Till the coming generations, old-time records like “Billie Jean,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “I Will Always Love You,” “Respect,” and others in this category will remain evergreen, never leaving our list of all-time best songs, and this is all because young trendsetters with extraordinary talents decided to live their lives in dedication to their art. Michael Joseph Jackson and Elvis Presley fall into this category of influentials whose impact transcended the regular, so much that even if we try, it is impossible to get their names off our mouths and hearts.
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These super gifted people penetrated the depths of music, and impacted the world greatly with their abilities, each popular for his trends, with Michael Jackson being at the top of his game In the genre of pop, while Elvis Presley dominated rock. Now, pitching two great artists against each other, trying to decide which one is better than the other is no new act, as we have seen tons of such pieces. But then, do you wonder why these two should be put in the same box, in a case of who is better than who?
The Fun Fact: Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, is an ex-wife of Michael Jackson. They separated in 1996 after two years of marriage.
A celebration of Legacy
Evidently, both artists lived in different epochs, and even had slight differences in their skillset – while Elvis was known for his exploits in music, he also had quite a time on-screen as a top-rated actor. Michael Jackson on the other hand built fame with his music, his dance, and signature style. However, the glaring similarities cannot be overlooked, with the two artists being huge icons, dubbed the King of Pop and King of Rock, having such a strong hold on the world with their productions, so much that they cannot be regarded as mere stars or mega stars, but superstars! Although tragic, there is also the fact that the musicians both left too soon, leaving the world transfixed and in a state of shock at their passing. Therefore, this piece is dedicated to the appraisal of two great revolutionaries whose lives will always remain inspiring and challenging and of course, an attempt at who indeed, has the upper hand in this battle of fame.
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Album Records
Being on the top list of the best-selling music artists of all time is no easy feat, as this not only indicates the essence of the music but the level of prestige that such artist has. Both Presley and Jackson make the list, with the huge commercial success of their albums and records, so this would definitely be interesting.
When Presley recorded and released his third studio album, the No. 1 Elvis’ Christmas Album in 1957, he was not only gifting the world records that would last a lifetime, but he also became the artist who owns the best-selling Christmas album of all time, which also turns out to be the singer’s best-seller throughout his career, and in death. Although none of his albums has made it to No. 1 best-selling album, he still holds the record today, as the best-selling music artist of all time, with over one billion records to his name. His unit sales, according to the Recording Industry Association of America amount to over 200 million.
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With Thriller in 1982, Michael Jackson practically blast off existing mediocre in the industry, setting the pace for an elevated form of musical production, and integrating new dimensions of music videography. It is no wonder that the chart-topping and multiple record-breaking albums still stand today as the best-selling album of all time, with over 100 million sales, and 30x platinum certified sales. Also, his unit sales amount to almost 170 million sales and still selling. While MJ comes second as the best-selling music artist according to his RIAA records, Jackson leads as the highest-paid dead celebrity, owning billions in earnings following his death.
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Accolades
The entertainer is regarded as the most awarded and nominated music artist of all time, with 39 Guinness World Records, 40 Billboard Music Awards, 26 American Music Awards, and 6 Brit Awards, with recognition in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame among many others. Michael Jackson’s historic eight Grammys in one night is one of the biggest stories in the history of entertainment, as the singer made this record as the first artist to achieve this feat. In addition to this, he holds yet another five in his possession, amounting up to 13 Grammys in total.
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For his groundbreaking creations, Elvis Presley has been recognized with awards, nominations, and inductions, although he didn’t amass as many awards as you would have thought. Although Elvis doesn’t have that many awards in comparison to MJ, the grand entertainer made up for this with his numerous inductions into the world’s top Hall of Fames. Some of his recognitions, including his 3 Grammy Awards include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame, Gospel Hall of Fame, Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the United Kingdom’s Hall of Fame, Hit Parade Hall of Fame, among others.
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MJ vs Elvis Presley – Who leads in this battle of fame?
Without artists like the great Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, one cannot tell how the future of music, that we have now, would have been defined. These musicians who also doubled as performers used their entertainment and lives as instruments of introducing dynamism into society, revolutionizing pop and rock culture with their individual artistic abilities. With both artists being popular for their groundbreaking careers and from different times, it isn’t quite easy to point out who takes the lead. However, the younger entertainer does seem to have higher influences, especially on the populace of the present generation and possibly in the coming generations, and according to Guinness World Records, Michael Jackson remains arguably the greatest entertainer of all time while Elvis Presley left a great legacy even before MJ did.