ABOVE: Do you want to dress like Michael Jackson? MJ t-shirts, jeans and fashions are just a few of the ways companies are hoping to cash-in on the singer’s popularity after his death.
Don’t look now but Michael Jackson jeans may soon be in a store near you.
According to an Associated Press report, Michael Jackson products may become a reality if a probate judge signs off on a merchandising deal with the singer’s estate. The proposed contracts give an indication of how the King of Pop may be merchandised in the coming months and years.
Among the items bandied about are trading cards, T-shirts, calendars, lighters, stuffed animals that play Jackson’s music and digital games, as well as denim products and high-end clothing lines, according to the filings.
Despite a tainted legacy while he was alive, some believe Jackson will even top The King, Elvis Presley, in annual merchandise sales. Presley’s estate generated $55 million in revenue last year, $14 million of which came from retail sales.
MusicVixen says...
I wonder if Michael Jackson impersonators will ever be as popular as Elvis impersonators. Then again, maybe nobody would want to have a Las Vegas wedding officiated by a creepy MJ lookalike...
Brian Quinn says...
08.5.09 10:49 am
In the short term Michael Jackson will sell well but not for long. Elvis is the true King of Music and his legacy is forever. There is no way that Jackson’s death will spawn a deluge of Impersonators. Who would want someone that ugly singing to them in a restaurant or night club.
Karen added...
I’m with you! Elvis is definitely the more enduring star/musician.
Elvis impersonators are fun/silly.
But MJ impersonators would just be kinda creepy.
08.5.09 10:52 am
BrandonSK added...
There is nothing like a King Of Music, and Elvis has always been just a figure, not a real musician, Michael Jackson OFFICIALLY has sold more records then Elvis, but its not only about selling records, its about the real impact on music, the USA is not the whole world, so Elvis can be more popular in the US, but not so popular as Michael has always been globally!!! including the countries like Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, China, India, Asia…, Africa…
—– Thats the huge difference!!! Impersonators of any star have no relevance in considering of real impact of Michael Jackson (or any artist), you can just ask younger generations about Michael and Elvis, they know Elvis as a figure from Las Vegas shows with a glitter jacket, not knowing more then 2-3 of his songs…, on the contrary MJs songs, albums and performances are globally known as his trademarks, in 1998 Michael was officially stated as the most known person on planet…, and in 2000 as the most famous musician…, officially is listed in the Guinness Book as the most successful artist…, so at this you can not ignore as facts supporting his real impact… —
08.5.09 11:48 am
BrandonSK says...
08.5.09 10:49 am
Of course, because Michael now sells tens of million records, more then Elvis or the Beatles ever sold, since MJs death (june 25), he has sold almost 30 mil. records (11 mil. albums, and more then 18 mil. singles) - where is the end of the year!
+
If a new album is going to release, that will be a huge thing!
Merchandising is the secind main source of income, and its huge now too, and some new stuff if going to be released…
So yes, I believe Michael out-sell Elvis, at least because of Michael has the biggest active fan base in the world!!!!
Daniel added...
Michael Jackson has only sold 350 million not the 750 that Sony began claiming in 2006.
In order for him to sell 750 million than his albums would all have had to sell 75 million a piece which didn’t happend.
Elvis and the Beatles have sold over a billion worldwide.
08.24.09 4:42 am
Charlie added...
Silly comment.
FACT in the 3 weeks after Jacko died he sold only 300,000 units. According to Billboard Elvis sold 20 million in the US and 19 million worldwide in the 24 hours after he died and 20 million a week for months after.
Some people claim that Jack has sold 750 millon. SONY now clain total sales since 1969 are approx 350 million.
Elvis? closer 2.4 billion.
Beatles? 1.3 billion
Bing? 900 million
10.19.09 9:25 am
Jim Burrows says...
