Forget about talent and musicianship for the moment. Why? Because, face it kids, Madonna makes more relevant albums than Prince in terms of exposure and hitting the cultural zeitgeist. Everyone knows and has heard a few tracks from her latest, "Confessions.." Who, outside Prince fandom knows or cares about tracks from 3121 or Musicology?

I thought about it and just had to own up, Prince is miles ahead in terms of musicianship but he's just not as relevant, culturally, as Madonna.

You know this is the truth. Deny it and you're just wrong. Sorry.

i won't argue with that. but who cares anyway? we're all acting
like prince has had 25 number 1 hits in the 80s and 90s and now
is a washed up singer.

truth is, apart from purple rain he was never a million seller,
with the odd exception of a great selling single or album.

pald1 said:

isn't it known as 'selling out'? theres trying to make an effort on a commercial basis, and there's, desperately trying to make the kids love you by churning out pop shit. Let's hope Prince don't want to be too relevent, next thing you know ,he would be using ABBA backing tracks. There is a big difference in the way the two of them go about their business. She plays by the 'rules' when she wants to shift records.

sure madonna is more of cultural icon that prince.
but prince is a real musician, whereas madonna is a singer. big difference.

what's so 'relevent' about a granny in a fucking leotard?

I saw a 12 year old girl singing "I'm workin' up a black sweat" in Topshop a few months back.

bonedaddy said:

I love Madonna,but that is FUNNY

pald1 said:

Welcome to Planet Obvious.

What's your point exactly?... The only point I see you making is you think appealing to the broadest and most commercial audience possible is the most important goal for a pop music artist.

More relevant now purely on a non-music basis. She has influenced a generation of artists to believe they need to change their look and sound every year to elongate their career. Musically I wouldn't say she is a big influence particularlyl.

In a hundred years time, that is what she will be mainly remembered for. Prince will be remembered more for the music in the vein of legendary musicians.

What is 'relevance'?

Madonna makes shit that is relevant. Prince makes shit that will be relevant!

pald1 said:

that's right...get it all out. feel better now?

This in age old topic as far as I am concerned. Every since they both came on the scene at approximately the same time they have been compared for the right and wrong reasons. The tone of this thread started by pald1 is just plain boring. Madonna has always had a more commercial appeal than our purple friend. But the world relevant has to do with a group of people, your relevance pertains as how a group of people perceive you. P has always bucked the trend and in fact usally started his own. Madonna has always wanted to appeal to masses from what I can tell and she does it well. But comparing them is missing the point again about what our P is about. His relavance is hard to measure. Whether it's record sales, concert tix or polls P is above this and cares about it and doesn't at the same time. P is an innovator not an imitator, a leader and a pioneer. M is a easier pill to swallow because of the way she looks, acts and she has good business sense. But by comparing them in terms of relevance is missing the point when it comes to P. He's not in the same race or competition, he will be remembered for his music not his posing and muses. The group that appreciated him will make relevant to a more select group of people and it will be timeless and out of space and mind. Madonna will be humping a horse's saddle and will be trying to play guitar.

i actually do NOT think so ... if Prince had NOT had musicology and 3121 ... etc ... i would say you are correct ... but lets face it ... hits do not translate into "being relevant" ... in my opinion...

Prince is respected FAR MORE ... in my opinion ... but new faces in music but also ... by critics, etc ... Madonna might have a better finger on the pulse of what the minions will listen to on the radio ... but ... does that mean she is more relevant???

pald1 said:

This is so POINTLESS that it's pitiful. Honda's are more relevent that Ferrari's but which one would u rather have?

Graycap23 said:

Well said, point well taken!

pald1 said:

I haven't heard a single song from Madonna since Ray of Light or whatever that song was called a few years ago. I've heard every song Prince has released and a few others he hasn't released in that same time period.

Please reconsider the use of the word "everyone".

ratt said:

Correction: Madonna is NOT a singer.
She is an entertainer.
Singer.....can she sing?

bonedaddy said:

Yeah, this is oh so deep and relevant:

I don't like cities
But I like new york
Other places make me feel like a dork

Words for the ages...you'll hear folks quoting them 50 years from now!!


Madonna's music is fun to dance to and she's had a couple of songs over the years that might have a teeny bit of meaning to them, otherwise it's all 'fun & suds night at the gay bar!'

Don't they have a Madonna website for you?

vinaysfunk said:

Ahem.....Prince came on the scene approximately five years before Madonna was making records. Now if you want to consider her porn movie actress days, then maybe it was around the same time.

MaDonna is what she is, entertainment 4 the masses. Nothing more.

Prince is a legend. He does what he wants. Madonna is an Icon. She has good dancers.

dseann said:

The scene I am referring to is the year 1984, I realize when P was doing what. I am talking about the mass media and mass audiences, like the cover of people mag, etc... You and I know different as compared to the masses.

IstenSzek said:

Indeed. Today, Chris Brown and Young Jeezy are more relevant than either of them. So?

vinaysfunk said:

We might, and I will agree that beside Michael Jackson, these two were the main artists during the 80's. But Prince had mass media appeal two years before Purple Rain with the release of 1999, "1999, Little Red Corvette and Delerious" before Madonna released "Everybody".

Comparing her album with "Borderline" to "Purple Rain" is pushing it on your part.
Try "Like a Virgin" to "Around The World In A Day" and then on....maybe I'll try to agree with you. Madonna caught up to Prince in the mid 80's bedause she stuck with the mainstream when he continuously experimented with his music.
[Edited 12/6/06 7:57am]

bonedaddy said:

True. After all, the kids 2day love ABBA!

But once again, it's apples and oranges with those 2. We've been here countless times before. They each have their kingdoms and both were rightfully earned.

dseann said:

Whatever dsean, I think you get the point. The message is still the same.

vinaysfunk said:

pald1 said:

Umm, Madonna is a master at marketing, I give her that. There's always some kind of controversy involving Madonna whenever her new music drops that gets her all over the media outlets, that's what sells her music.

3121 went to #1 with very little marketing, promotion and effort on Prince's and Universal's part. Relevance speaks for itself, pal!