all about Madonna

Madonna, the Beastie Boys, John Mellencamp and Leonard Cohen lead a wildly disparate class of nominees for 2008 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

They join Afrika Bambaataa, Chic, the Ventures, Donna Summer and the Dave Clark Five on the ballot. Five acts will be inducted March 10, 2008, at New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

For eligibility, artists had to release their first single no later than 1982. Last year’s inductees were R.E.M., Van Halen, Patti Smith, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and the Ronettes.

source : billboard

The new “Guinness Book Of World Records”, due out this Friday, lists the Rolling Stones as once again claiming the most successful tour of all time, now with their “A Bigger Bang” tour, which brought in $437.7 million.

Guinness also lists Madonna as the most successful female artist. Her “Confessions” tour grossed nearly $200 million, drawing an astonishing $3 million per show.

Other record holders include Jamiroquai, who played a special Boeing 737 show at 35,000 feet, and British singer Kate Melua, who performed on an oil rig, nearly 1,000 feet below sea level, in Norway.

Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” is still listed as the most successful song of all-time. To date, it has sold over 50 million copies since its 1942 release.

source : music-news.com

Natasha Bedingfield has newfound respect for Madonna after she struggled covering the Queen of Pop’s hit song Ray Of Light.
The pretty British singer tackled the 1998 song for an album celebrating Radio 1’s 40th birthday. She says, “I have so much respect for Madonna after learning how hard it is to sing that song. She has an amazing voice – the range you need to sing the song is incredible.”

source : contactmusic

Actress-comedienne Sandra Bernhard has finally come clean about her alleged love affair with Madonna – it was all made up.

The pair became friends in the late 1980s and their increasing closeness sparked rumours of something more.

But despite being purely platonic, the 52-year-old Roseanne star – who ‘came out’ as a lesbian several years ago – enjoyed every minute of the speculation.

She says, “I don’t mind being asked about Madonna. It was awesome at the time. We had a really funny friendship and kind of played with the press and the media. “It was before the internet and there was still a little bit of allure and excitement and fun to it.”

source : contactmusic

There’s something about the number 50 that does it for Mrs. Guy Ritchie.
Her tour last year was 50 dates. As we speak, let it be known that Her Very Own Self is gearing for yet another concert tour.
The schlep now in the planning stage is to be called “Madonna at 50.”

source : nypost

source : EIL

Akon’s melodic thuggin’ on the airwaves has helped turn records by superstars like Gwen Stefani into harmonic hits.

Now the singer is moving into the realm of three of music’s most iconic legends: Madonna, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson.

While ‘Kon hasn’t been in the studio with Madonna yet, he said he expects to “shock the world” with her Madge-esty before the end of the year.

source : mtv

Madonna met with Israel’s president Saturday during a visit to attend a conference on Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical sect she has embraced despite criticism from Orthodox Jews.

The pop star was seen entering Shimon Peres’ home in Jerusalem with husband Guy Ritchie after the end of the Jewish New Year at sunset Saturday. The Nobel Peace laureate gave Madonna a copy of the Old Testament that she had requested, Israeli TV reported.

On Friday, Madonna was filmed singing Jewish songs and dancing at a conference on Kabbalah with a crowd of hundreds at a Tel Aviv hotel.

Madonna, who arrived in the Holy Land on Wednesday, has become a follower of Kaballah in recent years despite her background as a Roman Catholic. Orthodox Jews have called her interest in the sect an abomination.

The singer has taken the Hebrew name Esther, and has been seen wearing a red thread on her wrist in a Jewish tradition to ward off the evil eye. During her visit she plans to visit sites sacred to Kabbalists.

source : ap

Madonna visits Israeli president Shimon Peres in Jerusalem, Israel (September 15 2007)