Who was bigger, Madonna or Whitney Houston?

[Janenow]

Who was more popular where you are from?

[MrOracle]

Madonna was bigger in every way that matters in the music business:

- More #1 songs and Top 10 songs
- More #1 albums and Top 10 albums
- More single sales
- More album sales
- Much larger concert revenues
- Longer productive period (by about double and still counting)
- More awards
- More brand recognition

Whitney was a great singer, and enjoyed a lot of success, but getting involved with Bobby Brown and the drugs completely derailed her career and took her out of it for 15+ years, not to mention leading to her early death. We'll never know how things might have been had that not happened, but they did happen.

Madonna began in the early 80s, releasing her first dance single Everybody in October 1982, and the more successful Burnin' Up in early 1983, and finally releasing her debut album Madonna in July of 1983, with 3 international Top 10 smashes Holiday, Borderline, and Lucky Star.

Since then, she has experienced massive international success, reinvented herself many times, managing to keep up with the changing face of music through the early 2000s, with Ray Of Light in particular, and she continues to record and tour today, though arguably with much less attention and relevance compared to her first 30 years in the business.

Whatever you might think of her today, Madonna was a megastar in the music business. She may have not been the best singer ever, but the combination of her singing, dancing, songwriting, performing, fashion, movie-making, and tabloid celebrity combined to make her the biggest female music star of her generation.

[Janenow]

LMAO Lucky star and Borderline were NOT international hits. They barely charted outside of the US, they were local, just as Madonna was with her debut.

Madonna went international with Like a Virgin, her second album. She was bigger than Whitney worldwide, but Whitney sold more in the US during the 80s.

Whitneys two albums in the 80s sold more than Madonnas biggest albums, in the US that is. She got 7 consecutive number one hits also despite releasing only two albums. Madonna got the same with 5 albums. I'd say Whitney was bigger in the US.

Madonna also released twice as many albums than Whitney. Is it surprising she had more hits and sold more?

And Madonna more awarded than Whitney? Whitney was the most awarded female of all time according to guinness world of record's.

Other than you are right.

[MrOracle]

Just looking at the UK charts. Holiday hit #6 (easily going gold and fell just short of platinum) and Lucky Star hit #14 during their initial runs in 1983 (Holiday and Borderline were re-released in 1985 and both went to #2, but I'm not counting that). That's hardly "barely charting". And she got a ton of press in Europe during that time. Her first #1 in the UK wasn't even a song on an album - it was Into The Groove from the Desperately Seeking Susan soundtrack.

Here are the major charts for Holiday. Hardly insignificant internationally, and this was her first ever international release.

[Janenow]

Where did I say Holiday wasn't a big hit?

I was talking about Lucky Star and Bordeline. Internationally they were weak at the time. Now, they are classics though.

Holiday did OK, at that time, but it still wasn't the international hit that made her global.

Into the Groove is on the Like a Virgin album, so it is considered part of her Like a Virgin era. She was huge in Europe, totally.

[Janenow]

Her breakthrough hit globally was Like a Virgin

[dustdevil69]

I guess it depends on the kind of music your into, I actually met Madonna and Shawn Penn when I was in southern California many years ago she only gained her popularity by becoming a sexual icon where as Whitney Houston was loved for her beautiful voice and heart felt music although she surpassed Madonna in beauty.. definitely Whitney

[Janenow]

What is Madonna like?

[chrissykerdock]

Madonna is short she's only 5 3? I saw her once in central park jogging with big black body guards... whitney I never saw but I assume she was tall she photographed as if she was tall... now if your speaking of popularity Madonna had a long relevancy where Whitney's musical relevancy fell after only 2 or 3 albums/cds.

[DeeDeeDeVour]

Wow, that's a tough question.
I'd choose Madonna by a hairline.
However, I truly liked them both very much.

[bobair]

Janenow - you sent me a private message, but I can't respond to it because your settings don't allow private messages from people you don't follow. Just FYI.

