Timeline : Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone is born in Bay City, Michigan. Shortening her name to a mononym, she becomes the best-selling female singer of all time.More
Madonna, 15, goes to her first concert: David Bowie at Cobo Arena in Detroit. "I recognized myself in him somehow and he gave me license to dream a different future for myself," she says.
MTV goes on the air, bringing music videos to the masses - at least the ones with cable.More
Madonna releases her first album. The self-titled debut doesn't burn up the charts and is derided by Rolling Stone (which calls her voice "irritating as hell"), but gets traction in dance clubs, setting the stage for her breakout second album, Like A Virgin.
Madonna makes her first appearance on American Bandstand. When asked by Dick Clark about her ambitions (blonde or otherwise), the singer replies: "To rule the world."
Backstage after the Duran Duran show at Madison Square Garden, producer Nile Rodgers introduces the band to a young artist he's working with: Madonna.
At the very first MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna performs "Like A Virgin" in a white wedding gown accessorized by her famous "Boy Toy" belt.More
Madonna stars in the movie Desperately Seeking Susan alongside Rosanna Arquette.
Madonna begins her first tour, the Virgin Tour, in Seattle. Her opening act is a petulant, little-known white rap trio called the Beastie Boys, which gets booed throughout their set.
Madonna's "Crazy For You," written for the movie Vision Quest, hits #1 in the US.
The low-budget independent film A Certain Sacrifice, starring Madonna, is released on home video to capitalize on the pop star's fame. It was filmed five years earlier but was never released in theaters.
Madonna stars in the movie Shanghai Surprise, which bombs at the box office and is pilloried by critics. The film is produced by George Harrison's production company, HandMade Films. He says of the star, "She doesn't have a sense of humor, which is unfortunate, because it was a comedy."
Madonna hits #1 in the US with her Spanglish ("Quien es esta nina?") hit "Who's That Girl." It's the title song to a movie starring Madonna that doesn't fare nearly as well.
Christmas songs get a modern makeover with the all-star compilation A Very Special Christmas, featuring Whitney Houston's "Do You Hear What I Hear?," Madonna's "Santa Baby" and an original song from Run-D.M.C., "Christmas in Hollis." Proceeds from the album go to the Special Olympics.More
George Michael and Madonna are "honored" at the 8th Golden Raspberry Awards, where the former Wham! singer takes Worst Original Song for "I Want Your Sex," the #2 hit featured in Beverly Hills Cop II, and Madonna is named Worst Actress for her role as Nikki Finn in Who's That Girl. It's Madge's second consecutive win in the category, having landed the prize the year before for her role in Shanghai Surprise.
A day after the song debuts in a 2-minute Pepsi commercial, the video for Madonna's "Like A Prayer" hits MTV and causes an uproar.More
"Like A Prayer" becomes the first hit song to debut in a commercial when it is used in a 2-minute Pepsi ad starring Madonna.More
Despite (or thanks to) a generous heaping of controversy over its video where she dances in front of burning crosses, Madonna's "Like A Prayer" hits #1 in the US as the album also lands at the top spot, where it stays for six weeks. It's her third consecutive #1 album.
Madonna's "Vogue," a song about a dance popular in gay nightclubs where dancers "strike a pose" like fashion models, goes to #1 in America.
MTV bans the video for Madonna's "Justify My Love," which is too racy for the network. The singer responds by releasing the video on VHS, which sells over a million copies.
Madonna releases "Justify My Love," which stirs controversy when MTV bans the saucy video. The brouhaha piques interest in the song, which becomes her ninth #1 hit in the US.More
Madonna appears on the news program Nightline, where she debuts her video for "Justify My Love," which MTV has refused to play. As the lascivious clip plays, Madonna provides commentary, answering questions from host Forrest Sawyer.More
Madonna's "Justify My Love," a new song included on her compilation album The Immaculate Collection, goes to #1 in America, her ninth topper on the tally. The song, co-written by Lenny Kravitz, gets a lot of attention thanks to its video, which was banned by MTV and subsequently released on home video.
Michael Jackson escorts Madonna to the Academy Awards. "Sooner Or Later (I Always Get My Man)," which she sang for the movie Dick Tracy, wins for Best Original Song.
Madonna begins filming her "Erotica" video at The Kitchen in New York City.
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