstream music, incorporating controversial religious themes and social themes into songs like “Like a Prayer,” “Vogue,” and “Truth or Dare.” All of these tracks are likely to appear on a setlist for one of her tours.
Her popularity has been further enhanced by her roles in films like League of Their Own and Evita, the latter of which won her a Golden Globe award for Best Actress.
Madonna has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making her the best-selling female recording artist of all time. She’s considered the most successful solo artist of all time and has received the number-one singles of any woman in the US, Canada, Australia, Italy, Spain, and the UK.
Madonna still hits the road for sold-out tours, like the Celebration Tour 2023 and 2019’s Madame X Tour.
