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Let's party like it's 1958!

Prince, Madonna and Michael Jackson — all born in the Midwest in the summer of '58 — became three of the biggest music superstars of the 1980s and remain revered pop-culture icons despite roller-coaster careers.

By Jon Bream

June 6, 2008 at 9:41PM
Prince performs during a news conference at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, in February 2007.
Prince performs during a news conference at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, in February 2007. (Rhonda Prast — MCT/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Prince, Madonna and Michael Jackson -- all born in the Midwest in the summer of '58 -- became three of the biggest music superstars of the 1980s and remain revered pop-culture icons despite roller-coaster careers. As Prince turns 50 today, we compare the lives of the Purple One, the Material Girl and the King of Pop.
BORN

Prince: Minneapolis, June 7

Madonna: Bay City, Mich., Aug. 16

Michael Jackson: Gary, Ind., Aug. 29

MARRIAGES/ DIVORCES/ CHILDREN

Prince: 2/2/1 (deceased)

Madonna: 2/1/3

Michael Jackson: 2/2/3

CAREER HIGH POINT

Prince: 1984's "Purple Rain" movie, soundtrack and tour

Madonna: 1990's Blonde Ambition Tour and its documentary, "Truth or Dare"

Michael Jackson: 1983's "Thriller," the second best-selling album ever

CAREER LOW POINT

Prince: His 1986 movie "Under the Cherry Moon" with Kristin Scott Thomas

Madonna: Her 1986 movie "Shanghai Surprise" with first husband Sean Penn

Michael Jackson: His 2005 trial on child-molesting charges (he was acquitted)

BEST MARKETING MOVE

Prince: Giving away free CD to every concertgoer on "Musicology Tour"

Madonna: "Sex," a book of soft-core photos of herself (and Vanilla Ice!)

Michael Jackson: National TV interview with then-wife Lisa Marie Presley

WORST MOVE

Prince: Changed his name to a glyph as protest against Warner Bros.

Madonna: Sacrilegious video for "Papa Don't Preach"

Michael Jackson: Paying off family of a young boy whom he allegedly molested

BEST LOOK

Prince: Purple suit and gold tie with the perfect accessory, Beyoncé, on the 2004 Grammys

Madonna: Jean Harlow-style glamour on her video for "Vogue"

Michael Jackson: Big Afro and his original nose on his video for "Ben"

U.S. ALBUM SALES

Prince: 39.5 million (top seller: "Purple Rain," 13 million)

Madonna: 63 million ("Immaculate Collection," 10 million)

Michael Jackson: 60.5 million ("Thriller," 27 million)

NO. 1 POP HITS

Prince: 5

Madonna: 12

Michael Jackson: 13

LAST TOP 10 POP HIT

Prince: The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" (No. 3, 1994)

Madonna: "4 Minutes" (No. 3, 2008)

Michael Jackson: "You Are Not Alone" (No. 1, 1995)

LAST GREAT MOMENT

Prince: Super Bowl halftime show, 2007

Madonna: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech, 2008

Michael Jackson: Can't remember (OK, 1988's Bad Tour)

Madonna in 1987
Madonna in 1987 (Rhonda Prast — ALL/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Jon Bream

Critic / Reporter

Jon Bream has been a music critic at the Star Tribune since 1975, making him the longest tenured pop critic at a U.S. daily newspaper. He has attended more than 8,000 concerts and written four books (on Prince, Led Zeppelin, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan). Thus far, he has ignored readers’ suggestions that he take a music-appreciation class.

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