08.5.09 12:21 pm
If someone was asked, in 1977, whether we would be talking about Elvis the way we are, today, and the person answered that yes, that there would be 1,234 biographies of him in print, that there would also be 24 streets and Plazas named for him throughout the world, as well as 23 television movies made about him, that his commemorative stamp would the biggest in history, that there would be at least 4 special exhibits of him in as many presidential libraries, that he would go on to sell an additional 400 million records after his death, 100 million of which, according to Billboard, in the first 12 months, that he would be a member of four Hall of Fames, and, just to throw what in 1977 would have been regarded as quite impossible to predict, that by 2009 there would be 16 million people who would had toured his home and, what’s even more daring to predict, that the great majority of those traveled to Memphis exclusively to do precisely that and, on top of it, paid for it, pumping yearly in excess of US$300 million to the city’s economy, that person would have been considered totally insane.
Notice how impersonators are not brought up into the equation. Seven hundred recordings, and 1,600 alternates, 1,400,000 pictures with fans, 32 motion pictures, 1,500 concerts, that a fraction of what’s kept Elvis alive, commercially. likieability the likes of which Michael Jackson will never achieve, because of his personal life. And since we are talking about persona life, add the fact that Presley was the most celebrated GI in US history and there you have it. A mighty combination of being the most celebrated person of his time, not just in his profession, but in a second one, as well, Come to think of it, that’s another difference between the images of Presley and Jackson. No, Jackson will not be bigger than Presley, not in 10 years, and certainly not in 50.
Karen added...
I guess someone could argue that although MJ wasn’t a GI, he did lend his support to some big humanitarian causes (aid to africa, etc).
–But I’m not arguing, haha.
Elvis is much better than MJ all the way around.
08.5.09 12:57 pm
Mohammad Behehshtaein says...
08.7.09 2:29 am
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAY THIS… WHY ARE WE ARGUING LIKE KIDS HERE. LIKE MICHAEL JACKSON WHO BY THE WAY I AM A HUGE FAN OF, AND ELVIS PRESLEY ARE OUR BLOOD BROTHERS OR SOMETHING… THEY ARE MUSICIANS AND VERY TALENTED. BOTH IN THEIR OWN WAY.
ELVIS WAS A TALENTED PERSON,,, HOWEVER LETS NOT FORGET THAT THERE WERE FEWER ARTIST AT THIS TIME THAN WAS IN MJS TIME… COMPETITION GETS HARDER AND HARDER. MICHAEL IS LIKED BY MILLIONS AROUND THE WORLD. WHEN THEY GUY DIED (RIP MJ) IN AFRICA HE WAS CELEBRATED… PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS THERE AND THEY STILL CHOSE TO REMEMBER HIM. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT A FORCE (WHITE POWER - RACISM) TRIED HARD TO BRING MICHAEL DOWN FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS. HOWEVER AFTER THE RECORD BREAKING SALES OF HIS TOUR TICKETS THAT WAS CRAZY BTW (CHECK OUT THE NUMBERS ON WIKIPEDIA) HE PROVED TO THE WORLD THAT HE SURE IS THE KING. ONCE AGAIN I HAVE RESPECT FOR ELVIS AS WELL, BUT HE HAD IT EASY… I THINK MICHAEL IS A MUCH BIGGER AND MUCH MORE POWERFUL SINGER IN OUR ERA… BIGGER THAN ELVIS AND BEATLES… CONSIDERING ALL THE TROUBLES THAT HE WENT THROUGH NO ARTIST EVEN ELVIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SELL SO MUCH TICKETS FOR A CONCERT AND BE SOO POWERFUL. IF ELVIS HAD THE TROUBLES OF MICHAEL JACKSON… HE WOULDNT BEEN WHAT HE IS NOW… NO WAY… ALSO UNFORTUNATELY THE CALIFORNIA LAW DOES NOT ALLOW ONE TO BE BURIED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL LIKE NEVERLAND… THIS IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IF THEY WOULD HAVE BURIED MICHAEL IN NEVERLAND… IT WOULD HAVE TURNED INTO A VEGAS AND TRUST ME… ITS HUGE THEY COULD PUT HOTELS AND STUFF AND TRUST ME PEOPLE WOULD PAY HIM A VISIT. FOR GOD’S SAKE FANS FELLOW FROM AUSTRALIA, LONDON, JAPAN TO PLACE FLOWERS AFTER HIS DEATH. COME ON NOW.
