Madonna - Welcome to the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame 2008

It's safe to say back in 1983 no one would have predicted that a strangely adorned pop singer from Michigan would have a fledgling career in American music let alone be an inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years later. Just goes to prove how wrong everyone collectively can be. All of course with the exception of the artist herself, especially if that person's name is Madonna. In 1983-1984 Madonna was asked in an interview what she wanted to do and her response was 'To rule the world.' Critics scoffed calling her arrogant and talent less. She proved them all wrong. It makes me wonder, if those same critics all these years later still have their jobs.

I do have a confession, I'm sure Madonna wouldn't mind, I didn't care for her back then. I also wasn't a critic then either so yes, I still have my job. I was like everyone else; wrapped up in the musical frenzy of the brand spanking new revelation known as MTV. Of course this was at the very beginning when MTV actually played music and was a groundbreaking phenomenon. It would be unfair for me to say that MTV built Madonna's career, but it certainly helped fuel her fire and got her the attention of an audience that did propel to her superstardom. It wasn't her music that I didn't care for - the whole 'boy toy' thing drove me nuts. Teenage girls dressing like her on the street and at concerts with the lace, rubber wrist bangles, mid-drift shirts, etc. All I saw were a bunch of cloned Madonna wanna-be's. For me all I saw was style, no substance. Like I said previously, how wrong we all can be. I actually liked a few tunes from Madonna's first album (they were called albums back then), simply titled Madonna. I thought the song "Borderline," was rather catchy. "Lucky Star," was pretty good also. The truth of the matter is, you couldn't sneeze without seeing Madge (her friends call her Madge) on MTV. If she wasn't on every single hour, it would be every 65 minutes. And that's no joke. At the time MTV had a limited collection of videos to play. Obviously as it caught on and the music business found it was a viable tool, the channel and the artists it decided to latch on, thus making or breaking music careers.

In September of 1984, Madonna made a memorable appearance on MTV's first Video Music Awards by wearing a wedding dress and ceremoniously rolling around on the floor singing her hit "Like A Virgin." Start your countdown, controversy number one. Her performance was denounced as a blatant sexual display masking for her lack of talent. Thus the love/hate affair with Madge began. Of course her fans lapped it up as did the execs at MTV. She and the channel made headlines around the world. Looking back now, this would be considered tame and uneventful, possibly forgettable. I don't think anyone was prepared for what Madonna had in store for all of us in the years to follow.

With her second release "Like A Virgin," she firmly planted her feet in the annals of pop music history. Okay, so that statement is a little overblown but it reads well, doesn't it. Her song "Material Girl," literally blew up the charts and everything she did was now larger than life. The 'Boy-Toy,' was about to leave the building and an artist of real substance was waiting in the wings to take her place. I don't believe the notion that controversy can make a career, however it can certainly break one just ask a few folks that have lost all their money or can't give a new cd away. No names please but the self proclaimed 'King of Pop,' knows what I'm talking about. Her song "Papa Don't Preach," was a different kettle of fish. The Catholic Church was up in arms, Planned Parenthood wasn't particularly happy with the young starlet, but she forged along doing exactly what she wanted to do as an artist and more importantly, a woman in the entertainment business. The CD from which the song came "True Blue," was a goldmine for Madonna in 1986. "Open Your Heart," (one of my fav early videos) was all over the TV and the music charts - "Live To Tell," "True Blue," "La Isla Bonita," - you're starting to get the picture. Once thought of as merely a novelty act, Madonna was literally 'ruling her world and ours too.'

Some will argue in 1989 she may have really pushed the envelope too far with her video for "Like A Prayer." Depicting burning crosses, a black saint she kisses in a church, illusions of the stigmata, it was all over the news, and not MTV news, national news. She had signed with Pepsi as their spokesperson that year. After one viewing of her commercial Pepsi pulled the plug on Madge and broke the contract stating the controversial nature and the feeling that this was not what they bargained for. She did however get to keep the million dollar payday she was signed to.

