How would Michael Jackson be viewed today had he *died* in 1984?

[Buried Alien]

An objective evaluation of Michael Jackson's musical legacy is difficult if not impossible for many people today due to his bizarre lifestyle choices and actions in the years since he hit the height of megastardom in 1983 with THRILLER. Had Jackson died at the height of his fame and popularity in 1984...before all of his strange behaviors turned him into a freak and a punchline...how would his music be assessed today?

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Ontir]

He'd be the genius who brought us, arguably, the greatest pop album of all time, and re-invigorated the American pop scene, in the midst of the 2nd British Invasion.

[Jonathan Bogart]

He'd be the genius who brought us, arguably, the greatest pop album of all time, and re-invigorated the American pop scene, in the midst of the 2nd British Invasion.
Well, he'd be the singer that genius used. Quincy Jones in the house!

[Ontir]

True, Quincy Jones was the genius behind both his first two brilliant solo albums; but most people didn't know that, and generally, the producer only gets so much credit. Of course, within a few years, we'd have acts who were totally creations of the producers, in ways that made some of Motown's mass produced acts, and the Monkees all seem like singer/songwriter-virtuosos!

[howyadoin]

People would talk about him the way they do about Kurt Cobain, and not the way they do about Gary Gliiter.

[Ontir]

Brilliant, and so true! :D

[Erisu Kimu]

Well, for starters, he wouldn't be known for his notorious look and behaviour as much as his music which seems to be fading into the background according to the new generation that doesn't keep up with history.

[Ontir]

The fading of his musical career has nothing to do with "the new generation that doesn't keep up with history." His odd personal life, and the lied about, multiple plastic surgeries, which turned him from a good looking black man, to a walking anime character, to something that looks like an un-finished prosthesis from "Planet of the Apes," as well as his most recent live performance (http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1560113,00.html).

[The Mirrorball Man]

He would be the James Dean of pop music.

[Ontir]

Instead, he's becoming a self-mutilating mix of "Freddy," and Mickey Rooney.

[Erisu Kimu]

The fading of his musical career has nothing to do with "the new generation that doesn't keep up with history."

It is to say that the new generation wouldn't know of him because of his music, but because of his hideous face and behaviour. Only those that knew of his musical career prior to the horrible face and behaviour taking over his iconic "status" would remember him for his music and looks of then. Now you see Michael Jackson and think, "That's Michael Jackson the singer? What the hell?"

[DDM]

The fading of his musical career has nothing to do with "the new generation that doesn't keep up with history." His odd personal life, and the lied about, multiple plastic surgeries, which turned him from a good looking black man, to a walking anime character, to something that looks like an un-finished prosthesis from "Planet of the Apes," as well as his most recent live performance (http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1560113,00.html).

Since 1983's Thiller, every consecutive Michael Jackson album has sold less with each release. Michael Jackson has basically destroyed his own music career due to his unreal behavior with children & his extreme multiple plastic surgeries including his skin coloring from black to white.

The new generation does not really know Jackson's music as kids in the 80's did; the current generation of kids see him as a freak of nature.

[Ontir]

If you were a parent, would you want your kids to be listening to, and watching the videos of someone who's done that to himself, and has dubious freedoms, after repeated child molestation charges, and has made a number of bigoted (anti-Simetic) statements?