who's more mainstream I've heard Rihanna but I'm not sure

Hard to say

I would probably say that Beyonce is more mainstream. Everybody knows her, for her music and for the movies she's done. She's been around a lot longer, so I guess that's why. But Rihanna is definitely gaining on her. B has fell off, to some degree. Her latest album didn't break any records and that movie was a monsterous flop.


Smooches;)

Hard to say

I would probably say that Beyonce is more mainstream. Everybody knows her, for her music and for the movies she's done. She's been around a lot longer, so I guess that's why. But Rihanna is definitely gaining on her. B has fell off, to some degree. Her latest album didn't break any records and that movie was a monsterous flop.


Smooches;)

ask jay-z

rihanna is hotter but beyonce has the whole package

i just can't understand b's success...really. how come she's been on the top of charts with some horrible songs and a shit album with a stupid name? seriously... I mean I know that there's a lotta shit out there, but she's way overrated.

Is she still doing well on the charts? I haven't heard anyone talk about her in weeks so I assumed she was falling off the charts

It seems like people see Rihanna as a style icon more than Beyonce and know her songs more.

Neither.

TotalAlisa said:

I'd say Rihanna based on the sheer success and number of singles she released last year. She's also done a lot of duets, which widens her fan base and exposes her to other fan bases.

Here Rihanna gets a ton more airplay than Beyonce.

both get equal airplay here, but I think rihanna is liked more now and beyonce is just there

BlaqueKnight said:

maybe it means rihanna is more poppy and not about talent much. I agree Beyonce is way more talented, Rihanna is just blessed with looks and good hooks

BlaqueKnight said:

It's her songs getting her through. No one cared about her til Umbrella because that was the first interesting song from her, everything else was just by the numbers R&B. Once she started doing the big arena pop songs, she hit the big time.

At this point wouldn't you say Beyonce is bigger than Rihanna...Both have appeared at Macy's for a signing or some event or at a public outing and Beyonce had crowds going mad while Rihanna's crowd was just... there

Beyonce:
http://www.youtube.com/wa...aO3IOItW4U
http://www.youtube.com/wa...vefzZ3jTiQ
http://www.youtube.com/wa...1qyO6G5Y_U
http://www.youtube.com/wa...G-c1BY4pq8

Rihanna:
http://www.youtube.com/wa...qx3-i8T1qc
http://www.youtube.com/wa...nR-WkVHsLw
http://www.youtube.com/wa...QRXngL3Ojk
[Edited 2/16/09 14:48pm]
[Edited 2/16/09 14:55pm]

JasonWill1980 said:

At ANY point I would say Beyonce is bigger than Rihanna.

kimrachell said:

You.ain't.right.

I think it's like if one isn't on top for the moment, the other one is. Beyonce was on top of the world for singing at Obama's inauguration and she was talked about everywhere with Single Ladies after SNL, And now that Rihanna is in the headlines, even people who don't care for her are talking about her everywhere and know her for Umbrella or Please Don't Stop the Music.

I think they are both huge female artists right now.

JasonWill1980 said:

beyonce stills killin it. i like both of these chicks tho.

I know Beyonce has 5 solo number ones, doesn't Rihanna have about the same too? Her songs were everywhere that it seems like they all reached the top 5 if not number one.

BlaqueKnight said:

Yep.

I love B. The other one annoys me.

I'll take Thighs over Forehead.

go2theMax said:

The same can be said about Rihanna.

I think it's funny that people constantly compare these two. For someone just starting out and without vocal or performance chops, Rihanna's success has been pretty remarkable. I don't think she's "bigger" necessarily, but she's only 20. And she has the same amount of #1s as Beyonce.

I find Rihanna's image and career more interesting at this point. Beyonce feels stale to me and she has for a long time.
[Edited 2/17/09 0:22am]

Well, I get that Beyonce has had to prove herself over the years and I think most people have said she's "bigger" than Rihanna so...? I said it's funny that people even compare the two primarily for that exact reason. Rihanna just got on the scene.

I, too, knew Beyonce would go solo, the name "Destiny's Child" hipped me to that from the start. I thought she had stage presence and ambition, but her voice sucked. I remember thninking the chile must not be able to hold a straight note.She's improved a lot in that area I think. But, I don't even see it as a matter of singing talent, it really is a matter of passion. And you're right, Rihanna seems to lack it at this point. Right now her strong point is catchy singles and videos.

But another element to Rihanna's success seems to be simply a reaction to Beyonce or should I say against her. Ashanti and 'em seemed to have their careers shut down once Beyonce came on the scene. And then they became Beyonce clones...I swear for a minute there every singer had their dancers, blondish weave and stripper moves. Jay Z had Rihanna out to be an island clone as well. Then she or her management decided to go the opposite direction, and what do you know, she exploded. Beyonce looks the same all the time, Rihanna changes it up, cuts her hair. Beyonce's glam, Rihanna goes "edgy". Beyonce's music, at least on B-Day, was considered heavily hip hop influenced, well Rihanna goes more pop, dance etc. People ate it up like they were starving or something. She's been the only Black female pop star to nave maintained any mainstream success since Beyonce's been on the scene. She found a formula it seems.

If Rihanna can find some passion/drive, continue to reinvent herself or deepen (for lack of a better word) her image, and Beyonce remains ever-present, she may stick around a little while longer many think. I wouldn't exactly put money on it, but stranger things have happened in pop music.
[Edited 2/17/09 2:29am]

I thought Beyonce was the shit when her first album came out. Who can deny how great 'crazy in love' was. I even went to see her in concert - which was a decent show.

But then that b-day bollocks came out. And i really get put off an artist who has hit records because of hype rather than content.(cough Madonna for the last 10 years, Britney spears). So when 'deja-vu', 'upgrade you' etc. became hits I started to dislike her.

Anywho i really like 'if i were a boy' - it's sweet and when i saw her on X-factor with the Burke bird I thought - now thats a star, that don't mean i'm a fan though.

Rhianna is not worth talking about IMO. So I guess B is a bigger star but Rhianna has that european appeal.
[Edited 2/17/09 7:00am]

bettybop said:

I agree completely. Beyonce does the same thing every time. Same look, same kind of music. Beyonce no doubt is the bigger star though and is without question more talented, but I personally prefer Rihanna. I like her music and style better. She's more interesting to me.

You are only as good as the competition makes you to be. Meaning, there is NO fierce competition, they're both doing the same songs so to speak. Its pretty much a battle of the mirror between them, since there is no competition because the labels "go away" from competetion in the last 20 years, because it hurts the numbers, they would rather put out artists seperate now, than have head to head comp, and artists constantly re-arranging themselves to better each other, neither has improved, in Beyonces case she has been doing the same tempo and themed music for a decade, she can sing, but she isnt making anything interesting at this point.