An impressive body of work despite it all

She turns 50 tomorrow and is still as famous and popular – possibly more so – than she was 25 years ago when she first burst onto the scene.

She's also quite possibly the most famous person in the world (sorry, Britney).

In between consolidating her decades-long role as Queen of Pop, she has dabbled in movies (with various degrees of success), husbands (two to date), children (two of her own and one rescued from Africa), books for children (quite popular with the yummy mummy set) and adults (remember the scanddalous Sex), directing (verdict still out) and running a record company (she signed Alanis Morissette – a good or bad move depending on your taste in music and "ironic" lyrics).

A winner of nine Grammy awards and one of the world's leading live performers, she has made numerous award-winning music videos that shaped the genre, appeared on stage in plays (in London and New York).

A champion of various religions (Catholicism and Kabbalahist), she has popularised pilates, yoga and aerobics, is a major promoter of human rights and has created fashion shortages at various times (bangles, leotards and cone-shaped bras).

She is described, probably correctly, as not only one of the richest women in the world, but one of the most ambitious.

But lest we forget, Madonna Louise Veronica Ritchie (nee Ciccone) became famous in the first place for her music. Here's how to cherrypick your way through a musical career that's now spanned some 25 years of hits, history and hairdos.


- Madonna (1983): Fresh and funky and possibly black on the inside, Madonna invents electro disco soul pop
Download: Holiday, Borderline, Lucky Star

- Like A Virgin (1984) Chic producer Nile Rodgers polishes Mads' glossy tunes to make them shiny and new
Download: Like A Virgin, Material Girl, Angel

- True Blue (1986) Mads co-produces and surprises with gripping tales about abortion, locks/keys & remorse
Download: Open Your Heart, Live To Tell, Papa Don't Preach

- Who's That Girl (1987): Only four tracks on the soundtrack are by Madge, but it's four times better than the film
Download: Who's That Girl, The Look of Love, Can't Stop

- Like A Prayer (1989): Post-divorce she promises to try/ keep it together, making her first true artistic statement
Download: Like A Prayer, Express Yourself, Cherish

- I'm Breathless (1990): Odd mix "inspired" by her role in Dick Tracy, with standoutVogue tacked on the end. Phew!
Download: Vogue, Something To Remember, Sooner Or Later

- The Immaculate Collection (1990): Forget her first dance mix album, 1987's dated You Can Dance, and get this. Now!
Download: Everything, even the Vogue-lite Rescue Me

- Erotica (1992) Overwhelmed by her Sex project, this is a lush house-driven set that needed major pruning
Download: Erotica, Deeper and Deeper, Fever

- Bedtime Stories (1994): Back to her black roots with (then) state-of-the-chart R'n'B and a spooky Björk offering.
Download: Secret, Take A Bow, Bedtime Story

- Something To Remember (1995): A collection of her best ballads, plus three ace newies, including one with Massive Attack
Download: I Want You, One More Chance, You'll See

- Evita (1996): The Andrew Lloyd-Webber/Tim Rice musical that won her a Golden Globe – for acting!
Download: Don't Cry For Me Argentina, Buenos Aires, You Must Love Me 

- Ray Of Light (1998): Her next magnus opus, which made introspective electronica fit for hits
Download: A blissfully mad yoga chant aside (Shanti/ Ashtangi), it's good shoppers

- Music (2000): Jumping the pond from London to Paris, a timely hip set for the bourgeoisie and the rebel
Download: Music, Don't Tell Me, What It Feels Like For A Girl

- GHV2 (2001): Her second real compilation covering 1990-2000, but with no new tracks or cover shot!
Download: All of it… if you haven't cherrypicked the last five albums yet

- American Life (2003): Her musical nadir felt put together in four minutes, between writing children's books
Download: AYOR (i.e. at your own risk)

- Confessions On A Dance Floor (2005): Cannily resurrected Mads as a disco mama with saucy hits galore in garish pink leotards
Download: Everything, except Push, Isaac and How High

- Hard Candy (2008): Fusing R'n'B with her early 80s sound makes Mads Queen of Reinvention again
Download: Miles Away, Heartbeat, Give It To Me

(Planet Syndication)

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