Before Beyonce and Taylor Swift’s era, few female music stars reinvented the music industry with visual appearances, dynamic music production and unrivalled vocals like Madonna. The influence of the Queen of Pop, as she was fondly referred to by fans worldwide, extends beyond her music and flamboyant style.
She rose through her childhood vulnerability, losing her mother to breast cancer at age five and controversies to leave an indelible mark not just on the world of music but entertainment as a whole. Since bursting onto the scene with her self-titled album ‘Madonna’ in the early 80s, she never stopped impressing entertainment lovers with her style and image. Along with 300 million albums sold, 3 Grammy awards and over $ 1.31 billion earned from tours, Madonna endeared herself to many as a symbol of sexuality and empowerment.
To celebrate the music icon, let’s review the ways she impacted and changed the music landscape.
Pushing for Gender Equality With Songs and Voice
Madonna became one of the loudest and most powerful voices of the 20th century on gender equality. She maximises her platform to advocate for rights and expressions of women’s sexuality unapologetically. She never held back from challenging the notions of women submitting and being passive. Madonna’s message to women to seize control of their lives and take their destinies into their own hands was exemplified in songs like “Human Nature” and “Express Nature”.
Modern women still use these songs and her interviews as empowerment tools. Madonna set the tone for promoting women’s inclusivity and recognition in the music industry. She laid down a marker on how female artists should be treated and broke barriers against women in an industry controlled by men. She showed women how to be powerful in an industry and celebrate their bodies alongside their talents. Though it came at the expense of backlash, Madonna successfully challenged society’s expectations of women, and new, influential female artists are still following her template.
Reinvention of the Concept of Being a Celebrity
Way before Instagram simplified the concept of personal branding, Madonna was ahead of the curve. As expected, she is making the same wave, if not more, on the image-sharing app as the Millennial and Gen-Z music stars. Her 1992 Sex book, a collection of sensual and aesthetic photos of her, exemplifies her early idea of self-branding.
She dived into fashion and collaborated with the top designers, including Jean Paul Gaultier, the designer responsible for the iconic cone bras. Her partnership with her long-term dermatologist also gave birth to a luxurious makeup line, MDNA. The Queen of Pop was a fixture on fashion shows, magazines and runways, forging the path for divas like Beyonce, Shakira and Rihanna. No one can overlook Madonna’s influence in Pop culture for almost four decades.
| Pop Culture | Madonna’s Influence |
| Music | Released several top chatting catchy tunes like ‘Material Girl’ and ‘Like a Virgin’ Delivered electrifying and memorable stage performances |
| Fashion | Made fashion statements with mini skirts and gap jeans Appeared on the covers of many fashion magazines Collaborated with Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, Rick Owens and Olivier Theyskens |
| Social Activism | Advocated for Feminism, LGBTQ rights, children’s rights, equality, HIV/AIDS awareness |
| Movies | Featured in several movies in the 80s and 90s, including ‘Dick Tracy’ and ‘Shanghai Surprise’ Acted in multiple award-winning movies ‘Evita’ |
| Charity | Supports over 30 charities and 29 causes |
Setting a New Bar for Modern Tours
Even though Madonna does not consider herself the best singer or dancer, she perfected the art of getting and keeping people’s attention with her performance. Madonna instantly proved herself to be meant for big stages with her 1985 Virgin Tour, initially planned for theatres. Her legendary showmanship, which would captivate the audience and provoke the critics for decades, was immediately evident.
From the moment she appeared in the skin-showing wedding dress and ‘Boy Toy’ belt to perform ‘Like a Virgin’ at the MTV awards show in September 1984, Madonna has always been a big risk, big reward performer. Throughout the years, she combined stunning costumes with high-impact entrances, snappy dance moves and decent delivery of glorious pop songs.
In essence, Madonna set a new bar for the visually dull live performances of the late 80s. She proved to be a master of holding the audience spellbound for every second of her performance with theatrics never seen before. Madonna created a contemporary pop spectacle, apparent in the live performances of songstresses like:
- Miley Cyrus
- Katy Perry
- Beyonce
- Taylor Swift
Revolutionising the Modern Music Video Industry
The early history of MTV can only be completed with the mention of Madonna’s audacious artistry and thematic boldness. She was the trailblazer of cinematic music videos and pushed the boundaries of societal norms and expectations. With her videos, she reshaped narratives and pre-existing cultural imagery.
Not the one to shy away from controversies and backlashes, Madonna explored her artistry to the fullest without fear. For instance, her controversial “Like a Prayer’ sparked unprecedented global disapproval for using religious imagery, pushing MTV into a mature content category.
Madonna’s unconventional visual storytelling earns her other reactions other than criticisms. She sometimes touched on societal issues that won her admiration, even from her critics. The video of Papa Don’t Preach tells a story of teenage pregnancy. ‘Ray of Light’ video reflected the personal expression of her journey into adoption and adulthood. In essence, Madonna boldly expresses herself open-mindedly in several of her cinematic masterpieces. Love or hate her, she revolutionised music videos. With her audacity, music videos became tools for societal changes, not just entertaining images.
Helping the Marginalised With Her Music and Brand
While Madonna was most outspoken about women’s rights and sexuality, she lent her voice to other societal issues and advocated for marginalised people. As with most of her endeavours, she took the front seat in her activism and advocacy, even when other celebrities were scared and playing it safe.
Madonna became the mouthpiece of people living with AIDS as early as the 1980s during the first epidemic in NY. To educate people about AIDS, She left a leaflet titled “The Facts About AIDS” in every copy of the 1989 album ‘Like a Prayer’. She also started championing the rights of LGBT people at the peak era of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Madonna unapologetically admitted to having abortions at a time when many wouldn’t dare mention the word.
In all, the self-acclaimed ‘Material Girl’ has proven to be more than that and back her words with actions. She supported several organisations, including:
- American Foundation for AIDS Research
- BID 2 BEAT AIDS
- GLAAD
- Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
- Every Mother Counts
- Charity Projects Entertainment Fund
- Save the Children
- Ray of Light Foundation
- Treatment Action Campaign
- Raising Malawi
- UN Millennium Project
These days, many celebrities speak out, identify with and support different marginalised groups in their music and interviews—no little thanks to the boldness of Madonna.
Championing Age Inclusivity
Compared to many music stars like Ariana Grande, Beyonce and Birtney Spears, who had their first hits while still teenagers, Madonna attained stardom at 25. Not the one to tell what to do or get age-shamed, the Queen of Pop never “Acted her age” as critics and the public advised. Her resolve to fight back ageism gave her almost four-decade-long longevity. She stayed relevant longer than icons of the 80s like Prince, George Micheal and Whitney Houston, who became famous at much younger ages.
As expected, the age-discriminatory remarks won’t disappear, especially as the entertainment goddess hits 65. Trust her not to back down, even as jabs about her looks and age intensify. She hit back during her acceptance speech for the 2016 Women of the Year award, “People say I’m controversial, but I think the most controversial thing I have ever done is to stick around”.
With her resolve and strong voice against ageism, she had succeeded in raising the age cut-off of artists by at least a decade.
Final Thoughts
The barrage of attacks and mockery notwithstanding, the influence of her madgesty on the music and entertainment landscaper can never be overstated. Every decade witnessed its share of trailblazers. Artists in the mould of David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Donna Summer and Debbie Harry set the path in the 70s.
Madonna, along with Whitney Houston, George Michael and Janet Jackson, were among the groundbreakers of the 80s. Nearly 40 years later, Madonna Louise Ciccone has etched her name as a true music icon with a template for current and future generations.