In the era of MeToo I don't look at her at all in the same way....at all.
7
Thank You for this incredible tribute to an Iconic artist and inspiration for millions of people. Sad that so many Times commenters are stuck in a troll swamp when they could be dancing.
17
Happy Birthday, MDNA! You deserve this love letter from the NYT.
11
I've never understood what people think is so important about her. The incessant rebrandings, the pathetic attention grabs, the emphasis on style over musicality... it's all just monetizable shtick. I guess as a harbinger of the selfie generation's mania for self-promotion she has been an agent of cultural change. Other than that she just seems like a collection of marketable stereotypes.
38
Marketing genius. Gimmicky. Singer? Not so much.
38
I was in college when Madonna hit the scene. I was often uncomfortable with her bold style and confidence because I never knew a woman could say and do whatever she wanted, or be unashamed in her sexuality. Now in my maturity, I admire her and see how groundbreaking she was. I also appreciate her stand against ageism. She is one of a kind and was ahead of her time.
19
I'm not understanding where all the vitriol in the comments section is coming from. I'm not the hugest of fan of her music (i think i own used CDs of two of her albums but don't listen to them much), but i can appreciate that she works really hard at her craft, had a very big impact on culture for twenty years, and I am willing to leave it at that. Happy b'day, Madonna.
16
Caryn Ganz, this is all so awesome! You made my day. I'm a NYT addict & this has got to be my favorite thing on it, ever.
8
It's hard to imagine an article entitled "60 Times Edith Piaf Changed Our Culture". Why? Because Piaf didn't need to change anyone's culture; she could sing...
19
Happy birthday, and thanks, Madonna, for your great contributions to modern culture!
3
About the yoga thing: Putting aside the fact that there were hatha yoga shows on PBS decades before Madonna (Lilias, Richard Hittleman), the Beatles went there musically in the 1960s, and George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" album is IMHO of greater musical and cultural worth than the Material Girl's entire artist oeuvre - and I'm much, much more of a Beethoven than a Beatles guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qJTJNfzvr8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wZIpRfqaco
Historical memory is our friend; setting it aside in the cause of celebrity worship merely paves the way for the next Donald Trump (and one has been more than enough, thank you very much).
14
She is quite wonderful, more than anything she took all that was wild and wonderful and fun inside -- and brought it outside -- and brought us all along for the ride.
And what a ride!
6
Man, so much hate in these comments.
But Madonna more than a pop star with an artsy or sexual twist at times. She was a champion of women's and gay rights. She promoted self-worth and determination. She drew upon many influences in arts and culture for her work. She motivated me, as a teen and young adult in the pre-internet age when you had to go to the library for research, to discover Warhol, Sexton, Plath, Cindy Sherman, Basquiat, Haring, Alvin Ailey, Marquez, Winterson, Paglia, Mailer and so many more writers, poets, artists, creators who did interesting things that she learned from and was inspired by.
I would likely not be alive if not for her. That insert about safe sex in 1989's Like a Prayer likely saved my life.
The rest of you can settle your gaze on the first level - her blatant sexuality - while myself and other fans/admirers continue seeing the depth beneath and appreciate her for what she was - a trailblazing multimodal artist provocateur.
41
Ms. Ciccone exemplifies the decline of western civilization, similar to the person occupying the White House, unworthy of even a minute of attention. Wrapping herself in the crucifix punctuates the degradation.
17
Madonna: a blah sensationalist who appropriated anything made by more creative and daring artists to sell records and push her videos. also dabbled regularly in racial and sexual stereotypes if it would get some media buzz. a relentless self-promoter,yes. a notable artist -- not in any way.
27
She hasn't changed our culture; she changed herself. If pressed, I would say the only change she has effected is in women's undergarments.
13
Music from the years 1977 through 1981 - maybe into 1982, that was the music on the "OFF" label, the independent label, and had music lovers finding gold all over the place in them.
The music was Punk, SKA, Reggaie Ska, Electronic Phase Music, (Steven Tibbetts to Steve Reich - their music is not disquo electronic of today).
And the underlying messages in all of it was doom and an inevitable death to the way the punks were living.
"We can be HEROES, just for one day."
"Love will tear us apart, AGAIN."
"iSN't sheeeeee, prettty, in pink."
"I'm shot. I'm dead. I'm like the Stranger. ****
Burn like a Fire In CAIRO. F I R E I N C A I R O."
Madonna is a very beautiful woman. She is thoroughly Italian. Her countenance is that of a very old Italian woman before she put check implants into her face.
The only haunting song I think of which I love, is of her paying tribute to her late mother who died when she was five years old. The Refrain from the song
is "And I remember, the things you gave me."
Lastly, Madonna could move out of her vanity cacoon and help other women, young women in the arts, teach music, teach performance, dance, film and video production, and management.
Artists have to teach art, or art will die.
2
Nearly everybody in these comments sounds humorless, joyless, and less interesting than Madonna.
17
Many years ago when I saw Madonnna in a video put a crucifix between her legs I decided I could never be a fan. Some years later I happened to hear she came out with a “coffee table” book of people’s reactions when she openef her rain coat and displayed her naked body. Felt vindicated. Also, when she made the movie “Evita” it was written her voice lacked the necessary range. There is no accounting for bad taste.
14
Madonna for President!
1
She is a master at fooling most fans into thinking the extreme and intense brightness and sparkle she generates is actually from a cubic zirconia, not real diamonds. Madonna may not be a lot of things, but she knows how to put on one heck of a show. She will always be remembered either because her fans greatly like her or because folks deeply dislike her.
5
Kate Bush is 60. She is a real artist with a four octave range. How about a profile of her?
22
What a relief that not all feminists are icons of bad taste like Madonna !
6
I respect Madonna as an excellent businesswoman and self-promoter. She had a few decent songs. Like it or not, if you were a young female in the eighties she influenced your fashion. There's a saying that's attributed to Marilyn Monroe which I'll paraphrase: "I was never the prettiest or the most talented, but I was the one who wanted success the most." That describes Madonna perfectly. Anyone who knew her pre-fame has attested to that. The only thing she failed at was becoming a movie star, and it wasn't from lack of trying.
7
No one will know or care about Madonna in 10 years, despite the celebrity worship of the Times, any more than "Whispering" Jack Smith outlived the twenties. Bing Crosby, too. Unfortunately.
5
Does anybody else find all this kind of ridiculous?
24
Madonna is 60? She must be having a meltdown. More plastic surgery and other modern mortality miracles she will embrace and can afford. She probably has vats of cosmetic serums and cryogenic chambers, within her home. Surrender Madonna!
8
I will be polite and call this "article" hyperbole.
21
Wow, what contrast! Aretha gone today, and this huge headline about Madonna? Life ain't fair.
19
Her work proves that comments in newspapers (even in such an important newspaper like the NYT) are not a very interesting way to improve ideas and culture.
4
I don't agree - I think the comments (positive, negative, and neutral) are really instructive and useful. I read way more comments than spending time reading this article (which is typically my style).
6
The NYTimes can do better than confuse bombastic, abrasive, and narcissistic self-promotion with artistic or cultural importance. A lot of this sounds like rationalization, trying hard to explain why someone so obviously more interested in her own ego than art and so devoid of lasting accomplishments merits so much attention. Name something she did that was not just about style. And have we not worn out by now all this blather about feminist milestones? It seems like every female pop star, actress, or comedian who has died in the last few years was "the first" to shatter some barrier or another: you can't all be the first.
11
Let's be clear: 60 ways Madonna changed YOUR culture, NYT, not mine. Great article anyway. Beautifully conceived and displayed.
3
Who cares. A consistently egotistical and unpleasant person, with barely discernable talent, and no sense of humor. Responsible for some of the worst, and most unlistenable music of the '80s and '90s.
22
This is disgraceful puffery.
Her only talent was self promotion which she did by constantly "shocking" and flaunting her body. A Kardashian before the Kardashians.
16
what horrible comments on here. It speaks to her power that so many can't stand her, a true artist is not lovable to all.
What she did for the LGBT community, & her fearless fight against AIDS, will never be forgotten.
