At 63, Madonna can count herself as one of the most iconic and legendary figures of modern pop music. Not only did her songs forever alter the genre itself, but her rich live performances also broke boundaries for women, the LGBTQ+ community, and more. Now, with a career-spanning reissue series set to be released by Warner Records, NYLON looks back at some of her most impactful live moments ever.
Madonna exuded power and sensuality in a Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra while performing “Express Yourself.” Rightfully, every pop star today is still riffing on the iconic look.
Ever the entertainer, Madonna performed “Live To Tell” while floating against a massive cross wearing a crown of thorns around her head, choices that inflamed the religious community. Of course, that instantly raised this to legend status.
The Grammys love a cross-genre performance. Madonna and Gorillaz delivered in 2006 with their strobe-lit disco party throwback rendition of “Hung Up.” Also: those thighs!
By 2012, Madonna’s legacy and influence on pop music had pretty much been cemented, and she acknowledged that fact by putting on a very regal and unforgettable show that just happened to be in the middle of the 2012 Super Bowl.
This exclusive performance given only to the guests in attendance at the 2018 MET Gala lives on thanks to YouTube, where it’s obvious she took the year’s religious theme to heart.