Definatly a valid opinion. MJ had a huge influence on music, fashion, dance, music videos, ect that still is prominant to this day. He is still cool and relevant.
The Beatles were big sure, but I cant really think of much out there today that can trace its influence back to them. They never danced. They sure as hell werent fashion trendsetters. And thier movies are dated as hell.
Even thier style of rock and roll doesnt resemble the classic rock sound we are familliar with today; sounding more like light folk music (im ignoring thier acid rock stuff because that all sucked). It was more the Rolling Stones that invented rock and roll as we know it.
The Rolling Stones were watered down second-handers who never would have had a career if they didn't have The Beatles to follow. This is exactly what I'd expect to hear from someone who sees MJ's contribution to culture as profound. In fact, it was just a reflection of the weaker values of the world in the wake of the orgy of non-talent and degeneracy that was the late 70's.
The Beatles' contribution to music was revolutionary on par with Beethoven. They were probably the greatest melodists since Mozart, and the energy they brought to pop music was greater than anything anyone had ever dreamed of (certainly more than Jackson ever did). The last years of their career (starting with Sgt. Pepper's) produced the most original, culturally significant, and intellectually challenging songs ever. They were so far ahead that people today still don't get it.
Classic rock is a slow kid's Beatles. Notice how most of it came from the American South.
^^
...& there you have it
....& to add to that, thats not even including the countless groundbreaking records MJ broke and when I say records I dont just mean album sales. Where talking countless racial barriers and philantrohpy acheivements that are unheard of.
Philanthropy is the best way to squander a fortune. If he wanted to do something good with his money, he should have invested it in up and coming industrial, technological, and medical revolutionaries, but he (like most) seemed to think that the way you solve the world's problems was by dressing wounds and holding hands. Perhaps, he just felt guilty for his wealth and thought that sucking up to the poor was the only way to find absolution. Who knows. What I know is that anyone can throw money away. The limits of his imagination were laid bare by the fact that charity was the best he could do.
AStar said:
You guys are seriously basing your statements about MJ solely on your feelings regarding his personal life instead of PURE SOLID facts & I think thats where these arguments always get nasty & ignorant.
I have no opinons regarding his personal life, other than that it resembeled that of Old World royalty, and appeared to be just as vapid.
AStar said:
As Shadow mentioned MJ had a profound influence on all of those things mentioned (music, dance, videos, fashion etc.). Not to mention his music has been adored by various generations of people of all races & backgrounds. Im sure there arent many people on this earth that cannot name you at least one MJ song. Can you say the same for The Beatles, Elvis, or Cash? Dont think so.
No, because the world's attention span has been reduced to the range of a puppy on crack. Custom designed for appreciation of music as eclectic and derivative as MJ's.
AStar said:
I challenge anyone to go on the street & ask 5-10 random teens (or adults) of all races to name a song by those guys. I gurantee only about 3(if that) will be able to name one. Now ask those same people to name an MJ tune. Get my drift?
...whose attention spans make the puppy's look like Einstein's. Catch my drift?
AStar said:
And if The Beatles or Cash were so much bigger or influencial than Michael, were was George, Lennon, Cash, & Elvis's month long TV specials about their passing? Specials that featured individuals from ALL over the world & artists honoring him from almost every musical genre. Hell, month long? Its over a year later and Im still finding some type of tribute to Jackson on TV in someway shape or form on a regular basis; whether its from another artist, fan or just a music station playing his videos back-to-back.
MJ wasn't a musician. He was a
celebrity. The ultimate celebrity. Celebrity attracts those with nothing better to do than adulate; people who need something to give the lives they've turned into paeans to mediocrity a semblence of worth.
AStar said:
Im not trying to say The Beatles or Cash arent legends & Im definitely not trying to disrespect their legacy in anyway. Its just that some of you are really thinking with a judgmental & rude mindset while basing your feelings off of total favoritism as opposed to reality.
How are you supposed to determine the quality of an artist without judging? Are you suggesting that you can have any grasp of the reality without making discriminations against a standard of value?
The reality is that MJ was a man who
catered to trends on a global scale. He was an empty shell begging for acceptance, and he got it. Cash, The Beatles, and many others were visionaries and
creators. Jackson was a cipher.