PEACE OUT - RIP MICHAEL JACKSON - RIP ELVIS
Craig Walston says...
08.7.09 10:59 am
Brandon; Elvis is The Greatest Star Ever, by far; In a League of his own. Here is a reality check for you Brandon. Elvis has been gone for 32 years, and each year almost a million people from all over the world tour Graceland. That will never happen again for any other star ever again. No other dead star gets 10 percent of that. It is 2nd only to the whitehouse. Elvis sold over 1 billion records; Had 18 number 1’s on billboard, Michael had 13. In the UK, Elvis has twice as many charted number 1’s…The media hype for michael is mostly cable channels, just like what happened with Anna Nicole. Remember the fuss over her death. This was a woman who never did anything constructive with her life. Again, cable media created. When Elvis died, within hours over a hundred thousand people converged on Graceland. With Michael, I can remember a whole bunch of media trucks, yet only a few dozen fans made their way to Neverland… 32 years from now nobody will know who Michael was. Elvis is the greatest cultural force of the 20th century, and I just gave you some facts to back that up.. You can’t argue with facts my friend. Peace to you!!! Follow Oprah, Barack or Michael Jordan. These are icons who live their life with genuine integrity..
La Tina added...
no disrespect to Elvis, but his fans are now out doing everything in their power because they feel threatened when they see just how overwhelmingly more popular and more influential globally Michael Jackson was after his passing. I’m more of a Beatles fan, and I think they are better than these two. Although, when it comes to Presley and Jackson I have to admit that Jackson DID break unimaginable cultural barriers that no other artists in history ever did. Elvis did not bring anything new to the table, all he was nothing but a pretty boy who did cover black singles, watered it down for white audiences, became popular more for his LOOKS rather than his talent, or a MEDIOCRE talent for that matter. Michael Jackson on the other was a child prodigy, worked twice as hard to get where he was and became a worldwide star. He was able to evolved from his musical influences and developed his own unique style. His vocal abilities were utterly unique as well and extremely versatile. I say Michael Jackson OUTSHINES Elvis - in every single way.
08.23.09 1:42 pm
Craig Walston added...
LaTina; You don’t know anything about music or pop culture.. The Beatles never would have happened, had it not been for ELvis. Even John Lennon said that. Michael combined Motown, and disco, and was a good dancer. The moonwalk was in the streets during the mid 70’s. Elvis was country, pop, gospel, and rock all in one. You are a shallow person if you don’t understand that. Do some research, and get an education. I stated proven facts above, so you’re just jealous and envious that you can’t put together a cohesive and factual reply.. Get out of your ‘hate Elvis mode. It makes you look and sound foolish…
08.25.09 12:11 am
Traci E. Thomas says...
08.10.09 1:54 am
Michael Jackson was, is, and forever will be a “humanitarian” who used his gifts of music, acting, dancing, speaking, writing, and performing to suggest awareness to the entire globe! Moreover, his legacy demands that all of us, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, culture, orientation, class, or religion, RESECT OURSELVES AND OTHERS! Lastly, he exemplified my philosophy: “Don’t go BACK, go BETTER!”
“I love you MICHAEL”
Traci E. Thomas
Baltimore, MD
Craig Walston says...
08.10.09 11:11 pm
Brandon; Elvis is The Greatest Star Ever, by far; In a League of his own. Here is a reality check for you Brandon. Elvis has been gone for 32 years, and each year almost a million people from all over the world tour Graceland. That will never happen again for any other star ever again. No other dead star gets 10 percent of that. It is 2nd only to the whitehouse. Elvis sold over 1 billion records; Had 18 number 1’s on billboard, Michael had 13. In the UK, Elvis has twice as many charted number 1’s…The media hype for michael is mostly cable channels, just like what happened with Anna Nicole. Remember the fuss over her death. This was a woman who never did anything constructive with her life. Again, cable media created. When Elvis died, within hours over a hundred thousand people converged on Graceland. With Michael, I can remember a whole bunch of media trucks, yet only a few dozen fans made their way to Neverland… 32 years from now nobody will know who Michael was. Elvis is the greatest cultural force of the 20th century, and I just gave you some facts to back that up.. You can’t argue with facts my friend. Peace to you!!! Follow Oprah, Barack or Michael Jordan. These are icons who live their life with genuine integrity..
james says...
