U2isthebest
ONE love, blood, life
^Well said, Pearl. I think Britney is a good entertainer with some great pop songs. Madonna is an icon who has written and produced most of her music from the beginning of her career. Britney has always been a manufactured record company puppet who was marketed by the American virgin/slut next door dichotomy that's so prevalent in today's music industry. That is, she was a virgin (so she said early in her career and even for awhile after breaking up with Justin Timberlake) who was marketed as the wholesome, innocent American sweetheart, but through her image was sold as the perfect male fantasy. Madonna, on the other hand, took control of her image and message from the beginning of her career. She wrote and sang the songs she wanted to write and sing, she created the persona she wanted to portray to the world. She refused to back down from what she saw as her artistic and personal freedoms even when her record company and people in general sought to make her do so. She was the first female artist with huge mainstream success to say women should be able to express themselves (no pun intended) just as men have always been able to do; professionally, sexually, politically, socially, etc. There were other female artists that I love and respect that came before her with a similar message, but none of them were able to reach the massive platform she achieved. The short answer for the difference between Madonna and Britney? Britney is a cookie cutter pop star controlled by her handlers and record company. Madonna is a brilliant artist and performer who changed the music industry for women forever.