Pretensions read today that the Material Girl has turned 50 as of last Saturday (16th August). Madonna was a fixture of P's teenage years and she remembers happily bopping to her music and moving with her through her various incarnations as bubble-gum pop songstress (Material Girl), sultry bisexual seductress (Erotica), Anti-religious dominatrix type (Like a Prayer) etc etc. P actually proudly owns a copy of her recent album Hard Candy, marking herself as one of Madge's die-hard fans who has stuck with her over the last 25 years (that is a SCARY number!).

Madonna is currently preparing for her Sticky and Sweet World Tour (beginning in the UK) and shows no signs of slowing down or relinquishing her pop throne. According to the Guiness Book of Records, Madonna is the world's most successful female solo artist, having sold 120 million albums and 40 million singles. She certainly strutted her stuff on Saturday night, choosing to party on down, while decked in multiple gold chains, at London Club Volsted, at a bash organised by hubbie Guy Ritchie. Apparently the man in Madge's life had no qualms about spending £100,000 on pink Krug champagne and vodka. Her two children Lourdes and Rocco both attended the party but were escorted home at around 11:30pm.

Guy chose to honour the occasion not only with the perfect present, a £250,000 Bulgari necklace and earring set, but also pledged his support to Madonna's efforts to adopt another child. He also named a rose after her, ignoring Shakespeare's injunctions. All together now - "'Cos We're li-ving in a Material World, and I am a Material Girl..."

A couple of hours after the party finally ended, a bleary-eyed Madonna was spotted making her way to the gym for her fitness fix. Rather her than P after a night on the tiles!

P is now going to take a page from Oldschool's book and list her personal favourite Madonna top ten tracks. Controversy and argument expected! Click on the names of the tracks to view the Youtube videos where available.

10. Rescue Me from The Immaculate Collection (2001). Just a great dance single.

9. Sorry (2005) from the album Confessions on a Dance Floor.

8. Music (2000) from the album of the same name. Madonna meets Ali G - what more could you ask for?

7. Ray of Light (1998) from the album of the same name.

6. Paradise (Not for me) (2000) from the album Music. A lovely lovely ballad and Madonna does her Geisha homage.

5. Material Girl (1985) . What can you say about this - it's iconic!

4. Express Yourself (1989) from the album Like a Prayer.

3. Frozen from the album Ray of Light. P's favourite Madonna quasi-ballad.

2. La Isla Bonita (1987) from True Blue. Chintzy, cheesy but just can't get that latin rhythm out of my head!

1. Like a Prayer (1989) from the album of the same name. P's fave rave track; she remembers dancing to it in university.

Madonna is only one of a crop of celebs turning 50 this year. Oldschool has already blogged about Prince's birthday earlier this year; Ellen Degeneres (who just got married to girlfriend Portia de Rossi) and Michelle Pfeiffer have also hit the big 5-0 this year and coming up at the end of August, is Pop's Peter Pan, Michael Jackson. Imagine MJ at 50! The mind boggles!