I've wanted to talk about Michael Jackson's passing for some time now, but I don't really have the words. I came of age after the big hits, Thriller was released the year before I was born and the first Jackson song I'd heard was "Will You Be There" from Free Willy. As an adult I certainly understand the importance and genius of his work. He was a true artist, writing and producing not only his own hits, but also hits for Diana Ross and the charity single "We Are The World." His legacy extends beyond his own work, though.
Michael was a trailblazer, a pioneer in videos as well as music. Beyond the brilliant sound of "Billie Jean" the video was completely unique and groundbreaking. And then came "Thriller" - a music video in name only. It was an epic short film, financed by the king of pop himself.
I've often talked about the "Children Of ABBA" - my own personal theory on modern pop music. I feel that certain artists (from Taylor Dane to Britney Spears) are descended from the pop geniuses of ABBA, some via Madonna but even the Queen of Pop owes a debt to the Swedish quartet. Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking about the fact that there is another group of artists who descend from another musical genius, Michael Jackson.
It's not a black vs white issue. There is a different pop sound that Michael brought, a more organic approach to pop that the ABBA template doesn't have. While the children of ABBA create sleek pop masterpieces, reveling in the sanded down corners and smoothed down perfectness, the children of MJ rely on throbbing, jagged roughness. The stabbing bass line of "Billie Jean" would never work on an ABBA track, the layered harmonies of "Dancing Queen" would have seemed disingenuous on a Michael production. Neither is better than the other, both artists created pop masterpieces that influenced a million artists, both big and small.
Without Michael breaking down the color barrier at MTV, the idea of a black pop star (as opposed to "merely" disco star or R&B star) would have been impossible. Rihanna is one of the Children of MJ that springs to mind first. While the Barbados-born pop star doesn't write or produce her own music, that's not what makes a pop star a child of MJ. If you place her "Disturbia" next to "Thriller" you see the direct line from one pop star to another. "Umbrella" might not have the same sound as "Human Nature" but the similarity lies in the way both songs toy with melody and structure.
Another child of MJ is Ne-Yo, not just because "Because Of You" sounds like "Rock With You" but also in the way he inherits Michael's mantle as songwriter. He's written hits for Rihanna ("Unfaithful"), Beyonce ("Irreplaceable") and Lindsay Lohan ("Bossy") as well as his own. And the two world would have collided had Michael's passing not prevented Ne-Yo from cowriting for the King Of Pop's next record.
Michael's many children include dancing singers like Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown, although sometimes it seems those kids are stealing moves more than inheriting the spirit of Micheal's dancing. Ciara, however, exhibits that blend of homage and inspiration best when she dances, her moves come from that same place of joyous belief in the power of entertainment that MJ always seemed to possess.
Sonically, it's harder to point to an artist as a child of MJ, his voice should never be imitated. But his innovative contributions to pop music can be seen everywhere. I saw Keri Hilson as a child of MJ, but I was disappointed at the lack of her own songwriting on her debut album. Santigold is more of a MJ-style innovator, but her experimentation can sometimes go to far. Natasha Bedingfield is one of those pop stars that fluctuates between a child of ABBA and a child of MJ, songs like "These Words" and "Love Like This" have that free-flowing Michael sound while "Pocketful of Sunshine" falls on the ABBA side of the pop spectrum.
Really, I see Michael's influence most these days in the punk-pop/emo scene. Not just because Fall Out Boy covered "Beat It" but also because of the level of involvement a lot of these artists have behind the scenes. From writing their own songs, to picking producers and protegees with an eye towards creating a real pop sound to the energy they bring to the stage, artists like Paramore and Fall Out Boy may be the next logical step in music evolution.
If "Thriller"-era Michael took a look at the pop scene today, he'd probably be disappointed in the production he'd find. Look at the Billboard charts, from the lazy songwriting on "Birthday Sex" to the sonic blandness of "The Climb" to the all-around uselessness of "Don't Trust Me" we need more Children Of MJ.
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