Michael Jackson 2nd after the Beatles; Elvis Presley 3rd that’s reality

Michael Jackson is #1 not second to the Beatles! He is the greatest entertainer of all time! Michael Jackson has reached more countries (I’m talking the most remote) & people than the Beatles ever did & that’s a fact!

There’s a reason why Micheal has so many fans…you cannot deny quality talent and music.

The music industry is just money hungry now, so anybody who’s decent looking and can carry ‘Twinkle-twinkle little stars’ acceptably can be a singer.

This is the reason why music nowadays is rubbish.

Quality songs like Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me’ are recycled to produce songs like ‘Beautiful Girl/Suicidal’ and people WONDER why the song is nice…please.

Where’s the originality?

Where’s the creativity?

We need Micheal Jackson back!

Bravo to whoever wrote the article above, let people know the truth!

I think HE Was the best, Still Be the Best, AND WILL Always be the best HUMANBeing…Entertainer!!! The Beteles were 4 ppl. and Michael Jackson is ONLY 1 and HE Took, taking and will take the WORLD By a storm!!!! LOVE HIM!!!!!!!

Michael Jackson vs The Beatles is ridiculous. It took 4 blokes to make the Beatles a success – Michael Jackson is far more talented than the whole 4 put together!!! Remember its 4 vs 1 here, I rest my case.

Elvis is certainly well overated for all the reasons given above.
It’s a close call between Michael Jackson and the Beatles though. Both wrote hugely popular and hugely successful albums. Both innovated. Both have been imitated and copied through the years, though I would suggest Michael Jackson is probably more often copied these days than the Beatles – Justin Timberlake, Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Omarion, Akon etc. It is unclear who has sold the most records, but from what I hear, if you add ALL of Michael Jackson’s career sales (Jackson 5, Jacksons, plus solo material) he has sold more than Paul McCartney’s career sales.

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say Michael Jackson is greater than the BEatler, but it is a hard one to call.

The very notion that Elvis Presley was a legitimate artist is one of the greatest myths this world has ever seen.

Elvis didn’t write any of his own songs. Most of them were bought for a pittence from poor black songwriters who were never given any royalties and died penniless.

Elvis was nothing more than the equivalent of somebody like Gareth Gates – a pretty face and a mediocre voice to plaster over somebody else’s songs.

He was a good performer, but he was never a legitimate artist. His fame combined with the rose-tinted view most people take of past musicians have secured him a legacy that he most certainly did not deserve.

Performer? Yes.
Singer? Yes.
Influencial artist? Not a chance.

This person has many facts wrong in this article and judging by some of the snide remarks he obviously doesn’t have the restraint to be objective.

Lisa Marie, Elvis’ sole heir, makes money on Elvis’ likeness, not his music. In 1973 Elvis sold the rights to all future royalties back to RCA for a lumps sum payment of five million dollars.

I also doubt that this person has ever heard Otis Blackwells recordings of any of these songs.

He also referenced Jackie Wilson a few times. I would sugges this guy do a little research and see what Mr. Wilson had to say about Elvis.

Typical ignorant hatred of Elvis based in bullshit.

Michael Jackson now owns a significant portion of Elvis’s music AND screwed his daughter, so ha.

Leonard Berstein said “Elvis Presley was the greatest cultural force of the 20th Century”. I guess some opinions are FAR more equal than others.

Musicoligists are still busy debating the unique qualities of Elvis Presley’s extraordinary voice.
why is BBC1 TV still using Elvis to advertise it’s programmes? A rhetorical question. All discerning listeners know why.

How can he be the greatest ultual force of the 20th century when h never wrote a single one of his own hits?

Don’t you have to actually contribute to the culture in order to become a cultural force?

All Elvis and his people did was prey on poor black songriters with no choice other than to surrender their music for next to money, then never pay them any royalties.

The great Ludwig Van Beethoven used an Irish tune in his Magnificent 7th Symphony Nobody owns song or music!
Opera singer Maria Callas did not write a song but her contribution through the use of her beautiful voice to world culture is recognised internationally. The same applies to Elvis Presley.
It is a futile exercise attempting to belittle the finest and most versatile vocalist in popular music history.

We all know why songwriter John Lennon admired Elvis so much. Well those of us steeped in classical and popular music do. Yes a great many Black songwriters do too. James Brown was a good friend of Elvis.

Michael Jackson pwns Elvis…Elvis was racist, he once said in 1977
“All a black man can do is shine my shoes and buy my records”
10 years later
Michael Jackson outsells ELVIS!

Finest and most versatile vocalist in popular music history?

You are joking, right?

Like to hear Elvis hit one of Michael Jackson’s falsettos.

I have been a fan of Elvis & the Beatles my whole life. I also think Michael Jackson is great too.
Everyone has different opinions and taste when it comes to music but to compare Elvis Presley to Justin Timberlake & Gareth Gates is just pathetic!! If you can not see the talent or appreciate what an amazing voice Elvis had, then you have no idea what real music is!!

Gareth Gates????? I still cant believe I read that!!! I bet you are one of these people that only knows Hound Dog & Are you lonesome tonight and are basing your opinion on that, rather than on a whole career that lasted well over 20 years!

Just because Elvis didn’t write his own material, that doesn’t make him any less of an artist. He had more talent than all of the clowns in the charts today put together!

And as for this comment …”I’m just still laughing at people who think Elvis is original.”…Seriously fella, that comment is both clueless & ignorant!! Elvis Presley made music what it is today. Of course he had learnt different styles and picked up idea’s from other singers along the way…..Its called learning. You should try it some time!! Do you think that every dance step Michael Jackson has made is totally original?? Of course not!! He simply added his own unique style.

I have seen Michael Jackson in concert a few times. Unfortunately only ever seen Elvis on TV. They are both amazing performers……….but Elvis Presley is unquestionably the greatest and most influential performer that the world has ever or will ever see.

Am I joking? Live and learn young man.

“Elvis Presley has been described variously as a baritone and a tenor. An extraordinary compass, and a very wide range of vocal color have something to do with this divergence of opinion. The voice covers two octaves and a third, from the baritone low-G to the tenor high B, with an upward extension in falsetto to at least a D flat. Presley’s best octave is in the middle, D-flat to D-flat. Call him a high baritone. In “It’s now or never”, he ends it in a full voice cadence (A, G, F), that has nothing to do with the vocal devices of Rhythm and Blues and Country. That A-note is hit right on the nose, and it is rendered less astonishing only by the number of tracks where he lands easy and accurate B-flats. Moreover, he has not been confined to one type of vocal production. In ballads and country songs he belts out full-voiced high G’s and A’s that an opera baritone might envy. Elvis’ voice is, in a word, an extraordinary voice, or many voices”. – Henry Pleasants, in his book “The Great American singers”.

“I suppose you’d had to call him a lyric baritone, although with exceptional high notes and unexpectedly rich low ones. But what is more important about Elvis Presley is not his vocal range, nor how high, or low it extends, but where its center of gravity is. By that measure, Elvis was all at once a tenor, a baritone and a bass, the most unusual voice I’ve ever heard”.- Gregory Sandows, Music Professor at Columbia University, published in The Village Voice.

” ….(in his voice), Elvis Presley possessed the most beautiful musical instrument, and the genius to play that instrument perfectly. (He) could jump from octave to countless other octaves with such agility without voice crack, simultaneously sing a duet with his own overtones, rein in an always-lurking atomic explosion to so effortlessly fondle, and release, the most delicate chimes of pathos. Yet, those who haven’t been open to explore some of Presley’s most brilliant work – the almost esoteric ballads and semi-classical recordings -, have cheated themselves out of one of the most beautiful gifts to fall out of the sky in a lifetime”.- Mike Handley, narrator and TV/radio spokesman.

“I am reminded of a comment made shortly after the death of Elvis Presley by a musician he had worked with. He pointed out that despite an impressive vocal range of two and a half octaves – something approaching perfect pitch-, Elvis was willing to sing off-key when he thought the song required it. Those off-key notes were art”.- Patrick H. Adkins, “The Dream vaults of Opar”

“Elvis’ initial hopes for a music career involved singing in a gospel male quartet. His favourite part was bass baritone, and he himself had an almost 3-octave vocal range… Yet to posterity’s surprise, such a superlative and magnetic natural talent always remained humble –perhaps too humble to keep performing forever”. IMDb’s review of his appearance in Frank Sinatra’s 1960′s “Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley” TV special.-

“With the way he was marketed, he didn’t even need to be able to sing the way he could. But Elvis had talent, plain and simple. The guy had a variety in his vocal styles and approach, he could make more vocal tones, with just his voice, than a guitar player with 50 pedals and gadgets. If you never even saw the guy, you could plain feel, not just hear, the emotion and passion in his voice, and you are immediately taken in, one hundred percent. On the merit of vocals alone, he had more talent in the barbecue stuck in his teeth than the singers who sell millions of records do today”.- Country singer Roger Wallace, in “Soapbox”.-

“We can even hazard a little analysis as to what made his voice so appealing. “That curious baritone,” one critic called it. Actually, that is inexact. The voice had mixed propensities, hovering between tenor and bass and everything in between. Even a convincing falsetto lay within his range. One thing he was not, ever, was Steve-’n-Edie, the polished, professionally accomplished Vegas artistes who once pronounced on an afternoon interview show (Mr. Lawrence enunciating the sentiment for himself and his partner/wife, Ms. Gorme), “We don’t really think of Elvis as a singer. But he was a star.” It is only when, years later, one gets past the indignation of hearing such apparent ignorance, that the sense of the observation becomes clear. A singer is someone like Steve Lawrence rolling effortlessly (and meaninglessly) through a shlock-standard like “What Now, My Love?”. More or less like doing the scales. A star is the persona in whom one invests one’s vicarious longings, a being who is constantly hazarding — and intermittently succeeding at — the impossible stretches that every soul wishes to attempt but lacks the means or the will to. It’s not a matter of virtuosity.- Jackson Baker, in Memphis Magazine’s July 2002 issue.-

“People will often say that opera singers sound too stiff and operatic when singing contemporary music. This is because the vowels in an operatic style tend to be more open, whereas in a rock style singers tend to thin out the vowel. There is nothing wrong, and everything right, in opening the vowel in the higher register so that the higher notes can be sustained. Elvis Presley was very open in his singing style even though he was “the” rock and roller .- Brain Gilbertson, world-famous voice teacher.

“He rarely over-sang when recording, delivering a vocal to suit the song. So, he can rasp and rage for “Jailhouse Rock”, loudly accuse in “Hound Dog”, bare his soul and beg on “Any Day Now” and sound quietly, sadly, worldly-wise on “Funny How Time Slips Away”. This gift may explain why his music endures so powerfully and why his performances remain so easy to hear”.- Paul Simpson, in “The rough guide to Elvis”.

“Elvis was a (Gospel) singer par excellence. On “Milky White Way”, he’ got the strength of a bassman and the sweetness of a tenor. The heritage we have in Elvis’ gospel music is a gift to the world”.- Paul Poulton, Cross Rhythms Magazine If I Can Dream

” …the accompaniment is ornamented with bells, horns, and female choir, but it is Elvis’ voice upon which the words depend for their dramatic effect. In a departure quite uncharacteristic of country music, there is a fierce, almost shocked indignation and passionate intensity in his voice, transforming a fairly ordinary song into a vehicle for savage social protest”. – Rolling Stone”‘s review of ¨Long Black Limousine”, found in the 1969 “From Elvis in Memphis” album.

” Elvis’ ¨Love me tender¨ is a timeless classic that his fans return to, time and again, when choosing their favourite love song, but why is this early recording such a favourite? It could be the simplicity of the lyric, that wonderful vocal which quivers with an understated power and beauty, or the honest, pure sentiment of a song that has touched millions. Two minutes and 40 seconds have never been used more beautifully..- An RCA/BMG spokesman commenting on “Love me Tender” being voted Presley’s favourite song, by a poll of more than 5,000 of fans

” (in Rockabilly), the vocal is another important aspect. It should be rough cut and edgy, but also sweet enough to milk the honey from a honey comb at times. Elvis could span several octaves with his voice, thus leaving almost no desires left towards the key of the song”. – The High Noon.-

“Then, in mid 1968 he taped a television special in a black leather suit, in front of a select live audience, opening with “Guitar Man” and closing with a mild social-conscience song, “If I Can Dream,”. But it wasn’t until Greil Marcus brought out the recording of that performance for me, almost three years later, that I realized how significant it had been. Marcus has spent as much time listening as anyone who is liable to be objective, and he believes Elvis may have made the best music of his life that crucial comeback night. It’s so easy to forget that Elvis was, or is, a great singer. Any account of his impact that omits that fundamental fact amounts to a dismissal”.- Robert Christgau, Dean of American Rock critics, in his 1973 book “Any old way you choose”.-

“I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra’s. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness”.- B.B. King

” Had Presley never sung a note he might have still caused a stir, but sing he did. Watershed hits such as “Heartbreak Hotel”, “All Shook Up”, “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, and “Are You Lonesome Tonight”, were eminately Presley’s from the moment he put his stamp on them. His jagged, bubbly highs, and Southern baritone jump from those recordings like spirits from a cauldren. Elvis crooned romantically, then screeched relentlessly, always pouring his heart into the lyric and melody. After Elvis, the male vocalist could no longer just sing a song, especially in the new world of rock-n-roll. The “feel” of a performance far out-weighed the perfection of the take”.- James Campion, “The 25 Most Influential Americans of the 20th Century: #5″, published in 1996.

The average joe public would probably be able to name you dozens of Elvis’s hits, the titles are part of our culture. Newspaper editors are very fond of all the generic titles…….how often are they All Shook Up!
Ask anyone to name three Michael Jackson hits and they would be at a loss. That’s how Thrilling he was/is?

First, my take on some of the comments made by posters. I’ll deal with Daniel, and all those that belittle Elvis Presley’s contributions, at the end.

“Michael Jackson is #1, not second to the Beatles! He is the greatest entertainer of all time! Michael Jackson has reached more countries (I’m talking the most remote) & people than the Beatles ever did & that’s a fact!”

I have no problem with the above statement. However, the Beatles are more likely to remain a cultural force, in historical terms, than Jackson. Need I elaborate?

“There’s a reason why Micheal has so many fans…you cannot deny quality talent and music….etc, etc,”

While there’s no denying that the great music that Michael Jackson wrote, produced, and performed is badly needed in today’s music world, it would be impossible for him to replicate it. Need I ellaborate?

“I think HE Was the best, Still Be the Best, AND WILL Always be the best HUMAN Being and Entertainer!!! The Beatles were 4 ppl. and Michael Jackson is ONLY 1 and HE Took, is taking and will take the WORLD By a storm!!!!
LOVE HIM!!!!!!!”

I understand the poster’s feelings, but he’s not taking the world by storm, and the likelihood that he’ll do it again is, regrettably, zero. Let’s be real. Need I elaborate?

“Michael Jackson vs The Beatles is ridiculous. It took 4 blokes to make the Beatles a success – Michael Jackson is far more talented than the whole 4 put together!!! Remember its 4 vs 1 here, I rest my case”

This a particularly ridiculous statement. The poster seems to think that Jackson is more talented than the 4 Beatles, which is totally untrue, and the first person who’d recognize it is Michael himself.

“The very notion that Elvis Presley was a legitimate artist is one of the greatest myths this world has ever seen. Elvis didn’t write any of his own songs. Most of them were bought for a pittence from poor black songwriters who were never given any royalties and died penniless. Elvis was nothing more than the equivalent of somebody like Gareth Gates – a pretty face and a mediocre voice to plaster over somebody else’s songs. He was a good performer, but he was never a legitimate artist. His fame combined with the rose-tinted view most people take of past musicians have secured him a legacy that he most certainly did not deserve. Performer? Yes.Singer? Yes. Influencial artist? Not a chance”

This post needs an answer, similar to that of Daniel, so my dear Daniel, please note that this is for you, too!!

In fact, I’m not going to give you guys and girls my answer, but those of the very people the poster, and Daniel, think were ripped off by Presley’s success, and his appropriation of sounds originated from African American musicians, singers, producers, celebrities, etc.

But, before I go any further, do the posters who have belittled Elvis contribution, are willing to be put on record, in this here thread, that they know more about Presley’s rise, and his outstanding contribution to R&B, in the 1950’s ( and to popular music, since that time), than the following extremely well informed African American individuals, of practically every line of work, creed, and political persuasion,?

B.B. King, Eldridge Cleaver, Quincy Jones, Isaac Hayes, Berry Gordy Jr, Al Green, Muhammed Ali, Jim Brown, Otis Redding, Barry White, Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Chuck-D and Jay-Z ?

If the answer is yes, this means that they are willing to debate me, on this issue, but on the merits of my own knowledge on the subject, but on that deriving from the statements made by the above mentioned African-Americans: Again, if they are willing to debate me on this issue, then I’ll elaborate…

Maurice: here’s more about Presley’s impact, and about his voice. Maybe they’ll learn, from those who REALLY know:

“He got even more maturity in his voice as he got older; I was often amazed at his range, just as one singer listening to another. He could sing anything. I’ve never seen such a versality, and in fact I don’t see it today. Usually a voice can sing one way, but he had that ability about him, and he helped me to learn the importance of communication with an audience. He had such great soul. He had the ability to make everyone in the audience think that he was singing directly to them. He just had a way with communication that was totally unique”

We are startled, on the amazing “Blue Moon,” by his trick of shifting, in a heartbeat, from saloon baritone to pants-too-tight wailing and by his near Hawaiian avoiding of consonants (“Ya-hoo A-know Ah can be fou’/ Sittin’ home all alo’”), from “Don’t Be Cruel”, a song that comes close to redefining the art of the pop vocal; So, what’s left? A terrific crooner who was closer, in intonation, vocal virtuosity and care for a song’s mood, to Bing Crosby, than to any top singer of the rock era. Toward the end, he still had it as a Gospel ballader, the choir-soloist power of the hymn “He Touched Me” — his voice breaking poignantly at the end of the hymn, as if he had just seen Jesus — still thrills and haunts. So does his desire to please an audience of kids and grandmas, instead of comfortably occupying a niche, as almost every pop star has done since”
Richard Corliss, TIME magazine`s Music Editor, reviewing the “Platinum”, box-set, as published in the magazine`s January 8, 2003 edition.

“During the early going at the Charlotte Coliseum, there were scattered notes here and there that made you wonder if finally he was gonna do it but, always, he would pull up short, rely on the grins, the charisma and the legend, until finally a little before 10:45, he came to the gospel classic, “How Great Thou Art”-. And that was it. As he came to the part where he belts out the title, he sounded like Mario Lanza with soul, cutting loose a series of high notes that would tingle the spine of even the diehard skeptic; but crecendo came on a song called “Hurt”; it’s an old song that Elvis didn’t record until a couple of years ago, and the key ingredient is its range, an awesome collection of notes that could leave a normal set of vocal chords in shreds; he finished in what seemed his most potent style, but wasn’t satisfied, and mumbled to the band, “Let’s do that last part again.”; he did, and if there was anyone among the packed-house crowd who had thought Elvis was a fluke, they no doubt came away converted.
Frye Gaillard, reviewing his February 20, 1977 show at the Coliseum, for the “The Charlotte Observer”

“Arguably the finest recording found in all the Sun sessions, “Trying To Get To You” is a song that Presley made his own due to his hugely committed vocal, and the simple carefree abandon with which he performs it; at first, it feels like a classic country song with simple, elegant lyrics; but it is at the bridge – where Elvis really lets fly -, that the song is transformed from a lovely country lament, into deep blues; although the 1955 version is magnificent, Elvis manages to better it on his “1968 Comeback Special”, in which he sings the song with so much intensity, it prompted critic Greil Marcus to exclaim “this is probably the finest rock and roll ever recorded”.
Thomas Ward’s review, for AllMusicGuide.com, of “Trying To Get To You”, whose original 1955-released version has now been confirmed, by BMG/RCA (which owns all the Presley Sun catalogue), as having been sang and recorded by Elvis while simultaneously playing the piano, with Sun Records’ Sam Philips immediately arranging the mix so that his rather loud (and then still amateurish) piano playing could not be heard in the final master take.

” He had an incredible, attractive instrument that worked in many registers; he could falsetto like Little Richard, his equipment was outstanding, his ear uncanny, and his sense of timing second to none; (in short) he could sing…”
Jerry Leiber, who with Mike Stoller, co-wrote some of the greatest R&R and Pop hits of the 50′s, and early 60′s.

” Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman’s “Viva Las Vegas” was custom-written as the title song for Elvis Presley’s 14th film, a rollicking tribute to the city of gambling given a spirited performance by Presley and his session musicians; strangely, it remained an underrated Presley song for a long time, finally beginning to gain some recognition from an unexpected quarter when the “Dead Kennedys” recorded it in 1980, their radical recontextualization of it helping the song to an independent life beyond its origins; on its own, it can now be appreciated as a tribute to Las Vegas that probably deserves to be the city’s official anthem.
William Ruhlmann, reviewing “Viva Las Vegas” for AllMusicGuide.com, before the Office of the Mayor of Las Vegas requested Elvis Presley Enterprises to allow it to become the city’s official song; the price demanded by EPE was too high, so Las Vegas remains, to this date, without an official song.

“Even in his laziest moments, Presley was a master of intonation and phrasing, delivering his rich baritone with a disarming naturalness. And when he caught a spark from his great T.C.B. Band, Presley could still out-sing anyone in American pop. You can hear it here on inspired versions of Muddy Waters’ “Got My Mojo Working”, Wayne Carson’s “Always on My Mind”, Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land”, McCartney’s “Lady Madonna”, Percy Mayfield’s “Stranger in My Own Hometown”, Dennis Linde’s “Burning Love” and Joe South’s “Walk a Mile in My Shoes”…..
Geoffrey Himes, reviewing the “Essential 70′s masters” box-set, for amazon.com

“Riding a streamlined rock-and-roll beat, the singer’s vocal swoops, slurs, hiccups, moans and growls added up to a new pop singing vocabulary that was instantly memorized by scores of imitators. The antithesis of a relaxed conversational crooning, Presley’s style was fraught with tension and animated by an attitude of self-conscious melodrama, woving the whole unwieldy spectrum of pop singing – country-blues, Italianate crooning, Gospel, soul shouting, and honky-tonk yodeling – into an integral personal style. His crowning touch was to accentuate the spontaneously exuberant humor that had always been an ingredient of country, and the blues, but singing it in a way that seemed to poke fun at his own accomplishment.”
Stephen Holding, in the article “A Hillbilly who wove a rock and roll spell”, published by the New York Times on Sunday, July 19, 1987.

“Even as a young man, that’s what Presley sounded, like a man. I wasn’t of a culture nor a region that found Presley appealing, and I’ve never seen a Presley movie through but, a few years ago when in a tribute to him various modern singers covered some of his originals, followed, or enclosed by, his versions of the same songs, I was struck by how much fuller, deeper, and richer his were.”
Al Spike, explaining to North Africans why Presley’s manly baritone rang true, in the web`s “Chicago Boyz”.

“This is the best way to hear Elvis the Superstar, with “Hound Dog,”,”All Shook Up,”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight”, and the ever zany “Suspicious Minds” still sounding fresh and immediate —impressive given how many times most the world has heard them —, and showing off the diversity of Elvis’ singing, from the purity of his gospel falsetto to his rock and roll purr.”
Josh Tyrangiel, reviewing “Elvis 30 Number One hits”, for TIME magazine`s “The All Time best 100 albums”, as published in its November 13, 2006 edition.

“Take a track like “One Sided Love Affair” and really examine every nuance of his voice, every caress, every tease and every growl that he lets loose for the song’s duration, and you`ll you come to understand that the reason Presley’s voice has been so often imitated is because it was unique and, furthermore, damm great; no phony piano intro, not even a puerile lyric could have ever stopped him from turning this song into a real classic; imagine, then, how great it is when Elvis gets to sing material that is up to his standards — like on the Sun Records label song “Tryin’ To Get You” – , probably the bluesiest song on this record, where Presley shows a sense of determination, not just a combination of nobleness and sex, but an expression of guts as well; quite simply, this is a guy who knows what he wants, and knows he’s gonna get it, and his confidence – never arrogance -, is so contagious that by the end of the song, you believe it too”
Daniel Reifferscheid, reviewing Elvis’ first album, for Toxic Universe

“But the last side, recorded during rehearsals for his 1968 television special, is another treat, as fine and tough and overflowing with heart and soul as any of his 50′s recordings. Playing an electric guitar, rather than his customary acoustic model, he traded fluid rhythm and lead parts with Scotty Moore, their interplay almost telepathic. And with his original drummer, D. J. Fontana, stoking the fires, this music moved, from the ferocious version of Rufus Thomas’s Sun Records label blues “Tiger Man” to Jimmy Reed blues shuffles, to smoldering New Orleans triplet-style blues-ballads like “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “One Night”. This is rock and roll as good as it gets.”
Robert Palmer, reviewing Elvis’ boxed set, ¨A Golden Celebration¨ , for the New York Times on Nov. 18, 1984.

“During his rendition of “Hurt”, (1976), he was in even better voice, singing in a register that gave more impact to his phrasing, and even hitting notes that could cause a mild hernia. And, after they drew a good crowd reaction, he offered them in a reprise that was tantamount to masochism.”
Mike Kalina, reviewing Elvis’ 1976 New Year’s concert for the “Pittsburgh Post Gazette”, January 1, 1977.

“A double voice that alternates between a high quaver, reminiscent of Johnnie Ray at his fiercest, and a rich basso that might be smooth if it were not for its spasmodic delivery. ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, yelps the high voice, is where he’s going to get away from it all. Answers the basso: ‘he’ll be sorry’”
TIME magazine’s review, of the then recently-issed single, “Heartbreak Hotel”, (1956), as published in its April 02, 1956 issue.

“Listening to these songs today, their most remarkable feature is Presley’s voice itself. He takes the Platters’ Tony Williams’s techniques, and any other predecessor’s, to new, uncharted pinnacles. For a singer who was only just encountering widespread popularity, his singing resonates with amazing fortitude and confidence, especially on “Heartbreak Hotel,” where Presley alternately shouts words with full lungs, then gulps the following back, as if under water but without missing a beat. In “Loving you”, Presley’s baritone on this, the ultimate slow dance number, is almost too powerful, virtually rumbling the floor…”
David N. Townsend, in his essay “Changing the World: Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Culture and Ideology”.

“While he sings in a lower voice than ever -and what I liked about the early records was that beautifully vulnerable high voice-, he opened his Boston concert (1971) with “That’s Alright Mama” (1954), singing it with enough verve to scare the unsuspecting. It was his very first record, and although it doesn’t sound quite the same as when he did it 17 years ago at the Sun studios in Memphis, I was moved by the fact that he was doing it at all. It was a tour de force of theatrics, professionalism, and, happily, music. (In fact), he sings so well, the audience hesitates to press him for more, his purpose being to please himself by pleasing them, never to please them by pleasing himself.”
Jon Landau, for “RollingStone” magazine, reviewing his November 10, 1971, concert at the Boston Garden.

“I don’t really think Elvis’ voice was significantly lower than those of any other baritones. The colour of the voice and the sense of warmth and richness of tone gave the sense that the voice was much deeper. Elvis, in fact, did not force his lower register, comfortable as he was with it, which in turn gave the impression that it was lower than those of other baritones.”
Brian Gilbertson, world famous voice teacher, explaining the deepness of Elvis’ lower registry.

