Today is Madonna’s birthday. Born Madonna Louise Ciccone on this day August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan, American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Madonna was a leading presence during the emergence of MTV in the 1980.
Known for pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music, as well as visual imagery in music videos and live performances, Madonna has also frequently reinvented both her music and image while maintaining autonomy within the recording industry.
Madonna is recognized as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) listed her as the second highest-certified female artist in the United States, with 64.5 million album units.
According to Billboard, Madonna is the most successful solo act on the Hot 100 singles chart, overall second only to the Beatles. She is also the highest-grossing solo touring artist of all time, earning U.S. $1.31 billion from her concert tickets since 1990.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility, Madonna topped VH1’s countdown of 100 Greatest Women in Music. Additionally, Rolling Stone listed her among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
Madonna is also known by her roles in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996). While the latter earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, many of her other films received poor reviews.
Let’s all wish Madonna a Happy Birthday today.