Madonna (entertainer)

Madonna
Madonna at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
Background information
Birth name	Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone
Genres	Pop, rock, dance
Occupations	singer
Years active	1979 – present
Labels	Warner Bros. Maverick Sire Warner Music Group
Website	madonna.com

Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone (born Bay City, Michigan, United States, August 16, 1958), simply known as Madonna, is an American singer, actress and author of books. Madonna now lives in the United Kingdom. She has made many albums over the years; some of the more famous ones are Like a Virgin, Like a Prayer, and Ray of Light. She has also been an actress in many movies. She has a daughter Lourdes and son Rocco. She adopted a Malawian child, David Banda, and a girl, Mercy. She has won seven Grammy awards. Madonna is considered the Queen of Pop.

1983-1989

After the release of some dance hits she released her first album "Madonna" in 1983. The album was a great success. Her next album "Like a Virgin" (1984) sold over 6 million copies in the United States only. Her album "True Blue" was also very successful worldwide in 1986. Her album "Like a Prayer" caused controversy, (some people thought that it was bad), as it had to do with Christianity. During the 1980's Madonna was a huge fashion icon and was an idol for millions of girls and boys. Songs like "Like a Virgin", "Material Girl", "Into the Groove", "Papa Don't Preach", "Holiday", "Lucky Star", "La Isla Bonita" and "Like a Prayer" are believed to be classics.

1990-1999

In 1990 she released her best selling greatest-hits album "The Immaculate Collection" which sold over 23 million copies, and this made "The Immaculate Collection" become the most sold greatest-hits album in the music history. She released a book of naked pictures called "SEX" in that year. Her album "Erotica" was a big hit but was criticised by some. In 1993 her album "Bedtime Stories" became another success for Madonna with a big #1 hit. She also performed in the movie "Evita" which was very successful and released a soundtrack album of the same name. Her 1997 album "Ray of Light" is considered to be a masterpiece. Some of her most famous and classic songs of the 90's are "Vogue", "This Used to Be My Playground", "Erotica", "Take a Bow", "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "He Must Love Me", "Frozen" and "Ray of Light".

2000-2009

In 2000 her album "Music" sold over 18 million copies worldwide, helped by the global hit of the same name. She also released a successful Greatest hits album. Her 2003 album called "American Life" reached #1 in many countries but it was criticised by some, as it was against war in Iraq. In 2005 her album "Confessions on a Dance Floor", helped by "Hung Up" and "Sorry" that reached #1 in 45 countries, sold 7 million copies. In 2008 she released her album "Hard Candy" which reached #1 in almost every country in the world.

Her album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, went to number one on music rating charts in many countries. Over the years she has sold over 400 million albums.

Madonna released a new album named Hard Candy in April 2008. She made it with other artists:Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Justin Timberlake and Kanye West. The leading single is called 4 Minutes and it is a duet with singer Justin Timberlake. The second single is called Give It 2 Me, and Madonna made it with Pharrell Williams. Third and last single was called Mile Away.

Some of her most famous songs of the 2000's are "American Pie", "Music", "Don't Tell Me", "Die Another Day", "American Life", "Hollywood", "Hung Up", "Sorry" and "4 Minutes".

Tours

Main page: List of Madonna tours

Her tours during the 80's ("Who's That Girl Tour", "Blond Ambition Tour", etc.) were very successful. Her 1993 "The Girle Show Tour" was very controversial, (some thought of it as bad), but was a great success. the "Drowned World Tour" and the "Re-Invention Tour" were the most successful tours of their years. "The Confessions Tour" was very successful and the "Sticky & Sweet Tour", with over 400 million dollars earned, became the most successful tour of all time for a single artist..

• The Virgin Tour (1985)
• Who's That Girl World Tour (1987)
• Blond Ambition Tour (1990)
• The Girlie Show World Tour (1993)
• Drowned World Tour (2001)
• Re-Invention World Tour (2003)
• Confessions Tour (2006)
• Sticky & Sweet Tour (2008-2009)

Discography

Main page: Madonna discography

• 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)