Music Icon Prince Dead at 57

[LittleBoyBlue]

I've been seeing this argument on the internet. Just posted this on facebook on it. It's how I feel on the subject. And though I think Prince is the bigger music legend for my reasons, it doesn't take away from the fact that Jackson is a legend too:

I'm seeing a lot of debate as to who was greater during the 1980's, Prince or Michael Jackson. Both were definitely Icons, but it is Prince. Here are my points:

Musicianship: Prince excelled at every musical instrument put in his hands. He was an exceptionally gifted guitarist, and could take over for any musician on the band. Michael Jackson didn't play any instruments.

Songwriting: Prince wrote all of his own songs and was prolific. He ended up sharing many with other artists and giving them hits to launch their careers. Thereis a vault containing many songs and unreleased recordings. His songs will be coming out for years. Michael Jackson didn't write his own songs, Quincy Jones took care of that for him.

Vocals: Most might agree that Jackson had the better pure voice. It's a hard point to argue. Prince had a better range and THAT SCREAM. Michael was more smooth and happy, where Prince was more dynamic and angry.

Dancing: Jackson is the King of this. Prince was good at this, but no one is even close to Jackson.

Reputation: Jackson always tried to appear innocent, and did a lot of bubble gum stuff. People knew him from his days on the Jackson 5. He tried to keep that innocent image up. He wasn't innocent. We don't need to bring up the last years of his life. No one ever thought of Prince as innocent, and he hit home on a lot of real issues. Listen to the song Controversy and you will know what was going on early in his career. HE could be dirty, thought provoking, and controversial. He lightened up as the years went by, but by far his lyrics were much more powerful.

Revolution: Jackson was awesome in the pop R&B genre, and that is what he kept doing. Prince was able to mix so many genres like R&B, Jazz, Hard Rock, Psychedelia and Classical and make it work. Things musicians would tell you couldn't work, but he made it work with his song writing abilities. He truly created a new style of music that changed the face of music. Later bands like Primus would also experiment like this and it lead to better music.

Ownership: Prince fought hard against the music industry to have music artists own their own rights to their music and how it is used. We all know he changed his name to a symbol. Jackson seemed to go along with it, though his sisters have definitely had it with how the music industry is run. Prince started the fight.

Acting: Prince in "Purple Rain". Michael Jackson in "The Wiz". Case closed.

Prince and The Revolution was an extremely appropriate name for that band. Jackson was great, but Prince was the true game changer in the world of music. Prince did Revolutionize music in the 80's, and was a game changer rarely ever seen.

Thriller (drops the mike)

 

[Gemini Dolly]

Pretty damn cool.

 

[muck4doo]

Thriller (drops the mike)

Written by Quincy Jones with Michael just singing and dancing to the stuff written for him by Jones. Prince and Controversy, 1999, Purple Rain, Around the World in 1 day, Parade, Sign O the Times and a collection of around 30 albums written by Prince with instruments played by Prince as well as doing vocals. Helping many more bands with becoming something in the music world.

Dude. I like Michael, but he wasn't the game changer Prince was.

 

[muck4doo]

Pretty damn cool.

That is awesome! Though it ends too short. :/

 

[muck4doo]

Thriller (drops the mike)

By the way, pick up your shorts. You won't have far to reach. . Having the better selling album doesn't mean a better or more influential artist. Especially when it comes to bubble gum pop like Jackson was selling.

A question to ask of you, have you ever been a musician or aspired song writer? I'm asking that because that will tell me what angle you coming from. I'm a musician, definitely not a vocalist, but blessed with a smooooooth voice. Just not a singing one.

Aspired song writer doesn't mean laying down some raps on a karaoke machine either. I mean studied music, can read music, and can actually lay and create a song down like Prince? or do you have someone else do it for you and read the lyrics off a machine and shake your a** to it like some certain others?

I'm sure Justin Beiber might be able to shake his *** and sing on stage too. Should be compared to Prince....

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Written by Quincy Jones with Michael just singing and dancing to the stuff written for him by Jones. Prince and Controversy, 1999, Purple Rain, Around the World in 1 day, Parade, Sign O the Times and a collection of around 30 albums written by Prince with instruments played by Prince as well as doing vocals. Helping many more bands with becoming something in the music world.

Dude. I like Michael, but he wasn't the game changer Prince was.