08.11.09 5:52 am
rubbish elvis has sold more records than jackson will ever do elvis was the first king and only king jacksons was a copy cat he called him self the king elvis did not
Karen added...
Anybody know who was the first person to call Jackson the King of Pop?
Was it Jackson himself?
08.11.09 7:26 am
La Tina added...
nope, it was Elizabeth Taylor who annointed the title the King of Pop to her friend.
and Craig Walston - stop with the lies, you’ll never convince anyone. Michael Jackson was the only artist that I know who was eulogized by world leaders. I wish you could say the same thing about Elvis. Like it or not, Michael Jackson WILL be remembered for centuries to come. In fact, I see kids as young as 3 years old idolizing him, that just proves how potent Michael Jackson’s legacy is, certainly more potent than Presley’s
08.23.09 1:50 pm
FredAistair says...
08.11.09 7:21 am
Firstly no point bad mouthing anyone. They were both very talanted intheir own way.
Secondly, a proper analysis of MJ’s sales will show that they are in the 300 million range. This is well below that of Elvis and The Beatles.
Thirdly, anyone who does any proper reach will conclude that the importance, musically and culturally of Elvis in 56 and The Beatles in 63 far exceeds anything that could be attributed to MJ.
John Lennon’s comments that before Elvis there was nothing (only a slight exaggeration)pretty much explains it all.
Finally, no silly fighting,lets just all enjoy the music.
Karen added...
You’re right, there’s really no need to argue
Do you think it might be difficult to compare Elvis/Beatles vs MJ in terms of record sales,
since it’s somewhat more difficult to keep track of record “sales” now because so many people just download music online?
(You’re probably still right though, as far as MJ not reaching the same level as Elvis/Beatles,etc.–then again, their records have been selling for like 50 years longer than MJ’s).
08.11.09 7:31 am
Mohammad B says...
08.11.09 3:43 pm
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION KAREN. ELIZABETH TAYLOR WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO CALL MJ THE KING OF POP.
I WANT TO POINT JAMES OUT… HOW OLD ARE YOU MY MAN? IM GONNA START WITH MYSELF, IM 24 AND I SURE AM ACTING A LITTLE MORE MATURE THAN YOU ARE.
MICHAEL, BEATLES, ELVIS, MADONNA,TUPAC,B.I.G., AND MANY OTHER ARTISTS IN MY OPINION ARE THE SAME IN THEIR OWN WAYS. WHETHER ITS A RAP MUSIC, HIP HOP, POP, ROCK, PUNK, SOUL, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. IN MY OPINION THESE INDIVIDUALS AND AS I SAID MANY OTHERS HAVE REACHED A VERY HIGH LEVEL IN THEIR OWN WAY AND THEIR OWN MUSIC.
MICHAEL JACKSON, HAS SOLD MORE THAN 750MILLION, ELVIS OVER 1BILLION, AND BEATLES OVER 1 BILLION.
NOW LETS PUT IT THIS WAY, IMAGINE THAT I RELEASE AN ALBUM, THAT IS JUST ONE ALBUM AND THAT ONE ALBUM SALES 100 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE, NOW COMPARE ME WITH ANOTHER ARTIST WHO RELEASES 10 ALBUM AND SALES 200 MILLION COPIES. WHICH ARTIST DO YOU THINK HAS TRULY RELEASED SOMETHING THAT IS A WORK OF ART. OF COURSE THE FIRST. HAVING SAID THIS, MICHAEL HAS 6 MAIN ALBUM AND FOR HIS JACKSON 5 YEARS, IM THINKING ANOTHER 5-6 ALBUM (DONT HAVE THE COUNT YET). WITH THESE 10-12 ALBUMS HE SOLD 750 MILLION RECORDS. ELVIS ON THE OTHER HAND HAS 150 ALBUMS PUT TOGETHER AND HE SOLD OVER A BILLION RECORDS.