“(In Rockabilly), the vocal is another important aspect. It should be rough cut and edgy, but also sweet enough to milk the honey from a honey comb at times. Elvis could span several octaves with his voice, thus leaving almost no desires left towards the key of the song.”
“The High Noon”

“In “T.R.O.U.B.L.E”, (1975), his baritone was still as solid as ever, with its humorously cavernous bottom and its nasal vibrato on top. When he is putting out, reaching for the top notes and shaping phrases with the same easy inviduality that has always marked his best work, he is still the King.”
John Rockwell, reviewing one of his two 1975 concerts at the Nassau Coliseum for the “New York Times”.

“Elvis’ “Love me tender” (1956), is a timeless classic that his fans return to, time and again, when choosing their favourite love song, but why is this early recording such a favourite? It could be the simplicity of the lyric, that wonderful vocal which quivers with an understated power and beauty, or the honest, pure sentiment of a song that has touched millions. Two minutes and 40 seconds have never been used more beautifully.”
An RCA/BMG spokesman commenting on the song being voted Presley’s favourite song, by a poll of more than 5,000 of his fans.

“Elvis’ songs can be heard everywhere worldwide, which is perhaps why everyone is familiar with his voice. When you hear a deep tuneful voice with a Southern drawl in a rock ‘n’ roll song, it can’t be anyone but Elvis (in spite of that voice actually being that of someone else “succesfully” mimicking him).
Matthew Simpson, in his article “The Top 10 distinct voices in music”, for ask.men (2007)

“In “Hawaiian Wedding song”, (1960), Elvis takes particular advantage of his voice’s strong lower middle and higher note registers, made particularly difficult because of the need to sing in cascading notes. Elvis meets the challenge on every occasion, his performance being absolutely meticulous, with not a hint of vocal strain.”
BMG’s'review of his album “Blue Hawaii”

“The accompaniment is ornamented with bells, horns, and female choir, but it is Elvis’ voice upon which the words depend for their dramatic effect. In a departure quite uncharacteristic of country music, there is a fierce, almost shocked indignation and passionate intensity in his voice, transforming a fairly ordinary song into a vehicle for savage social protest.”
RollingStone magazine’s review of “Long Black Limousine”, found on the CD From Elvis in Memphis(1969).

“But the core of the album, and perhaps the core of Elvis’ music itself, are the soulful gospel-flavored ballads. Well, it’s often seemed as if Elvis bore more than a passing resemblance to soul singer Salomon Burke. The way in which he uses his voice, his dramatic exploitation of vocal contrast, the alternate intensity and effortless nonchalance of his approach, all put one in mind of a singer who passed this way before, only going the other way. And here he uses these qualities to create a music which, while undeniable country, puts him in touch more directly with the soul singer than with traditional country music. It was his dramatic extravagance, in fact, which set him apart from the beginning, and it is to this perhaps, as much as anything else — to the very theatrics which Elvis brought to hillbilly music –, that we can trace the emergence of rock & roll.”
Author Peter Guralnick, who, inter-alia, wrote major biographies on Robert Johnson, Sam Cooke and Elvis Presley, reviewing the album Elvis Country, for Rolling Stone Magazine in 1971.
Gospel tenor Shawn Nielsen, who backed Presley`s recordings both with the “Imperials” and with the group “Voice”, at the studio and in concert, from the late sixties until Presley’s death

“Presley brought an excitement to singing, in part because rock and roll was greeted as his invention, but for other reasons not so widely reflected on: Elvis Presley had the most beautiful singing voice of any human being on earth. Presley, for some fans, was primarily a balladeer. “Don’t Leave Me Now” is a love song given distinctiveness by Presley’s twangy enunciations, and sustained by the guitar and rhythm sections designed perfectly to complement the balladeer, filled out towards the song’s end – as with so much of Presley- , with what one conveniently calls the heavenly choir, which wafts him home but never overwhelms the country lilt Presley gives his music.”
William F. Buckley, Jr., in his article “The Crooner, R.I.P.: Perry Como and the casual mode,” published by the National Review on June 11, 2001.

“He would probably be considered a baritone, but he could reach notes that most baritone singers could not. Much of his abilities emanated from a very intense desire to execute a song as he wanted to do it, which meant that he really sang higher than he would normally be able to. When the adrenalin is going, and the song is really pumping, you can get into that mode where you can actually do things, vocally, that you couldn’t normally do. So he had a tremendous range because of his desire to excel and be better, and that’s why he could do a lot of things that most people couldn’t.”
Terry Blackwood, lead singer of the Gospel group, the “Imperials”

“Along with the rest of “Deep Purple”, I once had the chance to meet Elvis. For a young singer like me, he was an absolute inspiration. I soaked up what he did like blotting paper. It’s the same as being in school — you learn by copying the maestro. His personality was also extremely endearing, his interviews were very self-effacing (and), he came over as gentle and was generous in his praise of others. He had a natural, technical ability, but there was something in the humanity of his voice, and his delivery. Those early records at the Sun Records label are still incredible and the reason is simple: he was the greatest singer that ever lived.”
Ian Gillan, lead singer and frintman of Deep Purple, interviewed by Classic Rock magazine, explaining why Presley belongs in the list of rock icons ( as published in blabbermouth.net, on 3rd January, 2007)

“In Elvis, you had the whole lot; it’s all there in that elastic voice and body. As he changed shape, so did the world. His last performances showcase a voice even bigger than his gut, where you cry real tears as the music messiah sings his tired heart out, turning casino into temple. I think the Vegas period is underrated. I find it the most emotional. By that point Elvis was clearly not in control of his own life, and there is this incredible pathos. The big opera voice of the later years — that’s the one that really hurts me.”
Bono, lead singer of U2, for Rollingstone Magazine, as published in their April 15, 2004 edition.

“The young Elvis Presley, without any doubt.”
Top New Zealand opera star and soprano Kiri Te Kanawa’s answer to UK show-host Michael Parkinson ( who probably expected her to name Luciano Pavarotti, or Maria Callas), when asked whose was the greatest voice she had ever heard (as published in Blabbermouth.net, 3 January 2007)

“I grew up playing sports and listening to Elvis Presley, whose music I favored, along with that of Pat Boone; in fact, when an opera singer came on the “Ed Sullivan Show”, I’d think ‘Turn this off,’”
Samuel Ramey, the world’s top bass baritone, as told to “Opera News”, and published in ENotes.Com

“Presley was very classically orientated with his voice, and diction, and very sincere and wanting to get everything perfect”
Welsh world renowned bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, citing one of the reasons why Elvis is the only soloist whose music he listens in his iPod, as told to NYT’s Classical Music critic Vivien Schweitzer, and published on that paper on November 10, 2007

“People will often say that opera singers sound too stiff and operatic when singing contemporary music. This is because the vowels in an operatic style tend to be more open, whereas in a rock style singers tend to thin out the vowel. There is nothing wrong, and everything right, in opening the vowel in the higher register so that the higher notes can be sustained. Elvis Presley was very open in his singing style even though he was ‘the’ rock and roller.”
Brain Gilbertson, world-famous voice teacher.

“The voice is so melodious, and – of course, by accident, this glorious voice and musical sensibility was combined with this beautiful, sexual man and this very unconscious – or unselfconscious stage movements. Presley’s registration, the breadth of his tone, listening to some of his records, you’d think you were listening to an opera singer. But…it’s an opera singer with a deep connection to the blues.”
Jerry Wexler, co-founder of Atlantic Records.

“I taught him some lyrics in Spanish and he learned them. I wrote it for him the way it was sung (phonetically). He was very talented. It was very difficult Mexican music.”
Manny Lopez, RCA vibraphone recording artist known as the “King of the Cha Cha”, explaining how, under his tutelage, Elvis sang the Mexican standard, “Guadalajara”, (1963) in Spanish, like an authentic Mariachi, as published in Las Vegas’ “The Desert Sun”, on March 16, 2007

“He was the most commercially successful singer of rock and roll, but he also had success with ballads, country, gospel, blues, pop, folk and even semi-operatic and jazz standards. His voice, which developed into many voices as his career progressed, had always a unique tonality and an extraordinarily unusual center of gravity, leading to his ability to tackle a range of songs and melodies which would be nearly impossible for most other popular singers to achieve”
The Wikipedia`s all-too-brief, yet concise reference on Presley`s voice, and musical background

“Elvis Presley`s talent as a musical artist was double barrelled and more; his voice, on the one hand, was extraordinary for its quality, range and power, as well as being a unique stage performer with instinctive natural abilities in both areas; he was the master of a wide and diverse range of vocal stylings and ventriloquist effects, from the clear tenor of his C&W heroes, to the vibrato of the Gospel singers he loved, his voice invariably possessing an aching sincerity and an indefinable quality of yearning virtually impossible to pigeonhole”.
From the U.S Department of the Interior`s paper on criteria for greatness as a vocalist, which, together with all aspects of his life and legacy, led to the inclusion of his home, Graceland, in the National Register of Historic Places, in 2006.

“I am indebted to Scott W. Johnson, my fellow at the Claremont Institute, for many things over the years, but not many rate higher than his “introducing” me to Elvis Presley. I came of age (i.e., reached the 9th grade), just in time for the “British Invasion” and, despite my childhood memories, soon came to think of him as the ultimate in passe; so, I was astonished when Scott told me, a year or two ago, that in his opinion Elvis Presley was the greatest male vocalist of the 20th Century; I had never thought of him in that light, to put it mildly, but that conversation caused me to realize that I had never actually ‘listened’; starting then, I did – with the aid of Scott’s encyclopedic music collection -, so if you have never gotten past a cartoon image of Elvis, do yourself a favor and ‘listen’”.
John H. Hinderaker, of the Claremont Institute, a Harvard Law School Graduate and expert on public policy issues, including income and race, as published in Power.Line, on January 09, 2007

“When healthy and serious, he was flat-out the world’s greatest singer. In his voice, he possessed the most beautiful musical instrument, and the genius to play that instrument perfectly; he could jump from octave to countless other octaves with such agility without voice crack, simultaneously sing a duet with his own overtones, rein in an always-lurking atomic explosion to so effortlessly fondle, and release, the most delicate chimes of pathos. Yet, those who haven’t been open (or had the chance) to explore some of Presley’s most brilliant work – the almost esoteric ballads and semi-classical recordings -, have cheated themselves out of one of the most beautiful gifts to fall out of the sky in a lifetime. Fortunately, this magnificent musical instrument reached its perfection around 1960, the same time the recording industry finally achieved sound reproduction rivaling that of today. So, it’s never too late to explore and cherish a well-preserved miracle, as a simple trip to the record store will truly produce unparalleled chills and thrills, for the rest of your life; and then you’ll finally understand the best reason this guy never goes away”.

The greatest voice of all time”.
“Q” Magazine Judging panel´s laud of Elvis Presley, from a poll published on their March 4, 2007 issue.

“Q Magazine bravely attempted to name the best and worst singers ever. They did a good job, wisely going big with Elvis as the top choice”
Rollingstone Magazine’s online edition, published on 5 March, 2007.

“He had a musically textured rhythmic voice that had emotional intelligence; concentrate on his voice: sweet, remorseful, defiant, suggestive”
Eileen Battersby, literary correspondant, citing the reasons for her being hooked on Elvis after “discovering” him inadvertently as she changed the dial looking for her favourite classical music radio station, as published in the “Irish Times” in August of 2002.

“A singer, at work, is usually thinking only about making it through the song without flubbing it. Look what’s involved:breathing plausibly, remembering the lyrics, nailing the high notes, staying with your band or chorus, maintaining a soulful facial expression and looking good. You might also be whacking a guitar. And — because Presley did — you also have to move, oscillate, arm-wrestle with the microphone, throttle it, skid across the stage on your knees, fling your head back and spread your arms. And then you want to salt it with you possess of art. . . he flings his voice up beyond the grip of gravity, and then surrenders, like a skater in a leap.”
Catherine Rankovic, poet, essayist, instructor, as well as manuscript editor and music and writing coach, as excerpted from her review of Presley`s live performance of “I want you, I need you, I love you” , in the “Steve Allen Show”, (1956), and as published in “The Missouri Review”, Volume XXIV, Number 2, 2001

“That the prime exponent of this new style of music should be a singer who possessed no prior professional experience was an anomaly; (in fact), not only were most of the mannerisms that would define his vocal style present at the creation — from the sudden swoops in register to the habit, derived from gospel singing, of starting his lines with a throat-clearing “well” that gave whatever followed the feeling of a retort, but what was even more impressive was the extent to which his first professional recording was marked by the trait that has characterized every great popular singer: the absolute assertion of his personality over the song; from this, it might be concluded that Presley was simply a “natural.”, but the truth, as ever, was more complex than that”
Jonathan Gould, on his Beatles-inspired book, “Can’t buy me love”. referring to Presley’s early SUN Records label recordings and their influence on the Liverpool rock and roll scene” (2007)

“Presley’s voice was remarkable in the sense that, through it, he touched people in a way only great artists can do. (In fact), the people he touched are as diverse as humanity itself and, because of that his popularity has transcended race, class, national boundaries, and culture. There is no simple answer about why that is so, all I can say is he had that magic. When Elvis Presley was first popular, many people said that he did not have a good voice. Almost everyone, today, knows that he did, but more people today should see him not simply as a performer, but as an artist with a great soul.
John Bakke, professor emeritus of the University of Memphis, in an interview with the US State Department, transcripted by UNUSINFO on July 18, 2006 on the legacy of Elvis Presley

“I believe he was already assured of his ability as a performer since he had been perfecting his style on the road for more than a year. If you look at that first appearance on Stage Show, you’ll witness a young confident singer with his own unique style. He would enhance his popularity with five more appearances on Stage Show (February 4, 11, 18; March 17, 24) and would become a superstar by the end of that year. On that historic television debut of January 28, 1956, the spotlight was first shown on the two people who had made it happen – the promoter and the performer – disc jockey Bill Randle and the new singing sensation, Electric Elvis.”
Roger Hall, music preservationist and songrwiter, in his essay “Shake, Rattle and Roll: Bill Randle and Electric Elvis”, Elvis Symposium (2003)

“Each singer (of the so-called folk variety), is recognized as much from its characteristic sound, as from what they actually sing or play, and they manipulate tone colour with a virtuousity that owes nothing to either the classical, or the Tin Pan Alley tradition; one thinks, for example, of the voice of Elvis Presley, an expressive vehicle, shifting from high to low tones, groaning, sluring, and producing breathless changes of rhythm; to many listeners, the voice may have seemed crude, but its folk inmediately resided in its crudeness”.
Christopher Small, in his book “Music, Society, and Education”, published in 1996

“There comes a point when the voice starts to wash over you. You get inside of it, start to really hear what he’s doing, and you realise his singing has this extraordinary, effortless quality to it. Sometimes it’s like listening to a stream of honey. It’s a very smooth ride, the voice of Elvis Presley. I don’t think you focus on the words when he’s singing. I think he’s doing what bel canto singers do – you don’t listen to the words, “just” to the beauty of his voice-. When I say “just”, that makes it sound as if he’s denying you something else but, actually, that’s quite enough”.
Barb Jungr, reviewing the album “Love”, for “The Scotsman”, as published in its 25 June, 2005 edition

“As sound leaves the body, it needs to resonate against something specific. There are options – you can direct that flow of sound to the nose, the throat, the jaw or to the sinus cavities in the face-, but I think what Elvis did – as evidenced by his lip curl – was to aim the vibration stream right at his teeth.”
Renee Grant-Williams, voice coach, and author of “Voice Power: Using Your Voice to Captivate, Persuade, and Command Attention”, explaining where some of the power to please the ear, in Elvis’ voice, may have come from, as published in Newsreleasewire.com, on December 12, 2006

“Elvis’ range was about two and a quarter octaves, as measured by musical notation, but his voice had an emotional range from tender whispers to sighs down to shouts, grunts, grumbles and sheer gruffness that could move the listener from calmness and surrender, to fear. His voice can not be measured in octaves, but in decibels; even that misses the problem of how to measure delicate whispers that are hardly audible at all.”
Lindsay Waters, Executive Editor for the Humanities at Harvard University Press, in his essay “Come softly, darling, hear what I say”.

“In 1956, even the youngest of his fans knew that the 21-year-old Elvis Presley was unquestionably the whole package; and, obviously, his great three octave tenor voice, with a lower register close to bass, seemed to vibrate on the inner scale of every teenager in America; they loved the high tenor, but when he “got down” with that lower register, fans exploded; Elvis translated this into his moves on stage, so it was a 10.0 assault on the senses”
Sugarpi Productions´’ essay on Elvis Presley, as published in Clay´s.Daily.Double.com

“It has something for everyone, except perhaps Irving Berlin, who attempted to get Elvis’s recording of “White Christmas” banned from radio play, deeming it “vulgar and disrespectful”. And it was, which is part of the reason why the drastically rearranged tune is so memorable, as the then-young singer masticated the contemporary classic, adding his idiosyncratic dynamics and trills ( the so-called educated yodls of one’s vocal chords); equally irreverent and just as riveting is the King’s gritty take on Leiber and Stoller’s “Santa Claus Is Back in Town”, one of the most sexually suggestive holiday tunes ever, and his rollicking “Here Comes Santa Claus”. And who can forget the song that changed the hue of Yuletide, “Blue Christmas”, or his wistful, definitive version of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, which cemented his reputation as pop’s top dreamboat. Along with Phil Spector’s “Christmas Gift for You”, this is arguably the finest Rock & Roll Christmas album of all-time, a seasonal yet essential recording belonging under any Christmas tree”
Jaan Uhelszki and Bill Holdship, reviewing “Elvis Christmas Album (1957 version), for AMAZON.COM

“The headline news of “Platinum”, which can be appreciated by fans, scholars, critics and religious fanatics alike, is the inclusion of a newly discovered 1954 demo of the unsigned Elvis singing a lilting wisp of a pop song called “I’ll Never Stand in Your Way”. His unsophisticated performance is mesmerizing; clearly indebted to the style of the “Ink Spots”, Elvis’ airy tenor floats delicately above his own guitar accompaniment, aching and somewhat pinched in its feeling; you sense the singer itching to cut loose, to really swing the lyric, open it up; it is in those moments, when the pentimento of the blues vocalist reveals itself, that the melding of styles that soon would change the course of popular music is on fleeting display; it’s rare when a single song can be said to make a pricey box-set worthwhile, but this particular “Rosetta stone” of a rare cut, does precisely that. Big time.
David McGee, reviewing the Platinum box-set for RollingStone Magazine

“Heartbreak, jealousy, loneliness-, Elvis Presley gave luxuriant voice to these less than cheerful emotions, but did you ever think of him as a balladeer of the unbearable bleakness of being, of the horror of existing without purpose in a godless universe? In the improbably vivacious London-born production of “Woyzeck”, vintage Elvis recordings provide much of the background music for Daniel Kramer’s adaptation of Georg Büchner’s great, prophetic drama of existential emptiness from the 1830’s. Dolly Parton and, more predictably, Beethoven, make aural guest appearances but it’s the voice of the Pelvis that sets the rhythm of life. And if the “wedding” of Presley and Büchner is more shotgun marriage than natural love match, at least you leave the theater feeling less suicidal than you normally do, after two hours with one of the grimmest heroes in Western literature.
Ben Brantley, Chief Theater critic for The New York Times, in his article “Where Existential Despair Meets Elvis”, published on November 18, 2006

“It is when Guralnick shows how young Elvis made his way through this cultural briar patch, that we get what we need. He got voluptuous phrasing and ecstatic self-confidence from gospel, wit and menace from the blues, homespun sincerity from country and, from what we can now call gay theatrics, he got glamour and self-parody. He played the outlaw and the good son. How he flirts with his audiences, first being casual, fervent, sneering, then inviting us to laugh at, or with him. ¨As you desire me¨, he is saying, ¨so shall I be¨. Was he a great performer? Yes and yes again. He galvanized rock-and-roll and made you feel the fun and the risk and all the contradictions. That’s self-invention, and that’s entertainment.”
Margo Jefferson, reviewing Peter Guralnick’s biography of Elvis Last Train to Memphis, The Rise of Elvis Presley for The New York Times (26 October, 1996)

“Sam Phillips used what we call ‘slapback’ or ‘tape delay’, which lent an otherworldly patina to Presley’s voice. And I don’t know if Sam was really conscious of it at the time, but if you listen to old pop and country records back then, the voice was always so much farther out from the music; Sam kept Elvis’ voice close to the music, so, in essence, Elvis’ voice became another instrument”
Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley’s lead guitarrist from 1954 until 1968, as published in The “Virginia Pilot”, in an article entitled “The rising of Sun Records cast music in new light”, as written by Sue Smallwood, and published on December

“I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra’s. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness.”
B.B. King, King of the Blues.

” That night at the “Eagle’s Nest”, I remember, he was playing a D-18 Martin acoustic guitar and he was dressed in the latest teen fashion, but the thing I really noticed though, was his guitar playing. Elvis was a fabulous rhythm player. He’d start into “That’s All Right” , with his own guitar, alone, and you didn’t want to hear anything else”
Johnny Cash, in “Cash, the autobiography”, recalling the first time he saw Presley perform, at the “Eagles Nest”, in Memphis (1954)

“Elvis’ early vocals, was a witches’ brew of gospel swoops, falsetto shrieks, growls, howls, and scat…an anthem to human cockiness, to the healing, transcendent powers of the life-force…”
Edwin Howard, of the “Memphis Press Scimitar”, on Elvis’ first recordings at the Sun Records label, as published in “Q” magazine
He never understood the artistic claims that were made for him, probably thought very little of the nature of his appeal, or his music; yet, as author Greil Marcus points out in “Mystery Train”, it is possible to see (all that) as a positive factor; Presley viewed “rock and roll” as for the body, not the mind, so he recorded and performed accordingly; and, if much of his rock music sounds superficial, it was thanks to his undoubted vocal talent and extraordinary charisma that, at least, it was all gloriously superficial and celebratory; he knew better than to take it seriously and, in doing so, he become the consumate rock fugure, one that defined its spirit by delighting in its very limitations”
Stephen Barnard, in his book “Popular Music, Volume I: Folk or Popular?

“The voice of Elvis Presley is perhaps the most contested acoustical phenomenon in modern culture. I can understand why some listeners may prefer the original versions (of R&B artists) to Presley’s covers, but it is more difficult to claim that these were immoral or unethical. In terms of vocal style and instrumental arrangement, Presley actually borrows relatively little, his appropriations (being) more straightforward, taking from the materials already protected by copyright: lyrics and melody. So, unless he can be criticized for not imitating an original R&B artist’s rendition, we have to reevaluate Elvis’ transgressions”
Joanna Demers, in her book “Musical appreciation, musical meaning and the Law”, published in 2007.

“There was no model for Elvis Presley’s success; what Sun Records head Sam Phillips sensed was something in the wind, an inevitable outgrowth of all the country and blues he was recording at his Union Avenue studio; enter Presley in 1954, bringing with him a musical vocabulary rich in country, country blues, gospel, inspirational music, bluegrass, traditional country, and popular music — as well as a host of emotional needs that found their most eloquent expression in song; his timing was impeccable, not only as a vocalist, but with regard to the cultural zeitgeist: emerging in the first blush of America’s postwar ebullience, Presley captured the spirit of a country flexing its industrial muscle, of a generation unburdened by the concerns of war, younger, more mobile, more affluent, and better educated than any that had come before; (as such), the Sun recordings were the first salvos in an undeclared war on segregated radio stations nationwide.
Rollingstone Magazine, focussing on the importance of Elvis’ Sun Records label recordings

“Elvis Presley’s incendiary vocal performance of “Baby, let’s play house” (1955), hails from rockabilly’s formative era, when the rules hadn’t yet been cast in stone, and Elvis was still experimenting in overdrive, searching for the compelling sound that would catapult him to icon status in little over a year. Presley’s slapback, echo laden hiccuping – briefly rendered “a cappella” before the snarling low end guitar of Scotty Moore enters -, segues into an irresistibly lascivious declaration of lust, and a not-so-subtle hint of violence. Both of Scotty Moore’s immaculately conceived, and executed solos were monstrously influential to the rockabilly idiom, copied by countless Southern axe-wielding teens. And Bill Black slaps his thundering upright bass so percussively, that no drummer was necessary”
Bill Dahl, reviewing Elvis’ fourth release at the Sun Records label, for AllMusicGuide.com

“Take “My baby left me” (1956) by Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, the black Mississippi sharecropper whose “That’s All Right” had literally been Elvis’ first recording, in 1954. Crudup kept his blues in a bucket; Elvis put the lid on, and cooked; bar by bar, the song comes together; first comes D.J. Fontana’s rapped-out drum riff, then a top-to-bottom run from Bill Black’s stand-up bass, then the controlled gallop of Scotty Moore’s lead guitar; then, last of all, Elvis singing in that imperious velvet growl of his, “Yes, my baby left me! Never said a word”; it is the most underestimated song in the canon; there is lightning in that bucket, and it could drive a train, any train. It literally took us into a new age. Endow a university! Elvis was a university. Whoever those mystics are who teach that the universe began with sound could use him as their full curriculum”
Jackson Baker, as published in “The Memphis Flyer”, August 8-14, 1996 edition

“Blues, country, pop, rock and roll, gospel, and beyond, this man could sing anything. From the rockabilly of the Sun Sessions, to the MOR of “Wooden Heart”, to the later day “Burnin’ Love”, Elvis proved that he had the skills as a vocalist that few have, or will ever have”
Rob Jones, Canadian musicologist, writing in “Helium: Where knowledge rules”.

“You have no idea how great he is, really you don’t. You have no comprehension — it’s absolutely impossible. I can’t tell you why he’s so great, but he is”.
Phil Spector, record producer, the originator of the “Wall od Sound” technique

“From the first quavering notes of the song, it was obvious that there was something different about him — you could detect his influences, but he didn’t sound like anyone else. There is a quality of unutterable plaintiveness as Elvis, in 1953, sings “My Happiness”, a pop hit,in 1948, for Jon and Sandra Steele, and a sentimental ballad that couldn’t have been further from anyone’s imaginings of rock-and-roll. It is just a pure, yearning, almost desperately pleading solo voice reaching for effect. The guitar, Elvis said, “sounded like somebody beating on a bucket lid,” with an added factor of nervousness that Elvis must surely have felt. But even that is not particularly detectable — there is a strange sense of calm, an almost unsettling stillness in the midst of great drama. When he finished, the boy looked up expectantly at the man in the control booth. Mr. Phillips nodded and said politely that he was an “interesting” singer. “We might give you a call sometime.”
Description of the-then 18-year-old Elvis paying $4 to make a personal record at Sam Phillips’s Memphis Recording Service in 1953, as published by the New York Times on October 9, 1994, in an article entitled “The stirrings of a King”

“What he actually did was take ‘black’ and ‘white’ music and transform them into this third thing; (in the final analysis), no one sang so many different kinds of music – rock, gospel, country, standards -, as well as Presley sang them, at such a high level, and for such a long time”
Greg Drew, world famous voice coach whose clients include Lenny Kravits, Avril Lavigne, and Corey Glover, as quoted in Mike Brewster`s “The Great Innovators: Birth of a Rock star”, published by Business Week in its September 24, 2004 issue.