Love to "Mama" Madonna on her birthday
2
She's certainly got a lot to answer for. There's way too much gushing going on in these sections; I think some people want to believe the rubbish they write. She was a singer and dancer. That's it. No Beethoven; no Paul Simon for that matter, oh, and no Georges Sand.
5
A brilliant self-promoter.
She broke down all sorts of barriers and is to be admired for that.
As for her music? Mediocre, at best.
5
Madonna; she's pretty a la mode; but bringing yoga to the masses? My sainted mother was doing yoga when Madonna was in diapers.
8
On the one hand, happy birthday to Madonna. On the other, it really shows how the culture has sunk.The irony of celebrating Madonna the day Aretha Franklin died is a sad reminder of how we've moved from a celebration of talent, to embracing money and purposeful provocations for the sake of shock. Madonna gets credit for a lot of that. We now live in a world of numbing shock, and a real ignorance of heartfelt talent. I'd make that #61 on the list.
9
The title should instead read: "How Punk and New Wave Changed Madonna Who Then Changed Our culture(Sort Of). She was directly influenced by the above mentioned. She hung out and danced at the many punk/new wave joints back in the early 1980's prior to her rise. Her fashion statements, and her "Power, Innovation, Identity" (as the arcticle begins); ALL of it= Punk/New Wave, Early mid-70's scene in NYC then England. She knew how to milk the PR system, that's all and the fashion, music and entertainmnet people jumped on board. Please give credit to where credit is due: David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Macolm McLaren, Sex Pistols, New York Dolls, Ramones, Stiv Bators, MC5, Blondie, The Clash.... dozens of more names and bands. As for "reinventing" herself, I don't think so. giving her way too much credit for that.
1
Like the Reagan 80's, itself, far too many mirrors. Yuk. A good talent with a dance scholarship to U Michigan. A decent vocal range.
But the overall "packaging" is just that. Something like WGBH Boston's episode "How The Music Died."
Madonna might be alive or living to me. I see nothing but contrived marketing. Which we are now dominated by as a society. Marketing with a capital "M."...
6
I didn't buy into her music or her movies. Way overrated. Lots of fluff no
substance.
5
this is all nonsense.. Madonna was at the vanguard of the 'fake artist' with all the machinations, similar to Michael Jackson, and god forbid Gaga and numerous other fake artists (America's got talent or whatever).
that's my opinion.
7
Madonna is a blatant example of what the French philosophical group Tiqqun called "le spectacle"--the empty spectacle of post-modern life. Madonna became famous for being famous, for "manipulating her own image", as her admirers claim. But what is she really, except image? An okay dancer who couldn't land a job with a real dance company, a fairly engaging performer in "Desperately Seeking Susan" and a few other films. As a singer I could recognize her songs by their bloated production values, not her forgettable voice. Hard to see what trails this self-promoter blazed, except the one that led her all the way to the bank.
9
61. Really hard work, and a lesson in drive.
1
She was a harbinger of our current moment, which is all about brand not talent. While I appreciate to some degree the talent involved in reinvention, etc, and I do see that her unapologeticness about being female, sexual, and now older has some value, I think these things came about because of her drive and her basic lack of talent. She was a mediocre singer and dancer who grasped her moment. Definitely smart, definitely driven, definitely interesting to some degree. But not actually very talented in the THING itself. She was brilliant in all the parts of it that are essentially peripheral, and now that is what everyone is expected to be.
3
The large number of haters are a testament to her success. Whatever you think about her, hate her or love her, you got to admit: WHAT A WOMAN!
4
She is a performance artist with a relevant social and political message. To call her a pop-artist a bit of an insult. I was shocked to read one of the reviewers slamming American Life. That album is definitely one of her best, but they are all pretty amazing. Love you, MDNA. Happy Birthday!
1
I have adored Madonna since I first saw her in Desperately Seeking Susan long, long ago - when she and I were young women. My favorite film role of hers was in Dick Tracy with Warren Beatty. He coaxed the best acting of her career out of her. While I only watched a few of her music videos, I have continued to follow her life. I agree she is a self-promoter, but I think that is something every person must be if they want to be successful. Madonna has always been an original and always will be. She isn't perfect, but I don't know anyone who is.
I remember when she called out Sinead O'Connor for tearing the Pope's photo in half on SNL. She thought it was disrespectful. I decided then and their that she was an opportunistic hypocrite. I guess it's all right for some to 'Express' themselves.
5
Oh, brain: then and there.
1
As far as I am concerned, she only changed culture one time - after she married Guy Ritchie, he quit making good movies.
5
When Madonna first came out, a lot of people thought she was Lisa Lisa. Madonna was smart enough to snag Lisa's producer, Jellybean Benitez and the rest as they say was history.
I was in NY in the 80s and I don't remember Madonna inventing or creating anything. She was smart enough to sell downtown style to the girls in the mall.
Madonna co-opted (some would say STOLE) gay style, Black style, Latin style, watered it down and sold it to the punters. She's the mother of Britney Spears, Taylor Swift and all the other girls who lip-sync all the way to the bank.
10
This makes me want to find my black rubber bracelets and cropped jacket. She made it fun to be an 80’s party girl. Still remember the first time I heard “Holiday” and knew she would be a star. Happy birthday Madonna!
5
The design of this page is really cool! Brings out the 80s spirit much befitting to Madonna.
1
Yes, Madonna is not a classically trained "singer" in the same way Trump is not a "politician". She chose to use her deificincies for good; him not so much.
2
You missed her most important effect. She persuaded the culture to embrace bland, formulaic music sang by performers with ambition but no talent. I'm sure I"m not the first to notice that this promotional piece appeared in the Times on the same day that Aretha Franklin died.
16
Thank you! That this promo-piece about an flashy semi-talented sex-symbol appears on the same page as the memorial for one of the century's most phenomenal artists shows poor taste by the Times.
8
Madonna is the queen of reinvention. I will give her that. She has kept herself relevant for the past 30 odd years. That is not easy. Not much of a singer though. And the person who made yoga more popular? Um, no.
5
When my son was very young and we were listening to a Madonna song being played on the car radio, he asked me if it was the Chipmunks singing. Really.
17
Perhaps because I wasn't born in the US, I never shared the hate and disdain that many American people seem to feel for Madonna. Much of the international press and radio have been always so positive towards her. Just this week, several British newspapers published beautiful pieces about her.
It is great to read this beautiful piece in the NYT. It is wonderful when we can appreciate people while they are still alive.
10
Thank you, New York Times for this playful, fun and astute piece! The number of naysayers should consider relaxing a bit. Madonna's first album came out when I was 13 and growing up in a strict Catholic household. She helped me question religious authority. She offered me a different perspective on sexuality. She gave me one of my earliest recollections of female power in its most consumable form (thank you, popular culture). If this isn't representative of an icon, I don't know what is.
10
Truly a feminist icon. Happy birthday, to the materialist who sold the world.
6
She will be remembered as someone who destroyed modern music. If you tak all clothes off you don't have anything else to take off.
5
I do love Madonna, but whoever wrote this article seems to have a limited sense of cultural, musical and film history...So many items about sexuality in performance or film or as a lifestyle had been broken many times before her. Because of media there was not as wide an audience, perhaps. Some f these items are just ridiculous. It's as if the writer was told by the editor to come up with 60 items so they had to be filled no matter what....make no mistake, I think she is amazing and trend setting to say the least. There were many women before her who actually broke cultural barriers to allow her to popularize them.....very weakly written.
13
It wouldn't surprise me the writer was born after 1990. I've read other articles regarding music and musical groups and musicians, the writers often trashing groups from the 1950's- 1980's, all the critics were born post 1990; it would be like me trashing music from the 1930's- 1940's; muscians like Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey. i wouldn't have the right to do so, since i didn't grow up during that period.
4
Well. . . . if you say so. I think it was, actually, a NYTimes reviewer who described her voice as "Minnie Mouse on helium." The developers of "auto tune" probably can't believe their luck. Oh. . .and how is it that Aretha Franklin (by a total coincidence, African American) did NOT change culture?
