Question by gr8_natalie: Who created more ‘history’ in music?
Elvis Presley or The Beatles or Michael Jackson?
It’s the Beatles for me!
Best answer:
Answer by Relax, I’m here now.
The Beatles. The greatest 212 songs..ever.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Unquestionably, the Beatles. Although that’s not to understate the impact of Elvis or Jackson. Or Madonna, the Stones and U2. All of them have been hugely influential in their own way, like them or not.
(And I don’t like all of them, personally).
Michael Jackson
the beatles made the most music history.
elvis did a lot of music that was already out there, be it more traditional black music, christian, country, etc. he himself was made into a cultural icon, but musically didn’t make as much of a mark.
michael jackson did pop really really really well. he made the transition from the late disco era to 80s pop really really really well. but he also didn’t necessarily break new ground.
the beatles created at least 75% of the musical tropes we still kick around while trying to think of something new. all of rock is indebted to the beatles, be it punk, alternative, new wave, whatever. they almost singlehandedly brought people out of the ‘i wanna hold your hand’ era of pointless pop ditties into the socially conscious, self-referential, album-as-artistic-work mode of musical production and expression like revolver, sgt. pepper, the white album, etc.
The Beatles all the way. Elvis was great to begin with but lost his way. Furthermore he did not write songs. Jackson’s also good but apart from Thriller, his overall impact does not come anywhere near that of The Beatles.
Not being much of a rock fan, I would say Michael Jackson. He not only redefined pop but pop culture itself, and has inspired generations after generations of pop singers and will continue to do so. Not discounting the Beatles’ impact on rock and Elvis’ impact generally on music, but MJ has made the biggest mark for me
Michael Jackson by far.
The Beatles and Elvis Presley were out in a time when the “music business” was young, and they were considered some of the first superstars. Enough music genres had not fully gone “mainstream” yet, as well as the fact that both of these acts received unified support from all the labels and companies at the time, so it was much easier for different types of stations to play Beatles and Elvis all day long. When Michael came along, the business had been around roughly 30 and 40 years, and enough musical styles, musical avenues (MTV, cable, Top 40 radio, rock radio, R&B radio, etc.), acceptable forms of musical expression, etc., had developed and MJ used his raw talent, creative artistry, and his GENIUS instinct in songwriting, to craft PERFECT albums, flawless dancing skills, world-renowned stage shows, and un-rivaled appeal across literally EVERY race, demographic, age, and walk of life.
The thing about both the Beatles and Elvis is that back then (and even today), no matter how much great length they were/are praised and heralded by the media and so-called “rock historians”, their impact was next to NONE when it came to children, minorities, and just diverse people as a whole. Sure, there were plenty of fans in each category, but nowhere near enough to cite it as historically distinctive. With MJ, almost ANYBODY could relate to SOME facet of his artistry, whether it was the songs..the videos..the show…the TREND-SETTING style of his…his rags-to-riches story….his childhood soul in the Jackson 5…SOMETHING!
Plus, MJ didn’t have to resort to STEALING other artists music to create hits (like Presley did), nor did he only stick to a one-dimensional, stagnant style of music, like the Beatles did.
When I think of the words “music” and “greatness”, my mind has NEVER jumped to Elvis or the Beatles, but ALWAYS to MJ, and that’s NOT just a generational thing either, as I’m willing to bet that even most baby boomers will be forced to admit that MJ possesses/possessed well more legit talent, superstar appeal, and stage presence than the Beatles. The name “Michael Jackson”, whether billions ever admit it or not, still instills a “larger than life” thrill and excitement in people, because of the magnitude of magic that the guy delivers on stage, in his records, and his overall persona, and that’s a nearly 25-year proven fact.
MAYBE Elvis and the Beatles can be credited as “pioneers” (even though I myself wouldn’t even call EITHER of them that, since there were more talented artists and bands that NEVER received the recognition as Elvis or the Beatles..or the Rolling Stones for that matter), but when it comes to the overall universal impact of “history”, Michael Jackson will always be the name that’s by far most synonymous with that.