Madonna, whose real name is Madonna Louise Ciccone, is an American singer-songwriter who, aside from her status as a near legend, can also boast of having sold no less than 300 million records worldwide to date.
Of Italian origin through her father and Franco-Canadian through her mother, the young Madonna entered her artistic career by learning the piano, a discipline that she quickly dropped in favor of dance lessons, a discipline in which she displayed real skills.
We find her at the end of the 1970s in the Pear Lang Dance Theater troupe, with which she performs a few performances. Then she does the auxiliary dancer for some famous artists.
It was the meeting with musician Dan Gilroy that would speed things up a little, a musician with whom she formed a group called Breakfast Club, a group in which she sang and played the drums in particular. Adventure which unfortunately turns short quickly.
We find her shortly after in a group called Emmy with her new boyfriend of the moment. Adventure that turns short once again.
It is Mark Kamins, producer and DJ, who will put her foot in the stirrup by introducing her to Seymour Stein, founder of the Sire Records label. Label which allows her to release a first single named “Everybody” in 1982, followed by little by another named “Burning up” which, him, leaves at the beginning of the year 1983. Two singles which will hit the mark and launch the career of the singer for good.
A year 1983 which will prove to be exceptional for the young singer with the release of another single named ..."Holiday", a single which will reveal her to the whole world and literally explode her international fame. Single from the album which simply bears the young singer's name and which was also released the same year.
Her look, like her scenic style, then became one of the benchmarks, so much so that they are considered today as notorious references of the 1980s.
New album "Like a virgin" in 1984, first stratospheric album by sales with more than 20 million copies sold worldwide. Album which produced the singer's first global mega hit, namely the enormous single "Like a virgin", a single with a particularly daring clip and which will set fire to all the Dancefloor on the planet. Little followed by another very high caliber single which was none other than "Material girl" which was released a year later in 1985.
A year 1985 which will also see the release of another mega hit with the title "Into the groove", also taken from the album "Like a virgin". And to a lesser extent "Dress you up" which comes out in stride.
Also in 1985, a decidedly exceptional year, she signed 2 titles on the soundtrack of the film Vision Quest, "Crazy for you" and "Gambler", 2 titles with less success but with global success once again. She was also seen in theaters in Desperately Seeking Suzanne, which was to be one of the biggest hits of the year.
And she will do even stronger on the album side the following year with the release in 1986 of the album "True blue", album of all records with 25 million copies sold around the world and a No.1 place in 28 countries. An album which sees the singer reach an almost unprecedented level of notoriety, notably thanks to titles like "Live to tell", "Papa don't preach", "True blue", "Open your heart" the same year and "La Isla Bonita ”in 1987.
A year 1987 which sees her in the credits of a new film called Who's that girl, film for which she also signs the soundtrack with several very high caliber titles including "Causing a commotion", "The look of love" but also, and above all, the enormous single "Who's that girl" which is a real worldwide hit.
We will have to wait for the year 1989 to see the release of the next album called "Like a prayer", album of the scandal notably through the single of the same name which also came out the same year. The music video will unleash the wrath of the Vatican as well as fundamentalist Catholics because it shows the singer abusively using several Christian symbols, even going so far as to want to make love with a Saint.
This does not prevent the album from doing almost as strong as its predecessor in terms of ranking in the Charts, with a sales level in sharp decline (15,000,000 million copies only ...!). The main extract is the enormous "Like a prayer" but also "Express yourself" which, too, will reach impressive sales levels.
New cinematographic adventure in 1990 where we find her alongside Warren Beaty in the film Dick Tracy, a film which will meet with significant success at the Box Office. Just like her soundtrack "I’m Breathless" produced by the singer and whose flagship title will be "Vogue". The single will set fire to every Dancefloor on the planet and confirm, if necessary, its status as the undisputed queen of the end of the 20th century on the music scene.
A 90s which ended in apotheosis with the release of the single "Justify my love", taken from the artist's first compilation "The immaculate collection", and which will also shatter everything in its path.
