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Madonna celebrates four decades of stardom and glamour

40 years ago, Madonna released her self-titled album “Madonna,” changing pop culture forever.


JULY 27, 2023 5:03 PM EDT

It’s hard to think of pop music without thinking of Madonna. She is immersed with pop culture itself, with her music influencing the majority of our most famous pop artists. 40 years ago today, Madonna Louise Ciccone released her first record. The self-titled “Madonna” was a huge hit, containing some of the greatest pop songs of all time, among them, “Holiday,” and “Borderline.” It was a first step for an artist that appeared to enter the stage fully realized, having an ease for reinvention and her finger on the pulse of the transgressive.

Earlier this year, Madonna was scheduled to go on a world tour celebrating her most iconic records. Following a health scare, the tour was pushed back until October, giving her plenty of time to recuperate and put on a show that’s deserving of her towering legacy.

Today, she celebrated her record’s anniversary with a video of herself dancing along to her song, “Lucky Star.” “To be able to move my body and dance just a little bit makes me feel like the Luckiest Star in the world!” she captioned the post. “Thank you to all of my fans and friends! You must be my lucky stars too! And Happy 40th Birthday to my very first album.”

Below, we’ve compiled a list with some of her most iconic looks and pop culture moment:

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Madonna before the release of her first record, in 1982.

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Madonna in 1984.

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Madonna in 1985

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Madonna and Rosanna Arquette for the 1985 movie “Desperately Seeking Susan.”

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Madonna and Sean Penn in the ‘80s.

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Madonna performing in London in the ‘80s.

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Madonna Jogging Outside Her Apartment - September 15, 1991

Madonna in the 90’s, escaping the paparazzi in an awesome outfit.

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Madonna in the 90s performing for the AIDS Dance-A-Thon.

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Madonna at the 1998 Europe Music Awards.

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Madonna performing in Paris in 2009.

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Madonna at the 2009 Met Gala

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Madonna and the women of “W.E.” the first film she directed.

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Madonna performing Germany in 2012.