Who among these singers will be in 40 years considered iconic?

You forgot the most important option: NONE.

My few cents:

Beyonce will have more or less diva status thanks to the Jay-Z and black community. I don't think she'll reach Madonna status. I can see her 'retiring' in a few years. She doesn't seem passionate about making music at all.

Rihanna will become irrelevant soon. Her next album, if it'll be released in this century, will flop.

Taylor Swift will become the next Dolly Parton. I sense an Oscar in future. And a marriage to a gay man or a straight slut who'll cheat on her and it results in a painful divorce.

Miley will either OD or go completely off the rails.

Katy Perry will be a 'once popular, now a judge at a music reality show' celebrity in UK.

Adele will break all the records, snag an Oscar or a Golden Globe, maybe even a Tony if she decides to go Broadway. She has everything to be iconic, except for the gay following.

Miley. Seriously.

[R3] Care to elaborate?

I am not saying you are wrong, it's just an interesting, if not unusual pick.

Miley has a great voice, a sense of humor about herself, and I could see her reinventing herself over time like Madonna has. I'm not suggesting Madge has a great voice, by the way.

Lol, whoever said Beyawncé deserves to be beheaded by ISIS. The media's obsession with her does not translate to mainstream love. She is a purely black phenomemon with a smattering of SJW gays.

To those who voted for Rihanna/Katy Perry - Why? Again, why?

Beyoncé has been around longer than anyone else on this list, I think she's going to be around a lot longer. And I could be wrong but, I think she will reach Madonna status.

I really don't understand Miley's popularity, can someone please explain? Her voice is just so annoying, and she's not attractive...

I can see T.Swift and Adele becoming hermits one day.

Rihanna and K. Perry will be performing in Las Vegas or on cruise ships in the near future.

Absolutely not one of them

[R8] Fair reasoning but T.Swift becoming a hermit? No, she loves fame and adoration by her fans too much.

I agree r8 about Beyonce. She's been in the music industry almost 20 years now, should not really be in the same poll.

There is no doubt Taylor Swift and Katy Perry will continue to be foisted down our throats for years to come.

Adele is a fan favorite and she will always have a large following.

Pop music and singers are disposable. They aren't mean for longevity or iconic status. It's about the moment of youth. If one from the list does make it (and judging from how quickly technology changes things) it will be a very big surprise.

Lana Del Rey as an indie darling has more chance of acquiring longevity than both Miley and Rihanna.

[R10] I only think she will become a hermit because she seems very sensitive to me. I just feel like one day she'll just snap and leave the industry. I don't see her performing in her 40s and beyond. Same thing with Adele.

Im in college now and Beyoncé has been famous since I was in elementary school. How many pop singers achieve that kind of longevity? I think she's already reached iconic status.

Still waiting for someone to explain Miley to me...

Miley is to music as Kristen Stewart is to film. I say that as fans of both, by the way. They're wildly underrated and will be around for a long time.

none of the above

I've heard of the first two and Miley. The others just sound like retreads of Evelyn Champaign King. Iconic? No, none.

"The media's obsession with her does not translate to mainstream love. She is a purely black phenomemon with a smattering of SJW gays."

The media didn't buy all her singles, concert tickets, and albums. You don't know much about people, do you? You sound like a Republican.

None of the women on your list will be remembered in forty years.

Amy Winehouse will be considered iconic.

Adele represents the American Idol-style of over singing that everyone seems to think is breathtaking. Every note, every phrase, every sentence has to be an event.

NONE, OP, NONE

Amy Winehouse is already forgotten.

OP, your post is idiotic, nobody will remember these girls in 20 years.

And, no Streisand is not an iconic singer!

Cher, yes.

Madonna, yes.

Janet, no.

[quote]And, no Streisand is not an iconic singer!

How many 73yo women who can still sell out concert arenas do YOU know?

R19 her biggest worldwide hit is that song with Lady Gaga. Her last worldwide top 10 hit was in 2009. She has never had an album sell over 10 million (and has yet to pass the 30 million albums sold mark).

Beyonce is actually not as popular as people claim.

Whoops meant R18 not R19.

What about the one with the awful 'fashion' Lady Gaga. Now there's an example of someone who went way overboard ("my little monsters") in terms of branding then re- appears with Tony Bennett doing duets with the old classics.

She looks like Boffo the clown half the time.

[quote] Beyonce will have more or less diva status thanks to the Jay-Z and black community. I don't think she'll reach Madonna status. I can see her 'retiring' in a few years. She doesn't seem passionate about making music at all.

