At 50, has Madonna surpassed the Beatles?

That's MSNBC's headline, I shit you not.

I have to assume the author of this opinion piece, Tony Sclafani, is a twelve year old boy.

There’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just come right out with it. As Madonna’s 50th birthday approaches on Aug. 16, it’s looking like her influence on pop music has outshone that of the Beatles.

Let me qualify the above statement before all the peace-and-love baby boomers start hating. It’s Madonna’s impact on the course of pop music that bests the Fab Four, not her sociological importance, songwriting skills or recording innovations. Influence means an artist has an effect on the future direction of music.

He then goes on to back up his argument with devastating points such as this one:

...a quarter century after Madonna emerged, artists still use her ideas and seem modern and edgy doing so. Beyond the obvious Madonna wannabe 1980s singers, Madonna’s influence is felt in artists from Gwen Stefani to Britney Spears to boy bands, who found in the 1990s there was an audience beyond the old rock crowd.

Wow, a whole quarter century, you say? And she influenced Britney?

Stunning.

Went through a Beatles phase long ago, but I'm not much of a fan now. Not musically inclined, am no student of Music History.

But lots of the commenters to this piece are, and quite predictably they are lining up to deliver sound spankings to young Master Sclafani.

Out of all the very articulate and knowledgeable responses to this thoughtless bit of hackery, here is the one that really reached me.

I just got to respond to this piece of drivel that some flaming faggot has a drama induced dream that a totally untalented slut that has been manufactered by some semi manager/producer can even lick the balls of Ringo Starr. DREAM ON QUEENEY Brian Johnson Reply#196 - Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:43 PM EDT

It's almost certain she has licked Ringo's nuts, but other than that, Mr. Johnson has crystallized my nebulous thoughts just perfectly.

Thanks to jenjhissssz

posted by Laura. at 03:24 PM

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