What do you have to do to be considered as a musical genius?

Krytonite said:

I personally think the term musical genius is handed out like candy these days. There are few who deserve the title. Namely, Sly Stone, James Brown, George Clinton, Michael Jackson and Prince. Ofcourse, my opinion will be different to others, but those are the types of artists I think deserve the title.
[Edited 5/12/06 5:25am]

Krytonite said:

Be Prince.

That's hard to say, because as far as I know there's no measure of musical talent in the same vein as an IQ test.

I think these traits may be shown by most of those widely considered musical geniuses:

-show musical talent at an early age, or talent exceeding the usual skill level of that age (for a child)
-create new sounds or ideas in music or songwriting
-combine pre-existing concepts into something new, or present them in an unexpected way

I agree with DarlingDiana that the term is thrown around far too much these days. The same with younger artists just being handed the titles of legends as if a hit song is allit takes. Remember that Rolling Stone that proclaimed Justin Timberlake the "New King of Pop?"

DarlingDiana said:

Agreed. I feel that the measure of a musical genius is someone who can do seemingly superhuman things musically and/or has abilities so far above most artists. The only two recent artists that I can think of that deserve the title would be Prince and Jeff Buckley. Prince because he's created a body of work that is innovative as hell, can be enjoyed by one of the widest arrays of people, and as a musician is incredible. Buckley for similar reasons. There are stories that he would play three gigs a night sometimes playing some of the same songs but playing the same song totally different at a later gig than he did at the last gig. For example, retuning his guitar and just busting it without thinking about it or rehearsing it prior.

An artist/musician/songwriter/composer/vocalist such as Prince, Stevie Wonder, Barry White, Elton John, George Micheal, Marvin Gaye or Smokey Robinson.

Michael Jackson is a musical genius?

guitarslinger44 said:

Jeff Buckley had unbelievable talent.


spelling edit
[Edited 5/12/06 9:32am]

DarlingDiana said:

You're a victim of your own contempt. MJ is far from a musical genius. If anything, MJ was a marketing genius but not a musical one. He sang, he danced, and he put on a great show, but that doesn't take any musical genius to do any of those. Nor would I say James Brown is a musical genius. Then how you leave out Stevie Wonder is beyond me. To me, there are just 2 musical geniuses alive - Prince and Stevie. Ray just passed, so he would have been the third.

To be a musical genius you have to be prolific as a musician/songwriter/singer/producer.

meow85 said:

CherrieMoonKisses said:

George Michael is far from a Musical Genius. Smokey too. Marvin doesn't deserve that title either. Elton I can kinda give you and Barry as well.

Make a splash, have some real talent, consistently surprise and please for a few years.

The term seems to be specific to a moment in time. Eventually all pop music geniuses are riding on their own good name and fan following.

This thread comes up about every 3 months, doesn't it? It will, predictably lapse into one of those, "How the hell could you leave (insert name here) ----> _____ out?!" and "And so and so wasn't a very good singer, so HE's not a candidate," and to quote myself here, "Michael Jackson is a musical genius?" sort of threads.



Well, I'm adding Joni Mitchell as one of mine. Take that everyone!

StoneCrib said:

Why do you feel this way? Smokey was known as the composer when he was with Motown, he wrote for EVERYBODY on there practically! George Micheal has made some beautiful melodies and his lyrics and vocals are outstanding.

CherrieMoonKisses said:

Smokey wasn't prolific though and neither is George.

StoneCrib said:

Smokey isnt prolific to YOU...dont speak for everyone else. If thats the case then fine, thats YOUR opinion and I respect it. George Micheal may not be on the highest level but he is worth the respect. That is MY opinion.

StoneCrib said:

Maybe if Elton wrote the lyrics, too. But I can't call him a genius when he doesn't do that.

StoneCrib said:

I would call Smokey one of America's greatest living composers; I wouldn't throw the genius tag on Smokey (But he's damn close); But!!!! for you to say that the dude wasn't prolific shows you may have to do your homework on dude...Check out his songwriting catalogue and get back to me....

CherrieMoonKisses said:

Right. Isn't that why we post here? To give our opinions? And in my opinion, I wouldn't call Smokey Robinson a musical genius and I'm sure there are a lot of people that would agree with me.

u2prnce said:

Elton doesn't write his lyrics? Are you for real?

murph said:

Go read my definition of Musical Genius and then you will understand my post a lot better.

StoneCrib said:

Bernie Taupin is his writing partner. He writes the lyrics, Elton does the music.

u2prnce said:

Oh ok, cool. Thanks for the clarification.

u2prnce said:

Agreed....Great point; Elton is among the greats, but he's not on a genius level....In my humble opinion, here are a few genuises from the history of popular music....

Ray Charles
Miles Davis
Bob Dylan
Marvin Gaye
Prince
Duke Ellingon
John Coletrane (And the likes of Louis Armstrong, Thelonious Monk ect...ect...)
Michael Jackson (from 71-88) The kid was a child prodigy; it was incredible to watch him in the J5 days; that wasn't a boy; that was a man singing and dancing like his life depended on it...The early genius of MJ was his stage prowess and his brillaint sense of melody; To me that was MJ's true genuis, before he started lipsynching in the '90s...
Jimi Hendrix
Marvin Gaye
Rakim (from 1985-1992) What Dylan did for rock, he did for hip-hop...
Joni Mitchell
Billie Holiday
Sly Stone
Stevie Wonder (Duh?)
[Edited 5/12/06 12:58pm]

StoneCrib said:

No need to my man...Smokey comes close to the genius tag...But just close...The man created a sound and genre of music on his own (All you have to do is listen to "My Girl" and "Tracks Of My Tears")...And Smokely was as you say a "PROLIFIC" songwriter....I wouldn't totally object if someone were to call him a genius...
[Edited 5/12/06 13:00pm]

murph said:

I wouldn't put those folk in my category of what a Musical Genius is, especially MJ. Intrumentation is one of my driving criterion for being deemed Musical Genius, and even though Dylan plays guitar I just don't see him as prolific enough from all my other criteria.

murph said:

Difference in criteria, plain and simple.

StoneCrib said:

I agree.....cousin.

I can olny name 2 artist that I would call genius.
Prince and Stevie Wonder. That's it.