xLiberiangirl said:

Swa said:

Here is the history of the "King of Pop" title.

In 1983 Michael was referred to by many press as the Prince of Pop.

in 1984 a coverstory of Rock & Soul magazine called him the King of Pop, Rock & Soul.

During the 1987-88 Bad world tour fans started displaying signs with King of Pop, and King of Pop, Rock & Soul on it.

In 1989 at the Soul Train award Elizabeth called him the "true King of pop, rock and soul".

At the time of Dangerous (1991) MJ's management and PR team ran with "King of Pop" title and plastered it all over press releases. Whilst MTV ran with the title when broadcasting Black or White, Kurt Loder dubbed him the self-proclaimed King of Pop, and the press ran with it.

There is no denying that MJ welcomed this title, and no denying Sony loved marketing him as such. Equally there is no denying that initially ordained by fans the PR machine ran with it, either way the title was warranted.

At the end of the day it's all hype - the same way Prince has toured several times under the guise of "last time I'm playing the hits" - it's all hype and marketing to draw attention to a new product or tour.

Nice story. And I agree though. But I never got the entire ''true king of pop rock and soul'' thing from Elizabeth... Michael is just pure pop.

Interestingly, I have always believed that the King of Pop pure pop music has no more than 50%. Only from the album Bad, he became primarily a pop artist.
But agree. On the role of the King of rock music, he does not pull (MJ has only 3 songs that really rock) , The King of Soul ...

yes, he has a lot of soul music in the early works, but there are many far more deserving candidates on this title.

RicoN said:

I like you LiLi

Really?

LiLi1992 said:

xLiberiangirl said:

Nice story. And I agree though. But I never got the entire ''true king of pop rock and soul'' thing from Elizabeth... Michael is just pure pop.

Interestingly, I have always believed that the King of Pop pure pop music has no more than 50%. Only from the album Bad, he became primarily a pop artist.
But agree. On the role of the King of rock music, he does not pull (MJ has only 3 songs that really rock) , The King of Soul ...

yes, he has a lot of soul music in the early works, but there are many far more deserving candidates on this title.

I'm not defending the king of rock title, but he had way more than 3 rock songs in his back catalogue:

Dirty Diana, D.S., Give Into Me, Beat It, TDCAU, Come Together, Morphine, Black or White, State of Shock, Another Day, Shout - all rock.

LiLi1992 said:

RicoN said:

I like you LiLi

Really?

yep, you've got spirit!

perhaps pop/rock and soul?

alphastreet said:

perhaps pop/rock and soul?

perhaps f/uck and all?

I agree he's pop, soul, r&b etc. too I don't see him as a rock artist but he nails rock very well, and he arguably has a pop/rock sound later on on many tracks

Fiona01 said:

Because, like it or not, MJ and Elvis were more innovative, Elvis as a showman and MJ as a music video pioneer.

Prince is a phenominal musician, but he didn't exactly revolutionise the industry the way Elvis or MJ did.

Please do u know how many so called musicians moved to Minneapolis & pretended they were from there after Prince hit it big with "Purple Rain"? Almost every artist including Mj's equally talented sister Janet, was trying to sound like dress like & play like Prince. Prince musical influence took over the eighties more so than Mj's sound. People just wanted to dance like MJ even to this day. But not sound or look like him.

[img:$uid]http://i32.tinypic.com/fthvki.jpg[/img:$uid]

I think all of us have to admit that marketing has a lot to do with it, regardless about the merits of their music, image matters. Good marketing and brand demographics matters.

Both took much different approaches in marketing themselves. When one starts a business or a brand, one makes choices than will have a lasting impact. You have to think long term.

One chose an image that was fun and friendly and welcoming everyone of all ages.

And the other sought out unique audience that was not as family friendly.

[Edited 11/30/11 9:47am]

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Fiona01 said:

Because, like it or not, MJ and Elvis were more innovative, Elvis as a showman and MJ as a music video pioneer.

Prince is a phenominal musician, but he didn't exactly revolutionise the industry the way Elvis or MJ did.

