Read Biography of

Madonna, born on August 16, 1958, is a famous U.S. pop singer, songwriter, and actress. Her first hit single, "Holiday" (1983), forged an upbeat dance club sound that sold 70 million albums by 1991, including Like a Virgin (1984). Many consider Madonna a promotional genius for her ability to reinvent herself.

Madonna, the 'Queen of Pop' was born in Bay City, Michigan, on August 16, 1958, to parents Silvio "Tony" Ciccone and Madonna Fortin. In 1964 her mother died of breast cancer. Then in 1977, she moved to New York City and in 1979 she became part of the Patrick Hernandez Revue. After performing in pop groups, 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.

Madonna reached the peak of her career in the 1980s as it is considered her boom decade, and she dominated the music charts with a succession of multi-million-selling albums, and her musical and fashion influence on young women was felt around the globe.

In 1983 Madonna's debut album 'Madonna' was released, and the first hit 'Holiday' topped the charts around the world. Other hit singles included 'Borderline' and 'Lucky Star'. The album was a smash hit, and catapulted Madonna into instant stardom.

Madonna 's second album, the Niles Rodgers -produced Like a Virgin , was released at the end of 1984. The title track hit number one in December, staying at the top of the charts for six weeks; it was the start of a whirlwind year for the singer. During 1985, Madonna became an international celebrity, selling millions of records on the strength of her stylish, sexy videos, and forceful personality. After"Material Girl"became a number two hit in March, Madonna began her first tour, supported by the Beastie Boys ."Crazy for You"became her second number one single in May. On her 27th birthday (August 16, 1985) Madonna married actor Sean Penn.

In 1992 Madonna released her erotic book, Sex. It featured Madonna as the centerpiece of photographs depicting various sexual fantasies and acts (including lesbianism, anal sex and sadomasochism). She released her next album, Erotica, in the same year. The music videos from Erotica were groundbreaking in a number of ways. Two different treatments of the title video were released: an 'uncut' European version which featured graphic nudity and overt depiction of sexual acts, and a censored American version. Though the song was a huge hit, the video only aired a total of three times on MTV, always after midnight, and always preceded by a warning. In 1992, she won a Grammy for best music video for EROTICA.

In 1994 Madonna released Bedtime Stories. The album, had her sultry voice as she tackled a number of topics which extended far beyond the subject matter of her early songs. 'Take a Bow' topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 7 consecutive weeks, breaking her previous record of 6 weeks with 'Like a Virgin'. The album was nominated for a Grammy in the same year, and Madonna sang 'Take a Bow' at the American Music Awards. The success of the album belied its uncertain origins.

Madonna released a second greatest hits album in 1996, this time collecting a number of ballads under the title Something to Remember. She began to wear fashionable designer dresses. This may have helped her to secure the coveted role of Eva Perón in the 1996 film Evita. The film marked the first time Madonna was heralded as an actress in a leading role. She delivered a Golden Globe winning performance and was critically praised. In 1998 Madonna reinvented herself yet again as she began studying mystical Judaism and The Kabbalah. She took Yoga lessons and pursued a vigorous exercise regime that brought her body to a peak of toned fitness. In 1998 she released Ray of Light, the album became her biggest hit in nearly ten years, selling over 15 million copies. It spawned the top ten singles 'Frozen', 'Ray of Light', 'Drowned World / Substitute For Love', 'Nothing Really Matters' and 'The Power of Goodbye'. In 2000 Madonna released the album Music. A bona fide commercial and critical hit. In 2003 American Life was released which topped the charts as well. In December 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced Madonna as one of the five inductees of 2008. In 2008, the album Hard Candy became one of Madonna's most critically acclaimed albums of her career. It includes the top 5 smash single "4 Minutes" featuring Justin Timberlake

On 22 December 2000 Madonna married director Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle in Scotland. She released her second Greatest Hits album, GHV2, in 2001. Without a single to promote the album, Madonna decided to release a single and video entitled the 'Thunderpuss GHV2 Megamix'. In June 2001, she appeared in Star, a short film directed by Guy Ritchie, and then began working on a remake of the classic film Swept Away, The film, released in 2002, was critically panned and went on to become yet another in a string of acting flops.

The number of albums compiled by Madonna consists of eleven studio albums, six compilation albums, three soundtrack albums, three live albums and three remix albums.

The remarkable, hyper-ambitious Material Girl who never stops re-inventing herself, Madonna has sold tens of millions of records and CDs to adoring fans worldwide. Her film career, however, is another story. Her performances have consistently drawn scathing or laughable reviews from film critics, and the films have usually had tepid, if any, success at the box office.Madonna has been actively involved in charities as wee like the NBC organized an aid concert called, Tsunami Aid: A Concert Of Hope. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Madonna is the most successful female recording artist of all time. Throughout her career Madonna has repeatedly reinvented herself through a series of visual and musical personas. The Times stated, "Madonna, whether you like her or not, started a revolution amongst women in music. So we can conclude by saying that Madonna is one of the top pop superstars of all time. From her first album she revolutionized dance music and then time after time riveted the attention of the music world on her work.