As she said. I think Prince has a lot of really fantastic pop songs, and songs I have loved since I was tiny, but he has never quite gotten to the level of Jackson. (Of course he has never even come close to falling as hard as Jackson either, so I suppose it’s a double-edged sword.)
Prince. Not even close.
If I cared about how well my pop stars danced, it might be a different story, but I don’t (not that I care about how they look in assless velvet chaps, either).
Im so glad Prince is winning. His name is Prince! And he is funky!
As an all round talent - songwriter, musician, producer, and “serious artist” - Prince is streets ahead (and I’m voting for him). However, Michael, at his best, was a vocalist of genius that very few others, and certainly not Prince, could come close to. Go listen to Ben sometime. That is a song a song about a pet rat! Michael somehow makes it beautiful and moving (even when you know it is about a rat).
For the newer stuff, check out his album “3121”- in particular, I like the songs “Fury” and “Black Sweat” (“Fury” is a more typical rock song, “Black Sweat” more funky RnB).
I’m not that much of a fan of Prince’s later work but Paisley Park, Sign of the Times, 1999 & Around the World in a Day are all amazing albums. From Jackson, the only album I think is almost all-round good is Thriller. “The girl is mine” sucks, though.
He’s a talented boy. 
If you’ve never heard Prince sing, take a listen to “Solo” from the “Come” album or “Damn U” from the Symbol album. The dude has virtually the same breadth of range as Mariah Carey, and he actually knows how to use it (no dolphin screeching).
ETA: I can’t find links, of course, but if you want to PM me, I think you can get them from my iTunes.
I voted Michael. I think ‘‘Billy Jean’’ is one of the best songs ever written, even beating out ‘‘Borderline’’ of the same era by my favorite artist of all time (Madonna.) Combine that with ‘‘Thriller’’ and you have a legend.
I understand that Prince is beloved and widely respected, but I don’t really get why. I don’t mean that in a confrontational way - I would like for someone to explain it to me. I feel like I’m missing out on some crucial element of his music. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s really femme. I tend to like male singers who sound really masculine (uh, except Geddy Lee. And the lead singer ofViolent Femmes. Hmm.)
For whatever reason anyway, I don’t get it. Help a sister understand. Is he a ‘‘you had to be there’’ sort of artist?
Here’s Damn U- I have been listening to it in th background. This song almost makes me tear up, it’s so damn beautiful.
No contest.
It’s Prince by a parsec. (I do like MJ, though, too.)
These are two tremendous artists in their own right and in some respects, I think it’s a shame that they’re constantly being compared to each other because they are so unique and so different from each other.
Bottom line for me is Prince is head-and-shoulders the better artist, and that’s saying a lot, since Michael was so damn good. Prince’s entire body of work is so vast, so interesting, across so many different genres and flavours, it’s hard to compare him to anyone. From his early days, with tunes like I Wanna Be Your Lover, Dirty Mind, and Controversy to his hey-day in the mid-80s with Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, Sign O’ The Times, Kiss, etc… to the 21st century with tracks like Black Sweat, 3121, Illusion, Coma, Pimp And Circumstance, and Chocolate Box, this is a guy who IMO has remained fresh and engaging and always has something interesting to bring to the table. Pumping out as much new material as he has means that there’s some stuff out there of his I can take or leave, but there’s always a song or two (or four) that I just adore on every new album.
Bullpucky.
Also, despite the generation gap, a far more interesting comparison would have been Stevie Wonder vs. Prince.
As a huge fan, I always find two interesting things about Prince- one, after almost 30 years in the business, there is very little scandal about him. Yes, he’s eccentric, but not the “weirdo” that a lot of ignorant people assume that he is. Two, every single person that has told me that they don’t like or appreciate him has not really ever listened to his music other than the songs that they’ve overplayed on the radio- his work is so much more than 1999 or Purple Rain.
Really?
You would characterize this as “suck[ing] ass”?
Like I said earlier in the thread (and I realize you weren’t asking me), I say 3121 is the exception to the rule. Everything else has been bad.
In addition to Sign 
’ the Times, I’d recommend Dirty Mind, 1999, and (my personal favorite) Parade - Music From the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon albums. Classics all.
ETA: Also, be sure to check out the B-sides “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore”, “17 Days”, “Another Lonely Christmas”, “Alexa de Paris”, and “She’s Always In My Hair”.
Hadn’t heard that. Awesome.
Let me rephrase my earlier statement. “Everything I’ve heard since his conversion has sucked ass. With the possible exception of 3121.” 
Slight quibble: “Paisley Park” is a song on the album Around the World In a Day. It’s also a record label and a recording studio.
And his house, no? Earlier today, I was trying to search out why he chose that name but couldn’t really find anything. What’s up there?