Here's the cover of the February 23 - March 1, 1985 TV Guide, featuring illustrations of Bruce Springsteen, Prince, and Michael Jackson. I remember a story about how Springsteen was going to not release anymore singles from Born in the U.S.A. (after seven!) as to let MJ have the bigger string of singles from Thriller. Seems odd since they were released over a year apart. Not sure if that was ever true, though.

In my opinion, Prince did beat MJ because there was a movie and a very successful tour for Purple Rain. The Boss probably did, too. I guess in the end, we're talking beans or peanuts, since they were arguably the three biggest male acts of 1983-1985. Possibly the 80s overall.

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those images...

something to paintbrush on you car.

or for a bad tattoo.

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Very cool to see though.

Thanks.

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I'm having trouble with the fact that Gloria Steinem wrote for TV Guide! Completely unexpected!

WOW!

60 cents!

How much does it cost now?

TrivialPursuit said:

Here's the cover of the February 23 - March 1, 1985 TV Guide, featuring illustrations of Bruce Springsteen, Prince, and Michael Jackson. I remember a story about how Springsteen was going to not release anymore singles from Born in the U.S.A. (after seven!) as to let MJ have the bigger string of singles from Thriller. Seems odd since they were released over a year apart. Not sure if that was ever true, though.

In my opinion, Prince did beat MJ because there was a movie and a very successful tour for Purple Rain. The Boss probably did, too. I guess in the end, we're talking beans or peanuts, since they were arguably the three biggest male acts of 1983-1985. Possibly the 80s overall.

And I'll add a Phil Collins and maybe (but maybe not) an Elton John.

SantanaMaitreya said:

Nah. Phil and Elton had hits, but they didn't define the 80s like the big three. I would add U2 to the list, they were pretty big too.

Between his solo albums and Genesis, Phil had more Top 40 hits than anyone else in the 80s. That feels pretty definitive to me.

TwiliteKid said:

SantanaMaitreya said:

Nah. Phil and Elton had hits, but they didn't define the 80s like the big three. I would add U2 to the list, they were pretty big too.

Between his solo albums and Genesis, Phil had more Top 40 hits than anyone else in the 80s. That feels pretty definitive to me.

Exactly. Also, Prince, MJ and Bruce were the most visible because they were Americans and had the US record label machines behind them. But Phil Collins crushed it in the 80s so much so that even David Bowie (who also had big hits the 80s) criticized him. Phil was so big in the 80s that he said even he got tired of seeing and hearing himself everywhere. Even the Brit Awards had to make a rule change with the Best Male performer award or else Phil would win every year.

[Edited 2/24/21 12:33pm]

RODSERLING said:

IAdoreWeronika said:

RODSERLING said:

IAdoreWeronika said:

All good, but we know he got bored and moved on.

Of course, but if he had played the same game everyone played, it would have ended up like that.

I'm going to say what I always say about the "what if's" and "he should have's" and "if only he had's" and that is that Prince had exactly the career he wanted to have. Sure I wish he had done this or that or didn't do this or that but, and I can only speak for myself, no one could have had the career that he had and it was all his own doing. If he had continued with Purple Rain throughout 1985, we probably wouldn't have had ATWIAD and he wouldn't have written Parade. But we will never know.

I'm satsfied with how his career panned out or else I wouldn't spend so much time on here discussing it LOL.

Milty2 said:

I would be more interested about reading Gloria's report on the Playboy bunnies, such an under analysed group in society. Lets hear it for our lepine inspired sex models.

RODSERLING said:

Milty2 said:

I'm going to say what I always say about the "what if's" and "he should have's" and "if only he had's" and that is that Prince had exactly the career he wanted to have. Sure I wish he had done this or that or didn't do this or that but, and I can only speak for myself, no one could have had the career that he had and it was all his own doing. If he had continued with Purple Rain throughout 1985, we probably wouldn't have had ATWIAD and he wouldn't have written Parade. But we will never know.

I'm satsfied with how his career panned out or else I wouldn't spend so much time on here discussing it LOL.

Again, that's not the point here. I m not contesting what you're saying. We are talking about the cover of the magazine, stuck in late February 1985. When it was unthinkable an artist wouldn't want to maximize profit and exploit his successful album to death, just like it was the industry pattern at this time.

I was just responding to this often told trope. And now you've added to it. Thanks!

nayroo2002 said:

WOW!

60 cents!

How much does it cost now

nayroo2002 said:

WOW!

60 cents!

How much does it cost now?

$100.00 for one year subsciption.

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

nayroo2002 said:

WOW!

60 cents!

How much does it cost now?

$100.00 for one year subsciption.

I remember when it was 35 cents.

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

nayroo2002 said:

WOW!

60 cents!

How much does it cost now?

$100.00 for one year subsciption.

31,20 USD then to 100 USD now - that is actually not that much of an increase, given that 35 years have past since then...

Or, for the mathematically inclind - this is an average increase in price of 3.5% per year

Milty2 said:

Prefer the Steinem article.