BTW, THE ALBUM THRILLER IS SAVED AS A RECORD IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS FOR ITS GREAT IMPACT ON THE WORLD OF MUSIC. OH DID I ALSO MENTION THAT MICHAEL JACKSON WON THE SAVE THE WORLD AWARD (http://www.savetheworldawards.org/main.asp) THAT IS THE SAVE THE WORLD AWARDS are the first major global honors presented to exceptional personalities and organizations working toward a sustainable and livable future for our planet and its people with the goal of providing a better, more comprehensive and stronger awareness for our world’s situation.
Our winners – organizations, unheralded individuals and international celebrities – are role models who through their exemplary involvement and commitment are making immense contributions to mankind as well as to the preservation of our Earth. We will put these unique personalities with vision, personal strength, commitment to their ideals and, above all, a passion for creating a better world in the 21st century on center stage and introduce them to the world. MICHAEL ALSO HAS BEEN CONDUCTED TO THE ROCK N ROLL HALF OF FAME 2 TIMES. AND HAS WON MORE AWARDS BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY THAN ANYONE ELSE. OH HAS GIVEN A TOTAL OF $300 MILLION OF AID TO DIFFERENT CHARITIES.
ENOUGH SAID,
ONCE AGAIN, LONG LIVE THE KING(S) AND OTHER MUSICIANS, ARTIST AND HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD FOR BETTER WHETHER WITH THEIR MUSIC, FILMS, ARTISTRY, OR JUST A SIMPLE ACT OF KINDNESS.
GOD BLESS
FredAistair says...
08.17.09 11:23 am
The Michael Jackson Sales Hype - Exposed
750 Million Albums is an Off The Wall Number
By Barry Ritholtz - July 14th, 2009, 9:25PM
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/07/750-million-albums-is-an-off-the-wall-number/
No, Michael Jackson did not sell 750 million albums.
A funny thing happened to Michael Jackson’s sales figures over the past few years: They seemed to have more than tripled:
“In the last three years of his life, long after the release of his final original album, Michael Jackson’s career album sales took a curious leap.
For many years, Mr. Jackson’s lifetime sales tally typically was reported at 200 million albums world-wide. But in late 2006, news articles began putting the number at 750 million, a figure that became part of the popular lore as Mr. Jackson was attempting a comeback. In the last few weeks, it has popped up in obituaries and retrospectives.
So how did the sales figure nearly quadruple? A likely explanation is that a rough tally of individual songs was misinterpreted or misrepresented to reflect album sales. Such a numerical misstep is surprisingly easy to make in the world of album sales figures, where reliable information is spotty in the U.S., and often nonexistent overseas.”
Several fans actually did the heavy lifting of totaling official sales data, country by country. Lau Ho Hoi in Hong Kong noted on the music blog Hitsville that MJ sold 131.5 million albums world-wide, and 65.6 million singles. The total doesn’t include digital downloads, which have taken off for Mr. Jackson since his death. Guillaume Vieira, a Paris engineer, puts the totals at 205.5 million albums.
Neither fan is remotely close to 3/4 of a billion sales.
So how did that number come about? There is a simple explanation: A Publicist made up the 750 million number!
I kid you not:
“That figure first got legs in late 2006, when Raymone Bain, a publicist for Mr. Jackson at the time, touted in a letter to Jackson fan clubs that sales had “exceeded over 750 million units.”
The WSJ article generously spins the error as a misinterpretation of songs sold versus albums — but that’s giving a PR flack way too much credit. Those of us who earn our living in the economic trenches deciphering PR spin know a good bullshit tale when we see one. 750 million albums sure as hell qualifies!
Oh Please says...
08.18.09 9:09 pm
During the 80’s, certified by Guiness Book of World Records, Michael Jackson became the first artist to have sold over 100 million records outside of the US. This in itself should be simple enough for the typical dullard Americans to understand.
