The Man, The Music, The Legend

It was only a few days ago that I burned a compilation CD and 3 of the obvious choices were "Beat It", "Black or White" and "I Want You Back" (by the Jackson 5). Today I started my car engine and decided not to listen to mmy CD but instead switch to radio for a change. This is what I heard...

"At exactly 5.20 a.m. Malaysian time, the king of pop, Michael Jackson has passed away. He collapsed in his home at approximately 4.00 a.m. Malaysian time in his rented Holmby Hills home in LA and was rushed to the UCLA Medical Centre. By the time paramedics arrived, he had been in cardiac arrest and remained in a coma until authorities pronounced him dead."

I was stunned for a moment in my car. Not knowing what hit me. Did they just say Michael Jackson- the man that has lived a life blended with controversy and fame and brilliance- just died?

Although not being a Michael fan, being one who was born in the 80s and lived through the 90s and loves music, you can't stray very far from the influence of his music. His music defined many significant changes in the Billboard Top 100 era and influenced many famous artists who are making waves in this generation.

Never mind all the controversy, the rhinoplasty surgeries and the pedophile allegations. This was a man who was viewed as a prodigious talent from young and continued to sustain that success all the way into his late 40s. He will always be remembered for his still-record-holding sales album, Thriller, which sold upwards of 109 milllion copies worldwide, remained in the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 for 80 consecutive weeks, 37 of which were at the peak. At one point, Thriller wasn't just a leisure item, it was as common as a household stapler, as observed by an MJ biographer.

Anyways, hours after his death, his records are already selling like Elvis Presley's after his (Elvis) death. Highly versatile in singing, MJ has used his voice and dance moves to electrifying results. Capable of changing different vocal styles to project different emotions into his varying experiments, his vocal prowess is rarely, if not never disputed. The Moonwalk, which he popularized will be part of his legacy in years to come. Prior to his death, he was supposedly practicing a move "so revolutionary that it would make the moonwalk look like child's play". Now I will never see that move. =(

Here's to a person who influenced many and will be missed.