There is no shortage of words that can be used to describe her, but the only one that matters is her name, Madonna. Just hearing the name of the original Queen of Pop still speaks volumes. She is not only one of the most popular and best-selling singers of all time, but she’s also one of the most influential figures the world has ever known. Madonna’s unprecedented success has made her a cultural icon. Even in her 60s, she hasn’t given up recording new music or touring. With nearly four decades worth of songs in her repertoire, Madonna is just as much of a must-see act now as she was at the peak of her career in the late 1980s and early 90s.

Stardom

While she may have seemed like an overnight success, Madonna was anything but. In the late 1970s, she was working as a backup dancer and playing in a band called the Breakfast Club while living in an abandoned synagogue. By the time she signed her first record deal, her lifestyle was far from glamorous. Even her first album only brought Madonna mild amounts of fame. But then came the Like a Virgin album in 1984. It would become the first album by a female artist to sell at least five million copies, eventually being certified diamond. Less than a year later, Madonna was the star of a major Hollywood movie and headline of huge arenas throughout the country. The rest, as they say, is history.

Far From Over

As we know, Madonna’s Like a Virgin album was just the beginning. The follow-up album True Blue was even better, and her Like a Prayer album did not fail to live up to the expectations she had set for herself. That album was followed by Madonna’s Blond Ambition Tour in 1990, a tour that raised the bar for what was possible for a live concert, especially for a female performer. In a way, it seemed like everything Madonna did was something that had never been done before, and she had no problem being the one to constantly push the envelope.

Career Reflection

Nowadays, the world knows a more mature Madonna, but one who has no intention of slowing down or stopping. She continues to create new music that’s unlike anything she’s created before. Yet, she has no problem continuing to perform most of her old hits, albeit in different ways than in the past. Madonna now performs mostly in smaller, more intimate venues, giving audiences a different type of show than she was once known for, but one that’s still well worth the price of admission.