Please do u know how many so called musicians moved to Minneapolis & pretended they were from there after Prince hit it big with "Purple Rain"? Almost every artist including Mj's equally talented sister Janet, was trying to sound like dress like & play like Prince. Prince musical influence took over the eighties more so than Mj's sound. People just wanted to dance like MJ even to this day. But not sound or look like him.

Oh really??

[img:$uid]http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/100628/chris-brown-jackson-tribute_240.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://cbswbbm.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/ne-yo_one-in-a-million.jpg?w=385&h=240[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://bestofmichaeljackson.jclondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3rd-Thisday-Africa-Rising-Festival-3-usher.jpeg[/img:$uid]

Fiona01 said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Please do u know how many so called musicians moved to Minneapolis & pretended they were from there after Prince hit it big with "Purple Rain"? Almost every artist including Mj's equally talented sister Janet, was trying to sound like dress like & play like Prince. Prince musical influence took over the eighties more so than Mj's sound. People just wanted to dance like MJ even to this day. But not sound or look like him.

Oh really??

[img:$uid]http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/100628/chris-brown-jackson-tribute_240.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://cbswbbm.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/ne-yo_one-in-a-million.jpg?w=385&h=240[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://bestofmichaeljackson.jclondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/3rd-Thisday-Africa-Rising-Festival-3-usher.jpeg[/img:$uid]

lol this is so wrong.

wally1970 said:

Is that jack o , or ronald macdonald ???

The M on the guitar players shirt? I contacted reps for both camps and as of this posting, that image has not been confirmed or denied by either camp.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

many so called musicians moved to Minneapolis & pretended they were from there after Prince hit it big with "Purple Rain"? Almost every artist including Mj's equally talented sister Janet, was trying to sound like dress like & play like Prince. Prince musical influence took over the eighties more so than Mj's sound. People just wanted to dance like MJ even to this day. But not sound or look like him.

You might want to listen to a lot of the albums that came out post OTW and Thriller and see how they influenced the sound and variety of styles on an album.

You might also want to peep Purple Rain (the movie) again you might notice Prince sporting one glove in a few of the live scenes.

[Edited 11/30/11 14:07pm]

what tour was it that opened with:

To whoever it may concern

you must come to senses

there are no kings on this earth

only princes

tadadadada

ahhhaaaa ahhhhaaah

ahhaaahhhaaahhh

my name is prince....

Because, like it or not, MJ and Elvis were more innovative, Elvis as a showman and MJ as a music video pioneer.

Prince is a phenominal musician, but he didn't exactly revolutionise the industry the way Elvis or MJ did.

Prince does not have such a large scale and global success as Elvis and MJ, but innovation ... Give me a break, not sure.
Titles define popularity, and vice versa .... Titles do not define talent, innovation, influence. In my opinion, you are looking for a very deep meaning.
Look at 9 Queen of pop in music history. Many of them have made ​​a revolution? Hell, no.
If you are a HUGE pop star, the public and the media start calling you the honorary title.

MattyJam said:

LiLi1992 said:

Interestingly, I have always believed that the King of Pop pure pop music has no more than 50%. Only from the album Bad, he became primarily a pop artist.
But agree. On the role of the King of rock music, he does not pull (MJ has only 3 songs that really rock) , The King of Soul ...

yes, he has a lot of soul music in the early works, but there are many far more deserving candidates on this title.

I'm not defending the king of rock title, but he had way more than 3 rock songs in his back catalogue:

Dirty Diana, D.S., Give Into Me, Beat It, TDCAU, Come Together, Morphine, Black or White, State of Shock, Another Day, Shout - all rock.

These are the only songs I really think rock songs for the most part.
Others only with a rock influence, and no more than that.

Michael was just as insecure as Prince. at least Prince left his appearances alone, save for different hair styles.

Michael annointed himself "king of pop". no one else. He dictated to MTV that he would not appear on any of their shows, unless he was announced as such.

He made a spectacle of himself when Britney Spears was going to wish him a happy birthday, and he said Thank you MTV for naming me the entertainer of the century, or something close to that.

puleez.

Swa said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

You might want to listen to a lot of the albums that came out post OTW and Thriller and see how they influenced the sound and variety of styles on an album.