Some of the greatest, no, MOST of the GREATEST talent had their songs written for them.

I know it's emotional and its popular because he just passed (and I am a big prince fan) but he was not on same level as MJ.

I watched the SNL tribute last night with all his appearances.... While he jammed out, he can't sing anywhere near close to what MJ did. Some of those songs last night the singing was average at best.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

By the way, pick up your shorts. You won't have far to reach. . Having the better selling album doesn't mean a better or more influential artist. Especially when it comes to bubble gum pop like Jackson was selling.

A question to ask of you, have you ever been a musician or aspired song writer? I'm asking that because that will tell me what angle you coming from. I'm a musician, definitely not a vocalist, but blessed with a smooooooth voice. Just not a singing one.

Aspired song writer doesn't mean laying down some raps on a karaoke machine either. I mean studied music, can read music, and can actually lay and create a song down like Prince? or do you have someone else do it for you and read the lyrics off a machine and shake your a** to it like some certain others?

I'm sure Justin Beiber might be able to shake his *** and sing on stage too. Should be compared to Prince....

Lol nice... The good old did you ever play,mid you didn't... You don't know ploy...

Yes, guitar since 1983, piano since 1999... violin for last 3 years... Fooled around with bass and drums....


Yawn!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Thriller (drops the mike)

I don't care who wrote "Thriller"... I don't care who choreographed it... I don't care who played the instruments behind it.

I just know it was a game changer for music and music on TV in general– And it was Michael Jackson. The hype was simply incredible. Unless you lived through it and watched how MTV presented it, you have no idea. There was nothing done by any other artist throughout the 80's and really all during the time when MTV was music-videos that came close.

And even today, everyone knows the "Thriller" dance moves. And it's like what... 33 years later?

Amazing influence.

 

[muck4doo]

Lol nice... The good old did you ever play,mid you didn't... You don't know ploy...

Yes, guitar since 1983, piano since 1999... violin for last 3 years... Fooled around with bass and drums....


Yawn!

Michael didn't mess with any of that stuff. He just sang with an amazing voice. This is one reason why I admire Prince more. He messes with all those silly things like musical instruments, played them exceptionally well, and had the audacity to write his own songs. Not as cool as moon walking and bubble gum pop, right?

15 minute videos for a 6 minute song I guess were pretty revolutionary. Yawn.

 

[JoeKing]

Thriller (drops the mike)

 

[TheCount]

Michael didn't mess with any of that stuff. He just sang with an amazing voice. This is one reason why I admire Prince more. He messes with all those silly things like musical instruments, played them exceptionally well, and had the audacity to write his own songs. Not as cool as moon walking and bubble gum pop, right?

15 minute videos for a 6 minute song I guess were pretty revolutionary. Yawn.

lol, you don't really seem to know much about MJ. You can express your love for Prince without making it seem like Michael didn't know a thing about music. You think the guy just sleep walked his way through a 40 year career?

 

[kimrose]

By the way, pick up your shorts. You won't have far to reach. . Having the better selling album doesn't mean a better or more influential artist. Especially when it comes to bubble gum pop like Jackson was selling.

A question to ask of you, have you ever been a musician or aspired song writer? I'm asking that because that will tell me what angle you coming from. I'm a musician, definitely not a vocalist, but blessed with a smooooooth voice. Just not a singing one.

Aspired song writer doesn't mean laying down some raps on a karaoke machine either. I mean studied music, can read music, and can actually lay and create a song down like Prince? or do you have someone else do it for you and read the lyrics off a machine and shake your a** to it like some certain others?

I'm sure Justin Beiber might be able to shake his *** and sing on stage too. Should be compared to Prince....

Not to get off topic here, and I certainly don't want to start a Bieber war, lol, but I just wanted to point out that, while Bieber may not be to everyone's liking, he is full of talent. He plays very well the guitar, piano, drums, and trumpet. He also has written lots of his own songs and music. The boy also has some pretty good dance moves. I am not saying he is on the level of Prince or Michael, so don't get me wrong here. But you mentioned that he can shake his butt and sing on stage. He does a lot of other stuff on stage, too. He's actually been playing the drums, laying down real beats, since he was a toddler. Most of the big guns in the music industry have much respect for him and his talent, including Usher, Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, Quincy Jones, and Corey Taylor (lead singer of Slipknot, who vehemently defended him against all the small-minded, unfounded hate he was getting by queer Youtube commenters).