“When at last I made my journey to the land of the blues, I never dreamt for one minute that I’d actually become friends with the guys who were my mentors, heroes and my cultural icons. (Witherspoon’s) voice held a great mysticism for me, like when I first heard the voice of Elvis Presley—you knew it was coming from the source”
Eric Burdon, lead singer of “The Animals”, commenting on his meeting bluesman Jimmy Witherspoon, as published in Gadfly’s March 1998 edition.

“The point of Elvis Presley was that, after a dismal eight years on the screen, he returned to the stage where he always belonged and to the grinding treadmill of being on the road, which has killed so many of America’s artists; he may not have pushed the boundaries of music farther but when he opened his mouth to release that baritone – the only white voice that could ever match the blues-, all you could feel was his longing. and your own stirrings”
Adrian Hamilton, writing for “The Independent”, on August 14, 2002

“Elvis was one of the prime architects of rock and roll music. As such, he influenced several generations both musically and socially. The urgency in Presley’s voice is just one part of the equation, and the ease with which he swings tells the rest of the story. Equal parts balladeer and rockabilly king, Elvis played both sides of the fence. He was both tender-love-man and hard-hitting rebel. As this collection proves, his genius was in the way he made it work”
UK Channel 4´s review of “Elvis Golden Record, Volume II”

“He treats the song as a private meditation, full of pain and the yearning to believe. Though the lyrics speak of hope, Elvis turns them into a cry, as if reaching for one last sliver of light in engulfing darkness. ‘I am alone’, he seems to be saying. But maybe, just maybe, we can find someone or something to cling to. In his case, it’s God. But each of us, hearing him, reaches for our own salvation; if great art needs nakedness (then), those few minutes of Elvis alone at the piano amount to the most naked performance I’ve ever witnessed.”
Nick Cohn, commenting on Elvis Presley’s rendition, totally alone at the piano, of “You’ll never walk alone”, as witnessed by a full house of 17,500 gathering at the second of his two shows at the Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY, on 19 July, 1975, as published on the Guardian’s Sunday edition, on January 21, 2007, in an article entitled “The 25 best gigs of all time”.

“Lesson #1 is that rock music is in the fighting spirit, not in the amperage of the guitars; indeed, some of the toughest rocking has come from all, or mostly acoustic bands; Elvis presented a primer lesson from the famous Sun sessions, with a simple blues song through the most famous faux false start in rock history; he and the boys start out all slow and bluesy, before stopping the band cold and calling it out like the hippest beat poet: ‘Hold it fellas. That don’t… move me. Let’s get real, real gone for a change’. Then they did, let it loose, turned every bit of intensity in their beings into a jumping arrangement, much faster and more rhythmically nuanced a performance than the opening. Much of the intensity is in the fast and furious, but precisely laid out detail work; there is a strong sense of spontaneity and discovery, but what ultimately makes this a hall-of-fame performance is the vocal performance; Elvis doing tricks, making sudden octave wide jumps. “If you see my milkcow…” There is a charismatic determination of spirit that Nietzche would no doubt have recognized as the will to power; when the King got through with it, it was no longer anything to do with a high calcium drink, but about the singer’s assertion of his place in the universe”
Review of “Milkcow Blues” (1954), Elvis third single for the Sun Records Label, by MoreThings.com

” In “Mystery Train”, he rocks out with an astounding depth, Elvis’ voice never sounding so rich, nor so pleading; best of all is his final spontaneous laugh & whoop of excitement, worth its weight in gold”
Review of the CD “Elvis at SUN”, by Piers Beagley, as published in EIN, on 30th June, 2004

“Without preamble, the three-piece band cuts loose. In the spotlight, the lanky singer flails furious rhythms on his guitar, every now and then breaking a string; in a pivoting stance, his hips swing sensuously from side to side and his entire body takes on a frantic quiver, as if he had swallowed a jackhammer; his loud baritone goes raw and whining in the high notes, but down low it is rich and round. As he throws himself into one of his specialties— “Blue Suede Shoes” or “Long Tall Sally”, his throat seems full of desperate aspirates or hiccuping glottis strokes, but his movements suggest, in a word, sex”.
TIME Magazine’s review of an early 1956 concert and entitled “Teeners’ hero”, as published on its May 14,1956 issue.

“Had Presley never sung a note he might have still caused a stir, but sing he did. Watershed hits such as “All Shook Up” (1957) or, for instance, “Are You Lonesome Tonight”, (1960), were eminately Presley’s from the moment he put his stamp on them. His jagged, bubbly highs, and Southern baritone jump from those recordings like spirits from a cauldren. Elvis crooned romantically, then screeched relentlessly, always pouring his heart into the lyric and melody. After Elvis, the male vocalist could no longer just sing a song, especially in the new world of rock-n-roll. The “feel” of a performance far out-weighed the perfection of the take.”
James Campion, in his book “The 25 Most Influential Americans of the 20th Century”, published in 1996.

“In the collective memory of his fans, he reigns as the sleek musical genius who soaked up the multiple influences of America’s vernacular music -gospel, country swing, rhythm ‘n’ blues—, and made them his own; Bob Dylan, one of pop’s favorite poets, put it best: Elvis, he said, was “the incendiary atomic musical firebrand loner who conquered the western world.”
Gwen Gibson, in his article “The Top 10 Pop Stars, Ever”, published in the AARP’s May 2003 edition

“Elvis Presley did more to change the course of popular music and youth culture than any other entertainer in the twentieth century, beginning with his meeting Sam Phillips in 1954, at the Sun Records label, in Memphis. In 1956, for Presley’s first single at RCA, producer Steve Sholes was adamant that Phillips’ sonic treatments be adhered to, as closely as possible. So, in attempting to recreate the Sun echo sound, Sholes relied on the ambience of RCA’s then-cavernous recording studio in Nashville, rather than the tape-delay method; the major problem facing Sholes was Presley’s tendency to get carried away with the music and wander away from the microphone; so, rather than spoil the singer’s fun, Sholes decided to position three microphones around Presley to capture his quivering voice, no matter where he strayed; the results were breathtaking”
Columbia University’s “History of Record Production” (Part II of syllabus)

” Steve Sholes, who produced the session, said, “Roll the tape.” And I said, “But I haven’t heard the song yet!” And he said, “Roll the tape, Bill!” and I look and the studio is totally black out there. I can’t see a thing. I said, “You’re kidding!” He said, “No, roll the tape!”. So, I roll the tape and I don’t know what’s going to happen. And a guitar starts off, and then a bass comes in, and Elvis starts singing. And I still can’t see a thing in the studio. And I’m afraid to turn any mikes off because somebody may come in and start playing. All of a sudden, Elvis stops singing and just starts talking. And I say to myself, “This is awful!” because you don’t normally put a lot of echo on dialogue. And I thought, next take I’ll just turn it down, so we just did the take all the way through. If you listen to the dialogue, the echo matches the effect, because he says, “And the stage is bare, and I’m standing there…”. Later, I said, “How about that echo?”. Sholes said, “Screw the echo, that’s a hit!”. And it was done in one take…”
Bill Porter, RCA`s foremost recording engineer and one of the creators of “The Nashville Sound”, explaining to Michael Fermer how “Are you lonesome tonight” (1960) came into being, with the lights totally turned off, at Elvis´ insistance so as to create the best atmosphere possible, but without Porter knowing about it. (Published in MusicAngle.com)

“But it is Presley’s singing, halfway between a western and a rock ‘n’ roll style, that has sent teen-agers into a trance; they like his wailing in a popular song like “Blue Moon” or such western tunes as “I’ll Never Let You Go”, but they go crazy over the earthy, lusty mood of such rock ‘n’ roll numbers as “Money Honey”; and the reason is simple enough: Presley sings with a beat; and you can be certain that there’ll always be music with a beat and that, whether you like it or not, there will always be an Elvis Presley”
Helen McNamara, Canadian Music writer and book author, writing on Presley’s future impact, as published on the June 9, 1956 issue of “Saturday Night Magazine

“We are startled, on the amazing “Blue Moon,” by his trick of shifting, in a heartbeat, from saloon baritone to pants-too-tight wailing and by his near Hawaiian avoiding of consonants (“Ya-hoo A-know Ah can be fou’/ Sittin’ home all alo’”), from “Don’t Be Cruel”, a song that comes close to redefining the art of the pop vocal; So, what’s left? A terrific crooner who was closer, in intonation, vocal virtuosity and care for a song’s mood, to Bing Crosby, than to any top singer of the rock era. Toward the end, he still had it as a Gospel ballader, the choir-soloist power of the hymn “He Touched Me” — his voice breaking poignantly at the end of the hymn, as if he had just seen Jesus — still thrills and haunts. So does his desire to please an audience of kids and grandmas, instead of comfortably occupying a niche, as almost every pop star has done since”
Richard Corliss, TIME magazine`s Music Editor, reviewing the “Platinum”, box-set, as published in the magazine`s January 8, 2003 edition.

“During the early going at the Charlotte Coliseum, there were scattered notes here and there that made you wonder if finally he was gonna do it but, always, he would pull up short, rely on the grins, the charisma and the legend, until finally a little before 10:45, he came to the gospel classic, “How Great Thou Art”-. And that was it. As he came to the part where he belts out the title, he sounded like Mario Lanza with soul, cutting loose a series of high notes that would tingle the spine of even the diehard skeptic; but crecendo came on a song called “Hurt”; it’s an old song that Elvis didn’t record until a couple of years ago, and the key ingredient is its range, an awesome collection of notes that could leave a normal set of vocal chords in shreds; he finished in what seemed his most potent style, but wasn’t satisfied, and mumbled to the band, “Let’s do that last part again.”; he did, and if there was anyone among the packed-house crowd who had thought Elvis was a fluke, they no doubt came away converted.
Frye Gaillard, reviewing his February 20, 1977 show at the Coliseum, for the “The Charlotte Observer”

“Arguably the finest recording found in all the Sun sessions, “Trying To Get To You” is a song that Presley made his own due to his hugely committed vocal, and the simple carefree abandon with which he performs it; at first, it feels like a classic country song with simple, elegant lyrics; but it is at the bridge – where Elvis really lets fly -, that the song is transformed from a lovely country lament, into deep blues; although the 1955 version is magnificent, Elvis manages to better it on his “1968 Comeback Special”, in which he sings the song with so much intensity, it prompted critic Greil Marcus to exclaim “this is probably the finest rock and roll ever recorded”.
Thomas Ward’s review, for AllMusicGuide.com, of “Trying To Get To You”, whose original 1955-released version has now been confirmed, by BMG/RCA (which owns all the Presley Sun catalogue), as having been sang and recorded by Elvis while simultaneously playing the piano, with Sun Records’ Sam Philips immediately arranging the mix so that his rather loud (and then still amateurish) piano playing could not be heard in the final master take.

” He had an incredible, attractive instrument that worked in many registers; he could falsetto like Little Richard, his equipment was outstanding, his ear uncanny, and his sense of timing second to none; (in short) he could sing…”
Jerry Leiber, who with Mike Stoller, co-wrote some of the greatest R&R and Pop hits of the 50′s, and early 60′s.

” Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman’s “Viva Las Vegas” was custom-written as the title song for Elvis Presley’s 14th film, a rollicking tribute to the city of gambling given a spirited performance by Presley and his session musicians; strangely, it remained an underrated Presley song for a long time, finally beginning to gain some recognition from an unexpected quarter when the “Dead Kennedys” recorded it in 1980, their radical recontextualization of it helping the song to an independent life beyond its origins; on its own, it can now be appreciated as a tribute to Las Vegas that probably deserves to be the city’s official anthem.
William Ruhlmann, reviewing “Viva Las Vegas” for AllMusicGuide.com, before the Office of the Mayor of Las Vegas requested Elvis Presley Enterprises to allow it to become the city’s official song; the price demanded by EPE was too high, so Las Vegas remains, to this date, without an official song.

“Even in his laziest moments, Presley was a master of intonation and phrasing, delivering his rich baritone with a disarming naturalness. And when he caught a spark from his great T.C.B. Band, Presley could still out-sing anyone in American pop. You can hear it here on inspired versions of Muddy Waters’ “Got My Mojo Working”, Wayne Carson’s “Always on My Mind”, Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land”, McCartney’s “Lady Madonna”, Percy Mayfield’s “Stranger in My Own Hometown”, Dennis Linde’s “Burning Love” and Joe South’s “Walk a Mile in My Shoes”…..
Geoffrey Himes, reviewing the “Essential 70′s masters” box-set, for amazon.com

“Riding a streamlined rock-and-roll beat, the singer’s vocal swoops, slurs, hiccups, moans and growls added up to a new pop singing vocabulary that was instantly memorized by scores of imitators. The antithesis of a relaxed conversational crooning, Presley’s style was fraught with tension and animated by an attitude of self-conscious melodrama, woving the whole unwieldy spectrum of pop singing – country-blues, Italianate crooning, Gospel, soul shouting, and honky-tonk yodeling – into an integral personal style. His crowning touch was to accentuate the spontaneously exuberant humor that had always been an ingredient of country, and the blues, but singing it in a way that seemed to poke fun at his own accomplishment.”
Stephen Holding, in the article “A Hillbilly who wove a rock and roll spell”, published by the New York Times on Sunday, July 19, 1987.

“Even as a young man, that’s what Presley sounded, like a man. I wasn’t of a culture nor a region that found Presley appealing, and I’ve never seen a Presley movie through but, a few years ago when in a tribute to him various modern singers covered some of his originals, followed, or enclosed by, his versions of the same songs, I was struck by how much fuller, deeper, and richer his were.”
Al Spike, explaining to North Africans why Presley’s manly baritone rang true, in the web`s “Chicago Boyz”.

“This is the best way to hear Elvis the Superstar, with “Hound Dog,”,”All Shook Up,”, “Are You Lonesome Tonight”, and the ever zany “Suspicious Minds” still sounding fresh and immediate —impressive given how many times most the world has heard them —, and showing off the diversity of Elvis’ singing, from the purity of his gospel falsetto to his rock and roll purr.”
Josh Tyrangiel, reviewing “Elvis 30 Number One hits”, for TIME magazine`s “The All Time best 100 albums”, as published in its November 13, 2006 edition.

“Take a track like “One Sided Love Affair” and really examine every nuance of his voice, every caress, every tease and every growl that he lets loose for the song’s duration, and you`ll you come to understand that the reason Presley’s voice has been so often imitated is because it was unique and, furthermore, damm great; no phony piano intro, not even a puerile lyric could have ever stopped him from turning this song into a real classic; imagine, then, how great it is when Elvis gets to sing material that is up to his standards — like on the Sun Records label song “Tryin’ To Get You” – , probably the bluesiest song on this record, where Presley shows a sense of determination, not just a combination of nobleness and sex, but an expression of guts as well; quite simply, this is a guy who knows what he wants, and knows he’s gonna get it, and his confidence – never arrogance -, is so contagious that by the end of the song, you believe it too”
Daniel Reifferscheid, reviewing Elvis’ first album, for Toxic Universe

“But the last side, recorded during rehearsals for his 1968 television special, is another treat, as fine and tough and overflowing with heart and soul as any of his 50′s recordings. Playing an electric guitar, rather than his customary acoustic model, he traded fluid rhythm and lead parts with Scotty Moore, their interplay almost telepathic. And with his original drummer, D. J. Fontana, stoking the fires, this music moved, from the ferocious version of Rufus Thomas’s Sun Records label blues “Tiger Man” to Jimmy Reed blues shuffles, to smoldering New Orleans triplet-style blues-ballads like “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” and “One Night”. This is rock and roll as good as it gets.”
Robert Palmer, reviewing Elvis’ boxed set, ¨A Golden Celebration¨ , for the New York Times on Nov. 18, 1984.

“During his rendition of “Hurt”, (1976), he was in even better voice, singing in a register that gave more impact to his phrasing, and even hitting notes that could cause a mild hernia. And, after they drew a good crowd reaction, he offered them in a reprise that was tantamount to masochism.”
Mike Kalina, reviewing Elvis’ 1976 New Year’s concert for the “Pittsburgh Post Gazette”, January 1, 1977.

“A double voice that alternates between a high quaver, reminiscent of Johnnie Ray at his fiercest, and a rich basso that might be smooth if it were not for its spasmodic delivery. ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, yelps the high voice, is where he’s going to get away from it all. Answers the basso: ‘he’ll be sorry’”
TIME magazine’s review, of the then recently-issed single, “Heartbreak Hotel”, (1956), as published in its April 02, 1956 issue.

“Listening to these songs today, their most remarkable feature is Presley’s voice itself. He takes the Platters’ Tony Williams’s techniques, and any other predecessor’s, to new, uncharted pinnacles. For a singer who was only just encountering widespread popularity, his singing resonates with amazing fortitude and confidence, especially on “Heartbreak Hotel,” where Presley alternately shouts words with full lungs, then gulps the following back, as if under water but without missing a beat. In “Loving you”, Presley’s baritone on this, the ultimate slow dance number, is almost too powerful, virtually rumbling the floor…”
David N. Townsend, in his essay “Changing the World: Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Culture and Ideology”.

“While he sings in a lower voice than ever -and what I liked about the early records was that beautifully vulnerable high voice-, he opened his Boston concert (1971) with “That’s Alright Mama” (1954), singing it with enough verve to scare the unsuspecting. It was his very first record, and although it doesn’t sound quite the same as when he did it 17 years ago at the Sun studios in Memphis, I was moved by the fact that he was doing it at all. It was a tour de force of theatrics, pr

THANK GOD!! Someone who agrees with me!!! WHATS THE HYPE ABOUT ELVIS!!! MJ Underrated too much! Sorry, PLAIN truth! WELL DONE!

“The average joe public would probably be able to name you dozens of Elvis’s hits, the titles are part of our culture. Newspaper editors are very fond of all the generic titles…….how often are they All Shook Up!
Ask anyone to name three Michael Jackson hits and they would be at a loss. That’s how Thrilling he was/is? ” ..lol!! u seem 2 b very funny, maurice! 4 at least a couple of seconds I really thought ur post was ment serious! lol…

maurice…..you have to be kidding right? you seriously believe more people can name more hits by elvis than Michael Jackson? thats a laugh….

Lets face it MJ must win, he’s had Elvis’s daughter and owns part of the beatles. A clear winner.

I couldn’t be bothered to read the huge post before this one, so I thought I’d skip to the last sentence:

“Ask anyone to name three Michael Jackson hits and they would be at a loss. That’s how Thrilling he was/is?”

I would wager my mortgage that at least 95% of people in the street would know at least three of his hits. In fact, I’ve often thought he’s one of the only artists who has so many known hits!

Hell, you can get three off Thriller alone.

The Beatles have some of that Elvis “fame in name”. Which builds them up more than they are.

Rolling Stone and other venues in 1984 called Michael Jackson bigger than the Beatles in their prime.

I fear the current slant towards the Beatles is because of our Western (and caucasian) culture bias in thinking our way is what everyone else thinks, rather than the world’s reality. MJ has had more fame and success around the world than the Beatles.

Maurice Colgan are you fuckin kidding me? Did you and the rest of the racist revisionists come up with that? Do you even know that Michael Jackson is the most famous person in the world? I’m sure it really bothers you that an AFRICAN is the most famous person in the world, now go take your lies to the dump.

This guy is right about MJs singing, it really is underrated. Michael Jackson has vocal range that is freaking inhuman and his voice has so much color, emotion, and beauty to it. People think of him as a falsetto singer but he is NOT. He hits those high notes in full voice.

Some examples

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WXw3EOW23jM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gde6Cp-AUeo

michael is the king of entertainment… and the FACT that he wrote, produced and choreographed most of his music and dances.. (including his biggest singles ever) PROVE why he is the best and will always be the best…

mj is worldwide… elvis is mainly a northamerican phenomena (not that he isn’t known world wide but mj is more known and has been more celebrated world wide in the most remote of countries)

as far as NAMING singles.. i do believe michael’s tracks would reign supreme… maybe not by title.. but they WILL sing you the song. i could probably name you 3 elvis tracks, but i couldn’t name them with the comfort in knowing they were HIS… mike’s i can name dozens and tell you that he wrote and/or produced them.

this isn’t a hate thing to elvis… i have nothing against the man… but let’s not give him credit he doesn’t deserve.. he was fabricated no different from britney spears.. he used the music and dance styles of BLACK artists and called it his own, cheating the original’s out of their credits. michael incorporated his idols’ styles and his own personal style and made his own. Even james brown said that mike used some of his stuff early on… but made his own style… and created his own dance platform that EVERY dancer in music today credits.

i don’t think i need to go into detail about how mike revolutionized music video’s and what we know as MTV.

Maurice Colgan and Charles Thomson: I’m sorry, but you’re both wrong:

Elvis was an extraordinary vocalist and a huge force in popular culture, regardless of whether he wrote his own songs. His influence on generations cannot be denied.

Michael Jackson was and remains an extraordinary vocalist. His influence on generations cannot be denied.

Further, since they lived in such different times and had such different focusses, it is virtually impossible to say who was/is ‘the greatest’. In any case, what would be the point? Both were great entertainers, artists and performers. Why belittle both their legacies by trying to compare one to the other?

(Also, in response to Maurice Colgan’s last remark there, try to bear in mind that Jackson has released a grand total of seven albums since 1979 (in other words, in his entire adult solo career). A tiny number, I’m sure you will agree, yet he is arguably still the most famous man on the planet. You might suggest that this is exclusively because of his curious personal life, but how many washed up celebrities are weird? Furthermore, of his last three albums (not counting exclusively greatest hits compilations), two have become the biggest sellers in their categories and the last debuted at number 1 on the Billboard chart. In any case, there are very few ‘average Joes’, even today, who have not heard of the Moonwalk. In my opinion, there is more than one way to measure musical success.)

To cut it short: GENIUS.

I am a big fan of classical music – Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Mozart, Faure etc I really think that this man, Michael Jackson, might surpass R&B and Pop boundaries in the future, I’ve listen to some of his less known and uncommercial works and I know I am not talking nonsense. Just wait and see…

Cecilia

Michael Jackson Vocal Profile
Vocal timbre: Spinto, Countertenor, Baritone (in the song 2000 Watts of Invinvible album, for exmaple)

Highest note: B5

Lowest note : E2

Vocal range: 3.6+ octaves (E2-B5; 44 notes by the middle of 1980s according to Seth Riggs, Jackson’s vocal consultant (Quote from Seth Riggs); in the 1990s, Riggs said the range expanded to 4 octaves. Apparently, due to aging, Jackson got few additional lower notes, while not losing the highest ones.)

All artists mentioned brought something to the table. Where record sales are concerned I think Michael Jackson may have won. However sales are not what music fans appreciate (only record companies). I agree that Elvis had a singers range indeed Michael jackson may have a wider vocal range. The beatles are excluded because they are a group. So lets concentrate on a fair match.

Some may argue that if Elvis was around when Cds became household items he may have sold more. Thats beside the point.. What im getting at is a true gifted music icon knows his field, who can compose, write and deliver.

Elvis didnt write (no questions) he could deliver. Michael Jackson writes and delivers.

1 – 0 Michael

Crossing music boundaries

Elvis was listended to gosbel and appealed to many people…Mostly though were white. His appeal would be for middle class white people (not racisim just fact). He didnt danced he wiggled his hips. I am not taking the michael here. He didnt use theatre in his performance.

Jackson grew up to soul (motown). What Jackson did was to break down white and black boundaries. MTV was racists (fact) until Thriller made them realise that they could make more money with Jackson on board. Jackson also danced…but not what people associate current pop dance.. He spun like James brown..stepped like Fred and had presence like Frank!!!

In my view Michael Jackson is a true icon because he did what artists should do…write there own feelings down and express through music!! He even managed to express through dance and combined the two perfectly.

Elvis Presley is THE GREATEST of them all – NO CONTEST. He opened the doors for all who followed and provided the template for the Ultimate Rock Star. He sang in virtually every musical genre he cared to and this makes him unique. Jackson and The Beatles stuck mainly to pop music. He was the whole package and the world will still be talking about him in a thousand years time.

Brian Quinn I dont think you really read through that article. Michael Jackson sang through a range of different musical genres as well. Not to mention his technical singing and dancing abilities as well as creative abilities CRUSH basically anyone else that you can think of INCLUDING ELVIS easily. BTW, I have nothing against Elvis at all, but Im just stating the facts.

Wow. The average Joe and Jane public is able to name you a dozen of Elvis’ hits, but would be lost for just three of Michael Jackson’s? What fantasy world are you living in? I dare you to go to a Jr. High school and ask all the 7th graders to name some Elvis Presley’s songs! LOL

Whereas with Michael Jackson, you’ll hear song titles like ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Thriller’, ‘Beat It’, ‘Black or White’, ‘Smooth Criminal’, ‘Man in the Mirror’, ‘Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough’ + all the Jackson 5 popular tunes and you’ve got yourself a winner.

Arthur, you just proved my point. LOL! Lisa Marie Presley is a “singer” and has released two albums, both of them failed miserably. I said she would not have been given a record deal had she not been the King’s daughter. You didn’t even know, or remember, that she had one! She has no talent. But unlike her daddy, at least she wrote and produced her own songs! A+ for effort.

Michael Jackson not only owns The Beatles publishing (that one beetle Paul McCartney still complaining about, even though he was told beforehand, that he could still buy it anyway and owns publishing himself) but he also owns many of Elvis’ music as well. AND he married his slutty daughter. TOO BAD!

And by the way, I’m a lady, k thnx

Elvis Presley was a puppet used by white music bosses to hijack the black genre of rock n roll.

They plastered his face over other people’s music.

He had no legitimacy as an artist whatsoever. he was’t even an artist in the first place… in order to be an artist, you must create something. He didn’t even write his own songs.

He is literally the 1950s equivalent of Gareth Gates or Will Young.

… come on…

Michael Jackson has sold over 104 000 000 million records from his THRILLER album…

Have the Beatles or Elvis sold so many albums from 1 single album????

You can not compare Michael and them in terms of selling and success and popularity…

Michael rules in any way…

The Beatles were popular during the 60s, but then…, that has been only remnant of their popularity which was strongly limited only on small part of the world… (countries).

Elvis never had such popularity as the Beatles, even not so huge like Michael Jackson, thats the fact..!!!

Michael has dominated as solo artist since the beginnig of the 80s then in the 90s untill these days…, although his latest record was released in 2001…, he still has huge fanbase…
Michael has always had bigger fanbase then The Beatles and Elvis (not comparable…)

Michael has always been selling more albums then The Beatles and Elvis (in his case…, his average selling number was about 3 mil. albums…, come on…)

And…, Michael has 3 the (whole) world tours…, and his HIStory world tour reached ovec 4.5 mil. attendace which is the biggest tour for solo artist.

Michael has received more awards then any other artist (over 650 awards…)… and so on….

Stop using “He screwed Elvis’ daughter therefore he wins”. That is SEXISM. Leave degradation of women out of this argument or you just make yourself look bad.

You people have no idea!!

Jackson is a great performer, an amazing dancer and has written countless fantastic songs…but when it comes to the voice, he is just not in the same league as Elvis!

It is so frustrating when idiotic people rant on about Elvis stealing music from the Black community!! Why does everything have to come down to race?? Lets not forget that Elvis also grew up in the same community, listening to “black” music. The simple fact is that Elvis brought the music to the world. No one else could have delivered it the way he did. The man quite literaly rocked the world!!

