On August 23, 2008, Madonna kicked off her 86-date Sticky & Sweet Tour in Cardiff, Wales, and it would become the highest grossing tour by a solo artist. She broke her previous record, the 2006 Confessions Tour. Organized to promote Madonna’s 2008 “Hard Candy” album, the two-hour set featured 16 dancers, a 12-piece band, over eight costume changes, and millions of dollars worth of Swarovski crystals.
Forever infamous for pushing buttons, Madonna made headlines for some provocative political opinions during the tour. She made controversial statements expressing opposition to Republican Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates John McCain and Sarah Palin. She also stirred up controversy in her stance against gypsy discrimination in Eastern Europe. Aside from making headlines, breaking records and entertaining fans across the globe, the Sticky & Sweet Tour also received positive reviews from music critics.
Born in the suburbs of Detroit in 1958, Madonna Louise Ciccone rose to her reign as the Queen of Pop after moving to New York City in 1977 in pursuit of a dance career. By 1981, Madonna had broken into the into the once male-dominated dance music scene with songs like “Everybody” and “Holiday.” By 1991, her name was synonymous with pop music thanks to her 21 Top 10 hits in the United States and 70 million albums sold internationally. Known for her boundary-breaking style and music, her stardom was solidified with her 1984 performance of “Like A Virgin” at the MTV Video Music Awards. Aside from selling more than 300 million records worldwide, including “Papa Don’t Preach,” “Like A Prayer” and “Vogue,” Madonna’s had many starring roles in films like “Desperately Seeking Susan” (1985), “Dick Tracy” (1990), “A League of Their Own” (1992), and “Evita” (1992).
Constantly setting new trends and reinventing herself, Madonna is still making music and headlines today. Famous for saying, “I wouldn’t have turned out the way I was without all those old-fashioned values to rebel against,” Madonna recently made waves in 2012 speaking out for LGBT rights in Russia and at the January 2017 Women’s March with a controversial speech about the 2016 election results.