I love the trajectory of her career. She's mult-faceted, unique, and trendy, though she's a bit too soft for my tastes.

I'm not a big fan of most of her commercial material, but I'm glad I got to witness two performances by Madonna in the band Emmy (1980/1981).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVeSDKZwpi4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-zrkDwoiBY

Kind of sad that this old bat is still writhing around and producing inane bubblegum pop like she was 25 years ago. Granted the Ray of Light album was good but that was mainly down to William Orbit's production. Hear songs of that album done live and they' sound pretty weak. Defo the ultimate example of style over substance.

I like her older music, but she's gotten incredibly annoying in recent years, particularly when she interrupts every interview her husband gives to talk about herself or humiliate him. Ick.

depends on ur like of her kind of music

a few good songs but it's usually dependant on who her producer is, not on her.

another one been around forever but rustling tree music like enigma has a higher rating then her SMFH

The ultimate queen of self-promotion...shamefully overrated.

Great!

The woman is nearly 50.  She still generates money, news, music and discussion in an industry that is oriented to the young.  How can you not give her a 5?

This is William Thackeray's Becky Sharp personified: cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled. Hey, she even has the sme sneering expression as in his illustrations; all she needs are the Victorian corkscrew curls! This is a woman who's climbed all the way from a working-class American girl to a star in her own right and wife of a British aristo and director no less. Having said that, you have to admire her chutzpah and her willingness to reinvent herself over and over and over...like a virgin. Obviously borderline schizo but it's worked for her like no other. She doesn't express herself so much as the desires of others. I've not bought every single album by her, but there are always a few songs I like: which, in some ways, speaks volumes.

During her "golden era" ('82-'92) virtually every album that she released had about a hand-full of good songs (I know quite a few bands that a lot of people would call very talented that haven't even released a hand-full of good songs in a full career). Admittedly many of the songs were not written by her (at least the music) or co-written by her. Pretty much everything that she's released since the mid '90s (with the exception of "Ray Of Light" [1998]) absolutely sucks. Her last two or so albums, in particular, are quite atrocious. I've never listened to her music (much like any other artist) because I care for her on a personal level or give a damn about her extremely sexual persona, just for the sake of music. I'll admit (for nostalgic reasons and the fact that I like a lot of '80s synth-pop) that I own her album, "The Immaculate Collection" -a greatest hits compilation of sorts of songs during her "golden era" from '83-'90 in this case (no I'm not gay and don't associate with gay people...if I can help it.) I guess that she deserves some credit for her nearly unequaled popularity and the success she's had in movies and other facets of society. And she's been very prolific and never stopped releasing albums at a regular rate. All the pros and cons considered I think that a three-star rating is a fair judgment.

I agree with Canadasucks about her staying power due to her drive and publicity, but I overall don't think very highly of this woman for one how can anyone charge £170 ($340) for concert tickets!!!! Not even Gladys Knight charged that much and shes been around far longer than Madonna.

I can't stand this woman. . .but I cannot deny her staying power or marketing skills. . .I've always felt she was vastly overrated, but one cannot deny her impact on music/media/masturbatory fantasies in the last 20 years. . .

I honestly never thought I would call myself a fan of Madonna, considering some of her comments in the past and her current political statments. But, I have to say her latest album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor," is quite good with two very good songs: "Hung Up," (which uses an ABBA song as a backbeat) and "Jump."

Versatile, imaginative, inovative, daring, ever-changing, eternal. There are a lot of opinions on Madonna - all different. There is only one thing about her that everywhere on Earth she is known and she deserves that recognition. It's not easy to be around as long as she is. Her sound changes, her look changes, her country of residence changes. Everything about her is evolving and unpredictable. You people can feel whatever you want, but I don't think that there's any other celebrity that as recognized, talked about, ot known as much as she is. Viva Madonna!

Can't stand the sl*t.

Versatile and talented

Madonna is one of those rare artists I have mixed feelings about. I think her drive, ambition, courage and ability to reinvent herself is quite amazing and worthy of respect. On the other hand, I think her vocal range is only so-so, and she can be a bit overbearing and intimidating personality-wise. Her latest album its hit single "Hung Up" has a upbeat, toe-tapping, feel-good, airy and sugary quality to it that is good to listen to at the end of a long, stressful day but is probably not taken too seriously!

Terribly over rated pop singer who is a dime a dozen. I still after all these years don't get what all the fuss is about. She's not that good looking and not much of a voice but what can you say she is very popular but it makes about as much sense as the Bee Gees.

Madonna's 80 songs were great songs! Forget it now! She is nothing more than a has been who is struggling to hang on. Proof that true talent is everlasting and no talent, like Madonna, eventually fizzles out.

