Why do the say Michael Jackson is the greatest?

[1ARMEDBANDIT]

This is a bit of a follow-on question from the other query below asking about MJs number ones.
My question is "why do people say he was the greatest"? I have compiled a few statistics from the world records book and found these facts. These are just the UK figures.

Michael Jackson has had 55 chart entry singles. 25 album entries and has had 7 number 1 hit singles.

Elton John has had 83 chart entry singles. 41 albums and has had 6 number 1 hit singles.

Cliff Richard has had 129 chart entry singles. 57 album entries and has had 13 number 1 hit singles.

Elvis Presley has had 135 chart entry singles. 117 album
entries and has had 18 number 1 hit singles.

What Cliff Richard has achieved is phenomenal and we should not overlook this when talking about the greatest artist.
Michael Jacksons statistics pales into insignificance with the real great artists. So why is he called the greatest?

[ummmm]

Is Cliff Richard dead?

[joggerjayne]

Michael Jackson being dead is right.

Last month he was ...

Weirdo
Freak
Pervert
Child Molester
Skint
Maniac who dangled a baby over a balcony

This month he is ...

King of Pop
Greatest performer of our generation
Kind to children
Kind to animals
National hero
Inspirational role model
Sadly missed

But are we fickle? Nooooo !!!

[ummmm]

I've seen him live....

Isn't Thriller still one of the best selling albums?

[marval]

Who decides he is the greatest anyway? I was never a fan, I couldn't see what all the fuss was about.

I agree that one moment we are calling him all the bad things, suddenly he is dead and the best . Such hypocrisy just because he is no longer with us.

[coccinelle]

Because he was universal, go to any country in the world, they've all heard of MJ and all heard MJ sing.
Not only was he a singer and writer he was a great dancer so a great performer.
I can well imagine 'we're all going on a summer holiday' would go down well in some African countries!!

[joggerjayne]

Reads KnowsF's post ...

... and adds "perv" to above list.

[ELVIS68]

Was he such a great dancer?.... ok he did the moonwalk but everything else was just grabbing his nuts and saying hee heeeee shamone

[The Sherman]

Because he has the biggest selling album of all time
because he was singing and recording at the age of 11
because lyrically he was amazing
because vocally he was amazing
because his dancing and stage performances were all amazing.

im not gonna argue if he was THE greatest but hes got to be close! His music crossed genres and demographs.

His videos were always amazing and he is part of the reason the black music artists got on MTV in the early 80's.

what else do you need to know about his music?

P.s just because someone has more albums out doesnt make someone better!

[GINGER BIRD]

tired of hearing about michael jackson and his death/ life i know its terribly old fashioned but in my mind there is only one pop superstar that worth talking about and thats robbie williams . the fact that he is just so sh@ggable has nothing to do with it !!! thanks for listening !

[The Sherman]

wow ginger bird really inciteful, you've managed to take a decent conversation about genuine superstars of music and reduce it to playground drivvel by talking about "who d'you fancy the mostest"


thank you

[VHG]

>because lyrically he was amazing
>It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking in
>the dark

That is from Thriller, and Jackson did not write Thriller.

It was written by Rod Temperton, an Englishman, who used to be with the band Heatwave.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Temperton

[Gromit]

He wasn't the greatest, but he was one of the first black artists to be accepted by whites in the highly segregated American music scene.

Some Radio stations and even MTV would never play music by a black artist, but Jackson crossed over and was so big, they could not ignore him.