How big was Michael during his prime? I was born on 2005 so i obviously missed Michael’s prime but i would love to hear memories and points of view of people that witnessed him in his prime.
Comments
positivecynik t1_j1w5gmp wrote
When Thriller was released (1984 1982), he was like, the most famous pop star on the planet for about a year. Everyone trying to Moonwalk all the time.
lysergic101 t1_j1w5nas wrote
1.75m unless he had big heels on.
Rikkrishub t1_j1w7j0k wrote
This is hard to convey but when MJ was huge there wasn't an internet or cell phones or social media. Yet, he was hands down, bigger than Taylor Swift and Kanye combined. He owned music and music video. When Thriller came out the video played at the top of every hour on MTV.
[deleted] t1_j1w821y wrote
[removed]
South_Ear6167 t1_j1w84ku wrote
Well. He was a diddler. So.
yampi30 OP t1_j1wbpjb wrote
This is very true he got famous the extremely hard way. Now you write a catchy sing and a couple of people use it on tik tok and you are trending. Don’t wanna imagine Michael with todays social media.
yampi30 OP t1_j1wbquk wrote
yampi30 OP t1_j1wbswc wrote
for about a year? he is the most famous pop star of all time
yampi30 OP t1_j1wc6h3 wrote
Ohh man thats awesomee! you were in an Mj concert thats really a moment in history seeing the greatest artist of all time performing must have been breathtaking. But thats sad that her number rubbed of by the time you got to your house. You never saw her again?
TheTravellingTA t1_j1wcomw wrote
I was in elementary school when Thriller came out. A lot of my friends were into him but I feel he really became mainstream (at least in my European country) once Bad came out (1987). Then he reached his peak with Dangerous.
All of this is highly subjective, of course.
Nizamark t1_j1wfxpf wrote
theses days it’s hard to imagine how huge thriller was.
like star wars, in that it permeated and altered all of pop culture.
Frankenstien23 t1_j1wqolh wrote
This might be an unpopular opinion but Jackson 5 is peak Michael Jackson
Volcano_Tequila t1_j1wr94f wrote
You have to understand that his later fame was built upon his first fame (with the Jackson Five), then continued fame with The Jacksons, then on his massive solo effort (Off the Wall), all before Thriller raised his fame to a whole other level. The Jackson Five / the Jacksons honed his singing, dancing and entertaining skills before live audiences, and then the combination of Thriller and videos on MTV from Thriller and then the live performance at the Motown 25th anniversary TV special captured the public like no artist since Elvis or The Beatles. His eccentricities added to his fame, and Bad and Dangerous kept the fire lit. Even Janet Jackson, with her own megahit albums, added to his fame. It was like nothing could stop him and then the allegations and surgeries and suits sullied it all for quite a while.
kyle_750 t1_j1wrl4d wrote
Wouldn't this just get annoying? Commerical radio these days smashing a song just ruins it and brings on hate
pfc_bgd t1_j1wttpb wrote
Basketball and marketing GOAT. And it felt like it at the time.
Not sure how else to describe it…
big_hungry_joe t1_j1wuwsc wrote
Thriller came out in 82 and he was massive for at least the rest of the 80's
SadAcanthocephala521 t1_j1wwn9g wrote
I was 6 or 7 around 84/85. I had a MJ glove and a microphone that you could sing into and hear yourself on the radio on a certain frequency lol
SadAcanthocephala521 t1_j1wwu9p wrote
Basketball? Are you confusing MJ with Michael Jordan? Lol
Slight_Purpose_9092 t1_j1wydyy wrote
People have been getting famous through crappy one hit wonders that they may or may not have written since the beginning of the modern music industry. Nothing is different now. Nobody doing that in the past or today will ever become Michael Jackson famous doing it.
Ungeez t1_j1x0cym wrote
My friend and I tried imitating his videos as little kids in the late '80s for fun haha. He was never not huge ever since he got famous in the early 70s, even was still huge in the 90s and after while most people made fun of him.
