JasonF

One thing is for sure -- I think we can all agree that Prince is clearly a better musician now.

LeeVing

While I think Prince is the better musician, that wasn't the question...

The answer to "Who will history find the better musician?" is Michael Jackson.

He's gonna have the 20 million in sales record for a very long time. His music is much more mainstream than Prince's. And the biggest reason is that people are sheep, and will follow what they see on the TV. Prince is barley in the news at all...and his album sales are pretty low, too.

The sensationalism of "MJ" will be around for YEARS!! It's bigger news now that he's dead, we'll finally get some answers.

islandclaws

Exactly.

Who is the better musician? Prince, of course. The guy is a freakin' musical genius.

However, Jacko was a global figure with hundereds of millions of records sold worldwide. Prince is a fart in the wind compared to MJ's popularity.

Supermallet

You guys have to be kidding. Prince was nearly as big in the 80's as Michael Jackson was. Jackson even wrote Bad to be a duet between the two of them. Jackson was ultimately the more recognizable one, but to call Prince "a fart in the wind" in comparison is utterly absurd. And, unlike Jackson, Prince has acquitted himself well in his later years, releasing hits like Musicology and doing Vegas tours that were very well received. And his personal behavior, while a bit odd, is nowhere near as bizarre as Jackson's.

wm lopez

If this poll was started today the results would be different.
That's just human nature.

al_bundy

both are OK, but in the long run i'd say both are about as good as Elvis musically. Popular and a good sense of pop culture but so so in the talent department

Prince is quantity compared to more quality for MJ

Supermallet

You think Prince is so-so in the talent department? Have you ever seen him play a guitar? The man is a living guitar legend. And Prince has recorded multiple albums where he's playing almost every instrument. Musically he is more talented than MJ or Elvis ever were.

hdtv00

"Prince is quantity compared to more quality for MJ"

I've never laughed so hard in all my life.

The Bus

My answer still remains the same.

fumanstan

Depends on how you want to define musician. Personally, I think Jackson was a better vocalist and since I pretty much don't care for any of Prince's songs, that MJ was a better song writer as well. And maybe it's my age at 26, but when I was growing up MJ was huge and I never really listened or heard about Prince. Even in his later years, I recall how much of a big deal it was about the debut of the Black and White music video.

Not that i'm arguing that MJ was an overall better musician, but just my preference.

The Infidel

Sooooooooo...Prince is a cereal grain?

FantasticVSDoom

This...

cdollaz

Not sure how MJ is more quality. He's been pretty much making the same album since Thriller. Shit all sounds alike.

Tarantino

False.

= J

hdtv00

More like dead on. Not to mention the fact he hasn't done but one album in what 12 years lol. Every Jackson song sounds the exact same. Which is what you get when you are skilless as a musician. It's over produced garbage.

LeeKing couldn't be more wrong if he tried. Barely in the news, yea ok nothing like top concert of the year, a number one album. Prince does all the work himself, has no label and is fine with 500,000 sales and taking 100% of the profit from them. He makes 20 times more than any popular act on a label who gives them 2% if they're lucky. He talked about Scream video in black and white.....dude that was 1995.....come on now. And since then he released one album no one can name a single song from, which was 2001. So you do the math.

At least prince has done something in the last decade. No matter if you like it or hate it. Least he produces music, which is what real musician's do. Not release ONE album every FOURTEEN YEARS. Gimmie a break.

I'm not saying Jackson sucks. Thriller is one of the greatest albums ever, I just have a problem with trying to repeat it over and over and over again. Then when he released that wasn't working. Went on a 14 year vacation with one album during that time. What all the producers tried up and didn't want to work with him any more. That's what happened.

Supermallet

Jackson only made one carbon copy of Thriller, and that was Bad. Off The Wall is a disco album. Thriller has one disco song (Billie Jean), and then songs in a myriad of other genres. Bad was an attempt to replicate that success, and when it sold significantly less, Jackson changed his mode of attack and made Dangerous, which at no time sounds like Thriller or Bad.

cdollaz

I think Dangerous sounds like Thriller, and so does HiStory, or whatever the hell that one was called.

Tarantino

Sounds like you're very educated on the subject.

= J

cdollaz

Very.

superdeluxe

MJ has potentially 100 unreleased songs:

http://www.bittenandbound.com/2009/0...-secret-songs/

Might swing it back to MJ's side if those songs are anything of worth.

DieselsDen

Prince has had his fair share of failures, embarassments and compromises, but he is by far the better artist. Michael Jackson may be a better performer, but lemme tell ya, Prince's LOVESEXY and MUSICOLOGY concerts were among the best shows I've ever seen. And while THRILLER may be the most popular album ever, I don't think that it's nearly as rich or creative as PURPLE RAIN, PARADE, SIGN O' THE TIMES, 1999 or THE GOLD EXPERIENCE.

al_bundy

my wife is a Prince fan and i had to go to one of his shows a few years ago. Still don't remember any songs except When the Doves Cry and Purple Rain. i have the album in my Itunes, but don't listen to it except for once every two years. And he's released a lot of albums.

MJ hasn't released as much albums but I bet people will remember a lot more of his songs than Prince's

I'd say Prince is a better musician, but MJ a better performer.

Mabuse

What year was this? He rarely/never plays those songs live anymore.

Giles

it might have been kitschy, but I liked his songs for 'Batman' particularily 'The Arms of Orion'

al_bundy

2005 I think, it was in Madison Square Garden. still have the CD they gave out for free

we were thinking about Aerosmith this summer, but won't go. maybe when our son is older we can dump him with his grandparents for a day or two and go. Personally i don't want to go see any band that is eligible for AARP discounts. i don't care how much i liked them as a kid