Hence if elvis sold over a billion records this logicaly would imply that elvis sold upwards of 900 million within the US with the remainder being around the world. This is easily an error because the US RIAA only has elvis certified for a bit more than 100 million records. Garth Brooks has more certifications than elvis. Why are you people so stupid, but moving on?
Record companies have long used inflated record sales as a marketing tool to promote the legacy of their artists. The dullards will keep this argument going for ever. I am not fond of the notion that many consider elvis and the beatles selling over a billion to be legitimate, but suspiciously question michael selling over 750. None appear to be very valid why not question all 3 instead of just michael? American ignorance u gotta love it, yee-haw!!
beatles 400-420 million
MJ 392 million (before his death)
elvis 250 million
fredaistair says...
08.20.09 12:09 pm
Oh Please - get your facts right, MJ requested certification of his international sales by a body that has no status.
The Beates and Elvis have sold several hundred million in international sales.
Suggest you visit Graceland you will see hundreds of gold and platinum awards for international sales.
The claims of Elvis and The Beatles sales are infinately more plausabe, whilst those of Jackson’s are fictional a bit like your knowledge of record sales.
John added...
I guess you’ve never of the Guinness Book of World Records and RIAA before? The figures officially came from these organizations. Michael Jackson only lags around 200 mil records behind the Beatles and Presley because of 30-50 generational year difference. But Michael Jackson is already quickly catching up to them. We all have to remember that Jackson only has 10 solo albums throughout his lifetime while Elvis has 80-something. That means that Jackson outsells Presley per album. Guiness Records already gave the Most Successful Entertain of all Time title to Jackson.
08.23.09 1:56 pm
GeneKelley added...
get your head out of your biased a s s Fred. Exactly where do you get your asinine figures from? Oh yeah, from your a s s. Elvis did not sell 1 billion records, that’s just something that his management came up with to boost his bloated image.
08.23.09 2:14 pm
all yall wrong says...
08.20.09 5:29 pm
look we all know that michael jackson and elvis are both very popular in pop culture. but who cares if people still impersonate elvis? that doesnt mean he was better! personally i wouldnt want people dressin up as me and wedding people at cheap chapels in vegas…id feel like a joke. it just means his style was more recgonizable! its cool to express ur opinions but dont make it so ur favoring one over the over, dont be subjective. so michael sold loads of records in his prime and so did elvis.
obviously michael was more famou and popular (tell me does that make mike a copycat?). little kids still dance to beat it. ive seen loads of em. but that doesnt mean hes more talented. just because he could dance and sing and songwrite and act and produce and play piano and guitar doesnt mean he had more was more talented than elvis who only sang and acted played guitar. but what this has to do with merchandise, idk. if people want to dres as michael its because they admired his style and wanted to follow his trend and even honor him. not because a young couple wants a fast marriage. but hey, maybe elvis is honored by that…
Daniel says...
08.24.09 4:36 am
Michael jackson has not officially outsold ABBA, let alone Elvis and The Bealtes.
Elvis and the Beatles have each exceeded a billion sales worldwide and KJ is at 350 million.
In order for him to have sold 750 million as Sonly claims then all his major releases would have had to have sold 70 miilion which we know didn’t happend.
Elvis was an all genre vocalist unlike MJ and the Beatles were much better muscians who than MJ was.
MJ recorded the same pop dance music over and over.
How many times did we have to see him grab himself and yell HEE HEE?
Get real! Most of the people talking about MJ today never talked about him before he died and are mostly all bandwagoners.
Oh Please says...
08.24.09 8:50 am
fredaistair suggests that you should go read a pro-elvis site which would imply that this NUT lacks objectivity and insists on insulting my facts. Note: he doesn’t give any facts of his own. Just insults. He must be a republican. Good luck finding that birth certificate.
Oh Please says...
