You don’t think that any of this applies to Beyonce? I think it all does, if maybe on a smaller scale than MJ. Don’t forget her work as one of Destiny’s Child.
Is anyone in this thread who is confused by her stardom a woman? Or a black person? Not casting aspersions, but wondering if she is harder to “get” if you can’t identify with her in some way.
I don’t know about that. Her last album got a ridiculous amount of critical praise. Pitchfork Magazine even named it the 14th best album of the half-decade (btw, half-decade best of lists are a great sign that these sort of lists have gotten out of hand).
I thought her latest (self titled) was quite a fantastic album. I could buy into the overhyped before that, but I think that album lived up to all the Beyonce hype and more.
She’s hugely popular. She dropped an album as a surprise at midnight with zero fanfare or promotion and it was number one by morning. Very few performers could do that. The fact that her doing it didn’t make it a “thing” is evidence of that.
I am not her biggest fan but denying she is talented seems silly. She’s hugely talented both artistically and business-wise. As far as success, her and her husband are the closest America has to royalty. I’m not saying that’s a good thing; in fact, it probably isn’t, but it’s true nonetheless.
I think it was more a case of Michael Jackson living off of the Thriller fame. That album was CRAZY. To this day it’s still one of my favorite albums.
Yeah, better put that what I said.
Male and Latino.
I liked her music when she was with Destiny’s Child. I just find her solo career music dull considering how popular she is along with the whole “Queen” status. She is hot though.
Rihanna to me puts out the better music. She has a more unique sounding voice and think she just puts out better songs.
Freaking balls. You win the internetz.
What about her is strange or fascinating? She seems pretty bland. Nice enough, but no chimps, no dates with Emamuel Lewis. Nothing!
Was Madonna a megastar? She’s certainly as talented and popular as the Material Girl. What’s the mystery? She’s a pop star. Most of us here aren’t really in her target demographic. But if you amass a half-billion dollar fortune making pop music, you’re a mega-something.
Beyonce is as big as anyone in pop music today, but that’s not as big as many musical stars of the past.
She’s not as big as Elvis, the Beatles, Elton John or Michael Jackson once were. I’m not sure anybody else ever will be.
I don’t think Elton John belongs on that list with the others, but I agree.
Beyonce is a megastar, and I’m definitely a fan.
According to this list, he’s 5th overall lifetime sales.
I don’t doubt it. But I don’t think of him in the same context as Elvis or the Beatles or MJ.
But I’m also not wedded to that opinion!
Her history with Destiny’s child (and the other girls), her relationship with her dad and her sister, her marriage to one of America’s other biggest stars, what she wears, how she dresses. All fascinating.
No way strange and fascinating in the same way MJ was. But I don’t think she’s completely non-fascinating!
Huh. From the look of that list, Beyoncé is well behind Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift, and Rihanna, and Mariah Carey – most of whom are further ahead of her than she’s ahead of, say, Jennifer Lopez. I don’t think I would’ve guessed that.
Please stop stealing my thoughts. Thank you.
I am sure there are women here, but I doubt many Black people who would agree with the OP. Threads like this really highlight the myopia of this place when it comes to non-White, or mainstream culture. The sad part is so few here have the humility to admit their blindness.
What is this supposed to mean?
But you do realize he is widely considered one of the best rappers and modern musicians ever, right?
She is talented and makes good music. I really enjoy it, but I don’t understand all the love she gets. My friends, colleagues, their kids, their grandparents, all go crazy in love for her.
Some of her fans seem to be out of control. From what I hear, any reference to queens, bees, queen bees, or anything superfans call Beyonce, is not well-tolerated.
Last week, for example, I guess Raven-Symone called Lil Kim the original queen bee, and the Beyonce-webs went crazy with “how dare she?”
I need to get out more and stop watching the View on my days off…:o
But why would you have an expectation that you would understand this? Why do you assume you should have an complete understanding of why other people feel the way they feel and appreciate what they appreciate?
She plays the media well. I was agree that she is media star primarily and a music star secondarily.
I don’t really know what that means, when you break it down. As someone said earlier, modern musicians don’t get the same awe and respect that older acts like the Beatles, Elvis, Michael Jackson, etc., used to get. Jay Z is definitely not in that league–not that anyone else is these days.
His stuff has never grabbed me, and I mentioned that to a friend who is into current rap, and he suggested some stuff, and it was just terrible.