13
She may be a good person on some philanthropic level, but I distinctly recall music changing dramatically for the worse in the early 80s with the arrival of Madonna. She really is the figure who commonly transformed women performers from substantive musicians to sex symbols and dancers doing a dance routine. Vulgarity became a commodity under Madonna's reign. Music has never recovered.
Her sound has always been synthetic rather than organic, her themes transitory and trendy rather than classic and meaningful. If she was progressive on some level it is not a level I admire. And she made perhaps the worst-ever appearance on David Letterman way back when...any illusion of substance was destroyed. I still cringe at the recollection.
I know of no one who listens to "vintage" Madonna--her work is of yesteryear. Even today's 12-year-old girls can't fathom it. Compare Madonna's legacy to, say Debbie Harry, Linda Ronstadt, the Wilson sisters (or Aretha Franklin) and the illustration becomes clear: the latter have held up musically over time. Madonna is a unfortunate relic of the past.
16
Honestly, I never got her appeal, other than her ability to shock people. At some point that wears thin, and if you don't have talent to back it up, you won't stay at the top very long. She's not a very good singer; her chief skill is marketing herself, though I would give her credit for remaking herself in order to get people's attention again. If she had come of age in this era, she would have been a Kardashian.
16
On the day that Aretha passed, I read this and loved it. Agreed with every single point. The naysayers below disagee and they are entitled to their opinions. But you know what: 35 years later, Into the Groove still makes me dance.
And I still wear bracelets on my left arm.
And yes: you can dance. For inspiration.
11
"There has never been a pop star writing and performing at her level, and demanding a seat at the table, at her age." Um, what is your definition of a pop star, and what do you mean by "at her level"? I am thinking here about many prominent musicians who have been writing and performing (I don't know whether they have demanded a seat at the table, whatever that means) while in their 60s. Maybe they are not pop stars, by your unknown definition of the term. I realize that Aretha Franklin did not write that many of her songs, but really, to make this statement on the same day that she died? C'mon! If Aretha is not a pop star, then who is? Also: Mick Jagger, Elton John, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, the list goes on and on...
10
It took a dozen people to write that.
Now go out and someone under 30 who's heard of her, aside from the "My mom has one of her records" demo.
6
What is the point of arguing who is more worthy of media coverage, Madonna or Aretha? They literally have nothing in common other than being female performers who lived in Michigan.
One could argue forever about her actual contributions to music, culture, feminism, activism, whatever. But her impact on and connection to the LGBT community is undeniable. She spoke out about homophobia, AIDS, racism and just being different at a time when those weren't popular views for mainstream celebrities. I don't care too much for her more recent music, but way back in the 80s, she was the patron saint for every gay boy from the 'burbs to the barrio who felt out of place.
4
Happy Birthday Material Girl - You look great at every age. And, isn't it fitting that you share the spotlight on this milestone birthday with the legendary Aretha Franklin. Peace and Blessings from Harlem.
6
Terribly overrated singer and performer. She had a few catchy tunes in the 80s, but once her ego took over, she became more of a caricature of herself, instead of a real person. LOTS of forgetable music since then . . .
13
I lost interest in Madonna just as she released her Bedtime Stories album in 1994. She had gotten overrated and too commercial. Plus I don't like her personally.
9
I think there's a lot of jealousy and bewilderment in these comments. It's very interesting. Clearly thousands (tens of millions?) of women deserved the media attention for what they were doing that was instead awarded to Madonna. I would just point out that in the late 60s their were lots of feminists out to change the world into a better place. Some of them were true geniuses. Others fought legal battles or went to congress. But the one who is always chosen to represent the era was Gloria Steinem, simply because she was the most photogenic. I'm not saying Gloria was as shallow as Madonna, I'm saying the media is. Media is entertainment. It gives you what you want. People don't want much. It's education and child rearing that can change that, and yet we constantly turned to glossy magazines and show business for meaning. What does that say about all of us. Let Madonna be shallow, she's a show girl.
8
A lot of people just enjoyed her pop hits for what they were, and chalked the outrageous stuff up to pr. But those who truly saw her as a trailblazer had a right to expect more as she grew older. For someone so unapologetic about identity and forthright about sexuality, she's fought normal aging in an increasingly stereotypical and desperate way.
16
The irony isn't lost on me that in an article celebrating what an incredible tour de force Madonna is - the comments are filled with people griping she has no talent, listing all the women who are superior to her - and my most favorite of all sexist tropes - she got lucky. Of course - male pop stars are talented and deserving - Madonna is lucky. I own zero Madonna albums - but have admired her my entire life for being a savvy business woman who never let the male dominated music industry push her around. She always stayed on trend - and usually set them. Not easy to do - and definitely not easy to do for four decades. I celebrate her for all her commercial success - I wish I'd been half as clever. And to all the people out there trying to put that uppity woman in her place like all the Ms. Clintons of the world - we all get old but as Madonna grows old in comfort and style she couldn't care less what a bunch of NY Times readers think of her.
29
Apparently you saw a different Madonna from the one most of us saw.
1
Madonna is the female Mick Jagger.
5
Unfortunately even Madonna felt obliged to have plastic surgery. Male stars like Jagger, they stop at colouring their hair.
1
I think she's closer to being the female Elton John - a showman with a weak voice and not much songwriting ability . . .
3
Oh, please. The first of the unabashed, brazen self-promoters with no talent other than brazen self-promotion.
21
So much hate in the comments. Madonna follows the bombshell tradition of a beautiful woman who gives it all and also desires. I love that. In the 1980s her inhibition was enviable to me. I wished I could express and not just feel and repress, her vulnerability and her confidence. She showed us bisexuality and AIDS activism. She was sex positive, long before we had that term. She's not about music, she's persona. I cringe at some of her antics ("Boy Toy on her belt - ouch), but she put it all out there for us, and in retrospect it worked on a deeper cultural and personal level than I gave it credit for at the time. I wish her a happy birthday.
9
I could also easily point out the 60 ways in which she has corrupted and lowered the bar on cultural standards. Her contributions are much more related to advancing public relations techniques than anything remotely related to artistic talent. Low bar, NYT.
17
do it.
small point for Jacob Bernstein: Vogue is 89% straight from Love Is The Message, by MSFB.
2
In the same issue reporting the passing of Aretha Franklin, I didn't make it passed #3.
6
Madonna came along at a time when young women were starting to have some self worth. Then, through her raunchy actions, Madonna set the clock back. She did a great disservice to all women.
12
I work at a NY Radio Station where we play Madonna frequently, so today, of course, we discussed her birthday, etc. After the break, a young temp employee asked me, "so, how big was Madonna? Big, like, Rhianna?" On the spot, I thought of "Like A Virgin" on the VMA's, The Sex Book, and her movies--clearly, not a full accounting of her work or impact. Honestly, it hadn't really occurred to me how far removed a 20-something might be from an icon of my youth. It's how things go, of course, but I just wasn't prepared for Madonna to be an unknown quantity to an American adult, albeit a young one. I'll give you credit when I use this article as a cheat sheet for tomorrow. Thanks.
3
Neither a good singer nor a good songwriter, she managed to go a long way with very little - the first reality star, in a way. Manolo Blahnik said it best: "She is so good at hiding her lack of talent'.
37
The death of someone who truly enriched popular culture, Aretha Franklin, got me to thinking about three other women who deserve this space more than the Material Girl (there are dozens of them btw, I've already talked about Ella Fitzgerald and Doris Day at length elsewhere): Franklin herself; Carole King, who wrote Natural Woman, and was one of the great woman song writers in the 60s and 70s; and Mary Lou Williams, one of the first great woman song writers of the jazz era.
Perhaps the overwhelmingly negative response to this piece might stimulate some serious-NYT thought about the women in music and other cultural domains who truly were geniuses at something other than self-promotion.
7
Very few artists changed culture, even once. The Beatles, maybe. A handful of African-American musicians. None have changed culture 60 times. The rest of it is arguably superficial fashion and disposable flavors of the day. Yes, it's just a title for the article. But as we're seeing in America on a daily basis, the hype is killing us. Might be a good time to stop.
19
Aretha Franklin, her voice, her music; the depth of her creative soul nourished my generation and many that followed. Madonna is who she is, I ain't going to put her down, she made things a little more fun on a very superficial note.
