Dumbing Down The Sound Introduction™: Madonna's Disastrous Effect on Women's Music and Culture

In the States circa 1984 at least, once Madonna arrived Cyndi Lauper, Jody Watley, Heart, Tina, Pat Benatar and others were all effectively marginalized and shelved by the media within two years although they still had many fans. Anyone who came after Madonna was comparatively ignored. Whitney Houston sold huge records and was the top US Box Office ACTRESS for TWO years with "The Bodyguard" and "The Preachers Wife" (not a feat madonna has even come close to accomplishing) but appeared on no major fashion magazine covers nor was granted huge media buzz. NOT ONE of those singers received a vanity fair, vogue, bazaar or other major fashion mag covers Madonna was clearly all the press wanted. That has NOT made her a powerful woman only a very lucky and coddled one. It took the obliteration BY THE MEDIA of an entire generation of other, much more talented female singers to keep her famous.

So who did madonna have to fight over the pop charts in the mid 80s to mid 90s? NONE of the gals who charted back then received the career longevity they deserved or made anywhere near the money they should especially compared to who is on the charts currently. (Brickell, Suzanne Vega, Sinead, Natalie Merchant, Lisa Stansfield, Taylor Dayne) were NOT given ANY media attention at least in the states. The media just wanted madonna. that was ALL you got. It was 24/7 in every magazine, entertainment news show, news paper
Post Mtv in the 80s meant if you were a female singer who was not Madonna you stood way behind in line with the media. Before the internet that meant you could go from headlining stadiums to half empty clubs in a few short years like all the hair cut metal guys did post Nirvana or Debbie Harry, the genius, who was playing movie theatres in the 90s.

No media buzz no fanbase back then. Once madonna got too "Bang Bus/JackAss porno" and the media was turned off THEN you saw the Lilith Fair women, (Sarah M, Jewel, Alanis, Fiona Apple, Paul Cole, Shaun Colvin, Dido) emerge and new superstars like Shania and Mariah. For a moment it looked like things might go in a singer songwriter direction but the media was not having any of it. Thus Britney and the Bush era Pop tarts arrived and seemingly overnight, the Lilith Fair gals vanished. Madonna "reappeared with a comeback" (she never went away) and now it is just an army of singing madonna spawns apart from Adele, Lady Gaga (who is an accomplished musician) and a few others. Women's pop music is now at its lowest point in history.

Madonna now has to compete with about TEN other huge female stars. Taylor Swift, Adele, Katy Perry, Nick Minaj, Beyonce, Rihanna, Spears, Clarkson, Cyrus, Lady Gaga and other lesser ones like Pink, Jessica, Christina, Gomez (less meaning buzz, all three are still worth millions upon millions) etc yet many I named are all going into their SECOND decade of VERY high profile careers.

Lady Gaga who is often accused of copying the Queen of copies, has to at least compete with others on a level playing field. She may not retain mega status she has had since 2008 but if Britney and pink are still high profile after 12 plus years which they are she will be too and so will Katy perry. The message in US women's Pop music is clear-be a brand like Madonna, be corporate like Madonna and sell like her. Music is almost an afterthought now.

Madonna never took a rest these past few year she had her feature turkey, gyms opening in impoverished Mexico City, made in China clothing lines and tons of media space as always. She has never ever really left the public eye and retreated. Ever. And we all know why. It would be like Murdoch taking two years off to go and live on a desert island alone.