I think she's an icon but I never ever thought of her in the same league or level as Prince, Michael and Madonna. They are the top whether I like(d) them or not and everyone else came after.

sosgemini said:

Please. I never said Janet Jackson is or was not an icon. I said she is not an icon (global, I mean) on the same level as Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Elvis Presley. One does not need to have been alive in the '80s to know this. Why is this fact so difficult to accept amongst Janet Jackson fanatics?

i think the revisionist history is hillarious...yes, janet was (is) an icon...so was (is) madonna...damn, i can't stand mariah, britney or b'weave but i will still acknowledge their popular appeal...

and kids, if you don't know what your talkin bout (especially if you weren't alive during that time) its probably best you stay out of the debate and learn from your elders. or at least back your sh*t up with some historical facts.

i learned that lesson with a quickness.

Rodya24 said:

I am not a fanatic of anyone. If you can compare Madonna to Michael Jackson(not matter his downfall), your point is just shot.

sosgemini said:

Please. I never said Janet Jackson is or was not an icon. I said she is not an icon (global, I mean) on the same level as Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Elvis Presley. One does not need to have been alive in the '80s to know this. Why is this fact so difficult to accept amongst Janet Jackson fanatics?

Rodya24 said:

I am not a fanatic of anyone (ok, maybe Prince). Last time I checked, I didn't know there was levels of iconism(my bad). But for you to put Madonna in the same level as michael Jackson (dispite his downfall), you have just shot down your own point.

Rodya24 said:

I am not a fanatic of anyone (ok, maybe Prince). Last time I checked, I didn't know there was levels of iconism(my bad). But for you to put Madonna in the same level as michael Jackson (dispite his downfall), you have just shot down your own point.

Rodya24 said:

I am not a fanatic of anyone (ok, maybe Prince). Last time I checked, I didn't know there was levels of iconism(my bad). But for you to put Madonna in the same level as michael Jackson (dispite his downfall), you have just shot down your own point.

Rodya24 said:

I am not a fanatic of anyone (ok, maybe Prince). Last time I checked, I didn't know there was levels of iconism(my bad). But for you to put Madonna in the same level as michael Jackson (dispite his downfall), you have just shot down your own point.

totaldiva said:

Actually Madonna is in the same league as Michael Jackson if you're talking about worldwide popularity and success.

totaldiva said:

And yes there are levels of icons. A Japanese entertainer iconic in Japan is not an icon in the US for example. Michael Jackson and Madonna, on the other hand, are know in most places around the world.

sosgemini said:

I could write the same thing to you about "revisionist history." And no, I am not a "kid." I had no idea there was ageism on this forum.

Janet's biggest selling single worldwide is "Together Again"; in 1998 it was the 4th biggest selling single of the year in Europe (2nd biggest for a female, only outsold by Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On"). Worldwide sales according to Virgin Records are over 6 million copies, one of the largest selling singles ever from a female artist. "Together Again" spent nearly 50 weeks in the Top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100, it also remains one of the longest charting hits in Billboard history. "Together Again" sold over 760,000 in the UK making it one of the biggest selling singles ever in the UK from a female artist, "Together Again" sold over 600,000 copies in Germany also earned a Platinum certification just 2 months after it was released. "Together Again", also went Platinum in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, South Africa, Italy, and even went Double Platinum in New Zealand.

Rodya24 said:

And so is janet jackson. If record sales made you less of an icon, what do you feel about prince now? (no I would never compare him to janet or madonna, so dont go there). Janet has sold out tours all over the world at her peak. Britney was a top seller all over the globe, so is she an icon too?

