What about Rihanna “going bad” that helped her become a worldwide name.

Mariah and Christina did suffer a decline in terms of their audience, their sound for those albums wre just more geared towards a certain audience, both those albums were still certified 4 and 5xplatinum, which is still very good. Generic pop sounds appeal to the masses, so of course that’ll do well. Isn’t it about growth as you always say, not every album will do the same as others. You should know that…

So glad they took control, Christina & Mariah. Stripped never went #1 in any country but still sold over 12 million albums. Their careers didn’t really decline seeing that they were still going 4X platinum alone in the US & my favorite work of both Mimi & Xtina came from their own control & creativity. It shows how very much involved they are with music as artists they not just pop singers or vocalists unlike their ‘competition’ they’re ARTISTS. No shade at all but this might sound bad but Unlike Whitney, Britney if Mariah, Christina has to die their music that will be selling will go to their bank accounts for their kids since they write all, most their music & co-produce some so their little ones will be getting checks! They’re were manufactured singers & became artists when they took their own careers into their own hands & I find that to be very powerful especially since they’re women!

@Benron Rihanna was still manufactured that time & still to this day is. Don’t let fashion choices or her tweets fool you. I love Riri though! She might pushed boundaries image wise but not in her music, same with Britney until ‘In The Zone’ with touch of my hand but still their work albums was not their creative controll. They didn’t write, produced. They were given tracks where they just need to do nursery rhymes.

Love this post! Really well thought out! Sadly changing your look and sound doesnt work for everyone, look at Christina, Kelly R, Ciara, Brandy. But with the right market approach, sound, look and time it can work! See Rihanna, how she does it only Illuminati knows! MJ was the king of it tbh! Right place right time!

I love Go Girl by Ciara! What made Full Moon different? Brandy worked with the same people but just changed the beat. I think a better example for Brandy would have been Aphrodisiac.

My fave claim of artistic freedom was
Mariah Butterfly, that album really was everything. The only other album she mad that was that cohesive was Emotions IMO. Oh yeah MJ too. Off the Wall is my fave album by him.
It seems that only MJ, Janet and maybe P!nk had more popularity after they changed their music.

@benron Ninja Please.. Rihanna whole “music” existence was created by a team… from JayZ to producers… she can’t even express what her creative style nor music style. Her team borrows from everyone. She doesn’t even write nor produce her own music. It must be nice to let others write/produce and come up with “your” next look while you vacay and partying. While other “real artist” are in the studio working, creating,writing and producing.

Trent , that was not the control video it was What have you
done for lately video. Its O.K. because all of Janet’s videos
are good. I knew Christina could sing but I didn’t she could
dance too. I glad you put Mariah on the list.

it’s funny that everyone is bashing Rihanna for not producing or writing. The title of the profession is “singer.” Therefore, all she is entitled to do is sing and be someone else’s canvas, which she has done successfully (being a singer doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be a ‘vocalist’ but you must express said music vocally in a way that reaches and touches the targetted audience.) Whitney Houston didn’t write or produce shit but she is regarded as The Queen of Pop, arguably. Sure, she may not have been an artist, but she was truly a singer, as her voice touched the hearts of those around the world as they related to her delivery. Rihanna may not have too many octaves in that throat of hers, but you cannot deny that her voice is touching hearts as she is still in demand,