2010s Answer to Michael Jackson

[Eddie Teach]

I'm a motherfuckin' star boy.

[Josquius]

Neither are on a par to Jackson. Though Bruno Mars is by far the bigger. From the top of my head I can't think of a song of either though I definitely know Mars. Didn't he write a really big hit or two for others?

[Razgovory]

Bwah?

[Grey Fox]

The Weeknd is probably closer. I expect that in a couple of decades how he is into weird sexual stuff.

[Admiral Yi]

Is Teh Weeknd some hippity hop nonsense?  I've never even heard of them/him/her.

This millenium has been a tragic music wasteland.

[Eddie Teach]

Is Teh Weeknd some hippity hop nonsense?  I've never even heard of them/him/her.

Nah, he's pop. Did Super Bowl halftime show last year.

[Josquius]

Is Teh Weeknd some hippity hop nonsense?  I've never even heard of them/him/her.

This millenium has been a tragic music wasteland.

The first decade was pretty good. The financial crisis largely marked the death of music alas.

[jimmy olsen]

The Weeknd is probably closer. I expect that in a couple of decades how he is into weird sexual stuff.

He's pretty open about his cocaine addiction.

Mars is better and a bigger star.

However no star, male or female comes close to Jackson's fame and it will be extremely difficult for anyone to reach that level again. Jackson grew up on TV in front of the audience's eyes when there was only a few channels.

Even someone like Ed Sheeran who has dominated the British charts for a decade isn't as famous in Britain as Jackson was famous in America in the late 80s.

[The Larch]

Is Teh Weeknd some hippity hop nonsense?  I've never even heard of them/him/her.

You've heard him for sure, even if you don't know who he is. Guy is Canadian of Ethiopian origin and does pop/alternative R&B.

This millenium has been a tragic music wasteland.

Nah, that just means you've become old.

[Eddie Teach]

I guess it should be pointed out I was talking about Jackson's falsetto rather than his fame. In that case, the choices would be Taylor Swift and BTS.

[Maladict]

BTS?

[Eddie Teach]

Who else gets 100 million views on YouTube within 24 hours of release? Nobody.

[Josquius]

Is Teh Weeknd some hippity hop nonsense?  I've never even heard of them/him/her.

You've heard him for sure, even if you don't know who he is. Guy is Canadian of Ethiopian origin and does pop/alternative R&B.

This millenium has been a tragic music wasteland.

Nah, that just means you've become old.

Music quality dropped off a cliff predates my turning old

[Sheilbh]

I'd say Bruno Mars. I don't associate Jackson with, I suppose, soft boi R&B.

However no star, male or female comes close to Jackson's fame and it will be extremely difficult for anyone to reach that level again. Jackson grew up on TV in front of the audience's eyes when there was only a few channels.

Yeah I think probably the closest would either be Britney and Timberlake from Disney to pop stardom without a gap, or Bieber. There is almost certainly some child superstar on TikTok who's going to be a pop icon in the 2020s who none of us are aware of.

But you're right back then it was only a few channels so that type of fame is unlikely to happen again.

[Jacob]

Yeah I think probably the closest would either be Britney and Timberlake from Disney to pop stardom without a gap, or Bieber. There is almost certainly some child superstar on TikTok who's going to be a pop icon in the 2020s who none of us are aware of.

But you're right back then it was only a few channels so that type of fame is unlikely to happen again.

Not to mention Jackson was the quintessence of American pop-culture at amoment when it was ascendant globally.

I don't think there are many stars who have equivalently deep and wide impact as Jackson not only in the US and Europe, but also in Asia and Africa.