Cultural impact of Madonna

American singer-songwriter Madonna (b. 1958) has had a social-cultural impact on the world through her recordings, attitude, clothing and lifestyle since her early career in the 1980s. Madonna has built a legacy that goes beyond music and has been studied by sociologists, historians and other social scientists.[1][2][3] This contributed to the rise of the Madonna studies, an academic and critical response dedicated to her work and persona for which Madonna's semiotic and image was diversified in a wide-ranging of theoretical stripe from feminism to queer studies among others. In addition to becoming an icon in many of these fields, Madonna is commonly typified as an archetype, precursor or the most visible example in numerous concepts and themes, from both inside and outside the music industry and for which other authors coined idiomatic expressions or terms after Madonna noting her effects.

Called a "major 'historical figure'" by academic Camille Paglia, Madonna attained the status of a "cultural icon" as was noted by cultural theorists or sociologists like Stuart Sim and Suzanna Danuta Walters. Frenchman scholar Georges-Claude Guilbert attributed her a greater cultural significance and proposed the singer as a postmodern myth. Madonna, which also gained a cult status amongst different audiences according to professor Sheila Jeffreys, has been called a Gesamtkunstwerk herself. Her critical reception, alongside her media coverage made Madonna one of the most "well-documented figures of the modern age". Both Madonna's references and impact are found —but not limited to— in the arts, literature, cinema, music and even science.

A subject of diverse listicles, Madonna achieved a high-profile of being referred with superlatives in her entire career from virtually all-areas that her work was analyzed in both negative and positive ways. As a premier example, scholars such as Frances Negrón-Muntaner, Robert M. Grant or Guilbert have seen and discussed how the singer was conspicuously referred "the most famous woman" on the planet, while writer Matt Cain expressed she is "one of the most famous women ever to have lived".

From a musical perspective and despite Madonna's music played a second place in scholarship analysis, she has been discussed with euphemism by multiple international authors as the "greatest" woman in music or arguably the most "influential" female artist in history. A large group of critics have retrospectively credited her presence, success and contributions with paving the way for female artists (as well she transcended gender) and changing the music scene for women in music —most notorious for dance and pop stages—with Billboard staff saying that "the history of pop music can essentially be divided into two eras: pre-Madonna and post-Madonna". In terms of record sales, Madonna is regarded as the best-selling woman in music history recognized by Guinness World Records since the late 20th-century. She is often called an influence by other artists.