What is "Madonna status"? Does that refer to Madonna in 2015 or at some point in the past? Because every trick in this poll is outselling Madonna at least 3 to 1. Taylor Swift has probably already sold as many records in her career. Beyonce has 20 Grammys. Rihanna has had nearly as many Top 10 pop hits and she's not even 30. Gaga can potentially move into acting with more success and credibility than Madonna. So in the long run they may all surpass "Madonna status."

Beyawnce is a one trick pony. Gets up and shakes her fat ass. Has not reinvented herself or a thing in 20years (if that number is true). Rihanna had a few catchy good pop songs that sold well. Then she changed directions for whatever reason and doesn't sell like she did. Let see about he next album. But none of these ladies have done anything oh-so ironic even by this point in their career, seems to me that the won't at a later point. Madonna did ironic THROUGHOUT her ENTIRE career..while we wait for these gals to fart out something ironic. And yes, we took notice that Janet in no place on your list. Would be laughable to include her. The most ironic she's capable for these days is for calling in sick.

Beyonce has no personality and this lack is evident in her music as well, that's why she ultimately won't resonate with audiences decades from now. Hell, Britney Spears will probably be remembered more.

Every person here knows what a rough childhood is. None of us has had it easy. We know what it feels like to be the only one left at gym class not chosen. We could all write a book on the awful things we've gone through as children and as adults. This woman thinks every awful thing that has happened to her is because of her skin color. As if my white skin was an EZ-Pass for the easiest life. Not true. Everone here has dreadful memories. We move past it and grow. I know the type of person I don't want to be. I strive to be the person that I DO want to be. I stand tall with pride. No one else will define me. I say good morning to people and get a warm pleasant exchange. It's simple things sometimes, inside you. I have no need to dig too far back looking for awful memories. I think of the wonderful parents and sister of mine. Be positive instead of bitter. Move on, and grow up

Miley. She has the backing of the gays. She'll be seen as a Judy Garland / Barbara Streisand type. I predict there will Miley Cyrus drag queens, which is indicative of an iconic singer.

Streisand had and has an unsurpassable talent, was exceptionally well managed and managed herself exceptionally well and that sports fans, is evidenced by the fact that her music, her popularity has withstood the brutal test of time. Even her stage absence is cause for distress and unwavering nostalgia.

The others - will be forgotten. People have the attention span of a gnat and technology will just relegate them faster than expected to the ash heap. Except for the haunting voice of Amy Winehouse. That was simply a catastrophic loss.

[quote]Amy Winehouse is already forgotten.

As are most all one-hit wonders.

R35- Perfect example of gnat brain.

Talent has never been what creates iconic status among pop performers. It's the perfecting of camp mannerisms that drag queens of the present and future can imitate.

I can only imagine that, in 40 years, young people will have the same reverence for the music of their youth that the elderly people who post here have for the music of their youth. The artist who have managed dominate the charts, in this era of poor record sales, will definitely be considered iconic. Will young people be interested? No. They will have their own music.

It will definitely be Miley. Her new album with The Flaming Lips proved that she's going to take wild risks with her music. The rest of them just do what their labels tell them.

She's also already a huge cultural fixture, even if a lot of the attention comes from detractors who don't get her. She already has one instantly iconic/scandalous moment under her belt (the VMAs). Can anyone else name any other pop diva who had a performance make such a cultural splash? No, they are all throwaways. Beyoncé fans make a big to-do about her Super Bowl performance, but it was very forgettable. Gaga's VMAS 'Papparazzi' performance is the only one that comes to mind as being even close. Gaga's performance was better, but Miley's had a bigger impact.

Miley also has the whole child star angle going for her. If she ever spirals, it will mirror other tragic figures like Judy Garland. But I think she's got her head on straight. She is also the goddaughter of icon Dolly Parton.

Plus, she can really sing, though DL collectively seems to want to deny it. If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on her.

My other bets would be Beyoncé (unlikely, but possible just by sheer force of willpower and cloying perseverance) or Lana Del Rey (a long shot but she is offbeat and bizarre enough with enough of a cult following to make it happen).

R2. Swift has nowhere near the talent of Parton. She doesn't write her own music (though she insists on co-writer credits), she's got an average, nothing voice and sings average, nothing songs that are forgettable. She's only moderately attractive because she fits the cookie cutter and doesn't intimidate a young girl audience. Plus she's got zero personality. Her daddy bought her career. Fortunately, history shows us that those sort of light pop acts framed for Tweens fade when their fan base grows up and discovers actual music. She represents everything wrong with how commercialised music industry is destroying real talent. Don't get me wrong, good luck to her, if not her it'd be someone else. But to compare her to a real songwriting, big personality and unique talent like Dolly...?!