Surprisingly, the year 1991 will see the release of only one title with "Rescue me". Single also extracted from the same compilation and which will also know a notable success.
New cinematographic appearance in 1992 with her role in the film A league of their own, film for which she once again signed the soundtrack. BO whose main title “This used to be my playground” adds a new star to the singer's already exceptional track record.
1992 also saw the release of his new album "Erotica", an album which once again reached sales levels in decline with only 6 million copies. Album which will nevertheless produce the mega hits "Erotica", "Deeper and deeper" in 1992 and "Bad girl" and "Rain" in 1993. Even if the sales levels remain very high, the personality more and more troubled the singer, especially her exhibitionist and provocative side, is seriously starting to tarnish her image.
The year 1994 sees her again intervene with success on a soundtrack of a film, this time it will be for the film With Honors, a film in which she does not play any role and for which she plays the title "I'll remember" .
Also released is the album "Bedtime Stories", an album which sees the singer trying to restore her image by giving a much more sanitized image. And the effect is quite beneficial since the album is selling better than its predecessor with 8 million copies sold. In particular thanks to titles like "Secret" or "Take a bow" which came out the same year and to a lesser extent "Bedtime story" and "Human nature" which, them, came out a year later in 1995.
Another notorious success the same year with the title "You’ll see", track taken from the compilation "Something to remember".
New soundtrack in 1996 this time for the film Evita, in which she played the role of Eva Peron. Soundtrack from which will be extracted the enormous "Don’t cry for me Argentina" which will be his only notable success during the year 1997.
So we will have to wait for the year 1998 and the release of the album "Ray of light" to see her return in an absolutely shattering way to the front of the stage. After giving birth to her daughter Lourdes, she comes back metamorphosed and this can be felt in her whole personality, whether it be physical or artistic.
The album will sell at record levels (16 million copies worldwide) thanks to an incredible sound and allow the singer to regain her status as the undisputed star that she had somewhat tarnished in previous years. An album carried in a masterly way by what will surely remain as one of his masterpieces, namely "Frozen", a title considered to be one of the most striking of the end of the decade. And to a lesser extent also by "Ray of light", "The power of good-bye" and "Nothing really matters" which, for its part, will be released a year later in 1999.
Also in 1999, new soundtrack for the film Austin Powers : the spy who shagged me and new notorious success with the title "Beautiful stranger". Single which will be the only one released that year for the singer. An extraordinary singer, whose career was far from over and who will once again be found in dazzling form the following decade ...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Everybody 1982
Burning up 1983
Holiday 1983
Lucky star 1983
Borderline 1984
Like a virgin 1984
Material girl 1984
Crazy for you 1985
Angel 1985
Into the groove 1985
Dress you up 1985
Gambler 1985
Live to tell 1986
Papa don’t preach 1986
True blue 1986
Open your heart 1986
La isla bonita 1987
Who’s that girl 1987
Causing a commotion 1987
The look of love 1987
Spotlight 1988
Like a prayer 1989
Express yourself 1989
Cherish 1989
Oh father 1989
Dear Jessie 1989
Keep it together 1990
Vogue 1990
Hanky panky 1990
Justify my love 1990
Rescue me 1991
This used to be my playground 1992
Erotica 1992
Deeper and deeper 1992
Bad girl 1993
Fever 1993
Rain 1993
Bye bye baby 1993
I’ll remember 1994
Secret 1994
Take a bow 1994
Bedtime story 1995
Human nature 1995
You’ll see 1995
One more chance 1996
Love don’t live here anymore 1996
You must love me 1996
Don’t cry for me Argentina 1997
Another suitcase in another hall 1997
Frozen 1998
Ray of light 1998
Drowned world 1998
The power of good-bye 1998
Nothing really matters 1998
Beautiful stranger 1999
American pie 2000
Music 2000
Don't tell me 2000
What it feels like for a girl 2001
Die another day 2002
American life 2003
Hollywood 2003
Me against the music 2003
Nothing fails 2003
Love profusion 2003
Hung up 2005
Sorry 2006
Get together 2006
Jump 2006
Hey you 2007
4 minutes 2008
Give it 2 me 2008
Miles away 2008
Celebration 2009
Revolver 2009
Give me all your luvin' 2012
Girl gone wild 2012
Masterpiece 2012
Turn up the radio 2012
Living for love 2014
Ghosttown 2015
Bitch I'm Madonna 2015
Hold tight 2015
Medellin 2019
Crave 2019
I rise 2019
Future 2019
I don't search I find 2020
Levitating 2020
Clips :
1982 ... the first steps of a young unknown girl with certain talent. A talent that is certainly obvious but which, at this stage, does not reveal a potential that is frankly above average. And yet ...
