Britney Spears vs. Paris Hilton

The thing is, is...is that Britney was once the queen. She was supposed to inherit the crown from MADONNA, and you don't get much bigger than Madonna. The closest thing to her was Christina Aguwhatever but then CA won a Grammy and all of a sudden CA was legit and a critics fave and Britney had the bubble gum pop title all wrapped up. But now BS has fallen from grace and is the butt of every late night talk show joke. Meanwhile CA continues to make music but nobody really seems to care.
This whoisbigger post is about the fall of music in general. Pop music, rock music, even country music is on a downswing. And don't give me that "it's cause of the iPod" or "its cause of filesharing", cause I'm not buying it. Music is no longer big because of DVDs, home theaters, the movie industry, and YouTube. People just aren't listening to music as much as they used to. Certainly not in groups anyways, like in front of a boom box or while playing basketball or whatever.
Which is why we are reduced to comparing Britney to Paris. Cause you don't really get much bigger than Paris these days. She is it. And she put out an album, I think. Or at least a single. Britney is nowhere and Paris is everywhere and so I ask: Who is bigger? Mindless former popstar or mindless current tabloid star?

De La Soul or A Tribe Called Quest

Both were supposed saviors of hip-hop from gangsta/sucka MC stylings. Both integrated jazz and mellow grooves into their playing. Both have more or less faded away since the 90s. So who is bigger?

I say Tribe is bigger, cause it feels like they had more influence and Q-Tip went on to collaborate with more artists, seems like maybe he grew the medium and grew with the medium.

But then again I don't really know hip hop so good. Anybody care to enlighten?

Radiohead or ColdPlay?

First of all thanks to all those who commented on the first posting. I'd say the people have spoken and the winner is Paul Simon.

Next up is Radiohead vs. ColdPlay. Another tough one for me, as Radiohead is in the Top 10 all time for me, and maybe my overall favorite band still actively making music.

But overall, I have to go with ColdPlay. They just are bigger all around. Bigger albums, more hits, and I think even more influence. Look at a band like Keane...would/could Keane exist if ColdPlay didn't? Also, ColdPlay passes the High School test...my wife teaches at Natick HS and tells me that more kids know/recognize/like ColdPlay than like Radiohead.

So, although Radiohead gets props for singlehandedly giving faith to the thousands of alternative-weaned 30 and 40 somethings out there who have not yet given up hope in pop/rock as a medium, ColdPlay is bigger: More commercially successful and more influential for pop bands currently making a living playing music.

David Bowie or Paul Simon

I'm talking in terms of overall hugeness: Which artist is more popular, has had more hits, has had more of an impact on society, and is a bigger cultural icon? And don't let your personal preference affect your opinion.

Paul Simon is bigger. Why? Because "Sound of Silence" was something of an anthem of the 60s, and the closest Bowie comes is Ziggy Stardust. And the 80s comebacks? Well Bowie brought us "Let's Dance" which was a huge hit, but in the end it didn't really change or add anything to the music that was popular in the 80s, it just kind of reinforced it. Whereas "Graceland" was not only hugely popular, it brought the South African musicians into pop music, and, I'd argue, paved the way for Dave Matthews in the 90s.

Now I say all this having never bought Graceland and only realizing that "Me and Julio" was a Paul Simon song as of about 3 months ago. And being a huge Bowie fan, right up to and past his "Outside" and "Earthling" phases. So, now you see how I make a personal sacrifice in the interest of recording whoisbigger. Cause we have to be honest here.