17
Today this article interested me because Madonna has changed the styles for female pop stars for years. She encouraged young girls be to their self, and not anything from anyone. Even some celebrities aren't disappointed when meeting her for the first time. Madonna pursued her dream to dance, she grooves through every movement she goes through.
5
She's a businesswoman plain and simple. That's how she got this far and stayed at the "top." Her pop songs are catchy, somewhat memorable, but I don't consider her a great singer. Nor is she a fabulous actor--she essentially played herself in "Desperately Seeking Susan."
Don't get me started on her supposed spiritual life. She has aligned herself with the Kabbalah Center--a cult/scam.
Her charity works--perhaps of some note, but still self-promotion in many ways.
I compare her to Lady Gaga--who I like on some level--but who is also self-promoting.
In essence: why the big article about Madonna turning 60? She's still around in terms of career but that's due to good business decisions, and surrounding herself with the "right" people. It says nothing about her supposed musical icon status.
14
She also did "favors" for absolutely anyone who might have mattered in the music business in her unrelenting goal to be famous.
6
Happy Birthday Madonna! I stumbled upon one of her first shows by accident as a teenager growing up in early 1980s Manhattan, before she was a star. She's one of my favorite pop icons, but also role model in some ways. Don't tell Madonna what she can or cannot do because she'll prove you wrong and will be better at it than we ever will be. To me, Madonna's exemplifies someone living by her own rules, not your rules, my rules or society's rules.
7
You can find better singers, actors, dancers and artists in their respective fields, but she encompasses it all. Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Michael Jackson . . . she inhabits the rarefied air of intelligent, multi-talented successful performers who focused their artistic expression in many directions. I'm 62 and I applaud her talent, career and cultural voice.
11
She is NOWHERE near the likes of Astaire, Sinatra, Garland and Jackson!! Those WERE multi-talented performers. Madonna is not . . .
4
Joni Mitchell -- the real deal when it comes to forging an independent, unapologetic path through the music industry as a woman -- turns 75 on November 7. I hope the Times sees fit to do her justice.
33
Owen:
Joni Mitchell has been afflicted with a very rare disease. She cannot appear or speak to anyone.
First, let me state I am a fan of Madonna. In my 20s and a deejay in the mid '80s, I was a huge fan. Her influence on music is not in doubt.
However, this collection of 60 times Madonna changed our culture is an embarrassing hagiography, ripe with over-statement.
No one--not a single human being--changes a culture 60 times.
Perhaps a better tribute to Madonna would have been excerpts from the Times past coverage of Madonna, and ways our perceptions of her may have changed or remained the same since then.
It seems the critics gather together here with only intention to praise. There is little clear-eyed critique, a missed opportunity given her nearly 40-year career.
Instead, the effort here, at times, reads like an "Onion" parody of culture critics.
Even when critique happens it intimates praise, to wit: "iconic cultural appropriator." I gagged at the unintended offense to those she appropriated from.
I am aghast at myriad overstatements. Before Madonna, in 1967, Judy Garland gave a stunning public interview in which she defended the rights and humanity of gay people. Madonna was not pioneering though she was an out-sized influence.
The first great identity artist? You have got to be kidding me. Sylvester. Paul Robeson. Billie Holliday. Josphine Baker. So many Black artists. careers were forged by their identity either as African American, female or gay.
Her achievements should not have been couched in such grandiosity. Ironically, it does her a disservice.
43
I just read that Aretha Franklin passed away. Ms. Franklin is a cultural icon, Madonna is not.
Thank you.
51
This story, while interesting, does not deserve to be the main story at the top of the web edition of the Times. It should be down with the entertainment stories.
22
The main takeaway I have from the dynamic layout of this online tribute is ... if you're going to publish on the web, hire the most talented web coders in the city. maybe in the country.
When Madonna sang "Everybody come on dance and sing, Everybody get up and do your thing," I knew those words were might for me and the LGBTQ community. Few if any performers were speaking to us at the time, and there were no images of us in the mainstream whatsoever. If you were LGBTQ, you were largely a pariah, and then your friends began to die by the hundreds, then thousands. Unless you lived through that time as part of the LGBTQ community, you have absolutely no idea what she did for me, for us. She taught us to dance through our pain, and to allow it to lift us up through our pride. Now, my Madge, is teaching you all that older women matter. Yeah, that makes me what to take a holiday. Happy birthday, Madge!
9
Aren't you glad that those days of not being able to be who you are, are almost over?
You know in San Francisco, the parades, first gay of course, later LGBT, and Halloween was all about being able to dress the way you felt. To the onlookers, it was a show, in costume. But for many cross dressers it was the ONlY time that they could walk proudly down a street in women's clothing or men's for that matter, in broad daylight and wave to the crowd looking at them.
That's where and why the CASTRO halloween tradition started; to allow masked people take off their masks, though placing what seems to be another on.
1
Front page news? Must be Trump fatigue. A more apt title would have been, "60 Times Madonna Changed Our Culture For The Worse." I attended Rochester High while she was attending our rival high school, Rochester Adams. She wasn't much of a cheerleader either.
26
Who are all these haters commenting on her lack of talent and cultural influence? I must have missed their four-decade careers, 38 top 10 singles, and billion dollars of ticket sales. Happy birthday Madonna and thank you for the music!
14
Both Rihanna and Mariah Carey have more #1 hits than Madonna, and they did it in a lot less than 40 years - and nobody is saying that they have made a cultural impact. In 20 years, very few people will remember Madonna's music - just like Guy Lombardo, who had 31 Top Ten Hits himself.
The NYT article appears to be extremely slanted. The people that lived with Madonna and know her the best including her son, Rocco, don't want to live with her and could care less about her superficial life. Madonna is self-centered and will do whatever it takes to sell out including sexuality. Now she is doing things for others to gain publicity at 60.
18
And the true queen will get the spotlight on Maddona's birthday. RIP Aretha.
60
I'll admit to never being a serious fan of Madonna, nor many of her songs.
However, I'm both an admirer, advocate, and practitioner of George Lakoff's 'analogy-thinking' --- so when I saw the original video of Madonna's "Ghost Town" (including the lyrics written by her, Jason Evigan, Evan Bogart, and Sean Douglas) it reinforced my belief that art is prescient of reality, or as Andy Warhol said “Perception Precedes Reality.”
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%22Ghost+Town%22+Madonna&t=ffnt&ia=vid...
If Madonna is not, in this work, envisioning the values of hope and love beyond the non-linear inflection point of the collapse of this first and last Disguised Global Capitalist Empire --- then I must be reading too much into her genius.
4
When you have great talent you never age. I sit here and mourn the death of Ms. Franklin, who was an artist ,a civil rights fighter and made the world a better place.
Madonna may you live a very long happy life, you changed the world I know you could care less about the small minds and nasty people . Keep being Madonna.
Where would we all be without Ms. Franklin and Madonna? a very sad and quiet world. We grew up with these outstanding stars and we were so fortunate .
10
Happy Birthday to Madonna, the epitome of a strong, creative woman. Still powerful, still gorgeous. As her age advances, it's been clear that women love her and men who hate.
5
Madonna is a savvy business woman who always maintained control of her own image. That in itself was a major accomplishment at the time she rose to fame. She was fearless and unapologetic about the choices she made, some of which were career defining but could easily have been career destroying.
The 60-item list is a stretch -- and a gimmick. But, love her or hate her, Madonna's influence on popular culture is undeniable and indelible.
Happy 60th, Ms. Ciccone.
16
Madonna's main goal and cultural contribution was to commodify herself and her body, rather than letting others do it. Should we really celebrate that?
10
Yes, because her brain is a part of her body and she made that a commodity, too. How is an athlete any different? S/he uses her body to achieve greatness. A rich business person uses his/her brain. Why is that better than using one's body to get rich? All brains are not equal, and neither are bodies.
10
61. She reminds us that, with the death of the great Aretha Franklin, who needed only her outrageously, otherworldly, talented voice, a microphone and piano, spectacle can mask lack of actual talent.
