Whether or not I thought he was a certified nut job and alleged child molester, Michael Jackson was a music god.
Watching Beat It and Thriller on MTV were childhood milestones for me. He was played at every birthday party and then at every bat mitzvah. I even did a cheer leading dance to ‘Smooth Criminal’. If I can find the video, I’ll post it.
I’m sure I’m not alone. The amount of dance recitals and half time routines he inspired and continues to…the amount of Soul night dance night boogie-ing that he always makes an appearance at. It’s probably only rivaled by the late James Brown.
They still constantly play him all over the world.. You can’t enter a club in LA without hearing Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough or something off Thriller. The Aokis of the world have earned their ‘fame’ and ‘fortune’ by re-mixing the shit out of MJ’s work and basically turning a Hollywood club night into a hipster bar mitzvah with American Apparel and Sparks giveaways.
Drawbacks aside, he was a huge influence on almost everyone I can think of. Think of all his hits. His posters. His performance in We Are the World. The red leather jacket. The hat. The zombies. The lit up sidewalk. The one glove. It’s such a part of my generation, our childhoods, our music…unbelievable. Even for a rock chick and self professed hater of cheesy pop music – I’d always bow and scrape to MJ’s tunes.
A huge pop icon. A piece of Americana. And for that he should be remembered.
Ali MacLean 
The world was recently saddened by the sudden loss of pop icon Michael Jackson. In memoriam of this legendary and one-of-a-kind performer, Ztarlet Star Registry has dedicated an actual star in his memory – as a symbol of the bright light that Jackson brought to the music industry and his millions of loyal fans across the globe.
http://digg.com/celebrity/Michael_Jackson_Immortalized_with_Dedication_of_Star
Digg this!