There are only two artists in music history to lift five Hot 100 #1s from a single LP – Michael Jackson and Katy Perry. Via their ‘Bad’ and ‘Teenage Dream’ albums respectively, the duo launched a quintet of chart-toppers to the coveted tally on the hems of awe-inspiring music videos and very dedicated fanbases.
Jackson’s iconic hits spent a collective 7 weeks atop the charts while Perry’s forgettable modern pop offerings spent nearly triple that time reigning. But, while the latter has his name etched in history books as the ‘King of Pop,’ Billboard thought it time to remind fans that this pop princess’s impressive sales performance is by no means anything to downplay.
Indeed, it’s no secret that her domination of today’s charts knows few rivals. But, just as the diva’s takeover of Superbowl XLIX’s halftime show approaches, the music Bible stacked up the pop titans’ follow-up records, ‘Dangerous’ and ‘Prism’ to see how well they compare to their respective preceding releases as well as each other’s.
Weigh in below:
Michael Jackson’s Five #1s from ‘Bad’
- “Bad,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Dirty Diana,” “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”
Katy Perry’s Five #1s from ‘Teenage Dream’
- “California Girls, “”Teenage Dream,” “Firework,” “E.T.,” “Last Friday Night”
How do their follow-ups stack up?
Katy Perry’s ‘Prism’
- “Roar”: No. 1 peak (two weeks)
- “Unconditionally”: No. 14 peak
- “Dark Horse”: No. 1 peak (four weeks)
- “Birthday”: No. 17 peak
- “This Is How We Do”: No. 24 peak
Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’
- “Black or White”: No. 1 peak (seven weeks)
- “Remember the Time”: No. 3 peak
- “In the Closet”: No. 6 peak
- “Jam”: No. 26 peak
- “Heal the World”: No. 27 peak
- “Who Is It”: No. 14 peak
- “Will You Be There”: No. 7 peak
*****
To Billboard’s credit, the intent was never to compare the two’s influence on the genre or their album sales (which cannot be compared under any scope), but strictly the performance of their singles. Perry’s first five singles from this era have come with 2 top 20s, 1 top 30 (and rising), and two #1s while MJ’s follows with one number 1, 2 top 10s, and 2 top 20s.
Giving consideration to the difference in times (i.e. streaming vs. radio airplay, $.99 cent singles now, and ease of access to music now vs. then), tell us:
![Nelly & Kelly Rowland Reunite to Perform Their 2002 Hit 'Dilemma' at the 2024 Baby2Baby Gala [Video]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/kelly-rowland-baby2baby-thatgrapejuice-2024-dilemma-nelly-464x260.jpg "Nelly & Kelly Rowland Reunite to Perform Their 2002 Hit 'Dilemma' at the 2024 Baby2Baby Gala [Video].")
Skaty Perry NO!! Michael Jackson is “1” of a KIND!! Whose checking for her like that? NOT I!!
It’s criminal to compare the two. Even single performance wise she gets curb stomped.
#iamdisgusted
this is down right treason,folley,disrespectful
She just knew she would have five #1s from this era too lol OOP guess not
what exactly is tgj trying to start here? MJ belonged to a different era entirely to the one katy is in,
its a little unfair how people try to downplay the success rihanna and katy have comparing them to mariah and mj, the fact of the matter is if these two debuted in the 90’s they would be considered icons today, mj and mariah made music for their era and where the best then, same thing with rih and katy.
how is tgj trying to start anything when billboard published it first?
furthermore, the whole intent of the article is to prove that katy perry IS SUCCESSFUL – more so than she’s given credit for.
billboard is comparing chart performances, tgj is all about comparing their standing in the music industry and that written all over this posts
Artistic quality of the aforementioned is different but katy is doing her thing nonetheless
I thought the same thing for a while but it was harder to do so well back then (not impossible, but harder), making it more impressive. Those artists were innovators. And they were so famous because of their talent, not their social media accounts. I guess thats why its downplayed.
Like when people say Rihanna’s the most successful digital artist ever. A “digital” artist didn’the mean anything or apply to almost anyone until iTunes and youtube were created which was only 10-15 years ago.
Rihanna and katy are very successfull now (this can be applied to any current singer, I’m just using your examples and it does apply to them). Would they still be great in the 90’s or before? maybe. Would they be AS successful as they are now without all of the extra resources. Probably not.
I hope they compare Michael Jacksons “Super Bowl” performance versus Miss Perry’s… As if that could even happen. Lol
lmao! no comparison i know.
but its interesting that of them had superbowl performances in the era following their albums with the massive chart toppers!
Katy Perry did extremely well for follow up to ‘Teenage Dream.’ I mean c’mon there was nearly no way to not copy it and for it to achieve more success. It had two massive singles Lady Gaga would have died for from ARTPOP. The tour hasn’t had any snags either. I think that this album has certainly performed well for what its worth. yes the singles overall could have peaked higher, but still she didn’t go unnoticed with the two #1s from this era. Also the album sold 1 million in 11 weeks and had her biggest opening week to date. W2G KP! Ready for new music/era! Kill the SuperBowl!
