Okay, so who’s better: Michael Jackson or The Beatles? That is almost like asking which is more vital, food or water? Both are of equal importance, and they both offer something different from the other. One nourishes your body, and the other’s moon walk inspires generations. One quenches thirst, and the other paved the way for the future of music with intriguing lyrics and musical scores. While it is not exactly fair to say which one was more important than the other, it IS fair to say they both have made enough impact and influence to last many lifetimes.
To tackle the difficult task of deciding which artist is “better,” one must examine both cases. First up, Michael Jackson. Some quick facts about Michael: he was the front man of the successful Jackson 5, the Guinness Book of World Records regards him as the most successful artist of all time, his album Thriller is the most successful album of all time (selling between 65 and 110 million copies worldwide), he was a notable humanitarian and philanthropist, but hurt his reputation with drug use and allegedly child sexual abuse.
Michael Jackson’s accomplishments cannot be denied. He sold over 750 million albums worldwide and each album contains songs that inspired people to get on their feet and dance. He became popular with his utilization of fancy footwork with edgy, pop music. Michael impressively danced his way into the hearts of millions to songs such as “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” and “Thriller.” He also used his platform to push for earth conservation and equality by all races. The inspiring songs such as, “Black or White,” “Earth Song,” and “Man In the Mirror” encouraged people to make a difference in their own world by taking care of their environment and accepting others, no matter how different.
While many can agree Michael Jackson was an important player in the history of music, he was also unfortunately scrutinized by the media about his odd private life. Speculation that Michael sexually abused children arose when children who had stayed at Michael’s house admitted he had touched them. All the while, Michael’s physical appearance had been dramatically changing throughout the years. His nose became significantly narrow, and his skin became several shades lighter. Such an odd transformation made people wonder if he was a good role model for children.
Next up, The Beatles. Some quick facts about The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr collectively made up the rock group in Liverpool, England, they have sold more than 1 billion records, they transformed music by combining catchy lyrics with diverse musical scores; scores that used a variety of instruments, including sitars and orchestras, which crossed genre lines and generation gaps.
The Beatles have been regarded as the most influential musical group of all time. “Influential” covers a broad spectrum. Influential in the musical world by putting an end to the “flavor of the week” inspired songs during the early 1960s. Influential by creating inspirational songs such as “Let It Be” and “All You Need Is Love,” which musically persuaded people to get along and love one another. The Beatlemania era also sparked a revolution for the youth to grow their hair long and adapt their lifestyle to a similar “Beatle” fashion.
As positive and inspiring as The Beatles were, they were still not immune to harsh public scrutiny. Comments from John Lennon saying The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ sparked a backlash. Some fans turned their backs against their once role models and burned their Beatle merchandise, including albums, movies, clothing, etc. The Beatles also had a history of drug use, such as LSD. When viewing the rock group in this context, the term “role model” certainly does not come to mind.
With that said, The Beatles and Michael Jackson have made their mark on the world, and their legacy will last for a long time to come. One aspect both artists have in common was they both took risks. Michael broke racial barriers by appealing to different races all over the world. He changed the world of music videos by making his almost like mini movies. On the same page, The Beatles set a new standard of entertainment by staring in their own movies, such as A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, which offered a new medium for fans to appreciate all The Beatles had to offer.
Revolutionary, inspirational, and generation defining; those terms describe both The Beatles and Michael Jackson. They are idols of a generation, and their legacy will be there for other generations to enjoy. While both artists are relatively different, one dances while the others play instruments, they still share some of the same qualities. Qualities that will inspire people to do things bigger than themselves and to love one another. The question is not, “Which artist is better than the other,” but more so, “Which artist made YOU a better person? Which artist inspired YOU to do better, to be better, and to dance a little more?” In the end, those are the only questions worth debating.
No comments:
Post a Comment