Michael Jackson Was a Better Entertainer Than The Beatles
The Beatles were the best rock ‘n’ roll band ever, but there was one way in which Michael Jackson surpassed them. The King of Pop was simply a better entertainer than the Fab Four. That is not to say he always made superior music — but the “Thriller” singer had some gifts that The Beatles did not.
1 way Michael Jackson’s era was better than The Beatles’
The Beatles gave the world many of the best and most innovative pop songs of all time, including “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “A Day in the Life.” However, their live performances never quite lived up to the magic they made in the studio. They would play professionally, but they weren’t much for razzle-dazzle. They were a band of their time. The Beatles stopped making music before 1970s acts like David Bowie, Kiss, and Alice Cooper revolutionized live shows and made them more theatrical.
Jackson, on the other hand, put on live shows like no one else. Between his incredible dancing, the special effects, and his inimitable singing voice, it’s impossible to watch him perform live without feeling a sense of awe and wonder. John Lennon and company just didn’t have that factor.
1 thing The Beatles were bad at
Jackson was also better at creating electrifying visuals. His music videos for “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” “Bad,” and “Beat It” all stand as some of the best examples of the art form. Meanwhile, the Fab Four’s videos are lazy at worst (“I Feel Fine,” “Help!,” “Paperback Writer”) and mildly interesting at best (“Penny Lane, “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “A Day in the Life”). They simply didn’t see the potential of the music video the way Jackson did.
Was Jackson a better songwriter or musician than The Beatles? Probably not. Was he better at the full audio-visual package that is modern entertainment? Yes. I’d rather listen to The White Album than Thriller, but I’d rather watch Jackson perform.
A producer compared Michael Jackson to the Fab Four, Elvis Presley, and Frank Sinatra
Rolling Stone ranked Jackson No. 35 on their list of the greatest artists ever. That ranking was accompanied by an essay by producer Antonio “L.A.” Reid about the King of Pop. “Michael Jackson was the world’s greatest entertainer,” he said. “One of the most explosive performances I’ve ever witnessed was Jackson sliding across the stage at the Motown 25th-anniversary show. Just watching that made us all know: That’s what greatness is, and anything that doesn’t measure up to that is beneath greatness. Before him there were The Beatles and Elvis and Frank Sinatra; Michael Jackson takes his place right alongside those greats.”
Reid also discussed Jackson’s overall impact. “Michael has influenced so many artists, some of whom are picking up on the grandeur and showmanship of his live performances,” he wrote. “Late in his life, there were many, many people who thought of Michael as a spectacle, and it was sad. The world without Michael Jackson is a very, very different world. And I think we should all feel very blessed that an artist of that caliber came into our lives, because he enriched our lives.”
Even if you prefer The Beatles to Jackson, Jackson’s immense talent is undeniable.
