In more ways than one, Madonna is a fountain of modern-day pop stardom! Dubbed the Queen of Pop and royalty on the Billboard charts, Madonna’s career spans multiple chart toppers since 1983.
She has 38 Top 10s under her belt too – the most of any female artist.

In celebration of Madonna’s expansive career, we have compiled 10 of her biggest hits in history:

Deeper and Deeper (from Erotica 1992)

This Erotica album’s second single topped out at No.7 on the Hot 100. It spent 17 weeks on the list. Co-producer Shep Pettibone fought against including the flamenco guitar break. He disliked “taking a Philly house song and putting ‘La Isla Bonita’ in the middle of it”. Unfortunately, he lost that battle to the Queen of Pop.

La Isla Bonita (from True Blue 1986)

This Latin-flared track seems to be a favourite of Madonna’s – being included on the setlists of many of her concert tours. She performed it at the 2007 Live Earth benefit show in London. The ballad is complete with romantic guitar, Cuban-inspired percussion and lyrics that are almost melancholic.

Papa Don’t Preach (from True Blue 1986)

Papa Don’t Preach tells the story of a young woman confessing to her father that she is pregnant. But plot twist – she’s keeping the baby! It is the only song that Madonna did not have a significant hand in writing. She told the New York Times that she first thought it was silly. But later realised it showed a girl who is close with her father, wanting to maintain that closeness. It is also a firm favourite on Smile 90.4 FM.

Express Yourself (from Like a Prayer 1989)

This is one of Madonna’s best girl-power anthems. She urged ladies to be more assertive with their men: If you don’t say what you want / then you’re not going to get it. The single hit Number 2 in the US. It was the most expensive music videos ever made at the time, directed by a pre-fame David Fincher.

Music (from Music 2000)

Who knew a simple word could sound so profound? Madonna sure did with song’s iconic line: Music makes the people come together. For many years, Madonna used her music to bridge boundaries of race, sexual orientation and gender. And this track is especially dedicated to the power of music itself, and how it unites the ‘bourgeoisie and the rebel’.

Hung Up (from Confessions on a Dance Floor 2005)

Hung Up was the first of two chart toppers from her disco-themed album, gaining the No.7 spot on the Hot 100 in 2005. During an interview Madonna said her first album was a ‘total aerobics record’. Years later, she revived the aerobics game with this hit.

Like a Virgin (from Like a Virgin 1984)

The title track and lead single from her 1984 album spent six weeks atop the chart and became one of the diva’s signature songs. It was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly and produced by Nile Rodgers. She gave “Like a Virgin” a memorable debut at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, a moment as indelible as the Beatles on Ed Sullivan – the song is forever linked with the image of Madonna, in a wedding gown, brazenly humping the stage.

Borderline (from Madonna 1983)

This single was the first of a staggering 17 consecutive Top 10s from 1984 to 1989. Borderline was also the first collab between Madonna and director Mary Lambert, who also worked on La Isla Bonita and Like A Prayer. The hit song is a mix of various styles of downtown cool. During her 2008 tour, Madonna delighted fans with a punk rock version of the song.

Vogue (from I’m Breathless 1990)

Vogue is an iconic dance number. The black-and-white music video (directed by David Fincher) pays tribute to New York’s gay ball culture – which was later famed through the 1991 documentary Paris is Burning.

Like a Prayer (from Like a Prayer 1989)

Who would have thought that this song would cause so much controversy upon its release…only for it to be performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012. Madonna has been obsessed with the taboo connection between sex and spirituality, and that idea comes to life in this 1989 gospel-disco smash.