Two amazing musicians, two incredible composers, two vast catalogs of music, and two men who weathered controversies. That’s usually what one thinks about when they think about Michael Jackson and Prince. In some ways, these two musicians were quite different in their approach to music, but in many ways they were extremely similar. We will take a look at their start, their success, and both of their untimely passings – and then you can decide what you think.
Prince’s Humble Beginnings
Prince Rogers Nelson was born June 7, 1958 in Minnesota. He was born into a musical family, as both of his parents were jazz musicians. His parents split when he was young, causing Prince to bounce around from home to home.
At age seven, Prince wrote his first song, ‘Funk Machine,’ showing his musical talent. He was able to play a variety of instruments and took up ballet dancing. Later, he and André Cymone, a good friend of his, formed a musical project together. Prince soon moved to California and recorded his first album, entitled For You.
Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5
Michael Jackson was born on the 29th of August of 1958 – the same year as Prince. He was born in Gary, Indiana in a very small house to musical parents. He was one of nine siblings – and performed with the family musical act Jackson 5.
With hits like ‘ABC’ and ‘I’ll Be There,’ the Jackson 5 rose to fame quite quickly. Michael was soon recognized as a child prodigy and from then on he went to record ‘Rockin’ Robin’ and a few other songs. In 1978 he starred with famed singer Diana Ross in a movie called The Wiz, an updated urban take on The Wizard of Oz.
Prince’s Rise to Fame
We left off with Prince in California. After recording several more tracks for his album – and playing almost all the instruments for recording, Prince became the opening act for Rick James. He then went on to form his own band, the Time, with Morris Day as lead vocalist.
In 1983 Prince’s hit song, ‘Little Red Corvette’ revved up the charts to the Number 6 spot in the US. The single has sold nearly 1,000,000 copies in the US and continues to be played on pop stations today. Prince then hit the ground running with his multi-platinum album Purple Rain and then the movie of the same name.
Michael Jackson Shoots to Stardom
Post-movie, The Wiz, Michael Jackson went on to record his first successful solo album, produced by Quincy Jones. Then was the 1983 release of the album, Thriller, which broke record sales back then, and continues to do so, selling over 70 million copies worldwide. With hits like ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Beat It,’ this album continues to receive accolades in the music world.
In the 1990s, Jackson’s music career saw him collaborating with other artists and buying a large ranch in California, called Neverland. Unfortunately, the 1990s also weren’t very kind to him, including speculation about his skin color, weight, and general appearance. Also, Michael Jackson was accused of sexual misconduct with child guests at his ranch.
Late Careers of Both Prince & Michael Jackson
In some ways in the early 2000s, the landscape of music was changed. First, it was morphed by record sales and the early digitalization of music, second, by musical tastes. Both artists continued to produce music, with Prince leaning towards a jazz influence. Michael Jackson continued to record, including releasing ‘Thriller 25’ in 2008, for its 25-year anniversary.
Prince had a controversial deal with Warner Brothers; for several years, as an act of rebellion to Warner, he used a symbol for his name. He was also known as. “The Artist Formerly Known As Prince.” Eventually, he went back to his name, Prince, as the nasty publishing dispute was settled. In 2007 Prince performed at Super Bowl XLI, and it was considered one of the best performances at a Super Bowl ever.
Very unfortunately, Michael Jackson and Prince both passed in an untimely fashion at young ages. Michael Jackson passed away in 2009, and Prince in 2016. The circumstances of both of their deaths were investigated, and both were found to be overdoses of drugs. The doctor in charge of Jackson’s healthcare was charged with involuntary manslaughter several years after his death. Prince was found in an elevator at his Minneapolis compound, deceased from an overdose of fentanyl.
Prince and Michael Jackson’s Legacies
It is often said that the star that burns the brightest burns out the fastest. In this case, this might be what happened with these two artists. With extreme fame also comes controversy. There should be no debating who was better or more famous.
These two extraordinarily talented musicians were much loved by fans, but also faced scrutiny. More importantly, these two should not be mutually exclusive; the artistry and extraordinary talent of both Michael Jackson and Prince need to be celebrated, and passed down from generation to generation.
