Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone Ritchie turns 50 and fabulous today, and with a new album out and a world tour on the way, the Material Girl shows no signs of slowing down.
Since she released her debut album in 1983, the Queen of Pop has become the most successful female recording artist of all time, selling over 200 million albums worldwide and creating almost as many controversies along the way.
So how did a dancer from the Detroit suburbs land in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Access has the answers with five of Madonna’s career-making moments.
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1984 MTV “Video Music Awards” Performance
In 1984, Madonna took the stage in a wedding gown for an iconic performance at the first MTV “Video Music Awards.” She rolled around the floor in a wedding dress, singing “Like a Virgin,” paving the way for a career that has yet to see her shy away from flaunting her sexuality.
Madonna at the Movies
Madonna’s always had a love affair with Hollywood, as showcased by her numerous film roles, some successful (“Evita,” for which she won a Golden Globe), some not (“Swept Away,” the box office blunder directed by current husband, Guy Ritchie). Her romance with the movies has extended to filmmakers, too — she married actor Sean Penn in 1985, but the couple soon called it quits, divorcing by the end of the decade. In 2000, she struck up another Hollywood marriage, wedding Guy, a British director she met through Sting and Trudie Styler. Madonna has also been linked to such stars as Warren Beatty, Vanilla Ice and basketball player Dennis Rodman.
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“Like a Prayer”
In 1989, Madonna released the video for “Like a Prayer,” a clip filled with controversial religious imagery that included burning crosses and scenes depicting her engaged in a romantic tryst with a black Jesus. Though the song went to number one, the video was too heated for Pepsi, who pulled a commercial they’d filmed to premiere the song in a $5 million endorsement deal. Madonna, a soon-to-be media mogul, reportedly got to keep the money.
“Sex” book
Paired with the album “Erotica,” Madonna’s 1992 racy coffee table book drew fire for its suggestive imagery. Showcasing photography of Vanilla Ice, Naomi Campbell and others in highly suggestive situations, the book was released through Maverick – Madonna’s own multi-media company. Despite negative reviews, the book sold 1.5 million copies of its first edition worldwide – making it, at the time, the most successful coffee table book ever released.
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