@ RoyalKev

A few points:

- Your career doesn't begin with your first big success. It begins with your first project, no matter how its ultimately received. No one who isn't ignorant will dare claim that The Writings on the Wall is what "began" Destiny's Child's story; that's just crazy talk. You don't get to cherry pick over titles and only claim what created an impact, and became a hit -- while ignoring what failed. That's deceptive as hell. You talk about factors of Madonna's victories being swept under the rug. What do you call glossing over Janet's failed first albums (and making excuses for her failed last few?) It doesn't matter if Janet's first 2 albums didn't catapult her to stardom, or make her a force; they are titles released to the public with her name on them -- and so they are to be equally counted (and judged) amongst those that did become successful.

- I only counted Madonna's studio albums against Janet's studio albums when I was making my point; and of their similar number of [studio] albums -- only two Janet titles outperformed Madonna titles by comparison from the same period. I didn't even include Madonna's hits collections, soundtracks, etc., etc. Your whole argument is heavily dependent upon the argument of Madonna's hits and specialty albums boosting her sales...but the truth is that even if you only counted her studio albums against Janet's studio albums, Madonna still wins. Overall, Madonna's studio albums have outsold Janet's. However, I will say this: Madonna cannot be faulted for working and releasing a lot of product -- most of which sells. If she can continually release greatest hits albums that sell healthily, then so be it, and if Janet's tally is significantly lower because she doesn't have as many collections and soundtracks on the market as Madonna, then that ain't Madonna's fault. Sales are sales. Nobody stopped Janet from maximizing her catalog the way Madonna does. It doesn't make Janet's sales more earnest or sincere.

- Don't pretend the public and media reaction to Madonna's controversies have been accommodating or dismissive. Madonna got slaughtered for her SEX book and after she went on Letterman and swore up a storm. It wasn't celebrated. No one thought it was cute. The criticism was harsh and bitter...and I don't think Janet has ever been as professionally or publicly maligned as Madonna has on her worst days, so saying that Madonna isn't judged as critically is a crock of shit. Madonna has been every bit as judged and criticized as Janet was during that Superbowl episode. Her American Life was "blacklisted" from radio too. The difference between Madonna and Janet, though, is that Madonna has the wit, street smarts, wherewithal (and better management) to slide out from under her backlashes and to bounce back quickly when she's being doubted and dismissed. Janet doesn't. Using the Superbowl to excuse the failures of things that came out years later is pitiful and doesn't wash. It wasn't any "blacklisting" that caused those albums, and that Rock Witchu tour, to fail...it was the publics general disinterest. The Superbowl is just your scapegoat for not facing the the record and ticket buying public wasn't interested.

- Madonna adding more legs to her Sticky & Sweet Tour in no way neutralizes, lessens or brings a colder perspective to its success. The demand was there for more shows, and so more were added -- plain and simple. And they all sold out. Supply and demand is the name of the game, and in the end she came away with the most successful tour for a solo artist -- ever. Nothing nefarious or sneaky about it. No one had to buy those tickets. That would be like me saying that at her peak, the janet. and Rhythm Nation albums only sold as much as they did because Janet kept on releasing an overabundance of singles. Who the hell cares? The bottom line is what the profit; not the why or the how.

- No it's not baffling to say that Madonna continues to evolve. Every phase/era of Madonna's music/overall career is different from the last one. Madonna continues to move forward and almost never does same thing twice; that's called evolving. And as far as vocal decline goes...ha...people who live in glass houses, my friend. Being a Janet enthusiast, you are in **no** position to condescend any other singers vocal ability with her name in the same breath. That's all I'm going to say about that.