Mariah
Beyonce
Rihanna
Britney
GaGa

Madonna
Janet jackson
Beyonce
J.lo
Shakira/Gaga

I'm aware of that but she wasn't a 2000s icon. Iconicism has nothing to do with success...

Also how did she sell 50 million albums?

Music - 10 million
American Life - 3 million
Confessions - 10 million
Hard Candy - 4 million
MDNA - 1.5 million

That adds up to about 30 million...

Beyonce
Amy Winehouse
J.Lo
Rihanna
Lady Gaga

First off music sold 15M at least, plus she had remixes and another greatest hits collection, and some of her old material was/is still selling well, it's not so far fetched to claim she sold over 50M. And Madonna was still very iconic in the 2000s.
The superbowl
Her adoption saga
Her iconic tours
How can you refute Madonna's iconic status this century?

LOL at you trying to deflate her album sales!

Music = 15 million
American Life = 5 million
Confessions = 10-12 million
Hard Candy = 4 million
MDNA = 2 million

Then there is:

GHV2 = 7 million
Celebration = 4 million
Live Albums (I'm Going To Tell You A Secret + Confessions Tour + Sticky And Sweet Tour + MDNA Tour) = 2-3 million

That adds up to between 49-52 million albums!!

Music sold 11 million at most, I wasn't as successful as Ray of Light.

Totally forgot about the remix album and the greatest hits, although I'm sure they haven't sold a lot.

Madonna is iconic to the 80s because, to an extent, she defined a whole era of music. She was popular in the 90s and the 00s but she will forever remain an 80s icon.

I love her though, I own all her studio albums.

Plus as Ionnie has pointed out, her back catalogue has continued to sell. For example her first 3 albums were remastered and re-released in 2001, around the time of the Drowned World Tour. Also the Immaculate Collection has re-appeared on the charts numerous times throughout the 2000s....

I see your point compared to the 80s the 00s seem like she wasn't that big, but no one is saying she was the definite most iconic during that period but she had some big impact during that period and was part of some pretty big events in pop culture, VMA kiss for example and no one is questioning your love for Madonna, this was meant to be an open minded discussion.

Britney
Beyoncé
Rihanna
Lady Gaga

Madonna is from the 80s so I don't count her
and sorry X sis u ain't iconic, nor katheryn

Beyoncé
Rihanna
Gaga
Britney
Mariah

You don't have to have debuted in the 21st century, you just have to have released music during the period and have great impact in the process to qualify.

Britney
Beyonce
Rihanna
Gaga
Shakira

Britney Spears
Beyoncé
Rihanna
Lady Gaga
Christina Aguilera

Katy barely had 2 hits and a moderately successful album in the late 2000s, she belongs to the 2010s. Taylor had 2 hits AND a very successful album, but I think she still can't make it to the top 5, I feel like she'd be #8 if the list continues, Mariah would be #6 and Alicia #7.

Edit: Oh wait the 2010s also count But why does everyone on ATRL count 2010-14 as the 2000s tho I still wouldn't include Katy anyway

Inb4 people name their faves

Lady Gaga
Beyonce
Rihanna
Xtina
Britney

Rihanna
Adele
Nicki Minaj
Beyoncé
Katy Perry

Honourable mentions:
Christina
Mariah
Amy Winehouse
Lady Gaga
Alicia Keys

Top 5
Britney Spears
Rihanna
Madonna
Beyonce
Lady Gaga

honorable mentions:
Shakira
Mariah Carey
Pink
Jennifer Lopez
Katy Perry
Kelly Clarkson
Nelly Furtado
Gwen Stefani
Nicki Minaj
Christina Aguilera
(this list could go on tbh)


also some ppl could easily rotate with other from both categories like Katy Perry can easily be put into the top 5 and if Lady Gaga's decline continues she would be in the honorable mentions list