Madonna

Madonna Louise Ciccone}} ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting and visual presentation. Madonna's works, which incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. A cultural icon spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries, Madonna has become the subject of various scholarly, literary and artistic works, as well as a mini academic sub-discipline called Madonna studies.

Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy & the Emmys, she rose to solo stardom with her 1983 eponymous debut album. Madonna has earned a total of 18 multi-platinum albums, including ''Like a Virgin'' (1984), ''True Blue'' (1986), and ''The Immaculate Collection'' (1990)—which became some of the best-selling albums in history—as well as ''Confessions on a Dance Floor'' (2005), her 21st-century bestseller. Her albums ''Like a Prayer'' (1989), ''Ray of Light'' (1998), and ''Music'' (2000) were ranked among ''Rolling Stone''s greatest albums of all time. Madonna's catalog of top-charting songs includes "Like a Virgin", "Material Girl", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up" and "4 Minutes".

Her popularity was enhanced by roles in films such as ''Desperately Seeking Susan'' (1985), ''Dick Tracy'' (1990), ''A League of Their Own'' (1992) and ''Evita'' (1996). While she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for the lattermost, many of her other films were not well received. As a businesswoman, Madonna founded the company Maverick in 1992, which included Maverick Records, one of the most successful artist-run labels in history. Her other ventures include fashion brands, written works, health clubs and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities, having founded the Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006, and advocates for gender equality and LGBT rights.

Madonna is the world's best-selling female recording artist of all time and the first female performer to accumulate US$1 billion from her concerts. She is the most successful solo artist in the history of the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and has achieved 44 number-one singles in between major global music markets. Her accolades include seven Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, 20 MTV Video Music Awards, 17 Japan Gold Disc Awards, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. On ''Forbes'' annual rankings, Madonna became the world's highest-paid female musician a record 11 times across four decades (1980s–2010s). ''Billboard'' named her the Artist of the Decade (1980s), the Greatest Dance Artist of All Time, and the Greatest Music Video Artist of All Time. She was also listed among ''Rolling Stone''s greatest artists and greatest songwriters ever. Provided by Wikipedia