One of the most popular teenage idols of the eighties, Madonna's mix of self-assertion and coquetry won her a following of millions of young women (the 'wanna-bes') and caused heated debate among their feminist elders. Having made her musical mark through the use of current disco styles, by the late eighties Madonna was seeking to develop a career in films, as a contemporary equivalent to Marilyn Monroe (which she didn't even come close to achieving).

Originally intending to become a dancer, she won a scholarship to the University of Michigan, moving to New York in 1978 and appearing with the modern-dance companies of Alvin Alley and Pearl Lange. After a brief period in Paris performing in the stage musical Born to Be Alive, Madonna turned to music, playing drums and singing with New York rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy with Steve Bray, who co-wrote some of her later recordings.

Signing to Sire in 1982, she cut Everybody and the Reggie Lucas-produced Burning Up in the current disco mode before the John 'Jellybean' Benitez-produced Holiday was first a dance-floor hit and then entered the Top Twenty in 1983. It was taken from the eponymous first album which included further hits in Borderline and Lucky Star (1984).

The title track of the Nile Rodgers-produced Like a Virgin (1985) introduced Madonna's sex-kitten image and went straight to No. 1, as did the next two singles, Material Girl and Crazy for You, from the soundtrack of Vision Quest. Into the Groove (1985) was the year's definitive party record but Madonna was also adding other dimensions to both her image and her music (Angel, Dress You Up, 1985), and becoming an international star. In 1985, she also had a critically acclaimed screen role in Desperately Seeking Susan.

True Blue (1986) was a best-seller in twenty-five countries; it too produced several hit singles, including Open Your Heart, Live to Tell, the defiant Papa Don't Preach (whose tale of teenage pregnancy cause widespread controversy), and the determinedly romantic La Isia Bonita. In 1986, the year her every move made news in the world's sensationalist press, she starred in the poorly received Shanghai Surprise with her husband Sean Penn. The film was produced by George Harrison Madonna's progress continued into 1987 with a triumphant world tour, a zany comedy role in the film Who's That Girl, and hits with its title song, Causing a Commotion (written with Bray) and The Look of Love, co-written with producer Patrick Leonard. In 1989 she returned with Like a Prayer whose controversial video for the title track (accused of sacrilege) caused Coca-Cola to withdraw its advertising contract with the artist. Nevertheless that song, Express Yourself and Cherish were massive international hits.

In 1990, she starred with Warren Beatty in the blockbuster movie Dick Tracy. Her Blond Ambition tour was documented in the movie, Truth Or Dare. Among her hits of the early 90s were Vogue, devoted to a short-lived dance craze, Hanky Panky, Justify My Love (co-written with Lenny Kravitz), Rescue Me, and This Used To Be My Playground.

In 1992 Madonna released Sex, an expensive soft-core pornographic book that featured hundreds of erotic photographs of herself, several models, and other celebrities. Sex received scathing reviews and enormous negative publicity. The accompanying album, Erotica, was her first album since her debut not to generate a number 1 US, although the album did sell over two million copies. Bedtime Stories, released in 1994 contained her biggest hit, Take a Bow, which spent seven weeks at number one. A compilation of her slower material, Something To Remember was released the following year.

Madonna portrayed Eva Peron in the 1996 film version of Evita. As the filming completed, Madonna announced she was pregnant and her daughter, Lourdes, was born late in 1996. The soundtrack for Evita, contained two hits, a dance remix of Don't Cry for Me Argentina and the newly written You Must Love Me.

1998's Ray Of Light was a collaboration with producer William Orbit. The album generated a number of worldwide hits, including Frozen, Ray Of Light, Drowned World (Substitute For Love), The Power Of Good-bye, and Nothing Really Matters. Another Madonna starred movie, The Next Best Thing, co-written and co-produced by Madonna and Orbit, was released. It featured her new single, a reworking of Don McLean's classic American Pie. She worked with Orbit and French dance producer Mirwais on her next collection, Music.

Shortly before the release of the album, Madonna gave birth to her second child, Rocco. On 22 December, she married the UK film director Guy Ritchie in Scotland.