I disagree with the poster above who said Adele is of the American Idol school. She's the real deal. She writes - real songs - and the reason they connect so universally is she doesn't do the big voice showboating. She actually injects a huge amount of subtlety and emotion - by going simple not big. I'm not a big fan of hers, I like some of her songs more than others, but her themes resonate with audiences. Plus considering she's still young, and what huge success she's garnered, she seems gracious, real and grounded.

Apart from her and a handful of others, the music scene feels pretty bleak right now. I doubt we'll remember any of them apart from in nostalgic jest.

/ I should qualify that by saying that's what I've been told about Swift not really writing her own songs. I'm happy to stand corrected if she legitimately does.

-Shitney. Seriously. She is the most likely to die first, and I predict she will get a cult following and deification posthumously. You cant deny she has the most iconography, and strongest pop cultural impact compared to her peers. Tragedy is an element she embodies already.

I think R42 may be right. Tragedy really plays into being made an icon. Marilyn, Judy Garland, James Dean, Michael Jackson, etc.

Adele and Swift are comparable with regard to songwriting - they've both done a few tracks on their own, but most of their songs are co-written. You might even put Swift slightly above Adele, because at least one of her solo writes, Love Story, was a hit, but none of Adele's solo efforts have hit the top of the charts. Adele is the better singer, and seems like a much better person.

I don't think any of those listed will be remembered in any meaningful way in 40 years. On the other 'Greatest Voices' threads, people have linked to YouTube clips of performances of singers I'm not that familiar with, and they've been sensational. I don't think many people will look back on these singers in the future and feel like they are getting anything mind-blowing. Adele could be, but she seems content with radio-friendly but otherwise middle-of-the-road songs.

[42] I'd agree if she has died during her crisis back in 2007 when she shaved her hair and was hospitalized. I remember news, not only gossip but national airing 24/7 information on her... Imagine if she had died there, she'd instantly reach Marilyn status. Right now she's a southern hasbeen, she has no relevance anymore.

r45, Marilyn was called a has been as well just before she died. Britney's legacy as a pop star will make her immortal, should she die in the next 5 years. It's bigger than she is.

[quote] Apart from her and a handful of others, the music scene feels pretty bleak right now. I doubt we'll remember any of them apart from in nostalgic jest.

Who are "we"? Many of us, the people who post here, will not be around. Millennials who currently consider them to be iconic will most definitely still consider them to be iconic. Just like the crazy 50 and 60 year olds who spend hundreds of dollars on Madonna concerts. The Beyonce, Swift, Adele and Rhianna fans will be eager to recreate the experiences of their youth.

Lady Gaga will reinvent herself as actress, win a Tony and become far more iconic than any of these singers.

I put all of them in Gwen Stefani territory -- nice careers but no carryover to the next generation at all, let alone the next several. The definition of an icon, if you ask me.

Even though she's older I think Macy Gray will be more appreciated with time. Unique style and voice. Her songs resonate.

I do fear Taylor Swift will be this generation's Madonna and go on a long ride with them -- while we older ones cover our ears and shriek. Much as our parents did with us and our choices, no doubt. (I can stand the sound of Swift's shirll girly voice and it's even worse live). So she has the best chance especially if she courts controversy over the next few years ala Madge.

But not a Debbie Harry or a Stevie Nicks in the bunch. Not even a true original like Chrissie Hynde. A Linda Ronstadt sex kitten of her time or two, maybe. And Britney has already earned her place as an icon, the ultimate Disney kid gone bad and back out of it and with enough hits to merit an upgrade. (I figured she'd be Paula Abdul, big debut, diminishing hits each album, a greatest hits and gone... but no. She outlived 'em all).

[quote]Streisand had and has an unsurpassable talent

So, she's the most talented person to have ever lived or will ever live?

No, I don't think so. Her fans are the worst fangurls on the planet - yes, worse than Hitler. I doubt most people under 35 could name one song or even one movie she's been in - except maybe The Fockers movies, hardly shining examples of genius.

If Rachel on Glee hadn't said her name so often, most people under a certain age would have no idea that she was even famous.

But she did say her name so often, Blanche, that's all part of the legend. Which is why Streisand is one of the great icons of all times. I don't know much about Maria Callas either in terms of her specific work but I don't have to to know she is one of the all time greats. What "iconic" is all about.

Can you name one single Streisand song that holds up as great and isn't dated? And I don't mean any of her syrupy interpretations of the Great American Songbook. What songs will she be remembered for?

Beyoncé will be most remembered for her Bday album and her Beyoncé album. Those 2 albums will always be iconic.

Beyoncé has already been around the last 20 years, you don't think she'll be around another 20? or 30, or 40....

If you think Bey is in the same category as these boring teeny bopper singers who will be forgotten about as soon as their fans finish puberty, then you are truly out of touch.

None of them. Compare any of them to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Eydie Gorme, Barbara Cook...and, yes, even B. Streisand. No comparison whatsoever. The American public has been celebrating mediocrity for a long time now.

