Michael Jackson has died at the age of 50. He really was the “King of Pop.” I saw him in concert three times. He was spellbinding. I think that Michael’s career can be illuminated through the story of his performance on Motown’s 25th Anniversary Special.
When Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall album (yep, it was an album back then, 1979) came out, I bought it the first week it was out. I was in college. MTV was just starting. Off the Wall‘s first hit was “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough.” This was a hit… a huge hit. This began Michael’s best time as a creative performer. He did the voice track for ET and won a Grammy for it.
MTV was getting big. “Billie Jean” was released. As I recall, the song was just doing okay. Nothing big. Nothing huge. Then MTV played the video. No Black artist that I know of was on MTV before Michael. Michael being on MTV was HUGE. Blacks were starting to boycott MTV because of their unwillingness to play RnB/Soul/Funk music. The “Billie Jean” video was slick. It was more than some guy with big hair sticking his tush out at the camera for three minutes. Was it video’s answer to nuclear physics? NO. It was a huge breakthrough.
There was just a hint of BET (Black Entertainment Television) at this time. Most houses couldn’t get BET. There was no satellite. Cable was still really young. WGN and TNT were the main channels on cable. HBO and Showtime were the only movie channels that I can remember at that time.
So, May of 1983. Motown is going to have their 25th anniversary show. I’m running around with graduation from college duties. I miss the special. Everyone who saw it was amazed at Michael’s performance. This performance, if I’m not mistaken, wins Michael an Emmy. The combination of the video and the live performance caused Michael Jackson to blow up. He was HUGE.
Michael and Quincy Jones, the producer who really was responsible for the sound, cleaned up at the Grammy’s. They won eight.
Just a few words about this performance. There are two new dance moves that Michael breaks out for this performance that floors the crowd and became two legendary Michael Jackson moves. He does the moonwalk for the first time. He also does the thing where he goes up on his toes. I have no idea what that’s called. But he was so fluid, and moved so well, that the audience just stares at one point. Also, watch the passion in Jackson’s face.
No one was as big as Michael Jackson, in my opinion. No single performer. Maybe a group was bigger. The Beatles? Maybe. The Stones? Maybe. Elvis? Nope. Here’s why I say this. Michael Jackson was popular all over the world. With TV and truly world tours, he had the ability to be worldwide like no other performer. Thriller, which was the zenith of his popularity, sold over 104 million copies.
Michael actually threatened to sue MTV to get his videos on that channel since they weren’t showing black artists at that time.
I didn’t remember that.
Thanks!
That’s ashame. He had some good music. More and more people are dying young.
May Michael Jackson rest in peace despite some of the negative things said about him.
Man, the late 70’s and early 80’s just came to a crashing halt. I was never a big Farrah fan, but lots of my friends were. For better or worse she defined beauty of that time.
Michael Jackson also defined the era. Excess. Excessive talent. A relentless perfectionist. A spendthrift. Class conscious to the nth degree. Attractive. Ugly. Grotesque. Irresistible. Black wanting to be white. White wanting to be black. In short the 80’s personified.
One of my favorite memories came at a Michael Jackson concert. I came to see the warm up group Sister Sledge, but I left knowing even at that moment I was witnessing history. The fact that some woman swooning at the sight of Michael fell back into my arms certainly didn’t mar the experience. Thanks Michael.
O-
outstanding summary of MJ and the 80’s.
Ace –
Are more and more people dying young or are we more aware them. Buddy Holly, Otis Redding and Stevie Ray Vaughn immediately come to mind.
he is a legend.
rip.
As disappointed as I have been in Michael Jackson over the years, I was still one of his biggest fans. From the parachute pants, to the red beat it jacket I never could convince my mom to get for me, to the imitating of his dance moves, he holds a place in my heart. He has got to be the biggest star EVER in the entire history of stardom. No one has ever captivated the entire world as Michael Jackson has. His legend will live on, but he will be missed dearly. My blessings go out to his family and his children. Rest in peace Michael…you are in a better place free of criticism and the evils of man!!
Stacey –
Well put.
Thanks for the comments.
Elvis (and The Beatles) served as the great cultural catalyst of their time.
With Elvis (and later the Beatles), rock music conquered the world, and ended up having unique social consequences. Rock music wasn’t just a new musical style, but influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes and language.
And The Beatles and Elvis broke down many social and racial barriers of the time.
Speaking of commercial success.. then Elvis and The Beatles are untouchable.
As of 2009, the Beatles has 20 No. 1 hits in the USA, Elvis 18 and MJ 13. In the United Kingdom Elvis has 22, Beatles 17 and MJ 7.
In America Elvis has 38 top 10 hits, Beatles 29 and MJ 28.
No. 1 Albums:
Elvis
USA: 10 UK: 18
Beatles:
USA: 19 UK: 17
MJ
USA: 5 UK: 7
As you know, you can look at success in a number of different ways. Elvis was great. Not just a great singer but really a solid actor also. The Beatles spoke for a generation. The variety of music that the Beatles produced was staggering. Also, the volume of music that they produced was also staggering.
If you look at the number of album sold, another measure of success, Michael Jackson’s Thriller sold over 100 million copies. No other album is even close. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has sold over 32 million copies. The Beatles, CD entitled #1 sold 31 million copies. Elvis doesn’t have one album that sold more than 20 million copies. Michael Jackson has four albums that sold more than 20 million excluding Thriller.
I’m not saying that you’re wrong, instead I’m saying that there are a lot of different ways to measure success.
Thank you for your comments.
One reason Michael didn’t have as many number one albums is because he simply did not produce records in the volume that other artists have. His studio recordings for his solo career were published in ’79, ’82, ’87, ’91, ’95, and 2001 (Only Off the Wall was not a number one album, the rest were). Hardly a torrid pace. He easily could have produced twice as much material over that time. Elvis made 23 albums over 21 years – about the same duration as Michael’s solo career.
I heard an interview where he mentions that for Invincible, he had well over 100 songs he was choosing from in order to arrive at the 10 or so songs for the album and he said he usually made 100 songs for each album. If this is really true, it shows what a perfectionist he was and why he did not produce the volume some of these other acts did.
Also, if true, that means there are many more Michael Jackson albums to come. It’s quite possible that there is more unpublished Michael Jackson than there is published work (as a solo artist).
Mark —
You are 100% correct. Artists like the Beatles and Elvis produced a ton of songs. They’re sure volume was impressive and lead to early burnout. Anyway, thank you for your thoughtful comments.
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[…] and children. I love him as an entertainer. Whenever I see his Emmy award-winning performance of Billie Jean at the Motown 25th anniversary special or his performance of Man in the Mirror at the Grammys, I get goosebumps. In spite of my utmost […]
[…] and children. I love him as an entertainer. Whenever I see his Emmy award-winning performance of Billie Jean at the Motown 25th anniversary special or his performance of Man in the Mirror at the Grammys, I get goosebumps. In spite of my utmost […]