So as everyone knows, Michael Jackson is dead dead dead. No more King of Pop. Maybe he was a child molester, maybe not. In any case, he is gone, and let the legal wrangling begin.
Ok, I say this is the biggest death in popular music since Frank Sinatra. Popular culture even. Like him or not, MJ changed the entire way music was done. He was mega mega. In the early 80s he was the definition of ubiquitous. Everywhere. And strip away all the bullsh*t- the music really was great.
So- the question is this: who among living musicians would cause such a major public reaction if they (God forbid) dropped dead next week? I mean, there was Elvis, Sinatra, Lennon, and to some level Garcia.
Anyway- here is my list:
Absolutely (in no order):
Madonna: changed the way music is marketed and broke so many barriers for women
Bob Dylan: Duh
Sir Paul McCartney: The songwriting Beatle
Sir Mick Jagger: lead singer of the World’s greatest Rock and Roll band
Bono: for music and his compassionate work
Aretha Franklin: changed the vocabulary of soul
Bruce Springsteen: the Boss was/is HUGE and in many ways is America's soul
Maybe:
Ringo Starr: Beatle
Keith Richards: Stone
Stevie Wonder: musical genius
Dolly Parton: genius who changed the role of women in country music and marketing
Um, maybe a front page column?:
Pete Seeger: genius but who listens?
Tina Turner: big once
Eddie Vedder: biggest surviving grunge man
Sir Elton John: big for a long time
Pete Townshend: Genius but how many hits?
Milestones section of Time Magazine:
Billy Joel: sorry Piano man
I can't think of anyone else starting in the 90s or 00's that could even come close to this list.
Ok, those are my thoughts. Comments? Additions? Am I wrong? Why? Is this thing on? *tap tap*
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