By now you’ve probably heard that Michael Jackson passed away this last Thursday in Los Angeles, California. He was just 50.
By now there are probably thousands upon thousands of articles written on his death, and most of them probably trace his life from The Jackson 5 to Thriller to all the tabloid scandals.
And by now a bunch of radio stations around the world are or have probably had Michael Jackson Music Marathons.
I was shocked to hear of the news, because I honestly didn’t know life without Michael Jackson. I was just a kid when Thriller hit… it had a huge impact on me because I had never heard ANYONE sing like that before. Then I saw him perform live on TV. I’ve never seen anyone move like him, and I doubt I will ever it again. His style was unmatchable.
My mom bought me Thriller, and I played that LP until I had to buy another one. Every track was a killer, and almost every track hit the Top 10. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” is by far my favorite track off the album… the attitude that Jackson spit out the lyrics with was such a great opening for the record.
My favorite Jackson, though, is “Smooth Criminal,” off the follow-up to Thriller, the 1987 album Bad. It was the seventh single off the album and hit the Top 10. That’s amazing. You’d think that the seventh single off an album wouldn’t do as well because most people have probably picked up the album already… but Jackson pulled it off. That’s a testament to his popularity. I’m listening to the song right now… frikkin’ awesome.
I’m glad to hear that radio stations are playing his music… hopefully now people will focus on that again rather than the tabloid bullshit. Sure, some can argue that Jackson brought all the tabloid nonsense on himself, but it’s his music that really matters. It’s his music that will last through the years. In the end, it’s the music.
I know that the public loves to know about their favorite celebrities… scandals sell magazines, newspapers… and it probably even drives up sales of whatever products those celebrities are attached to, be it movies, music, books. Our thirst for finding some way to get “closer” and more “intimate” with celebrities will never go away, but I hope that when it really comes down to it, it’s the art that matters most… not what they said on Twitter or Facebook.
I hope that in the end, when it really comes down to it, fans can leave the gossip behind and just focus on the art. With Jackson, that got lost somewhere along the way. Like I said before, hopefully that will change from this day on.
I’m sure I’ll spin Thriller again today… and again and again. I might dust off the old vinyl and give that a go… it’s a shame that it takes an artist’s death to make me revisit his/her art… I’ll have to make sure I don’t take an artist for granted again.
What a sad, sad day for music.
Your Dig-It Downloads:
Download: Smooth Criminal
Download: Smooth Criminal (LAZRtag Remix)
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i agree with you. regardless of what anyone thought of michael, he was a hell of an entertainer. his music had a HUGE impact on pop music. his dance style is still being incorporated in many forms of jazz and, of course, hip hop. and just think, he had NO FORMAL TRAINING!!!
I have Thriller and Off the Wall on vinyl…and cassette…and now just bought the download. A favorite memory of mine is being in a bar with a bunch of friends, mostly metal heads, and “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” started to play. The guys couldn’t help but move to the music and finally one declared “Damn! That is a great f!@#ing song!”
Impossible to pick a current generation artist who’s had a bigger impact on other current generation artists, or a bigger impact on the direction of popular music, show visuals and choreography, the entire music video industry, fashion, or the music business itself.
He was one of those very rare, once-in-a-generation artists who is simply larger than life.
The God will have to think twice before he can create another Michael. I never had a chance to enjoy his talent personally that will continue to make me sad always.
For many the phenomenon of grief being displayed over the death of Michael Jackson is just so much more celebrity driven nonsense. But for me, it truly is a sad passing of a beautiful,incredibly gifted but tortured soul. So much has been said of Michael’s lost childhood and how it framed what was to become of the rest of his life. Much has been said of the difficult relationship with his father and how that also had impact on who he would become. I too had a difficult beginning in my family of origin and suffered much because of it. Unless you have been there it is impossible to understand how much impact insensitive, self centered parenting can have on a child. Joseph Jackson, you are a monster…who in your zeal to leave the ghetto behind drove your children to madness and the sweetest and most gifted of them to self destruct. You failed to give him the values that would have allowed him to fully develop as a human being and even in death choose to cannabilize his life for your personal gain. Your years are limited now…and you will soon face your maker and be forced to feel the pain and reap the judgement that your sociopathic mind has thus far allowed you to escape. Michael is at peace now…unreachable any more by your disgusting antics…he neither needs your help nor can be reached by the tears of of those who see clearly what you are and did to him. But you Joseph Jackson will pay for eternity for your greed, your lack of care and your absence of love for your child. Michael your music is now perfected in heaven and you sing and have come to completion in the presence of the Creator…and at some point we who believe will see you again as you truly are…a beautiful, gentle, amazingly graced soul infused with the gifts of heaven who now sings with the angels and has been healed of all of your wounds.
Agape,
Brenda