29
Even the most curmudgeonly will admit that Madonna had at least some good songs--maybe even a few great ones--but yeah overall she is/was a world class entertainer but not a world class vocalist (comparing her to Ms. Franklin as a vocalist is sort of like comparing Taylor Swift on guitar to Bonnie Raitt).
Never a big fan of hers, but I did appreciate that her tongue was firmly in cheek during much of her career. She's stuck around without becoming a nostalgia act and I can admire that also.
8
unless you purposefully look to the past, the new gen may stumble upon her, and hit similar notes on their own, but she's a star for older gens.
I'll go with Nina Simone, instead, thank you. Madonna was the Lady Gaga of the 1980s and 90s. That is, she was a show woman with flashy and extravagance TV, breaking some taboos and social norms, but contributing little to the art of music.
19
Lady Gaga can really sing ... Madonna - not so much.
Madonna was world class at one thing - promoting herself. She released good pop music, but don't confuse her with, ummm, Ella ... or, God bless, ReRe
9
I kind of agree but Lady Gaga has a great voice and Madonna does not.
6
Madonna isn't even Lady Gaga! At least Gaga has a great set of pipes!
Madonna the 1980's "Perception is Everything" decade. A jack of all trades and master of none except self promotion, and having the guts to "Just Do It", and more than anything, branding. Madonna became exactly what she wanted to be more than anything from the outset, an iconic brand. She successfully transformed a human being (Madonna Louise Ciccone) into the huge brand of "Madonna". She understood that you could be famous by being famous, and again, perception is everything it even "trumps" reality.
21
Madonna is the original manic pixie dream girl, but she's not here for you. Being a teen in the 90s, I remember 3 culture references that really defined empowered womanhood for me:
1. Hillary explaining that she didn't bake cookies,
2. Sex in the City's Samantha, who not only expected her own pleasure, but demanded it, and
3. Anything Madonna did -- from the french dresses, to the cone bras, she was remaking the whole world as she wanted to see it.
7
Happy Birthday Madonna! Here's to many more years of music and dancing!!! Haters gonna hate - It's Human Nature!!!!
6
She along with others from South Eastern Michigan, Kid Rock and Eminem represent the culture of Detroit (one horse town).
don't think I'd want to be on that wagon
4
Detroit a "One Horse Town"? HA! What? Unless you overlook, Aretha Franklin (R.I.P.) Smokey Robinson, all of Motown (yeah Stevie Wonder etc. - most of 20th century music there), Rodriguez, The Stooges, The Mc5, Grand Funk Railroad, Mitch Ryder, the invention of House Music, John Lee Hooker and um....how many Horses am I up to now?
4
Oooh Madonna ...
1982 . Our group Ike Yard saw her posing at the entrance of The Music Building as we loaded in our gear.
Unknowingly, some of us supplied her with parts of what became her first record "Everybody".
1984. She loved the new "Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight", by my unit Dominatrix proclaiming it her fav record.
The world rolled on ...
3
Stuart, I still adore "Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight" and still have both copies of that 12" single. It mixed well with "The Love Tempo"...Quando Quango. Miss those days!
2
No one did yoga before Madonna? This article is written from a particular perspective (she was the first to do yoga?) and should more clearly define what the term "our culture" means. Whose culture?
I remember her as a copy cat of Michael Jackson.
I remember her shocking the world with her sexual antics --- and not necessarily in a good way. In my view women are still objectified, preyed upon and abused constantly. How did Madonna help?
19
Neil Postman, the Columbia U. media scholar commented some years ago that Americans were "entertaining themselves to death," which I interpret as paying undue attention to the toy department of life instead of focusing on issues and problems that desperately need real solutions. If he was indeed correct, "Madonna" is a symptom of that chronic disease.
22
"Madonna" and Trump .... the evidence of America entertaining themselves to death.
(Actually, it's hardly fair to include Madonna in the same sentence as Trump. Perhaps she got the ball rolling.... but Trump steered it over the cliff.)
5
If vanity, vulgarity and insisting on being the center of attention are the noble hallmarks of power, innovation and identity, then, yes, Madonna is truly worthy of attainment as 'cultural icon'.
25
She paved the way for two, maybe 3 generations of female pop stars whose vast success was accomplished despite limited vocal and musical skills.
Harsh? Name me one song where her vocal performance just astounded you, either emotionally or technically.
Fantastic hype, apostle of the visual show over the music. Looks great, even at 60. But musician - not so much.
12
Not a huge fan of Madonna's music but La Isla Bonita did tug at my heart.
1
I never got Madonna and her whole "reinvention" thing was superficial. She didn't reinvent herself, she put on different clothes while sing essentially the same song. Look at me! I hennaed my hands so now I'm spiritual!
You want reinvention? Look at Coltrane and Miles, both of whose musical reinventions meant complete revising the very structure of their music.
22
To add to my previous comment, I can't think of any other artist, with the exception of Michael Jackson, who has even come close to influencing our culture as much as Madonna has. And I forgot to say, Happy Birthday, Madonna!
4
There's a lot of sour criticism in these comments. The biggest mistake we make is comparing artists rather than recognizing that (even without being a truly "gifted" musician) hard work, drive, business sense, and persona can lead to success. The "take-away" here should be, that this can work in other endeavors as well. Isn't that the American way?
2
How about a tribute to a real musical genius: Aretha Franklin.
40
If it were Aretha Franklin's 60th birthday this article could have been written about her, yes.
3
"Everything's so formulaic, and every song has 20 guest artists on it, and everyone sounds the same,"
Madonna's comment about present day musicians are right. It's like somebody is cloning musicians.
5
The Beatles had a tsunami-level impact on culture.
And where would the United States or the world be without R&B and the hundreds of artists -- almost all black -- who made that sublime and irresistible contribution to our lives?
Then the Stones and Bob Dylan for the maturity of their music and lyrics. (Is there a more frightening album than Let It Bleed?)
Madonna? Nowhere close. Nice tunes, but not even on the ladder.
28
Another media driven phenomenon, with no real talent, except the ability to exploit her shtick, who has helped drag our culture into the gutter! One of the foundations that led us to Donald Trump becoming President of The United States!
18
I don't own any of this woman's work. Spare me!! Madonna CANNOT sing. Madonna CANNOT dance. Madonna CANNOT act. If mediocrity is "trendsetting", keep it!!!
19
Name 60 times a Black woman change culture. Come on. She copied everything she did from other artist. She was not original in anyway, shape or form.
19
We couldn't count the ways Aretha re-crafted music culture!
4
Madonna is also a smart business person.
3
Yes! That's the whole thing right there---she is a super smart businessperson and the one reason (imo) that's she's lasted this long.
1
In the early 1980s, I came of age as Madonna's popularity was rising. As a young womn, I should have been an ardent supporter instead I found her music to be ordinary and her image uninteresting, formulaic and derivative. There were other models of strong, individualistic female musicians at the time which included the Slits, The Raincoats, Debby Harry, Exene Cervenka, Poly Stryene, Bush Tetras, Klennex, and the Au Pairs to name a few. Their vision of a being a female musician while not as commercially accessible or popular broke more cultural and musical boundaries than Madonna ever did.
8
Judy Garland and other real talents could stand there in a housecoat and sing a song to take your breath away. They didn't need smoke, mirrors, and crotch grabbing.
46
If you say so. From what I saw, she was a really interesting model and style icon, a great dancer and a mediocre everything else. The way the media covered her, you'd have thought she invented sex. Her book on the subject was a letdown, more of a modeling assignment than a great statement about women and sex.
As for yoga, please. I was doing yoga at the Y in the 70s, without any inspiration from her. Madonna was the apotheosis of celebrity culture, a triumph of style over talent.
19
She's an excellent business woman and has reinvented herself many times. But I don't see her as an icon. Not one to revere anyway. There are those who we look up to and those who we respect. She falls into the latter category only because she's learned to survive. Not because of her art or "talent." I'll leave that for someone like David Bowie or Joni Mitchell.
10
Happy Birthday. 60 is the new 30. I was doing yoga before 1986....learned how to stand on my head while watching Cronkite give the weekly death toll from Vietnam.....I'm 61..do the math. Keep on keeping on!
