Bigger superstar: Michael Jackson or Elivs?

[erik316wttn]

It's a very straightforward question: Who was the bigger superstar in his day? Both are icons whose influence is felt even today. Both have a boatload of platinum songs, albums, and adoring fans. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" sold over 35 million (!) copies, while Elvis also had moderate movie success. Though, to be fair, a lot of Elvis's movies were "beach blanket" romps with bikini girls.

 

Pick one. Use any criteria you like. Who was the bigger superstar in his day?

[OleMissCub]

Very good question.

 

Gonna have to go with Elvis. When he came on the scene he was ENTIRELY unique for the time. His impact on the culture is hard to measure, but suffice it to say it was massive. He was the first real superstar of modern music.

 

I think Elvis also had a broader fanbase throughout his career. Not only was he a Rock'n'Roll guy, but he was also liked in the Country music community (he's in the Country Music Hall of Fame) and in the Gospel community as well.

[NCCubFan]

I have to go with Elvis too. That may have to do with my musical tastes, which are more for classic rock and country than R & B.

[dew1679666265]

I went with Elvis as well. The fact that he's comparable to Michael Jackson even though Elvis never lived through the massive technology age we have today is a sign of his massive stardom.

 

Like NC, though, my musical tastes may be biasing my opinion some.

[OleMissCub]

Like NC, though, my musical tastes may be biasing my opinion some.

 

It doesn't matter what your musical tastes are. Elvis is much more of a cult icon than MJ. Think of all the merchandise you see that has Elvis on it, etc. He also had a bigger fanbase as well because of the different genre that he recorded under. I'd have to think that Elvis also had more of an influential impact on music. All of the early rock bands like The Beatles, Stones, etc were influenced by his stardom. There's a famous story that John Lennon always told about going to see an Elvis movie when he was 14 or 15 and going "oh my god...THAT would be a good job!" and thus getting into music hard and heavy because of Elvis.

 

My choice is not to denigrate MJ's impact at all, because I think he was massively influential and certainly is among the biggest superstars in modern music history, right alongside Elvis and The Beatles.

 

Personally, I'm not an Elvis fan and have only ever owned his greatest hits, however, I just think the cultural impact that Elvis had on the country is hard to even come close to measuring.

[dew1679666265]

Like NC, though, my musical tastes may be biasing my opinion some.

 

It doesn't matter what your musical tastes are. Elvis is much more of a cult icon than MJ. Think of all the merchandise you see that has Elvis on it, etc. He also had a bigger fanbase as well because of the different genre that he recorded under. I'd have to think that Elvis also had more of an influential impact on music. All of the early rock bands like The Beatles, Stones, etc were influenced by his stardom. There's a famous story that John Lennon always told about going to see an Elvis movie when he was 14 or 15 and going "oh my god...THAT would be a good job!" and thus getting into music hard and heavy because of Elvis.

 

My choice is not to denigrate MJ's impact at all, because I think he was massively influential and certainly is among the biggest superstars in modern music history, right alongside Elvis and The Beatles.

 

Personally, I'm not an Elvis fan and have only ever owned his greatest hits, however, I just think the cultural impact that Elvis had on the country is hard to even come close to measuring.

 

I pretty much completely agree with you here.

[Sammy Sofa]

In terms of cultural and musical impact, it's Elvis and not even close.

 

In terms of fame just sheer recognizability everywhere around the globe for almost three decades and all that that stuff entails, I think it's Jackson and not even close (though he's then trumped by the Beatles in this regard).

 

I think Elvis is hampered in that latter regard by never touring outside of the US.

[mcgoobs]

In the U.S. I would think it was Elvis, but on the global scale it had to be Michael Jackson.

[bukie]

Yeah, if you're talking about just in the US, then Elvis is bigger and will remain bigger.

 

If you're talking about global impact, it's Michael Jackson and not even close.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Elvis in America.

 

Jackson abroad.

[rawaction]

Black people didn't like Elvis. MJ wins.

[jersey cubs fan]

Black people didn't like Elvis. MJ wins.

 

Say what?

 

http://buffetoblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/hillary-elvis.jpg

[rawaction]

Like NC, though, my musical tastes may be biasing my opinion some.

 

It doesn't matter what your musical tastes are. Elvis is much more of a cult icon than MJ. Think of all the merchandise you see that has Elvis on it, etc. He also had a bigger fanbase as well because of the different genre that he recorded under. I'd have to think that Elvis also had more of an influential impact on music. All of the early rock bands like The Beatles, Stones, etc were influenced by his stardom. There's a famous story that John Lennon always told about going to see an Elvis movie when he was 14 or 15 and going "oh my god...THAT would be a good job!" and thus getting into music hard and heavy because of Elvis.

 

My choice is not to denigrate MJ's impact at all, because I think he was massively influential and certainly is among the biggest superstars in modern music history, right alongside Elvis and The Beatles.

 

Personally, I'm not an Elvis fan and have only ever owned his greatest hits, however, I just think the cultural impact that Elvis had on the country is hard to even come close to measuring.

 

Ever pop artist the last 30 years has been influenced by MJ. NKOTB, New Edition, Backstreet Boys, NSync were all huge groups...would not exist without the Jackson Five's success. MJ's stage show also made pop artists step up their game (Madonna, Britney, Janet Jackson, etc). Chris Brown, Usher, Timberlake, are all MJ clones. MJ had the best disco album ever made and the best 2 pop albums ever. On top of that, he still has bonafide R-n-B hits.

 

Elvis did span rock-n-roll, the blues, and gospel, but he didn't spawn any of those, the way MJ did to pop. If Elvis has any advantage it's his movies. But the international appeal of MJ gives him the edge, IMO.

[jersey cubs fan]

Like NC, though, my musical tastes may be biasing my opinion some.

 

It doesn't matter what your musical tastes are. Elvis is much more of a cult icon than MJ. Think of all the merchandise you see that has Elvis on it, etc. He also had a bigger fanbase as well because of the different genre that he recorded under. I'd have to think that Elvis also had more of an influential impact on music. All of the early rock bands like The Beatles, Stones, etc were influenced by his stardom. There's a famous story that John Lennon always told about going to see an Elvis movie when he was 14 or 15 and going "oh my god...THAT would be a good job!" and thus getting into music hard and heavy because of Elvis.

 

My choice is not to denigrate MJ's impact at all, because I think he was massively influential and certainly is among the biggest superstars in modern music history, right alongside Elvis and The Beatles.

 

Personally, I'm not an Elvis fan and have only ever owned his greatest hits, however, I just think the cultural impact that Elvis had on the country is hard to even come close to measuring.

 

Ever pop artist the last 30 years has been influenced by MJ. NKOTB, New Edition, Backstreet Boys, NSync were all huge groups...would not exist without the Jackson Five's success. MJ's stage show also made pop artists step up their game (Madonna, Britney, Janet Jackson, etc). Chris Brown, Usher, Timberlake, are all MJ clones. MJ had the best disco album ever made and the best 2 pop albums ever. On top of that, he still has bonafide R-n-B hits.

 

Elvis did span rock-n-roll, the blues, and gospel, but he didn't spawn any of those, the way MJ did to pop. If Elvis has any advantage it's his movies. But the international appeal of MJ gives him the edge, IMO.

 

Most of those names you listed should count as demerits against Jackson.