Often called "the woman of a thousand faces" Queen Of Pop Madonna is probably the living celebrity that has had the most number of magazine covers. Today as she turns 50 we would like to celebrate her life and career so far with a gallery of 50 of her best magazine covers ever!

It is quite difficult and quite a task choosing ONLY 50 magazine covers to tell the artistic and personal story of Madonna but we tried and here's the result.

1. Island - USA, October 1983
We start of course with Island, what in "Madonna Mythology" is considered her first cover ever. Planned in 1983 around the time of her first record release, the shoot took place at photogapher Kurtis Knapp's "Apartment", a few blocks away from where she lived at the time. In our interview Kurtis recalled "she was very focused on her idea of HER. But at that time, that day, we just had fun and worked on taking good pics". Unfortunately many of the original negatives and outtakes from this shooting had gone by the wayside and lost between Kurtis' moving here and there, but more shots surfaced as magazine and book covers in recent years.

2. NUKE - France, Spring Summer 2008
The next cover is actually from 2008 but present for the first time in beautiful quality this fabulous Madonna image shot on Polaroid by Maripol from the "downtown" era. Issued to celebrate Maripol's own exhibit in the spring of 2008, this big sized magazine has already become a sought after collectable.

3. ID - UK, March - April 1984
Madonna lands in the UK. British ID magazine dedicates the cover to her and her Boy George impersonation shot by photographer Mark Lebon. Her Lucky Star song is the then current single in the UK.

4. Rolling Stone - USA, November 1984
Madonna debuts on the cover Rolling Stone magazine on the November 22 issue with an amazing shot by Herb Ritts and an article on.The love affair between M and the magazine is still going strong and lasting and along with Vanity Fair, this is the magazine that has documented more in years the constant chamaleontic changes of this iconic artist.

5. Rolling Stone - USA, May 1985
Madonna debuts as a proper actress in movies as Susan in Desperately Seeking Susan with Rosanna Arquette as her co-star and Rolling Stone is there to document the event with a portrait of the two stars by Herb Ritts. Madonna hijacks the movie from their supposed stars and "Susan" becomes soon known as "The Madonna Movie".

6. Time Magazine - USA, May 27, 1985
On May. 27 1985 Madonna lands on cover of Time, the prestigious magazine born in 1923 with a great image by Francesco Scavullo at the time she embarks on her first major tour, The Virgin Tour. The inner articles tries to explain the reasons why she is hot!

7. Rolling Stone - USA, June 1986
After getting married with Sean Penn, 1986 arrives and it's time for the first major look change. Gone are long hair, rubber bracelets and rosaries. The new look to go with the long awaited third album, True Blue, is platinum blond with shorter hair and once again Rolling Stone has the priviledge to introduce the new Madonna look on their cover from June 1986.

8. Life - USA, December 1986
Another prestigious magazine devotes its cover article to Madonna. This time is Life magazine. She is photographed in the streets of little italy by Bruce Weber who also portrays her with her siblings, Anthony, Martin, Paula, Christopher, Melanie, Jennifer and Mario, creating a photo shoot that makes Madonna history.

9. Vanity Fair - USA, December 1986
Madonna gets her first Vanity Fair cover with a great Herb Ritts image and it's the beginning of another great love affair with a Magazine. As of now Vanity Fair has devoted eleven different covers to her with the last one coming out in 2008. By 1986 Herb Ritts has become sort of her official photographer.

10. Tatler - UK, September 1987
Tour time for Madonna - At the end of her first world tour, Who's That Girl, Madonna appears on the cover of UK's Tatler magazine with a gorgeous shot by Herb Ritts.

11. Harper's Bazaar - USA, May 1988
While her marriage to Sean Penn is about to end with a divorce, Madonna graces for the first time the cover of another prestigious American magazine: Harper's Bazaar. She appears for the first in years as a brunette in photos by Francesco Scavullo, promoting her Speed The Plow play on Broadway.

12. Vogue - UK, February 1989
Madonna graces the cover of British Vogue for the first time with an interesting and rarely seen image by Herb Ritts. Promotion for the new, Like A Prayer album due out the following month is about to beging. Two more photos by Ritts, introducing her look for the album are published inside.