SantanaMaitreya said:

Milty2 said:

Exactly. Also, Prince, MJ and Bruce were the most visible because they were Americans and had the US record label machines behind them. But Phil Collins crushed it in the 80s so much so that even David Bowie (who also had big hits the 80s) criticized him. Phil was so big in the 80s that he said even he got tired of seeing and hearing himself everywhere. Even the Brit Awards had to make a rule change with the Best Male performer award or else Phil would win every year.

[Edited 2/24/21 12:33pm]

I also mentioned U2 and they're from Ireland. Anyway, I wasn't just talking about record sales, also about capturing the zeitgeist. When you think of the 80s, you think of Prince and Madonna before you think about Phil Collins. Just like when you think of the 60s, you think of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan. And the last two were not the best selling acts of that decade, but they are the ones who influenced the music the most.

U2 became really popular in the 80s only on the back of The Joshua Tree album. Rattle and Hum was the follow up to that but that didn't move the needle. Their next album, Achtung Baby, was in 1991 (I think) and that propelled them into the stratosphere.

Phil meanwhile had 4 major albums in the 80s in particular the last two, No Jacket Required and ...But Seriously. When you lump in the 4 Genesis albums and the guest work he did and the production work he did (Howard Jones, Eric Clapton, etc), I'd say he was Mr. 80s. I'm not at all saying Prince, MJ Madge or Bruce (only Born In The USA and Tunnel of Love were major 80s albums for him I believe. Could be wrong) were not the largest in the 80s. I just think that Phil (more than anyone else) needs to be added to that list.

purplethunder3121 said:

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

$100.00 for one year subsciption.

I remember when it was 35 cents.

I'm shocked that people still buy the TV Guide, and that it's still being made. I haven't bought a TV Guide in many years now, so long ago that I don't even remember the last time that I actually bought one.

Phil Collins also played drums on Robert Plant's first 2 solo albums.

I'm not prepared to call him The Giant of the 80's like a few here but he sure got around, was a staple on MTV and also crossed over into using his music for commercials. I'd call Prince, Madonna, MJ and Springsteen the real monsters of the 80's but Phil is an interesting one to think about.

Prince, MJ, Madonna, Bruce, U2, & Phil

Poplife88 said:

Prince, MJ, Madonna, Bruce, U2, & Phil

I think Def Leppard, Van Halen (with both Diamond Dave & Hagar), Whitney Houston, Bon Jovi, & Lionel Richie were bigger than U2 in the 1980s. At least in the USA. Maybe Mötley Crüe & Duran Duran too.

Krid said:

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

$100.00 for one year subsciption.

31,20 USD then to 100 USD now - that is actually not that much of an increase, given that 35 years have past since then...

Or, for the mathematically inclind - this is an average increase in price of 3.5% per year

It's $20 for a one-year subscription, not $100.

Instead of all the guessing and opining, here are some links that we can chew over that might help us work it out.

Nothing here is definitive and so temper yourself. The Org is a little too critical these days.

Apparently Prince actually was the most successful male artist of the 80s:

https://www.udiscovermusi...pop-stars/

https://top40weekly.com/t...f-the-80s/

https://rateyourmusic.com...the-usa/2/ - make sure you check this one.

Milty2 said:

Instead of all the guessing and opining, here are some links that we can chew over that might help us work it out.

Nothing here is definitive and so temper yourself. The Org is a little too critical these days.

Apparently Prince actually was the most successful male artist of the 80s...

Even without looking at the links, I'd agree. I think the movie is what put him over the top. We know his record sales sorta settled before and after Purple Rain at a considerably lower figure.

While Thriller was massive, there was no proper tour (although many dubbed Victory Tour as the low-key Thriller Tour), and only three videos (in a time when MTV could make or break an artist).

Bruce had success, but Born In The U.S.A. was a stand-out situation. I've always said everyone has their thriller; that one huge ass album that they'll never measure up to at any other time. Born In The U.S.A., Purple Rain, Like A Prayer, No Jacket Required, Faith (GM)... Purple Rain movie & tour definitely put Prince over the top of everyone else. The album would've been massive without the movie, but nothing like what we saw.

PS props for using the word opining. It should be used more.

TrivialPursuit said:

Milty2 said:

Instead of all the guessing and opining, here are some links that we can chew over that might help us work it out.

Nothing here is definitive and so temper yourself. The Org is a little too critical these days.

Apparently Prince actually was the most successful male artist of the 80s...

Even without looking at the links, I'd agree. I think the movie is what put him over the top. We know his record sales sorta settled before and after Purple Rain at a considerably lower figure.

While Thriller was massive, there was no proper tour (although many dubbed Victory Tour as the low-key Thriller Tour), and only three videos (in a time when MTV could make or break an artist).

Bruce had success, but Born In The U.S.A. was a stand-out situation. I've always said everyone has their thriller; that one huge ass album that they'll never measure up to at any other time. Born In The U.S.A., Purple Rain, Like A Prayer, No Jacket Required, Faith (GM)... Purple Rain movie & tour definitely put Prince over the top of everyone else. The album would've been massive without the movie, but nothing like what we saw.

PS props for using the word opining. It should be used more.

Thanks! I'm just trying to class up the place a little. It's getting a bit stale lol