Can you please collect all your thoughts in one thread? Much easier to respond to...and note I included myself in that "stay out of the debate" statement...we are all kids to folks older then us...and when someone here at the org clocked me for speaking out on popular culture i wasn't born to witness i didn't get my panties in a bunch, i accepted the truth...i wasn't born to know the sh*t.

and back your sh*t up with facts cause i don't have the time to search the net to totally disprove you...but my memory is telling me janet was huge in places like japan and europe..i remember mtv doing a newsbreak on her 1814 tour and japanese kids were crying and screaming for her...so to say she wasn't big globely just doesn't ring like the truth.

and how you gonna tell me janet wasn't a global success when wiki states the following:

Can you please collect all your thoughts in one thread? Much easier to respond to...and note I included myself in that "stay out of the debate" statement...we are all kids to folks older then us...and when someone here at the org clocked me for speaking out on popular culture i wasn't born to witness i didn't get my panties in a bunch, i accepted the truth...i wasn't born to know the sh*t.

and back your sh*t up with facts cause i don't have the time to search the net to totally disprove you...but my memory is telling me janet was huge in places like japan and europe..i remember mtv doing a newsbreak on her 1814 tour and japanese kids were crying and screaming for her...so to say she wasn't big globely just doesn't ring like the truth.
Thank you, Moderator. Just because someone isn't a fan of a certain artist, or it's popular to put down an artist at a certain period, does not make them any less important to the music industry. I am not a fan of Celine Dion, but I could never take away her accomplishments.
and how you gonna tell me janet wasn't a global success when wiki states the following:

i think the revisionist history is hillarious...yes, janet was (is) an icon...so was (is) madonna...damn, i can't stand mariah, britney or b'weave but i will still acknowledge their popular appeal...

sosgemini said:

Sad.

Again, not NEARLY as successful as her brother or Madonna.

Are you going to argue that Janet Jackson is on the same level as The Beatles, Elvis, Madonna, and MJ?

totaldiva said:

Umm... no. Janet Jackson in most places of the world is primarily known as the sister of Michael Jackson. You can throw statistics at me about her world tours and record sales, but she has never been nearly as successful as Michael Jackson and Madonna. Hell, she is on the same level as Mariah Carey in terms of name recognition around the world. Why are you so desperate to prove that Janet Jackson is as iconic as Madonna? She just is not. Get over it.

Rodya24 said:

hold up...the beatles and elvis ain't even on the same level as the beatles and elvis, let alone madonna.

Rodya24 said:

And Britney Spears has outsold Prince, so I guess that makes her more of an icon in your book.

totaldiva said:

Umm... no. Janet Jackson in most places of the world is primarily known as the sister of Michael Jackson. You can throw statistics at me about her world tours and record sales, but she has never been nearly as successful as Michael Jackson and Madonna. Hell, she is on the same level as Mariah Carey in terms of name recognition around the world. Why are you so desperate to prove that Janet Jackson is as iconic as Madonna? She just is not. Get over it.

Rodya24 said:

When I use to get together with my friends from Europe, I remember being surprised when they told me that Janet wasn't big there like she was in the U.S. and this was years ago. So when I read that here from time to time, I believe it.

sosgemini said:

Sad.

Again, not NEARLY as successful as her brother or Madonna.

Are you going to argue that Janet Jackson is on the same level as The Beatles, Elvis, Madonna, and MJ?

Yes, I'm one of the people who (still) view her as an icon... a model of a female performer, whom many of the nowadays young female performer follow!

And you're right... 1992 to 1996 was also no nice period for Madonna either... but she turned it around! Maybe Janet should also do a musical and become a momma!
[Edited 10/1/07 16:17pm]

Actually Madonna is in the same league as Michael Jackson if you're talking about worldwide popularity and success.

Rodya24 said:

And so is janet jackson. If record sales made you less of an icon, what do you feel about prince now? (no I would never compare him to janet or madonna, so dont go there). Janet has sold out tours all over the world at her peak. Britney was a top seller all over the globe, so is she an icon too?

totaldiva said:

Record sales are important in determining who is recognized around the world. Of course, record sales do not translate to good music. But your analogy of comparing Britney Spears to Prince and Janet Jackson to Madonna does not work because of the transparent fact that Madonna is simply a bigger icon than Janet Jackson. Not only in record sales but in terms of impact on popular culture and music.

Rodya24 said:

hold up...the beatles and elvis ain't even on the same level as the beatles and elvis, let alone madonna.

Rodya24 said:

Madonna isn't even on the same level of Elvis, the Beatles or MJ.

and did you just say Mariah wasn't as well known as Madonna? What crack are you smoking?