# Singers Wrongly Predicted To Become Huge Stars? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 1, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539 "2014-08-01T00:34:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/61 "2015-02-11T04:57:04Z")
I certainly wouldn’t have predicted that the era of Modest Mouse/Scissor Sisters/Pink/The Darkness/Ben Folds Five/The Flaming Lips would implode into a now 13 year long desert of crappy autotuned sound-alike shit not seen since the 50’s. And yes that’s an immense generalization on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Lemmytheseal2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/62 "2015-02-11T05:01:32Z")
I would add Jobriath, though I’m not sure if anyone outside of his “team” made such predictions. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/63 "2015-02-11T05:05:12Z")
Christopher Cross. 5 Grammys and an Oscar. 2 hit albums and then a lot of nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/64 "2015-02-11T05:11:00Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Way back in the Dark Ages of my youth, **John Prine** was supposed to be the next Dylan. His first album was brilliant, but he never followed up. Even Bob Dylan was never really Bob Dylan. There was just a period in the sixties when people wanted somebody like Bob Dylan to exist and he was put into that space. He was more of a cultural icon than an artist or a human being. And now that society has changed that space for Bob Dylan no longer exists. So nobody, not even Bob Dylan, can be Bob Dylan anymore. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/65 "2015-02-11T05:16:32Z")
Regarding the Go-Go’s: I can’t believe they’re all still alive. Belinda Carlisle has admitted to relapsing on heroin just within the past 5 years or so. :eek: Liz Phair makes a big splash every time she releases an album, and then goes back into hiding. Yes, she is very perceptive WRT male/female relationships, but the woman cannot sing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Winkler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@The\_Winkler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Winkler)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/66 "2015-02-11T07:14:49Z")
Can we use rappers? Whoever called Vanilla Ice “The Elvis of Rap” deserves to go to hell. Elvis was immensely talented; Robert Van Winkle was a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/67 "2015-02-11T08:06:30Z")
I see Shannon Curfman was already covered. I loved her first album and was surprised her second one made such a small splash. I thought she and Nikka Costa were headed for bigger things. Also, Lily Allen, whose first album, “Alright Still” was brilliant, but her subsequent albums have nearly defined “diminishing returns.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/68 "2015-02-11T17:45:12Z")
> [@fjs1fs](#): > > The Knack was supposed to be “The next Beatles.” Only the little girls understood. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/69 "2015-02-11T18:49:46Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Liz Phair makes a big splash every time she releases an album, and then goes back into hiding. Yes, she is very perceptive WRT male/female relationships, but the woman cannot sing. “He don’t even know who Liz Phair is.” ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/70 "2015-02-11T18:50:40Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Christopher Cross. > 5 Grammys and an Oscar. 2 hit albums and then a lot of nothing. Unfortunately, I think his looks had a lot to do with it. Not that he’s a bad-looking guy, but visuals came heavily into play in the 80’s, and he looked… like an accountant who dabbled in farming. Or a farmer who dabbled in accounting, I’m not quite sure which. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/71 "2015-02-11T19:03:03Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > From what I’ve heard, she’s a pretty terrible\* live performer, suffering from anxiety and stage fright. That alone could hobble your career, not only in the sense of concerts but also promotional stuff on late night talk shows, SNL, etc. > > \*Not so much a value judgement against her as a person if she suffers from anxiety but still a poor show is a poor show when you’re selling tickets. I have to wonder if this is what happens to some of these fizzled stars. Maybe some find they don’t like the attention or suffer some sort of anxiety/stage fright. In addition maybe some find they don’t like the business and prefer to just go back to small venues. Maybe some just don’t want to deal with the pressure or work of fulfilling people’s expectations. Not everyone wants to be a huge star. I am sure we have had the Cyndi Lauper vs Madonna debate before. Cyndi did not fade away, she is still performing. She is involved in charitable works. She is involved in Broadway, I believe she wrote or co-wrote a musical. I think she’s much more of a musical artist than Madonna. Cyndi isn’t the huge star Madonna was but I don’t think she wanted to be anything like Madonna. Here’s the other thing about those two. Cyndi was cute and quirky, Madonna was pretty and sexy. Madonna parlayed her looks into getting more attention. She also tried to be controversial. She marketed herself as much as her music, including attempts at acting. Cyndi may have done a little acting but she never seemed to be into pimping herself for attention. She seemed to be more about the music. This may sound like I don’t like Madonna but that’s not the case, I enjoy many of her songs. I think she knew what she wanted and went for it and she adapted herself and her music with the times. However, I am not a fan or her acting and her exploitation of her body. I also think at her age and with her gravitas as a performer she no longer needs to wear such outfits as she wore at the Grammy’s. Many other older singers have accepted their age and matured. So basically, I have admiration for Madonna’s long career and music but I really don’t respect her as a person. But I do love Cyndi Lauper.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/72 "2015-02-11T19:13:33Z")
