Madonna

Madonna Louise Ciccone is the best-selling female music artist of all time and the first female performer to earn US$1 billion from concerts. Born August 16, 1958, and raised in Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue dance. Before her breakthrough as a solo artist, she played drums, guitar and sang in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy.

Her self-titled 1983 debut began a run of albums that made her one of pop's central figures. Like a Virgin, released in 1984, was followed by True Blue in 1986 and the compilation The Immaculate Collection in 1990, all of them multi-platinum releases worldwide and among the best-selling albums of all time. Her catalog has moved through dance-pop, electronic music, rock and R&B while placing visual presentation alongside songwriting and production. Like a Prayer, Ray of Light and Music were ranked among Rolling Stone's greatest albums of all time, while Confessions on a Dance Floor became her 21st-century bestseller.

Her major singles include “Like a Virgin,” “Papa Don't Preach,” “La Isla Bonita,” “Like a Prayer,” “Vogue,” “Take a Bow,” “Frozen,” “Music,” “Hung Up” and “4 Minutes.” Her work has addressed social, political, sexual and religious subjects, often drawing controversy as well as critical acclaim. Known as the “Queen of Pop,” she has repeatedly reshaped her music and public image over a career that broke gender barriers in popular music. She is the only solo act with at least ten number-one albums and singles in both the United States and United Kingdom, and holds the record for the most chart-toppers on a single Billboard chart.

Madonna's work has also extended to film, including Desperately Seeking Susan, Dick Tracy, A League of Their Own and Evita. She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for playing Eva Perón in Evita. In business, she founded the entertainment company Maverick in 1992; its Maverick Records division became one of the most successful artist-run labels. She has also worked in fashion, publishing, health clubs and filmmaking. Her charitable organizations include the Ray of Light Foundation, founded in 1998, and Raising Malawi, founded in 2006, alongside advocacy for gender equality and LGBTQ rights. Her awards include seven Grammys, two Golden Globes and twenty MTV Video Music Awards, and she entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.