1983 ... after a first title for the less promising, the young singer confirms all the good that one can think of her. But still nothing exceptional for the moment ...
1983 ... then THIS title comes ! We expected the exceptional, we sensed it and here it is ! The singer signs here quite simply one of the biggest dance hits of the decade and makes a literally smashing entry into the big leagues. MAS-TER-FUL !
1983 ... and it is set to last like that for ten and ten years. The dynamic of success that is now unrolling will raise her to an absolutely incredible level of notoriety and make her one of the greatest singers of all time, just that !
1984 ... and again, until then, it was only the appetizer, that is to say. When we see what is looming on the horizon, the rest promises to be simply amazing !
1984 ... THE title that will raise her to the rank of quasi-divinity ! She reaches here a level of success quite simply stratospheric and becomes one of the biggest planetary phenomena of the moment. And this is only the beginning. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1985 ... each title that comes out now is an event in itself. The planet now only has eyes for this Madonna who transforms everything she touches into gold with incredible ease ...
1985 ... the year 1984 was incredible for the young singer. The year 1985 will be even stronger. Yes Yes, it's possible. We are already at the 2nd mega hit and it is far from over !
1985 ... the production of titles of such large caliber and especially at such speed is staggering to say the least. No one at this point is able to compete with her, that's for sure !
1985 ... in an ocean of mega hits, she even manages to make mega hit of mega hit. Here, she signs a new absolutely amazing Dance hit which further reinforces her total supremacy on all Dancefloor on the planet. MO-NU-MEN-TAL once again !
1985 ... a year 1985 which lasts, which lasts and which sees her flying at heights no longer stratospheric but downright lunar. A truly extraordinary talent, there is no other word !
1985 ... the 'little' hit of the year. And still everything is relative since a small hit for her is a mega hit for most of the female singers in the competition ...
1986 ... a year 1986 which starts again on exactly the same bases as the year 1985, that promises ! Starting with this sumptuous title which shows that she is as talented in Dance as in Intimist. A real war machine !
1986 ... she literally crushes the competition and nothing, and no one, is able to counter her meteoric rise to the stars. There is her and the rest of the musical world ...
1986 ... we are already at the 3rd title just for this year 1986 and we are already at 3 mega hits, the calculation is not complicated. With her, everything is childishly simple ...
1986 ... with her, it's a minimum of 4 titles per year now. We therefore ended the year in style with this title which inevitably adds a new star to its prize list. A list that grows exponentially year after year ...
1987 ... the years go by...and look alike ! At least for her. She is entering her 4th year of undisputed reign on the musical planet of the 80s. Who would dare challenge her at this stage ? Not many people, that's for sure ...
1987 ... she is even in the soundtrack with this title which will be part of the soundtrack of the film of the same name. It's not complicated, with her and whatever the field, it's a jackpot every time !
1987 ... another track taken from the same soundtrack. Since the first one was a huge success, why go without a little layer. And inevitably, success is once again at the rendezvous ...
1987 ... the pass of 3. Third extract from the same soundtrack, a soundtrack which produced no less than 2 mega hits and 1 top hit, a near record. Who says better ?