> [@Randolph](#): > > Unfortunately, I think his looks had a lot to do with it. Not that he’s a bad-looking guy, but visuals came heavily into play in the 80’s, and he looked… like an accountant who dabbled in farming. Or a farmer who dabbled in accounting, I’m not quite sure which. He looks like some guy you might see in the aisles at Walmart. In his youth, he was neither a pretty boy like David Lee Roth nor cute ugly like Joe Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/73 "2015-02-11T19:14:57Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I don’t think so. I’d say that most Counting Crows fans aren’t “testosterone-laden,” Yeah, I did a double-take when I saw that comment about “testosterone” and Counting Crows. Back in the mid-90s when they were at the height of their popularity, most testosterone laden music fans were probably listening to grunge, rap or death metal. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/74 "2015-02-11T20:00:22Z")
> [@Stormcrow](#): > > Ooo! Oooo! Me! (Raises hand like Horshack) > > I have a friend who like to remind me from time to time that I totally called it on Madonna - back in college we were talking about her (this was about the time of Lucky Star & Holiday), and he was of the opinion that she was just a one-hit wonder. I disagreed; my take was that she had enough appeal, enough talent, and a really clear understanding of her own strengths and weaknesses combined with the smarts to use them. I had also heard that she wrote her own stuff (or at least some of it) and that always impresses me, especially in the dance and R&B worlds, where so many artists are producers’ creations. > > I can’t say that I called Cindi Lauper’s non-stardom (non super-stardom really, as 30 years later we all know exactly who she is), but I can see it in retrospect. While the creative aspects were there, her quirks were so specific, and her style less morphable than Madonna’s, that her appeal was more limited. > > I can’t say I’ve called too many others, so it could be a case of “blind squirrel finds acorn…” 😃 I hated Borderline. HATED. I hated the song. I hated the video. I hated HER. I think it tainted my feelings for her going forward. I only have one of her CDs, and it was a gift from a male friend who just adored “Papa Don’t Preach.” Weird. I have at least 4 of Lauper’s CDs. ---
**Author:** ![Haunted\_Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/94ad74/32.png) [@Haunted\_Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haunted_Pasta)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/75 "2015-02-11T20:54:59Z")
According to the makers of an actual documentary film they made about the guy, early 80’s one-hit-wonder Benny Mardones (“Into the Night”- “If I could fly, I’d pick YOOOUU up, and take you into the night…” as sung to a 16-year-old) was supposed to be huge but blew it on drugs. The filmmakers were on the radio here 10, 15 years ago promoting it as part of a film festival. Same title as the song. I still remember the interview, because I ended up wanting to see the film and never got to. The first question the DJ asked was the first question that the filmmakers were asked in every interview: “Why Benny Mardones, of all people?” Apparently his squandering of his Next-Big-Thingness was so colossal that it was the stuff that most of a film could be based on. (side note: The basis for the rest of the film was apparently the bizarre love relationship that one city- I think it was Buffalo- developed for the guy. He wasn’t from there or anything, but for whatever reason he could still sell out concert venues there, and there only, for years after his star had otherwise faded.) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/76 "2015-02-11T21:30:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Way back in the Dark Ages of my youth, **John Prine** was supposed to be the next Dylan. His first album was brilliant, but he never followed up. Well, Prine did quite well overall, but just wasn’t a hitmaker (he also fell between the cracks of pop and country). He was part of the New Bob Dylan Club mentioned by Loudon Wainwright III, which consisted of Wainwright, Prine, Bruce Springsteen, and Elliott Murphy. Murphy is the most obscure of the group. His debut, _Aquashow_, was raved about, but he vanished after that and ended up moving to France, where he’s had a moderate career. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/77 "2015-02-11T21:37:04Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > Maybe so, but ye gods is that kid (I went to college with him, so I still consider him a kid) a dick. I’m unsurprised. Expand, please. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/78 "2015-02-11T21:49:24Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > He looks like some guy you might see in the aisles at Walmart. In his youth, he was neither a pretty boy like David Lee Roth nor cute ugly like Joe Jackson. Speaking of Joe Jackson, I wanted to ask since I was not around, but was he ever predicted to become a huge star? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/79 "2015-02-11T21:51:31Z")
> [@The\_Winkler](#): > > Can we use rappers? > > Whoever called Vanilla Ice “The Elvis of Rap” deserves to go to hell. Elvis was immensely talented; Robert Van Winkle was a joke. On that note, who knew Eminem would be what he is? Of course, that’s a topic for the opposite subject of this thread. For an artist everyone thought would be huge, maybe Candlebox. I love their stuff, but they didn’t have the staying power that other grunge bands of the 90s did. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2015, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539/80 "2015-02-11T21:55:13Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Speaking of Joe Jackson, I wanted to ask since I was not around, but was he ever predicted to become a huge star? Huge? Not really. Not like Prince or Michael Jackson or Springsteen, anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singers-wrongly-predicted-to-become-huge-stars/694539.md?page=5)