Comparison between Michael Jackson and Prince - Essay Example

Comparison between Michael Jackson and Prince It is nearly impossible to pick whom between Michael Jackson and prince, was the best musician, especially when it comes to the classics of the 1980s. Historical documents and celebrity tributes have proved that Michael Jackson had massive following because of his unique style of music and sense of humor (Krohn 53). Equally, Prince was a major force to reckon with because of his sensational music that caught the emotions of everyone who listened to his music. Both musicians were born in the same year, which was1958, and they resembled each other, particularly during their early career lives (Borsboom 38). However, Michael Jackson was one music personality that attracted admiration and media criticism in equal measure, perhaps due to several allegations leveled against him along the way (Sturgis 76). In this regard, it is worth noting that Michael Jackson was more of a performer while Prince was a great entertainer in the music industry whereby both artists dominated the pop music industry, particularly in the late 20th century (Anderson). This paper therefore, compares Michael Jackson and Prince in terms of their music, life, effect of their music on different cultures. Although Michael Jackson appeared to have dominated the pop music industry in the 1980s, it is worth noting that he had one archrival, Prince (Gulla 483). Since the music industry in the 20th century was not as robust as it is today, most of the musicians, Prince and Michael Jackson included, focuses on pop, Jazz, and classical music (Borsboom 38). Indeed, people loved classical music back then, particularly if the music was done either by Prince or by Michael Jackson, as they were the major forces in the music industry at the time. In this respect, it is essential to state that both Michael Jackson and Prince were great Musicians of the 80s with a wide array of similarities and differences (Anderson). When it comes to the comparison between Michael Jackson and Prince, everyone hold their own opinion depending on the musician that entertained him most (Gulla 483). Nonetheless, there were certain striking similarities between their style of music, influence on culture and life that virtually everyone would agree with (Sturgis 76). Of course, the first commonality between the two artists was that both originated from the United States of America (Krohn 53). Subsequently, Michael Jackson and Prince sang and performed American music that resonated well with most people across the globe (Borsboom 38). Both of them did their music from wide range of genres ranging from RnB, Hip-hop, to classical music. In this regard, it is important to point out that the music by the two artists enjoyed global acceptance, propelling them into international musicians (Browne and Browne 639). A notable similarity between Michael Jackson’s and prince’s style of music was that they both incorporated disco, RnB, and funk in their music, enhancing the quality of their music. For example, Michael Jackson (MJ) released the Thriller in the 80s while Price released Purple Rain, both of which had a unique mix of RnB and funk (Anderson). Although each had a personal style of music, the two songs were almost harmonious, especially when it came to rhythm and the level of performance (Sturgis 76). Additionally, both MJ and Prince preferred reclusive lifestyles as opposed to residing in areas inhabited by the public. For example, MJ later moved to Neverland while Prince moved to Paisley Park, where both of them attempted to stay away from the public limelight. Perhaps one would suggest that their lifestyles gave them more attention and scrutiny than they had anticipated (Borsboom 38). In addition to moving to private compounds due to the fear of media and public scrutiny, it is reported that the two musicians constantly run into problems with their managers, producers, and accomplices (Anderson). Certainly, Michael Jackson and Prince had their fair share of conflicts, particularly with those whom they used to work with, the authenticity if the reasons notwithstanding. Undeniably, Michael Jackson was the only artist with the highest number of legal problems than any other artist, especially considering the constant allegations of child molestation (Sturgis 76). Moreover, MJ had trouble working with Sony Chief, Tommy Mottola, especially after accusing him of having racial inclinations (Campbell and Brody 407). Prince was not an exception when it came to conflicts in the sense that he too did not want his contract with the Warner Bros. to expire and would do anything to renew the contract (Krohn 53). In as much as prince and Michael Jackson shared a number of similarities as far as their musical culture is concerned, it is worth noting that major differences lied between them, especially considering that one was an entertainer while the other a performer (Borsboom 38). Essentially, Michael Jackson had a wider vocal range than Prince had, enabling him to compose, and sing different genres of music exactly well (Browne and Browne 639). Subsequently, Michael Jackson was able to adopt and adapt to change as the decades passed by, making him a musical sensation for all generations (Krohn 53). Probably, Prince was resilient that this attribute associated his music to an older negation. Michael Jackson was able to sing and rap in more voices than Prince could do making MJ the darling of many music enthusiasts (Anderson). Perhaps one can attribute MJ’s wide vocal range to much collaboration that he was able to do as compared to Prince who had few collaborations with other musicians (Campbell and Brody 407). Due to MJ’s unique style of music and ability to adopt different tones, he was able to sail through as other musicians perished, making him a generational artist (Sturgis 76). For instance, Michael Jackson had a chance to collaborate with Whitney Houston, Akon, Lionel Richey, among other superstars, during his musical career. A vast majority of musical fans agree that Michael Jackson was more flamboyant than Prince, which catapulted him to become King of Pop music (Anderson). Virtually everyone agrees that entertainment and performance formed the basis of style for both Prince and Michael Jackson because both were unique superstars (Krohn 53). To those who loved entertainment, prince would come out as their favorite due to the sensational aspect of his music (Borsboom 38). On the other hand, Michael Jackson involved numerous performance episodes in his songs, which resonated well with those who loved to dance and watch performance (Anderson). Certainly, Prince was a star when it came to writing and singing love songs that could have even the emotions of the hardest of hearts. In this respect, Prince rated highly, as everyone could become emotionally involved in his songs. Besides, prince was also an instrument player and a songwriter and he wrote virtually all his singles by himself making him a musical poet (Sturgis 76). As far as Michael Jackson is concerned, it is worth noting that performance was a key aspect in all his musical pieces ranging from ‘Thriller’ to ‘You Rock Ma World.’ MJ indeed put more emphasis on performance that the lyrics and tune of his songs hence becoming the greatest pop dancer of all times (Anderson). It does not mean in any way that the tunes and lyrics of Michael Jackson were dismal, but rather the performance part was more interesting than the lyrics (Campbell and Brody 407). Furthermore, MJ differs greatly from Prince in their lyrical content because Prince was a composer and a songwriter while on the other hand, it is agreeable that Michael Jackson did not write most of his songs. Therefore, Michael Jackson and Prince exhibited dissimilar characteristics as far as their styles of music are concerned (Krohn 53). Although Michael Joseph Jackson and Prince Rogers Nelson were professional musicians, they too portrayed an ugly side of their personality, particularly when it came to mutual dislike and other outrageous acts (Sturgis 76). Since the two musicians have huge online and offline following, their actions or utterances could significantly influence public opinion about them (Gulla 483). In this respect, Prince had a huge dislike for Michael Jackson that in 2004, he went ahead to compose a song mocking Michael Jackson (Borsboom 38). He did this in his album called Musicology and he kept on measuring himself against Jackson probably because of Jackson’s successes (Browne and Browne 639). The funny part about this whole scenario was that Michael Jackson did not seem bothered by what Prince was doing. Accordingly, one can deduce that Prince’s was a one sided rivalry since Michael Jackson was already King of Pop and was admired across the globe (Anderson). Most of the contemporary musicians fundamentally ape what Michael Jackson and Prince pioneered, especially when it comes to pop music and RnB (Gulla 483). In as much as music by the two artists are currently classified as ‘old-school’ classical music, it is important to point out that Michael Jackson and prince really influenced the previous and modern cultures by their music (Krohn 53). In essence, modern hip hop cultures borrows heavily from the musical style by Michael Jackson and prince, particularly when it comes to fashion, rap music, perception of hip hop, and lyrics (Browne and Browne 639). The modern society tends to act like a hip-hop society whereby all the young stars are obsessed with rapping and doing hip-hop music (Borsboom 38). Concerning early life and personal life, both Prince and Jackson underwent difficult childhood because of constant family feuds (Browne and Browne 639). Although Prince managed to pull through in his adulthood, Jackson seemed to have been affected significantly, especially by his harsh father (Borsboom 38). Going through their history, one discovers that the two superstars had the passion for music for an early age and constantly practiced with the available materials and resources. Perhaps their troubled childhood led to the problems that they encountered with their relationships (Sturgis 76). For instance, Prince had many relationships with other celebrities and he even divorced twice, which was quite unusual. On the other hand, Michael’s relationships did not prosper and he constantly ran into trouble with the courts due to unending allegations of child molestation (Anderson). Thus, Prince and Michael had vibrant careers in music, but their personal lives were not very rosy (Krohn 53). In conclusion, Michael Joseph Jackson and Prince Rogers Nelson had fruitful careers in music and their success transcended insurmountable odds. Indeed, they passionately followed their dreams despite many odds that existed in the late 20the century. In addition, they shared a number of similarities including age, style of music and physical appearance, particularly during the 1980s. However, marked differences existed between the two superstars that made each one of them unique. For example, Michael Jackson was a great performer and entertainer whereas prince was a sensational singer. Moreover, Prince was a songwriter who wrote most of the songs that he released. It is not yet clear whether Michael Jackson wrote his songs although he was an equally talented songwriter. Overall, Michael Jackson had greater stage presence and was more influential than Prince was, especially considering that his music lives on even after his death. Works Cited Anderson, Kyle. Michael Jackson vs. Prince: The Forgotten Rivalry. MTV. 29 June 2009. Web. 9 June 2014. Borsboom, Jos. Michael Jackson: The Icon. Raleigh, N.C.: Lulu.com, 2011. Print. Browne, Ray B, and Pat Browne. Defining Concise Guide to United States Popular Culture. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 2000. Print. Campbell, Michael, and James Brody. Rock and Roll: An Introduction. Belmont, Calif: Thomson Schirmer, 2008. Print. Gulla, Bob. Icons of R & B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists Who Revolutionized Rhythm. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2008. Print. Krohn, Katherine. Michael Jackson: Ultimate Music Legend. Minneapolis, Minn: Lerner, 2010. Print. Sturgis, Raymond. Michael Jackson: Gone Too Soon (a Life Respected in Words). S.L.: S.N., 2010. Print. Read More