4
Some of the commenters are inadvertently hilarious. Reading their carefully crafted disses, it's clear that their sole claim to being cool is hating Madonna for existing. Meanwhile, she goes on triumphantly. Happy birthday to the Queen!
9
The fact that people - haters and lovers alike - have an opinion about Madonna means that she has excelled at her job.
5
Happy Birthday to Madonna, thank you to NYT for this piece.
4
Madonna imitated the real artist: Grace Jones.
9
Grace Jones is in a top tier class all alone. She is a talent that is so unique so outstanding and I wish we could only see more of her. No comparison between the two, Grace is awesome and cant be copied by anyone.
7
This article reminded me what a genius she is, in her way. She remains the greatest video-music artist ever. There was about a decade, 1985-95, in which no conversation couldn't be advanced with a reference to Madonna. She is a singular artist who will be remembered forever.
6
Yeah. She was a trendsetter. In 50 years none of the list here will not matter. In fact, I would say that a majority of people today would simply utter, meh.
13
Yeah... so, were you one of those in the early 80s who designated her as a "flash in the pan"? .... yet, here we are almost four decades later.
2
So sorry to read all this criticism. Madonna has stood the test of time so much better than so many others. Hats off to her innovations and her tenacity. But the very best thing about her work is that it is uplifting and great to dance to! Just put in the Immaculate Collection and I dare you to hold still. Love her! Happy birthday, girl!
22
Cool but Deborah Harry did many of these things first in the late 70s.
Madonna of 1982 could not have happened without Harry confidently taking over the pop world in 1978.
Madonna transgressed more and more emphatically but otherwise Harry did many of these things first.
13
Yeah, but who'd win a fist fight? Madonna from Suddenly Seeking Susan, or Doris Day from Calamity Jane? And talk about transgressed? There aspects of Calamity Jane that are cringeworthy by today's standards.
My money's on Day, baby!
1
Todd, D Harry is from the band Blondie.....
I can't think of a single time Madonna changed my culture, let alone 60, but I've never been a fan and I tend to ignore ephemeral pop-culture fads. I remember a few teenagers and adults who should have known better dressing up like Madonna in the 80s. By the way, the rapid-fire GIF is about annoying as it gets. Not one of contemporary culture's greatest contributions to communication.
29
It is ageism. America, and especially the LGBTQ community, idolizes youth and refuses to acknowledge her presence at 60. And it’s no surprise that Madonna’s biggest transgression as an artist is her perpetual desire for relevance.
I may not like a few of her recent appropriation choices—-grill teeth come to mind. However, she stands alone and will continue to defy expectations of not only what it means to be a mega star performer with endless lasting power but is redefining what age 60 looks like to the rest of the world.
7
Been a shaker and a mover her whole life. The all night conversation at the gas station still resonate as her music does as well.
1
"Our culture"? There are multitudes who pay no attention to her version of culture. I wouldn't know her voice if I heard it since I studiously avoid pop flim-flam. "She made the whole wold dance"? Sheer nonsense, she is a drop in the bucket of the world of dance, a rather crude dancer and unsophisticated dancer as shown by the photo examples in this article.
13
You need to look no further than these comments to see Madonna's staying power and influence. People still feel they need to denounce her, say she's not for them or worse. While others sing her praises and give her her due. How many other pop stars and recording artists, male or female, have come and gone during her tenure? Hundreds? Thousands? How many recording artists have been influenced by her? Millions? She is a BONAFIDE ICON. There is no debate needed. The proof is in the MUSIC and millions dance to it daily! Rock on to 100 Madonna!!
13
She was good in Evita; other than that, I had no use for her.
Let's see The Times offer a comparable spread for Leonard Bernstein's 100 birthday in 9 days.
19
I'd forgotten - she inhabited that role, personifying ambition manifested in creating a persona for the public.
I have to agree with those who consider her insignificant. She had no talent beyond self-promotion.
The Times should consider devoting some attention to the people who really do contribute to our society, most of whom remain unsung.
48
Thanks NYT, and what a nice birthday present for Madonna! In the current world of celebrity headlines, Madonna is likely to be cited more for a younger boyfriend or a fall from a stage. And no doubt, this comments sections will be filled with negative, ageist and misogynistic thoughts. However that can't detract from Madonna's remarkable impact. Apart from her music career and commendable work ethic, Madonna has been an activist - directly and indirectly. As the article mentions, she showed support for gay rights well before it became fashionable. And she championed black and minorities by seeking a meritocracy - talent didn't have a skin tone.
14
Thank you for this! Madonna has been underrated and underappreciated. I think people are jealous of her immense talent, her daring, and that she was the perfect artist for her time. Most artists today are boring and unimaginative by comparison and, unlike Madonna, produce few memorable songs. Madonna was, and is, an icon.
11
I mean absolutely zero disrespect to Madonna. She is an icon, trendsetter, diva -- yes, yes, and yes. However, purely musically speaking (without the visuals), she's bubble gum to me -- i.e. commercial pop music.
In terms of the great American female musical artists of the 20th century, I think of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Donna Summer.
35
Steve, FWIW Ray of Light was her moment when her music sounded different, fresh, and not bubblegum. Some memorable moments musically on that CD. And honestly, we all love Aretha from the 60 and 70s but she hasnt been contributing anything memorable since the very early 1980s. Donna Summer was all voice (100% perfectly) but her contributions otherwise are not notable.
Aretha doesn't have to contribute anything memorable since the 1980s.
Didn't she give us enough in the 1960s? Show some Respect.
7
Aretha is one of the TRUE greats but her work from 1980 onwards is terrible.
"Of course she was early to selfies." that's about all it was, her career, I mean. There have always been self obsessed pop icons who yearned to be meaningful but settled for immense wealth and this kind of popcorn journalism. A very weak singer, a poor dancer, she could take her clothes off with the best of them, and convince (some of) us that there was depth to the gesture, beyond: "Look at me!" Her genius was to seize the perfect moment, as our culture cooled off from the heady days of real talent, and settled into the age of the selfie. Another of these media babies lives in the White House.
And her greatest cultural contribution may be that she elicited from the late Robert Hughes my favorite put down of all time: "Madonna is the Nymph of mediocrity." For her, that comes with half a billion dollars, and the adoration of teenyboppers of all ages, so she'll take it.
9
a great, great talent for self-promotion. I always found her music of the thin, bubblegum variety. Not really an artist; more of a promoter...or maybe a "performance artist". Now that is a talent, and very American; PT Barnum anyone?
22
Thank you, NYT for this piece that I can't wait to read. Madonna is like no other. I love her for showing us that we/ human beings are multi-faceted beings - from sexuality to soul searchers. She has used art to explore many of the hardest subjects of society where rhetoric falls short. It is that exploration in the realm of arts & entertainment that inspires me to this day. Her lesson to the world though it cost her worldwide myopic and ignorant vitriol (and equal Love - wink). Yet, despite it all, she dared. And because she dared she stands today, because she has never pretended to be something she is not. She is who she is, a girl who wanted to live life through the arts the best way she could. And boy did she do it. Brava. Happy Birthday, M. I wish you many more. xo
11
Splendid. I look forward to your work with "Pringles: The Iconic Manufactured Potato Chip that Changed the World and Seduced the Palate."
116
Lady Gaga = Flash in The Pan provocateur. No memorable songs. Around for a few years.
Madonna = Career that spanned decades. Hits, upon hits, upon hits that you can hum in an instant.
One was an imitator and one was an Originator.
3
Yeah, except Madonna didn't write her own hummable songs.
Interesting that the people who actually did don't get gushing puff pieces in the Times, no?
6
Yes, she was a role model for young women, and she was marginally talented. After all, she was just a pop star. Her "material" girl mentality helped promoted a kind of capitalist mindset that we have yet to recover from. Truth is, you could never get away from her music years ago, now I never put her on for free in the car as a selection. I was sick of her then, I am sick of her now. How did she get into the rock n roll hall of fame ahead of Iggie Pop? She was a bubble gum icon of marginal talent who wanted to be Marilyn Monroe of pop, but she was good looking enough. At least Monroe was an excellent actress. I wish she would just fade away.
