Divide was the 5th best-selling album of the 21st century in the UK, Shape of You is the 9th most successful song of all time, and the Official Charts Company named him artist of the decade. Swift is disqualified on this basis however the stigma she often faces highlights society’s misogynistic double standards regarding gender constructs and relationships, which are often weaponised to scrutinize female artists.Įd Sheeran is another chart beast. Some deemed her a champion of white feminism with her 2015 girl squad, while others decried her potential dishonesty following Kim Kardashian’s snapchat exposé during the Famous scandal. At Jackson’s peak, he was universally loved, yet Swift still has her fair share of detractors. Unfortunately, what sets Taylor apart from Michael is her place in the hearts of the public. Her rich narratives put her at the centre of debates on the purpose of celebrities and attitudes towards women, monopolizing the public consciousness and turning whatever scandal that comes her way into gold dust. She possesses Michael’s lucrative power yet her most fascinating attribute is her ability to perfectly intertwine her public life with her music. Swift has released some of the best-selling albums of all time, many of which achieved the highest global sales of their respective years. This may seem like an odd choice, but Swiftie’s place in music makes her too important to ignore. That being said, should The Weeknd continue to provide smashes on the level of Blinding Lights, he could be one of Michael’s biggest chart rivals. Jackson continually pushed the boundaries of his genre, without losing his sense of enigma, and The Weeknd’s character does not thrill quite to the level of Jackson’s.
However, despite the cohesion of his latest album, After Hours, The Weeknd’s earlier discography contains a greater mystique than his more mainstream later work. His hedonistic lifestyle is akin to that of Jackson. His film-noir storylines provide for captivating videos, and as the first act to lead the Billboard 200, Hot 100, Hot 100 Songwriters, Billboard Artist 100 and Hot 100 producer simultaneously, he is one of contemporary music’s most significant figures. His smooth dancing and hits such as Can’t Feel my Face and I Feel it Coming heralded Abel Tesfaye as the new MJ to many, whilst Blinding Lights is a stylistic and commercial equal to Jackson’s very biggest hits. Often vocally mistaken for Jackson, The Weeknd bears the closest artistic resemblance to the pop icon. Without further ado, let us investigate who is the next Michael Jackson. Acts from any genre are eligible, so long as they carry the most quintessential popstar traits. To keep it specific to this generation, only artists who began their careers or peaked after the 00s will be considered. The artists were chosen based on a synthesis of MJ’s defining attributes- his vocal power, mammoth chart success, game-changing concerts, and cultural adoration and significance. In a quest to determine Jackson’s successor, yours truly has settled on a select few nominees. Nevertheless, some of the most prolific artists of today have cited Jackson as having a huge influence on their work.
Last year’s Leaving Neverland and his history of sexual misconduct allegations have thrown his legacy into question. Thriller remains the best-selling album ever, Jackson still earns millions per day years after his death, and his crowning title as the ‘king of pop’ is ingrained in fact, having been named the ‘most successful entertainer of all time’ by Guinness World Records. Many called him the best live music performer ever after groundbreaking live shows such as the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show, whilst world-renowned videos such as Thriller have cemented him at the heart of some of the most important pop culture moments. His trademarks ‘hee-hees’, moonwalks and revolutionary dance routines are instantly recognizable. Michael Jackson is arguably the ultimate music artist his very essence exuberates star quality. This piece aims to find the successor of this star power, but always bearing in mind Jackson's moral bankruptcy.** His music will always be contextualised by his sexual misconduct and I aim to make my argument around which artist most resembles Jackson in terms of the success of his music when he was alive.
MICHAEL JACKSON MAN IN THE MIRROR ALBUM COVER FREE
Jackson is first and foremost a problematic figure and I want to avoid glorifying him or giving him a free pass because of the quality of his music. His crimes were heinous, and there is no excusing the wrongdoings he committed. **Before commencing with the article, I would like to address the allegations against Jackson.