Voiced by Natalie Gadeikis, Staff Writer
Written by Charles Pohlson, Staff Writer
Madonna this, Madonna that. Madonna did this, Madonna said that. Anything about her, it’s all been said before.
As everybody probably knows, Madonna is an American singer/songwriter from the ‘80s. With her timeless songs and go-getter attitude, she’s obtained titles such as “the Queen of Pop” and “the Most Successful Female Act of All Time.” Currently, she holds the record for having the most No. 1 songs (46) on Billboard’s “Dance Club Songs” chart.
Her songs have stood the test of time, and controversy. One could say that she built her entire career off of all of the squabble. If dance anthems or serious pop pieces are your thing, old or new, Madonna is your go-to girl.
Madonna came out with her first singles “Everybody” and “Burning Up” in 1982. While those song failed to chart on the Hot 100, they had great success on the “Dance Club Songs.” In true ‘80s fashion, these songs were just a kickstarter to her career. In 1983, these songs were featured on her debut self-titled album, Madonna.
In 1984, she proved to the world that she wasn’t just another one-hit wonder with Like a Virgin. The album, and song, sparked just the right amount of controversy that she needed to boost her career. Anybody who’s anybody has heard “Like a Virgin” and “Material Girl.” This era is still one of her most iconic ones, with her songs altering the way pop music was perceived and created for many years to come.
But Madonna’s career most definitely didn’t die after the ‘80s, although that was her most popular era. After her sixth studio album, Bedtime Stories, Madonna’s life and music style changed. Her 1998 album Ray of Light took more of a modern electronica, techno-pop style of music. It was definitely one of her more adventurous albums. Well-known songs from this album include “Frozen” and the title song, “Ray of Light.”
Music, Madonna’s eighth studio album, is inspired by elements of country, dance-pop, and rock music. “Music” and “Don’t Tell Me” are both the types of songs that define the early 2000s experience of techno and futuristic ideals. You weren’t a true ‘90s kid unless you’ve heard the music from this album.
As a call to her previous and well known ‘80s incarnation, 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor was another famous reinvention of Madonna. With worldwide hits like the sad, but groovy love song “Hung Up” and the vengeful “Sorry,” this entire album is everything and anything you’d want to hear when you’re out dancing.
In 2009, Madonna released a greatest hits album, titled Celebration. This album includes all of her past hits, plus a little more. If you ever wanted to drown yourself in some of the greatest hits of all time, this is the album for you.
In recent years, Madonna’s gone on to do some interesting collaborations, such as “Give Me All Your Luvin’” with Nicki Minaj and “4 Minutes” with Justin Timberlake. This year, Madonna will release a new album. Who knows what kind of music it holds, and what reinvention we will see with her this time.