What qualifies a pop icon? Do you have a list?

[emailmyheart1999]

*I'm so sure this has been asked before******

So I've always wanted to assemble a list of "pop icons" to expand my music listening and listen to albums (because that's where all the hidden treasures are), but I wanted to learn everyone's definitions/reasonings/lists of who they consider icons. Of course, we have standards such as Britney, Madonna, Mariah, Janet, Whitney, etc., whose careers have proved that they are legendary, but what makes newer pop queens turn from one-hit wonders to frontrunners, or even not a flop not yet a queen? When did Rihanna, Gaga, Katy, Taylor, or even Ariana (I think it's safe to say she is definitely a main girl and has made her mark) become "official" queens??? Is it success or relevancy, because I know some people consider Lana a main girl even though she has maybe three mainstream hits (no shade, she has an impact but I would say her character is more well known than her actual music).

So, do you guys have "lists" of pop queens? Not just the ones you stan, but ones you acknowledge in general? When do you think someone is "crowned"? Criteria? Do even queens who have lost relevancy but were HUGE once upon a time (ex: Paula Abdul and Fergie both had a string of successful #1s back in their prime but soon fizzled out and did not last a decade but their relevancy cannot be denied) be considered queens??

also side note, are we all in agreement that modern "pop" music/culture was born (aka post-disco death) when Madonna, Michael, and MTV showed up or do people have differing opinions?

To be honest, I just want to assemble a catalog of artists to explore and learn pop history :P

Edited August 19, 2020 by Urbanney
🏅 Featured! -Urbanney

[Towelney]

For me, it’s more of a “I’ll know it when I see it” type of thing. 

I consider these to be pop icons:
   Madonna
   Michael
   Britney
   Janet
   Gaga
   Rihanna
   Taylor   
   Justin T
   Mariah
   Whitney
   Beyoncé

[Blackout2006]

A memorable and legendary discography and videography with a polarizing fandom and fame 

There are pop icons:

• Michael Jackson
• Madonna
• Britney Spears
• Justin Timberlake 
• Rihanna
• Lady Gaga
• Beyoncé 
• Mariah Carey
• Whitney Houston 

[GMFlop]

A three hit wonder...

[MrPieceOfMe]

I think these are some pop icons:

 Britney Spears

 Madonna

 Michael Jackson

 Lady Gaga

 Mariah Carey

 Whitney Houston

 Janet Jackson

 Rihanna

 Shakira

 Justin Timberlake

 Beyonce

 Jennifer Lopez

 P!nk

 Christina Aguilera

 

[Koda100]

When I see a Britney video or hear a Britney song... all external noise stops and my focus shifts to that like magnetism... that makes her an icon for me. Its all subjective though so what is iconic for you doesn't have to be iconic for any others. Enjoy your music exploration!!

[Gayseus911]

Fergie is an icon 

[PuertoRicosFinest]

26 minutes ago, Gayseus911 said:

Fergie is an icon 

If Fergie is an icon, then Gwen is one too.

[K-man]

A pop icon is indescribable, because they created their own lane! They are fearless when it comes to their material, go above an beyond with their artistry and comes off effortlessly. it someone who has that X factor (no pun intended) it’s just hard to describe. Creating your own list of icons goes off preference, especially With what you tend to listen to and the generation people grow up in. Example Cher,  Donna Summer,  Diana Ross and James Brown, I know their pop icons but I wouldn’t included them because I did not grow up listening to them (no shade). This would be my core 10 but if I was to go into R&B it would change, if I went to Pop it would change, County again it would change. 

- Michael 
- Prince
-  Madonna

- Mariah

- Shania

- Janet

- Britney 

- Rihanna

- Usher 

- Beyoncé 

Someone had J.Lo on their list... ugh she wouldn’t even have a career if mariah didn’t have a falling out with Tommy/Sony! 

[Gayseus911]

13 minutes ago, PuertoRicosFinest said:

If Fergie is an icon, then Gwen is one too.

You get it! I thought I was the only one 

[PuertoRicosFinest]

Jennifer Lopez better be on that list too.  You don’t get to have an icon list without J-Lo.  Fashion, movies, music videos, her famous dating life, the dancing, her famous feuds, her meteoric rise from humble beginnings.  She’s an icon for sure.

[Gayseus911]

12 minutes ago, PuertoRicosFinest said:

Jennifer Lopez better be on that list too.  You don’t get to have an icon list without J-Lo.  Fashion, movies, music videos, her famous dating life, the dancing, her famous feuds, her meteoric rise from humble beginnings.  She’s an icon for sure.

She has to thank Mariah Carey for that, if Mariah and Tommy never had a fallout, Jlo would not have existed and that's just tea Mija 

[Stefani]

Everyone's just gonna name their fave pop girls.  But the big icons like Madonna, Janet, Mariah, Britney, and MJ come to mind.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Stefani

[JSDSandiego]

what about Rita Ora?

[Iconic 4 U]

4 minutes ago, JSDSandiego said:

what about Rita Ora?

[Gayseus911]

12 minutes ago, JSDSandiego said:

what about Rita Ora?

Rihanna stole her iconic style 

[PuertoRicosFinest]

35 minutes ago, Gayseus911 said:

She has to thank Mariah Carey for that, if Mariah and Tommy never had a fallout, Jlo would not have existed and that's just tea Mija 

So by that logic you can thank Tommy for Mariah’s career too.  And just like that, two icons extinguished because there happen to be powerful men behind the scenes.

[Gayseus911]

Just now, PuertoRicosFinest said:

So by that logic you can thank Tommy for Mariah’s career too.  And just like that, two icons extinguished because there happen to be powerful men behind the scenes.

Tommy was Mariah's Payola, but even after Tommy Mariah still managed to achieve number 1 hit songs and platinum albums unlike jlo who still flops till this day, I love them both tho 

[Anitta Elusive Chanteuse]

If their name begins with Britney and ends with Spears 

[Towelney]

Sabi  She dethroned Madonna, Michael, and Britney with her megahit Vegetables