1988 ... event to say the least exceptional, she will produce almost no title during this year 1988 and the only one which will come out will pass 'through'. All the more remarkable fact concerning her...
1989 ... as paradoxical as it may seem, the year 1988 will be single title and moreover without much interest. Could this be the beginning of the end...? Considering what she offers here and the incredible success met with this new title, that would surprise me !
1989 ... the end of the 1980s which saw her maintain an almost unparalleled level of success. The year 1988 was really only a very small break in the writing of a legend with so many pages left to write ...
1989 ... the 1980s saw her hatch and then literally explode. One might think that the following decade will be at the very least unfavorable to her like many other singers from the same generation. Oh no, it is even the opposite which will occur !
1989 ... an end of the year 1989 which is done very smoothly and finesse. She will have produced as many exceptional Dance titles as exceptional Intimist titles. And whatever the eras and decades, a real feat !
1989 ... the last title of the decade. Her decade. An incredible decade which saw the birth of several talents of his level. Totally extraordinary talents that will never find their equivalent in the decades to come ...
1990 ... so will the 90s be the decade too many ? One might think so in view of the overall limited success of this title. But given what is on the horizon, not really to worry ...
1990 ... indeed, there was nothing to worry about ! Here she signs quite simply the biggest success in her entire career to this point. A huge single that will set fire to all Dancefloor on the planet and sell more than 6 million copies. The singer is surely not ready to hand over. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1990 ... a title totally outside the usual standards of the singer. Certainly, it will work like the others because her name is Madonna but not sure that this is the kind of music that her audience expects ...
1990 ... an approximation that will only last for a moment. She is taken directly behind with this enormous title which reminds all those who could doubt her that she is still the Queen of the world !
1991 ... after 1988, here comes a new single title year. Unlike the other, this year will be much more favorable in terms of success and allows the singer to maintain her dominant position without forcing herself too much ...
1992 ... back in Intimist mode and once again, it works by the fire of God. Once again, the competition had better watch out !
1992 ... what is certain is that the Madonna of the 90s causes much more than the Madonna of the 80s. A drift and repeated excesses that will begin to seriously shake the foundations of an empire that we thought indestructible ...
1992 ... fortunately for her, her level of inspiration remains constant and allows her to counterbalance a personal drift which, in another, would be extremely worrying ...
1993 ... a song title that fits perfectly with the image that the singer conveys at the beginning of the 90s. A 'bad girl' side that she will have to quickly put aside on pain of disappearing altogether...
1993 ... what is certain is that the level of success is weakening somewhat. For the first time in years, the singer begins to tremble on her pedestal. And it is not this luxury cover of the title of Little Willie John dating from 1956, but whose version of Peggy Lee from 1958 will remain the most famous, that will change the situation ...
1993 ... whatever she says, the public makes her pay for her excesses by gradually turning away from her. A healthy recovery is essential and as soon as possible ...
1993 ... in a sea of mega hits, this title will go somewhat unnoticed. And yes, it also happens to her from time to time to go 'through' ...
1994 ... a healthy recovery that comes with this new year. The singer seems to have understood that there is a time for everything and that it is time for her to calm down and return to the fundamentals that made her one of the biggest stars of the end of the 20th century...
1994 ... a new part of her career which sees her setting off again on new musical paths. Whether this will pay off in the long run or not remains to be seen. Response in the years to come ...
1994 ... a more refined style which works very well and which suggests a second part of the 90s under the best auspices ...
1995 ... a somewhat disappointing start to 1995 which saw her return to a dark side that she hoped had disappeared. Some demons subsist at first glance in the singer's deep unconscious ...
1995 ... this title will not do much better than its predecessor. The singer explores somewhat tortured paths and her level of inspiration is strongly affected. To be corrected quickly ...
1995 ... as soon as she returns to 'normality', success skyrockets as if by chance. This will be the case with this title, a title that literally floats in the air for our greatest pleasure ...
