Do any of you think that Michael Jackson is an underrated vocalist? I do because people spend so much time focusing on his dancing they forget what an amazing and talented singer he is

He probably is an underrated vocalist and lyricist. The dance moves and videos, and later his personal life, overshadow the content and delivery of his songs.

Note that opinion is based mostly on his 80s and early 90s work. I don't think I've heard anything he's released in the past 15 years, and his work with the Jackson 5 doesn't really count toward vocal credentials.

Ant

Hi There!

Okay speaking as a 13 year Michael Jackson fan (more than half my life, so I'm well studied in MJ-ology.) , I can say that yes, some people tend to pay more attention to the steps Michael is doing as opposed to what he's saying. Ask anyone about Billie Jean and they'll be like "Oh yeah, MJ did the Moonwalk!" Then ask them what the song is about. See how fast you get the corret answer. Michael is a gifted, talented vocalist in that he can demonstrate any emotion in his songs. Love, hated, depression, exstacy,...the list goes on and on. But it does get over shadowed because Michael will start moving and that's just ingrained in who he is. I've heard that he dances in the recording booth when he makes a song. (He even danced in the You Are Not Alone video and it's a BALLAD!)

It would be nice if Michael could just drag a stool onstage, sit still and sing, but I think the stadium would empty out because people would be bloody mad that he wasn't Moonwalking.

And that's kind of sad. I appreciate Michael for both his dance moves and his voice. His songs are wonderful, orchestrated well. And he doesn't have to be grabbing his crotch, kicking his legs or shaking his fanny on EVERY song! It's nice, sure, but I don't want the moves to overshadow the songs and sometimes I think it happens.

I hope I could help.  :)

And just for the record: Billie Jean is about a groupie trying to pin a paternity suit on Michael. (Based loosely on a real event that happened to Michael in the late 70s.)  :)

I always thought MJ was a really great vocalist.  :)

I agree. I thought he was one of the top vocalists of the 80's. The only thing that I don't like in his vocals are all those extra sounds he adds with high oooo sounds etc... ;D  I thought Billie Jean was close to the best song in all the 80's (without dancing taken into account).

He had great emotion (and no dancing) in She's Out of My Life......

I always thought MJ was a really great vocalist.  :)

So true,ever since he was young he had an amazing voice and talent..it's to bad his dancing and personal life have overshadowed that.

Personally I never thought Michael Jackson had all that great of a voice...however, I did and still do like some of his earlier hits.

Michael's best was and still is "Thriller", an album I will always love.  His singing abilities always came into play, but his videos more overshadowed it

Yes, his dancing and videos overshadowed his singing and songwriting. But I think he's a really talented vocalist.

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He's a good vocalist, but his dance moves are part of his shtick. If he were to lose that, he'd be forgotten right away; but I think more people focus on his tabloid news than his dance moves now (and his performances altogether are forgotten.)

Michael's best was and still is "Thriller", an album I will always love.  His singing abilities always came into play, but his videos more overshadowed it


I really enjoyed his first solo effort 'Off The Wall' as well........

Personally I never thought Michael Jackson had all that great of a voice...however, I did and still do like some of his earlier hits.


Interestingly enough I feel the same way. Michael Jackson is a good vocalist but he is too high-pitched for my liking and if you listen to some of his songs (his duet with Paul McCartney 'The girl is mine' and 'She's out of my life' he just sounds creaky).

However, his major strength is the quality of his music, song lyrics and impeccable dancing skills.

I got the urge to listen to Thriller today (the whole album) and I realized how much of an R&B sound his voice actually has on most of the songs. It was still kinda tied to his Jackson Five roots and the more classic soul sound of the '60s and '70s. Of course it influenced the MTV sound too, so it was more timeless on both sides.

I think that's why Bad doesn't feel as good or as diverse to me 'cause he dropped the R&B style. It was more of a generic late '80s dance album (with some hip hop and pop/rock influences), although of course it had some classics too.


P.S. I also think people underestimate "Thriller" (the song) because everybody associates it with the video, but he has a really smooth soulful voice there too.

He's a good vocalist to me.

So true,ever since he was young he had an amazing voice and talent..it's to bad his dancing and personal life have overshadowed that.


If it wern't for his money & given the fact he was just an average "JOE" he'd be in a  mental institution!

Money does strange things to people....In Jacksons case he could afford that "Operation"

If it wern't for his money & given the fact he was just an average "JOE" he'd be in a  mental institution!

Money does strange things to people....In Jacksons case he could afford that "Operation"

Money does give you goods and services,plus it makes it easier to sweep things under the rug ;)

He has a rich, youthful voice.  I'm not sure if he qualifies as a countertenor or not.  By pop music standards, he was most definitely an underrated vocalist.  People paid more attention to his weirdo persona than his gifts of song and dance.  I'm not even a big fan of Michael, that's just how I see it. 

But the question is, can he still sing? You be the judge: http://youtube.com/watch?v=7F3etnH7iR8

overrated

If it wern't for his money & given the fact he was just an average "JOE" he'd be in a  mental institution!


that sentence has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever read on these boards

no wonder you get so much smiteyness ShT

;D

If it wern't for his money & given the fact he was just an average "JOE" he'd be in a  mental institution!

Money does strange things to people....In Jacksons case he could afford that "Operation"


LOL!!!

I don't think money does/did strange things to Jackson, I think Jackson was already suffering with emotional problems - he just happened to have the money to fulfil his wishes.

Michael Jackson has a great voice.

IMO, that has never been in question. MJ has always had an abundance of talent.

Problem is, again in my opinion, hes not really done much with his gift.

When you have that good of a voice, and by this time, plenty of money and fame, achieving the status of pop king as he has done, seems rather hollow.

Fact is MJ could've really done whatever he wanted to in the creative/artist sense, and gained respect for it,  but he chose to chase some empty pop superstar persona.

He could've used that talent, fame and power to try any number of experimental or (pop/R&B) boundary expanding albums. Can you imagine if MJ really took what he has as a TRUE vocal artist and put it on Sony/A&M to produce to satisfy his contract?
Music, pop music, could of advanced tenfold.

Compared to say, Prince (I know I'm comparing apples and oranges, and I'm aware that Prince suffered for his "artistic" ventures), if MJ took the attitude that he had the freedom to experiment as an artist, to really try new things then maybe it people would give him more respect.
But all the other stuff, distractions, the clothing, hat, gloves, shoes, dance moves, the oddball stuff (going to take the high road and not acknowledge some of it), well its all fluff and no substance.
The public is always LOOKING to call any "artist" a flake and dismiss him at their soonest opportunity, and MJ did not disappoint.

The last CREATIVE and artistic work that MJ did was "Off the Wall" and I'm sure that you've heard or read that before. I dare anyone to prove that MJ's music or style has advanced anything beyond Thriller or Bad till this day, and thats the main problem.

Thriller was only a milestone in successful commercial pop marketing, video production, retail positioning and airplay, not much more (there, I said it). :-X

Micheal Jackson has created the box that hes in artistically, and if he's lacking respect for a talent he truly possesses, has no one but himself to blame for it.