[quote]The American public has been celebrating mediocrity for a long time now.

Most performers on Top 40 radio now would have to be better than they are to even be mediocre.

[quote]I doubt most people under 35 could name one song or even one movie she's been in

People, Second-Hand Rose, Sam You Made the Pants Too Long, Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, The Way We Were, Evergreen, My Heart Belongs to Me, Guilty, No More Tears (Enough is Enough).

Funny Girl, Hello Dolly, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, The Owl and the Pussycat, What's Up Doc?, The Way We Were, Funny Lady, A Star is Born, The Main Event, Yentl, The Prince of Tides, The Mirror Has Two Faces, Meet the Fockers (which I have never actually seen), The Guilt Trip.

I bet "A Woman in Love' gets played on radio at least 100 times a day somewhere. It's just a Lite staple. Among others probably but definitely that one.

In a weird way, Alanis can be considered Iconic (as opposed to Ironic). She might have been the last of the angry chick singer songwriters and she's the one others will always be compared to in that field. Definitely an icon of the '90s anyway.

And Beyonce has straddled quite a few decades now so she deserves her place in history, whether you like her music or not. She'll be the rightful heiress to Diana Ross for millions of people, actually, one they tell their grandkids about.

Christina Aguilera was really destined for greatness. What happened?

Britney will be remembered. She is the Marilyn and Diana of this century. Don't ask me to explain this, it's just something that is.

Her unfortunate meltdown will definitely be remembered.

[R62] If she had died, that is.

She'll be remembered as the original good-girl-turned-bad, pop princess, a victim of fame, but she won't reach the iconic golden status of both Marilyn and Diana.

None of those, OP.

Beyonce hasn’t had a hit single since 2009...

R29, that's not a fair comparison. Except for Adele, NONE of these women would be capable of selling PHYSICAL albums the way Madonna, Celine, Mariah or Whitney did. Selling physical albums and singles is much harder than having a bunch of hits get streamed by millions. And actually, Lady Gaga's older hits get similar amount of daily views on youtube as Madonna. That's impressive (for Madonna).

R61, Christina is another person who bought into her hype of being a "great" vocalist wayyyy to seriously. Even on her first album, probably the only listenable album she released, her producers had to reign her in because she kept insisting on melisma for EVERY fucking note. It was all downhill from her second album, that's where she was basically naked, called herself Xtina (hahaha) and took more creative control (i.e. over-sang everything).

None of them. Nothing really distinctive.

Britney's biggest older hits--namely Baby One More Time, Oops I Did It Again and Toxic-- are still viewed a lot on youtube so she is going to be remembered for a bit. Katy Perry is like Paula Abdul--red hot for like 5 years and then, BAM, dead. It's actually crazy to me how much success she had between 2008 and 2013 (from I Kissed a Girl to Dark Horse). Adele? Meh. Maybe she'll be like Celine, remembered fondly by her fans but nobody else. Everyone else who lived through the 90s is embarrassed by her hits. Nobody think of My Heart Will Go On as fondly as I Will Always Love You. And Adele's last album only had one big smash song. It's been 5 years since her last album, I"m not sure she will be able to have another huge album.

R70, Britney wasn't an option on the pull. It says more about you that you're grouping her in with these no-names.

r71, someone brought her up above in the thread which is why I mentioned her.

If you ask which of the listed artists will be iconic in the future, I doubt any of them will be. Regardless of how you feel about their talent or likability or popularity, I think consumption of culture in this country has become way too fragmented for all but the rarest of performers to become iconic.

When someone like Judy Garland or Diana Ross or Barbra Streisand or Cher was seen on television In the 1960s, they were seen by a huge proportion of the American population, all at the very same hour, and then talked about the next day. The only way to see such performers on a screen at home was on scheduled network television. No cable TV, no computers, no streaming or Netflix or Hulu, no smart phones, no Video on Demand.

Today, even a hugely “popular” show is viewed by a relatively tiny number of people. And the viewership for any given popular show today tends to be pretty homogeneous. That was much less true 50 years ago. So the odds of any of today’s stars becoming iconic is much slimmer.

R22 - “ OP, your post is idiotic, nobody will remember these girls in 20 years. And, no Streisand is not an iconic singer!“

You silly, deaf, dumb, and blind, cunt at R22. And a double cunt for placing an exclamation point at the end of your tragically misinformed spew.

Read all about it. Streisand is the epitome of iconic, you asshole.

No, not a single fucking one of them!

I laugh whenever people claim the video for "Single Ladies" is iconic. Annoying song from an annoying "icon".

They are already all forgotten! Miley WHO?

Doubtful that any of these will be remembered in 40 years.