For the first time in MTV history a video was banned from the airwaves minutes after its premiere. Madonna was of course at the helm of the ship. "Justify My Love," was yanked for explicit nudity (I didn't see that much), S&M role-play, and the jaw dropping gay and lesbian depictions. Now by this time, I was hooked into Madge and didn't see that it was really that big a deal. If the channel had only aired it after midnight that would have been sufficient. But whether it was planned to happen or not, Madonna released the video as the first ever video single to be sold in stores. It earned millions. Thus the myth of Madonna's business savvy and calculated controversial moves was born. It was a brilliant ploy. All neatly tied in with his release was her documentary film "Truth Or Dare," the cd 'Erotica,' (great disc by the way) and of course the infamous book, "Sex." Before you even ask, yes, I own all of the above. Was I personally shocked by any of it? Well, the book was quite the eye opener. My problem was and still is, it's really hard to open, literally. The making of the book and the materials used should have been better thought and more user friendly. The again, that may have been the bright idea in the first place. I mean, it's cool and all, but it is a pain in the neck to work with. Is that my only complaint? Pretty much. I was in tune with Madge, her marketability, her button pushing, and had resigned myself to the notion that the woman was actually talented and that I was wrong back in 1982. She had gained my respect as an artist. Not merely because of her business moves but the fact that the woman, like her or not, believe in her sincerity or integrity as an artist or not, had balls. There has never been a middle ground with Madonna. You either love her or hate her. Maybe that's what she was counting on all along.

Of course, she's always been at the front of the firing line whether its had to do with outrageous TV appearances, swearing up a blue streak on David Letterman, her transition into the teachings of Kaballah, getting banned again from MTV for the video, "What It Feels Like For A Girl," (this time for violence and a suicide sequence), and lets not all forget the lesbian kissing with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in 2003. You know, you heard and read about it, the opening of the 20th Annual MTV Video Music Awards. She brought back old reliable, "Like A Virgin." This time around, she was one wearing the tuxedo and Brit and Chris were dressed in wedding gowns. I guess what they say is true, "turn about is fair play." I suppose it may not have caused such a fuss if it hadn't been an open-mouthed kiss, which you could see over and over again for weeks on the news. It never ceases to amaze me what makes the news and what doesn't. Ah, the wonderful world of show biz.

So we're up to the present. Madonna has mellowed since the beginning way back when. She married film director Guy Ritchie, has 3 children (2 biological, one adopted), has written children's books, has made more money than any other woman in the history of music, she's still kicking it over 40 - moving closer to the 50 mark. She still puts out hit records though they're not as frequent. The music business has changed drastically since the good old days of the 70's and 80's. It REALLY is a business now filled with disposable pop and rap tunes, as well as forgettable no-name artists that won't be remembered in 5 years time never mind 25 years. "Ray Of Light," was probably her best cd in the later years. Her film career is another story. I don't think that one will have the happy storybook ending. Her ultimate triumph on the big screen was "Evita." It was an epic beauty and garnerd her a Golden Globe Award. The rest of her films are more of less very forgettable with the possible exception of the comedy "A League Of Their Own." and "Dick Tracy," though those are a stretch even for me. Does she still have the edge she once had or has the spark finally been blown out? Not entirely. Her 'Confessions' tour back in 2006 enraged the Catholic League and a few others once again when during her show she crucified herself on a mirrored cross wearing a crown of thorns. It was serious enough that when the concert was broadcast on TV the beginning of the song was cut and the image wasn't shown.

It is an understatement to say that Madonna hasn't kept our attention for the past 25 or so years. Her awards have stockpiled, her personal history has been recorded for all time. She has garnerd a place in musical history by being inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame along with some of the greats in popular music. She has proven all the critics wrong who dismissed her as a novelty and one hit wonder. For better or worse she has stuck by her artistic guns and not compromised or wavered an inch in doing exactly what she wanted to do, whether we agreed or liked it or not. She has matured and grown, but more importantly to the music establishment, she has consistently put forth good music that has been enjoyed world round a million times over. Love her or hate her, those are things you can't deny. And yes, she's still got balls.