He released his first record in 1954 and more than 50 years later, he has still achieving number one singles!

For those muppets that have been comparing Elvis to Gareth Gates or Will Young, you obviously have not listened to an Elvis song in your life. I am not a religious man, but my favourite Elvis music is his gospel recordings. The passion and the power is phenomenal! I guarantee you will not be able to listen to Elvis singing gospel without getting a shiver down your spine!!

Please, please dont bother posting comments about subjects that you clearly know nothing about.

Anybody who thinks Elvis was a better vocalist than Michael Jackson is suffering severe delusion.

As I said earlier… I’d like to hear Elvis Presley hit one of Michael Jackson’s falsettos.

And yes, not writing your own songs does mean you are not an artist. You’re a singer. You’re not an artist. Write a song, then you’re an artist.

Also, what’s with people just posting 8000 word biographies of Elvis?

Firstly, nobody’s gonna read them.

Secondly, it doesn’t mean anything.

Yes, he was very popular. Yes, he recorded some great songs.

But he wasn’t an artist and he did not have a better vocal range than Michael Jackson.

He had a better vocal range than any of the Beatles, though, undoubtedly.

Jim and Brian, the opposition is not up to the task.

Elvis Presley dead 30 years is still a threat to some. LOL.

30 years from now Michael will be a footnote in the History of pop music.

This time I mean it, goodnight! I have been up since 5.AM it’s now 11.41PM here in Ireland……… and I’m only 65

Finally someone said, what I’ve been saying for years! Thank you for that article! I would just change one thing: Michael Jackson is and has always been #1. It took 4 ppl to create The Beatles, and it took only one person to be Michael Jackson. For years he hasn’t been given enough credit for his enormous talent and achivements. He is a natural, born artist in every meaning of this word, not a puppy created by the bussiness. He actively participates in EVERY aspect of creating and producing his music. It’s a RARE quality. I would never call him The King Of Pop, it’s laughable to call him that. He IS SOOO much more than that.
He’s the best selling solo artist ever, with ONLY 7 albums released (where 1 of them is a remix album anyway. Thriller only, has sold over 104 mln copies (Guiness certification from 2006).

The truth is, the world lives in denial. Neither the media nor most of White community will ever admit the facts and truth about the Michael Jackson phenomena. They’ve been working too hard to create their God-like Elvis/Beatles images, to destroy it like that.

This is to Charles Thomson.

Elvis’s vocal range is second to none!

I went to my sons nativity play today where some of the students sang with beautiful falsetto voices. Does that make them better than Elvis too????? Get a grip fella.

You obviously wouldnt know what talent is if even if it kicked you up the arse in pair of size 10 blue suede shoes!

Michael Jackson, imo, is a better performer and singer than any of The Beatles, but this still does not matter. Michael OWNS The Beatles catalogue. So coming up above and slightly behind artists that you own isn’t bad.

Michael Jackson a footnote?

He paved the way for black artists on MTV, sold more albums than any other artist in history, innovated the music video, reinvigorated the industry in its greatest ever slump, has won more awards than any artist in history and holds over ten Guinness World Records, including ‘Most Successful Artist of All Time’.

Elvis isn’t a threat to anybody… unless you were a black songwriter in the 1950s.

Maurice Colgan -THRILLER is the Biggest selling record ever, only 1 reason why Michael Jackson will be FOREVER celebrated WORLDWIDE (not just White America and Europe). That’s because he appealed to every race and culture (unlike Elvis).
The problem for MJ was that HE was a threat to Elvis’ legacy. Don’t get it twisted.

FINALLY AN ARTICLE GIVING MJ LONG OVERDUE PROPS. WHETHER YOU`RE A FAN OR NOT TO SEE THIS MAN PERFORM SEND CHILLS DOWN YOUR SPINE. FOR PROOF JUST GO TO “YOUTUBE” AND WATCH THE TONS OF CLIPS. NO OTHER PERFORMER CAPTIVATES THE WAY MIKE DOES. HE COVERS ALL STYLES OF DANCE AND DOES EACH ONE EXCEPTIONALLY WELL WHILE HAVING HIS OWN STYLE. NAME ME ANOTHER ARTIST WHO DOES THIS. THERE ARE MANY IMITATORS BUT THEY DON`T EVEN COME CLOSE. MIKE IS SIMPLY THE WORLD`S GREATEST SHOWMAN WHO`S PERFECTED THE ART OF DANCE. IT`S SECOND NATURE FOR HIM. HE`S THE TYPE OF PERFORMER YOU DARE NOT LEAVE TO GO TO THE KITCHEN WHEN HE`S PERFORMING ON TELEVISION. TO SEE HIM PERFORM TAKES YOU INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION AND LEAVES YOU BAFFLED. HE HAS NO EQUAL. THIS IS WHY WE, AS FANS, WANT HIM BACK ON THE SCENE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I SO DREAD THE DAY WHEN WE SEE HIM PERFORM FOR THE LAST TIME, FOR THEN WE CAN ALL HONESTLY SAY “THE SHOWMAN”, HAS LEFT THE BUILDING.

Michael Jackson is #1 —The beatles? meh–they had a big fan base but aside from john and paul’s lyrics where was the magic? They stood, sang and played guitars following predictable melodies. Nothing new or unique. Michael on the other hand—well he just blew the world away with his fearless innovations. His body moves like no other and his voice can not be replicated. His lyrics are beautiful and his musical arrangements unique in every sense of the word. THAT is why his fanbase jump on with him and his kind nature has kept us hanging on. He and his talent surpass all borders because he understands that music is a universal language–it unites all people.

Mike Jackson is the single-greatest talent of our lifetime. It will be difficult to fill his shoes in the future.

“Along with the rest of “Deep Purple”, I once had the chance to meet Elvis. For a young singer like me, he was an absolute inspiration. I soaked up what he did like blotting paper. It’s the same as being in school — you learn by copying the maestro. His personality was also extremely endearing, his interviews were very self-effacing (and), he came over as gentle and was generous in his praise of others. He had a natural, technical ability, but there was something in the humanity of his voice, and his delivery. Those early records at the Sun Records label are still incredible and the reason is simple: he was the greatest singer that ever lived.”
Ian Gillan, lead singer and frintman of Deep Purple, interviewed by Classic Rock magazine, explaining why Presley belongs in the list of rock icons ( as published in blabbermouth.net, on 3rd January, 2007)

“In Elvis, you had the whole lot; it’s all there in that elastic voice and body. As he changed shape, so did the world. His last performances showcase a voice even bigger than his gut, where you cry real tears as the music messiah sings his tired heart out, turning casino into temple. I think the Vegas period is underrated. I find it the most emotional. By that point Elvis was clearly not in control of his own life, and there is this incredible pathos. The big opera voice of the later years — that’s the one that really hurts me.”
Bono, lead singer of U2, for Rollingstone Magazine, as published in their April 15, 2004 edition.

“The young Elvis Presley, without any doubt.”
Top New Zealand opera star and soprano Kiri Te Kanawa’s answer to UK show-host Michael Parkinson ( who probably expected her to name Luciano Pavarotti, or Maria Callas), when asked whose was the greatest voice she had ever heard (as published in Blabbermouth.net, 3 January 2007)

“I grew up playing sports and listening to Elvis Presley, whose music I favored, along with that of Pat Boone; in fact, when an opera singer came on the “Ed Sullivan Show”, I’d think ‘Turn this off,’”
Samuel Ramey, the world’s top bass baritone, as told to “Opera News”, and published in ENotes.Com

“Presley was very classically orientated with his voice, and diction, and very sincere and wanting to get everything perfect”
Welsh world renowned bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, citing one of the reasons why Elvis is the only soloist whose music he listens in his iPod, as told to NYT’s Classical Music critic Vivien Schweitzer, and published on that paper on November 10, 2007

“People will often say that opera singers sound too stiff and operatic when singing contemporary music. This is because the vowels in an operatic style tend to be more open, whereas in a rock style singers tend to thin out the vowel. There is nothing wrong, and everything right, in opening the vowel in the higher register so that the higher notes can be sustained. Elvis Presley was very open in his singing style even though he was ‘the’ rock and roller.”
Brain Gilbertson, world-famous voice teacher.

“The voice is so melodious, and – of course, by accident, this glorious voice and musical sensibility was combined with this beautiful, sexual man and this very unconscious – or unselfconscious stage movements. Presley’s registration, the breadth of his tone, listening to some of his records, you’d think you were listening to an opera singer. But…it’s an opera singer with a deep connection to the blues.”
Jerry Wexler, co-founder of Atlantic Records.

“I taught him some lyrics in Spanish and he learned them. I wrote it for him the way it was sung (phonetically). He was very talented. It was very difficult Mexican music.”
Manny Lopez, RCA vibraphone recording artist known as the “King of the Cha Cha”, explaining how, under his tutelage, Elvis sang the Mexican standard, “Guadalajara”, (1963) in Spanish, like an authentic Mariachi, as published in Las Vegas’ “The Desert Sun”, on March 16, 2007

“He was the most commercially successful singer of rock and roll, but he also had success with ballads, country, gospel, blues, pop, folk and even semi-operatic and jazz standards. His voice, which developed into many voices as his career progressed, had always a unique tonality and an extraordinarily unusual center of gravity, leading to his ability to tackle a range of songs and melodies which would be nearly impossible for most other popular singers to achieve”
The Wikipedia`s all-too-brief, yet concise reference on Presley`s voice, and musical background

“Elvis Presley`s talent as a musical artist was double barrelled and more; his voice, on the one hand, was extraordinary for its quality, range and power, as well as being a unique stage performer with instinctive natural abilities in both areas; he was the master of a wide and diverse range of vocal stylings and ventriloquist effects, from the clear tenor of his C&W heroes, to the vibrato of the Gospel singers he loved, his voice invariably possessing an aching sincerity and an indefinable quality of yearning virtually impossible to pigeonhole”.
From the U.S Department of the Interior`s paper on criteria for greatness as a vocalist, which, together with all aspects of his life and legacy, led to the inclusion of his home, Graceland, in the National Register of Historic Places, in 2006.

“I am indebted to Scott W. Johnson, my fellow at the Claremont Institute, for many things over the years, but not many rate higher than his “introducing” me to Elvis Presley. I came of age (i.e., reached the 9th grade), just in time for the “British Invasion” and, despite my childhood memories, soon came to think of him as the ultimate in passe; so, I was astonished when Scott told me, a year or two ago, that in his opinion Elvis Presley was the greatest male vocalist of the 20th Century; I had never thought of him in that light, to put it mildly, but that conversation caused me to realize that I had never actually ‘listened’; starting then, I did – with the aid of Scott’s encyclopedic music collection -, so if you have never gotten past a cartoon image of Elvis, do yourself a favor and ‘listen’”.
John H. Hinderaker, of the Claremont Institute, a Harvard Law School Graduate and expert on public policy issues, including income and race, as published in Power.Line, on January 09, 2007

“When healthy and serious, he was flat-out the world’s greatest singer. In his voice, he possessed the most beautiful musical instrument, and the genius to play that instrument perfectly; he could jump from octave to countless other octaves with such agility without voice crack, simultaneously sing a duet with his own overtones, rein in an always-lurking atomic explosion to so effortlessly fondle, and release, the most delicate chimes of pathos. Yet, those who haven’t been open (or had the chance) to explore some of Presley’s most brilliant work – the almost esoteric ballads and semi-classical recordings -, have cheated themselves out of one of the most beautiful gifts to fall out of the sky in a lifetime. Fortunately, this magnificent musical instrument reached its perfection around 1960, the same time the recording industry finally achieved sound reproduction rivaling that of today. So, it’s never too late to explore and cherish a well-preserved miracle, as a simple trip to the record store will truly produce unparalleled chills and thrills, for the rest of your life; and then you’ll finally understand the best reason this guy never goes away”.
Mike Handley, narrator and TV/radio spokesman, in the ‘The Jim Bohannon Show’, airing on 600+ radio stations on the Westwood One Network.

“The greatest voice of all time”.
“Q” Magazine Judging panel´s laud of Elvis Presley, from a poll published on their March 4, 2007 issue.

“Q Magazine bravely attempted to name the best and worst singers ever. They did a good job, wisely going big with Elvis as the top choice”
Rollingstone Magazine’s online edition, published on 5 March, 2007.

“He had a musically textured rhythmic voice that had emotional intelligence; concentrate on his voice: sweet, remorseful, defiant, suggestive”
Eileen Battersby, literary correspondant, citing the reasons for her being hooked on Elvis after “discovering” him inadvertently as she changed the dial looking for her favourite classical music radio station, as published in the “Irish Times” in August of 2002.

“With the way he was marketed, he didn’t even need to be able to sing the way he could. But Elvis had talent, plain and simple. The guy had a thousandth-octave range, and a variety in his vocal styles and approach, he could make more vocal tones, with just his voice, than a guitar player with 50 pedals and gadgets. If you never even saw the guy, you could plain feel, not just hear, the emotion and passion in his voice, and you are immediately taken in, one hundred percent. On the merit of vocals alone, he had more talent in the barbecue stuck in his teeth than the singers who sell millions of records do today.”
Country singer Roger Wallace, in the web`s “Soapbox”.

“I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra’s. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness.”
B.B. King, King of the Blues.

” That night at the “Eagle’s Nest”, I remember, he was playing a D-18 Martin acoustic guitar and he was dressed in the latest teen fashion, but the thing I really noticed though, was his guitar playing. Elvis was a fabulous rhythm player. He’d start into “That’s All Right” , with his own guitar, alone, and you didn’t want to hear anything else”
Johnny Cash, in “Cash, the autobiography”, recalling the first time he saw Presley perform, at the “Eagles Nest”, in Memphis (1954)

“Elvis’ early vocals, was a witches’ brew of gospel swoops, falsetto shrieks, growls, howls, and scat…an anthem to human cockiness, to the healing, transcendent powers of the life-force…”
Edwin Howard, of the “Memphis Press Scimitar”, on Elvis’ first recordings at the Sun Records label, as published in “Q” magazine

Michael doesn’t have the lasting power that Elvis does. That is a fact.

Michael…the footnote will always have an asterisk.

Elvis was maybe not what you consider an artist, but he conquered music, movies and stage. He is still the best selling performer in Las Vegas history, and who do you think that Michael topped? Further to that Elvis had more #1 singles as a single performer than anyone, and he’s still selling them like mad! The Beatles continue to sell every year more than Michael. In fact….Elvis and the Beatles have Iconic songs. No one ever will think of Beat It as one of those, and my kid certainly doesn’t get the lyrics, but he will sing something simple like Love Me Tender or Yellow Submarine, because he doesn’t have to think too much about them, and they are timeless. There was something simple, pure, hard, raw, and poetic about the songs done for a simpler time. Michael’s works are a fixutre of the late 80′s and early 90′s. Frankly, Elvis has been dead for 30 years, and he still is selling records (and not even able to make anything new), and the Beatles keep punching them out as well….Michael….living in Dubai, or some place on the other side of the planet….because…oh yea….he’s a freak!

Before Michael was in the books…there was Elvis and The Beatles.

John and Paul — Poets and Song writers and what the world needed at that moment in time!

Elvis — Invented what we think of as Rock and Roll. It wasn’t his quest — great talent, dumb luck, and a shrewd (albeit questionable business manager)AND the fact that he was there for the dawn of television. He didn’t steal music from anyone, and anyone with any sense would know he was a poor white kid, living in a very impoverished area and brought up on that music. Furthermore, during that time, Performers had song writers….Mae Hoyt Axton, Leiber and Stoller, Blackwell…and so on. (You think that the other GREAT ENTERTAINER before Elvis wrote his stuff? Or you are going to tell me that Frank Sinatra had no influence on music?

Michael — is Michael .. nuff said — Regardless of records in the books….he’ll end up a joke and a foot note — What has Michael done for us lately? Oh, right….he was acquitted of that. Further to that, he may be a great dancer…a great composer…a great singer…and all of what you think he is or isn’t.

…but he’s not that orignial (he learned a lot of his stuff from the 4 brothers he had on stage)….He’s not a musician (Ask Prince about that, and tell me when the last time was you saw him wield a guitar or anything other than some simple melody on a keyboard(nor was Elvis…not trying to imply that)) and frankly, those kids that grew up during his time have a reason to think he’s the greatest….

Those of us that grew up with Elvis, The Beatles, The Doors, Jimmy Hendrix or Don Mclean have a reason to think differently….because, frankly, without their influences in music, whether they wrote it all or not…..Michael would not be Michael Jackson….For better or worse!

….So quoth the Walrus.

Factually, there’s no way that MJ will now be able to be seen, by historians, to be a bigger, more important, ground-breaking entertainer than Presley.

Here, below, are at least 20 reasons, all factual, which prve my thesis, assuming of course that, at one point ( in 1986, to be exact), MJ was the only man in entertainment history who actually became as big, and was on his way to be regarded by historians as having become bigger than Elvis Presley. But he never got there, and it all has to do with a series of facts, none of which have anything to do with the fact he was an african american.

1. Their respective backgrounds, and early life. Other then being the subject of a strict father who wanted the success of their sons and daughters, perhaps too quickly, there’s nothing dramatic about MJ’s early up-bringing ( from birth to say, age 12). Acceptance was instant, as the 1970 market saw the Jackson 5 as they were, a fantastic group of kids from Indiana, all extremely talented for their age, or for any age.

Need I elaborate on what was Elvis’ up-bringing like, born in the poorest state of the Union, and moving, at age 13, to the second poorest? And with those vocal chords not being able to explode, until age 10, he was the loneliest little kid in Mississippi, then in Tennessee. No contest, his was the stuff of which dreams are made up. The kid who had nothing, then ate the world up. Incidentally, amongst celebrities in general, not just amongst musicians, this aspect of Elvis’ life is unique. I can not think, off hand, of another celebrity, or musician, in America, or worldwide, who was that poor, and reached the kind of superstardom that Elvis enjoyed, both whilst alive, and in his after-life.

It’s hard to imagine how he pulled it off, and managers throughout the world keep trying to come up with the formula, but it is to no avail, at least at the time of writing. His challenge was monumental, and he got away with it.

Will continue in my next post

Thank you Charles Thomson, the voice of reason. Jackson as the footnote in history is laughable. Your response was golden.

Never read so much nonsense in my life – it’s not even worth bothering, really.

As for the absolute MORON who thought that Elvis had no Guinness Records, and admittedly, they may not be up to date (although he is once again the richest dead celeb)….see below (not to mention a 4 octave range as well, notably later in his career — Morons that think “sings high” means “Sings Well”)

Elvis in the Guinness World Record book

Most Hit Singles On US Chart

Elvis Presley had a record 149 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1956 and 1996. THe King of rock ‘n’ roll took his first step towards a musical career at the age of eight, when he won $5 in a local singing contest in Tupelo, Mississippi performing the Red Folley ballad, “Old Shep”.

Most US No. 1 Albums By A Male Solo Artist

Elvis Presley had a record nine solo albums reach the number one spot on the US chart. They were – Elvis Presley (1956), Elvis (1956), Loving You (1957), Elvis Christmas Album (1957), GI Blues (1960), Something For Everybody (1961), Blue Hawaii (1961), Roustabout (1964), and Elvis – Aloha From Hawaii (1973).

Most Weeks On UK Singles Chart

Elvis Presley’s 111 hits have spent a total of 1,149 weeks in the UK singles chart since “Heartbreak Hotel” debuted on May 11, 1956. In the weeks following his death on August 16, 1977, his record sales predictably rocketed. Sales of the tragically fitting “Way Down” went way up – propelling Presley once more to the number one spot.

Most Consecutive Weeks On UK Singles Chart

Elvis Presley is the artist with the most consecutive weeks in the UK chart. His 13 hit singles, from “A Mess Of Blues”, in 1960, to “One More Broken Heart For Sale”, in 1963, spent an unbroken 144 weeks in the chart.

Most Hit Albums On UK Chart

As of February 2001, Elvis Presley had 100 hit albums in the UK chart. This is just one of the 15 records held by The King – others include “Most No.1 Singles In The UK Chart”, “Most No.1 Hit Singles By A Solo Artist”, and “Most Fan Clubs”.

Most RIAA Certificates Held By A Single Artist

The recording artist with the most certified titles ever is Elvis Presley with 235. This total is comprised of 132 gold, 70 platinum, and 33 multiplatinum certificates. RIAA stands for the Recording Industry Association of America.

Most Platinum Certificates For Record Sales

The only audited measure of record sales in the USA is certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Elvis Presley holds the record for the most platinum certificates issued by the RIAA, with 70.

Most Charted Artist

Elvis Presley’s records spent a cumulative total of 1,155 weeks on the UK singles chart since his first hit Heartbreak Hotel released on May 11, 1956.

Most Fan Clubs

There are more than 613 active Elvis Presley fan clubs worldwide, accounting for a total membership 510,489. The longest running of these is the French “La Voix d’Elvis”, founded in January, 1956, by Evelyne Bellemin. It currently has 30 members. His fans take all kinds of guises -there’s even a group parachuting Elvis impersonators called the “Flying Elvi”, the 10 high-altitude look-alikes can be booked to drop in on any occasion!

Richest Dead Celebrity
In the year 2000, 23 years after he died of a heart attack, Elvis Presley earned $35 million (£25 million.) Since he first launched his recording career, Elvis has sold more than one billion albums, generating fat royalty checks for his family. Elvis left daughter Lisa-Marie his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tenn., which earns $15 million (£10.5 million) annually in admission fees, while $5 million (£3.5 million) was earned by selling Presley related articles like T-shirts and toys.
Some folks say he’s still working at a gas station in Tennessee, or stacking shelves in a local Wal-Mart, or performing as a wedding singer. But the career of the dead Elvis is proving to be much more lucrative than any of these professions. In 2000 the Elvis estate earned $35 million from record sales, merchandise, and licensing deals.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Elvis is an icon. Let’s look at how people become icons and how you too could end up immortalised in history! An important first step is to capture a moment or happening in history. Elvis is a great example – he didn’t invent rock ‘n’ roll, but his charisma, stage presence, and great voice brought it to a whole new audience. Like the film star James Dean (who was one of Presley’s heroes), Elvis also captured a new spirit of rebellion among America’s youth in the 1950s. The way Elvis used to gyrate his hips caused controversy back then, but icons are often controversial – just look at Eminem.

CHECK THIS OUT…
In 1970 there were 250 professional Elvis impersonators. Today there are estimated to be 35,000. If this trend continues at the same rate there will be 700 million Elvis impersonators by 2060 – that’s double the population of the USA and Canada combined.

Most Durable Elvis Impersonator

The world’s most durable Elvis Presley impersonator was Belgium’s Victor Beasley. The boundless Belgian had been belting out The King’s tunes since 1955, a total of 48 years, and spanned every stage of the late King’s career – from the early rockabilly days right through to the lavish showmanship of the Vegas era. Like Elvis, Vick also developed his singing voice at a local church, and in another parallel with the life of the King, did military service in Germany. “They were stationed very close,” explained Vick’s wife. “But unfortunately they never met.” The boogieing Belgian – whose favorite number was “Pledging My Love” – had transformed his home in Wuurstwezel, just outside Antwerp, into a shrine to The King, which he named “Small Graceland”. He had also recently been made an honorary citizen of Tulepo – the King’s birthplace.

Most Valuable Hair

The most valuable hair clippings sold at auction are a mass of dark black cuttings from the head of Elvis Presley. The King’s curls were sold by his personal barber, Homer “Gill” Gilleland, for $115,120 (£72,791), buyer’s premium included, to an anonymous buyer during an online auction held by MastroNet Inc., Oak Brook, Illinois, USA, on November 15, 2002. The lock of hair is approximately 8 cm (3 in) in diameter and is accompanied by letters of authenticity from Tom Morgan Jr. (detailing their history), John W Heath (the world’s foremost Elvis memorabilia expert) and John Reznikoff of University Archives (the world’s most respected authority in the field of hair collecting).

….and trust me….My kids know who Elvis and the Beatles are without any help from a early 30 something couple. They have no clue who the Jackson Five or Micheal Jackson is.

Elvis is certainly well overated for all the reasons given above.
It’s a close call between Michael Jackson and the Beatles though. Both wrote hugely popular and hugely successful albums. Both innovated. Both have been imitated and copied through the years, though I would suggest Michael Jackson is probably more often copied these days than the Beatles – Justin Timberlake, Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Omarion, Akon etc. It is unclear who has sold the most records, but from what I hear, if you add ALL of Michael Jackson’s career sales (Jackson 5, Jacksons, plus solo material) he has sold more than Paul McCartney’s career sales.

I’m gonna go out on a limb and say Michael Jackson is greater than the BEatles”

Michael Jackson Vocal Profile
Vocal timbre: Spinto, Countertenor, Baritone (in the song 2000 Watts of Invinvible album, for exmaple)

Highest note: B5

Lowest note : E2

Vocal range: 3.6+ octaves (E2-B5; 44 notes by the middle of 1980s according to Seth Riggs, Jackson’s vocal consultant (Quote from Seth Riggs); in the 1990s, Riggs said the range expanded to 4 octaves. Apparently, due to aging, Jackson got few additional lower notes, while not losing the highest ones.)

To cut it short: GENIUS.

I am a big fan of classical music – Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Mozart, Faure etc I really think that this man, Michael Jackson, might surpass R&B and Pop boundaries in the future, I’ve listen to some of his less known and uncommercial works and I know I am not talking nonsense. Just wait and see…

Cecilia

All artists mentioned brought something to the table. Where record sales are concerned I think Michael Jackson may have won. However sales are not what music fans appreciate (only record companies). I agree that Elvis had a singers range indeed Michael jackson may have a wider vocal range. The beatles are excluded because they are a group. So lets concentrate on a fair match.

Some may argue that if Elvis was around when Cds became household items he may have sold more. Thats beside the point.. What im getting at is a true gifted music icon knows his field, who can compose, write and deliver.

Elvis didnt write (no questions) he could deliver. Michael Jackson writes and delivers.

1 – 0 Michael

Crossing music boundaries

Elvis was listended to gosbel and appealed to many people…Mostly though were white. His appeal would be for middle class white people (not racisim just fact). He didnt danced he wiggled his hips. I am not taking the michael here. He didnt use theatre in his performance.

Jackson grew up to soul (motown). What Jackson did was to break down white and black boundaries. MTV was racists (fact) until Thriller made them realise that they could make more money with Jackson on board. Jackson also danced…but not what people associate current pop dance.. He spun like James brown..stepped like Fred and had presence like Frank!!!

In my view Michael Jackson is a true icon because he did what artists should do…write there own feelings down and express through music!! He even managed to express through dance and combined the two perfectly.

AMEN TO ALL –MICHAEL JACKSON IS A GENIUS! – The day he dies, the world will begin it’s true homage to his greatness–and it will surpass the BS of the beatles and elvis fans bc Michael has touched more people worldwide–just a fact.
“

QUOTE
The day he (Wacko J) dies, the world will begin it’s true homage to his greatness”
UNQUOTE

That day can’t come quickly enough…

In the massive book “200 Icons of the 20 Century”, Elvis was described as “The ‘Stand Alone Icon’ of the Century”.

THAT is why he stands head and shoulders above all the other entertainers no matter how good they were.

Elvis now has FANS from 5 generations! Much to our teenage surprise we witnessed mature adults rushing out to buy “It’s Now or Never” 1960.

