old article- abortions

[strandinthewind]

I just don't get all the people thinking Pat Benatar was ever on the level of FM or La Nicks, even in the 80's, during which she got like seven platinum records, three gold records, and 19 Top 40 singles. There is no doubt Pat Benatar was a great singer (mezzo soprano) and did great, great material. I loved her stuff and still listen to it.

But, her relevance on the music scene pretty much stopped after 1985's Seven the Hard Way. For example, 1984's Tropico's single "We Belong" became a solid Top 5 smash in America (also hitting UK #22 and AUS #7) but the LP Tropico became her first studio album since the 1979 debut to fail to crack the US Top 10, reaching #14 (AUS #9). A second single release, "Ooh Ooh Song," reached U.S. #36. Then, in 1985, Seven the Hard Way's first single "Invincible" hit the U.S. Top 10 with the #10 and "Sex As a Weapon" hit #28 in January 1986 and the LP Seven the Hard Way peaked at #26, earning an RIAA Gold certification.

Conversely, La Nicks and FM stayed relevant with million plus sales until about 1989. Then both fell from relevance until 1997's The Dance, after which she and they stayed relevant in terms of public spotlight until now.

So, while FM and La Nicks' popularity and relevance have diminished since the 80's, clearly they are way more relevant than Pat Benatar ever was. This is not a slight on Benatar's talent, which is immense. It is just a matter of fact.

Put it this way, in this decade alone, La Nicks has been in well over 100 written interviews and primetime and other popular tv spots. Benatar cannot claim that clout no matter how immense her talent is, which it is