Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In the 1980's NO ONE was taking Michael Jackson seriously. He was a bubblegum star in the same vein as the Spice Girls in their day. (Only after their death do some entertainers gain such stature.) Prince/The Artist had a lot more respect in that regard.
But have you watched the "We Are the World" video? All of those singers (100%) other than Michael just blew him out of the water musically. And he was one of the main organizers of that song and project.
Michael Jackson fought many court battles to try to purchase the rights to BEATLES songs. So much in fact, that it hurt his relationship with Paul McCartney as a result.
The Beatles wrote music that Michael wishes he could have written.
(This is highly documented.)
In the 1980's NO ONE was taking Michael Jackson seriously. He was a bubblegum star in the same vein as the Spice Girls in their day. (Only after their death do some entertainers gain such stature.) Prince/The Artist had a lot more respect in that regard.
But have you watched the "We Are the World" video? All of those singers (100%) other than Michael just blew him out of the water musically. And he was one of the main organizers of that song and project.
Right, I guess that's why he won all those Grammies MJ has always been a highly respected and admired artist. That's why all those other artists couldn't wait to work with him on WATW. Are you seriously saying that MJ only became respected after his death? Come on now.
Btw, did you know that the "much more respected" Prince plays MJ songs during his concerts?
Quote:
Originally Posted by OzzyRules
Michael Jackson fought many court battles to try to purchase the rights to BEATLES songs. So much in fact, that it hurt his relationship with Paul McCartney as a result.
The Beatles wrote music that Michael wishes he could have written.
(This is highly documented.)
You are highly uninformed. The ATV catalogue was for sale and MJ bought it, fair and square. Paul McCartney initially considered buying it but he thought it was too expensive so he declined. MJ was the smarter businessman because he recognized the value of the catalogue and Paul was bitter about that. This is highly documented
There is a fascination with MJ because he recently died, which just wasn't there before that. His claim to fame (as a solo artist) was Thriller. Period. He never got anywhere near that big again artistically or commercially until after he died. In fact, he was considered a creep because of the way he had treated children, until shortly before his death.
Wait a few years and see how popular he still is.
(I have been observing this phenomenon of the dead entertainer for decades.)
There is a fascination with MJ because he recently died, which just wasn't there before that.
Are you serious? How do you think the man sold out 50 concerts in one place right before he died? This is MJ appearing at the World Music Awards in 2006, just one year after the trial (of which many critics said his image would never recover):
Can you tell me ONE artist that got this type of reception in the history of award shows? That has other established artists chanting his name and people in the audience crying and passing out? To say that the fascination with MJ only started after his death is downright ridiculous.
This is MJ shopping with his kids in May 2009:
The fascination with MJ was always there. Remember that documentary about MJ, Living With Michael Jackson, that was broadcast all over the world in 2003? It had 40 million views in the US and 15 million views in the UK. Tell me one other artist that would generate that much interest. You think 40 million Americans are going to watch a documentary about Lady Gaga?
Quote:
His claim to fame (as a solo artist) was Thriller. Period.
You are so uninformed it's almost funny. MJ was already doing solo albums when he was barely a teenager. I'm sure most people know his songs Ben and Got To Be There from that time. As an adult, he released the hugely successful Off The Wall record before Thriller. Read this:
Jones and Jackson produced the Off the Wall album together. Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first solo album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[24][25] It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[26] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[27][28] That year, he also won Billboard Year-End for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[24] Jackson again won at the American Music Awards in 1981 for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.[29] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[30] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.
Quote:
He never got anywhere near that big again artistically or commercially until after he died. In fact, he was considered a creep because of the way he had treated children, until shortly before his death.
So you think just because MJ didn't top the insanely high record sales for Thriller (and neither did any other artist to this date) he was no longer artistically or commercially successful? Bad and Dangerous both sold between 30-35 million records which is probably more than the Beatles, Elvis or Madonna have ever sold per album. HIStory was the most successful multiple-disc album of all time with 20 million (x2) million records sold. Invincible suffered from a lack of promotion due to a conflict MJ had with Sony, no tour and only one music video to support it so it obviously didn't do as well. It still entered the charts at #1 in many countries and it sold 13 million records, which is more than what Beyonce or Lady Gaga are selling.
Quote:
Wait a few years and see how popular he still is.
(I have been observing this phenomenon of the dead entertainer for decades.)
Your claim that MJ only became popular after his death has to be the most amusing thing I've ever read on this forum (and I spend quite a bit of time at the Religion section, so that's saying something).
Michael Jackson fought many court battles to try to purchase the rights to BEATLES songs. So much in fact, that it hurt his relationship with Paul McCartney as a result.
The Beatles wrote music that Michael wishes he could have written.
(This is highly documented.)
Again, look at he title of this thread - it's asking for the greatest entertainer NOT the greatest artist. There is a difference between the two. Like I stated before, Bob Dylan is a great artist - but sucks as an entertainer. Had the question been about artists then my answer woul have been different.
Again, look at he title of this thread - it's asking for the greatest entertainer NOT the greatest artist. There is a difference between the two. Like I stated before, Bob Dylan is a great artist - but sucks as an entertainer. Had the question been about artists then my answer woul have been different.
I know. I voted for Michael Jackson as I've already said.
But this was in response to a post comparing his music to the Beatles' music. There is a big difference between entertainment in general and great music. I voted for MJ but I still don't think most of his music was that great.
I know. I voted for Michael Jackson as I've already said.
But this was in response to a post comparing his music to the Beatles' music. There is a big difference between entertainment in general and great music. I voted for MJ but I still don't think most of his music was that great.
Agreed. His music, since he was 9, was primarily targeted and marketed to teenage girls, as I showed in the two videos I posted. Lyrically and musically, they were simply dance hall theme songs. It was his work later in life starting with the Invincible Album which started to become more sophisticated with subject matter and lyrically and was largely dismissed which I feel was his best work and had the most artistic sophistication. As he moved to more autobiographical work and world events and away from the dance hall music, his music and lyrics were better, but went against the comprehension of his target marketing audience - which is sad. I give him an A+++ for entertainer, and an A for effort in his later work musically.
Stranger In Moscow was his last single off the HISTORY album and confused his audience. I think it, along with Earth Song, was his absolute best work. Autobiographical, no one really understood, listening to it, what the song was about. His comparisons to events and people in history were way beyond the knowledge of his target audience. "Kremlin's shadow belittling me. Stalin's tomb won't let me be." Lines not written for a teenager. The song was about his trials and I can't post all the lyrics here but, reading them I was quite impressed with his work on this, but I'm not a teenage girl either.
Here abandoned in my fame Armageddon of the brain KGB was stalkin' me Take my name and just let me be Then a begger boy called my name Happy days will drown the pain On and on and on it came And again, and again, and again... Take my name and just let me be
I could have just posted the commercial vid for this one, but I do like his performance of it in this particular video and also because this is about performance and entertainment.
Last edited by Thursday007; 10-11-2012 at 04:27 AM..
Nope, it had nothing to do with it, it was all details of his performing. There's a lot of little things you pick up watching some of his performances too which are cues to the band or for the back up dancers, real subtle stuff, but every step had a purpose.
I thought I was the only person that noticed those things. Like when dances, then at the end he point upward, that means he needs his mic turned up.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
MJ has always been a highly respected and admired artist. That's why all those other artists couldn't wait to work with him on WATW. Are you seriously saying that MJ only became respected after his death? Come on now. 
How do you think the man sold out 50 concerts in one place right before he died? This is MJ appearing at the World Music Awards in 2006, just one year after the trial (of which many critics said his image would never recover):
