Yeah, I don't get that.
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Who's the closest or next Michael Jackson?
- Thread starter Christopher
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Honest question, is there any britney song that is really timeless? I mean, I love her song "overprotected" but I dont think anyone else beside me gives a shit about it today.
Does anyone listen to "Ups, I did it again" or "I am slave 4 u" and her more popular and commercial stuff today?
Does anyone listen to "Ups, I did it again" or "I am slave 4 u" and her more popular and commercial stuff today?
Right. It isn't just the early 90s, either: Look at their sales numbers from 1983 to 1994. Who had significantly better album sales, both total and per album? Who won more awards? Who had more number one songs? Who had a bigger impact on record companies rushing to find someone like her? The answer to all those questions is Whitney, if anyone was wondering.
The same is true for comparing Mariah and Madonna in the 1990s. Mariah was bigger at the time. Madonna is bigger than both of them over the course of her career because she successfully reinvented herself and stayed relevant much longer than anyone else who was selling similarly; she was never flying ahead of the pack of top tier pop stars the way Michael was in the 1980s. I agree that she's earned the title for a number of reasons; I just don't think that means that she was on Michael's level.
<+)O Robido O(+>
Member
When people (popgaf) talk about Britney/Christina Aguilera/Katy Perry/Lady Gaga as a legend, they're using the second definition.
When I say Like a Virgin era, that includes the True Blue album too.
TheJollyCorner
Member
COREY FELDMAN
^ this man knows the score.
Watch and prepare to bask in the glory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO_8n5y5edk
PopGAF has no idea. Too busy inhaling skank fumes of soon-to-be washouts.
TheJollyCorner
Member
no documentary, retrospective, whatever can ever truly express how big this guy was in the 1980's in particular. Someone mentioned it earlier- he was a cultural phenomenon.
Time, place, everything came together and I still can't even wrap my head around the amount of fame, money, and influence MJ had back then. IMO, even the closest 'star' in the past three decades to MJ isn't even all that close. Going backwards in time, I can only think of two musical acts that even came close: Elvis and The Beatles.
I was a kid in the 80's... and the guy was already a living legend.
Fascinating and tragic what happened to him later in his career.
When I was a kid, not understanding anything about stardom, the only person that came close was Prince. He had an aura about him, for me as a child those 2 were larger than life, and had great hair. But no comparisons, just in my mind back then, those 2 were the biggest.
Anticitizen One
Banned
I get really offended when people say that Britteny spears is close to Michael Jackson. She's nowhere near his talent.
Don't think anyone said she was. She is the Princess that doesn't make her close to him
Britney was THAT BITCH when the late 90's early 2000's Pop explosion was happening. She burst to the top of the scene with her first single and video. She's an Icon. She still has impact to this day.
His talents are untouched as of yet, but he was also born at the right time.
Mike's fame started at a very young age, and was a by product of the Motown era - which was huge on it's own (60s-70s)
Then as a young adult male he capitalized from the MTV and Music Video era (80s).
The combinations of his talents, family history, and the above catalyst are what propelled him to God tier (IMHO).
The Youtubue generation has seen some sparks, but nothing compared to MJ (yet).
Mike's fame started at a very young age, and was a by product of the Motown era - which was huge on it's own (60s-70s)
Then as a young adult male he capitalized from the MTV and Music Video era (80s).
The combinations of his talents, family history, and the above catalyst are what propelled him to God tier (IMHO).
The Youtubue generation has seen some sparks, but nothing compared to MJ (yet).
You are probably right, but for some reason, I feel like she is not miles ahead of her competition, she is just another one, but yes the most popular.
But that is why you stressed that she's just a princess. All righty I get ya.
Host Samurai
Member
Nobody. Not even close.
The only living person in the pop world that is MJ status now is Madonna and she anit new
The only living person in the pop world that is MJ status now is Madonna and she anit new
The only modern pop-artist that comes close to MJ. She has it all and is only 31 years old.
Easy win tbh
LOL.
u craaaazzzyyy.
BobTheFork
Member
Shit. I checked all the other pages and thought I would get to make that joke.
FindMyFarms
Member
Talent-wise, Janelle Monae, although I can't even say she's popular outside of a niche audience at this point
Please don't compare her to MJ, not even close. Also if you're going to go with pop, Bruno mars is probably the closest thing, which even then isn't that close. He's by far the most talented singer in the industry right now, has a voice with wide appeal, and is relatively popular. But still, not going to have the same impact as MJ.
<+)O Robido O(+>
Member
I'll give you "voice that has wide appeal", because, well, look at how well his songs do on the radio. But his high-larynx squealing is awful and the man doesn't rate as a talented singer.
That kind of super stardom that Michael had especially in the 80s was something unique, there were other very famous people in that decade but they were just regarded as "people who made it big" in Hulk Hogan, Eddy Murphy, Sylvester Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Madonna, with Michael Jackson it was different, its like he reached this top level of fame and then broke through that, a whole new tier of fame that maybe only Elvis or the Beatles before him had, but i did not live during their prime so i do not know in regards to them.
It is kinda weird to think about it, Off the Wall was a fantastic debut album from him, and it sold really well and everything but he was "just" a star after it, little Michael grew up and is singing these tunes, good for him. There was no major superstar here, he was just a dude with a good album.
The absolute insanity came with Thriller, his videos just transcended through language barriers, he became known in almost every country on earth. He went from a dude with a hit album to some kind of comic book character, it was surreal how he was everywhere. Watching MTV at the time, there was Michael and then there was everyone else, there was a clear separation in how much media he got and how little everyone else got.
I think we will get someone like that again, but it is not going to be the people you see in the news today, they simply do not have the worldwide appeal that is needed, they may be famous in America, but outside the States, many of them are simply not that known. Very few of today's pop stars are actually famous worldwide, and that is required to be at Michael's level
It is kinda weird to think about it, Off the Wall was a fantastic debut album from him, and it sold really well and everything but he was "just" a star after it, little Michael grew up and is singing these tunes, good for him. There was no major superstar here, he was just a dude with a good album.
The absolute insanity came with Thriller, his videos just transcended through language barriers, he became known in almost every country on earth. He went from a dude with a hit album to some kind of comic book character, it was surreal how he was everywhere. Watching MTV at the time, there was Michael and then there was everyone else, there was a clear separation in how much media he got and how little everyone else got.
I think we will get someone like that again, but it is not going to be the people you see in the news today, they simply do not have the worldwide appeal that is needed, they may be famous in America, but outside the States, many of them are simply not that known. Very few of today's pop stars are actually famous worldwide, and that is required to be at Michael's level
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