American singer Madonna has released 15 studio albums, three soundtrack albums, six live albums, nine compilation albums, and 12 other limited releases. Madonna is recognized as the world's best-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records, with estimated record sales ranging from 300 million to 400 million. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) confirmed in 2006, that Madonna's albums alone had sold over 200 million copies worldwide. She is ranked by the RIAA as the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and fourth highest-certified female artist in the United States, with 65.5 million album units.
In 1982, Madonna signed a recording contract with Sire Records, a label owned by Warner Bros. Records. The first release under the label was her self-titled debut album, Madonna (1983). It peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 and was certified five-time platinum by the RIAA. She followed the debut album with Like a Virgin (1984), which became her first chart-topper in various countries and was certified diamond by the RIAA. Her third studio album, True Blue (1986), reached number one in a record-breaking 28 countries and was once named the best-selling album by a woman of all time by the 1992 edition of Guinness World Records. During 1987, she released two albums that reached platinum status in the United States: the Who's That Girl soundtrack and her first remix compilation, You Can Dance. Madonna's fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989), made her the woman with most Billboard 200 number-one albums of the 1980s (second overall, behind only Bruce Springsteen).
Madonna entered the 1990s with the release of I'm Breathless (1990), which contained songs from and inspired by the film Dick Tracy, and her first greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection (1990). The latter became her second diamond-certified album in the US and remains the best-selling compilation album by a solo artist with global sales of over 30 million units. In 1992, Madonna founded her own record label, Maverick Records, as a joint venture with Time Warner. She was paid an advance of $60 million and received 20% royalties from the music proceedings. This was one of the highest rates in the industry at the time, and was only surpassed by Michael Jackson who received 25% royalties. Her next releases under Maverick were the studio albums, Erotica (1992) and Bedtime Stories (1994), as well as Something to Remember (1995), a collection of Madonna ballads. All of them reached multi-platinum status in the US. Madonna scored her best-selling studio album of the decade with Ray of Light (1998), which sold over 16 million copies worldwide.
After charting five albums at number two on the Billboard 200 during the 1990s, Madonna returned to the top of the chart with Music (2000). The album sold over 11 million copies worldwide, of which four million were sold within the first ten days. She continued her chart-topping streak with studio albums American Life (2003) and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005); the latter became a number-one album in 40 countries with global sales of over 10 million copies. In 2007, Madonna signed a 360 deal with Live Nation for $120 million. Her remaining contract with Warner Bros. ended with her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy (2008), and her career-spanning greatest hits compilation, Celebration (2009). Through her Live Nation partnership, Madonna signed a three-album deal with Interscope Records in 2011. MDNA (2012) was her first release with the label, which marked her fifth studio album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. It was followed with Rebel Heart (2015) and Madame X (2019), the latter being her ninth chart-topper on the Billboard 200. In 2021, Madonna announced her return to Warner Music Group in a global partnership which grants the label her entire recorded music catalog, including the last three Interscope releases. Under the contract, Madonna will launch a series of catalog reissues beginning in 2022, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of her recording career.
Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications Sales US AUSPeak chart positions for albums in Australia: Up to June 12, 1988: Top 50 peaks since June 13, 1988: Top 100 peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: CANPeak chart positions for albums in Canada: Up to 1996: Since 1997: For GHV2: FRAPeak chart positions for albums in France: Up to 1995: Since 1996: GER ITAPeak chart positions for albums in Italy: Up to 1996: For I'm Breathless: For Ray of Light: Since 2000: NLD SPAPeak chart positions for albums in Spain: Up to 2002: For American Life: Since 2005: SWI UK Madonna Released: July 27, 1983 Label: Formats: 8 10 16 8 28 50 7 35 — 6 US: 5× Platinum AUS: 3× Platinum FRA: Platinum GER: Gold ITA: Gold NLD: Platinum SPA: Gold UK: Platinum World: 10,000,000 US: 5,000,000 AUS: 250,000 ITA: 210,000 Like a Virgin Released: November 12, 1984 Label: Formats: 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 US: Diamond AUS: 7× Platinum CAN: Diamond FRA: 2× Platinum GER: 3× Gold ITA: 2× Platinum SPA: Platinum SWI: 2× Platinum UK: 3× Platinum World: 21,000,000 US: 10,000,000 FRA: 600,000 ITA: 1,000,000 UK: 1,000,000 True Blue Released: June 30, 1986 Label: Formats: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 US: 7× Platinum AUS: 4× Platinum CAN: Diamond FRA: Diamond GER: 2× Platinum ITA: 4× Platinum NLD: Platinum SPA: 3× Platinum SWI: 3× Platinum UK: 7× Platinum World: 25,000,000 US: 7,000,000 FRA: 1,300,000 CAN: 1,000,000 ITA: 1,500,000 UK: 2,000,000 Like a Prayer Released: March 20, 1989 Label: Formats: 1 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 US: 4× Platinum AUS: 4× Platinum CAN: 5× Platinum FRA: 2× Platinum GER: 3× Gold NLD: Platinum SPA: 4× Platinum SWI: 2× Platinum UK: 4× Platinum World: 15,000,000 US: 5,000,000 FRA: 800,000 ITA: 800,000 Erotica Released: October 19, 1992 Label: Formats: 2 1 4 1 5 2 13 5 5 2 US: 2× Platinum AUS: 3× Platinum CAN: 2× Platinum GER: Gold NLD: Gold SPA: Platinum SWI: Gold UK: 2× Platinum World: 6,000,000 US: 1,989,000Totals for each album sales in the United States from SoundScan and BMG Club: For SoundScan Sales: For BMG Music Club Sales: FRA: 250,000 ITA: 250,000 SPA: 150,000 Bedtime Stories Released: October 24, 1994 Label: Formats: 3 1 4 2 4 2 13 5 7 2 US: 3× Platinum AUS: 2× Platinum CAN: 2× Platinum FRA: 2× Gold GER: Platinum ITA: 2× Platinum SPA: Platinum SWI: Gold UK: Platinum World: 8,000,000 US: 2,531,000 CAN: 250,000 ITA: 210,000 Ray of Light Released: February 22, 1998 Label: Formats: 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 US: 4× Platinum AUS: 3× Platinum CAN: 7× Platinum FRA: 3× Platinum GER: 3× Platinum NLD: 3× Platinum ITA: 5× Platinum SPA: 3× Platinum SWI: 3× Platinum UK: 6× Platinum World: 16,000,000 US: 4,359,000 FRA: 1,000,000*Claimed sales in France for Ray of Light
(Over 900,000 units): ITA: 600,000 UK: 1,730,000 Music Released: September 18, 2000 Label: Formats: 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 US: 3× Platinum AUS: 3× Platinum CAN: 3× Platinum FRA: 2× Platinum GER: 2× Platinum NLD: 2× Platinum SPA: 2× Platinum SWI: 2× Platinum UK: 5× Platinum World: 11,000,000 US: 3,031,000 FRA: 900,000Claimed sales in France for Music: ITA: 250,000 UK: 1,630,000 American Life Released: April 21, 2003 Label: Formats: 1 3 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 US: Platinum AUS: Platinum CAN: Platinum FRA: Platinum GER: Platinum NLD: Gold SPA: Gold SWI: Platinum UK: Platinum World: 5,000,000 US: 680,000 FRA: 600,000Claimed sales in France for American Life: ITA: 150,000 SPA: 70,000 UK: 335,115 Confessions on a Dance Floor Released: November 9, 2005 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 US: Platinum AUS: 2× Platinum CAN: 5× Platinum FRA: Diamond GER: 3× Platinum ITA: 4× Platinum NLD: Platinum SPA: 2× Platinum SWI: 3× Platinum UK: 4× Platinum World: 10,000,000 US: 1,734,000 AUS: 200,000 FRA: 900,000Claimed sales in France for Confessions on a Dance Floor ITA: 400,000 SPA: 200,000 UK: 1,360,000Claimed sales for Confessions on a Dance Floor in the United Kingdom, according to Official Charts Company: Hard Candy Released: April 18, 2008 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 US: Gold AUS: Platinum CAN: Platinum FRA: Platinum GER: Platinum NLD: Platinum SPA: Gold SWI: Platinum UK: Platinum World: 4,000,000 US: 751,000 AUS: 70,000 CAN: 169,000 FRA: 240,000 ITA: 175,774 SPA: 43,500 UK: 335,523 MDNA Released: March 23, 2012 Label: Interscope Formats: 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 US: Gold AUS: Gold FRA: Platinum GER: Gold ITA: Platinum NLD: Gold SPA: Gold UK: Gold World: 2,000,000 US: 539,000 AUS: 35,000 FRA: 150,000 SPA: 30,000 UK: 134,803 Rebel Heart Released: March 6, 2015 Label: Interscope Formats: 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 2FRA: Gold ITA: Platinum UK: GoldWorld: 1,000,000 US: 238,000 AUS: 15,000 FRA: 52,000 ITA: 60,000Claimed sales for Rebel Heart in Italy: UK: 76,490 Madame X Released: June 14, 2019 Label: Interscope Formats: 1 2 2 4 5 2 2 3 2 2ITA: Gold UK: SilverWorld: 500,000 US: 169,000 FRA: 29,000 ITA: 20,000 UK: 62,531 Confessions II Released: July 3, 2026 Label: Warner Formats: 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1CAN: Gold ITA: Gold SPA: Gold UK: SilverUS: 114,000 UK: 61,624 "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.