Liked the stuff she had in the 80s, but when the 80s ended, everything she made SUCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

I may not agree with everything Madonna does...in fact most of the time I don't. However, I've still been a faithful fan since the 80's. I grew up listening to her, and the fact that she has managed to stay in the business for this long, deserves my respect. She is not a talented actress, and her voice isn't awesome. But she knows how to perform, and she knows how to entertain.

she used to be unique and stand out but her attempts to be everything and doing things like kissing britney spears on tv has got her looking more like a mess than anything

Unbearable to listen to. William Hung could be as big if he promoted himself as ceaselessly and shamelessly as this egocentric bitch...

madonna is the best

Yikes... overrated and always has been. And that is exactly what she is a has been. A sex symbol?... Wow, if someone actually thinks that she is/was a sex symbol you have some serious issues.

Great voice, great melodies, great performer, great looking. Just great. Her best CD may be her first. The only CD that I think wasnt good was True Blue. The others all have several great tunes.

SUPEROVERRATED!!! But I will admit to enjoying 3 of her songs (Just like a prayer and This used to be my playground) I will give her props for a few nice singles including the ones I've just mentioned. But I definitely think that all the hype is unnecessary. And that kiss with Britney and Christina was just yucky! (What a role model, huh?) Not digging her personally at all!!!!

I'm not a big fan of pop music, so maybe I'm not qualified to judge. Madonna never really had a great, or even good, voice, but she did, in her prime, write relatively catchy pop songs that you wouldn't necessarily immediately turn off when they came on the radio. Also, people tend to forget how stultifyingly bland and boring pop music was when she came on the scene in the early 80's. At least she was provocative and challenged certain societal conventions and shibboleths. And, in her prime, she was sexy.

Still kicking after all these years. Clever a a whip. She always knew what she was doing. Has gotten better looking as she ages, but was always hot. Even if she had a cock, I'd sleep with her.

Her career has thrived more on controversy than talent.

She is the greatest live performer I've ever seen. She has also produced two of the best pop albums ever made: Ray of Light and Like A Prayer. She puts the younger generation of female artists to shame.

Madonna..Oh I mean Ester ...hey...your 15 minutes have passed already.. I used to like her when she first came out and I was like 8 years old. I did not know then about judging real musical talent...just average voice and her stupid political mumbo jumbo used to suck out a few more moments of the sun has already set career is just plain BORING...ZZZZZZzzz

She's gotten weird with all the kabbalah stuff and inhaling Britney Spears. But in her early days, her tunes were all catchy and danceable. I kind of lost interest in her music after her Vogue days.

An overrated, over the hill embarrassment to America. Banish her!

A filthy performer. Not big in the brains department. Her interview on ABC shows her to be a complete idiot. No brains, a little talent, and a big ego. You go Esther. Give me a break!

I've read most of the comments and find a common thread in Madonna's critics. Her music isn't terribly deep and she isn't a good actress. O.K. With that said, let's get back to the fact that she is listed here under Pop/Top 40 Musicians-Groups. Pop music isn't intended to be deep. It's for general enjoyment and rare is the pop star who can perk up a party and get people on their feet dancing more effectively than Madonna. Whether its' Lucky Star, Into the Groove or Ray of Light, it's just plain fun. I've seen her live 3 times. Her stage performances set the standard for set design, choreography and thematic presentation. Movie Star, no. Philospher, yeah, no! Pop Star,... Legend.

Again, another singer who was pretty good when she first came out, but now...UGH! And what's with the Britney kiss?!!!

I can't for the life of me figure out what all the excitement is about. Madonna isn't all that original or interesting. She's put out some good songs: Borderline, and Cherish are two that I like a lot. Her morals aren't anything to brag about, but how is she different from so many others in her industry?

Madonna's only real talent is for self-publicity at which she is a master of that art. Her voice is thin and reedy and her songs disposable and with the longevity of a mayfly. 'Ray of Light' was good but that was mainly down to William Orbit's production. As for her 'acting' abilities let's not even go there. And as for being sexy? If you think $5-a-bl**j*b hookers are sexy then yes she might be.

Her songs are elementary with no depth. She is all about controversy, not art or music.

PEEUUKK! Nothing's original it's all about sex,crotch,nasty. When I hear her name I automatically think SKANK! She doesn't know the meaning of sensualITY. She was ok in Evita but she stinks in everything else she's done.

