Madonna: Focused on the “experience”—the videos, the tours, and the message. Her music was a vehicle for her larger-than-life persona.
Mariah Carey: Focused on the “instrument”—the five-octave range, the whistle notes, and her prowess as a prolific songwriter and producer.
Comparison: Madonna is the icon of pop culture longevity. Mariah is the icon of vocal and chart dominance (with more #1 hits than any solo artist). One ruled the MTV screen, the other ruled the Billboard charts.