08.24.09 8:57 am
Some of you people posting on here just as well start saying WHITE POWER. You deny things that are in front of your face and refute what you don’t care to confront. NONE of those figures of elvis, beatles, or MJ selling those high units of a billion or 750 are marketing hype. It’s insane how you can deny MJ selling 750 million, but some how the beatles and elvis selling upwards of a billion seem rational. The world watches america and is very well aware of it’s contradictions. Freedom for all yet slavery was wide spread during the creation of the constitution. Slavery is abolished, yet Jim Crow Laws forbid blacks from doing things like entering a building through the front door. To a lesser extent, elvis selling supposedly selling a billion records and MJ sales have to be in question is one of them.
Jim says...
08.27.09 9:20 am
oh please is wrong. If infact MJ did sell 750 mil records, each album would have to have sold almost 100 million - not even close. Besides, none of these comparisons or even fair. Even though the Beatles and Elvis outsold MJ, they were products at a time when the buying population was about 40% less than today. Also, no online sales - which means no push of as button emotional downloading when a death or something occurs, no MTV 24hr in your face publicity - in the 50’s and 60’s - even the 70’s - you want to hear it - go jump in your car or on a bike and buy it. Period. As for culture, near every major college institution in the world has classes specifically on the effect of the Beatles musically and on culture. NONE have MJ classes. Near every worldwide Major symphony, or Orchestra, regularly does Beatles arrangements, even Pavoroti - yet you’ll struggle to find MJ arrangements - There is a reason why the Beatle catalog is the most valuable sought after catalog in the world. There music…still today sells and is still valid. Sometime’s I really wonder what MJ fans are looking at. He was a true Icon entertainer - but its gotta be “the music” thats gonna keep him at the top for a century or more……the Beatles are well on there way…..MJ’s music just wasnt enough or good enough- he will end up being remembered more for his entertaining and dancing….
Jim says...
08.27.09 9:41 am
I have heard so much crap since Jackson died. He is credited with breaking racial bounderies. Well, I wonder where that leaves Hendrix, Wonder, Sammy Davis, Nat king Cole, Count Basie, Diana Ross and Aretha and a **it load of other Blacks who’s albums are in the homes of white people. I have 2 MJ albums, I have about 10 Hendrix albums - Give me a break. MJ “opened up the door for artist to come to the aid of the needy with “We Are the World” - thereby opening the door for live aid etc. Whoaa, was it a dream or did i sit in a moveie theatre in 1971 and watch “The Concert for Bangledesh” by George Harrison and Ravi shanker - a concert in which all the artists (clapton, Dylan, BILLY PRESTON, Leon) worked for free - sold out 2 shows at Madison Square Garden and a movie and 3 record set. Tens of Million have gone to the starving in India from that event. The FIRST TIME artists gathered and ever did this. Bob Geldoff in his opening of the first Live Aide, thanked Pioneers such as Harrison for setting the stage for such events. Sorry MJ fans - it wasn’t “We are the World”. And “Oh Please” I have a question for U, since you bring up race. Why do so many “white” people have the records and Cd’s of Black artists, yet so few “black” people have the records and cd’s of “white artists”. Who cant get past it “oh Please”.
sri says...
08.31.09 9:56 am
I LOVE all musician & Dancer in world ..but Micheal is different..because he is a unlimited musician and dancer in 20th century please don’t compare with any others..if we compare like that.. “that will describe our blindness & dumbness…”
Tom says...
09.22.09 7:58 am
Excellent remark Jim! I’m a white man and a huge Elvis fan (only 70’s) but I have Arheta Franklin, Whitney Houston, Otis Redding CD’s at home (not Michael Jackson’s because his a paedophile)! I think the real racist people are the black people. We love and support black artists but can’t say the same for you!
mjking says...
11.13.09 9:12 pm
People criticized MJ for the way he lived the last years of his life but Elvis’s last 20 years on the planet was sadder still. He was a has-been towards the end of his life. He was neurotic and and also over-medicated just as MJ and in fact that’s what killed him. That and fried peanut butter sandwiches! Elvis was no where near as talented and Michael Jackson and Elvis couldn’t dance to save his life, could only move his pelvis which looks really silly today. How can you possibly compare the two? Michael was genius, Elvis? come on!