Madonna and her children at the painting exhibition


“[460] Andy Bennett and Steve Waksman, authors of The SAGE Handbook of Popular Music (2014), noted that “almost all female pop stars of recent years—Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and others—acknowledge the important influence of Madonna on their own careers.”Madonna has also influenced male artists, inspiring rock frontmen Liam Gallagher of Oasis and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park to become musicians.Madonna’s use of sexual imagery has benefited her career and catalyzed public discourse on sexuality and feminism. The Times wrote that she had “started a revolution amongst women in music … Her attitudes and opinions on sex, nudity, style, and sexuality forced the public to sit up and take notice.