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
Madonna: The Celebration Tour in Rio (Behind-the-scenes)
Self
2025
Funeral Rites
Self
2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self
2025
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night
Self · (4 episodes)
2025
Becoming Madonna
Self (archive footage)
2024
Avicii - I'm Tim
Self - Singer (archive footage)
2024
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2024
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: 10th Anniversary Special
Self (archive footage)
2024
Madonna: The Celebration Tour in Rio
Self
2024
The Greatest Night in Pop
Self (archive footage)
2024
Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero
Self
2023
Madonna X Vanity Fair – The Enlightenment
Self
2023
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2022
In France with Madonna
Self (archive footage)
2022
The True Story of Madonna
2022
Kylie Minogue V The Bee Gees
Self (archive footage)
2022
Jean-Michel Basquiat, artiste absolu
Self (Archive footage)
2022
Madonna at the BBC
Self
2021
Madame X Presents: Madame Xtra Q&A
Self
2021
Madonna: Madame X
Self - Performer
2021
Arianne Phillips: Dressing the Part
Self
2021
Madonna: Move to the Music
Self (archive footage)
2021
Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend
Self (archive footage)
2021
The True Story of...
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2020
History 101
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2020
The A-Z of Eurovision
Self - Presenter (archive footage)
2020
Beastie Boys Story
Self (archive footage)
2020
The Last Dance
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2020
Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert
Self (archive footage)
2020
The BRITs at 40
Self (archive footage)
2020
Rodman: For Better or Worse
Self (archive footage)
2019
Music Videos That Defined the 00’s
Self (archive footage)
2019
Madonna: World of Madame X
Self
2019
Demokratie unter Druck – Europa vor der Wahl
Self - Singer (archive footage)
2019
Madonna and the Breakfast Club
Self (archive footage)
2019
Jean Paul Gaultier : Freak & Chic
Self
2018
Matangi / Maya / M.I.A.
Self (archive footage)
2018
The 90s Greatest
self (archive footage) · (10 episodes)
2018
Debbie Harry: Atomic Blondie
Self (archive footage)
2018
Avicii: True Stories
Self
2017
Basquiat: Rage to Riches
Self (archive footage)
2017
The Nineties
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2017
Uncle Howard
Self (archive footage)
2017
Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour
Self - Guitar, Ukulele & Vocals
2016
Madonna: Tears of a Clown
Self
2016
Express Yourself: Die Tänzer der Queen of Pop
2016
Discovering Fashion
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2016
Strike a Pose
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2016
Warren Beatty - Mister Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
2015
The Material Boy
Self (archive footage)
2015
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2014
Miley Cyrus: MTV Unplugged
Self
2014
Secret Project Revolution
Self / Narrator (voice)
2013
Madonna: MDNA World Tour
Self - Guitar and Vocals
2013
Fathers and Songs: Music for Father's Day
Self (archive footage)
2013
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer
2013
The Sound of Change Live
Self
2013
The Women Concert for Change
Self
2013
Are All Men Pedophiles?
Self (archive footage)
2013
Propaganda
Self (archive footage)
2013
Lady Gaga: On the Edge
Self
2012
Madonna: Live at Paris Olympia
Self - Performer
2012
Madonna: The Lady Is a Vamp
Self
2012
Madonna: Goddess of Pop
Self (archive footage)
2012
Fashion !
Self · (1 episode)
2012
Madonna - Do You Think I'm Sexy Unauthorized
2011
Playtime Is Over
Self
2011
Bert Stern - Original Madman
Self (archive footage)
2011
The Undefeated
Self (archive footage)
2011
Madonna - La vraie histoire
Self
2011
Stalked: Someone's Watching
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2011
Madonna - Out on the Floor
2010
Madonna: Sticky & Sweet Tour
Self
2010
The Marriage Ref
Self - Panelist · (1 episode)
2010
Hope for Haiti Now
Self
2010
Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection
(archive footage)
2009
Der Regisseur Uli Edel - Fakten und Fiktion
Self
2009
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Self (archive footage)
2009
Britney: For the Record
Self (uncredited)
2008
Madonna: Live from Roseland Ballroom in New York
Self
2008
I Am Because We Are
Self / Narrator (voice)
2008
The Universe of Keith Haring
Self (archive footage)
2008
365 Day Project
2007
Madonna: Queen of Pop
Herself
2007
Madonna: Live Earth Concert at London
Self
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (2 episodes)
2007
Arthur and the Invisibles
Princess Selenia (voice)
2006
Madonna: The Confessions Tour
Self - Lead Vocals & Guitar
2006
Madonna: Something To Remember (The Unreleased Videos)
Self
2006
Madonna - The Video Collection 2000-2006
Self
2006
Live 8
Self
2005
I'm Going to Tell You a Secret
Self
2005
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
Self
2005
Britney Spears: Greatest Hits - My Prerogative
Self
2004
Madonna: Re-Invention World Tour
Self
2004
Retro Video Collection 1975-1999 vol2
self
2004
Britney Spears: In the Zone
Self (archive footage)
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Die Another Day
Verity (uncredited)
2002
Swept Away Movie Special
Self
2002
Swept Away
Amber Leighton
2002
Naqoyqatsi
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2002
Heart of the Festival
2002
Madonna: Drowned World Tour 2001
Self
2001
Star Academy
Self · (1 episode)
2001
The Saturday Show
Self · (1 episode)
2001
There's Only One Madonna
2001
Star
Star
2001
The Hire
Star · (1 episode)
2001
Madonna: The Ultimate Collection
Self - Vocalist
2000
The Next Best Thing
Abbie Reynolds
2000
Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99
Self
1999
Torrance Rises
Self
1999
The Righteous Babes
Self (archive footage)
1998
Kids Are Punny
1998
Junket Whore
Self
1998
Will & Grace
Liz · (1 episode)
1998
Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's
Self
1998
Inside the Golden Statue
Self
1998
Leute heute
Self · (1 episode)
1997
Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life
Self
1997
Evita
Eva Perón
1996
A New Madonna: The Making of 'Evita'
Self
1996
Girl 6
Boss #3
1996
Four Rooms
Elspeth
1995
Blue in the Face
Singing Telegram
1995
Kral Türkiye Müzik Ödülleri
Winner · (1 episode)
1995
Madonna: The Girlie Show Live in Japan 1993
Self
1993
Madonna: The Girlie Show - Live Down Under
Self
1993
Dangerous Game
Sarah Jennings
1993
Madonna Exposed
Self (archive footage)
1993
Body of Evidence
Rebeca Carlson
1993
Madonna: The Name of the Game
Self
1993
Sex
Self
1992
A League of Their Own
Mae Mordabito (CF)
1992
ECHO-Verleihung
Self · (2 episodes)
1992
Shadows and Fog
Marie
1991
MTV's 10th Anniversary Special
Self
1991
Madonna: Truth or Dare
Self
1991
Madonna - The Real Story
Self
1991
Madonna: Blond Ambition World Tour 90 from Barcelona
Self
1990
Madonna: Blond Ambition World Tour Live
Self
1990
Madonna: The Immaculate Collection
Self
1990
Madonna: Blond Ambition - Japan Tour 90
Herself
1990
Dick Tracy: Behind the Badge, Behind the Scenes
Self
1990
Dick Tracy
Breathless Mahoney
1990
Bloodhounds of Broadway
Hortense Hathaway
1989
Madonna: Ciao, Italia! - Live from Italy
Self
1988
Electric Blue 27
Self (segment "Celebrity Nude")
1988
Madonna: Who's That Girl - Live in Japan
Self
1987
Sacrée soirée
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Sacrée soirée
Self (Clip) (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1987
Who's That Girl
Nikki Finn
1987
Shanghai Surprise
Gloria Tatlock
1986
Who Killed Michael Stewart?
Self
1986
Women in Rock
Self (archive footage)
1986
A Certain Sacrifice
Bruna
1985
Live Aid
Self
1985
Madonna: The Virgin Tour — Live
Self
1985
Desperately Seeking Susan
Susan
1985
Vision Quest
Singer
1985
MTV Video Music Awards
Self · (9 episodes)
1984
Wogan
Self · (1 episode)
1982
Wetten, dass..?
Self · (3 episodes)
1981
Melodies and Rythms of Foreign Pop Music
Self
1976
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1975
Saturday Night Live
Self - Cameo (uncredited) · (3 episodes)
1975
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975
The Egg
The Egg Girl
1974
aspekte
Self · (1 episode)
1965
Top of the Pops
(1 episode)
1964
Top of the Pops
Self · (3 episodes)
1964
The Grammys
Self · (3 episodes)
1959
Eurovision Song Contest
Self - Performer · (1 episode)
1956
Live Earth: A Concert for a Climate in Crisis
Self · (12 episodes)