There’s a lot of really good commentary here - DiosaBellissima’s post in particular resonates with me. I am a MJ devotee, since I was a nipper - I discovered the Jackson 5’s Third Album in my parents’ collection at 4 or so, and was hooked from then on out. Through the 70s, to the 80s, the Thriller phenomenon, and the post-Biggest Album of All Time era.
Prince, we discovered around '81 - “I Want to be Your Lover” was a hit and we saw him on American Bandstand. In a leopard-print bikini and a trenchcoat. My dad brought home Dirty Mind soon after.
Prince is a prodigy, has a voluminous instrumental skill set, and mastered the rock-funk thing that James Brown and Rick James had more or less generated. His best albums - Purple Rain, 1999, Controversy, Sign O’ The Times - are amazing works of art. However, when he missed, he missed badly. Some of the later Warner Bros. releases when he was “Symbol” are dire (granted, he was in Marvin Gaye mode, trying to escape his contract). And he seems to have lost his touch for great songs. The last Prince song I remember buying was “Holy River.” I got one of his CDs at his show I went to around '05 or so. I might have listened to it once.
Prince has a self-indulgent streak that makes him less commercially viable and fan-oriented. His refusal to allow his work on YouTube, not playing the old songs (which I can understand somewhat, I mean, who wants to hear a 50 year old guy singing “Jack U Off” or “Head?”)… that’s a little annoying. But he’s amazing, definitely in the top 30 musical talents of the rock 'n roll era.
But Michael… Christ, the guy was an entity. From 1969 to 2001 he gifted us with that amazing voice. And it is one of a kind. Listen to some of the Motown tracks acapella and his voice will bring you to tears. My favorite era of Michael was the mid- to late-70s teenaged Michael. His last solo album for Motown, Forever Michael, has amazing vocal performances despite some of the dreck he sang. People forget how distinctive Michael’s vocals were, and even when he went R&B (around the time of Dangerous, when he was hanging out with Teddy Riley and his ilk) they were still amazing. The later albums, especially Invincible, didn’t sell because people were more accustomed to seeing MJ on Inside Edition than in the studio. But there are incredible tracks that show the depth of his range - “You Rock My World,” “Butterflies.” I think that record deserves a re-release.
I actually think his crowning glory as a solo artist was Bad. It’s a better album top to bottom than Thriller. To this day, I can’t listen to Thriller without skipping either “Baby Be Mine” or “The Girl Is Mine.” I can listen to Bad all the way through, no worries. And Dangerous and HIStory are great albums - HIStory especially. I slated it originally and listened to the singles. The other tracks, like “Stranger in Moscow” and “History” are gems.
DiosaBellissima also has it right regarding MJ’s criminally undervalued music chops. He was not a traditional instrumentalist, but through beatboxing and vocalizing created amazing sonic landscapes. It is hard to believe that one person without the ability to plink the notes out on the keyboard, or strum the chords could produce the arrangements he did.
Alice, I agree that Prince has an initially impressive roster of proteges - The Time, Sheila E, Sheena Easton - but the others are questionable. (Anybody remember The Family? Maserati?) I also think there was a pretty high price to be paid to be in Prince’s stable. Wendy and Lisa, easily the two most valuable sidewomen Prince played with (props to Dez Dickerson, Andre Cymone, and Matt Fink), had a falling out over creative control and songwriting, and I think he lost a little direction without them on board. With the Revolution he was at his creative high point, but the control freak nature meant that couldn’t last, unfortunately.