1996 ... yet another title that will pass 'through' despite a finesse of inspiration that would have deserved better recognition. But the public is so used to Ultra Dance titles with her that they suddenly cannot find their way with this title ...
1996 ... a year 1996 which will not be its best vintage, it is clear. The singer is looking for herself in this mid-decade, both literally and figuratively. She can no longer create the event as before and begins to seriously descend to the level of ordinary people ...
1996 ... new soundtrack of big scope but which will not be her this time. But whatever, the result will be sumptuous and boost her like never before !
1997 ... admittedly the version of Julie Covington dating from 1976 will undoubtedly remain the best known version but the version delivered here is almost worth the original. We can only salute the performance !
1997 ... once again the finesse and the lightness will not bring her more than that. She will have known its biggest underperformance on titles very smooth, cruel paradox ...
1998 ... the title of the resurrection ! She delivers here an absolutely amazing title, with certain darkness but with extraordinary lyricism. A title which places her directly in the very closed square of the greatest artists of the moment at the planetary level. Here, we almost touch the MASTERPIECE !
1998 ... a resurrection which is confirmed with this title. The singer has found her best level and you can hear it. The level of success achieved during this year 1998 shows in a dazzling way that we will still have to count on the singer in the years to come !
1998 ... the 'little' hit of the year. And again, a 'small' hit for her is a Top hit for 99 % of the competition. It all depends on where we put the cursor as we say ...
1998 ... another year with 4 World Class titles, one more ! The end of the decade sees the singer at the top of her form and we suspect that she does not intend to stop there. The following decade will vividly prove it ...
1999 ... the exception that makes the rule. This year 1999 will have only 2 titles, an extremely rare fact concerning her. But what matters is the quality of the songs. And again, there is nothing to complain about !
1999 ... she already has 2 decades at the highest peak of success and fame. And the following decade will add a third. But that's another story...
2000 ... at each change of decade we tell ourselves that she will not be able to go higher than the previous decade and that she will inevitably decline in the years to come. It is very bad to know her because this decade of 2000 will quite simply consecrate her definitively as one of the greatest singers of all time !
2000 ... we thought she had definitely reached the top of the world but she will prove to us with this title that she was able to go and win the moon ! Here, she obtains one of her biggest enormous successes in the world and reminds the competition that despite her 42 years, she is still the Patron Saint !
2000 ... especially that she puts another layer behind ! Three titles in this year 2000 and three more mega hits to add to a prize list which already has ten and ten. But how far will she go...?
2001 ... only one title on the clock this year but one more title which will reach the summits just like those which preceded it. An incredible ability to constantly adapt to the latest trends which will be and always will remain its main strength !
2002 ... another single-title year, something to which she had hardly accustomed us two years in a row. But once again, she still manages to shatter everything with disconcerting ease. It must be said that being part of the soundtrack of a James Bond really simplifies the task !
2003 ... she eased off somewhat during the 2 previous years but finished laughing and back to serious things. This year 2003 will be a year of 5 titles, just that ...
2003 ... the competition once again attends its total control over the female musical world and can only chomp on the brakes while waiting for better days. For the moment nothing, nor nobody, is able to counter the singer and it will last a few more years. There is her - again - and the others ...
2003 ... Britney Spears is 22 and Madonna twice as much. When the young generation meets the Legend, it gives this kind of title. And inevitably the result can only be up to par. And he is !
2003 ... as always, it is on the titles a little softer that the general public takes down somewhat. He is so used to seeing her systematically create an event on the Dance side that it disturbs him to see her change register ...
2003 ... this does not prevent her from finishing 2003 in style with this title. A year 2003 which saw her maintain herself at a level of excellence which literally sickened the competition ...
