In 1995, at the age of 16, Joel Madden, his brother Benji and a friend started their own band. The band was short lived and the Maddens eventually recruited fellow high schoolers Billy Martin, Paul Thomas and Aaron Escolopio to form their current band Good Charlotte. They took the name Good Charlotte from a children's book.

In the 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie, Joel and the other Good Charlotte members made a cameo as the band at the school's prom. He later had a cameo role in the 2004 film Fat Albert and in the 2006 film Material Girls with his brother Benji. He also had a guest appearance in the popular kids' show "The Naked Brothers Band", in which he joined the band for a performance.

Madden started a clothing line called MADE Clothing along with his brothers Benji and Josh. The line is now defunct. In early 2006 MADE Clothing became DCMA Collective. The line is owned by Joel, his brothers Benji Madden, Josh Madden, and friend Tal Cooperman. The Madden brothers also front a production team called Dead Executives.

In November 2007, Nicole Richie and Madden created The Richie Madden Children's Foundation. The charity will create and promote an online registry to inspire the purchases of items for moms and their families in need. He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In 2010, with his brother, Madden contributed to "We Are the World 25 for Haiti," a remake of the song "We Are the World" by USA for Africa, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. On November 23, 2011, Madden was confirmed as one of the four vocal coaches in the first season of the Australian version of the reality singing competition The Voice.His brother, Benji Madden was later his mentor on the show. Joel continued on as a coach in season 2.

Joel is featured in Blood on the Dance Floor's fifth studio album on the track "Incomplete and All Alone" released on June 19, 2012. The track was available for free download with pre-orders of the album.

Madden started dating Nicole Richie in December 2006.They have two children. The couple confirmed their engagement in February 2010, and married on December 11, 2010.

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