13. Rolling Stone - USA, March 1989
Rolling Stone yet again devotes a cover to Madonna and her great new album Like A Prayer and Madonna's new brunette look pictured by Herb Ritts. In reviewing the album the RS journalist says Like A Prayer is the thing in pop music that is most close to true art.

14. Vogue - USA, May 1989
Way before showing to the world the right way to feed chickens in her AshcomBe manor Madonna appears for the first time on the cover of American Vogue magazine in February 1989, showing her beautiful Los Angeles house, her kitchen and her collection of shoes and bags. Photos by Patrick Demarchelier.

15. Vanity Fair - USA, April 1990
Madonna is photographed for the only time by photographer Helmut Newton for her second cover of Vanity Fair magazine. This issue is also remembered for clearly showing Madonna's naked breast for the first time after she has reached superstardom and the "pre-fame art images" resumed by Playboy and Penthouse.

16. Cosmopolitan - USA, May 1990 - Madonna debuts as a Cosmo Girl on the cover of the US edition of Cosmopolitan magazine in a nice look with black short hair and photos by Francesco Scavullo. A different image from the same photoshoot will appear on the UK edition of the magazine that same year.

18. Harper's Bazaar - USA, June 1990
It's time to go on tour again! it's 1990 and this is probably the year that produced th biggest number of Madonna covers around the world. She was on the cover of every sort of magazine, from fashion and music ones to Airlines and Horoscopes publications. Madonna presents some of the tour costumes for the first time on her second time as the US Harper's Bazaar cover girl in June 1990.

19. Glamour - France, June 1990
The Blond Ambition Tour is the star of the June 1990 issue of French magazine Glamour with an article behind the scenes of the tour's kick off in Japan. Sharing the cover with fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who made costumes for the show, Madonna looks stunning in her Hanky Panky outfit.

20. Interview - June 1990
Yet another Interview cover image with the infamous crotch grabbing image by Herb Ritts that caused much controversy that year. Images from this shooting will be used as artwork for the Immaculate Collection release later that year.

21. Forbes - USA, October 1990
And to close 1990 Madonna succeds to be on the cover on yet another prestigious American magazine. The only one missing from her collection: Forbes. The publications puts a photo of Madonna performing Material Girl during her Blond Ambition Tour and asking if she is America's smartest business woman.

22. Moda - Italy, March 1991
Madonna is pictured with then fiancee Tony Ward and friends such as photographer Steven Meisel, behind the scenes of a fashion show on the cover of Italian Moda magazine. This particular issue has become quite saught after by collectors as the images presented are quite unique.

23. Vanity Fair - USA, April 1991
Madonna and Steven Meisel take the Marilyn/Madonna comparison and take it to the extreme with the Marilyn portfolio. Madonna becomes Marilyn and vice versa in one of the photographer's most notable works.

24. Premiere - France, June 1991
Madonna goes to Cannes to present her tour documentary In Bed with Madonna, that turns out to be one of the most successful rock documentaries of all times.

25. New York - USA, October 12, 1992
Madonna and Steven Meisel present their SEX book on New York magazine. Meisel is introduced to public as "Madonna's magician."

26. Vanity Fair - USA, October 1992
Madonna presents her Erotica album on the cover of Vanity Fair with another new sexy photo shoot by Steven Meisel.

27. Newsweek - USA, November 02, 1992
Madonna, her SEX book and her Erotica album end up on the cover of Newsweek with an article titled "Madonna and the selling of sex."

28. Vogue Paris - France, October 1993
Madonna goes on tour again in 1993 with the Girlie Show. The show starts in Europe and Vogue Paris gets an article accompained by exclusive brand new photos by Ellen von Unwerth.

29. Esquire - USA, August 1994
Madonna meets Norman Mailer on the August 1994 issue of Esquire magazine. She is pictured on the cover in front of a target, wearing the same laether bikini we will see the following year in her Human Nature video. The message to the media was clear: "I'm not your bitch" and "absolutely no regrets".

30. Details - USA, December 1994
The new album Bedtime Story is out and Madonna promotes itin the US with this portfolio by Bettina Rheims for Details magazine. The look we see in the photoshoot is very similar to the one for the launching single, Secret.