2005 ... slight air gap in 2004 and here she is back in this year 2005 in a form that we will qualify...as exceptional given the feat she will achieve on this title. Because daring to tackle the mythical 'Gimme, gimme, gimme' by ABBA dating from 1979 is a crazy gamble and yet she will make its revisited version a monument of modernity and efficiency. PHE-NO-ME-NAL !
2006 ... 2005 will have counted only one title but what a title ! The year 2006 will count a little more but we suspect that it is literally impossible to match the previous jewel as the bar has been set high but this title will do more than well ...
2006 ... one really wonders how she manages to maintain such a level of efficiency and inspiration. Each title that she releases is each time of a formidable effectiveness and it lasts as for years. What am I saying, decades !
2006 ... the exception that makes the rule. It very rarely happens to her to have titles which will know a normal level of success but it will be the case for this one. But still no need to worry about her when you see what is looming on the horizon ...
2007 ... we will still put aside this year 2007 because only one title on the clock and which will only know a very limited level of success. We will especially focus on the enormous sequel to come ...
2008 ... and the enormous sequel, here it is ! This time, she will play it with several people and well will take her when we see the level of incredible success reached by this title. It must be said that given the quality of the casting, we suspected that the result would shatter everything. And this is necessarily the case !
2008 ... she multiplies associations of very large caliber. Who will dare to refuse the singer to share the poster with her, not many people that is certain because each time, it is full box on the Charts side !
2008 ... a year 2008 which ends quietly with a new star to add to its prize list. Certainly this star will shine a little less than the others but everything is good to take as they say ...
2009 ... especially since it starts again with fanfare behind ! A decade in 2000 which saw her walk on water on numerous occasions and which above all enabled her to once again show her omnipotence. Totally out of the ordinary this singer and this from all points of view !
2009 ... then, will this decade be the last or will we find her once again dominating the following decade ? It is the future that will tell us ...
2012 ... we will lose sight of her for 3 years but here she is again as planned ! She never gives up and intends to remain the boss during this new decade. Competition is prevented ...
2012 ... so far, everything is going as planned and no one is able to compete with her yet at this point. We must still remember that she is going to be 54 years old this year, hard to believe given her state of form, to say the least, bluffing ...
2012 ... and as always, it is on the softer songs that the general public will see elsewhere. This will once again be the proof with this title, a title which however is far from unworthy. Sometimes you don't have to try to understand ...
2012 ... definitely, times are getting harder and harder for the Star. Even on Dance titles the public starts to drop out. What's happening...?
2014 ... suddenly she prefers to breathe during the year 2013 to better come back to 2014. Well she takes it since she manages to come back directly to the head of the race with this title. Phew ...
2015 ... more than 30 years of career on the clock and still there ! The adventure continues as she sees fit and above all in an almost interrupted manner, a real feat, to say the least !
2015 ... a youthful spirit which will always remain one of its main assets even if sometimes it borders on caricature. Because playing the midinettes when you are over 50 years old is not an easy thing...
2015 ... the perfect alignment of the planets that she knew from her beginnings is gradually disappearing. It seems that everything is not going so smoothly in the Madonna galaxy anymore and this is only the beginning ...
2019 ... this is the first time that the singer finds herself in this posture. That is to say faced with a level of success which brings her back to the same level as the competition. A first...
2019 ... she will multiply the partnerships but it will not bring her more than that. It starts with a good feeling to want to push the song with the young generation but suddenly the young audience does not find it. And neither do the base fans ...
2019 ... would we be at the dawn of the end of Queen Madonna's coronation, good question ? But with her you have to know that nothing is ever over. Who knows what she has in store for the next decade ...
2019 ... this title will allow her to save the furniture a little. We suspected that she was not going to let it be like that and disappear without reacting. It is now done !
2020 ... here she is in its 5th decade of career but for the moment the start of the decade is somewhat sluggish. Let's give her time to adapt ...
2020 ... it is clear that the year 2020 will not remain as its best vintage and yet she is showing goodwill, it is clear. Could it be the tastes of the public that have changed ? Maybe, maybe not. To be continued ...
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