MJ could NEVAH!
i will think they are more or less even with Dangerous edging out Prism just a little, Prism has that extra number 1 to bring up her points, but Dangerous has those 2 top 10s and all his singles have seen the top 20, so that top 30 really hurts Prism
And not to mention “dangerous” will be remembered musically, as well as numbers wise as where the music from “prism” will never be brought up in terms of great music in history and only for its performance on the charts.
and your point is what? Im sure there are a plenty katy fans who are gonna be spinning that album 20 years from now…rembered is rembered
Sure, a die hard Katy Perry STAN.. But to casual listeners, the casual music industry, the casual music historians will not be talking about the music. Maybe a VH1 special recollecting billboard accolades but again, not something that’s reminiscing on the actual music and it’s effects following. Because, although catchy, her music isn’t transcending.
this was dumb why would they compare two different people from two different era’s
billboard is comparing the chart success of the era’s after the eras in which they achieved the same feats. Tgj is the one trying to make it a mj vs katy thing
comparing katy perry (queen of basicness) to Michael Jackson(king of pop) is like comparing Ciara(king/ queen of has been flops)to beyonce (the queen )
I can’t say I’m shocked honestly. When I saw Katy being compared to Mariah on Billboard and Katy fans shading and dragging Mariah as if Fantasy isn’t part of the reason Dark Horse could be popular,it just shows the mind control Billboard has over us. My favorite artists (Luther, Mariah, & MJ) will never be rightfully compared to anyone, because they simply are in different galaxies from others. I’m over it. Good for you though Katy.
oh get over mariah’s fat ass,
2/3s of mariah’s #1s would struggle to hit number today. Mariah and mj simply belonged to a different time, and to be honest it was easier for them to become legends than it is for artists today. Look at the charts baby mariah’s time has passed had she debuted today she would be lucky to be in grande’s shoes and thats the honest truth.
Ummm ADELE SAYS HELLO! Adele makes older sounding music than MJ or Mariah has EVER made… And OUTSOLD everyone this decade. If Mariah was new young, fresh & serving 1990s magical vocals. She would SELL all over Basic Perry
Hahahahahaah you sound ridiculously asinine and just shows how much you DONT KNOW what you are talking about- you’re just typing just to type honey. Do you know how much competition Mariah Carey had when she dominated the charts? Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, TLC, Boyz II Men, Toni Braxton Madonna were just a VERY SELECT FEW acts Mariah had to go up against and dominate yet and still they all were able to top the charts sometimes, also. Not to mention the legends who were still making Music: Michael, Aretha, Barbara, Luther, Stevie, Patti and also the one hit wonders and new acts that were coming out whom she dominated as well.
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And Mj was in his own category so we don’t even need to go there with him. You’re just an ignorant, idiot, computer weenie, that’s all.
LOL. You’re so funny Blue. I know that you’re just that Rima troll who stans for Rita Oral. The fact that Mariah has you so pressed over her is hilarious. Mariah came out in a time where Whitney, MJ, Janet, Madonna, Toni, and other REAL talent lead the charts, while Katy’s only competition is pitch. Worry about why your favs have all of these hits yet no one can remember them a year from their debut. Go sit in a corner and cry. And PS Princess Ari’s entire career is derived from Mariah Carey, so there is NO competition.
leona says hi. Todays music scene is not about vocals, if she debuted today her music would have a very small market.
BLASPHEMY
Katys discography is trash , her having a bunch of #1 hits wont change that
trash compared to who exactly?
People who are actually interested in quality music. Her music is good for in-the-now background songs but that’s about it.
she makes music that belongs to this time… The way we consume muic today makes it impossible for songs to last beyond their chart run and thats the honest truth, mj and mariah had it easy
Bye!! It’s an insult to compare Kathy with the King of Pop! Kathy also had to re-release her album to get those 5 #1’s. Michael did not.
actually no she didnt, all 5 came from the same album. Her 6th came from the re-release, she actually broke mj’s record but billboard quickly changed their rules so as to prevent it.
Actually, either way it goes, she still has no talent.
Um yes it did baby, remember Part of Me on the re release. That become another #1… Ops see how forgettable her songs are.
What type of foolishness is this?????
=
ALBUMS SALES
Dangerous: 1991 (30,000,000+) WW
Prism: 2013 (3,4,000,000+) WW
–
SINGLE SALES
Dangerous: 1991 (No one really knows for sure)
Prism: 2013 (13-16,000,000+) WW
…..
Black Or White – Classic
Remember The Time – Classic
Heal The World – Classic
Will You Be There – Classic
Give In To Me – HIT SONG
Jam – HIT SONG
Who Is It – HIT SONG
Gone To Soon – MODERATE HIT SONG (released in only a few markets & still was a success).
