The world received shocking news today. The Legend, the Icon, a man who really belongs to no one category or was simply in a unique category of his own, Michael Jackson passed away after suffering cardiac arrest today at noon Pacific time in his Los Angeles home.
People around the world have grown accustomed to his life story, to his music, and especially to his influence on countless music lovers. MJ wasn't just a music icon, he was a personality that defined a generation.
I think it's safe to question what our current pop stars or musicians would be like right now, had MJ not spent his life devoted to revolutionizing the music scene. Would Justin Timberlake still be singing or dancing in the same manner? Madonna and Britney Spears on the female front of pop music have always cited MJ as an influence and guide in pushing the boundaries of pop. Almost every music sensation today has cited MJ as an influence.
The 1980's would not have been the same without "Off the Wall", "Thriller", or "Bad". His album, "Thriller" is still one of the best selling albums ever and it is still one of the most commonly played albums.
Even though MJ's albums had already been long released and old by the time I grew up and began appreciating music, they were still some of the first albums I ever heard and fell in love with.
The world is filled with talented people; talents that vary considerably. However, artists in particular have always interested me greatly. The impact that music has on people and the way it can change your life...I find it absolutely fascinating. To think that a young man who strolls onto a stage and then just moves his body in such a unique fashion once the beat starts pumping, grabs his crotch, flings his arms into the air, twirls on his feet, slides across the stage in a move that later becomes the "moon-walk" -- that this man can inspire an entire generation and then have that generation carry forward his influence and then inspire even more generations...it's incredible.
With a final concert series still in the works, this is probably the last thing anyone expected to hear. But then again, when do we ever expect to hear such news regarding something or someone that has become so permanent in our world that we feel we'll never be separated from it, or them.
MJ will live on through his music and his lasting musical influence -- just as he already has all these years.
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