My belief in comparing Prince and Michael Jackson is that they are not comparable. Or I guess I should say that I don't have a need to compare them. They are each in their own right iconic legends, both very deserving of their rightful places in our musical world and hearts. I love them both dearly and I can't believe they are both gone now. My heart has been smashed.

 

[muck4doo]

lol, you don't really seem to know much about MJ. You can express your love for Prince without making it seem like Michael didn't know a thing about music. You think the guy just sleep walked his way through a 40 year career?

Sleep walked? No. Moonwalked? Yes.

 

[TheCount]

Sleep walked? No. Moonwalked? Yes.

I was hoping you'd knock that one out the park.

 

[JoeKing]

My belief in comparing Prince and Michael Jackson is that they are not comparable. Or I guess I should say that I don't have a need to compare them. They are each in their own right iconic legends, both very deserving of their rightful places in our musical world and hearts. I love them both dearly and I can't believe they are both gone now. My heart has been smashed.

 

[kimrose]

Oh Yeah! Great find here. Two of my favorites. Love Love Love Lenny Kravitz, too. He counts Prince as a mentor and a great friend. What a massive loss the Universe has suffered.

Anyway, for those who are interested......

 

[Plankton]

In his auto-biography, the late Miles Davis said that there were two artists that he wished that he had the chance to work with - Jimi Hendrix and Prince. He regarded both as geniuses.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I don't care who wrote "Thriller"... I don't care who choreographed it... I don't care who played the instruments behind it.

I just know it was a game changer for music and music on TV in general– And it was Michael Jackson. The hype was simply incredible. Unless you lived through it and watched how MTV presented it, you have no idea. There was nothing done by any other artist throughout the 80's and really all during the time when MTV was music-videos that came close.

And even today, everyone knows the "Thriller" dance moves. And it's like what... 33 years later?

Amazing influence.

It was a once in a lifetime deal.
His Billie Jean video. The lighted tiles. His moves. He lit up the screen... And I don't mean the tiles.
Thriller video. He wanted to make a mini movie, mission accomplished.
Beat it. EVH on guitar. The video was choreography.

Going back to earlier songs.... "Girl, close your eyes... Let the rhythm get into you"... That bling bling outfit, his moves. It just grabbed you.

I felt so bad for Lionel Richie. That dude was great and MJ and Thriller crushed him that year. I think MJ and thriller swept all the awards..... All you heard was...

An the nominees are... Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson.... The winner Michael Jackson
An the nominees are... Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson.... The winner Michael Jackson
An the nominees are... Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson.... The winner Michael Jackson
An the nominees are... Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson.... The winner Michael Jackson
.... All night long!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It was a once in a lifetime deal.
His Billie Jean video. The lighted tiles. His moves. He lit up the screen... And I don't mean the tiles.
Thriller video. He wanted to make a mini movie, mission accomplished.
Beat it. EVH on guitar. The video was choreography.

Going back to earlier songs.... "Girl, close your eyes... Let the rhythm get into you"... That bling bling outfit, his moves. It just grabbed you.

I felt so bad for Lionel Richie. That dude was great and MJ and Thriller crushed him that year. I think MJ and thriller swept all the awards..... All you heard was...

An the nominees are... Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson.... The winner Michael Jackson
An the nominees are... Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson.... The winner Michael Jackson
An the nominees are... Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson.... The winner Michael Jackson
An the nominees are... Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson.... The winner Michael Jackson
.... All night long!

LOL!

I remember MTV- "And in 10 minutes is our next playing of Thriller!"

Again, if someone didn't live through that they would have no idea how impactful it ("Thriller") was.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Michael didn't mess with any of that stuff. He just sang with an amazing voice. This is one reason why I admire Prince more. He messes with all those silly things like musical instruments, played them exceptionally well, and had the audacity to write his own songs. Not as cool as moon walking and bubble gum pop, right?

15 minute videos for a 6 minute song I guess were pretty revolutionary. Yawn.

You see... I'm not taking offense, I like them both A LOT!


MJ was king of pop.
Prince was a Prince. Quite honestly, I saw the SNL special with all Prince performances.... Some of the songs he was really bad "singing".

A King and a Prince... End of story.