[wankiam]

probably madge just pipped whitney before she died but then ofcourse everyone says whitney was the best just like they pretend any winehouse was bigger than she was

[bklynbadboy1]

Nope madonna was bigger than both of them

[wankiam]

@bklynbadboy1 im speaking as a brit, not an American so im commenting on here where it was more marginal

[bklynbadboy1]

Okay fare enough

[wankiam]

@bklynbadboy1 its certainly true where ever we are though that artists become bigger when they are dead... aliya is a good example of that. a lot of people didn't even know who she was until that plane crash

[bklynbadboy1]

So true

[cavmanier]

I would say Madonna was probably more popular because she was more liked by younger people. Whitney was more respected though. That's how I see it.

[Janenow]

Wasn't Whitney liked by young people as well?
Who bought all of her albums?

[cavmanier]

Oh yeah Whitney was liked by young people but not like Madonna. I think Madonna primarily or only appealed to young people while Whitney was more appealing for adults.

I believe more of Whitney's albums were bought by adults. Adults were not into Madonna really.

[Bananaman177]

Whitney was by far the more talented singer. By far and away.

But Madonna was the bigger star by an even wider margin.

Talent is a luxury, not a necessity.

[Apope16]

For me it was Whitney Houston. But that was because I didn't grow up in an 80s rock or pop family. I was raised by my grandparents.

[Shiver]

Madonna dominated the 80s, Whitney Houston the 90s, I think. I'm into neither, so I dunno for sure. Lol

[MackToday]

Madonna was way more popular though I never liked her myself, she always came off as an ass hole.

[Janenow]

She is one

[MackToday]

It's funny watching her get old and get rejected. She actually pointed a gun at her audience once on stage.

[Janenow]

How do you know she was way more popular than Whitney?

[MackToday]

The media coverage mostly, she was up there with Micheal Jackson a household name. Unfortunately.

[Janenow]

As MJ? She was nothing compared to him lol

[Janenow]

MJ sold lot more albums

[MackToday]

She was about as well known, there was no one who didn't know who she was.

[Janenow]

Everyone knew Whitney Houston. Who didn't?

[MackToday]

True but there never seemed to be the buzz there was about Madonna.

[Janenow]

What about Mariah Carey? How popular was she compared to Madonna and Whitney?

[MackToday]

Not sure I don't think she was as popular as either one though, you never heard as much about her.

[Janenow]

Interesting.

[EnglundUberAlles]

Madonna was bigger in the UK for sure. I can barely remember Whitney Houston, not sure if she was ever popular except that Bodyguard song.

[JesseJayNeak]

Whitney has always been in the discussions of the greatest female singers of all time. Plus, her talent is the type that's difficult to replicate. I can't say that for Madonna

[Newjent]

Here ((madonna))
But from me i will choice
((Whitney_Houston))

[Janenow]

Is Madonna famous in Algeria?

[Newjent]

Yeah😁😁

[Spider-girl16]

Madonna probably. Who was the better singer/entertainer/artist is another matter

[Avicenna]

Each had their own era

[Janenow]

The 80s who was bigger?

[Avicenna]

Madonna. 90s it was Whitney.

[On_cloud_wine]

It doesn’t matter. I love them both.

[Liam_Hayden]

Per album, Whitney. Overall, Madonna.

[ask4any]

Madonna from my neck of the woods

[Boromir]

Whitney who?

[Janenow]

? Whitney Houston is a international star

[Karin_Anna]

Madonna for sure

[pigoat]

Madonna

[meeso13]

Madonna

[Aiasis]

Madonna

[October808]

Both.

[Guardian45]

Madonna

[Janenow]

In what way?

[SuccessfulHornDog]

madonna

[bklynbadboy1]

Definitely Madonna

[KittyMilk]

Whitney

[Adam_is_here]

My dick

[jack_meoff]

Madonna

[Anonymous]

Madonna