Madonna has never been just a pop star. For more than four decades, she has functioned as a cultural engine, shaping conversations around fashion, sexuality, power, religion and reinvention. Millions admire her music, but far fewer choose to document her legacy item by item, format by format.
In Israel, one of those people is Avihay, a longtime Madonna memorabilia collector whose personal archive tells a story that goes far beyond fandom.
“Madonna is the cream of the crop for me,” Avihay says. “She is the most interesting and most diverse artist. She did much more than just sing.” For him, Madonna’s music has more than one layer. The deeper story lies in how she used music as a tool to communicate ideas, challenge norms and build a visual and conceptual world that audiences had to engage with long after the show ended.
According to Avihay, Madonna’s flair for the dramatic has often overshadowed her intent. “She invites you into an experience,” he explains. “At first, you don’t always understand it. You get shock value. Later, the message sinks in.” In that sense, controversy was never the end goal, but a doorway into a broader cultural conversation.
Avihay’s connection to Madonna began early. He remembers the media storm around her first visit to Israel in 1993. He was young, but the image stuck. Madonna felt untouchable, almost mythological. Years later, in 1997, the release of Ray of Light marked a turning point. The sound, the visuals on MTV and the reinvention of her image transformed distant admiration into a lasting obsession.
3 View gallery
Madonna collector Avihay holds a framed platinum award for the artist’s debut album at his home. The rare industry piece, never intended for public sale, is a centerpiece in his archive and a symbol of Madonna’s early commercial breakthrough
(Photo: Bar Gindy)
The collection itself did not appear overnight. It grew organically. A turntable gifted by an uncle led to vinyl. A friend handed him Madonna’s first three albums on record. From there, the logic expanded. Albums led to CDs. CDs led to cassettes. Then came singles, international editions and eventually obscure and discontinued formats. As Avihay puts it, “One thing always leads to another.”
Today, his collection spans vinyl records, CDs, cassette tapes, VHS and DVD releases, laserdiscs, box sets and rare promotional materials. Japanese releases hold a special place. Known among collectors for their high production standards, Japanese Madonna editions often include exclusive bonus tracks and distinctive packaging. “Japan is a different world,” Avihay says. “The attention to detail is unmatched.”
Despite the sheer volume, his approach is selective. Avihay focuses almost exclusively on official Madonna releases and licensed merchandise. Bootlegs, which include unofficial recordings or unapproved remixes, hold little appeal. Authenticity, he says, is non-negotiable. “If it’s not official, I’m not paying for it.”
3 View gallery
Framed covers of popular teen magazine Ma’ariv LaNoar featuring Madonna at various stages of her career, hang on the wall of collector Avihay’s home
(Photo: Bar Gindy)
Financial value plays a role, but it is not the driving force. Prices can range from negligible to hundreds of dollars, depending on rarity and condition. What matters more is context. Each item represents a moment in Madonna’s career, a specific campaign, tour or cultural phase.
To maintain control over thousands of items, Avihay relies on structure. He tracks his collection using detailed Excel spreadsheets inspired by Discogs, the global music database and marketplace used by collectors worldwide. Each entry includes release dates, countries, catalog numbers and notes. This system prevents duplicate purchases and helps identify subtle differences between pressings that appear identical to the untrained eye.
The collection is also deeply tied to community. Avihay became part of Israel’s Madonna fan network through early internet forums in the 2000s. As platforms evolved, he founded the Facebook page “Madonna Israel,” which became a central hub for local fans. Offline, he produced Madonna-themed parties in Tel Aviv for years, often timed around album releases, turning fandom into shared cultural experiences.
3 View gallery
People & Collectors podcast host Bar Gindy, left, poses with Madonna collector Avihay at Avihay’s home, surrounded by his extensive Madonna archive of records, CDs and memorabilia
(Photo: Bar Gindy)
Among the many items in his archive, one stands apart. Avihay owns a platinum award associated with Madonna’s debut album, an industry recognition piece never intended for public sale. Typically displayed in record label offices, it represents the machinery behind the music rather than the music itself.
For Avihay, collecting is not about accumulation alone. It is about identity, memory and the desire to preserve culture in physical form. As he sums it up simply, “There is only one queen, and that’s Madonna.”
- For more stories from Avihay and other collectors, check out the People and Collectors podcast. The full interview is available with English subtitles and 50 other languages.