31. Vanity Fair - USA, November 1995
Madonna and the cinematic role of her life. Madonna as Evita is captured by photgrapher Mario Testino in an enchanting photoshoot and a revealing diary held by Madonna during days of shooting in Argentina, Budapest and London. Madonna as Evita also graced the cover of Vogue magazine with a behind the scenes article.

32. Spin - USA, April 1998
Madonna introduces to US music magazine Spin her latest work. Co-written and co-produced by William Orbit the Ray of Light album brings new life in her musical career.

33. Rolling Stone - USA, July 1998
Madonna by David LaChapelle. This photoshoot, promoting the Ray Of Light album has become one of the most famous and since release these images have been re-used in many exhibits by David LaChapelle in museums and art galleries around the world.

34. Vanity Fair - USA, March 1998
Madonna presents her daughter Lourdes in this issue of Vanity Fair in which she discusses becoming a mother for the first time. Photos by Mario Testino.

35. Harper's Bazaar - USA, February 1999
Here comes the Gheisha look reprised in the Nothing Really Matters video. This is Madonna's fourth appearances on the cover of Harper's Bazaar.

36. Sette - Italy, August 03, 2000
Italy gets this exclusive cover of Madonna posing for friend photographer Fabrizio Ferri in Pantelleria while pregnant with son Rocco. Madonna, Guy and friends relax on a boat in the Mediterranean sea. Another of the most sought after magazines.

37. The Face - UK, August 2000
Madonna presents her new album Music and debuts her cowgirl lool on the cover of UK's popular magazine The Face. Photos by Jean-Baptiste Mondino.

38. People - USA, January 08, 2001
Madonna marries Guy in Scotland and People dedicates to the Ritchies its front cover, with images from little Rocco's christening.

39. In Style - USA, January 2001
Madonna graces the cover of In Style magazine with a brand new photoshoot by Regan Cameron that will also be used for her Drowned World Tour programme and merchandise later that year.

40. Q - UK, May 2003
Madonna gets back to her brunette look and presents her new album American Life to Q-magazine.

41. W - USA, April 2003
Madonna and photographer Steven Klein get together for the first time to collaborate on X-STaTiC PRo=CeSS. This issue of W magazine introduces the project with an exclusive portfolio of imagery that will be also part of Madonna's next tour.

42. Vogue Paris - France, August 2004
Tour time again. This time is the re-Invention Tour and Vogue Paris gets again a great exclusive cover from Madonna and Steven Klein and article to lauch the tour.

43. Ladies' Home Journal - USA, July 2005
Madonna - the Librarian - appears on the cover with an exclusive portfolio by Lorenzo Agius and an interview discussing motherhood and Kabbalah just in time to promote the release of Lotsa De Casha, the last book in the original series of five stories started with The English Rosesin 2003.

44. Vogue - USA, September 2005
Madonna, with her husband Guy Ritchie open their Ashcombe house in Wiltshire to readers of Vogue magazine and present to the public official images of the children. Images of the photoshoot by Tim Walker also appeared on various international editions of Vogue and other Conde Nast publications.

45. Attitude - UK, November 2005
Madonna goes back to her roots and tells everything about her new Confessions On A Dance Floor album to the UK's best selling gay magazine.

46. W - USA, May 2006
Steven Klein and Madonna reunite again for this portfolio about their mutual love for horses and lauch Madonna's new live show, The Confessions Tour.

47. Madame Figaro - France, September 30, 2006
Madonna appears in her Future Lovers costume from The Confessions Tour to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of designer Jean Paul Gaultier in this exclusive celebrities portfolio by Jean-Baptiste Mondino for Madame Figaro.

48. Paris Match - France, November 15, 2006
After months of gossip and rumours Madonna presents to the world her new adopted son David and she ends up on the cover of popular French weekly magazine Paris Match.

49. Interview - USA, April 2008
Madonna launches her last album for Warner Bros, Hard Candy, with a new interview and a new photoshoot by Steven Klein.

50. Vanity Fair - USA, May 2008
Madonna reunites with Steven Meisel after many years for her latest cover photo for the American Vanity Fair.