t/s: george michael vs michael jackson

what is "The person" and who bloody cares? A song is an expression of a POV through a mask.

It can be. In the case of these two, Jackson's mask is so thick that the person behind it is a hermit.

Do you know how many different factors are involved in making a record and how many decisions have to be made, all of which can affect the outcome of the end product in a major way?

0_o

The dearth of the author

i just meant non-singles / "album tracks" whatever

ah right, agree that the "lesser" singles/etc from both are as obscure as each other in my real world of not listening to commercial radio too. but I think I've only heard pre-Bad MJ in the wild this century too

[also lol Bad famously only had two album tracks. even the CD-only bonus track had a single release more high-profile than most of the others! I definitely can't remember anything about Speed Demon, and I got Bad on LP for Christmas '87]

same as Thriller, Faith, etc.

I was born in 1988 so I don't really have the understanding how either of them existed as ~celebrities~ in their 80s peak. I think of Billie Jean as a massive song but I don't believe a single word of it because the idea of MJ in a torrid love affair debating a baby's paternity seems so out-of-sync with the persona of MJ I grew up with - ballads like Earth Song and You Are Not Alone, all the nonsense around his kids, the accusations. It just doesn't seem believable from the angle I'm coming at it. Whereas GM singing Freeeak or Outside always felt so real, because GM was sexual and playful and basically not overshadowed by who he was.

Well every big album (or movie) is a collective effort. And a collective effort doesn’t mean you can’t express a personal point of view, does it ?
I don’t really understand this discussion, I guess !

I don't know how people can bear to listen to Lou Reed, after he confessed to killing a man in the song "Kicks".

Surprised that Older is getting so little mention on this thread. To me it's George's best record by miles.

It's not as good as Off The Wall though.

Imo George acquits himself better on mid tempo and ballad material. MJ stronger on purely uptempo stuff.

(I like Freedom 90, Fastlove etc)

Michael Jackson, easily

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I like GM but come on !
I suppose the results are not based on music/performance considerations only...

why wouldn't they?

Well, it's possible of course but I have a hard time thinking 60% of people like GM more than MJ if you strictly consider musical aspects.

95% of MJs music is garbage

ahah ok then !

No challops itt, I see.

80% garbage is fair and generous for Jackson's solo material - even the Quincy albums have a lot of highly competent dross, and there's little of worth outside them

I like GM but come on !
I suppose the results are not based on music/performance considerations only...

― AlXTC from Paris, Friday, May 17, 2019 9:54 AM (four hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I was trying to refrain from saying "only on ILM" for the 100th time the moment the poll results came in, but yeah, this is one of those "only on ILM" things.

You mean it's only on ILM that Michael Jackson is judged on more than just the music?

We need a poll on who had the better post-death acts of kindness discoveries

MJ could never, would never, write a song like "Outside" GM forever.

yes!

its kind of obvious of course, but it’s interesting to see how GM/Wham had hits but was not really taken seriously at all in the 80s but has now firmly been rehabilitated, while MJ had the opposite arc.

Challops time: MJ was only good in the '70s (with his '79 solo album Off the Wall being his only good solo album). Not weighing in on George Michael, though, whose music I'm not as familiar with (though I did admire his singing talent).

I hadn't listened to Ladies & Gentlemen until now - I wanted to put on his uptempo/dance material, so I streamed disc two, and it's pretty awesome. The split (which pushes all the ballads on to disc one) doesn't feel like a utilitarian gimmick, at least for disc two, which really flows like a cohesive work in its own right. Even with the omission of "I Want Your Sex Pt. 1," I'd put it up there with Off the Wall as one of the great dance albums (and IMHO that was the only truly great album Jackson ever recorded - nothing else he did ever came close in terms of consistency).

as front-to-back great as the three Quincy produced Michael Jackson records

I think the only one of those three that actually meets that description is Off the Wall. The other two are about half great and half not so great.