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COLUMN: ‘King of Pop’ will never be matched

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COLUMN: ‘King of Pop’ will never be matched

Posted by
Chris Bridges
in Opinions
Wednesday, July 1. 2009
Comments (10)
Sometimes fate plays a big hand in our day-to-day lives.


As someone who works in the news gathering business on a daily basis, I don’t always watch the news when I get home from a long day’s work. The mind simply wants a break, so often I watch a favorite movie or an old ballgame from years gone by when the work day is complete.

Last Thursday was different, however. For whatever reason, I happened to tune my television to the news late that afternoon. Admittedly, I was in the process of moving it to something along the lines of TV Land when I noticed the big news about the death of music icon Michael Jackson. As I watched I admit to being stunned by the unfolding news, which quickly became the lead as well as only story on the cable news networks and my mind drifted back to my formative years when the King of Pop reigned the music world.

Let me now say there will never be another pop music star on the same level as Jackson. While I respect and enjoy the music of Kelly Clarkson and the talent of Carrie Underwood has allowed her to have several songs receive airtime, you can take every American Idol winner and combine them and they will never come close to scratching the surface of what Jackson was in his prime.

I know in later years Jackson had been sort of a recluse, a strange character even to his fans, but there was a time when he was pop music. In an era of numerous million-plus record sellers, Jackson moonwalked past them all. His “Thriller” album, more than 25 years after it was released, is still the best selling release of all time. I still wonder just how many millions “Thriller” has actually sold because at the time of its release, technology was not what it is today in terms of tracking album sales.

If you have watched any of the numerous tributes to Jackson in the past week you no doubt have noticed how he was a trendsetter in so many areas, musical and otherwise. He helped break the barrier for black artists on MTV, something I admit to not being aware of.

Jackson, through the power of his music, helped erase a great deal of racism in this country. His crossover appeal to fans of all color, around the globe, is what made him the icon he was and always will be.

In 1985, Jackson wrote “We Are The World” that helped to raise American awareness of the blight of hunger around the world. Jackson, who also had a lead singing role in the song, showed that stardom can be used for something good rather than just for personal gain.

Jackson’s music videos are the standard-bearer for all that have followed. His videos are in a league of their own. Many are truly mini-movies, complete with big name directors and enough rehearsing to match any big screen production.

The mega-success Jackson enjoyed also played a role in his unusual approach to life in recent years, I’ve always believed. Having untold riches does detach one from reality and I’ve always felt Jackson lived in his own world where reality often didn’t reach. Even taking all that into consideration, Jackson’s role in the music world will never be equaled. He surpassed them all. His death is equal, if not greater than, that of Elvis or John Lennon. Not to diminish any of their passings, but in terms of music history, Jackson likely surpassed both, which probably says as much about the man as anything can.

Chris Bridges is an editor with Mainstreet Newspapers. E-mail comments about this column to chris@mainstreetnews.com.
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#1 Anonymous on 07/03/09 at 01:51 AM [Reply]
the king of pop will never be missed
#1.1 steven Davis on 07/04/09 at 09:06 PM [Reply]
maybe not by you ,,,,but look at the facts,,,,self made Billionaire,,,world traveler,,,,known by millions possibily hundred of millions...met more celebrities than probably any hundred people from georgia ever did.....

and then there you are probably a red neck,tobacco spitting ,,high school drop out,,,from banks county ,,,,,PREDICTING ,,,,AS THOUGH ,,,YOU HAVE EVER BEEN RIGHT ABOUT ANYTHING except who your momma was........
#1.1.1 c jones on 07/08/09 at 04:04 PM [Reply]
Self made billionaire but, wasn't he 400 million in debt when he died. He well only be missed by the media and people who hold child molesters on a pedestal. He had just enough money to buy himself out of all his trouble. If you watch the news you could see his daughter wasn't really crying it was fake.
#1.1.2 Anonymous on 07/09/09 at 03:49 AM [Reply]
do you know what michaels last hit was answer the floor
#2 rjones on 07/03/09 at 09:42 PM [Reply]
All this praise and not one mention of the charges brought against him for child molestation! Sure, the courts found him "not guilty" but anyone with a brain could see something was seriously amiss. I also find it amusing that the black community is holding an individual in such high regard who made every attempt to be anything but black through cosmetic surgery. King of pop?, maybe, Icon?, nope!
#3 Anon on 07/07/09 at 03:23 PM [Reply]
I agree with rjones that something was definitely amiss with the child molestation charges. I'll give everyone the fact that the man was a legend...but I'm thankful there's one less child molester on this Earth.
#4 Commerce resident on 07/08/09 at 06:55 PM [Reply]
Back in the day, MJ was a brilliant singer, composer, and entertainer. A few years later he became a pervert, weirdo, and wacko. The 24/7 media coverage is absolutely ridiculous. Thank goodness I have a lot of programs recorded so I don't have to listen to the same skewed remarks over and over and over. Will he ever be buried? It's been two weeks now! This is nothing but an attention-getter for his family, Jesse Jackson and his cronies, and Al Sharpton. I saw that mama Jackson was so bereaved that she went on a shopping spree to Target. Hope her sadness is relieved by that little adventure. And in the early days, why did those music icons that surrounded the Jacksons not report daddy Jackson to the authorities for child abuse? They are almost as guilty as daddy Jackson for not reporting the abuse and not trying to protect the Jackson children. Mama Jackson should not get off the hook either. She witnessed the abuse and obviously did nothing to intervene. After many more weeks of the supposed burial and concerts, we will have to endure the child custody battle, and the distribution of the estate. As always, these California dudes are a breed unto their own. Someday it will calm down and the press can return to slobbering over Obama. Oh gosh! My stomach is already churning.
#5 Realist on 07/08/09 at 07:44 PM [Reply]
Fact: Michael Jackson was probably the most talented singer/dancer ever.

Fact: Michael Jackson was acquitted on child molestation charges.

Fact: Michael Jackson paid over $20M to settle a law suit related to child molestation charges. This does not mean he was guilty.

Fact: Michael Jackson admitted on tape he slept with 13 year old boys as a 40 year old man. Sex or not, "that ain't right".

Fact: He was proud to be black only when he was backed in a corner and in trouble needing the help of black activist. His kids are white, his wives were white. His friends were white. He lived his life trying to be anything but black.

Fact: No one should idolize this man. They should respect his talent; but they should also use him as a lesson of who not to be a man.
#5.1 Sidney on 09/18/09 at 09:23 AM [Reply]
You left at least one important, yet damning "Fact" out...

Fact: In Jan. '94 he agreed to a partial out of court settlement of a '93 child molestation charge. Then settled in full over the same case in June '94.
#6 Anton on 07/09/09 at 09:47 AM [Reply]
Thanks for this. It really helped me out!
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