"You know that we are living in a material world,
And I am a material girl..."

Madonna – “Material Girl”

Few people in life get to actually be an icon, and even icons don’t usually get to enjoy the long-lasting career that Madonna has.  Her constantly fresh image is thanks in great part to her own media savvy, which has also allowed her to evolve through the realms of pop star, trendsetter, actor, entrepreneur, author and even mother.  Her career is impressive, and that’s likely an understatement.  Three decades later, Madonna is at the top of her game, and shows no signs of slowing any time soon.

She began her career in dance.  A former cheerleader from Rochester Hills, Michigan, Madonna Louise Ciccone was attending the University of Michigan when in 1977, she left for New York City in order to pursue her dance career.  She had $35 and lived out her dream by being a part of the modern dance scene.  Of course, while pursuing that dream, she did take up a few odd jobs, including working for Dunkin’ Donuts for a short time, and eventually picking up modeling and dance gigs.  She even recorded a demo tape – the tape that got her a recording contract.  

After hitting the studios, Madonna released her first single, “Everybody.”  It was a success and a platform on which she was able to release her next single, “Burning Up.”  The two songs found tremendous success on the dance circuit, both landing spots at #3 on the dance charts.  It was enough to convince Sire to front an entire album.  By 1983, Madonna had released her self-titled debut, filled with bright and bubbly dance hits.  Soon, Madonna was scoring hits with the cheery ode to a little time off, “Holiday,” the slower, yet somehow danceable, “Borderline,” and many a fan’s favorite, “Lucky Star.”  

Early on, Madonna saw the importance of image and thus, the importance of MTV.  Her videos portrayed her as provocative, causing girls everywhere to run out and pick up mesh halter tops, big belt buckles that said ‘BOY-TOY’ and lacy fingerless gloves.  She had a style that was undeniable and she used it to its fullest.  In late 1984, her second album was released, Like a Virgin.  The album quickly sold 9 million copies, landing her face on the cover of Time, and giving her superstar status.

In 1985, Madonna was the biggest-selling performer out there, dominating the pop charts with a little help from her #1 single, “Like a Virgin,” as well as some Top 5 breakers, "Material Girl," "Dress You Up" and "Angel."  The time seemed right for her to go even bigger, so she took on roles in the films Vision Quest and Desperately Seeking Susan, as well as contributing to their successful soundtracks; “Crazy for You” from Vision Quest went to #1 and grabbed her a Grammy nomination, while her much-loved “Into the Groove” was introduced on Desperately Seeking Susan.  So that it wouldn’t compete with another tune from Like a Virgin, “Into the Groove” was put on the maxi-single for “Angel” – leading to a great deal of confusion for consumers.  The song was immensely popular in the US, and was an even bigger hit in Europe, where it racked up #1s from country to country.  

Madonna’s first taste of true controversy came in 1985, with nude photos that were taken in the late 70s being published in Playboy and Penthouse magazines.  Immediately, she took actions to block their publication, which failed, causing public uproar.  Earlier in the year, Madonna took to the stage, performing in Goose and Tom Tom and met actor Sean Penn, whom she would marry that summer.  In 1986, she contributed the #1 single, “Live to Tell,” to the soundtrack of Penn’s film, At Close Range.  She also appeared opposite her husband in the widely panned flick, Shanghai Surprise.  (The soundtrack to which, incidentally, featured a song from former Beatle, George Harrison)

1986 continued Madonna’s successful run up the charts with True Blue.  Mature and ambitious, songs from the album tackled tricky topics with a dance beat, like unwed pregnancy in the #1 smash hit, “Papa Don’t Preach.”  Other tracks from the album “Live to Tell” and “Open Your Heart” topped the charts while the title track and “La Isla Bonita” topped out at #3 and #4 on the charts, respectively.  The videos for the album brought together her music along with her classic cinematic style that would be a part of almost every video from that point on.  

In 1987, Madonna went on to star in Who’s That Girl as well as contribute four songs to the soundtrack – including the title track which would go to #1.  The second single released from the soundtrack “Causing a Commotion” would peak out at #2.  The success of her music around the world gave her the opportunity to go on the Who’s That Girl World Tour.  At the time, it was the highest-grossing tour in history, though it wouldn’t come without its own controversy.  Audiences in Italy were urged by Pope John Paul II to not attend her concerts, due to her stance on a number of issues the Vatican disagreed with.  

Madonna hit the stage once again in 1988, acting in Speed the Plow as well as climbing up the pop charts with You Can Dance a remix compilation of some of her greatest dance hits to that point.  In 1989, Madonna came out with Like a Prayer.  The album found tremendous critical praise, and the title track went straight to #1.  The gospel-infused track garnered a lot of positive and negative attention with its controversial, religiously-inspired video.   Though some didn’t like it, the attention wasn’t a bad thing.  She followed up the success of “Like a Prayer” with two more hits, “Express Yourself” and “Cherish.”  

