Madonna
Biography
Madonna (born Madonna Louise Ciccone; August 16, 1958) is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983. She followed it with a series of albums in which she found immense popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery in her music videos, which became a fixture on MTV. Throughout her career, many of her songs have hit number one on the record charts, including "Like a Virgin", "Papa Don't Preach", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes". Critics have praised Madonna for her diverse musical productions while at the same time serving as a lightning rod for religious controversy.
Her career was further enhanced by film appearances that began in 1979, despite mixed commentary. She won critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her role in Evita (1996), but has received harsh feedback for other film roles. Madonna's other ventures include being a fashion designer, children's book author, film director and producer. She has been acclaimed as a businesswoman, and in 2007, she signed an unprecedented US $120 million contract with Live Nation.
Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the world's top-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second top-selling female artist in the United States, behind Barbra Streisand, with 64 million certified albums. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked Madonna at number two, behind only The Beatles, on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, making her the most successful solo artist in the history of the Billboard chart. She was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the same year. Considered to be one of the "25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century" by Time for being an influential figure in contemporary music, Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry.
On May 4, 2024, with a free concert which was live streamed at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in front of 1.6 million people, Madonna broke the record for the most attended stand-alone concert by any artist, and the all-time highest attended concert by a female artist.
Known For
Acting
1995
asElspeth
1991
asSelf
1993
asRebeca Carlson
1976
asSelf
2000
asAbbie Reynolds
2023
asSelf
1995
asSinging Telegram
1992
asMae Mordabito (CF)
2010
asSelf
2003
asSelf (archive footage)
1985
asSusan
1996
asEva Perón
2002
asAmber Leighton
2001
asSelf
2006
asPrincess Selenia (voice)
1987
asNikki Finn
1990
asSelf
1993
asSelf
2005
asSelf
2019
asSelf (archive footage)
2002
asVerity (uncredited)
2005
asSelf
2009
asSelf
2021
asSelf
1985
asSelf
2021
asSelf
2013
asSelf (archive footage)
1998
asSelf (archive footage)
2006
asSelf - Lead Vocals & Guitar
1993
asSarah Jennings
1989
asHortense Hathaway
1987
asSelf
1986
asGloria Tatlock
1985
asSelf
1988
asSelf
2007
asSelf
2004
asSelf
2022
asSelf
2012
asSelf
1991
asSelf
2012
asSelf - Performer
2008
asSelf
1985
asBruna
2019
asSelf - Singer (archive footage)
2013
asSelf - Guitar and Vocals
2021
asSelf
1993
asSelf (archive footage)
2014
asSelf
1998
asSelf
2023
asSelf
2001
asSelf (archive footage)
2022
asSelf (archive footage)
1998
asSelf
1990
asSelf
2022
asSelf (Archive footage)
2020
asSelf (archive footage)
1990
asSelf
1991
asMarie
2012
asSelf
2020
asSelf - Presenter (archive footage)
1992
asSelf
2022
asSelf (archive footage)
1991
asSelf
1986
asSelf
2024
asSelf (archive footage)
2004
asSelf
1996
asSelf
2017
asSelf
1998
asSelf (voice)
2008
asSelf / Narrator (voice)
2024
asSelf
2001
asStar
2021
asSelf (archive footage)
2024
asSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
asThe Egg Girl
1998
asSelf
2013
asSelf
1997
asSelf
2016
asSelf - Guitar, Ukulele & Vocals
2010
asSelf
2007
asSelf
2016
asSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
1993
asSelf
1999
asSelf
2017
asSelf (archive footage)
2011
asSelf (archive footage)
2008
asSelf (uncredited)
1999
asSelf
1985
asSinger
1990
asBreathless Mahoney
1990
asSelf
2013
asSelf / Narrator (voice)
2009
as(archive footage)
1996
asBoss #3
2013
asSelf (archive footage)
2013
asSelf (archive footage)
1990
asSelf
2000
asSelf - Vocalist
2019
asSelf
2015
asSelf (archive footage)
2018
asSelf (archive footage)
2008
asSelf (archive footage)
2016
asSelf
2019
asSelf (archive footage)
1988
asSelf (segment "Celebrity Nude")
1993
asSelf
2006
asSelf
2018
asSelf (archive footage)
2011
asSelf
2019
asSelf (archive footage)
2005
asSelf
2016
asSelf
2020
asSelf (archive footage)
2018
asSelf
2012
asSelf (archive footage)
2021
asSelf - Performer
2011
asSelf (archive footage)
2006
asSelf
2021
asSelf (archive footage)
1986
asSelf (archive footage)
2002
asSelf
2009
asSelf (archive footage)
2024
asSelf (archive footage)
2002
asSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
asSelf - Singer (archive footage)
2007
asSelf
2020
asSelf (archive footage)
2025
asSelf (archive footage)
2004
asself
2025
asSelf
2025
asSelf
2011
asSelf
2003
asSelf (archive footage)
1992
asSelf
2012
asSelf (archive footage)
2025
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf (archive footage)
2025
asSelf (archive footage)
2002
asSelf (archive footage)
2003
asSelf (archive footage)
asLiz
asSelf
asSelf - Panelist
asSelf - Host
asSelf - Guest
asSelf
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf (archive footage)
asStar
asSelf
asSelf - Guest
asSelf
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf
asSelf - Cameo (uncredited)
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf - Musical Guest
asSelf - Guest
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf
asSelf
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf
asSelf - Performer
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf
asSelf
asSelf
asSelf
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf (Clip) (archive footage)
asWinner
asSelf
asself (archive footage)
asSelf (archive footage)
asSelf (uncredited)
asSelf
asSelf - Winner
asLiz Rosenberg (uncredited)
Production
1991
as
2003
as
2004
as1992
as
2011
as2008
as1991
as2021
as
2008
as
2004
as2005
as
2004
asCrew
Directing
