Every once in a while when a superstar emerges onto the pop scene, they’re always compared to Michael Jackson.
Taylor Swift, The Weeknd and even Drake have been placed on a pedestal by their fan bases as the heir to the King of Pop’s throne.
People throw around the term “G.O.A.T.” way too often, it’s a title that should be held only by the greatest to ever do it. While it’s an analogy that’s mostly used in sports, it’s a term that’s relevant to this conversation.
It’s been 16 years since Jackson died, so people often forget the impact that he had on not just the pop scene, but music in general. Since his death, no one has even come close to touching the mystique of MJ.
First, there’s the discography.
Arguably one of the top disco albums of all time in “Off The Wall,” a worthy successor to the most successful album of all time in “Bad” and a back-catalog filled with gems. Jackson’s music was so captivating that the genre-defining artist earned 13 No. 1 hits on the Billboard 100 throughout his career, the most No. 1 hits by a male artist in the Hot 100 era.
While it’s rare for an artist’s posthumous catalog to be received positively, Jackson is the exception to the rule. Even in death, the King of Pop showed out one last time with one more top ten hit in “Love Never Felt So Good” in 2014. Jackson’s posthumous album “Xscape” has cuts ranging from 1980 to the early 2000s with spiced-up production that makes for one of the better posthumous albums of the past 15 years.
Then there’s the 90s, which saw Jackson go in a completely different direction sonically. He ditched longtime collaborator Quincy Jones to cultivate a fresh new sound that gave the world timeless tracks like “Remember The Time” and the No.1 hit “You Are Not Alone.”
We haven’t even touched “Thriller” yet.
The best selling album of all time, “Thriller” is still selling records despite being released over 40 years ago. This is the album that propelled Jackson into superstar status — the piece of art that serves as the defining point in his legacy.
It’s the definition of a classic album; the concise and to-the-point album only features nine tracks, but they’re some of the most revered songs in Jackson’s entire catalog. With a track list that features no skips, “Thriller” has sold over 70 million units worldwide and continues to have an impact on artists to this day.
MJ even created a Halloween theme with the title track “Thriller,” accompanied by an iconic music video which has been preserved in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
Before “Thriller,” MTV refused to give airtime to music videos by Black artists. That all changed when “Billie Jean” released in 1983 and it became the first music video by a Black artist to receive heavy rotation on MTV. The company’s hand was forced, Jackson quite literally changed the game with “Billie Jean,” allowing for Black artists to receive proper air time on MTV.
Music videos would become a staple for Jackson, it was a craft that he took very seriously. Very few have come close to matching the artistic vision Jackson had for music videos. He set the standard. From the iconic “Billie Jean” to memorable films such as “You Rock My World,” there is no shortage of quality.
Let’s not forget the multitude of iconic moments throughout Jackson’s career, with the forefront of them all being his performance during Super Bowl XXVII. Despite a childlike demeanor at times, Jackson could display radiating mystique when he wanted to, and his performance that night was no exception. The popstar stood in front of a packed crowd screaming with joy for over two minutes until he finally took his sunglasses off and strutted on up with his opening song.
From the start of his journey as an adult solo artist in 1979 with “Off The Wall” to the final album released before his death — the criminally underrated “Invincible” — Jackson has a catalog of timeless classics that spans over 30 years.
One day Drake could beat Jackson’s No. 1 song’s record, Taylor Swift could continue to grow the largest fanbase in the world and The Weeknd could continue to sell out arenas across the globe.
None of that matters when looking at the bigger picture. From the iconic dances such as the moonwalk, to the hit-making and fashion statements. No matter what happens, there will never be another Michael Jackson.