I cant give her good marks because I am a musician and I dont think musicianship is where her real talent is. What she did have was SEX APPEAL. She had it the way Marilyn Monroe did (even though she was not that beautiful)and someone who knew the music business knew that and played on it. Her breakout in the eighties played on that sex appeal which along with her sleezy/alluring antics and look and her brash attitude was enough to keep people watching. Going forward from there I really believe it was her ability to shock more than entertain, and the dumb American public bought it, the same way they are buying Brittney, and hand full of others who could not sell anything if they kept all there clothes on and there attitudes to themselves. Unfortunatly Americans as a group dont usually recognize real talent, but they always are going to buy a news maker. That is what is wrong with the whole music scene in this day and age. She is an average vocalist at best, has had real songwriters help her with that end of things, is not really a gifted dancer or anything else. She does have a talent for the camera! In her day no one played to it like she did. Its interesting to see nowadays how she can't sell fire to an eskimo unless she puts a silly rapper or some other soon to be has been on her records and videos. See ya later madonna, we dont care anymore and thank GOD!!

I've been a Madonna fan since 1984. She's had lots of high and low points over the years, and after the success of Ray of Light (her pinnacle acheivement in my opinion), I knew that the only way was down. She's gotten lazy and mediocre - her new album is one of the worst she's ever done, and someone needs to stop casting her in films, until she gets some intensive acting training. She communicates best through her music - not her movies.

Madonna is to the point where she is actually sad. What's left for her to do? She's shocked the world to the point where nobody even cares anymore and she doesn't have the singing, dancing, or acting talent that can stand alone. It's time for her to Take A Bow because her curtain is falling.

Madonna will always have my highest praise and respect. This woman is highly intelligent, and very much a savvy businesswoman. Not only did she rule the charts in the 1980's, but she did very well thru the 1990's, and is still pumping out hit after hit after 20 years. And barely looks any older. Madonna is just a STAR. Period. If you looked up superstar in the dictionary, her picture should be next it. It doesnt matter if someone hates her, or loves her, you cannot deny that she is a star. I don't know anyone who doesn't know her name. Sure, they may not like her, but they know of her. And that means something. (I haven't even brought up the comparisons on the Billboard charts. She is always in the top 10 with the best of them in all of rock and roll history.) Madonna is ageless, and will always be an icon and a legend.

At a party the other night someone asked me who I'd rather see in concert. Madonna or Tina Turner? I said Tina in a heartbeat, she has 10 times the class and excitement as Madonna. Madonna is just an ordinary, lower class girl from Michigan who was lucky enough to hook up with some very talented record producers. One thing that strikes me as interesting about her is the comment she always makes " I'm expressing my individualty" what the hell does that mean ? I can do anything I want, no matter how explicit, whacky? Screw anyone else? She always comes across as being bitter and angry in her interviews. Who is she so mad at ? She preaches any sexual taboo is OK, hey "I'm just expessing my individuality LOL Will she be so understanding when her daughter is sporting cone bras and releasing soft porn books. I think not As far as her kiss with Brittany Spears, I heard it was meant as a nod for the gay rights movement.OK LOL I am all for gay rights, but that was just bizarre, I don't think we'll be seeing a 21 y/o Justin Timberlake making out with a 44 y/o Drew Carey anytime soon on any awards show. Same difference. With all the money Madonna has you'd think she'd be able to buy some class.

How does one argue with success? Though only time will tell if Madonna's music will become lasting pop standards like those of ABBA (for instance), she was clearly the biggest pop artist of the 1980's which has continued, albeit at a slower clip, to the present day. With her 1983 self-titled debut, Madonna was in the vanguard of those artists bringing back popular dance/pop music that had been all but left for dead after disco had run its course years earlier. While a few of the singles from this and other earlier efforts sound a bit dated today (eg "Lucky Star," "Like A Virgin," and "Material Girl"), most like "Holiday," "Into The Groove," and "Open Your Heart" have held up nicely. While Madonna continued to work (some say control) the media and her image via MTV and film, she matured as an artist (notwithstanding her increasing flamboyant stage presence and public persona) as evidenced by the 1989 release "Like A Prayer" and it's singles, namely the titled track and "Express Yourself" (though "Cherish" was a bubbly step backwards). With "Erotica" (1992) and "Bedtime Stories" (1994), Madonna permanently dropped her sex kitten pretensions and started to express herself as a sexual woman (eg "Deeper And Deeper" and "Take A Bow," her best single to date). Finally, Madonna's more recent efforts have evidenced her continual diversity incorporating modern (and now mature) techno sounds with "Ray Of Light" (1998) and "Music" (2000). The bottom line is that pop means popular which means image is a factor, and Madonna has become a major pop icon (complete with the instantly recognizable handle "Material Girl") due to her lifestyle and music.

she ruled the eighties but she needs to realize those days are over.