Graycap23 said:

I didn't cry until the funeral. They were burying Michael Jackson!

estelle81 said:

Only Madonna of those you've named. Barring some lurid demise, Spielberg will get two days and two more for the funeral.

i don't know whose life is such a spectacle that their death will command just as big a spectacle. i think that's part of what made MJ's death such a huge deal...his life was so gigantic that there was no way his passing was going to be quiet. that's how it was with elvis, just because he had become so much larger than life.

i don't know if we have any more mega stars who represent that much spectacle. madonna? success-wise she may be on the same level, but i don't think her persona is as bizarre and as iconic as elvis or MJ. when her time comes, there will be a lot of memorializing and mourning, sure, but it's not going to be an international multimedia event like we saw with MJ.

i can see maybe a big to-do when bob dylan dies, but it'll obviously be a completely different tone than what we saw with MJ or even with elvis. so many artists have been influenced by dylan and his fans are really hardcore and passionate. i can see some kind of big memorial event for him with lots of media coverage, maybe a tribute concert like the freddie mercury event.

for me personally, i'm going to be a heaving mess when bowie dies. i'm kind of prepared because he hasn't been doing much for quite some time and he's not getting any younger...but when his time comes, i am going to be one glassy eyed fool for who knows how long. best not to think about it in the meantime.

Anxiety said:

Fuck it I just don't wanna imagine it right now especially Bowie...
[Edited 7/10/09 20:46pm]
[Edited 7/10/09 20:48pm]

No one! MJ had the whole world crying! Everyone from every damn continent! I don't think anyone reached the popularity MJ has!
and at you'll saying Madonna!


But I can't imagine the world without Bill Cosby

RnBAmbassador said:

Madonna -- not quite to the level of MJJ, but pretty damn close (especially worldwide).

Kylie Minogue -- most counties (outside of USA of course) will definitely mourn.

Paul McCartney -- because he was in The Beatles as well as the other half of the songwriting duo Lennon McCartney.

Paul Stanley/Gene Simmons -- KISS Army members around the world will mourn greatly when one of these men pass away.

Aretha Franklin -- The Queen of Soul will be on the level of James Brown, without question.

Mick Jagger/Keith Richards -- Giving that The Rolling Stones lasted a lot longer than The Beatles, not to mention that Brian Jones is THE only original member to have died so far in 5 decades.
[Edited 7/10/09 22:47pm]

estelle81 said:

britney the skank wont be missed

if ppl die at an older age it doesnt generate as much reaction.
if madonna died at 90 i dont think the news would really make a big deal of it and the she wouldnt have been in the limelight for 3-4 decades.
Plus most ppl wont even know who she is
80yr old fans wont be lining up at the staple center either

When i was a kid i would think MJ would die real old coz of his oxygen chamber and all that. but he almost died in 1995 and his legacy is tarnished even obama wants to stay far away from him. of course he has tons of die hard fans becoz of the way he was marketed to kids.
Elvis greatly benefited by dying young at least he couldnt damage his image anymore
[Edited 7/10/09 23:21pm]

ali would be the next person to get that type of coverage.he is loved by people all over the world.he is also famous all over the world.

TonyVanDam said:

Stevie? Yes
but I don't see the others you named getting any coverage that would span more than a week or two...

Madonna
Mick Jagger
Elton John
Bono
George Michael
Cliff Richard (in the UK)
Whitney Houston
Rod Stewart
Paul McCartney
Diana Ross
Andy Gibb
Bruce Springsteen (in the US and possibly in Europe too)
anyone from Abba (in Europe)
Barbra Streisand
Phil Collins
Stevie Wonder
David Bowie
Janet Jackson
Prince
Celine Dion
Sting
Cher
Kylie Minogue (in Europe)
Aretha Franklin
Donna Summer
Olivia Newton-John
Liam & Noel from Oasis (in Europe)

if they die young or if they keep on with their current success also those:
Jay-Z
Beyonce
Usher
Justin Timberlake
Britney Spears
Rihanna
Robbie Williams (in Europe)
anybody else of Take That (in Europe)
anyone from Westlife (in Europe)
Eminem
50 Cent
Christina Aguilera
any member of the Spice Girls (in Europe)

I'm sure there are others too
[Edited 7/11/09 3:51am]
[Edited 7/11/09 3:55am]
[Edited 7/11/09 3:56am]
[Edited 7/11/09 3:57am]

Madonna, Dianna Ross.....but only Prince will have anything close to what MJ did realisticly speaking.

shortnsweet said:

If you are refering to the public reaction I think only Madonna might (but probably won't) get a similar reaction and that's only if she dies suddenly like Michael Jackson or Elvis, I hope she doesn't get this kind of reaction and live long.

jiorjios said:

only if she dies unexpectedly.

i think that's why there is an outpouring for Michael it just happened. had he died of a disease or 20 years from now it wouldn't have mattered.

midiscover said:

Really? The penguins in Antarctica, too?

Y'all have a sick obsession with comparing grief.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Yeah and the grizzly bears in Alaska were hollering when they heard the news.

Since I have been on this earth, which is 38 years.. there has been:

Bruce Lee
Elvis
John Ritter
Michael Jackson

what do they all have in comon? They ALL died young, if you die young and or you are just about to do something kinda big - you get that "what if" factor... what if they lived, what would have happened.

so really anyone that is dead in their 60's or up. Your not going to see a big deal.
[Edited 7/11/09 15:20pm]

Here is the thing, the whole MJ thing is coming at a time of when media is everywhere, as big as MJ is/was will always be, U cannot tell me that like him or hate him that if Elvis died today at the same age in this media in a drug scandal with all the coverups that went on in his life that Larry King wouldnt have an Elvis special every night for a month. i mean come on now, im no Elvis fan but thats just common sense, U cannot compare the "media" of 1977 when Elvis died or the "media" of 1980 when Lennon was shot, to the media of 2009. If Lennon were shot today outside the dakota, we would have re-enactments 24/7.

lastdecember said:

Yeah if Elvis and John had come at the same time as MJ and were as big as they were, I can definitely see them getting similar coverage. Look at how big their deaths were covered in their days.

lastdecember said:

Pretty much.

TonyVanDam said:

Its really just impossible to compare different time periods, i mean i think Lionel Richie (believe it or not) said it best about 2 months ago talking about his daughter Nicole. He said that Nicole often would apologize for the media stories and things that happend, and Lionel said "Stop, dont apologize, its the times and the way it is, when i was your age back in the day and would go out and do regrettable things, and cause hell, i could go home after it and no one would know, now everyone on earth has a camera phone etc, so you cant do anything wrong"

Here's my list though i agree with those of you who say no one will ever have as much of an impact as MJ but here are some close ones...

Prince
Madonna
Stevie Wonder
Aretha Franklyn

estelle81 said:

Oh man, i grew up waiting for summer's the next Speilberg movie, year after year, i will cry big time for that one.

spacedolphin said:

Maybe when Madonna dies everyone will start vogueing lol

A large public reaction like MJ's? Only Madonna can probably.

Garth Brooks? Who is that? No one knows him in Europe / outside the US. Prince/Paul McCartney/Stevie Wonder aren't as big as MJ, worldwide speaking.

Fury said:

lol, wtf

what about bob dylan?

I think this thread just proves that there aren't too many globally popular 'icons' left.Michael was one of the last ones.Other than Madonna,I can't think of too many artists who would get that same type of reaction/coverage when they pass away.

SoulAlive said:

Last? How about he was only one of a very few?

I’m surprise no one has mention Will Smith