Madonna Louis Ciccone, known as the “Queen of Pop,” has gained recognition as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. Madonna is known for pushing the boundaries of songwriting in mainstream admired music and for the imagery she portrays onstage and in music videos. She has repeatedly reinvented her music and image while upholding autonomy within the recording business. Although having ignited controversy, her works have been celebrated by music critics. Madonna is often named as an inspiration by other artists.
During Madonna’s undergraduate years at the University of Michigan, she was awarded a six-week scholarship to study with the Alvin Ailey American Dance theater in New York City, followed by a rare opportunity to perform alongside choreographer Pearl Lang. With the influence of her dance instructor, Madonna decided to drop out of college after completing only two years of college, and move to New York City to further her dance career. Once in the Big Apple, Madonna paid her expenses with numerous odd jobs, which included serving at the Russian Tea Room, nude art modeling, and performing at the American Dance Center.1
In 1979, Madonna started dating one of the founding members of the pop-punk band The Breakfast Club, Dan Gilroy. It was through her relationship with Gilroy that Madonna found what she loved to do, which was the combination of singing and performing. She later joined Gilroy’s band as a drummer, and then became the lead singer. Over the next several years, Madonna started several small bands, including Madonna & the Sky, The Millionaires, and Emmy. In 1981, Madonna decided to go solo and hired her manager Camille Barbone.2
It was Madonna’s manager that initially helped Madonna score her first solo. Camille helped Madonna put together a studio band that allowed Madonna to come up with her hip style. Stephan Bray, a friend and musician in her band, wrote her first hit song, “Everybody.” Madonna used her talent to get New York music producer Mark Kamins to produce it. Through Kamins, Madonna was able to score a record deal with Sire Records, which led to “Everybody” hitting number 1 on the dance charts in 1982.
Using the song’s success as leverage, Madonna was able to convince Sire Records to produce her whole album Madonna. This first album had a slow but steady success. Soon girls all across the world started imitating Madonna’s style, which indulged fishnets, fingerless gloves, lace lingerie, and large crucifix necklaces. The album’s success also landed her an appearance on Dick Clark’s show where she shared her main ambition: to rule the world.
Madonna’s determination led to a second album, which included one of her most controversial songs, “Like a Virgin,” which sparked much criticism, but it also made a lot of people notice Madonna. The song “Like a Virgin” was not originally written for Madonna, or any female singer for that matter. The song was inspired by Billy Steinberg’s own personal experiences. Through the process of creating the song, Billy took the song to Tom Kelly, his writing partner, where they decided that this song was a sensitive ballad and they weren’t quite sure what kind of artist this song was suitable for. It wasn’t until Kelly’s meeting with Michael Ostin from Warner Brothers the following day that they decided that this song was the perfect fit for Madonna.3
When they initially played the song for Madonna, she absolutely loved it. She felt that this was a perfect fit for her. “I liked them both because they were ironic and provocative at the same time, but also unlike me. I am not a materialistic person, and I certainly wasn’t a virgin, and, by the way, how can you be like a virgin? I liked the play on words, I thought they were clever. They’re so geeky, they’re cool,” Madonna responded when they asked her opinion on both the songs “Material Girl” and “Like a Virgin.”4
Madonna performed “Like a Virgin” at the first MTV music award in 1984. This moment was thought of as one of the “first major reinventions” where Madonna went from a punk brunette to a blonde standing on top of a wedding cake. In Madonna’s MTV performance, she appeared on top of a wedding cake, wearing a wedding gown, a “boy toy” belt buckle and a veil. However, this was not what caused controversy. It was Madonna’s rolling, humping, underwear-showing performance that really sparked controversy. Madonna’s performance started with the lines “Like a virgin touched for the very first time.” Everyone in the crowd watched her pale, mouth opened expressions, including her manager.
Everyone’s immediate reaction after Madonna’s performance was that her career was over and so was MTV’s. People came up to Madonna’s publicist telling her how her career was essentially over. Even her own manager believed this. However, this performance had quite the opposite effect. It essentially cemented her status as a provocateur.5 Later, when Madonna was asked her initial response to her “career being over,” she said that she didn’t feel like she had lost anything because to her she didn’t have a career yet, so it didn’t matter.
It was performances like this that have essentially made Madonna who she is today, an icon. Madonna is known to steal the show wherever she goes. She is known for being fearless and breaking boundaries. Madonna is provocative and sexy and that is what she will always be. Throughout her career, she has caused great controversy with her actions, but isn’t that why we know and love her?