In The Closet – HIT SONG
–
VS
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ROAR – Pending Classic Maybe?
Dark Horse – Hit Song
Unconditional – Moderate Hit
Birthday – FLOP
This Is How We Do – FLOP
Walking On Air – FLOP (Promo Single Release Only)
…
Dangerous = 4 Classics & 4 Hits
Prism = 1 Classic (Pending Classic) & 1 Hit Song
..
Billboard, I don’t see the comparison!
different music eras and financial climates.
How many albums sell past 10 mil nowadays?
If you r gonna call songs like remember the time classic, then dark horse has to be called a classic too.. And I’m saying that, And taylor fans are suppose to hate Katy perry!
Umm “Remember The Time” is a CLASSIC honey. STill palyed on the radio 20+ years later & covered multiple times. Also, one of the most iconic videos of the 90s. & HUGE in the BLACK community. Also, the song is just WAYYYY better than Dark Horse.
Okay, well I’ve only ever heard Michael’s version, and I find the song repetitive, but that’s just me.
Dark horse is more a turn up the volume kind of song at parties. Remember the time is more laid back.
Thing is basic Roar will never be a classic either. The difference is so huge I find this comparison devastating.
Now I got to slap Dafuq out of Billboard!! TF!???
OKAY sis. What type of blasphemy is this?!?!?
Well I never…… (Clutches pearls)
People may not like Mzz Perry and may downplay her all they want but homegirl has been doing her thing since she kissed a girl. I mean she moved from Kate Hudson to the monster slayer, you cannot deny her anymore.
,
That’s right Mzz Perry, do you and serve up more of those kid bop struggle performances people live for.
I mean we live in an era where Meghan Trainor is outselling Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande with no feature, half the promo and more clothes on, LMAO.
,
Surely if there’s space for Meghan, there’s space for Katy
HOW MUCH DID SHE SELL?
That girl has outsold those two? Wow I´m impressed. She´s nothing special but hey at least she has a good message I guess. And it´s not like she´s below the rest of mediocrity out there anyway.
never.
Looking at the comments…some of y’all didn’t read the article, just rushed to comment after reading the heading. Dangerous is my fav MJ album.
Just Stop! Comparing Katy Perry to Legendary MJ for any reason is a no no. MJ has timeless music with so many accomplishments which he won based off the message in his songs and his talent. Unlike Katy who is a bubblegum pop artist who makes bubblegum pop music that catchy and cutesy but not timeless. Plus MJ is one of the most talented, iconic, performers/entertainers of all time.
This is laughable
TGJ where’s the option of “GTFOHWTBS” on the poll??
Umm I love katy perry but comparison to michael jackson is a no no
I dont know who these people are but Micheal Jackson was a world POP STAR! He had a career that rained over 50 years! Katy Perry is lunch meat compared to that man’s success! There is NO COMPARISON! No matter how you try to! Beyonce is the only person to compare to Micheal and even she has a LONG WAY TO GO! MISS ME WITH THIS BULLSH!T!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A perfect example of the extreme decline mainstream music has suffered when anybody DARES to think about any type of comparison between someone like Michael and Katy Perry.
Is this Katy ERA bigger than Rihanna’s Unapolgteich era? If so, that means Rihannna is not the biggest singer
I got some love for Katy, but Micheal jackson will always be #1 in my book, the legendary king of pop.
“The album before Superbowl”
That would be a fun guessing game.
Katy perry is not even close to MJ. Michael is a legend with 600 million records sold. Katy will never reach Michael status
Beyoncé is the only one that can ever be compared to Michael and it make sense. Hopefully by the end of her run, she’ll be the new KING OF POP.
Sorry but enough is enough- MJ Fans listen up!
We have started producing a Michael Jackson follow up Tribute Cartoon in 2013, and published it early January 2014, with Michael as Osiris in ancient Egypt in it. Katy Perry stole criminally and rudely our copyrighted Contents (Special Effects of Magic and Amun Ra Eye for our Mystery Schools Project)- and she took a line from our Elvis took too (Plagiarism) to claim the Memphis Tennesse and Memphis ancient Egypt “Concept as her own”. We are preparing a lawsuit for this, and the nasty criminal American Music Industry and the Jackson Estate obviously too, are HANDING MICHAEL JACKSON AND TRIBUTE PROJECTS CONTENT AROUND FOR ABUSES SO THESE VAMPIRES CAN SUCK ON HIS LEGACY.
Katy Perry has zero to do with Michael Jackson or his message or his style. She is a tool of the Music Business, after Lady Gaga flopped, now they “use” the MJ Name for PROMOTING Katy Perry.
It is disgusting and not acceptable anymore. Stop the insulting false links or we will sue you too, Billboard…