There has been much discourse with the release of the Sony/Michael Jackson Estate’s LP Xscape. As Fans of Michael Jackson have found ourselves on opposite sides of our normal playing fields. With some fans defending his legacy & opposing SONY’s shady past with Michael. Along with the questionable dealings of the Michael Jackson Estate. While many of the fans are simply clamoring for new product in the hopes of seeing him chart at #1 again. With regard to the Posthumous release,both sides Being Michael Jackson fans, all of us are steadfast in the stance we have made. This has created a shift in focus among us. What was once much more of a united front (the fans against the media and haters) has now become ‘Us’ against ‘Us’.
As fans, we have a common purpose & need to be at full strength. We need to come together again. There are reasons we are Michael Jackson fans in the first place. These reasons are no doubt endless. However, I have Ten that I believe we can all agree on. Hopefully this common ground, can serve as a catalyst for us to come together again, as one.
#1 Michael’s Unmatched Influence.
It makes sense to start with the ABC’s. Let’s face it, The Jackson 5 were the Model for every boy band. Menudo, New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, nSync, just to name a few of the obvious. Then when those singers wanted to grow up? It was Michael Jackson’s style they turned to. It made no difference if it was Justin Timberlake, going from looking like an Ellen wanna be, to doing his best Off The Wall impression on “Rock Your Body”. To Usher and Chris Brown completely and unmercifully raiding his arsenal of dance moves, Mike never said a word. He never complained of being imitated or ripped off because he was secure in his musical legacy. Michael understood he was the influence and although there may have been countless heirs to his throne, he was the only KING.
#2 Michael Jackson was THE Global Icon.
For a long time he was considered the most recognizable man on the planet. With over 750 million records sold, Michael Jackson exists in a realm populated by only two other acts—Elvis & the Beatles. Jackson’s success didn’t merely stop at American radio or the Eurasian borders, his music was fanatically loved across the world from Accra to Riyadh and on to Tokyo. He could sell out an entire leg of a tour at the drop of his black Fedora. His music and LIVE performances were so electrifying that they crossed cultural conflicts and language barriers.
#3 He was a peerless philanthropist.
Over $300 million in donations, supporter of 39 listed charities, forget any musical accomplishments, Michael Jackson could be remembered purely for his generosity. Michael’s Heal the World Foundation, was dedicated to helping a range of causes from domestic drug & alcohol addiction. Also reaching abroad to help fight famine and offer AIDS relief. He frequently donated the profits earned from humanitarian singles such as “Man in the Mirror” & “Heal the World”. Most famously co-writing the all-star fundraising single “We Are the World” alongside Lionel Richie. Which provided hunger/famine relief in Africa. Michael is recognized by Guinness World Records as the most charitable entertainer of all time.
#4 Mike was an open resource, and supporter of hip-hop sampling.
When some black artists were turning their nose up at what they considered a fad, Jackson openly embraced rap music. There are countless rap classics crafted from his sound. Coming from the likes of Nas, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Tupac, De La Soul, Puffy, Ghostface…. the list goes on.
#5 Mike transformed advertising and marketing.
Following Jackson’s successful bidding for ATV, which contained The Beatles catalog, the singer sold the licensing rights for “Revolution” to Nike. The emerging shoe manufacturer was shaping up a marketing campaign for a new line with superstar Michael Jordan. It was rare to hear big name songs on commercials at the time due to expenses and conflicts of interest. Unaffected by the firestorm of controversy it cooked up (and the threat of legal action from Paul McCartney himself), Michael Jackson pushed the deal through. The experiment was a hit and every smart marketing company soon followed suit. Just over 20 years later, the usage of big market music is common place in all commercials from shoes & clothing to tourism & technology to Automobiles.
#6 Mike broke the color barrier on MTV.
Thriller, CDs and off-the-shoulder neon t-shirts weren’t the only craze of the early 80s. Music videos were slowly capturing the imagination of the country thanks to a new cable channel called MTV. Just one problem, they’d almost only ever play rock music and weren’t interested in showing faces of color on white America’s TV screens. The decision became so unsubtle that during a 1983 interview with a station VJ, the legendary David Bowie abruptly asked “Why are there practically no Black artists on the network?” When it came time to shop the “Billie Jean” video, CBS Records were rebuffed, prompting president Walter Yetnikoff to famously tell the station “ I’m not going to give you any more videos [from any CBS artists] and I’m going to go public and fucking tell them about the fact you don’t want to play music by a black guy.” MTV relented and played “Billie Jean.” And “Beat It.” And “Thriller.” The rest is history.
#7 Thriller.
The benchmark, the largest selling LP of all time, the Guinness Book World Record of 110 million copies, the quintessential classic album. Seven successful singles on a nine track LP, genre-defining videos. But what about the music itself? While most of his peers struggled to come to terms with a post-Disco landscape, some wallowing in empty electronic and soulless synth, Jackson rode the line between Funk, Rock and R&B. Thriller was a course in crossover fusion 101. Perhaps the most vital element of the album however, was its ability to distinctly set Michael Jackson apart from other musicians. His sound and style were starkly unique and defined his music from this moment on and for the better part of his career.
#8 Michael boosted Compact Disc technology sales.
Along with the release of Thriller, 1982 also saw the first year of CD pressings for music in the States. Potential customers however were a little sceptical. How did this new technology fare against their beloved vinyl and tape cassettes? Was the sound quality worth shelling out a paycheck for the new equipment? With Thriller, sales people had the perfect demo product. Masterfully produced by Quincy Jones, its layered tracks and sound effects utilized the CD’s abilities to its fullest. With the album selling out in stores, it only made sense that early adapters and 80’s hipsters would want to be part of the exclusive group that could hear songs like “Beat It” in the quality it was recorded. The CD format never looked back and within a decade had canceled out its predecessors.
#9 Michael saved the music industry.
It wasn’t just about the music and sales of the album, it was also the impact it had on music commerce in general. Thriller hit shelves in 1982 during one of the worst post-war recessions in the US. The music industry was flailing, but its release helped spark an immediate repair between casual consumers and music stores.
Previously, entertainment had been an afterthought in their budget, but as the LP’s buzz and critical acclaim roared unchallenged, it suddenly became an essential item in the home rather than a luxury. Thriller put them back in the stores and once they were there people weren’t just picking up Jackson’s album, they were picking up others as well. The commercial stimulus was enough to keep the industry afloat until the recession passed.
#10 Michael Jackson was the American Dream. He was an American story.
Born into a working class family of nine with all the odds against him to achieve, he took his talents and mastered them. His work ethic was infamous, practicing and perfecting every spin, every slide and every song. The blue-collar attitude instilled in him from a young age, allowed him to take his star from the frigid streets of Gary, Indiana into a galaxy of its own.
Why do we love Michael Jackson? Why are we fans? What makes him so important to us? Because he was bigger than music. Because he instituted change. Because he was bigger than his fame but humble at that same time. Because he shed light upon us and gave us hope. Because he brought us all together with his craft and taught us to love one another, Michael inspired our hearts and minds. He was just that FUCKING Great.We can all agree on that, can we not?
We need to forget our differences, wipe away our conflicts, let’s forgive one another and move forward with a common purpose. We should honor him together, not as a fractured fan base. He wanted us to help him Heal The World but first we need to heal ourselves.
All For Love 