Our grandchildren are buying Elvis CDs 2007.

They also buy Ludwig Van Beethoven’s astounding music. They know the best when they hear it!

hey peter….when you die, I pray you receive mercy. Good luck with that.

unsubstantiated hatred is a terrible thing and rooted in fear of what you do not understand; Sad plight of weak men.

Kate, what are you talking about??? Back in the 1950′s, performers just stood behind a microphone and dint move. Elvis came along and shocked the world with his dancing. His hip wiggling maybe very tame compared to modern dancing but at the time no one had ever seen anything like it.

Elvis performed a concert in Florida in his early career, which was recorded by the police. They threatened to arrest him if he wiggled his hips. His dancing paved the way for all the dance crazes that followed in the 60s……which ultimately had an influence on Michael Jackson.

As for you comment that Elvis didnt use theatre in his perfomance….I can only assume that you have never seen an Elvis concert. He perfomed over 1000 concerts in the sevnties. Each tour a massivse success. In 1973 he perfomed “aloha from Hawaii” which was the first concert to be transmitted LIVE around the world. This concert was seen by an estimated 1 Billion people. He wore Jumpsuits on stage, always wore loads of gold (He was the original Bling!!) and he always interacted with his audience and often jumped off stage and walked amongst the crowds!!

You may not be an Elvis fan. You may not like his songs or his voice (which i find very hard to believe!), but there is no escaping the fact that he is the most influential performer of all time. FACT!!

I am a fan of Michael Jackson but the sad fact is, when he has been dead for 30 years, people will mainly remember him for his recent court battles and the fact that he changes his face more than he changes his socks!

The Beatles are a bigger threat to Elvis than Michael Jackson but even they can not touch him. Without Elvis, there would be no Beatles. I have seen interviews with all the Beatles when they were asked “what has been the greatest moment of life?” Care to take a guess what they said??
You guessed it. It was meeting Elvis Presley!

The Beatles CHANGED THE WORLD! Michael Jackson??
You’re kidding….right???
Elvis was a force from 1956..until he went in the army in March of 1958…..when in got out in 1960…he became Perry Como….
The Beatles were THE GREATEST show biz story of the 20th century….their impact is still being felt..
Jackson???? Please…You cannot compare Jackson to Elvis Presley and The Beatles…’Nuff said!!!!

Congrats to Deke on taking the dubious honour of most ridiculous post in this thread!! QUOTE: “Michael — is Michael .. nuff said — Regardless of records in the books….he’ll end up a joke and a foot note — What has Michael done for us lately?”

Well if you are going to get personal and vindictive, as far as I know Michael Jackson isn’t being wheeled out on stage in a maternity jump suit looking like he’s just turned 90 yrs old. Oh and as far as i’m aware Jackson’s current professional absence isn’t due to him eating his way to death on a toilet seat.

QUOTE: “…but he’s not that orignial (he learned a lot of his stuff from the 4 brothers he had on stage)…”

OMG, you mean those brothers who have had more prolific and celebrated solo careers than Michael Jackson? Those same brothers who can’t sing or dance ANYWHERE near as amazingly as Michael?? No you’re absolutely right, Michael was simply trying his best all along to imitate his brother Tito, why couldn’t I see this?!

QUOTE: “He’s not a musician”

What, so writing, arranging and producing your own music makes him a milkman??!

QUOTE: “… tell me when the last time was you saw him wield a guitar or anything other than some simple melody on a keyboard …”

When was the last time you saw Elvis do a 10 minute dance solo to nothing more than a snare and kick drum beat? Michael was too busy dancing his socks off with god-like genious to be kidding around strumming on a guitar. Not that he can’t, with a little research you’ll find that Michael Jackson can play at the very least guitar, piano AND drums to recording standard, which should be of no surprise really seeing though at age 4 he started in a BAND which became one of the most successful in music history. He’s been making music for over 40 years, heck he can probably play the harp for all we know!!

Singers (and i use the term loosely) such as Justin Timberlake pull out a guitar for a song or two but it means nothing – it’s simply compensating for lack of artistry – in the same way he’ll have 40+ dancers on stage with him, to compensate for his lack of presence and dancing ability.

I’m not knocking Elvis as a vocalist or a live entertainer – he undoubtedly had immense presence on stage (no pun intended) and some MJ backers on here are a bit too quick to knock Elvis’ obvious talent. All i will say is that I believe if one has to compare the two, if you fairly look at everything on offer from both of them and the effects of their existence, you have to say that Michael Jackson has been a more influential and innovative and, dare I say it, better singer, live performer and undoubtedly much more of an artist than Elvis. Heck, Michael Jackson inadvertedly created his own genre! Just turn on the radio or flick over to a music video channel and his legacy is there for all to see – the singing style, the dancing style, the musical style, the fashions and the music video itself. It’s almost as if the music industry has taken advantage of Jackson’s refusal to put out a serious album in 12 yrs and violated and pillaged his entire artistry. That and it being a massive cry out for his long overdue return. Why? Because Michael Jackson is the blue print for artistic perfection, he is the bar that everybody else in the business aspires to be.

I do think there is an argument for saying there is an existence of systemic white supremacy, bigging up their own and knocking who dare try and be any better, creating a world where people such as The Beatles and Elvis Presley, as great as they were, are even more important artistically than perhaps they actually are. In fact, this makes Jackson’s success all the more astonishing as he’s had to overcome these barriers and to this day still confronts them. I don’t think white western culture will currently accept Jackson’s all conquering status for various reasons, including jealousy. Buying the Beatles back-catalogue and sleeping with Elvis’ daughter can quite easily be interpreted as Michael sticking two fingers up at the unembracing white establisment! Remember, Paul McCartney owns millions of other people’s songs and has done for longer than Jackson has. But when Michael Jackson does it, he gets lambasted for it in a display of double standards.

I have slightly diverted off course into racial politics which was not my intention. My point is that before you make your judgement on Michael Jackson, just try and objectively understand what he has had to overcome in his career because of race and his deep rooted psychological issues which exist as a result of being in the business since pre-school and being the most famous and successful person on the planet for most of his life. The more successful he became, the more he has had to overcome. Add to this his immense talent and there is no argument in favour of any other artist(s) being named as the best – strip away everything else and focus on the talent – listen to Dangerous, watch a live show from the Bad Tour, search any of his music videos on youtube and you can’t help but accept his profound excellence. If not, then you are part of the reason why I think Michael’s most prolific era is yet to come – when he eventually dies. As with all true greats, he will be reveered and celebrated FOREVER. In life, with the grip of the establishment squeezing around his neck, he crossed all barriers and reached all corners of the globe, no stone unturned. In death, his genius will be recognised across the universe.

Paul
kingofspain

SHOUT OUT to MJJ2005.com!!

JIM C.

Michael Jackson did change the world in more ways than you know.
MTV was a rock station and refused to play black artists until Michael Jackson arrived. With the arrival of the Thriller album, MTV couldn’t ignore its success and from then on played black music. That is a world changing event.

the Thriller album is by far the biggest selling album (globally) ever. THAT is a world changing event.

The Thriller video is STILL consistently voted the best music video ever. THAT is world changing.

Michael Jackson broke records for his world tours, such as number of tickets sold, gross income etc. His tours were world changing events.

Michael Jackson’s total sales are comparable to (and some say more than) the Beatles and Elvis’ sales.

In terms of commerical success Michael Jackson is defintely in the running for #1.

In terms of influence he is still in the running, you only have to look at current music videos, listen to current music, and listen to what current artists are saying. They cite Michael Jackson as their biggest influence and it is apparent in all they do. Look at Justin Timberlake, Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Will.i.am, Akon. They’re all copying MJs style. Big time.

Elvis’ death is the reason for his status in the world. It was a tragic event, but without that he wouldn’t be held in such high regard.
The Beatles reputation was boosted by the death of John Lennon. A death does wonders to ones career (other examples, James Dean, Kurt Cobain, Maralyn Monroe etc).
Michael Jackson on the other hand is still alive and has not had that advantage. He has had his troubles, but with relatively few albums released, his achievements are incredible.

To the person that said Michael Jackson was all about Pop music. How wrong you are. He sang rock,pop,soul,R&B, and probably more that I can’t think of. In fact, there are probably more R&B and soul songs in his back catalogue than pop.

Anybody who would attempt to demean or diminish Michael Jackson’s talent, importance, innovation or influence is serving to highlight nothing more than their own stupidity and tunnel vision.

Elvis is only ‘more popular’ because he was and still is a media darling – despite being a drug addict and repeatedly sleeping with underaged girls. He was a pretty white face to splash all over magazines and newspapers at a time when vastly superior black artists from the same genres were banished from the front pages of all mainstream publications.

I fail to see how a man who never wrote a song and, as such, never changed or innovated a genre can be held in such high regard. The only way in which Elvis impacted the industry was in being one of the first musicians to attract a global, multi-racial fanbase.

He was a good performer and a good singer, but he did not create or innovate anything. He just sang what his manager told him to sing and raked in the cash, whilst the people who actually wrote the beautiful music that was earning him millions of dollars were often left out on the streets or living in ramshackle buildings, scrimping and saving to feed their families.

If we’re going to really get into it, James Brown did more for music than all three of the aforementioned artists combined. He was directly or indirectly responsible for pretty much every black musical trend to have emerged from 1965 to the present, be it the invention of funk, the innovation of disco, the reinvigoration of R’n'B or the advent of rap, hip-hop and the various sub-genres they have spawned.

His pioneering use of the 2 and 4 beat instead of 1 and 3 has been recreated in almost every genre except classical music. He touched every genre and his influence is felt in almost everything you hear on the radio to this very day.

Elvis died decades ago and yet every year his birthday spawns more global positive press than James Brown did on the day of his death. At the Grammy’s his ‘tribute’ was to have Christina Aguilera butcher one of the greatest songs of all time and then have Justin Timberlake perform a completely irrelevant tap dance routine.

Nobody can ever tell me that the marginalisation of James Brown, responsible for dozens of musical innovations and movements spanning six decades, compared to the prolonged celebration of Elvis Presley, who never wrote a song in his career, is a by-product of anything other than institutionalised racism in the media… the same institutionalised racism that strives to maintain Elvis Presley’s undeserved image as an innovator of rock and roll and at the same time strives to belittle the achievements of the pioneering black artists responsible for his success.

“In terms of influence he is still in the running, you only have to look at current music videos, listen to current music, and listen to what current artists are saying. They cite Jackson as their biggest influence and it is apparent in all they do. Look at Justin Timberlake, Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Will.i.am, Akon. They’re all copying MJs style. Big time”

Fine, and that is why Michael Jackson is MICHAEL JACKSON, with capital letters.

But the people who were influenced by Presley were not just the flavours of the month, or the flavours of the year (he had those, too…), but the biggest musical forces of the following four generation of musicians. Will Michael inflkuence four generations, as Elvis did?

Who were these, you may ask?

In the sixties, the Beatles and Bob Dylan, to begin with. They in turm influence the following four.

In the seventies, Led Zeppelin and Elton John, come to mind.

In the eighties, every major country music star that has ever crossed over the pop divide.

In the nineties and in today’s 2000′s, people in the music busibess, as well as in general terms, keep referring to Elvis as the yardstick by which to measure a musician’s level of greatness.

I thought the measure of a musicians greatness might have something to do with whether they actually wrote any music. Otherwise it is difficult to concieve of why they might be labelled a musician in the first place.

Sorry, I forgot to mention the musicians, from his own generation, which Presley influenced, not just to sing in the shower, but to the extent of actually DECIDING, right there and then, to leave whatever they were doing previously, even nas musicians, and take up a life in rock music, period.

So, again, who were these, you may ask?

In the fifties, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash come first to mind,

In the sixties, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, and Bob Dylan, to begin with. They, in turn, influence the following four generations.

In the seventies, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Sprinsteen and Elton John, come to mind.

In the eighties, every major country music star that has ever crossed over the pop divide.

In the nineties and in today’s 2000’s, people in the music busibess, as well as in general terms, keep referring to Elvis as the yardstick by which to measure a musician’s level of greatness.

According to the RIAA, which was created two years after rock and roll began, in earnest, the following are the top 20 album sellers:

1 The Beatles over 100 million albums sold
2 Garth Brooks over 100 million albums sold
3 Elvis over 100 million albums sold
4 Eagles over 100 million albums sold

All artists below selling between 56.5 and 94 million

5 Billy Joel
6 Pink Floyd
7 Led Zeppelin
8 Barbra Streisand
9 Elton John
10 AC/DC
11 Rolling Stgones
12 George Strait
13 Aerosmith
14 Bruce Springsteen
15 Madonna
16 Mariah Carey
17 Michael Jackson
18 Metallica
19 Van Halen
29 Whitney Houston

Apart from the non surprising fact that none of them is, or ever was, a flavour of the month, a couple of things stand out.

First, that those ranked 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12 and 14 cite the person ranked as 3 as their biggest musical influence, as the reason they took rock music as a profession.

The other is that the person ranked 17 has no influence in the careers, of any of the 20 most popular album artists in US recording history. Even worse for MJ, in terms of influence, is the list of the top singles sellers, also as per the RIAA.

KEY I COULDN`T AGREE WITH YOU MORE. “PETER” IS DEFINITELY A VERY SHADOW PERSON. IT`S THAT TYPE OF HATRED THAT HAS LED TO THE “WHITE MEDIA” CONTINUING TO SHIELD MICHAEL`S ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH THEIR LIES AND INNUENDOS. “PETER” I DON`T KNOW BUT I SUSPECT YOUR LIFE ISN`T GOING SO WELL. NOW TO “DEKE”. I SEE YOU HAVE TOTALLY BOUGHT INTO THE “WHITE MEDIA`S” WAVE OF LIES. THE NAME CALLING,THE ALLEGATIONS,ETC. LET`S TAKE AN INVENTORY OF THE “WHITE MEDIA” FOR A SECOND. ONE OF THEIR CURRENT LIES IS MJ IS HURTING FOR MONEY OR BROKE. LET`S LOOK AT THAT. FIRST HE OWNS THE “BEATLES” CATALOGUE WITH SOME SONGS OF ELVIS. SOME HAVE ESTIMATED THIS CATALOGUE TO BE WORTH MORE THAN A “BILLION” DOLLARS. SO THAT BLOWS THAT THEORY RIGHT OUT OF THE WATER. AND IT`S BECAUSE OF HIS BRILLIANCE AS A BUSINESS MAN THAT THE “PLOT” HAS BEEN SET IN MOTION TO TAKE HIM DOWN. BEGINNING WITH THE LEGAL SYSTEM HE IS A PRIORITY. EVER HEARD OF “TOM SNEDDON” WHO RETIRED IN DISGRACE? I JUST HOPE MIKE IS STRONG ENOUGH TO NOT LET THESE FACTIONS BREAK HIM MENTALLY FOR THAT IS THEIR GOAL IF THEY CAN`T GET HIM THROUGH THE LEGAL SYSTEM. TOMMY MOTTOLA IS MAD BECAUSE HE CAN`T GET HIS HANDS ON MIKE`S CATALOGUE,THE “WHITE MEDIA” PLOTTING,THE SYSTEM SCHEMING,SEE THE THEME. I`LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. YOU,”PETER”,”TOM SNEDDON”, “TOMMY MOTTOLA” AND THE “WHITE MEDIA” REALLY DESERVE EACH OTHER,AND IN THE END I SUPPOSE MIKE IS THE SMART ONE BECAUSE HE`S PURCHASING CATALOGUES.

i read that michael jackson does not have the influence or lasting power of elvis or the beatles!Ask urself what artist has endured the discrimination and attacks that michael jackson has endured by the hands the media…AND still people talk about his talent..thats AMAZING. Now ask urself DID ELVIS OR THE BEATLES receive the same malicious attack.So when you say that michael jackson has no influnce>> UR A JOKE

if anyone disagrees with the orginal writer!!!!!!!!!black or white>>>i suggest u take some time to watch michael jackson performin live!>>http://youtube.com/watch?v=DBbv_B2Q56o

IF MUSIC is the sound, the movement, the emotion, the voice, the lyric, the passion, the words and the song itself……UNFORTUNATLY for you PEOPLE…michael jackson is the MASTER.

Yes Jim, irrefutable facts.

Now let me see, there are beautiful life-sized bronze statues and memorials in tribute to Elvis in Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Germany, England, Scotland, Hawaii and more USA states. More are expected.

Jackobotic may or may not materialise in Vegas?:-)
Let’s leave race out of the debate both stars deserve more respect.

From the outset Elvis was mauled by the media, because he dared eclipse the Big Band Brigade.
Nevertheless inspite of a hostile Establishment by sheer force of his unique talent he slowly but surely silenced the vast majority of his critics.

Today Elvis’s image and music is everywhere!

the media has for the last ten years scandalised michael jackson…and yet his talent still remains….no otha artist would have survived this attack….trying to bring down the musical reputation of a true genuis…has the same been said about ELVIS AND THE BEATLES i think not…they on the other hand have had their reputation proped and reinforced by the large white media……………………..FACT

Terence – Thanks for shedding light on the malpractices of the mainstream media and their attemps to destroy Michael Jackson’s legacy and musical contributions. White historians will do the same. They’ll rewrite history, record inaccuracies. but INTERNATIONALLY, MJ will go down in history as the Greatest proformer to hit this planet.

Carles Thomson, I appreciate your response, but a small correction – Presley is NOT more popular than Michael. He’s more popular with the media, not the public. And this is ONLY in America. Worldwide, MJ is far more popular than Presley, esp. the Brown, Black, and Yellow nations. Presley is barely known in many non-white areas in the world. Michael Jackson is known EVERYWHERE – in remote villages that most of us have never even heard of.
And to the ignorant poster who said Presley was the first to “dance” while singing, I have a list of names for you – Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Chuck Berry, Sammy Davies, etc. PRESLEY WAS THE FIRST WHITE PERFORMER. Don’t get it twisted.

Look, I am not knocking MJ. In his prime, at the onset of Thriller, I remember every white kid in America who could afford one, ran down to the local Chess King, and tried to snag a jacket from Thriller….HE was HUGE…and the MTV marketing machine made that a possibility. Otherwise, I cannot imagine the most normal joe running out and buying a red leather / black trim jacket with pointy shoulders!

MJ and Elvis both managed to become charicatures of themselves. What they both were in their prime is a snapshot of history for when MJ and EP both changed music / entertainment industries forever. As far as influence….yes, both influential, in my mind. Elvis did not have an MTV in his day, he had Ed Sullivan and Hollywood. Much can be said the same for Paul McCartney and the Beatles a few years later (again no MTV outlet).

I will give you that he is a talented entertainer, and a fine composer. I never said, nor did I mean to imply, his success had to do with a race issue, or the infliction of the “white media”.

Yes, he moves well “dancing his ass off,” as you put it, but he’s hardly on par with Gregory Hines or Baryshnikov. His brothers, his family, and his church were all responsible for being influences in Michael’s future, as they certainly were for Elvis as well. Elvis was not a dancer either…he was a mover. But Elvis said time and time again where he got his moves, and his styles, and where they were 1st experienced in his life….some people he references are Otis Blackwell, Jackie Wilson, and Carl Perkins.

So my apologies to whomever I offended. Different entertainers, different times. CDs vs 45s. Graceland vs Neverland? But, the point is, they are both influential in music history.

It would be nice to think we could all be objective when debating the merits of very famous stars like Elvis and Michael.

As a great fan of Ludwig Van beethoven I would not dare belittle Mozart. But for me and a great many people Beethoven revolutionised Classical music. If you are not into his great music regard yourself as poverty stricken!

Elvis revolutionised popular music his amazing rendition of “Heartbreak Hotel” inspired countless singers and composers to produce their best!

Yes black entertainers struggled to be heard but was that Elvis’s fault? He too was exploited by his management and the System.

The market rules!
Entertainers for the most part are but pawns………. but some become Kings!

And their followers take up arms (keyboards these days) in their defence. I think we will have to agree to differ. Time will tell…. it always does.

This debate is getting ridiculous!! It started off as a decent discussion about Elvis & Jackson….then some muppets have to start bringing race into it.

Why does it have to be about black or white?

Deanetta mentioned that “PRESLEY WAS THE FIRST WHITE PERFORMER” to move that way. Big bold capital letters which basically says all you wanna do is make this about the colour of a mans skin! Pathetic! And to say that Elvis is only popular in the USA, proves that you actually have no idea what you are talking about.

She also mentioned Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Chuck Berry, Sammy Davies, All of who are great performers….but please dont kid yourself in believing that these people are anywhere near as talented as Elvis!!

Elvis embraced “black” music, and made the world stop and listen. Berry, Davis & not even Sam Cooke (who I personaly think is the 2nd best singer ever after Elvis), couldn’t do that!

Elvis had the whole package. It wasnt just his amazing voice, or the fact he was white and had a very iconic look……Elvis had a presence about him that was completely unique. I know many people feel this way about Michael Jackson too. I just cant understand how people can be so narrow minded and say that Elvis is not an imprortant music & cultural icon. He broke the mould of acceptable music and opened the door for everyone.

Like it or not, if there was no Elvis, We would never have heard of Michael Jackson. Simple truth!

Please stop making this about race. Lets just
keep it to the music!

You people are delusional.
Where is Michael Jackson today? He’s not done anything great since the 80′s.
And most singers (including African American artists) from the 50′s and 60′s did not write their own songs.
Michael Jackson can’t hold a candle next to Elvis. In the States, w/the exception of the few die hard fans, he’s a joke.
Michael Jackson is going down in history as the freak you hated to be African American and therefore turned himself into a white man…marrying white women…and playing w/little boys! ROF

I dunno about America or Europe, but in my country (an Asian one), Elvis has never been nearly half as famous as Michael. Virtually everyone knows Michael and his songs, but talk about Elvis and most of the time ur response will be a shoulder-shrug. I still remember clearly it’s Michael who was mostly responsible to introduce Western music to people in my country. Prior to that, we only listened to local artists. In the 90s, people were crazy about Michael, everything was about Michael, everyone wanted to dance like Michael, Heal The World was sang in almost every ceremony. Elvis, or the Beatles had never achieved the same level of admiration.
Not that I’m against Elvis or anything, I’m never a fan but I give his due, he’s an icon (that’s what I learn from Internet). But to those who say EP is more influential than Michael, ur not talking GLOBALLY! Maybe EP is more influential in America(that’s highly debatable from what I’ve learnt over the year), but in Asian, African countries and some other regions, he’s not even close to Michael.
How can u say EP is more iconic or influential, bla, bla…than Michael as a whole. And who said MJ will be just a footnote in history? WELL, UR KIDDING, RIGHT?

Most importantly, Elvis had a relationship with his fans that was truly unique. How many images are there, of Michael Jackson enjoying a minute, an hour, with his fans? Thousands, I bet. And with how many of them, he talked to, prolongued conversations, I mean? Many, I suppose.

One reaps what one seeds, and no matter what MJ’s fans may say, in response to this particular message, they can not, absolutely, provide us with hard, irrefutable evidence, photos, tapes, of Michael Jackson spending, I would say, more than one tenth of the time Elvis spent with his fans. The reason Elvis autograph is worthless, is simple. He spent time, talked, and signed autographs with every person that ever found him, either leaving Graceland, or coming back to it, or in any of his California homes, or in the Army, backstage, in between shows, in practically every ocassion he went out.

Since 1957, until the day before his death, it is estimated that some 650,000 people stood outside Graceland, and this includes`people who went tohere, inspite their knowñledge that Elvis was in the Army. Mo wonder 100,000 stood in the 100 degree heat the day after he passed away. And it should therefore not be surprising that thus far, 14 million people have passed his grave, and paid to do so, in the thirty years he’s been gone. One reaps what one seeds, and MJ, regrettably, only meets fans either when he invites them to Neverland, or when he is promoting himself. And the distance he keeps, from those who are allowed to be near him, at these two instances, is actually the opposite of what it should be.

litia,theres a statue of Elvis in Tokyo You have not been paying attention.

Ask the phillipine Elvis fans, and the King of Thailand!

Hong Kong has a large Elvis community and quarterly magazine, “Elvisland”.

The japanese Prime minister was in Graceland this year.. with Bush!!!

As for Australia……… LOL.

A little research please before posting.

Like it or not, if there was no Elvis, We would never have heard of Michael Jackson. Simple truth! R U KIDDIN HOW DOES MICHAEL JACKSONS TALENT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ELVIS….THE truth is ELVIS would look STEEWPID infront of MICHAEL JACKSON..

In Awe

HIs influence from the start has been adopted throughtout the msuic industry…and now we see the generation that grew up lisenting to him now making music of their own. Once the remaining generation that lived in the elvis era passes he will finally be put to rest….as a NOTHING MORE THAN michael jacksons understudy.

ELVIS IS NOSTALGIA ELVIS IS NOT TALENT.SORRY PEOPLE MICHAEL JACKSON IS TALENT THATS WHY WE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AFTER ALL THE BAD MEDIA HE RECIVIES YOU HAVE TO COME TO TERMS WHY YOU FEEL SO CONFLICTED>>BECAUSE HE IS, WAS AND STILL THE GREATEST PERFORMET THAT EVER LIVED.PEOPLE THAT LOVE ELVIS LOVE THE PERSON AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THAT HIS TALENT IS NOWHERE NEAR THE LEVEL SET BY MICHAEL JACKSON.PEOPLE MAY NOT LOVE MICHAEL JACKSON FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT MAYBE (PERSONLY I DONT BELIEVE HE WAS GUILTY NO EVEIDENCE AND WAS PROVEN INNOCENT)BUT THEY RESPECT HIS “”"”TALENT”"”"THATS SOMETHING ELVIS WILL NEVER GET.

lol, IN AWE said, “where is MJ today?” lol, No, where is Presley today?
This shows you the insanity of it all and the things they say and do in the name of ‘white superiority’- they need so badly to keep that concept alive. And MJ had the nerve to despel it in music. Cause he went global – the first artist to ever do that. Everybody all over the planet knew who the ‘best’ was. That ‘elvis lie’ no longer lived.
And ‘IN AWE’, Most BLACK artists wrote their own songs – Little Richard (the real king of R&R), Chuck Berry, James Brown, Fats Domino, Bobby Blue Bland, Chubby Checkers, BB King, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson – the list is too long. That’s why Elvis is nowhere in their league.
It was Motown that put a dent in black songwritting. But MJ broke free of that and gave us BILLIE JEAN! lol.

Elvis was an icon for White America though, he brought Black music and stage entertainment to them. I’ll give him that.

Meanwhile we are hearing Elvis in all the Shopping Centres/Malls around the world singing “Blue Christmas” From his 1957 Classic album…….. it’s only 50 years old.

hey all, they were all great. As with many artists, when they get older, they lose it. I saw celine dion, and she now sings in playback a lot. She said it herself, it gets scarier as you get older because people expect too much
I’m just grateful I’m not a celebrity and have a FREE life, can go shopping with friends, go out without everyone staring, life is so go that way. I feel sorry for celebrities and don’t really admire any of them, not to the extent of what goes on today.

Meanwhile we are hearing a very young Michael Jackson in all the shopping centres/malls around the world singing ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’, ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” from the Jackson 5 Christmas Album, it’s only over 35 years old.

The fact that any of what Jim Burrows wrote is included in a disussion about singers/performers is sad. I used to think that only caring about the work that these artists do was pretty reasonable, but it looks like many people also want their favorite artist to be someone they’d want to hang out with.