Broad_Leopard_2816 t1_j1x167v wrote
I can see why you say that, but I would argue The Jacksons even more. Have you heard the albums Destiny and Triumph, some of the best work he ever did in the similar vein of Off the Wall.
pfc_bgd t1_j1x3x3h wrote
Looool I thought I was in r/nba.
positivecynik t1_j1x5fnp wrote
> Thriller came out in 82
You're right. I corrected it. Thx
Obvious-Unit3560 t1_j1x6ezc wrote
Every song on thriller was a huge hit everywhere it was unbelievable you couldnt go anywhere without hearing him he did a duet with Paul McCartney about that same time everything he sang was HUGE!!
big_hungry_joe t1_j1xm6bb wrote
Sorry I have an encyclopedia brain when it comes to music
yampi30 OP t1_j1y5aw4 wrote
Wow how cooll
yampi30 OP t1_j1y5bza wrote
best album ever??
yampi30 OP t1_j1y5ewt wrote
yeah those allegations really hurt his career right?
yampi30 OP t1_j1y5guf wrote
thats why i didnt put “Mj” i was but then i knew somebody was gonna get confused jejeje
yampi30 OP t1_j1y5hhd wrote
whoaaa thats cool
yampi30 OP t1_j1y5jzb wrote
no but they get famous easy but nobody will ever be the same as the king of pop not even with tik tok
yampi30 OP t1_j1y5kx1 wrote
people made fun of him?
yampi30 OP t1_j1y5ly6 wrote
thats amazing! The King of pop
positivecynik t1_j1yud3s wrote
All good, I was 5 in 1982 so it's a little fuzzy lol
Abacab4 t1_j20ied7 wrote
Yeah, in the early 90s the joke was that he didn’t know if he was black or white.
Abacab4 t1_j20iz70 wrote
I was four years old when the Thriller video had its world premiere on MTV and even then I knew it was a big deal. The video for Billie Jean might be even better though. He lit up the sidewalk with every step! The dude was larger than life.
FuckedUp4Life t1_j2509ve wrote
Everyone knew Michael Jackson. Everyone. My grandma who was from a remote developing nation village knew and admired Michael Jackson. I saw her face light up when Michael was on the TV and she whispered his name under her breath in awe.
I'm too young to properly remember the Thriller era, but I remember the Bad era. In the UK when the Bad and Smooth Criminal videos debuted on TV the streets were empty. We only had 4 or 5 TV channels in those days. A particular TV show would have the rights to play the video. No Internet in those days so generally if you wanted to watch the video then you would need to watch it there and then. The streets would be empty. Near the time of the video you could see the streets emptying. The whole family would gather round the TV in anticipation of the new video. We would gather at my cousins house to watch it. Young and old. And Michael NEVER missed. I was a huge fan and I would be so proud of Michael for releasing yet another banger.
When Michael was touring in the UK, all the papers had Michael plastered on the front and in the middle. EVERYTHING was about Michael. Michael in the papers. Michael on TV. Michael on radio. Michael Jackson was more than a singer and performer. He was royalty. There was NO comparison.
Everyone loved Michael. From the grandmas to the gang bangers and everything in between. Except my best friend. He hated Michael. He was a Prince fan ( 🙈 ). He would come to my house to walk to school. I would have Michael playing on the TV while I got ready for school. He would stare daggers at the TV lol 🤣 .
BTW I saw Michael in his Bad and Dangerous tour.
FuckedUp4Life t1_j2512ag wrote
People didn't know about his skin issues back then. They thought he wanted to be white.
FuckedUp4Life t1_j251soz wrote
No way! Peak was Off the Wall and Thriller.
FuckedUp4Life t1_j251wbc wrote
I love the Destiny song off the Destiny album.
Otherwise-Extreme-68 t1_j1w4us9 wrote
I saw him at Wembley in 97 i think for the HIStory tour. It was pure insanity, the atmosphere was incredible. I remember it started with a video of him in some kind of capsule, the video followed it for a while and then it came bursting through the stage before he stepped out. That one moment when he appeared will be burnt in my memory forever, really felt like being in a moment of history. I don't remember much about the rest of the concert as I was chatting up some girl, got her number too but it had rubbed off my hand by the time I got home!