Soundtrack albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications SalesUSAUSCANFRAGERITANLDSPASWIUKWho's That GirlReleased: July 20, 1987 Label: Formats: 7 24 4 2 1 1 1 4 4 4US: Platinum FRA: 2× Platinum GER: Gold ITA: 2× Platinum NLD: Gold SPA: Platinum SWI: Gold UK: PlatinumWorld: 6,000,000 US: 1,000,000 FRA: 600,000 CAN: 160,000 ITA: 450,000I'm BreathlessReleased: May 21, 1990 Label: Formats: 2 1 3 3 1 1 5 2 3 2US: 2× Platinum AUS: Platinum CAN: 2× Platinum FRA: 2× Gold GER: Gold NLD: Gold SPA: 2× Platinum SWI: Gold UK: PlatinumWorld: 7,000,000 US: 3,000,000 ITA: 300,000EvitaReleased: October 28, 1996 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: 2 5 5 2 2 2 6 16 1 1US: 5× Platinum AUS: Platinum GER: Platinum NLD: Gold SPA: Gold SWI: Platinum UK: 2× PlatinumWorld: 7,000,000 US: 2,025,000 CAN: 200,000 UK: 737,000
Live albums
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications SalesUSAUSCANFRAGERITANLDSPASWIUKI'm Going to Tell You a SecretReleased: June 20, 2006 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: 33 — 4 8 8 1 4 — 7 18FRA: GoldUS: 85,000 ITA: 100,000 UK: 39,000The Confessions TourReleased: January 26, 2007 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: 15 — 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 7UK: SilverWorld: 1,000,000 US: 148,000Sticky & Sweet TourReleased: March 26, 2010 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: 10 — 3 6 11 2 4 3 5 17ITA: Platinum FRA: GoldUS: 65,000 CAN: 6,000 UK: 12,405MDNA World Tour Released: September 6, 2013 Label: Interscope Formats: 90 — — 6 — 2 50 4 — 55US: 18,000Total sales for MDNA World Tour in US as of September 2013: FRA: 8,000 UK: 23,220Rebel Heart TourReleased: September 15, 2017 Label: Eagle Formats: — 20 — 20 8 4 14 4 30 42FRA: Gold US: 3,840 FRA: 3,000Madame X: Music from the Theater XperienceReleased: October 8, 2021 Label: Warner Formats: — — — 90 — — — 67 — —"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.
Compilation albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications SalesUSAUSCANFRAGERITANLDSPASWIUKYou Can DanceReleased: November 16, 1987 Label: Formats: 14 13 11 2 13 1 3 16 11 5US: Platinum AUS: Platinum FRA: Platinum GER: Gold NLD: Gold SPA: Platinum SWI: Gold UK: PlatinumWorld: 5,000,000 US: 1,500,000 ITA: 450,000The Immaculate CollectionReleased: November 12, 1990 Label: Formats: 2 1 1 2 10 10 10 5 3 1US: 11× Platinum AUS: 14× Platinum CAN: 7× Platinum FRA: Diamond GER: 3× Gold ITA: 5× Platinum NLD: 3× Platinum SPA: 3× Platinum SWI: Platinum UK: 13× PlatinumWorld: 30,000,000 US: 10,000,000 AUS: 880,000 FRA: 1,100,000 ITA: 500,000 UK: 3,770,000Something to RememberReleased: November 3, 1995 Label: