American singer-songwriter Madonna, throughout her career, spanning five decades, has obtained a remarkable series of statistical achievements during the album era, setting and breaking several world records with her participation in entrepreneurial activities, of acting and her performance in the musical scene for her videos, singles, albums, and tours.

This article needs to be updated. (October 2023)

Her first appearance in the Guinness Book of World Records was in 1986 with her third studio album, True Blue. Thereafter she has earned multiple appearances, including her title as the world's best-selling female recording artist, recognized since the 20th century. As of February 2012, she retained 20 entries at the same time in the Guinness World Records,^[1] a very similar figure obtained by Paul McCartney in 2003; the highest number of record holding at same time by a musician with 26.^[2]

In a multiple-decades long period, her statistics and numbers achieved scrutiny beyond music industry, including business and marketing communities. In 1992, Bob Tannenbaum from The New York Times called to her as "the most statistically significant artist of the 80s".^[3] Madonna was also nicknamed variously for her success in different formats and charts, including from Billboard staffers. However, she also scored some less favorable records, such as the most Golden Raspberry won by a woman or then the largest drop by a number-one album in the Nielsen SoundScan period during its second week.

Madonna made appearance at various anniversaries of record charts, including some of major music markets, where attained notable high positions. In Germany, she was named "the most successful singles artist" by GfK Entertainment charts and in the United States, she was called "the most successful solo artist of the Billboard Hot 100", as well "the most successful act of the Dance Club Songs" and fifth "Greatest Chart All-Stars" (all charts combined). The Guinness also recognized her as the most successful US DVD chart artist. Madonna was named by Official Charts Company (OCC) as "the most successful female artist in UK charts history". She was named the most successful female artist in the history of RPM charts, in Canada, and by Music & Media in continental Europe.

In a multiple decades-long period, her records, achievements and statistics were relatively often commented by press, and other observers, including business community. Roger Blackwell is an example.^[4] In 1992, Bob Tannenbaum from The New York Times called her "the most statistically significant artist of the 80s",^[3] while in 2019, Vanessa Grigoriadis from the same publication called her the "world's highest-charting female musician".^[5] In 2008, Damian Corless from Irish Independent referred to her "stunning vital statistics",^[6] while rock music journalist John Tobler, complimented her records compared to other male artists in 1991.^[7] Nina Simosko from American business magazine Fast Company made a similar comparative in 2008,^[8] and in 2013, The Cut editor Rebecca Harrington paraphrasing said, "Madonna's actual accomplishments are too much for the modern human to even contemplate".^[9] Greg Seigworth, complimented her numbers overseas,^[10] and both Ray B. Browne and William Labov referred to her "unprecedented regularity" to reach the top of the pop charts for decades.^[11]

Music writer Dave McAleer, made the question in Chart Beats (1991): "Does Madonna cherish all the records she has broken?".^[12] Madonna herself has responded to various journalists including Simon Garfield and Howard Stern, when they asked about her numbers, sales, awards and records. She often expressed that awards "are overrated" and admits she pays no heed to her accolades, accomplishments or chart positions, claiming "I'd rather be distantly aware of it than putting too much importance to it" and "I don't focus on my accomplishments, I focus on things I haven't done yet".^{[13][14][15][16]} Carrie Havranek, wrote in Women Icons of Popular Music (2009), that she "is not necessarily interested when her manager tells her how quickly a concert has sold out; she is more interested in whether she is satisfied with it as an artistic achievement".^[17] Some media outlets have reported in various opportunities how she was "nonchalant" for receiving some honors, including United Press International in 1987, and also for declining her Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990.^[18][19]

Her number-one albums (female record) span five decades in Australia (female record): 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s.^[83][72] According to Australian magazine The Music Network, "all her albums have been hits" in the country, "one of the first markets to break her".^[84] Based in a Noise11.com article in 2019, until the release of Madame X, all her 14 studios albums entered at the Top-ten in the country, and a total of 20 of her releases (including compilations and soundtracks).^[85] In 2022, she attained another top-ten album with Finally Enough Love debuting at number-one position.^[72]

Her number-one singles (female record), span three different decades: 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.^[86]

Both Madonna number ones albums and singles in Canada (the most by any other act) span four consecutive decades: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. She achieved two diamond albums in the country.