- Rolling Stone, ed., Madonna The Rolling Stone Files ( New York: Rolling Stone Press, 1997), 1-40. ↵
- Austin Scaggs, “Madonna Looks Back: The Rolling Stone Interview,” Rolling Stone (website), October 29, 2009, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/madonna-looks-back-the-rolling-stone-interview-197575/. ↵
- Sal Cinquemani, “Through the Years: Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” at 30,” Slant Magazine (website), September 11, 2014, https://www.slantmagazine.com/news/through-the-years-madonnas-like-a-virgin-at-30/. ↵
- Austin Scaggs, “Madonna Looks Back: The Rolling Stone Interview,” Rolling Stone (website), October 29, 2009, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/madonna-looks-back-the-rolling-stone-interview-197575/. ↵
- Tom Mantzouranis, “The Inside Story of How The First MTV VMA’s Created A Tradition Of Making Censors Sweat,” Uproxx (website), August 28, 2015, https://uproxx.com/music/mtv-vmas-1984-madonna-like-a-virgin-michael-jackson-thriller/. ↵
33 comments
Berenice Alvarado
I have honestly never hear any of Madonna’s songs. I enjoyed reading this article because it talks about her career and how many people didn’t like her. The part that I loved was when they asked her about her career being over and she hit them with “I didn’t have a career yet” which I bet really inspired people to do what they most desire. I liked that after all she is known for her controversy and nothing stops her.
Amanda Shoemaker
This article was a little surprising to me. I never knew that Madonna didn’t write her own music. I also never knew that ‘Like a virgin’ wasn’t originally written for a woman. Obviously, I’ve always known who Madonna was, but I never knew much about her. This article gave me some insight into how she dropped out of college to pursue dancing and singing. Following her dreams led her to become the best selling female recording of all time.
Destiny Lucero
I know Madonna is known for controversy and her provocative image, but I didn’t realize how she started out, with many bands. I also didn’t realize that her two hit songs weren’t written by or originally for her. I often sing along to those two songs anytime I hear the hits! I would of not thought for a second that her career was being tested or threatened to be over. She definitely is a show stopper and that is why is an icon. She made the right decision in dropping out for her career to be an icon. She still has questionable life choices today, like dating a guy who is 36 years younger than her.
Vanessa Barron Ortiz
The amount of information I was able to learn from this article is astounding. I have always known that Mandana was a really famous person know for stealing the show, but I didn’t know that for the bigging part of her career she was not seen as a performer. People just thought of her as a joke until her performance at MTV’s Award show. She was able to break through barriers to become a trailblazer for women to come into the music industry.
Kennedy Arcos
This article was very interesting because I honestly did not know anything about Madonna’s history. She is definitely an icon and has impacted so many people! I really appreciate how she took risks and became such a big role model to many. Although I have never really listened to any of her music, she seems to have deserved the title she was given as the Queen of Pop.
Eliane Castorena
I have only heard the song “Like a Virgin” maybe once or twice and did not think much of it, but now that I have read your article I can see why it caused so much controversy when it first came out. I have always known that Madonna is a music icon, but I never knew why. The fact that she went out and performed “Like a Virgin” in the first ever MTV Music Awards and caused such a revolutionary effect on music performances already makes her an idol. Her road to success is truly admirable and it only shows how strong and dedicated women are.
Arsema Abera
To be honest I have never heard a song of Madonna’s in my life but am quite familiar with her clothing line material girl. The article gives a great insight into Madonna’s career beginnings and how she struggled to become an artist. Her style her confidence, her fearlessness, and her risk-taking quality is what made her stand out the most from the industry, and made her earn the name Queen of pop.
David Castaneda Picon
I think I have never listened a Madonna’s song in my life, nether have I listened a story of her before, but I know that people refer to her as the “queen of pop”. After reading this article I can see why she is a big name in the music industry. Madonna is clearly a role model, she is just different, not being afraid and taking risk in what she does is what defines her, and I think that is the reason she have inspired so many people.
Nelly Perez
There were only a few songs I have heard from her, but never really listened to all her albums. I have heard of Material Girl and liked that Madonna had a way of music making. The way she performed “Like A Virgin” sparked reactions from everyone and she thought her career was over, but at least it turned things around.
Ana Cravioto Herrero
I was not aware of Madonna’s history and it is so interesting! Madonna is such an important name in music and she has definitely made an impact that will remain forever. It is clear that she is a really big risk taker, but most of her risk have paid off as we now know. I love that she has inspired many woman, and she is a very strong, feminine role model for many.