Madonna picked up another plum role as nightclub singer Breathless Mahoney in the 1990 Warren Beatty flick, Dick Tracy.  At the same time, she released an album titled I’m Breathless, which featured cabaret-style tunes both inspired by the film and on the film’s soundtrack.  On the album was one of Madonna’s most beloved hits, “Vogue.”  The song, a sophisticated send-up to stars of the past, like “Greta Garbo, and Monroe, Deitrich and DiMaggio,” went on a steady climb up to #1 on the charts, where it would rest for nine weeks.

Also in 1990, she set out on the Blonde Ambition World Tour, bringing together her body of work into a grand theatrical performance.  Most will remember the controversy (what else from the 1990s Madonna?) her performances drew (such as her extra-super-suggestive performances of “Like a Virgin”) as well as her Jean-Paul Gaultier bustier, bringing the underwear as outerwear trend to a head.  By the end of the year, Madonna released The Immaculate Collection, a compilation album of her greatest hits, as well as two new additions, “Justify My Love” and “Rescue Me.”  Her suggestive video for “Justify My Love” proved to be too much for MTV, who banned the video.  It would go on to be heavily edited, but it wasn’t really the same, was it?  Despite this, the single became her ninth #1 single in the States.  The album remains popular to this day, selling over 22 million copies worldwide.  

1991’s Truth or Dare, starring Madonna, chronicled the Blonde Ambition Tour and shed some light on her personal life and what it was, at least at that moment at time, to be Madonna.  The following year, Madonna co-starred in A League of Their Own.  For her performance as Italian-America Mae Mordabito, she found a great deal of critical praise.  She also recorded the theme for the film, “This Used to be My Playground.”  The song went to #1.  She also started up Maverick Enterprises, her impressive venture that has gone on to encompass most aspects of media, from film to television, music and even print publishing.

Ever controversial, Madonna continued to cause a sensation by releasing what might have been the most steamy coffee table book ever. Sex, a collection of photographs depicting simulations of some very adult situations, was set to coincide with the release of an album, Erotica, which had come out the day prior.  The title track set a record on the Hot 100 as the highest-debuting single on the list, where it debuted at an impressive #2.  “Deeper and Deeper,” a lush disco-inspired song also made its way into the Top 10.  Madonna’s book, album, and general persona, though popular, had created a backlash.  In response, Madonna recorded “I’ll Remember” for the film, With Honors.  The single made its way onto the gentler Bedtime Stories, which also featured the hits “Secret” and “Take a Bow.”  

Something to Remember, a collection of her most popular ballads, came out at the end of 1995.  Also featured on the record was “You’ll See” a new song that would become a hit all on its own.  She returned to the big screen in edgy independent films like Four Rooms and Blue in the Face, as well as the lead role in the 1996 film, Evita.  The soundtrack went platinum and gave her two more hits to her credit, her rendition of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” and “You Must Love Me.”  The latter of which picked up a Golden Globe and an Oscar for “Best Original Song From a Motion Picture.”  Madonna picked up a Golden Globe for Best Actress, though she failed to get a nomination from the Academy.  

International headlines were made with the birth of her daughter Lourdes in 1996.  Taking some time away from the biz proved to be an excellent move for Madonna.  In 1998, she returned to music with the techno-pop masterpiece, Ray of Light.  Immensely popular, her work earned her four Grammys, accolades from all corners of the planet, and a string of hits that would include “Frozen,” “The Power of Goodbye” and the speaker-pumping “Ray of Light.”  “Beautiful Stranger,” recorded for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, went to #19 in 1999, and before we knew it Madonna was back on screen in The Next Best Thing, as well as contributing to its soundtrack, which included a cover of the popular Don McLean single, “American Pie.”

Her follow-up to Ray of Light, Music, proved to be a hit in 2000 thanks to its funky and spacey title track, the more moody “What It Feels Like For a Girl” and “Paradise (Not for Me).”  Somehow in the midst of all this, Madonna found the time to have another baby, Rocco, and get married to the father, Guy Ritchie.  In 2001, the amazing momma Madonna set out her first tour since Blonde Ambition, the Drowned World Tour.  In 2002, she starred in Swept Away, directed by her husband, and also contributed the theme-song for the James Bond flick, Die Another Day.  

As you can see by the busy schedule she’s kept all these years, to say “Today Madonna keeps herself busy, blah blah blah…” would be a vast understatement.  In 2003 she released American Life and in 2005 she released Confessions on a Dance Floor, the latter of which gave her another Grammy award.  In between all of that, she has performed, been the face of companies like Gap and H&M, she’s written a series of children’s books, and has become an active spokesperson fighting for human rights around the world.  At the end of 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced that Madonna will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  For crying out loud – it’s taken them this long?