It’s a media created rivalry, but has there been any bigger in the history of popular music. I’m only 27 and it’s one of the biggest music rivalries in my lifetime. What’s the biggest rivalry in music history? Is it Biggie vs. Pac?
[Edited 3/20/05 20:05pm]

one of the most manufactured and contrived, to be sure. for such a hot rivalry, neither of them really ever commented on it (or each other) much at the time.

It elicits the biggest "who-fuckin'-cares?" shrug from me.

VoicesCarry said:

What’s the biggest rivalry in music history then?

lilgish said:

See my above answer.

Although it could be Yoko vs. The World.
[Edited 3/20/05 20:31pm]

Back in the day it was...



...The Beatles vs The Rolling Stones


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

It has got to be Tupac vs. Biggie. The others weren't exactly a rivalry to the death...

WhamBamGlamSlam said:

Some say a man ain't happy, truly
Until a man truly dies
Oh why, oh why, Sign O the Times

A very sad state of affairs.

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

theAudience said:

Is Stones vs. Beatles really that passionate. Seemingly all tend to be a fan of both. Many of us are P and Mj fans, but there's a vocal few who are aren't.

Some Prince fans don’t even like Mike (I find most of those don’t really like other R&B, and P is there most soulful artist). A lot of Mike fans, especially the young ones, don’t even acknowledge Prince as even being in Mike’s league.


The Beatles vs The Rolling Stones is up there though.

Hendrix vs Clapton???? no way Jimi completly eclipsed him.

WhamBamGlamSlam said:

Media Hype!!! I believe that’s a conspiracy. I don’t believe Biggie tried to kill Pac, at least not the first time. The Shug conspiracy theory is plausible, but there others.

I like the Krs vs Shan rivalry and Canibus vs L.L rivalry better as far as hiphop goes.

theAudience said:

I didn't say it made me happy.

lilgish said:

The operative word is WAS Stones vs Beatles really that passionate.
Back in the day, amongst the youth it was.

Although I dug them both, my closest school mates and I were firmly intrenched in The Rolling Stones club.


I don't feel like fighting this time of night.



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

lilgish said:

WhamBamGlamSlam said:

Didn't use the lyric to refer to you my friend.

Just a statement on the fact that in today's times, a musical rivalry could be taken to such extremes.
I would hate to think that Biggie or Tupac were happy about it either.
However, possibly the shooters had some perverse pleasure in their deeds.

Consider the man referenced in each line as being different individuals.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

it's Britney vs Xtina

VoicesCarry said:

Ditto

I never hear about it until I come here.

VS



Not the biggest, but the most fun surely?


In UK Blur VS Oasis was definately the biggest I have ever actually witnessed. Seriously, it was funny shit (thanx to the fact Liam and Noal are funny as fuck!)

To say that Prince and Michael Jackson had a rivalry is stupid?

It's a mismatch, great musician vs great entertainer. Plus, MJ has been around longer than Prince, and he's one of the greatest entertainer ever. Prince is a more dominating musician and songwriter, and written and produced for more artist than MJ. MJ is more pop, while Prince is more funk. The only reason why people what to make Prince and Michael Jackson a rivalry is because their Black, strange, popular in the 80s, dominated MTV, and they're kinda "gay".

The artist must match each other, Prince and Rick James would be considered a better rivalry, mainly because, A) Their first solo albums debut in 1978 B) Their sounds are identical, funk-oriented C) They had rival girl group (MJG/Vanity/Apollona 6) D) Both had huge egos

And it is well documented that they didn't like each other

As far as a rival for Michael Jackson, I would say Paul McCartney, mainly because they both had hits with their groups, McCartney (Beatles/Wings), Jackson (J5/Jacksons), solo hits, and duets with each other, and lets not forget the infamous ATV catalog thing. The only thing is that MJ is a dancer, and McCartney is a musician and one of the greatest songwriters ever, along with Lennon.

But I think the better choice also is Lionel Richie. The Jackson 5 and the Commodores toured together. Richie and Jackson wrote hits in the 80s. Jackson won Grammy 84, Richie in 85, and they both won in 86. They also wrote for Diana Ross.
[Edited 4/6/05 10:49am]

Prince vs. Michael Jackson? That was never a rivalry to begin with. I think they both respected one another's art and they never even commented on each other.

You wanna talk about a rivalry? How about the dreaded East vs. West Coast beef or Tupac and Biggie?

It depends on whether you mean rivalry between the fans or the artists themselves.

I know a lot of people who like both Biggie & Pac, but not as many who are fans of both Beatles & Stones.

But the Beatles & Stones were friends whereas Pac & Biggie grew to be huge rivals.

How about Mozart vs. Haydn?
Ellington vs. Basie
Elvis vs. Beatles
Clapton vs. Hendrix

I don't see this rivalry, or acknowledge it either. It was a media created thing best left 20 years ago where it belongs. I don't enjoy reading criticism or put downs from either set of fans, truth be told.

From time to time they both make great music, and i'm thankful for them both.

Jackson 5ive vs the Osmonds.

Madonna and Janet....

at least on this site

NSTYNC vs Backdoor Boys

VS.

My aunt told me once back in the '50s it was Elvis vs Pat Boone. You were either a fan of one or the other, but not both.

sextonseven said:

Yikes, I know which bracket I'd be in that's for sure , but I'd take little richard over both of them any day . Besides didn't pat boone cover (quite gruesomely I hear) numerous Little Richard songs in an attempt by the record labels to supplant the rich's popularity?

But anyway, it seem to me there are precious few true "rivalries" in music. It seems most artists who work in a similar vein with a similar status, even if they "compete" with each other to a certain extent, will have mutual respect and will even be friends and collaborators often. Basie and Ellington collaborated, The Stones and the Beatles respected each other, Prince respects Michael and I'm pretty sure the reverse is true. As to a "rivalry" among the fanbases, I think there certainly is one between Prince and Michael Jackson, but they're fanbases also overlap quite a bit and I don't think it's the biggest one in history. The Beatles and Stones, or the Who vs. Led Zeppelin would be a bigger one.
[Edited 4/7/05 8:21am]

Hardly....

VS

Saucer of milk, table for two...
[Edited 4/7/05 8:30am]
[Edited 4/7/05 8:31am]
[Edited 4/7/05 8:33am]

jayaredee said:

Excatly!