WELL,O WELL,O WELL, THIS IS FUN. LET`S SEE WHERE DO I START? SEEMS WE REALLY WANT TO GET INTO THE NUMBERS GAME. JUST BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR. I HAVE A FEW THAT`LL GRAB YOU, NO POINT IN TENDED. GET OUT YOUR CALCULATORS HERE WE GO. MICHAEL`S ALBUM “OFF THE WALL”, HIS FIRST AS AN ADULT SOLO ACT TO DATE HAS SOLD OVER 20 MILLION COPIES. AS A FAN, ARTISTICALLY I THINK IT`S HIS BEST ALTHOUGH “THRILLER” SOLD MORE. IT WAS A NUMBER 1 ALBUM THAT GARNERED 2 NUMBER 1 SINGLES. TODAY IT IS STILL CUTTING EDGE AND ABLE TO HOLD IT`S OWN AGAINST ANY ALBUM TO DATE. ON THE RADIO THEY STILL PLAY IT. I JUST HEARD “ROCK WITH YOU” YESTERDAY. AND FOR SOME OF YOU WHO WANNA TALK ABOUT RANGE OR VOCALS HERE`S A LIST FOR YOU. “ROCK WITH YOU”, “DON`T STOP TIL YOU GET ENOUGH”,”OFF THE WALL”, “SHE`S OUT OF MY LIFE”, BURN THIS DISCO OUT”,”BILLIE JEAN”,”HUMAN NATURE”,”THE LADY IN MY LIFE” “STRANGER IN MOSCOW”, “BUTTERFLIES” AND THESE ARE ONLY A FEW. OTHER ARTISTS OF TODAY RAVE ABOUT MJ`S VOICE INCLUDING THE NEW SCHOOL. JILL SCOTT WAS QUOTED AS SAYING “IF YOU WANNA STUDY MUSIC YOU STUDY MICHAEL JACKSON”. NOW BACK TO THE NUMBERS GAME. TIME FOR “THRILLER”. TO DATE IT HAS SOLD OVER 104 MILLION COPIES. IT GENERATED 2 NUMBER 1 SINGLES, 7 TOP 10, WAS NUMBER 1 FOR 37 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS, BEST SELLING ALBUM 2 YEARS IN A ROW, AND WON AN ASTOUNDING 8 GRAMMY AWARDS. TIME TO EXHALE BECAUSE THERE`S MORE. IT ALSO HAD THE BIGGEST SELLING VIDEO OF ALL TIME WITH THE TITLE TRACK AND ALSO WON 7 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS. NOW ONTO “BAD”. TO DATE IT HAS SOLD OVER 32 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE. IT HAD AN ASTOUNDING 5 NUMBER 1 SINGLES, THE ONLY ALBUM WITH THAT MANY. 7 TOP TEN SINGLES AS WELL. TIME TO EXHALE AGAIN AS THE NUMBERS GAME CONTINUE. BE CAREFUL WANT YOU ASK FOR. NOW IN AWE SEEMS YOU LEFT US AFTER THE 80`S FOR YOU STATED THAT MJ DIDN`T DO ANYTHING AFTER THAT. WELL HERE YOU GO AS THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO RING SUPREME. “DANGEROUS”, RELEASED IN 1991 TO DATE HAS SOLD OVER 32 MILLION COPIES. IT GENERATED 5 TOP 10 SINGLES WITH “BLACK OR WHITE” REMAINING NUMBER 1 FOR 7 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. TIME TO EXHALE AGAIN AS THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO REIGN SUPREME. “HISTORY”, A DOUBLE ALBUM, TO DATE HAS SOLD OVER 18 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE MAKING IT THE BIGGEST SELLING DOUBLE ALBUM EVER. ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED ALBUMS WITH THE EXCEPTIONAL OF “OFF THE WALL” AND “THRILLER” DAY VIEWED AT NUMBER 1. TIME TO EXHALE AGAIN FOLKS. “INVINCIBLE” HAS SOLD 8 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE AND THAT`S ONLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS WAS AROUND THE TIME MICHAEL AND THEN HEAD TOMMY MOTTOLA WERE AT ODDS, SO THE COMPANY STOPPED ALL PROMOTIONS AND SINGLE RELEASES. “HISTORY” THE REMIX HAS SOLD 6 MILLION WORLDWIDE MAKING IT THE BIGGEST SELLING REMIX ALBUM EVER. “NUMBER ONE`S “, THE ALBUM, HAS SOLD OVER 6 MILLION WORLDWIDE. MJ HAS ALSO GARNERED OVER 200 AWARDS AND I MAY BE OFF BECAUSE IT MAY BE MORE. HE`S SOLD OVER 100 MILLION SINGLES AND ALBUMS OUTSIDE THE U.S. THAT`S THAT “INTERNATIONAL” APPEAL YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT DEANETTA. I WON`T EVEN MENTIONED THE PERFORMING BECAUSE IT`S A NO BRAINER. AND IN AWE YOU ASKED WHERE IS MJ TODAY? WELL HERE`S A NEWS FLASH FOR YOU. “THRILLER” THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY WILL BE COMING TO A STORE NEAR YOU ON FEBRUARY 12TH WITH NEW TRACKS AS WELL AS REMIXES. THE FIRST RELEASE WILL BE A REMIX OF “THE GIRL IS MINE” WITH WILL.I.AM. AND IT`S ALREADY GOTTEN RAVE REVIEWS SAYING IT`S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL WITH A VERY FUNKY BEAT. HE ALSO HAVE AN ALBUM OF TOTALLY NEW MATERIAL AROUND THE 2ND QUARTER OF THE YEAR. ON THAT ALBUM HE HAD HELP FROM NE-YO AND AGAIN WILL.I.AM. WELL FELLOWS, IN AWE, MAURICE, JIM, THERE YOU HAVE IT. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR BECAUSE I DON`T THINK YOU WANT TO GO THE NUMBERS GAME ROUTE.

My goodness, we’re reaching a point where both sides can not even admit the other has many valid points. Anyways, MJ was terrific, almost superhuman, but let us be objective. This is not a race about who did sing, walk, smile, dance, rock and/or look the best, or who played the guitar, the piano, or wrote, or sang, or interpreted the lyrics that made the world listen when they were at their peak, but how history will judge them as a result of their overall impact, 50, 100 years from now. And my bet is on Elvis, which is not to say MJ will not get his rightfully earned dues.

Yes the sales are a red herring, How many million copies of Beethoven’s sublime Ninth Symphony are sold?

Hundreds if not thousands of orchestras are playing his beautiful music day and night……and how long has he been dead?

Elvis Presley’s impact on the world is nothing short of astounding.

Michael Jackson, has had great success…….a very talented performer. But I agree with Jim, Elvis will still be regarded as the ultimate figure in popular music……even TODAY he tops most polls as the greatest singer.

Happy Christmas Everyone. I think we are done here. Well I am

Terence, the numbers and the information you provide shows an outstanding career, with a peak, like all careers have, I repeat, like all careers have, then a trend that shows, in MJ’s case, a tremendous fall in all those things you mentioned. For MJ to regain his credibility, even if his image is no longer what it used to be, and he is older, therefore slower, less coordinated than at his peak, he needs for his next release, to sell not 3,4, or 5 million units, but from 10 to 12 million.

If he achieves that, then he would have conquered the first hurdle, namely to convince a good segment of those who used to buy his records that the product he’s now releasing is as good as the best stuff he used to produce.

Now, all great careers necessitate a fall, so that a comeback can be somehow put into effect. There’s not a single entertainer, in history, who did not have to stop recording, touring, etc, for whatever reason, sometimes for years. The majority never regain the original status they had, but some do.

ONE FINAL NOTE AND I`M ALSO DONE. THE NUMBERS THAT I PROVIDED WORLDWIDE FOE “BAD” AND “DANGEROUS” ARE CONSERVATIVE FOR THOSE WERE THEIR NUMBERS WHEN THE ALBUMS WERE RELEASED. THEY HAVE BOTH NOW SURPASSED THE 50 MILLION MARK. SINGLE OUT NEXT MONTH.

As far as numbers are concerned, here’s only some, on how Elvis delivered in the two biggest markets in the world.

17 Number one singles (top, solo), staying there for eighty weeks (tops) in the US
21 Number one singles (tops),in the UK

10 Number one albums (top solo) in the US
11 Number one albums (top solo) in the UK

114 Hits (tops)in the US

38 Top ten singles (Tops)in US
76 Top Ten singles (tops)in UK
49 Top tens albums(tops) in UK
1,060 Most weeks in the UK singles charts(tops)

150 RIAA certifications in US alone(tops)

1,500 concerts (all sold out)

33 movies, all financially succesful

18 TV presentations ( global cumulative viewers, 1.6 billion, including 300 million in America alone)

And what has he got, in return, since he passed away?

1,100 biographies (tops)

18 TV-bios (tops)

434 references in motion pictures (tops)

14 million paid visitors to his home (tops)

500 million stamps sold (tops), 123 million unused (tops)

12 statues, in all five continents(tops for a musician)

4 private exhibits in as many Presidential Libraries

Elected to 4 different Hall of Fames (tops, with 4, the R&R, Country Music, Gospel and Blues Hall of Fames)

In the top ten, in every poll that’s ever been organized, since rock began (always ahead of Michael Jackson).

If we’re at this point in time having serious debates over whether Elvis or Michael Jackson are bigger, then what happens when Michael Jackson passes? Because it’s pretty much a given that his fame will shoot up decisively.

And for that matter, how big would Elvis right now were he still around?

Even now, alive and all, I believe Michael Jackson is more globally renowned on every continent in ways Elvis is not. I can personally vouch that he’s bigger in the Middle East, which is a pretty damn impressive range.

Exactly, if you are asking about who has the strongest legacy then obviously Michael Jackson is at a massive disadvantage given that, unlike The Beatles and Elvis, he is still around. I think this debate should be resurrected when all 3 acts are no longer with us, when Michael is on a leveller playing field. No doubt there will be no argument then, seeing as though clearly its a close call currently!! Michael Jackson = genius.

Jim Burrows, your list of top 20 album sellers does not reflect the global market. In fact, I’m not sure what it reflects, but can only guess it is the US only. The fact that Garth Brooks is mentioned gives that away – the man is nthing outside the states and hardly anybody would know his name.
GLOBALLY, which is what really matters, Michael JAckson is right up there. HE has been credited for sales of 104 million FOR THRILLER ALONE! No other artist comes near that. His career sales GLOBALLY are right up there with (and some say exceed) Elvis and the Beatles.
On a GLOBAL scale Michael Jackson is the most well known and successful artist.
To the person citing Elvis’ and The Beatles’ number singles: Don’t you think that’s a little unfair. Michael Jackson has released far less content than they did – something that makes his career sales all the more impressive.

Also, you are right to quote Elvis’ influence through the years. I didn’t bother to quote the total of MJ’s influence through the years and deliberately chose to include only current artists.

This discussion is going nowhere now. The Elvis fans are willing to agree that Jackson is an amazing performer and will definately be remembered as one of the greats, but the Jackson fans are just interested in slagging Elvis off.

Deanetta even thinks that Chubby Checker is better than Elvis hahahahahahahaahah That just says it all. BIG chip on her shoulder!!

Jezzd said “R U KIDDIN HOW DOES MICHAEL JACKSONS TALENT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ELVIS….THE truth is ELVIS would look STEEWPID infront of MICHAEL JACKSON..”. This statement just goes to show that you people cannot not grasp a very simple concept. Like it or not Elvis broke down the music barriers which enabled other artists to follow in his foot steps. If there was no Elvis, yes Michael may still have been talented but he would not have had the oportunity to showcase his talent.

This isnt about who is better, its about History. So once again…Without Elvis there would be no Beatles, no Rolling Stones, No Bob Dylan, No Pink Floyd, No Queen & No Michael Jackson!

Den,
I don’t know of any barriers that Elvis broke down which would have enabled Michael Jackson to showcase his talent.
I also don’t agree that without Elvis there would be no Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Floyd, Queen, MJ. What possible reason could there be for that?

All of those acts were/are very talented and deserve all the success they had. They would have had that success without Elvis. As far as I can see, none of them were highly influenced by Elvis’ style, music, or persona. There were no career limiting factors prior to Elvis that were removed after he became succesful.

bobmoo79….you are so wrong!!

These are all quotes from some of the biggest names in music. How anyone can disagree with this, I will never know!!

Just a sample, but this list could go on forever!!

“When I first heard Elvis’ voice I just knew that I wasn’t going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss…Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail.”
Bob Dylan

Describe Elvis Presley? He was the greatest who ever was, is or ever will be.”
– Chuck Berry

“The highlight of my career? That’s easy, Elvis recording one of my songs.”
– Bob Dylan

“Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us.”
– Al Green

“Without Elvis, none of us could have made it.”
– Buddy Holly

“Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps.”
Rod Stewart

“He was a unique artist – an original in an area of imitators.”
Mick Jagger

“Before Elvis, there was nothing.”
John Lennon

“He was the firstest with the mostest.”
Roy Orbison

“Ask anyone. If it hadn’t been for Elvis, I don’t know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me.”
Elton John

“Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business.”
Isaac Hayes

“A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis.”
Jackie Wilson

“When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted to be was Elvis Presley.”
– Paul McCartney

“Elvis is the best ever, the most original. He started the ball rolling for us all. He deserves the recognition.”
– Jim Morrison

“Elvis was God-given, there’s no other explanation. A Messiah comes around every few thousand years, and Elvis was it this time.”
– Little Richard

“I’m just a singer, Elvis was the embodiment of the whole American culture.”
– Frank Sinatra

Now tell me that Lennon, McCartney & Sinatra dont know what they are talking about??????

Oh & Deanetta, you will notice there is comments from black artists like Little Richard, Jackie Wilson & Isaac Hayes. If they were on this discussion, they would definately be on Elvis’s side! Time to admit that Elvis is No 1 !

It’s easy to quote people who have good things to say about most artists – Elvis, The Beatles, and Michael Jackson included. Heck, you could probably find a dozen quotes from people saying good things about the singing prowess of Eddie Murphy, so it’s all a bit pointless really.

Being an Elvis fanatic does not make him the best. The same goes for Jacko fans and Beatles fans.
The fact is that as complete, rounded artists, Jacko and The Beatles easily beat Elvis. They all wrote, recorded, sang, and composed their own hits. Elvis was certainly very successful (probably more so after his death due to his death), but he did none of the above at any meaningful level. He was not a true artist, he was a singer – a puppet that was carefully managed and told how to behave and what to do.

I can guarentee that michael jackson will be remebered as the greatest performer of all time!!!!IN 50 yrs in 30 yrs in 10 yrs hell even now he is considered the ultimate in performing.ELVIS has charimsa n good looks but did NOT HAVE THE talent…he is the modern day equivlaent of JUSTIM TIMBERLAKE (who mimics michael jackson…….elvis fans recognise his talents (well u cant deny it) michael jackson fans wont accept elvis talent because comapred to michael jackson he doesnt..SO its left to his fans to let the world remeber..otherwise he will be completely destryoed by the WHITE MEDIA.

”PEOPLEkeep referring to Elvis as the yardstick by which to measure a musician’s level of greatness”>> JIM BURROWS ARE YOU SURE…..when most consider michael jackson to be the greatest….SO INFACT to judhe how good ELVIS was you have to compare him to MICHAE JACKSON.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrzRbzG3B3o&feature=related EVERYBODY THINKS michael jackson bleached his skin….according the WHITE MEDIA. The truth is the most succesfull and recognised person in the world suffered from the most horrendous facial disease…ON STAGE….called vitaligo. AND for the last ten years has been ridculed, shamed for something he had no control over….which he has said many times…YET u only remeber that michael jackson hates being black and wants to be white…………gues the white medis was wanting him to be white.

“An artist is only truly recognized, once he or she has passed away” QUOTE by MICHAELANGELO. Elvis passed away and his TRUE influence on music was seen. Michael Jackson has not yet passed away and he is already being compared to Elvis. hmmm imagine what happens once he’s gone. I WONDER…..

Too bad old Michael’s so messed up, he could benefit from all that “greatness” They are many factual errors in the tirade above but people who carry on like that cannot be swayed.

Bobmoo79……Your complete blindness is truly staggering!!

Not a true artist???? hahahahahaahah That is laughable!!!

You are right, there are lots of quotes about various different singers but the quotes I listed are from some of the biggest names in music, whoose opinions are more important than mine…. and quite clearly yours!!

As I said before, everyone is entitled to thier own taste in music, but to completely dismiss Elvis and not recognise the effect the man had on not just music, but the world, is both madness & ignorance!!

I’m sure Michael Jackson would not dismiss Elvis as a “puppet” that did nothing on a “meaningful level”.

The Beatles also have a greater influence on the world than Jackson, and when you consider they were together for less than a decade, what they achieved is staggering……..but their influence came from Elvis & Buddy Holly. And Buddy Holly admits his success is down to Elvis opening the doors.

This just makes so much sense. I cant unerstand how people can not grasp this simple fact!!

To bobmoo79

i) Do you realize what you are actually saying when you write: “I don’t know of any barriers that Elvis broke down which would have enabled Michael Jackson to showcase his talent”

For an answer to that, please check either every encyclopedia that there is, mainly on the subject of Elvis’ advent in the music business, and in the culture of America, in 1956, or, better still, call Barry Gordy Jr., the founder of Motown, where MJ was able to exercise his talents, and ask him which person was responsible for him even thinking about founding an independent label where creativity was the main key to success.

He will immediately tell you that the person who influenced him in that direction is none other than the young Elvis Presley, whose work at the independent label SUN, in Memphis, provided precisely all the creativity that was needed so that a minor label could make a dent in the industry, and produce the biggest names in show business, irrespective of whether they were poor, and untested, black or white.

Because of Presley’s massive regional success, first at SUN, and its sale to RCA, where he went national, and global in less than 16 months, SUN was able to use the funds from Presley’s sale to RCA and channel none other than the combined talents of Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash.

What a coincidence it must have been that, in 1957, Berry, after a series of failures, met with two of the biggest African-American fans that Elvis ever had, namely the hugely talented Al Green and the super-performer Jackie Wilson and, after reviewing the situation with them, (to form an independent label which could compete with the majors), Gordy decided to create Tamla, which he did in 1958, a decision which was quickly followed by the creation of Motown, the following year.

So, Presley, first by fusing R&B and C&W, and making it acceptable for whites and non-whites to crossover into each other’s fields, then by providing the direct and sole inspiration to Berry Gordy, in the creation of Motown, did indeed influence events which resulted in the founding of a place where multi-talented performers like Smokey Robinson, the Four Tops, the Temptations, the Supremes, and finally, the Jackson 5, could write, practice, and finally record wonderful music without having to be told what to sing, how to sing it, and for how long by the then ultra conservative major labels. It would have been a totally different 1960′s, if the Tamla and Motown rosters had not been able to find the proper niche at TAMLA/MOTOWN and had recorded, instead, at Columbia, at RCA, or even at Atlantic.

ii) Do you realize what you are saying when you write a statement such as

“I also don’t agree that without Elvis there would be no Beatles, Stones, Dylan, Floyd, Queen, MJ. What possible reason could there be for that. All of those acts were/are very talented and deserve all the success they had. They would have had that success without Elvis. As far as I can see, none of them were highly influenced by Elvis’ style, music, or persona. There were no career limiting factors prior to Elvis that were removed after he became succesful”

Here’s the sentence, as you should have written it

” I undestand that that the Beatles, the Stones and Dylan, for starters, are on record, for the second time, are on record, and for the third time, are on record, as saying that without Elvis, they would have not taken up a life in music.

Morteover, since Pink Floyd was a group directly influenced by the Beatles, and given that the lead singer of Queen is quoted as being immensely influenced by Elvis, the result in their cases is the same. As to MJ, I understand that the possibilities for him to do, what he did, at Motwon, were also,infleunced by Elvis’ massive success, and Gordy’s decision to create Motown. Although all of those acts were/are very talented and deserve all the success they had, they would have not had that success without Elvis’s achieving his massive success first. As far as I can see, half of them were highly influenced by Elvis’ style, music, or persona, and given that there were many career limiting factors prior to Elvis that were removed after he became succesful, it could be said that it was Elvis’s massive success, even more so than Elvis, which opened the doors for all of those that followed”

Michael Jackson is a has been.
He only wishes he had the talent of Elvis or the staying power.
Elvis dead is worth more and better then Jackson alive.
Why do African Americans defend a man who is clearly ashamed to be black? He’s whiter then the whitest man. Married white woman, what African American women not good enough for him? I know people who have Vitaligo that excuse is BS w/him.
LONG LIVE THE KING OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL~ELVIS PRESLEY!

Jim Burrows needs to get a life and needs to stop writing short stories on Elvis. Michael Jackson is different that Elvis commercially more successful. Elvis’s legacy is supposed to be “better”. But this is because he’s dead and people only remember the great things he did, cuz he had no time to do or be accused of doing bad things except drugs. Commercially more successful and more famous is MJ but Elvis more liked (hopefully for now) I AM A HUGE MJ FAN btw.

and IN AWE YOU FAG MICHAEL JACKSON STATES THAT HE IS PROUD TO BE BLACK AMERICAN IN EVERY DAMMIT INTERVIEW THAT IS TELECASTED ABOUT HIM. I HAVE SEEN THE BLOTCHES ON HIS SKIN WITH MY OWN EYES. CANT A PERSON WHO HAS VITILIGO MARRY ANYONE OF HIS OWN CHOICE DOESN’T NEED YOUR CONSENT DOES HE!#@#$!@$

Michael Jackson is described as an unstoppable juggernaut who dominates the charts seemingly at will. Along with eye-popping dance moves and an instantly identifiable voice. Michael Jackson reflects the true personality of a modern day performing perfectionist.

Michael who???? ROF
Vitiligo my butt….I know people who have that and believe me they haven’t turned themselves into white folk!
He can state whatever he likes, it’s clear he’s ashamed to be a black man.
When was the last time he was even on the charts?
Elvis on the other hand is STILL selling cd’s/records, dvd’s.
Elvis may not have written his own songs but he is def the BEST!
Ya’ll are just jealous is all.:)

Varun. How is MJ more famous than Elvis???? Elvis is the most famous & iconic image in History. In fact his home, Graceland, is the 2nd most recognized building in America, after the White House!

Jim Burrows hit the nail on the head and you are just trying to make feeble arguments.

When was the last time Jackson released a record?? I honestly cant remember!! Elvis was at number 13 in the chars with Burning love last week. Also a couple of years ago the Elvis song “One night with you” become the 1000th number one record in the UK. He was the 999th number one as well with “Jailhouse Rock”. He knocked himself of the top spot. Not bad for a man who’s been dead for 30 years!

I saw Michael Jackson on the Dangerous tour back in the 90′s. It was a great show. A few weeks later one of the concerts from the tour was shown on TV. I was totally gobsmacked to see Michael Jackson MIMING to a couple of the songs!!!!!! My opinion of him dropped massively after that!

Jackson doesn’t have to release albums every year. That’s not how music careers work, smart Den. Stop using irrelevant information it just makes you look biased.

Michael Jackson WANTS to be white…no ifs ands or buts, the “white media” has nothing to do with it…could care less…and again I know people w/this disease and believe me it is not what MJ makes it to be…he simply wants to be white…why then change his nose? His eyes and add a cleft to his chin? C’mon…WHITE he is a black man desperately tyring to be white.

He many not need to release a record ea. year, however, ONCE IN A DECADE would be ok….ROF

Well put Den Butler.

In Awe, plastic surgery doesn’t have to do with race.
If you read or listened to what he says on the matter of vitiligo, instead of what the media says or what you pull out of your a**, you’d know without a doubt he considers himself black. I’ve heard him in private conversation where he calls himself a n***a, get this, when he had white skin. You can’t take away his idenitity with your jealousy so you need to back off his pale black ass.

And yes there are answers to your questions, why the surgery ? but they have nothing to do with race so don’t assume.

LOL Nana that is the lamest shit I’ve ever heard.
He is a freak, black, white or purple…there was a time 20 SOME ODD YEARS AGO as a solo artist he was good, but those days have long passed.
He hasn’t had a hit since Thriller.
History SUCKED did not do as expected. What has he done since then other then make himself look like a bigger freak?
And yes doll plastic surgery has everything to do w/race because look at him, he’s white…he can call himself whatever he wants, he’s the whitest white man out there. How you can defend a man who hates his own race is beyond comprehension.

“And yes there are answers to your questions, why the surgery ? but they have nothing to do with race so don’t assume.”
Yeah right, is that the best you can do? LOL

Michael Jackson is a wanker and he likes little boys, he’ll be remembered as a white black dude who liked boys….only fans he has are overseas and a handful perhaps still clinging to the glory days in the States.

in awe, you make yourself look bad. You don’t impress anyone when you act like that.

I only write when other people start inventing stories, showing an incredible ignorance which nowadays, with the facilities provided by the net, can be quickly dismissed.

“He hasn’t had a hit since Thriller.”

Everything that In Awe has said in this discussion has been discredited by that simple sentence. He clearly has no idea what he’s talking about, and will say anything so long as it’s negative towards Michael Jackson. I don’t even have to justify this post by detailing why Thriller wasn’t his last major hit, because it’s just such a fuckin’ stupid suggestion.

Everything you say officially does not count in this conversation anymore. You’ve eliminated yourself.

Sid really? ROFLMFAO your funny man…so tell me what has sold more then his “Thriller” album?
I’m not discredited, you just think you can because you don’t like that I speak the truth!
Michael Jackson is a has been and he’s not even 50 yet, let alone that nobody can tolerate to watch him in the U.S. because it’s like watching a freakazoid! LOL

Gee wonder what will happen, and IF it will happen this “Comeback” they’ve been yammering about for almost a decade now, it’s yet to materialize, need anybody say any more?

“so tell me what has sold more then his “Thriller” album?”

So nothing. How does that question disprove that what I disagreed with was bullshit? The Thriller album was in fact his biggest, but that is not what you originally stated. You said:

“He hasn’t had a hit since Thriller.”

So why are you changing it up all of a sudden? You cannot seriously insinuate that he has not had hits since Thriller, unless you are completely and utterly ignorant, or just willing to lie so long as it fits your argument.

The Bad and Dangerous albums both sold around 30 million EACH, both of them full of hits. Bad is the only album to have five #1 hits, a RECORD. Bad was at one point the 2nd biggest album of all-time.

I’m not going to bother listing what the hits from Bad and Dangerous were, because you either already know most of them, or you are not fit to take part in this discussion.

HIStory, which had a whole side of new material, is the highest selling multiple disc album by a solo artist, estimated at around 18 million copies.

The song “Blood On the Dance Floor” from the remix album of the same name was #1 in the UK.

Invincible, while disappointing by Michael Jackson standards, charted at #1 in many countries including the United States.

So whether we’re talking about singles or albums or both, you either must admit that Michael Jackson had hits after Thriller, or that you hold Michael Jackson to a higher standard than everybody else. Take your pick.

Either way, you have in fact discredited anything you have to say by passing “he hasn’t had a hit since Thriller” as “truth.”

Michael Jackson is often regarded as having an enormous number of hits, and his overall record sales are estimated at over 500 million. To deny his commercial success away from Thriller is moronic.

