monstro, you have gotta hear this - from the sound engineer who worked on a lot of his albums. You can only see the backs of chairs, but Michael’s voice is amazing. You can practically hear him dancing: (sounds better with headphones!)
Way back before the plastic surgery, the weirdness, the kids with dodgy parentage and dodgier names, the sex abuse scandals, even before the overblown videos and outrageous costumes, there was actually a rather attractive young man who could really sing, and really sell a song. Without even dancing.
I give you She’s Out of My Life. Must be watched to the very end.
Music and music history is subjective, but before you graduate to making an opinion, know what the hell you are talking about first. You are clueless about music, performance art (dance in this case) and musical history. Sorry if it cuts deep man, but you’re like somebody asking a photography forum for pros about depth of field and you don’t even know how to load film.
I don’t even care for some of the artists used in your example and I have to say you couldn’t be more wrong about their place in popular western music before they died.
Get thee to wikipedia or something man…educate yourself. You’re clueless on this subject. Not even worth trying to debate your points.
I was going to pick on Sting. Have you TRIED to sing along to “Roxanne”?
Some of his music that is almost 40 years old, but I would put it up against anything that is on the air right now.
MJ’s music touched people of all races and ages. “I’ll Be There” and “Man in the Mirror” are two notables.
MJ’s brought people back to the dance floor in the post-disco era.
fercrissake…Kevin Smith used “ABC” in Clerks II. THAT should tell you something.
Not without smacking myself in the nads first…
The oldies station I sometimes listen to had an MJ weekend. They played one of his songs once every 15 minutes or every half an hour. I don’t really have anything to add to what I said above but this: Jesus, I didn’t realize that man had that many hits. Like I said, you may not like him, but in terms of influence upon popular culture of the past 60 years he’s up there with the Beatles and Elvis.
To some degree, you are correct. There are stars that the public latch onto the personality and are more about that person than necessarily that person’s talent. We call them “celebrities”. That’s what celebrity is - famous for being famous. And you are correct that Michael definitely became a celebrity, and the media hype about him - from his single glove and the fire to his plastic surgery to his troubles with children and accusations about his behavior, the tabloids certainly did their job to feed the cult of celebrity about him.
But that is not what drew people to MJ in the first place, and it is not what keeps his legend as a musical performer so strong.
You are just totally wrong. I don’t know anyone who goes out thinking, “Oh man, I so totally want me some crackhead music. I just need some crackhead music.” Each of these personalities became ultra famous because of their musical ability. The tragedies about them may make their fans more sentimental about their music, but that doesn’t build new fans. At best, it gives someone a reason to talk about them and tell new audiences about them, so that the new audience can experience their music.
I have not noticed that you can’t mock him or ridicule him. People regard him as a musical god because they have been saying that about him since Thriller and Beat It. But people are perhaps toning down the mockery a bit because he’s no longer around to be doing the bad things they disapproved of. It is much easier to appreciate the musical ability of someone who is no longer holding creepy sleepovers with children.
I thought you meant this guy: Q (Star Trek) - Wikipedia
You have to remember that Michael defined his style as a child. His voice characteristic was set then. There were rumors that he used hormone injections to maintain his voice. While similar rumors were said about other male pop stars (like Phil Collins), one can believe it about Michael because that would prevent his voice from changing and give him the characteristic high, child-like voice he maintained throughout his life.
The straight answer is very simple: he created music that millions of people heard and liked.
You could do just about anything and if millions of people around the world like, you will achieve a level of fame. Conversely if you do something that millions of people don’t like, you will become infamous.
Who says he is never to be ridiculed for the ridiculous shit he did? Specifically.
He was a pop music genius. His moonwalk at the Motown 25th Anniversary show was a cultural phenomenon. He had tremendous influence on dance.
He was also batshit crazy. What does one have to do with the other? He was famous for the great stuff he did. That’s why.
:dubious:
Hmm…. Actually damn near any cut from that very influential album.
Not saying Prince always stuck with that higher voice, obviously he had a touch of range as you note. But I wouldn’t vote him in as the poster boy for deep-voiced pop artists ( especially given his little squeals on even that cut ).
Well the reasons why have been well covered by others already. But if you want to see how big Jackson was in his prime, 1984 say, in a small town on the far side of the world seek out the New Zealand movie Boy. It shows pretty well how big I remember him being when I was a kid.
There’s a fine line between brilliant and stupid.
Best wishes,
hh
Tamerlane, thanks for the links. I guess I’d forgotten just how much Prince liked to use his falsetto.
I’m starting to notice an eerie, irritating symmetry: I’m having the same arguments with, and explaining the same esthetics to kids half my age… that I used to have with people twice my age!
They “just didn’t/don’t get it”.
Get off my lawn, geezers. 
Infamous is a better word.
Funny how many fans have forgotten his pedo charges in the 90’s and early 2000’s.
I threw his cd’s away after the original charges were filed.
All the other weird behavior did get him press. The surgical mask, his Capt Crunch outfits, the fake nose, Bubbles the monkey, his kids that never appeared in public. Except the baby dangled off a balcony. Press loves a freak show.
Who’s “forgotten” his pedo charges?
There’s certainly an effort to reflect on the positive influences of his career and the musical legacy, rather than harp on the negative parts of his bizarrity and accusations of sexual misconduct with minors. Especially since he’s dead now and not able to abuse anyone new. But this is the wake of his death and the emotionalism, especially with his early death.
But there are plenty of people (especially here) that are well aware of the accusations and totally holding him accountable.
Fred Astaire and anybody in the dancing era of movies. What you linked was either great choreography or a serious case of jock itch.
Damn those people 30 years from now, they have no taste.
Fred Astaire has expressed his own appreciation of Michael Jackson’s talent. And I’m pretty sure Astaire’s Singing in the Rain routine was choreographed, i.e., worked out beforehand. Michael had an appreciation for FA as well as Sammy Davis Jr, and the Nicholas Brothers.
What I suspect is that you don’t care for that style of dancing which leads you downgrade obvious talent.
But here’s more evidence anyway.