Michael Jackson: 1958-2009

It’s literally impossible to imagine pop music without Michael Jackson and that in itself is a testament to the importance of the role he’s played in music. He has influenced so many artists and genres that the music world would be a completely different place without albums like 1979’s Off the Wall and 1982’s Thriller and 1987’s Bad. Even if you don’t consider yourself a fan of his music, if you listen to pop music at all you have been impacted by Michael Jackson.  He was the King of Pop and he’ll likely remain unmatched as a recording artist and performer for many years to come. Sadly, he’ll always be remembered (and possibly unmatched) in his downfall as well. His entire adult life was a tragic monument to a lost childhood. Yet, out of this pain Michael Jackson gave us some of the best pop music of all time. He is (and should be) ranked among the greatest recording artists of the twentieth century along with Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and others.

The following video comes from Jackson’s legendary performance of “Billie Jean” on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special on March 25, 1983. This performance, which includes one of the first widely seen performances of his patented “moonwalk,” would be on a short list of most important music moments of the twentieth century. It ranks right up there with Elvis Presley’s appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, The Beatles’ performance on the same show in 1963, and Bob Dylan’s first electric set at the Newport Folk Festival in the summer of 1965.

This video shows one of the many things that made Michael Jackson great, he holds this audience (and the 47 million people who watched on television during its original airing) in the middle of his gloved hand. He was a natural performer. He could take a song about disputing a pregnant girl’s claim that he is the father of her child and turn it into a timeless drama with raw emotions and a compelling sense of tragedy. It’s this tragedy which marked many of his best songs, his rise and fall in the public eye, and his all-too-short life. His contributions to popular music are immense and he’ll be greatly missed.

UPDATE:

Many writers are posting their thoughts on Michael Jackson’s legacy.

Jim DeRogatis

Greg Kot

Nathan Rabin of AV Club

Roger Ebert

Various Artists react at Pitchfork

Various Artists react at Stereogum

NPR Music

AllMusic’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine writes a terrific tribute

Pitchfork’s Mark Richardson

Pop Matters’ Evan Sawdey