“He hasn’t had a hit since Thriller” is not an opinion; it is a flat out lie, and if you are to be taken seriously whatsoever, you’ll admit that.

Nana, the fact that Jackson hasnt released a record for a looooong time is very relevant. Surely in order for him to be regarded with such high esteem he needs to be releasing records more often than someone who has been dead for 30 years!!

I love Elvis, but I do not need to be biased towards him in this discussion as the history books speak for them self. No one comes near to Presley’s talent & influence!

You just sound gullible Den if you can’t see that Elvis has been turned into a marketing campaign, and for that reason his brand outlives his talent or influence.

And music career has little to do with how often you put out a record. I could name examples but there’s no point when you already know that.

I dont think so Nana! If what you are saying is right, then the same could be said for any artist and that we are all just puppets buying the products we are told to buy! Maybe you can be bought that easily…but not me. Elvis’s image is everywhere but people make their own choice to buy his records.

I agree, you dont have to release records all the time to have a succesful career……but if you want to be compared to Elvis Presley you need to be releasing songs on a more regular basis than Jackson’s current rate!

Jackson doesnt even tour anymore. Elvis performed over 1500 concerts and still released numerous records & albums, many of which were live recordings from his concerts.

“No one comes near to Presley’s talent & influence!”

While who is bigger and who had the strongest influence is arguable, I contend that Michael Jackson is more TALENTED simply because he made his own music. The man wrote Billie Jean, and even came up with the beat. I could go on and on and on with songs he’s written and composed, but it’d take too long. I don’t see how Michael Jackson possibly couldn’t be the superior ARTIST. The man has created timeless melodies, timeless videos (not that this was even an option for Elvis), and timeless music.

Basically, Elvis and MJ both have timeless music, but I feel that the man who CREATED his should just LOGICALLY be held in higher regard talent-wise.

Sorry but I just dont agree with that!

Look at the top actors today like Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise etc. They earn the most money from the films, they get the most limelight and acclaim….but it is not their words they are acting out on the screen. It is down to performance. And this is where the argument will never be settled because those that love Elvis or know what talent is will agree tht Michael Jackson or anyone else, does not have anywhere near the talent of Elvis. And I’m sure the Jackson fans feel the same but the other way around.

Yes, Michael Jackson has sung alot of great songs but thier is no variety in his voice. He is either singing like he is going to cry e.g Out of my life, Ben, you are not alone….or he is screaming down the microphone. Whether Elvis is singing Rock & Roll, blues, gospel, country etc He had power, control, depth & passion that Jackson just does not have.

Michael Jackson is a fantastic artist and performer. It really is no bad thing coming second to Elvis….Well third really, after the Beatles.

Right, I’m off to listen to the biggest selling christmas album in music history…..in case you are wondering it is Elvis’s Christmas album originally released in 1957!

“Look at the top actors today like Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise etc. They earn the most money from the films, they get the most limelight and acclaim….but it is not their words they are acting out on the screen. It is down to performance.”

And I would suggest that an actor who is both a great actor and also a great scriptwriter/director is more talented overall.

What would Elvis sing if people did not write his songs, pray tell? Because if that were the case for Michael Jackson, he’d still have Billie Jean, Beat It, Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough, Bad, Smooth Criminal, Black Or White… I could go on all day.

*I* think that Michael Jackson creating his own music makes him more talented as an overall artist. Elvis Presley was a phenomenal performer and a great voice, but it stops there.

People can argue endlessly about who was the better performer, and I think both objective parties will agree that both performers were great, but that extra bump of Michael Jackson being the CREATOR of his legendary music, I believe, gives him the nod. And I’m sure you’d be using the same argument and see the same logic in it if it were Elvis who wrote most of his hits, and Michael Jackson who didn’t.

I will say, in addition, that if all of Elvis’s music counts for him, then so do the Jackson 5 hits for Michael Jackson. As a performer, he was an insanely talented small child, and as a singer, I’ve never heard more soul from one. It wasn’t human. But then, of course, when he became an adult, he evolved as an artist and WROTE HIS MUSIC .

Oh, and I’m off to listen to the biggest selling album in music history period, which in case you are wondering is Thriller (and Michael isn’t even dead to boost interest) !

Michael Jackson has surrounded himself by black collaborators, friends and employees his entire life. The idea that he is ashamed to be a black man is baseless. He’s stated on numerous occasions throughout the years that he is a proud African American.

Does anybody here know how he met his second wife? It’s well documented.

She was his nurse at the dermotology unit where he went to get vitiligo treatment.

Morons.

The “MOST SUCCESSFUL AND POPULAR ARTIST” title goes to Michael Jackson without a doubt. But let’s stop talking about him being the greatest because that’s just nonesense!

Sorry Sid but the biggest selling album off all time is no longer thriller. It was overtaken by the Eagles greatest hits 1971 – 1975!

Unfortunately for Michael, death seems to be the only thing that might help get his career back on track. Apart from die hard fans like yourself, no one is interested in him anymore. He is jusy seen as a freak that used to do the moonwalk. Sad but true.

It may not sound it, but i really do like Jacksons music. But, once again, he not in Elvis’s leaugue! The record books, other great performers all recognize Elvis as the ultimate force in music. He is the most influencial and despite what jackson fans seem to believe, Presley has sold the most records…by far!

Thriller is the largest selling album of all time worldwide.

It’s sales have been eclipsed by The Eagles in the US only.

On a worldwide basis it still holds the record.

“Sorry Sid”

Nope, sorry, Den, but I’m a bit puzzled at how you folks cite that Eagles record as if America is the only country in the world. Did you even bother to look into what the record actually was when you heard about it?

It appears as though there’s all this doubt over whether Thriller is really #1, if Michael Jackson is really the “most successful entertainer of all-time,” and yet, I’ve noticed most of the critics have absolutely NO problem giving his Thriller record to The Eagles despite it being undeniably FACTUALLY incorrect. A bit hypocritical, no?

“Apart from die hard fans like yourself, no one is interested in him anymore.”

That’s just a falsehood. As much as people love to make fun of the man, his old music still generates interest. Have you ever been to a club and heard what happens when Billie Jean comes on? People love Elvis for the legend he is, but I’d say that Michael Jackson’s music does generally get the majority of people going more than Presley’s, if only for how much more modern it is.

I think you claiming that The Eagles Greatest Hits surpassed Thriller really highlights the misnomer of people on your side of the argument: you’re almost apathetic towards the ENTIRE planet, and I still contend that Michael Jackson is renowned all over the world in even the most remote areas in ways that Elvis is not.

And you say “death seems to be the only thing that might help get his career back on track” as if you forgot that that’s exactly what happened with Elvis.

Sid, of course people in clubs will still Dance to Jackson old music. Billie Jean is an amazing record. When the opening beat starts everyone knows what it is and gets straight on the dance floor…..but that doesnt prove a thing!! People react like that everytime any old cheesy song comes on. Look at the YMCA song. Load of old crap but everyone knows the song and the dance moves! Very feeble argument. That song was written 25 years ago. He hasnt written anything close to as good as that since the “bad” album, which was 20 years ago!!

As for Death helping Elvis, that is also very false. Of course death puts the performer at the centre of attention for a while, but Elvis has been dead for 30 years and is still selling records and getting to the top of the charts. I may have mad an error with the thriller album for which I admit I am wrong but to say that Elvis was unpopular when he died is quite frankly bollocks!! Elvis spent the entire 1970′s on tour. Over 1000 concerts and there was never an empty seat. In fact the concerts where so good that there were dozens of live performance albums released. One of which was transmitted live around the world. He didnt need months and months in a recording studio.

Michael Jackson is living off his past glory. He has not given his fans anything for many years! No albums, records or concerts. He accepted a music award in London last year for his achievement in music and the fact he had sold of 750 million records. Very well deserved. An amazing achievment (Elvis is over 1 billion though!!!) He made his usual speach “I love you all” blah blah. Everone was expecting at least one song…..but nothing!!

He is letting his fans down at the moment!

Elvis is acknowledged as being in a career slump in his final days by practically everybody. It’s true, Michael Jackson has not put out new music or even toured in years, but it’s a bit disingenuous to state that he’s “letting his fans down” when he has obviously been very, very occupied these recent years. The trial has been over for a couple years as well, but neither Elvis nor any other massive superstar I can think of has gone through anything as crippling as what is most likely the biggest child molestation trial in history.

As it is, Jackson is all but confirmed to release new music next year, with artists such as Will.I.Am and Ne-Yo confirming that they have recorded new material with him.

The Thriller 25 release is both a celebration of the anniversary, and also an excuse for any critic to claim he’s living off his past glory. If they’d dig a little further, they’d see that new music is very obviously on the way.

And, again, I still maintain that Michael Jackson is listened to and renowned all over the planet (in even third world countries) in ways that Elvis is not and likely will not be. He is the bigger global superstar.

I’m curious why you believe that Elvis has sold over 1 billion records, by the way. I’ve never seen any real certifiable source claim this, and it seems to be some myth-like achievement that Elvis fans use to brag. I’m personally not even totally convinced of Thriller’s “104 million” record, although I still do believe that it’s in all likelihood the world’s biggest album.

That just confirms that Jackson is running out of idea’s!! Thriller will be a hit again i’m sure but again its past glory. The fact he is releasing new material with other artist just means that he needs other people to help the album become a hit!

It would take far too long to list Elvis’s record sales, but if you are that bothered, just google the question and you will see that the from the figures available, the experts agree that Elvis has exceeded 1 million sales. They think it is even higher but cannot confirm by how much because sony will not pay for an official historic audit of Elvis’s record sales.

Really dont understand why Jackson fans feel the need to question this! Elvis has been on the music scene for over 50 years! He released hundreds of albums and singles. Why is it so hard to believe that one of the most famous and recognisable people ever to have walked the planet can have achieved this?? I can only guess that Jackson fans dont want to believe it because they dont want to admit that someone is more successful than their hero! Elvis’s career started 25 years before Jacksons first solo release and 2 years after he died!. Are fans of Michael really that naive to believe that he has sold more records in the last 28 years than Elvis Presley has sold in the last 53!! If you really believe that, then your whole argument does not hold much weight!

You also need to bear in mind that Elvis could not rely on music video’s with special effects and dance routines. Many of his fans wouldnt even have had TV’s back in the 1950′s…..let alone MTV. His records sold purely on raw talent! How well would Billie Jean have done without people seeing the moonwalk on the Mowtown special or Thriller without the Zombie’s dancing??? You cannot deny that album sales would have been very different!!

You also keep going on about the fact that Jackson is known all over the world, even in third world countries. Do you think Elvis only sold records in the US & UK??? 40% of his record sales are outside of the USA. That is over 400 Million records!! Elvis’s music and image is more widely spread than Jackson. Elvis’s popularity is massive in the US, Uk, Europe, Australia, China, Japan…..the list is endless! Unlike you, I havent had the chance to check the CD collection of anyone from the thirld world! Its amazing that these people dont have any money, food or clean drinking water but according to you, they know how too moon walk???!! How on earth would they recognize Jackson, he always has his bloody face covered!!?

Many experts also state that the Beatles have sold many more than Jackson too. Which also means that when you add the solo career, Paul McCartney would have sold more too! Jackson is great, the Beatles are greater but Elvis is the greatest!

And as for your comment about Elvis “career slump”, that is as incorrect as my Thriller album comment. The only slump Elvis had was unfortunately in his health. He was still selling records and touring even with the many health problems he had towards the end. Unlike Jackson, he did not let his personal problems get in the way of his relationship with his fans.

Oh & by the way, just found a website that confirms the 104 million thriller sales. Which I’m sure its correct. The site breaksdown the list of countries where the album was bought. No thirld world countries though! If they would have heard of jackson it would have been because of thriller. Maybe the third world people bought the album second hand off E-bay!!!

“That just confirms that Jackson is running out of idea’s!! Thriller will be a hit again i’m sure but again its past glory. The fact he is releasing new material with other artist just means that he needs other people to help the album become a hit!”

Which is like saying that Elvis Presley relies on other “artists” writing his songs. It’s funny how the help doesn’t matter in one situation, but means that the artist is helpless in another. Also highlights how pretty much every action he takes will be scrutinized.

As for googling Elvis’s 1 billion record sales, Guinness Book of World Records also calls Michael Jackson “the most successful entertainer of all-time,” and I’m sure you can find something similar for The Beatles. With these three acts, you can always find the preferred result that you’re looking for. With conflicting interests of the people who’ve helped bring these sales to light, you might not ever find the real answer.

“You also need to bear in mind that Elvis could not rely on music video’s with special effects and dance routines.”

Sure, and Michael Jackson’s legacy can’t right now rely on having passed away and becoming something of a folk hero. You’ll find advantages and disadvantages in every separate career.

“How well would Billie Jean have done without people seeing the moonwalk on the Mowtown special or Thriller without the Zombie’s dancing??? You cannot deny that album sales would have been very different!!”

For Jackson’s time period, yes, his sales would be drastically different without all that stuff, because he had to compete with people who were already on TV all the time. You can’t, however, know how his career would have faired against Elvis if they were both around at the same time as adult performers. Assuming that Elvis wouldn’t just take all of MJ’s moves and make them famous himself.

“Elvis’s popularity is massive in the US, Uk, Europe, Australia, China, Japan…..the list is endless!”

I have never denied that he has sold records in other nations (the UK is in Europe btw), but on the whole, I don’t see him having the long lasting global relevance of Michael Jackson, and have always perceived him as an AMERICAN icon. Does that mean he isn’t hot in other places? No, just that he’s not as big as Michael Jackson all over the world. Then again, it’s impossible for either party to truly know this unless we fly around the world and interview enough people from each nation as to who’s music they’ve heard more of.

“Its amazing that these people dont have any money, food or clean drinking water but according to you, they know how too moon walk???!! Its amazing that these people dont have any money, food or clean drinking water but according to you, they know how too moon walk???!!”

The assumption that third world countries are simply the description you’ve laid out is incorrect. I come from a city in Pakistan that’s VERY modern. Indeed, third world countries have good or even “rich” areas, but are in poverty in others. And I never claimed that the Middle East is Michael Jackson central, but only that he’s much bigger and renowned than Elvis Presley. I’m sure that the biggest musician in the Middle East is somebody from the Middle East.

“Many experts also state that the Beatles have sold many more than Jackson too. Which also means that when you add the solo career, Paul McCartney would have sold more too! Jackson is great, the Beatles are greater but Elvis is the greatest!”

Sure, if you listen to the particular experts who tell you what you want to hear. I could whip out sources and “experts” who will tell you that Michael Jackson is bigger than Elvis and The Beatles, but it’s pointless. At the end, the three acts in question are/were so massive that you can debate who the biggest is/was without obsessing over the sales. I still find “1 billion” hard to stomach, but I’m not for a second denying that the numbers of records Elvis has sold have to be incredibly impressive.

“Unlike Jackson, he did not let his personal problems get in the way of his relationship with his fans.”

You’re saying that again, but don’t you find it a bit overly critical considering that the man was accused of child molestation? It’s just an unfair comparison. The worst personal problem that Elvis was scrutinized and ridiculed for was gaining weight and arguably not performing as well. I think the fact that Michael Jackson is still optimistic every time we hear from him and that he’s going to continue his career in the coming year is admirable.

“No thirld world countries though! If they would have heard of jackson it would have been because of thriller. Maybe the third world people bought the album second hand off E-bay!!!”

Or maybe they watched him on TV and purchased audio cassettes, which is how I heard the Thriller album for the first time . Sure, it’s probably illegal, but that’s neither here nor there. In Pakistan, you have movies that are still in theaters in America playing on television.

My Friend, Michael Jackson doesn’t even come close to Elvis Presley…NOT EVEN…..Infact he copied Elvis….Never Neverland, Graceland…And, he even married his daughter….Thank God she never gave him a child….ELVIS WILL ALWAYS BE NUMBER ONE…..Even the Beatles know that…..

“Never Neverland, Graceland…And, he even married his daughter….”

Thanks for that riveting imput in this music discussion.

input*

Sorry, I must have caught wind of the dumbness of the post I replied to.

Jacksons solo career had a massive jump start due to the popularity of the Jackson 5. Elvis never had that & quite frankly, he didnt need it.

You can not say that Elvis is only popular because he is dead! Once again, I have to bring your attention to the fact that Elvis started everything! That is a well documented historial fact which you can not deny! I have been to Graceland and seen his Gold record collection. It is unbelievable! These were all sales from before he died. Apart from the music business, he also made 31 films all of which were shown around the world and were very succesfull. It was said that “A Presley picture is the only sure thing in show business”.

Sid, I think we will have to agree to disagree. We will find arguments against what either of us says, but I will say this..

Elvis is timeless. He has inspired generations and will continue to do so. Elvis is more than just a voice. His legacy goes beyond the impact he had on music, cinema and his achievments on stage. Elvis had a kindness and humility that he showed throughout his whole life. His good looks, sense of humour and charisma have endeared to Millions of people all across the globe. His genorosity to his fans, friends, family and complete strangers was second to none. He did not ask for any recognition for this. The happiness on someones face was the only thrill he was seeking. Elvis came from extreme poverty and with hard work and a mass of talent he became not just the greatest performer the world has ever seen but one of the most famous and recognised people ever to have walked the planet.

Long live the King!

Anybody who denies MJ the respect that is due him needs to go for a racist check up, I hope there will be something like that someday.

Lol, wow, interesting topic. I love it when American write and think that the world is only America. I am from Ghana and me tell you this, my grandmother who doesn’t speak a word of twi and lives in the most remote part of this country knows who Michael jackson is, songs by Michael jackson and his videos. It’s sad but true that we live in the white man’s world and they will always belittle black people. Please be honest with yourselves and travel and u will see the phenomenon of Mr Jackson. Who write history books? White people so u know they will do anything to make him look like a monster but talent is undeniable. For your info, only sick Americans actually believe he molested these money hungry boys. I mean i can understand why Americans believe he did this? Because they live in a sick society. MJ will and forever be the true King of Entertainment and always be remembered hundred years from now globally and when i talk globally i don’t mean Elvis America. i mean the world of beautiful, unracist, diverse people.

Exactly Naz, although one correction would be that they were money hungry parents, the children were used to their benefit.

Den Butler must of not read my comment, which disproves any Elvis started everything theory mythos.

Sid LOL. You can’t reason with zealots.

Bryan & Naz. Dont be such bloody idiots!! This argument was never about race. It was a discussion about who is the most popular & talented. Its an argument that will never be over because people feel very passionate about Elvis & Jackson. I have never once said that Jackson is not an amazing talent…..he is just not as good as Elvis!

And as for being racist, you certainly seem to want to blame the Americans for everything! “sick society” “Sick Americans” Isnt that racist?? Arent You trying to “belittle” the white man? Racism works both ways you know !!!

For your information. I am not American. I was born in London, have lived in London my whole life, as have my whole family. To assume I am American because I love Elvis’s music just shows how little you know about his fan base. As I mentioned earlier, Elvis has sold 400 million records OUTSIDE of the USA. So get your facts right before you try and enter this discussion!

“go for a racist check up”. What an ignorant, pathetic & wanky comment!! Throughout this whole argument people have been slagging off Elvis for stealing “Black” music and never once admitting that the man had a phenomenal talent. Jackson is incredible but I prefer Elvis in every single way, it has nothing to do with the colour of his skin!

How dare you accuse me of being racist. You know nothing about me. Do yourself a favour. Get a life & get rid of the chip on your shoulder!!

Angela. No I havent read any of your comments before, but if they are as ridiculous as your “Zealots” statement, then I obviously havent missed much!

This argument is going round in circles now, but here we go again…..if the biggest names in Music history (both black & white) agree that Elvis started everything, then who the hell are you to disagree with them???

MEANWHILE FOR ALL MJ FANS AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO`S INTERESTED GO TO “IMEEM,COM” TO HEAR MICHAEL`S SONG “FOR ALL TIME”. IT WILL BE ON HIS “THRILLER 25 ANNIVERSARY”, A PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACK. BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU IT`S BEAUTIFUL SONG WITH AMAZING VOCALS BY MICHAEL. IT DEFINITELY SHOULD BE THE “FIRST” SINGLE. IT SHOWCASES MICHAEL AT HIS ABSOLUTE BEST. HIS RANGE AND THE SMOOTHNESS OF HIS VOICE. I MAY DOWNLOAD THE SONG UNTIL THE CD COMES OUT, BUT BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU IT WON`T DETOUR ME FROM BUYING THE CD. I`M A REAL MJ FAN. ANYWAY LISTEN TO THE SONG AND RETURN WITH A POST AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.

Y’all saying that Elvis started everything, u saying it as if if Elvis wasn’t there, there would have been no music in the world. Please be realistic, besides if the world was more free at Elvis time, he wouldn’t have been as celebrated as he is now. Other races were not given their chance to show their musical genius. During Michael’s time the world was more fair and everyone had a chance to show their talent but people of all races celebrated MJ. And that my friends is a legend.

Den, don’t cry, truth hurts huh, well no one said u were a racist. Dude, if you are bored go jerk off! LMAO.

Wouldnt know about that Naz. Nothing you have said is true.

hahahahah At least we have stopped talking about Elvis & MJ. Whole thing was getting a bit boring!!

Happy new year!

Elvis is the ONLY KING OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL…cracks me up that MJ gave himself the name King of Pop ROF

Michael Jackson sucks the best dick! LOL

Does it also crack you up that he is irrefutably the biggest pop star ever and has sold more records than Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears COMBINED? If he is not the King of Pop, then who is?

The relevant answer is “not you.” Laugh all you want. “LOL”

You can also toss in NSYNC and the Backstreet into that list just for shits and giggles, and he’s still sold more than all of them combined. It’s actually pretty hilarious. Feel free to laugh over that if you feel like.

So now we’re up to Madonna, JT, BS, BSB, and NSYNC; Michael Jackson has sold more albums than all of them combined.. I’m sure you could squish in some other popular pop acts and MJ would still be superior, but I don’t feel like.

The fact that anyone would even bring up the origin of the “King of Pop” nickname as if it MATTERS is also pretty laughable. There is no alternative but him being the King of Pop. All in all In Awe has some pretty good reasons to laugh about Michael Jackson now.

In Awe:

You wrote that Jacko gave himself the title ‘King Of Pop’ This is simply not true. The very first person to use the phrase ‘King Of Rock, Pop, and soul’ was his manager. Later Elizabeth Taylor used it when talking about him – this is when the media caught on. Since then people have often called him that.

I presume that you think he gave it to himself because that is what you read in the papers, but it is not factually correct.

You also wrote about Jacko’s Vitiligo. You don’t believe that a sufferer can turn white like he has done. You back up your claim by saying you know people that have it. Again, you prove that you nothing about the subject you’re talking about. Perhaps you should speak to your ‘friends’. I am skeptical about how many friends you know with the disease because it is very rare.

A current case of Vitiligo getting coverage is anchor man Lee Thomas.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/disease-turning-black-tv-anchor-white/20071218140309990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

He is turning white and currently covers up light patches with dark makeup – as Jacko did in the early 80s. Eventually though, Vitiligo CAN turn somebody completely white. Even if that doesn’t happen, there comes a point where many Vitiligo sufferers start to use white makeup to cover up there dark patches because more than 50% of the skin is white. IT does not mean they are ashamed of their race. Sufferers are often very depressed about what is happening to them because they feel stripped of their identity. Stress can make Vitiligo worse, and celebrities get a whole load of stress.

I deal in fact, not opinion.
In your opinion Elvis is greater than Michael Jackson. Fair enough. BUT the reasons you’re using to discredit Michael Jackson are based upon false ‘facts’. Why don’t you stick to what you know, rather than ruining the conversation for others.

For example:
When talking about a satellite orbiting the Earth, I could argue orbiting satellites are lies made up by the American government because the world is flat. I could also say “Oh, and by the way, I have some friends who have told me it’s flat too, so it must be correct”. That would be ridiculous because it’s obviously false, but hopefully you get the point. Stick within the scope of your own knowledge, otherwise everything you say is discredited (including the occasional thing that might be correct)

michael jackson is the better performer than ELVIS>>http://youtube.com/watch?v=DBbv_B2Q56o

micheal jackson better singer!! elvis is not
michael jackson better dancer!! elvis is not

michael jackson ACTUALLY writes his own songs!!ELVIS DID NOT
Michael jackson ACTUALLY produces his own songs!!ELVIS DID NOT
Michael jackson Composes His own songs!!!ELVIS DID NOT
Michael jackson has MORE TALENT than ELVIS EVA!!! HAD. TRUE!
Michael jackson has influenced more of todays generation than ANY LIVING OR DEAD PERFOMER.!!!

MICHAEL JACKSON IS THE FOUNDNATION ON WHICH TODAYS MUSIC IS BASED ON.!!!

NO-ON HAS COME CLOSE TO ACHIEVEING WHAT MICHAEL JACKSO HAS ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!!!!! NO-ONE!!!!

Jason, Dont be a knob. To say that Jackson has influenced more people than Elvis just shows that you do not know what you are talking about! I really do not understand how you Jackson fans so easily dismiss the effect Elvis had and still has on the world!

Elvis has been on the music scene since 1954!! It was his 73rd birthday on 8th Jan and people all over the world are still celebrating his achievements!

Jackson a better singer & more talented ???hahahahahahhaahhaha Thats so funny!

Why did you send a not very good version of Billy Jean?? The backing singers are singing louder than he is! If you want to play that game I could send you clips of Elvis that would blow jackson away!

This song is called “If I can Dream” and was recorded live to commemorate the death of Martin Luthor King. Watch and listen to the way Elvis delivers this song. If you say this performance is anything less than outstanding, you truly do not know what a real voice is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG97VHvXYaA&feature=related

Jackson has avery unique voice and is a great dancer, but he could not sing this song!

“To say that Jackson has influenced more people than Elvis just shows that you do not know what you are talking about!”

Oh, man. I think Den is about to drop something on us to prove that Elvis is more influencial than Michael Jackson. This is going to be good…

“Elvis has been on the music scene since 1954!! It was his 73rd birthday on 8th Jan and people all over the world are still celebrating his achievements!”

… damn. Now I’m disappointed. I was expecting more.

Good job. You’ve proven that he’s been around for a long time and that he has fans.

“Jackson has avery unique voice and is a great dancer, but he could not sing this song!”

And Elvis could not sing Man In the Mirror. What is your point?

You know, sometimes people in various discussions I’ve had slag MJ for Man In the Mirror because he didn’t write it, but good thing I won’t run into that problem debating with an Elvis fan!

That If I Can Dream performance was pretty great, though. Thanks for the link.

Oh & Jason. This comment…..

“NO-ON HAS COME CLOSE TO ACHIEVEING WHAT MICHAEL JACKSO HAS ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!!!!! NO-ONE!!!!”

…is horse shit! Elvis is the biggest selling artist of all time! FACT!!!!

Over 1 billion records (more than anyone!!)
Thousands of sold out concerts. The exact figure is unknown but from 1969 – 1977 he perfomed roughly 1,770 concerts. The live performance from the 1950′s & 60′s is harder to work out but it is not unrealistic to say in the region of 2500-3000 concerts in total! (Jackson hasnt toured for years!)
31 movies. Maybe not Oscar performances but all massively successfully at the box office. Which is more than can be said for Moonwalker!

The list is endless!!

Not quite sure where you are getting your information from fella. You are entitled to prefer Jackson to Elvis but you are just in denial if you believe he is more successful than Elvis!