19
More Madonna we do not need. More cultured performers who can change our culture for the better are sorely needed. Welcome back, Neil Diamond....another "Hot August Night III" is what we need:
"Take my hand in yours,
Walk with me this day
In my heart I know, I will never stray
Halle, halle, halle, halle
Halle, halle, halle, halle
It's Love, Brother Love, say
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
And grab the old ladies and ev'ryone goes..."
1
Happy Birthday Madonna!
1
Yes she had a lot of cultural impact but this list has many things that are not impacts, they are just things she did.
6
Ironically, her art isn't music - well, certainly not her singing anyway.
It's herself, presented over and over as a kind of temporary installation piece, while she masterfully attends to business ( a great businesswoman) behind the scenes. Some of the takes are silly ( no, she didn't bring Yoga into the public's attention; some of us don't think that brandishing crucifixes was anything more than deliberately choosing a symbol that would cause upset and more importantly, press).
What has been amazing is that she seized control of her own product: no apologies, no retreat into traditional femininity to please anyone, and a generally outwardly fearless attack on the constraints of the entertainment industry. She definitely has done it her way.
We all weren't entertained or inspired. Her self promotion is also, unfortunately, the direct antecedent of the Kardashians and a host of new wannabes -- who all wannabe rich celebrities. Period.
16
Have attended several Madonna concerts — one stands out, but not for the reasons you might think.
It was a Monday night. The warm-up act was a deejay, who came and went within a reasonable timeframe …
… after which Madonna kept a stadium full of people waiting over two hours to come on. Two hours. On a Monday night. As in school night.
Now, some may thrill to the divaness of a move like that. Not so much the people who were forced to leave without seeing a second of her show, because (a) it was nearing midnight, (b) they had babysitters to relieve, (c) maybe they were disenchanted that she would pull such a stunt.
I enjoy the woman (I too am 60), but I have never seen any performer treat any audience with such disdain.
Less than cool.
20
She was most assuredly a stalwart in the 20th century, breaking down a LOT of barriers for women on an array of levels such as business, fashion, sexuality, etc. Although, I'd like to see her in the forefront for Women's Rights now. We could really use her bravado. THANK YOU MADONNA (from Mary-Faith)
1
Apparently, she inspired many shallow people to feel happy with poor choices and limited ambitions, shallow lifestyles and brand awareness. Not exactly man walks on the moon, inspiring generations of scientists and engineering. Whee.
60
"She endorsed the uncompromising activist group Act-Up, and spoke in sex-positive terms with a comfort and care that was decades ahead of its time." We really do thank her for that.
19
No talent whatsoever? Everything that is wrong with society? Just a packaged product?
Jeez, some of the commenters here need to get out more. And perhaps read the article just a little more carefully; there is plenty to admire about this woman, regardless of what one thinks of Madonna or her music.
13
Ella Fitzgerald was a singer. Madonna is not.
91
Doris Day claimed that Ella was the singer who influenced her the most. I'll bet a whole generation of young women singers were influenced, in turn, by Doris Day.
Directly or indirectly, Ella Fitzgerald influenced real art and culture in a positive way (I listen to her all of the time, btw). Her birthday is April 25th. I look forward to the NYT piece celebrating it next spring.
11
It just occurred to me that Doris Day is STILL ALIVE, btw. A nice piece on Day should be done RIGHT NOW while she's still around to enjoy it! I have young women in my classes who claim that they've watched Pillow Talk with their mothers and grandmothers! Talk about cultural influence!
11
I was thinking Aretha Franklin myself who sadly is rumored to be gravely ill at this moment. I suspect that when the time comes, the NYT, will not pay anywhere near the tribute to Ms. Franklin as they have done here with Ms. Ciccione.
2
I first became aware of Madonna in December 1983 while on Christmas break from college in the Midwest. The song playing on the radio was "Holiday." It sounded OK. But I didn't give Madonna a second thought.
That is, until a year later, when the "Like a Virgin" video was making waves with everybody. While the video with its Venetian locale was cool, I didn't care for the song at all. It sounded hoaky to me. But Madonna seemed to be gathering momentum in the public consciousness and going from strength to strength. With songs like "Borderline" (beautiful song), "Get into the Groove", "Lucky Star" and "Material Girl", she was off like a rocket. But I must confess that at the time -- this was summer 1985 - I thought Madonna was a fad that would fade within a year. WRONG.
I give Madonna full credit for being able to reinvent herself through her music and style over time, to stay relevant, and for being unafraid to live life to the full and speak her truth. She gets my salute.
("OPEN YOUR HEART" will always be my favorite Madonna song.)
5
Hello, hello, lovely Madonna!, now my neighbour in Lisbon. Have a very, very happy birthday with your children and friends - so I did yesterday. We are both from Lyon Zodiac Sign. A respectable kiss, Madonna, from Lisbon to somewhere in Marocco.
3
Let's have a shout out to Marilyn Monroe without whom Madonna would have had no launchpad iconography. As a data analyst I get that "original" can often be the reimagining or reassembly of some previous bits and pieces, but this is not cancer research. It's just entertainment, built from the building blocks of other interesting people who came before Madonna.
3
Madonna brought an end to talent being essential to being an artist. Many other people rolled around on the floor before Madonna did it, and did it better. I really think real singers must roll their eyes whenever this lightweight is trotted out as an example. Also, as a straight 57 year old white male, Madonna had absolutely no sexual appeal for me. Zero.
And whoever gave her the idea that she is "controversial"? She is the epitome of square.
43
Debbie Harry is a true original. Madonna an 80's product.
3
How do you get rich while not being a very good singer? She overcame a lack of talent through sheer will power.
49
I am my opinion, she already made her mark and proved that she is unbeatable in the creative force, hiring all the top people in the industry to stay behind her, and alway coming up with something striking, but I think there is a time that enough is enough. Time to retire and continue to help the children in Africa that is how she should make her mark from now on.
2
My daughter at age 11 was among her first wave of fans, but Madonna continually used sex and controversy to appeal to an older wider audience, always pushing the boundaries. Her actual talent was for self promotion more than anything more lasting or deep. Shocking people's sensibilities is not to be construed with real talent.
72
Madonna is talented. So what? In the pop music industry, talent is the least of the things that matter. She rose to the top mostly because she was sexually provocative in a new and ferociously aggressive way. And while her sexuality may be "feminist" and "empowering" (to use one of our culture's buzz words), it's feminism that's also onanistic, angry, mean, brutish, and ugly.
The artist Carl Andre once said that artists are mirrors of their time. In her own words, "You know that we are living in a material world/And I am a material girl."
25
Brava, Madonna! As a child of the 80s, she has been part of the soundtrack of my life. I have admired and respected her music, work ethic, innovation, and sheer daring for decades. Yes, it hasn't always worked for me, and sometimes it felt like provocation for provocation's sake with nothing else to say. But what other woman artist has been so relentlessly fascinating and entertaining for so long? Plus she puts on one hell of a live show.
6
One person's 'power. innovation. identity.' is another's crass, narcissistic, greedy.
I'm of an age and general political bent that should have loved and admired Madonna. There is an incredibly inauthentic, merely opportunistic feeling to all her exploits. She did and still makes me cringe.
52
Compared to Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Judy Garland, she changed it for the worst, in my opinion.
63
I am at a continual loss as to why this woman is taken seriously. Power. Innovation. Identity. No talent.
78
I'm originally from the Detroit area, and know people who knew Madonna coming up. I was in seventh grade when "Like a Virgin" came out, and she put an unforgettable stamp on our adolescences and our lives. She made herself from very little; she was and continues to be a groundbreaking, creative force in global culture. I've loved her controversial behaviors and I love her lack of apology. She made us think. She has nerve, talent and the bonus of beauty, and she used it all to the max and then some. She's the personification of self-made possibility. Madonna, persist!!
6
Madonna? Nothing more than a packaged product with all the significance of a can of Diet Coke.
88
Before Martin Burgoyne died of AIDS she put on a night at The Pyramid and then went on, she stuck to the important business of garters, lace and flexing as this spotlight attests here.
