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Madonna Louise Ciccone, professionally known as Madonna, is often referred to as the Queen of Pop. The 66-year-old singer is a cultural icon whose music and public image defied the stereotypes of the 80s.
Her musical career is marked by an array of hit songs, eclectic styles, and political and social commentary. Madonna's ability to continually reinvent her music, visuals, and songwriting has made her music appeal to listeners of different generations.
She was named by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the “well-documented figures of the modern age.” Madonna boasts a catalog of high-charting hit songs including Like A Virgin, Holiday, La Isla Bonita, Frozen, Music, and Vogue, among others.
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Note- This list is ranked according to Spotify stream counts at the time of writing this article.
Like a Prayer, Hung Up, Vogue, and more of Madonna's iconic songs
1) Like a Prayer (498,920,990 Spotify streams)
Like a Prayer is a dance-pop song written by Madonna in collaboration with American music producer and songwriter Patrick Leonard. Released in March 1989 as the lead singer from her fourth album of the same name, the song also incorporates elements of funk.
The song attained critical and commercial success, debuting atop the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for three consecutive weeks. Like a Prayer explores themes of intimacy, vulnerability, and spirituality. The chorus relates to these themes:
"When you call my name/ It's like a little prayer/ I'm down on my knees/ I want to take you there/ In the midnight hour/ I can feel your power/ Just like a prayer/ You know I'll take you there."
Like a Prayer is listed among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone.
2) Material Girl (470,662,936 Spotify streams)
Material Girl is a pop song that reflects on the need for ladies to embrace self-worth as well as prioritize themselves and their needs above anything else. The first verse captures the essence of the song:
"Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me/ I think they're okay/ If they don't give me proper credit/ I just walk away/ They can beg and they can plead/ But they can't see the light (That's right)/ 'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash/ Is always Mister Right."
Released on January 23, 1985, Material Girl was penned by Robert Rans and Peter Brown. It served as the second single from Madonna's sophomore studio album, Like a Virgin. The single debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Madonna’s third top-five single on the chart.
3) Hung Up (459,882,304 Spotify streams)
Madonna, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Stuart Price, and Benny Andersson are credited as writers on the track Hung Up. The nu-disco song was released on October 18, 2005, as the first track from the singer's tenth album, Confessions on a Dance Floor.
Hung Up explores the sadness and frustrations affiliated with a one-sided love affair. The post-chorus reads:
"Every little thing, every little thing/ I'm hung up, I'm hung up on you/ Waiting for your call, waiting for your call/ I'm fed up, I'm tired of waiting on you."
Hung Up became a commercial success, becoming Madonna’s 36th top-ten entry and making her and Elvis Presley the only artists to achieve this feat.
4) La Isla Bonita (419,023,473 Spotify streams)
La Isla Bonita is the seventh single from her 9-track album, True Blue, released on February 25, 1987. The song was written by Madonna, alongside Bruce Gaitsch and Patrick Leonard.
The song is a nod to a chimerical island, San Pedro, which the singer enthusiastically describes as somewhere she would love to be. The chorus encapsulates the feeling:
"Tropical the island breeze, all of nature wild and free (Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah)/ This is where I long to be, La Isla Bonita/ And when the samba played, the sun would set so high/ (Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah)/ Ring through my ears and sting my eyes, your Spanish lullaby."
This Latin-influenced song peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her eleventh top-five hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has been covered by Ricky Martin and Alizee, among other artists.
5) 4 Minutes (feat Justin Timberlake and Timbaland) (341,273,543 Spotify streams)
On March 17, 2008, Madonna collaborated with ten-time Grammy award winner Justin Timberlake and US-based music producer Timbaland to release her dance single 4 Minutes.
The songwriters include Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Nate Hills, and Tim Mosley. 4 Minutes is a pop song with a theme centered on urgency. Madonna says the song can’t be taken literally as it is about saving the planet and having a good time while at it.
Verse 1 reads:
"C'mon, boy/ I've been waiting for somebody to pick up my stroll, ah/ Ah, well, don't waste time/ Give me a sign, tell me how you wanna roll, mmm/ I want somebody to speed it up for me, then take it down slow/ There's enough room for both/ Well, I can handle that, you just gotta show me where it's at/ Are you ready to go? Are you ready to go?"
4 Minutes debuted at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the singer’s 37th entry on the chart and breaking the record previously held by Elvis Presley.
6) Like a Virgin (296,889,905 Spotify streams)
Like a Virgin is the lead single from the pop icon's second studio album of the same name. The dance-pop song was released on October 31, 1984, and was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly.
The song is based on themes of healing, commitment, affection, and vulnerability. The second verse projects these themes:
"Gonna give you all my love, boy/ My fear is fading fast/ Been saving it all for you, 'cause only love can last/ You're so fine and you're mine/ Make me strong, yeah you make me bold, oh your love thawed out/ Yeah, your love thawed out what was scared and cold"
Like a Virgin is noted as one of the songs that made Madonna a superstar and proved she wasn’t a one-hit wonder. The song reached the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the singer’s first number-one on the chart.
7) Vogue (244,080,461 Spotify streams)
Vogue by Madonna is house music released in March 1990 as part of the soundtrack for the critically acclaimed action crime movie Dick Tracy.
The RIAA-certified track depicts the pain, struggles, and emotional imbalance that individuals deal with in society. Addressing these issues, the singer emphasizes the importance of dance as an escape from these adversities.
The first verse reads:
"Look around, everywhere you turn is heartache/ It's everywhere that you go (Look around)/ You try everything you can to escape/ The pain of life that you know (Life that you know)/ When all else fails and you long to be/ Something better than you are today/ I know a place where you can get away/ It's called a dance floor/ And here's what it's for, so"
In May 1990, the song peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the singer’s best-selling single at the time of its release. The song has sold more than six million copies worldwide.
Madonna's songs are composed of lyrics that tackle social injustice, gender inequality, and societal problems. Their stream counts allude to the singer's musical relevance in this generation.
