In the 80s there were 4 superstars who topped the charts internationally, Janet,
Madonna,Michael ,and Prince. THey were huge and able to fill stadium. By the late 80s that changed. Michael's Bad US Tour was totally indoor arewnas. Prince had problems selling out The Lovesexy Tour. Madonna's Blone Ambition US Tour was indoor tour, an d Janet, while she never toured in the 80s here popularity has deflated since Janet.

Whilte they are almost unoted in the US are Madonna,Janet,michael,andPrince still superstars over the world? DO you think they can beomce superstars again in The US?

Madonna is still able to sellout arenas all over the world.During last year's tour,she played at least one stadium date.

I think their popularity is related to their date of birth:

Almost equally popular although Prince wins the battle
Prince: June 7, 1958
Madonna: August 16, 1958
Michael: August 29, 1958

And then, way less popular:
Janet: May 16, 1966

JANET JACKSON??

LOL

Sorry, but Janet's never been a GLOBAL superstar. I don't think she's even played a stadium show outside the USA. She never rescheduled the All For You tour in Europe after 9/11 - partly because her arenas never sold out in the first place. She's a US/Japan institution and just "Michael's little sister" elsewhere. Go to any of her old European shows and the whole place is filled with MJ fans in MJ shirts needing a Jackson fix.
[Edited 8/20/07 3:34am]

Bruce Springsteen is the name missing from this list. He's another 80s star that still holds some cache but struggles to sell records, retain a high profile.

Prince and Madonna both still rank high, surely.
Michael Jackson does so, but not for music... and Janet... well, at least she's keeping Jimmy and Terry of the dole.

Ellie said:

ok u cant be serious.janet NOT a global superstar..come on.janet is a bonafide international superstar..oh and someone did forget springstein.

I love Janet. But global superstar? Nah, not at all.

Prince, MJ, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, yeah. Janet, no.

what about george michaels he must be far ahead of janet he used to be all over the radio

Janet really didn't enter the scene until 1986/1987, musically.

David Hasslehoff was a global superstar in Germany.

Illustrator said:

lol love the comeback!

judging by the massive success of 21 nights in london where prince sold nearly half a million tickets.. i dont think he'd have a problem selling out a stadium...

mj with the right come back promotion could do it easily..

madonna isnt really that popular in the u.s. and i doubt she'd be able to do it.

janet... no chance

Bruce Springstein was never very popular in the UK...

aymiderham said:

MrsGoodnight said:

You are kidding right?

11 albums in the top 5, including 6 U.K number one's (more than Prince?).

The number one albums span 21 years from first to last (84-05), showing real sustained popularity

20 singles charting in the U.K top 40

Sold out tours, filling football stadiums, and not just in London but Sheffield, Newcastle etc..

Now i've never been a fan of Springsteen myself, but to say he's never been
very popular in the U.K is dead wroong.

Take out Janet Jackson (I mean Come ON!!!) and replace with Bruce and U2.

MJ also has a MAJOR image problem (DUH!!) and would have more trouble selling tickets than you think. Esp in the US.

Janet has done stadiums outside the states. Only few. The reason she doesn't dp stadiumsis she swore she wouldn't. Janet saw her brothers in '84 at a stadium and didn't liek it cause she couldn't see. So she swore to never do stadiums.

Now somewhere after her I would put Tina Turner, George Michael, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey.
[Edited 8/20/07 23:22pm]

fluid said:

That's funny. An interview I have with her on TFI Friday in 1998 she says the exact opposite. She was talking about playing in Scotland and how she had to play the arena while Elton John & Billy Joel were at the stadium down the road and seemed to be following her about but in the bigger venues. Chris Evans said he preferred intimate gigs and Janet dsagreed and said she's rather do stadiums because "the bigger the better".

... and again, Mariah's huge success in the US is only really matched in Japan. She's a big name, but her actual global sales are nowhere near what Whitney ever achieved at her peak.
[Edited 8/21/07 1:16am]

prettylies said:

My face is red. I stand corrected...

Bruce Sprinstein completely passed me by then - I was too busy listening to Prince

BoySimon said:

Was just about to mention The Boss myself...big fan, and new album called "Magic" on the way in October. Lets hope a tour follows as well!!

MrsGoodnight said:

...I beg to differ!!!! Presume you've never heard the infmaous Live Hammersmith London gig?

DaveT said:

OK - now count 3 posts up from this one... and read it.

I was brought up on Stevie Wonder, Otis Reading, Luther Vandross etc and of course Prince - there was NO Room for the likes of Bruce Springstein and I can't ever remember there being a big thing about him in the UK. But as I said, if you guys say he should have been in the original 4 then 'I stand corrected'. OK?

I think Elton John is very popular globally and so are the Rolling Stones. The both seem to sell our concerts anywhere they go.

MrsGoodnight said:

Easy tiger!!!!

If you fancy checking out The Boss and want to come at it from a Prince perspective try checking out the track "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"...guarantee you'll love it!

I guess your musical upbringing plays a big part in your musical landscape. I was lucky in that respect. My Dad having grown up in the 60s and 70s gave me a good schooling in the likes of Cream, Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Genesis, Bob Marley,Jimi Hendrix, CCR, BOC, The Who, etc etc.....my Mum was into the disco era and easy listening stuff of the 70s like The Bee Gees, Abba, Carpenters, Sly & Family Stone, Earth Wind & Fire.....and I was fortunate enough growing up to go out and find my own favourites to, namely Prince, Madonna, Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen. I got a pretty broad palette of musical tastes from that!!

DaveT said:

sorry, I guess I'm in a bit of a bad mood today - I didn't mean to bite your head off...

Forgive me?

MrsGoodnight said:

No probs!! ...we all have those sort of days...I usually call them Mondays!

Must be part of the post-Prince comedown syndrome. I know a fair few people on here have mentioned that...and I can empathise; I was in a very odd/depressed mood for about two weeks after seeing Madonna for the first time last year. Most bizarre!!

Janet Jackson???? WTF?

Michael Jackson is still the most popular, he could release a CD with sounds of himself farting and his fans will still buy it in millions. He could sell out any venue within hours, he is still Michael Jackson, that will never change.

Prince is similer, he is more than capable to selling out any venue, although he doesnt have the hits of Jackson or Maddonna his live performences are brilliant.

Janet saud she woouldn't stadiums. Prince the same thing. He onl does stadium when he has too. He likes smaller intimate venues. In The US he can do that. Some oh his recent tours have been small. In Theaters,clubs, and small arenas around The US were Hit'N Run and One Nite Alone.

fluid said:

Well if she said that after Victory then she changed her mind 14 years later. Besides, in Europe her arenas barely ever sold out so I doubt she could even do stadiums if she wanted to or not.