All her major album catalog, including compilations and soundtracks, and with the exception of Celebration and Rebel Heart Tour have reached the Top-10 in France, including 7 number-one, 10 number-two and 3 number-three. She also has three albums with a Diamond status in the country.

As of 2018, Madonna spent a combinative 1,632 weeks (31 years) at the German charts, divided in 884 weeks for singles and 748 weeks in albums. With her charted songs from 1983 to 2018, she was always a Top 100 singles charter artist.^[109] Ray of Light is also one of the best-selling albums in Germany. Her number-one albums (female record) span four decades in Germany: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.

She became the first and only international artist with number-one albums in three consecutive decades: 1980s (Like a Prayer), 1990s (I'm Breathless) and 2000s (Hard Candy).^[120] In the 1980s, she scored two of the best-selling albums of that decade, the most by any other foreign act.^[121] As of 2019, she is tied with Mariah Carey, and both are behind South Korean female artists Twice and BoA, as the international female artist with most number-one albums on the Oricon Weekly Charts.^[122]

She is also the first female singer to have had two albums that both contained five different UK Top 40 singles.^[12] In addition, she is the first female to have a studio album that feature the most UK number-one singles, with True Blue (3), a feat later surpassed by Jess Glynne (5) and Spice Girls and Lady Gaga, with four each.^[141]

Madonna has scored number-one albums (female record) across four consecutive decades: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.^[133] Madonna has never missed the top-ten with a studio album, and only one didn't make the top-five: her self-titled debud which peaked at 6.^[133] All of them have been number-one or number-two until the release of Madame X.

During the 2000s, she scored more number-one singles by a female artist, with five. Her UK number-one singles (female record) span three decades: 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

2007 was the first year since Madonna's career began that she didn't have a single appear on the chart at all. She'd previously had years without any new entries –1988 and 2004– but there had been a couple of songs lingering in the Top 40 from the previous year.^[133] Her singles have spent 516 weeks as of 2022, in the Top 40 since her first hit in 1984, nearly 10 years.^[133]

At some point of her career, the Guinness and British Hit Singles & Albums named Madonna the most successful female artist in both United Kingdom and the States.^[20][251] The 1988 edition of the Guinness, named her the "female leading vocalist" that has headed the single charts regularly in Britain and the US since her "Holiday" single in June 1984.^[142] Madonna is the first U.S. artist ever to go straight in at the top of the Official Albums Chart; she did it with True Blue.^[148]

She is one of the selected female artists to have one or more simultaneous UK and US number-one albums (True Blue and MDNA). She is indeed, the first female artist to have a simultaneous UK and US number-one album, with True Blue.^[252] "Like a Prayer" is also a simultaneous UK and US number-one single.

Madonna was placed high in record charts of various major musical markets, either as soloist or female artist. Madonna is the first female artist ranked in Billboard's "Greatest Pop Stars" (created in 1981). She is also, the first artist to repeat as a year's "Greatest Pop Star": in 1985 and again in 1989.^[269]

In a multiple-decades long period, Madonna was nicknamed variously for her success in different formats, including Billboard staffers calling her as the "Queen of Charts",^[270][271] "Queen of the Hot 100",^[272] the "Queen of Dance Clubs",^[273] "Queen of Touring",^[274] or the first Queen of the Longform videos.^[275] Forbes' contributor Hugh McIntyre named Madonna the "Queen of Billboard charts" in 2020,^[276] while Music & Media called her an "Airplay queen".^[277] Devon Maloney from Spin headlined her as the "Queen of Album sales",^[278] and The Daily Telegraph called her a "chart queen".^[167]

Mark Bego said that she appeared in several magazine's lists and mentions of "the biggest, best, and most defining events and creative productions of the century" (xx).^[305] In American Icons (2006), associate professor Diane Pecknold also noted how many polls of "the biggest, greatest, or best in popular culture includes her name".^[306]

Madonna as a subject has generated records titles by others ways in Guinness Book of World Records. They said: "You might not be able to run as fast as Michael Johnson, or sell as many records as Madonna but everyone can set a record".^[307]

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