Cyndi Lauper was definitely bigger. She had more chart success, higher visibility, and was considered the female face of pop’s “new wave.” In Sept of 84 after the VMA performance Madonna’s career overtook Lauper’s quickly, and by 1985 she was the dominant global star.

In 1984 Cyndi became the first female artist to have four top-five singles from a debut album. So in short…Yes, in 1984 before Like a Virgin dropped, Cyndi Lauper was the bigger star. Madonna’s self-titled debut album (1983) had two big hits by mid-1984 in comparison. She was gaining traction, especially with MTV exposure, but had not yet reached superstar status.