Sid,

Man in the mirror is a great song. One of Jackson better ones in my opinion. Doesnt really matter that he didnt write it. He blows it away!! I disagree that Elvis couldnt have sung it though. Part of Elvis’s longevity was his versatility…but I think we went over this before!

The point I was making about Elvis being around since 1954 is to establish the fact that he was making music and influencing the world before Jackson could walk, let alone MoonWalk!Sorry, maybe I had to dumb it down a bit coz Jason was talking the usual crap that I have reading from the Jackson fans. All they ever say is “Jackson is better than Elvis”. Their opinion, which is fine but you all talk like its fact, but have no ammo to back it up!

The history books have always and will always recognise Elvis as the greatest entertainer of all time!

Actually, I’m sure an Elvis retelling of Man In the Mirror would be good in his own way, but you could really say the same for MJ and IICD. However, I think the point you were trying to make is that a Michael Jackson version of this probably wouldn’t be as instantaneously powerful and impactful to the ears as the original, which I’d likely agree and say the same for Elvis/MITM. Not that you can actually know without having heard it, but it just feels like the songs were meant for the individual singer in this case. Which is why I argued that saying MJ “couldn’t have sang this song” didn’t really mean much.

Also, while I do believe that Michael Jackson is already at this point more globally renowned than Elvis, whenever the question comes up as to which is “better” or bigger, saying “Elvis” SOUNDS like the right answer to a lot of folks, even for people who haven’t really heard that much of his music. Generally speaking, the average teenager hasn’t really heard all that much Elvis (a few hits, sure), but he might say Elvis is the best just for the hell of it, because it sounds like the thing to do. And I think I probably know why that is.

Again, I believe that Michael Jackson has already conquered whether or not the “history books” will let you know it, but I’ll be interested on how the outlook on this debate will look 10, 20, 30 years after the passing of Michael Jackson.

That’s not to say Elvis wouldn’t still be incredibly successful, legendary, popular etc. if he were still around. I just don’t know if it’d be the same, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because that’s how legends usually go. We’ve yet to see Michael Jackson’s legend under that same advantage, however.

You’re right.
Elvis’ continued success is more down to the marketing of his songs and image by his estate than it is anything else. Elvis was incredibly successful in his own lifetime, but the best had passed and he was on a downturn when he died. His death rejuvinated his career and his estate has done incredibly well to keep it going.
Because of the marketing, many people will say that Elvis is the best, even though they don’t really know any of his songs, and in the case of younger generations don’t really like them. I have tremendous respect for him and his success, but I just don’t rate him in the same level as other, more talented artists. Artists that wrote, composed, played instruments, and generally were more capable. Elton John, Prince, and Michael Jackson for example.
A similar story can be told of the Beatles. Over the years people have been brainwashed to think that they are the best band ever and so that is the answer you’ll get if you ask someone. Again, I acknowlegde the success of the BEatles, but I don’t think they are the best by any stretch of the imagination. There were (and are) many bands better than them. They too have benefitted from death. John Lennon’s death has increased their popularity through the years. I’m sure that if the Beatles and Elvis were still around like Status Quo and Cliff Richard, they wouldn’t be on such a high pedastal now. For example, look at Cliff – the most successful UK entertainer ever – he does not get credit for what he achieved, simply because he didn’t die 30 years ago.
Again, Michael Jackson was incredibly successful, but he hasn’t has the advantage of death to help his career, yet he has achieved so much. He has released relatively few albums, yet his sales figures are comparable to (and some say better than) both Elvis and The Beatles. That is a fact that everyone should be able to agree on, no matter who their favourite is. As far as Elvis’ 1 billion sales are concerned, I wouldn’t trust that since there is no proof. Remember, records tracking didn’t go back that far and it is highly unlikely that sales of that magnitude would be achieved, even by Elvis.
One thing all 3 have in common is that they have all become characatures of their selves. Their image has been used and abused by people for so long that the truth is distorted. They are all great in their own way, and we all have our opinion on who is the best, but we cannot prove anything.

Sid & Bobmoo. Your right. Only time will tell. In my humble opinion Elvis will always be No 1 and I’m sure you feel the same way about Jackson.

You mentioned that Elvis’s continued success is down to marketing. Obviously it is their job to promote Elvis but he has been dead for 30 years and is still making more money a year than many of todays artist! That is pretty impressive! You expect an initial boom in sales when someone dies but to still be as successful and popular after 3 decades just shows that Elvis is a huge force in Music and i personally think it will be impossible to knock him off that top spot!

Elvis’s birthday was celebrated world-wide on the 8th January 2008.
A “Blues Trail Marker” was placed close to his birthplace in Tupelo Mississippi on the day.

A voice as beautiful as Elvis’s was, at it’s best, will always appeal to discerning listeners.

Elvis suffered the biggest injustice in the history of popular music by the lack of air-play in the early days and right into the present century.
Nevertheless, The public still buy his records in huge quantities year after year. Case closed.

More myths and lies. Tell me what contemporary artist names Elvis was their inspiration? Alright I’ll wait. To put Elvis ahead is denial of reality, and you just makes you look foolish. Elvis did not sell over a billion records. If he did, where is he and why isn’t he listed in the Guinness World Book of Records? The best selling artist of all time is Michael Jackson, The King of Pop. Stop trying to rewrite history. The #1 artist listed on the Guinness World Book of Records is The Beatles, #2 is Michael Jackson THEN Elvis Presley at #3. That alone makes any Elvis supremacists looks silly.

Who cares about a bunch of white, racists rednecks from US think? We, the world, don´t care about Elvis. He is dead let him rest in peace. What the Presley´s have is a very good PR machine!

Well I have to say this is an interesting discussion but I have to play the Devil’s Advocate here:

I don’t see the point of this article and all this “factual” info that either MJ or Elvis or the Beatles are greater than the other.

In my opinion, all three acts are some of the most influential recording artists in history, not just in terms of sales but their influences on a variety of different artists.

Little Richard also said something interesting about Elvis’ impact during the fifties (his greatest era, I might add), he said that Elvis broke down the door for all acts of color to get in, he even went so far to call Elvis “an integrator of black music”.

In some degree, MJ was also an integrator. The guy struggled to gain mainstream success for years though he was obviously very successful between 1969 and 1982 being a member of the Jackson 5, who were the first recording group to score their first four number-one singles, having a cartoon show, a television variety hour and performances in stadiums, arenas, Las Vegas, etc.

But I guess MJ learned this from Berry Gordy’s Motown Records. In the sixties, the Supremes did things few black performers were doing…and were getting recognized for it.

Personally I believe these acts transcended race. I don’t know how this topic blew over to racist allegations and accusations but it just makes topics like this mundane especially when we have unconfirmed reports of either Elvis or MJ’s behaviors.

It’s also funny how one-sided some people can be but in anyway I can respect why Elvis is so popular and why Michael is so popular. They’re both integral members of music history and are icons and should be respected that way.

That’s my two cents anyway.

I can most definitely respect your opinion. Certainly one of the most civil and unbiased ones here.

Charles Thomson…LOLOLOL…well…true…but even with out metioning that, MICHAEL IS THE BEST!!!

Alright, here is a thing for everyone. I don’t give a damn about who sold most. I personally think MJ is the highest selling artist of all time. One thing is for sure, Elvis or The Beatles are not even close to musical talents of Michal Jackson.

As far as singing goes, Michael Jackson at 11 is a lot more able than Elvis ever was. I better not mention about The Beatles. When Michael hits high notes, it’s heaven. When Elvis tries, it was like he was shouting on drugs! MJ is the King! MJ owns Elvis and the Beatles! End of story!

illmatic is faggot, Elvis had wrote song that is the only reason why he was credited like that.. world isn’t imaginary.

Elvis is best of all, he has sold 2 billion albums worldwide, guinness book of world record’ 1970′s addition had wrote that Elvis has sold 1 billion albums, on 2007, it crossed 2 billion figure.

Second are beatles in sales, who has got 1.3 billion sales..

Elvis got 149 hit songs, beatles got 68, where michael jackson hasn’t got at least 50.

Elvis’ each movie got more than 500% profit.. he is most successful and most payed actor of those days.

Elvis had invented rock n roll.. Some faggots believe that Little richard or chuck berry did… Lol, see this :-

First record of Chuck berry Maybellene got recorded+released in july 1955, Elvis had released following songs before that.

That’s All Right
Blue Moon of Kentucky
Good Rockin’ Tonight
I Don’t Care If the Sun Don’t Shine
Milk Cow Blues Boogie
You’re a Heartbreaker
Baby Let’s Play House
I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone
Mystery Train

Same with little richard… cause little richard had released his first record in november 1955…

LOL!

Elvis owns everyone! most original..

Michael jackson has just ripped off James brown, fred astaire, sammy davis jr. Elvis presley(moves) and more peoples..

Same with beatles, they had ripped off vocal style from The Everly brothers, listen to there early recordings, same they did with bee gees, beach boys, buck owens and lot more!

Elvis Presley rules!

Nope, Michael Jackson has sold more records than any other artist ever. It’s being said since the 2000 in shows over and over again.

I don’t care what Elvis or The Beatles sold because MJ is THE KING!

The Beatles are much much more disadvantaged if you compare than the King or Michael Jackson.

Why?

1- A career only 8 years

The Beatles : 1962-1970 = 8 years

Elvis: 1956-1977 = 21 years

Michael Jackson: 1969-2008 = 39 years

The Beatles are not here since 38 years: 1970-2008

Elvis since 31 years: 1977-2008

Michael Jackson is here today.

The Beatles are disadvantaged if you compare than Elvis or Michael Jackson.

Elvis is disadvantaged if you compare than Michael Jackson.

However…

“World Music Awards 2008

http://www.worldmusicawards.com/

Michael Jackson wasn’t a musician
so, he never innovated musically
(The author of the text give no link)

Clip vidéo: before mtv, Michael Jackson was unknow
It’s MTV who has created Michael Jackson
But in reality, he has stollen the choreography from “West Side Story”

Despite only being active for the period 1963-1970 The Beatles were the most successful chart act of all time.
http://tsort.info/music/6hsv00.htm

My Comment is for the page creator, who should delete these pages, or should just stop believing on a troll who is talking with racist bull**** lies. If i am telling this to “illmatic, My comment:-

Michael jackson is self claimed King of Pop, I have even heard that he was jealous of Elvis Presley that’s why he started claiming his own a king of pop. Jackson even said on Elvis that “They called Elvis the king, why not me?”, Means jackson is claiming himself a “King”! HE even wrote in his disc that “For my promotion, call me “king of pop”, i want a lot of money”

There are thousands of websites who calls Michael jackson a “self-styled king of pop”, Search it if you don’t believe.

But Elvis?? OH! He never called himself a king of rock, he even called to Fats dominos a “Real King Of Rock n Roll” behind media.

Elvis has sold 2 billion records actually In the book called “In search of Elvis” from 1995 it’s written that his sales are 2 billion by some estimates, And he was included in guinness book 2 times:-

Once in 1970′s guinness book, it is written that Elvis sold 1 billion records.
Once in 1983′s guinness book, it is written that Elvis sold 1.3 billion records.

Even beatles sold 1.3 billion records by 2005.

Elvis never copied anyone, Tell me at least one if you are not insane, because no one can name whom he had copied, so they says that he copied blacks. In fact he opened door for blacks.

And i can easily say whom your michael wacko jacko has ripped off, he/she has ripped off everything from :-

Elvis Presley(by dance moves)
Fred astaire(by dance moves, by cloths)
James Brown(by dance moves, shouts and bit of singing)
Sammy davis jr.(by dance moves, by cloths)

On Michael jackson, You talk about INNOVATOR? Innovator means who innovates anything, creates anything.. What Jackson has done??? Just pop? If we do some justice, than Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, beatles, tom jones, engelbert humperdinck has made pop beats much better and years before Michael jackson.

Also michael jackson has influenced no body! If you are going to tell that Chris brown, Usher, 2 or 3 more, than hear, Michael jackson is not biggest influence of any body!

You said :-

“Most of Elvis’ music wasn’t even written by him, and the songwriter who did write them died broke. And that songwriter was Otis Blackwell, one the greatest American songwriters ever wrote Elvis biggest hits (Don’t Be Cruel, All Shook Up, Return to Sender). Not only did he write them – Elvis copied the arrangement, the style, the vocal mannerisms, and claimed he co-wrote the songs along with Blackwell (at least Elvis’ name was on the record as co-writer).”

OH!!! Only That one songwriter died a loser, it means Elvis was responsible?? that otis blackwell has also worked with many other artists, the other biggest name is james brown, why you don’t go and tell this made-up **** to james brown community???

Also tell how did Elvis copied “the arrangement, the style, the vocal mannerisms”??

Elvis has payed him that much money, how much it was essential and legal according to its agreement. And when Otis black well never claimed that Elvis didn’t wrote song for having “co-writer” credit, How can you claim??? Why don’t you go and claim this about michael jackson who has really stole the credit of over 29 songs, and put “co-writing” credit.

You said:-

“What did Elvis innovate, other than putting an “acceptable” face on the work of other artists? He was a created talented, a singing puppet, and is severely overrated. He did not invent anything, everything he “did” was already done and better. All of his peers Jackie Wilson, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown and so on are vastly superior.”

Tells how much sick piece of trash illmatic is.. Elvis and a singing puppet?? OH? he is greatest singer voted in “Q magazine” and he can play guitar, piano, drums, bass in real! He is musician. Elvis has invented Rockabilly, country rock, and that everything what he had done.

Little Richard first record is from november 1955 called “tutti frutti”, Chuck Berry first record is from july 1955 called “maybellene”, Jimi Hendrix first record “hey joe” is from 1966 and jimi hendrix was blues rock psychedelic rock, jimi hendrix has to do nothing with Elvis type music. James Brown first record is from 1956 called “Please Please Please”

Where Elvis has released many many records before them all.. First record of Elvis is “That’s all right”&”Blue moon of kentucky” from 19 july 1954. What are highly considered as first Rock n Roll. That’s Why Elvis did everything before anyone did, Basically these all artist were Elvis followers.

You said:-

“Actually, this number isn’t really a point I’m just still laughing at people who think Elvis is original.”

Nope, you should cry.. Elvis is most original.. Unlike that michael jackson who plagiarizes others and shows like his favorite spot is Court.

“So if you think ‘even Jacko copied some Elvis moves’ I assure you, and I don’t mean to disappoint but, a move was watered down from the Elvis filter that was again, originated from a true trendsetter like Brown.”

James brown is after Elvis in dance, Elvis had danced first time in the movie Jailhouse rock(1957), James brown danced for first time in Tami show on 1964.
So of course James Brown has copied Elvis, Because James Brown said:- “I wasn’t a fan, i was his brother.”

“Michael Jackson has a phenomenal voice, he very underrated as a singer. Unique, rich and lovely when you used to sing live in his prime. He had a voice on him even in his adolescence. What Jackson possesses is a rare talent, and has been exuded since practically his birth. Now, admittedly I skimmed through yet another comment that may have you believe that Michael Jackson of all people relied on stage tricks to impress audiences. LOL! Right. Jackson is typically by himself when solo [or accompanied by his brothers in a group of his siblings] with the band. That is all.”

Michael jackson has no vocal skills actually, just a silly little girl voice what’s irritating!

“Elvis was and is a media creation, and his image and life, has been white washed greatly sense his death. People have been brainwashed, by constant talk of his supposed “greatness”. Today Elvis’ legacy is little more than a pop cultural reference. His face is on mugs, stuffed pigs are made in his image, and various other commercial junk. That is all Elvis deserves, and nothing more. They continually throw him up, in response to the greatness of others, but there is absolutely no comparison. This is not about Elvis, but about a system that attempted to bury the legacy of many artists, and continues, to attempt to pump up something, that never was in the first place.”

Elvis’ estate earned $52 million this year.. He is earning more than Michael jackson every
year..

And the system is not blind, check yourself first.. Elvis has not only took everything from blacks.. His influence was more of whites, Like he was influenced by Jimmie rodgers, bob wills, ernest tubb, mario lanza too.. Not just blues He had fusion of christian hymns, country, hillbilly music too.

So calling that Elvis took from blacks is like showing jealousy about his talent and being racist.

See what Black legends has said about Elvis:-

Little Richard :- “He was an integrator, Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn’t let black music through. He opened the door for black music.”

“Elvis was God-given. There’s no explanation. A messiah comes around every few thousand years, and Elvis was it this time.”

Chuck Berry :- “Blacks didn’t have the air–waves Elvis had. He delivered what he obtained beautifully.”
“Describe Elvis Presley? He was the greatest who ever was, is, or will ever be.”

James Brown :- “I wasn’t just a fan, I was his brother. He said I was good and I said he was good; we never argued about that. Elvis was a hard worker, dedicated, and God loved him. Last time I saw him was at Graceland, We sang ‘Old Blind Barnabus’ together, a gospel song. I love him and hope to see him in heaven. There’ll never be another like that soul brother.”

“Some people say Elvis stole black music. Those people are fools, Elvis gave black people a voice.” (CONCENTRATE ON THIS)

Issac Hayes :- “Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business.”

B.B. King :- “His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra’s … Had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness.”

Al Green :- “Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us.”

———-

At the last of my comment i want to tell that there are 1000s of artists/bands who are better than michael jackson, because they can sing or play or write or has some originality.

Elvis never wrote much, but at least he can Sing and play great! Elvis has played Guitar, piano, drums, bass in records and also behind the audience. What michael jackson can’t do, Michael jackson can’t play anything! If he can than why there is no photo or video what shows michael jackson is playing instrument. So michael isn’t a part of any music discussion.

I hear this whining about elvis all the time……’he never wrote a song so how could he be a great artist?” Neither did Frank Sinatra, i suppose you thought he wasn’t legitimate either? what about Bob dylan, he couldn’t sing and played the guitar like a beginner, is he a myth because in reality his ‘performance’ skills were a joke? No!

Elvis ‘stole the black mans music’? This is one of the great misdirections in music history. Elvis liked Blues and Gospel, but he also liked COUNTRY, yes the dreaded white devil music. so he took a bit from evryone and used it. Ever heard Thorntons original of Hound Dog? sounds nothing like Elvis’ version, he made it his own, and it changed CULTURE.

As for MJ, he ripped off Jackie Wilson and James Brown. Do you know what Jackie said about Elvis?

‘A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis’.

Whoops full circle.

michael jackson is the greatest singer of all time!!!!!!! he knew dance he had creativity and he was cool michael jackson still better than the beattles and elvis presley too! michael jackson we live 4ever xoxo

Yeah but MJ OWNS the Beatles!

I believe that The Beatles are the best and they are better than Michael Jackson even though I like him too I just like The Beatles even more.

This entire text was written by an Michael Jackson Fan, who don`t like Elvis very much.
Elvis was much more.
Rod Stewart
Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps.

Mick Jagger
He was a unique artist an original in an area of imitators.
Bruce Springsteen
There have been a lot of tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king.
Bruce Springsteen qoute about Elvis:
There have been a lot of tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king.

Jackie Wilson about Elvis:
A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man\’s music, when in fact almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis.

Elvis Presley is the undisputed King of the Pop charts. With 165 pop chart entries he has the most songs followed by James Brown with slightly more than 100 pop chart entries. Check it out in Joel Whitburn's Billboard Pop Singles (published 2009). Whitburn lists Presley as the leading artist among the 500 best between 1955 and 2008. Guess who is second and third? The Beatles and Elton John. Who talks about MJ? The guy is so overrated that it is nearly a joke.

beatles didnt have the technolody mj had access to spread his music and videos. They are know around the world too. Mj entertained the world but bealtes iniciated a musical and cultural revolution. Beatles are the most covered artist ever, have more #s 1 than any other artits, have influenced much more than mj. mj's death brought him again to popularity but beatles are popular all the time.

1.
To be honest: It is mostly easy putting someone down, if you don't like him much. But it's not the best style or just not much thoughtfully. I myself was fascinated by The Beatles. It was after their hey days, noboday asked me to be their fan, but with 13 I listened in '75 things like "She loves you" and it was, as they just recorded this song for me and I was sitting in the studio in 1963, but it was just an old 33/45 record player and I was a teenager in a wonderful place in Germany, but those years there was no Internet and I felt more than 2000 lightyears away from "the scene". But harder was the time difference. John Lennon was those years still alive and end of the '70 ties he seemed "to return" – how it ended we know and I myself had changed, but who knows these days, knows, that this was the worst day rock'n roll and "my generation" ever had.
Of course, The Beatles had ended long ago, but Lennon was more alive than ever, maybe he took drugs, maybe he had his troubles, maybe he was egocentric, but he was a splendid thinker and surely he could do more and give a shit on all the money and really live as socialistic hippie.
But he had done a great show already. He was transformed by his time, but he transformed it, too.
The changes of mind, that took place between 65-75 were enourmes and a lttle chance, to change our world, that is probably more on eve of destruction, as when Barry Mc Guirre warned us.
But I always loved "the old Beatles", too.
It's like with movies:
Avatar is phantastic, Platoon, Carpenter happened, but if one watches "Breakfast at Tiffanies", one is at home – before things twisted more and more.
I love the pics of the early sixties. The light that is used by the photographer. The smiles are somehow still smiles, even those days media industry got its first jump.

2.
Yes, I was a Beatles-man. I always liked music, but now it got more active. And I started immediately with the best. I found Hendrix and Who's Quadrophenia nextby. 3,4 years later I had mutated to a longhaired guy, listening all kind of strange sound, that was available in 1979 and early eighties.
Many "Hippies" had forgotten where they once game from. But I remembered how impressed we had been, of pics like in the White Album .
Lennon was a paradigm intellectual hippster.
But it is more difficult.
It was the old knowing, that Rock'n Roll just works with frustrated kids.
No longer just a child at Saturday night I went to our pubs,
playing cards and discussing for hours
and next morning I had my church crisis
and the radio played things like "Jailhouse Rock"
and whatever one says against ELVIS:
I was aware how great such songs were
and Rock owes him much as The Beatles did
and Rock owes The Beatles.
Beside of this, The Beatles were unbelievable
creative, maybe influenced by the avantgarde,
but they melted alltogether and maybe
for a moment young people were really
a community.
Later Mc Cartney justified prices of 150 € or whatever,
and this was not so good, I thought,
but he is surely not a bad man.
Michael Jackson showed up in the periode
that killed what I loved.
Yes, he was this boy, singing in the 60ties.
Yes, he was treated bad.
But he did exactly the opposite what I did.

3.
I believed in Rock'n Roll and its subversive power
and Michael Jackson, even 3 years older,
jumped on the new technique train
and was a VIDEO MEGA Star.
I never understood, why he was put on the throne.
He belonged for me just in the average league of
60ties soul.
Okay, stop –
he was creative, but he was supported by all
american musicians, that were on top around
1983, 1984.
Toto made him, Van Halen made him.
He was a great dancer?
Fine.
But I had started with music.
Michael Jackson overnight to an idol
of the arrogant, spoiled generation,
as I called it.
Yes, more than Elvis he was american
in its bad sense.
Madonna has 160n IQ?
But for what good?

Stop-now my old feelings break through…
And I forget that Americans love Show more…
Michael Jackson was not "Bad". He had talents, he had some good songs.
I would liked them maybe, if he was not blown up to an artificial bubble.
And black and white and blue?
Chester Burnett would have been 100 years old days ago. Not the football player, but HOWLIN' WOLF. Give me one of his singles or all Jackson CD's.
Which would I hear in a dirty cellar bar?
And The Doors expressed the better BLUES
I am not against Michael Jackson, but he was just media cult for me.
Nice combed for nice combed haired girls,
until they realize, that the dirt on the park bench is maybe not the idiot,
they sacrifice in their commercial marriage vow.
The 80'ties, the most lost decade in the last 12 billion years

She loves you is ridicolous. Tempi and message are obviously telling a lie. Making a way in this world , is just supported. Michael Jackson was the step, that people finally believe in nonsense.
Oh Elvis, you knew your capitalism well! And you had a great humour!

^what? is this some type of riddle? I haven't a clue what you are talking about and I doubt you do as well. I didn't know so many old farts used the net. Many of you are pathetic, whinning, belly aching and making up comments like little bitches. If you were asked to post the link to comments you have attributed to others, the comments section would be nearly empty. I guess for rhythmless white people, Elvis could dance, EPIC FAIL. Anyway, Illmatic was 100% correct. Beatles #1, MJ #2 hell I would put quite a few people at number 3 over Elvis. Elvis was okay, I like him but this media created enshrinement of him is laughable and pathetic. Beatles fan should be offended that the Beatles are lumped together with Elvis. The Beatles are an extraordinary music and cultural entity, Elvis was a great pop star and MJ is in a league of his own. I wouldn't even call MJ a pop star because his music only became "pop" music when white people started buying it.
And for the record, please stop over-inflating Elvis' record sales. 2 billion? lol. It use to be funny now it's just sad and pathetic and it makes you look desperate. Elvis was a great pop star, no need to lie about the sales.

What bothers me about this is that they were all from different eras and very different sounding music they are not comparable to one another. This article is typical Elvis bash bull.

I'm always amazed how ignorant especially MJ fans are. Does not reflect well on the man, if you ask me. If they are at a loss they pull the racist card. Thank God, the MJ hype will not last too long.

As not know anyone working for Michael Nessebar call because Beatles and Elvis to sit on old tracks and Michael have to issue 100 unreleased and what are these crap that is sung just pop this bullshit he sang several styles you are complete losers nekadarnitsi burst of angry Michael will live forever zalazlika you

Patricia6666 who overestimated persons wandering Michael is one of the greatest singers of all time is overvalued Beatles and Elvis now only names and sentences until it funny gentile speak for them vechi was this sense in the world anyone spoken to them many fans are behind you Elvis and the Beatles R.I.P MICHAEL I LOVE YOU FOREVER

all fans of Elvis and the Beatles do not know anything about Michael, he was a genius in music and Elvis Bear Nika kaf is no mention of his name call him King for nothing! Well gay Beatles from Liverpool you are unable to become performers of the decade chose Eminem and Michael was 2 in 80 90 his talent and his genius were uglomni gathered hundreds of people collapsed, pushed zadago only glimpse its presence was a huge sorry but it's true Elvis and Beatles addition to his many albums sold nothing else MICHAEL JACKSON FOREVER

1° MICHAEL JACKSON – ♫♪

THE KING 147 top 40 hits mj less then 30, THE KING 30 number 1s in us and uk mj only 18, THE KING 2.5 BILIION RECORDINGS SOLD, MJ ONLY 450 MILLION, THE KING 67 GOLD AND PLATNIUM RECORDS MJ NOT EVEN CLOSE, GRACELAND STILL STANDS, NEVERLAND IS NEVERMORE…… WHOS THE KING……… E L V I S (no last name needed we all know who im talkn about)

It is not that hard actually just go to Africa and Asia (the other part of the world!) and see for yourself.
The problem is you guys always believe the world starts and ends in the U.S. and make your conclusions.

A typical white American; it was always a complex thing with you ,there must be a white kid elevated higher than the black thus Elvis was born and revered and idolised. Seriously what was spectacular about all his music and accordingto him the lousy movies he made. you can mention the beatles oh! they were British still nothing for the American white because the second class black were all with the TRUE gift. frank Sinatra was a genius though.
Good luck with your KING lives.