Although Desperately Seeking Susan included mostly male artists from the East Village, she never looked back after saying goodbye, but did leave her mark as we can see walking those streets today.
Happy birthday, Madonna, we hardly knew ya.
3
Even in this age when we are all so overwhelmed with information thanks to sources like Youtube, allowing everyone to "be a star for at least 15 minutes", as well as other sources of information bombarding us continually, Madonna has been able to retain a semblance of the "cool factor" that rocketed her to fame and established her as the most influential performer of the late-20th Century. I'm only a few years younger than she is but I will never forget how empowering she was, particularly to young gay men who were coming out at that time and who felt emboldened by her message of tolerance and empowerment. Although there have been times in the recent past when it had appeared that she was trying too hard to hold on to her youthful rebellion be it through her wardrobe or comments, she's one of those people that remain immune to harsh judgments in my book. She's accomplished too much and had too large a positive impact on world culture for me to judge her in any way other than confirming that when it comes to naming a powerhouse performer who has been instrumental in music, fashion and the way we look at ourselves, the only possible name that comes to mind is MADONNA. Congratulations to her on her (gulp) 60th!!
30
Madonna is a unique icon in that whatever sphere she reached out to be it fashion, music, dancing, philanthropy and she approached it in an idiosyncratic twist. As a woman, she gets automatic criticism for living her life the way she wants. The comments represent the unconscious bias of men and women towards a successful woman who owns her sexuality and point of view. A woman who dives in passionately to whatever she does. She is to be admired for her tireless efforts and her many achievements.
6
How far have we fallen when this is a cultural icon.
88
Thank you NYT. Madonna is a fantastic gadfly for our culture.
1
Someone really likes Madonna. I will admit she is (was) a great song writer and I would say in her hey-dey she definitely had an influence on pop culture, but in all of these 60 ways, no. However, I do wish her the very VERY best on the advent of her 60th birthday. (The most influence I got from her personally was on how well she took care of herself physically, from a health standpoint. Great role model there.)
2
Happy Birthday, Madonna!!! By celebrating your accomplishments we don't denigrate or deny other women theirs. How your music affects one person doesn't change the extraordinary contributions you have made. But it looks like women still have a long way to go. If Tony Bennett was the write-up on his birthday, no one would say Sinatra was left out.
14
Wow, what a great point, Debra! We can praise one woman and not dismiss the others by that praise. We are bigger than that! Happy Birthday, Madonna.
1
I do wish her the best but rather a lot of the advances you lay at her feet belong to Grace Jones imo
28
One has talent the other co-opts it.
5
She is someone like most celebrities who as a class of people have mostly existed somewhere way off to the side of my life. But I still seem to know so much about her life. At least on the very, very surface. I've probably heard much of her music without knowing it was her singing. Seen snippets of videos, snippets of interviews Caught headlines in the paper, So she is a part of me. Sort of.
Now she's 60. That is something else I now know. Happy Birthday.
2
What a spread over completely nothing. I do wish Madonna a Happy Birthday, though. Madonna lived for Madonna.
I'll take Joni Mitchell any day, any year. Now that's a woman who really changed a generation of women and way beyond from the inside out. And on every level. She also influenced music for generations of musicians across the board, male and female. More importantly, she was able to change the consciousness of both women and men.
One makes me yawn. The other one inspires me both politically and personally and is a true poet in all realms. So let's see this kind of spread for Joni on her birthday because she's one of a kind, always was and always will be.
And if we want to talk about REAL women and celebrate their influence, let's go way, way, way back and honor one who paid with her own life: Joan of Arc. She died for her powers, her truth, her courage, and was burnt by tiny little lying ugly men who were terrified of all that she was!
80
It's not a fair comparison. Joni Mitchell is a singer. She can sing. She's an artist. Madonna is a show girl. She does what show girls do: a little of this, a little of that and a lot of thigh. She's an entertainer. It's not the same animal.
1
At a wedding I recently attended, when the deejay played "Like a Prayer," the men drifted away from the dance floor. Suddenly it was packed with women of all ages, including young teens and more than a few elders--dancing and joyfully lifting their arms to the sky as they sang along. A lovely moment of female bonding courtesy of Madonna.
16
As an 18 year old, and she, early 20's, she and her music were revolutionary for me, liberating. Her confidence, unabashed sexuality, love of dance spoke to so many young people while that age. My favorite part of her career though, is when she was on Oprah and loving yoga. She looked the most beautiful in her career, ... calm, unpretentious, centered, strong. Happy birthday, Goddess!
14
Oh, girl! That was fun. So many memories. So many shining defining moments. Thank you, Madonna, for your delicious body of work. We never knew what was going to happen next... and we all talked about whatever it was. And marveled and laughed and were smitten, confused, and won over again and again. Dance floors in Manhattan are still humming your tunes.
5
Really I am 60 and she did not do those things for me and probably not a lot of other people either.I guess we live in different realities.
77
Man fears time, but time fears... Madona?!
3
She's a lion in lioness clothing. Fearless in her art and in her life, too. Her choices may not resonate with everyone, but you can't deny her lust for life.
7
How much does she give and what does she do for charity annually?
26
Madonna has done a lot in terms of philanthropy!
Madonna established Ray of Light Foundation in the late 1990s. The aim of the charity is to support organizations around the world working to promote peace, equal rights and education for all. Ray of Light's main focuses include The Afghan Institute of Learning, Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) a "union of more than 1700 small farmers working with fair trade cooperatives across Palestine," and Raising Malawi, a nonprofit Madonna cofounded in 2006 whose mission is to "bring an end to the extreme poverty and hardship endured by Malawi's orphans and vulnerable children." Madonna and Ray of Light also support Global Fund for Women.
Back in the U.S., some of Madonna's philanthropy focuses on her native Michigan, particularly Detroit. She's helped fund the Detroit Achievement Academy, a free public charter school.
Other grantees have included The Empowerment Plan, "a Detroit nonprofit that hires previously homeless women to make sleeping bag coats for homeless people," On The Ground, which supports "sustainable community development in farming regions across the world," JP Haitian Relief Organization, and the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program in Detroit.
3
An extreme exhibitionist and a clever entrepreneur. Cultural figure? Artistic talent? Not so much.
122
I've never been a fan. She's always been an icon of what's wrong in our current lack of culture. She's a product of the innovative legacy of the 1980s: success without any kind of talent whatsoever. The result: branding is more important than any real contribution of intelligence and creativity. Vulgarity dominates our current society lacking in integrity and character.
125
Well ART, I kind of agree with you. I am a senior and speculate you are too.
Gone are the days from app. 1940 to app. 1960/1980 when men looked like men and women looked like women, classy, desirable, well dressed and not vulgar.
Madonna did half of that, sometimes very sexy but proper, sang a few good songs and was a good entertainer but she could also be trampy, vulgar and bizarre.
She was still better than the entertainers today, both male and female that look like they just came out of a circus freak show with vulgarity/violence galore too boot.
Ok, let's here it from the feminists that back in my era women were discriminated against. That is true, but they were not treated in entertainment today like vulgar sex objects subject to the most vile violence and degrading sexual portrayal.
1
You don't think Madonna can sing?
You don't think she has great songs?
Boy, wait till you hear today's "top artists"...
2
fly, thank you for your reply. Whether a somebody can sing or not is like beauty, it is in the eyes of the beholder.
I said I thought she had a few good songs, and you are right, compared to many of today's singers she is a genius.
However, I will also admit, a person will tend to like the songs of their era. If I were young today, I would like the "garbage" coming out today.
1
Growing up in the 80's and 90's as a gay teenager and young adult, Madonna was an inspiration to my hopes and dreams. Then in the late-90's and early 2000's, her music resonated with my with dating and relationships, as well as my own spiritual evolving. Today, I see Madonna's entire body of music as a tapestry of her personal life, in which I found many parallels... willpower, success, failure, loss, heartbroken, enlightenment, reflection and love. Happy 60th to the "Lioness of pop-culture"... from a fellow Leo!
60
Congratulations to Madonna, very talented and hard working individual. Personally, not interested in her career or life. Not my cup of tea.
8