VH1 ten things Millennials need to know about Madonna:
Quote:
Before there was Beyoncé, Britney Spears or Lady Gaga, there was Madonna. Millennials, take a stadium of seats, because we’re about to unload several truths about the pop icon that you don’t — and definitely should — know.
1. She is still relevant.
Quote:
Her 2012 Super Bowl halftime show drew more than 114 million viewers, the most-watched set by a female artist (even surpassing Beyoncé). Her MDNA Tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2012 and the second most profitable for any female artist in history. The first? Madonna, for ’08-’09′s Sticky & Sweet Tour.
2. Her age is irrelevant — and people really need to stop obsessing over it.
3. She was talking about social issues before it was “cool.”
Quote:
We give props to artists like Lady Gaga and Spears for encouraging this revolution of love; however, they are endorsing a now-popular opinion. Madonna was urging for the same rights in the ’80s and ’90s when it was very unpopular. Her sexual exploration, especially during her Blonde Ambition Tour (’90-’91) and Erotica (1992) era, pushed some serious buttons but started necessary conversations. And when Canadian officials threatened to arrest Madonna for simulating masturbation on stage in 1990, did she censor herself? Nope. That’s rock ‘n’ roll.
4. She’s a damn good songwriter.
Quote:
Since 1989′s Like a Prayer, she’s co-written every song on her studio albums (except “Fever” and “Bedtime Story”). In an age of hit-makers like Max Martin and Dr. Luke, that’s an incredible feat.
5. Yes, she can sing.
Quote:
6. She didn’t peak in the ’80s.
Quote:
2000′s Music reached No.1 in more than 15 countries and received a stellar four-star rating from Rolling Stone. Like a Virgin, while fantastic, received a lower RS rating and hit No.1 in eight countries.
7. Like a Prayer and Ray of Light will always be more influential than Blackout (2007), The Fame Monster (2009) and — yes —Beyoncé (2014).
8. She paved the way for every female artist. And they should thank her.
Quote:
And let’s be real: without “Express Yourself,” there would be no “Born this Way.”
9. Sorry Jay-Z, but Madonna is pop music’s greatest living entertainer.
Quote:
Beyoncé is fantastic, don’t get us wrong, but she’s competing against a legend with a 30+-year catalog and showstopping tours to boot. If there’s one thing Madonna knows how to do, it’s put on a show. The theatrics! The back-up dancers! The social commentary! Everything is perfectly crafted to create a pop performance art experience that cannot be paralleled.
10. Believe it or not, she’s starred in a few decent films.