You might also want to peep Purple Rain (the movie) again you might notice Prince sporting one glove in a few of the live scenes.

[Edited 11/30/11 14:07pm]

I don't deny MJ had an influence on every artist after his Thriller success.But prince sporting one glove had nothing to do with MJ.Prince had his own fly swagg. mJ needed to take notes...

LiLi1992 said:

These are the only songs I really think rock songs for the most part.
Others only with a rock influence, and no more than that.

I'm sorry, but that's bullshit.

Just a few song reviews I found online:

In his HIStory album review, Entertainment Weekly's Jackson Browne defines musically "D.S." as a hard rock song.

"The dark, cryptic 'Morphine' is easily one of the most ambitious songs he's ever recorded. He fuels the song with narcotic industrial rock—look out Trent Reznor" Thor Christensen of The Dallas Morning News

"'Morphine' apparently told from the drug's point of view and featuring both the Andrae Crouch Singers and an orchestra, alternates between hard-edged rock and operatic pop" The Washington Post

"'State of Shock' - a duet with Mick Jagger - sees Jackson delve into the realms of stadium rock" Mojo

Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe reviewed the song (Another Day) by saying it "echoes of vintage rock-oriented Jackson tracks such as Dirty Diana and Beat It".

[Edited 11/30/11 16:13pm]

Who gives a DAMMMMN? When did this turn into if Michael Jackson is the king or not?

'WHAT STOP PRINCE FROM BECOMING A KING?'

Am I reading the title wrong?

Seriously!

DJFreelan said:

Who gives a DAMMMMN? When did this turn into if Michael Jackson is the king or not?

'WHAT STOP PRINCE FROM BECOMING A KING?'

Am I reading the title wrong?

Seriously!

When the topic starts with the author refers to MJ, we all know in what direction will develop theme.

'WHAT STOP PRINCE FROM BECOMING A KING?'

I think MJ - one of the factors. The two kings have been closely coexist in the same era ...

Anyway, it would have been anecdotal: "Ladies and gentlemen, the King of pop/funk/etc - Prince"

I'm sorry, but that's bullshit.

Of course, in each of these songs have rock elements. But this is not a pure style, not pure rock, a mixture of different styles, Michael was a master of combinations of styles.

I do not know, I listen to classic rock 80% of the time I dedicate music in general, but I do not take all the songs that you have named as rock music, that's all.

Am I the only one who's heard My Name Is Prince

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Swa said:

You might want to listen to a lot of the albums that came out post OTW and Thriller and see how they influenced the sound and variety of styles on an album.

You might also want to peep Purple Rain (the movie) again you might notice Prince sporting one glove in a few of the live scenes.

[Edited 11/30/11 14:07pm]

I don't deny MJ had an influence on every artist after his Thriller success.But prince sporting one glove had nothing to do with MJ.Prince had his own fly swagg. mJ needed to take notes...

Oh come on now. You know that the one glove was a fashion trend MJ started. Prince copped the fashionable look, its ok to admit it.

Doesn't make Prince any less an talented artist.

aardvark15 said:

Am I the only one who's heard My Name Is Prince

Apparently.

Hell, I quoted it.

He pretty much answers the question.

i hate how we talk about prince and michael like they are a 2 in 1 package deal..

i mean c'mon.. its constantly "michael did this" oh yeah well "prince did that" blah freaking blah!

i mean good lord... michael is the greatest thing to ever happen to pop music.. HE IS THE KING OF POP.. end of discussion..

Prince for the most part is not even pop... so why are we argueing? its like argueing about english in math class... it just doesnt make since!

^ Because, like somebody above said, some people just can't leave the 80's "rivalry" between the two behind.

And some people believe everything the media tells them as far as Michael goes. He was wierd, but dammit, he kept people talking. Kind of remind you of somebody who we DON'T jump down his throat in a way? Somebody who performed a song like "Sister," for example? Just throwing that out there, since that seems to be one of the directions we KNOW this conversation is wanting to go.

[Edited 11/30/11 21:10pm]

Wow, this shit is still going?!! Outa control as ever.