In May 2007, Madonna released the download-only song "Hey You", in anticipation of Live Earth, which was free for its first week. She also performed it at the London Live Earth concert in July 2007. In October 2007, Madonna announced her departure from Warner Bros. Records and a new $120 million, ten year contract with Live Nation. She will be the founding recording artist for the new music division, Live Nation Artists. The Warner Bros. deal will be completed with a compilation album due early 2009.

In November 2007, the New York Post claimed animal enthusiasts were "horrified" by Madonna dyeing her sheep for a photograph, and "vilified" for organising pheasant-hunting parties at her estate. In December 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced Madonna as one of the five inductees of 2008. The ceremony took place on March 10, 2008. Madonna also directed her first film, Filth and Wisdom and produced and wrote I Am Because We Are, a documentary on the problems faced by Malawians directed by her former gardener Nathan Rissman. Filth and Wisdom received mixed reviews from the British press. The Times Online said she has "done herself proud" while The Daily Telegraph described the film as "not an entirely unpromising first effort [but] Madonna would do well to hang on to her day job." The Guardian praised I Am Because We Are, saying that she "came, saw and conquered the world's biggest film festival."

In 2008, Madonna promoted her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy, with the Hard Candy Promo Tour. It was lauded by Rolling Stone as an "impressive taste of her upcoming tour." The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, where Madonna achieved ten number one albums. Hard Candy sold 100,000 copies in the United States upon its first day of release. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with over 280,000 copies sold. The album received mostly positive reviews worldwide, though some critics panned it as "an attempt to harness the urban market". Its lead single "4 Minutes" reached number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the U.S. Radio & Records Pop Chart. The single scored Madonna her 37th Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hit, making her the artist with the most Top 10 hits in the history of the chart, surpassing Elvis Presley. In the UK, she retained her record for the most number one singles for a female artist, this being her 13th. Two further singles "Give It 2 Me" and "Miles Away" were released to accompany the album. On August 23, 2008, Madonna embarked on the Sticky & Sweet Tour, her first major venture with Live Nation. It became the highest-grossing tour ever by a solo artist with $US280 million, surpassing the title previous held by her 2006 Confessions Tour. The tour also set new records in several countries for attendance and ticket sales. On January 30, 2009, it was announced the tour would be extended, adding new European dates commencing on July 4, 2009 at the O2 Arena in London.

Life with My Sister Madonna, a controversial book by Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone, was released on July 14, 2008. The book debuted at #2 on the New York Times Best Seller List. The book was not authorized by Madonna and has led to a rift between the siblings, with Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg commenting on a reconciliation: "with the book coming out, I assume that will remove the chances of that ever happening." In January 2009, Madonna collaborated with fashion photographer Steven Meisel for the 2009 Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer collection. Creative Director, Marc Jacobs, contacted Madonna to do the print advertising campaign after seeing a performance of her Sticky & Sweet Tour in Paris. On March 2, 2009, Madonna was honoured with the Japan Gold International Artist of the Year award at the RIAJ Gold Disc Awards for her album "Hard Candy". Madonna also teamed up with designer Ed Hardy to launch another fashion collection of her own after being approached by Christian Audigier.

• "Dancing on Ice" (1 episode, 2009)
       - Episode #4.11 (2009) TV episode (performer: "Into the Groove")
• "Banda sonora" (3 episodes, 2007-2009)
       - Episode #5.1 (2009) TV episode (writer: "Express Yourself") (performer: "Express Yourself")
       - Episode #2.10 (2008) TV episode (performer: "Borderline")
       - Episode #1.12 (2007) TV episode (writer: "Candy Perfume Girl") (performer: "Material Girl", "Candy Perfume Girl")
• The Wrestler (2008) (writer: "Jump") (performer: "Jump")
• Get Smart (2008) (performer: "4 Minutes")
  ... aka Max la menace (Canada: French title)
• "60/90" (2 episodes, 2008)
       - La família nombrosa i el Tamagochi (2008) TV episode (writer: "Vogue") (performer: "Vogue")
       - La Nova Cançó i el karaoke (2008) TV episode (writer: "Deeper and Deeper") (performer: "Deeper and Deeper")
• "Ugly Betty" (1 episode, 2008)
       - Jump (2008) TV episode (writer: "Jump") (performer: "Jump")
• "Change" (2008) TV series (unknown episodes)
• Paging David Cronenberg (2008) ("Like a Virgin")
• "Der Alte" (1 episode, 2008)
  ... aka The Old Fox (UK)
       - Bei Einbruch Mord (2008) TV episode (performer: "Hung up")
• "Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious" (1 episode, 2008)
       - Confidence (2008) TV episode (performer: "Holiday")
• "Wir sind Kaiser" (2 episodes, 2007-2008)
       - Episode #1.11 (2008) TV episode (writer: "Hung Up") (performer: "Hung Up")
       - Episode #1.8 (2007) TV episode (writer: "Hung Up") (performer: "Hung Up")
• Marató 2007, La (2007) (TV) (writer: "Open Your Heart") (performer: "Open Your Heart")
• "Memòries de la tele" (1 episode, 2007)
       - Episode #2.4 (2007) TV episode (writer: "Hanky Panky") (performer: "Hanky Panky")
• "De par en par" (1 episode, 2007)
       - Episode #2.2 (2007) TV episode (performer: "I Love New York")
• SingStar '80s (2007) (VG) ("Material Girl")
• "A Bucket o' French & Saunders" (1 episode, 2007)
       - Episode #1.1 (2007) TV episode (writer: "Hung Up") (performer: "Hung Up")
• "Club, El" (1 episode, 2007)
  ... aka Club estiu, El (Spain: Catalan title: summer title)
       - Episode #3.210 (2007) TV episode (writer: "Hung Up", "Time Gous by con Loli (Hung Up)") (performer: "Hung Up")
• "Stromberg" (1 episode, 2007)
       - Herr Loermann (2007) TV episode (writer: "Hung Up") (performer: "Hung Up")
• Cómo conseguir un papel en Hollywood (2007) (TV) (writer: "Vogue", "Hollywood") (performer: "Vogue", "Hollywood")
• Camino de Antonio Banderas, El (2006) (TV) (writer: "Hollywood") (performer: "Hollywood")
• "D-Calle" (1 episode, 2006)