Madonna, seen here on her Rebel Heart Tour (2015). An international array of intellectuals have noted the continued Madonna's cultural influence and legacy in the 20th and 21st centuries.
An oil painting of Madonna. For authors like academic Camille Paglia, she has become in a historical figure.[4]
Madonna's influence has been far-reaching that infiltrated in everyday life forms as dreams, as was documented by numerous agents. In this vein, many authors including folklorists have compared her at some point with Lilith (depicted in the image)
Exemplified alongside Coca-Cola as one of the two most visible sings of globalization, the terms "Madonnization" and "the Madonna economy" emerged as similar concepts of Cocacolonization and McDonaldization but using Madonna as a paragon.[b]
A wax figure of Madonna in Mexico depicted with the flag of the United States and a provocative style.
Marcel Danesi professor of semiotics and linguistic, cited that the word icon (of religion origin) was used in celebrity culture for the first time to describe Madonna
Madonna expressing her support to the Russian feminist group, Pussy Riot during The MDNA Tour.
Madonna at 2017 Women's March.
As she played a major role of underwear as outerwear fad, is believed that Madonna's MTV VMA 1984 performance marked the first time an artist's underwear was seen on stage (or live)[137]
In the eyes of multiple observers, Madonna's sexuality has been a point of change for the role of women in music
Madonna during the Blond Ambition World Tour. Her conical corset designed by Jean Paul Gaultier is one of her most emulated outfits.[163] To Tim Blanks Madonna in her Gaultier cone bra "is one of the most unforgettable images of the entire decade (the 1990s)".[164]
Madonna most common scales in her songs, as of 2015.
Regardless her music played a second place for many, numerous observers have praised Madonna's musical influence and versatility despite becoming a musician was never been her initial aspirations
Madonna is also noted for her performances and lyrics that includes political messages. In the image, singer tied in an electric chair interpreting "Lament"
Typically, Madonna is credited to creating the modern concert tours in numerous ways. Including as a theatrical spectacle in which the female music artist is placed centre stage.[133][100]
Brazilian singer Rodrigo Sá, holding a magazine in which Madonna cover appears for Q magazine.
A world map showing countries where Madonna has put her feet with her concerts and other visits like humanitarian causes as of 2021.[f]
bell hooks (pictured) focused her study on Madonna with her relationship of black audiences. To art historian John A. Walker this caused many women of colour to dislike Madonna.[242]
Authors have often commented Madonna's appropriation of Black, Asian (pictured) or Latin culture.
The fascination of Madonna for the Latino culture ranges from wearing outfits like traje de luces (above) to dating men like Brazilian model Jesus Luz (below).
Madonna depicted as the Vitruvian Man in a fan art. Its creator is the first winner of Madonna's art project "Art for Freedom".[251][252]
Madonna supported fan art in her Rebel Heart Tour in its shows backdrops. Some of them, became part of an art exhibition in Italy.[270]
A scene from Madonna & Basquiat, a 2019 ShowTime series based in their relationship
Madonna at her Sticky & Sweet Tour, skipping rope and using backdrops of childlike animations in the style of Keith Haring, a plastic artist and Madonna's friend.
With over 300 million record sales worldwide, she is certified as the best-selling woman in music history by Guinness World Records.[299]
Upon her debut, critics predicted Cyndi Lauper (pictured) as an enduring successful singer and Madonna an ephemeral commercial gadget. In her journey, authors attributed Madonna to change things such actions that didn't presage the end of a career
Data journalist, Clara Guibourg from BBC remarked in her 2018 article many Madonna's statistics including her net worth.[324]
Logo of her Like a Prayer era. Madonna's brand has been widespread analyzed by numerous agents, given to her credit of a near-singular position
In the height of her career, Madonna's figure influenced the stock of WarnerMedia and had the 20 to 33 percent of all record sales in the company.
A Madonna billboard of her 2019 album, Madame X.
More than anyone, Madonna is typically credited to popularize the Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah both in Western world and mainstream culture
Varied sources, including art magazines and art historians, commented that Madonna played an important role in bringing Frida Kahlo (photo) and its "Fridamania" into the world's popular culture and collection
Colombian activist Íngrid Betancourt (after the Operation Emmanuel), then president of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Madonna in 2008.
Madonna performing "Human Nature", known as an "answer song" to her critics who had panned her provocative image in the early-1990s
Madonna seen by her Londoner audience of her Rebel Heart Tour in 2015
Madonna on the cover of Music Connection, issued March 1985.
Madonna in an interview with MTV International in April 2019.
Madonna and Nathan Rissman at the premiere of I Am Because We Are at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
Madonna is one of the first performers in history to juxtapose religion and sexuality
Madonna as part of The Wall of Fame at Legoland Windsor Resort, England. Her fame and stardom were the subject of intellectual responses and at one time appreciated for the impact on fields like feminism.
Perhaps more than any other period of her career, in the years 1989–1993 she was frequently deemed as the most famous women on the planet.
Madonna's image and identity have been extensively debated among cultural scholars. To a great extent many of them have asking "Who's That Girl"?.
Madonna's physicality was compared to a Roman statue or a renaissance image.
A Madonna gif displaying numerous of her styles. More than anyone else before, Madonna's reinvention linked patterns that were previously seen as incompatible (e,g religion/sexuality or subculture/mainstream)
Madonna at ages 50 and 32 (from top to bottom). Her physical fitness in daily basis and tours has been positively remarked by multiple authors and specialists.[477] This image has also had an impact beyond her own figure.
Madonna is one of the first female public figures ever to present ambition, power and strength into one empowering package according to American author Rene Denfeld[483]
Madonna aged 57. Madonna's concerts usually demands a high level of aerobic athletic fitness and high-energy choreography.[i] While she received praises by this over her career, it garnered more as she turned older.
Rihanna told the press in 2007 that she wanted to be the "Black Madonna".[521]
Madonna drew censure and criticism from politicians to world's religious leaders such as Vladimir Putin, Pope John Paul II and Yitzhak Kaduri (from left to right). The singer as well has criticized many of these leaders.
A protest from religious sympathizers against Madonna in Poland for her Sticky & Sweet Tour.
Aside comparisons with other mythical feminine monsters, she was called as a "modern Medusa" by some academics in the 1990s.[41] In the image, Madonna depicted as Medusa.
The Islamic State banned her name and classified both her music and performances as haram.[558][559]
Academic Lynn Spigel noted that Madonna is a "producer of cultural ambiguity and openness".[433]
As she received criticism from politicians and religious leaders, Madonna also has criticized them publicly in her performances or speeches
Madonna at thrones
Madonna has been frequently described as a "queen" of many things...
...she has also been called many things from both negative and favorable
A political cartoon by Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff inspired in the protests against the announcement of her performance at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019.