The Rise and Relationship of Michael Jackson and Prince

It goes without saying that Michael Jackson and Prince were enormously successful and made lasting impacts on pop music, which are still visible today. The respect the two artists had and still have is unlike almost any other artist of their time. What is most incredible is that they achieved such success simultaneously. The enormous success of both, at the same time, begs the question of the true nature of their relationship. 

Prince’s major success, and the one that would cement his career, was the release of the album and movie, Purple Rain. The album immediately was considered by most as a masterpiece, spending 24 consecutive weeks in the Billboard top 200 and selling over 25 million copies worldwide. Even today, the album is considered one of the best of all time.

What many may not know is that Prince grew up in a divided household, which seemed to have a major impact on him, launching him further into his love for music. What was especially challenging for a young Prince was his relationship with his stepfather when his mother began dating again. 

Similar to Prince, Michael Jackson had a difficult relationship with his father. Michael Jackson was born into stardom. At just 5 years old, Michael Jackson was performing and recording music as part of the Jackson 5. His father demanded perfection, and Michael was the star, so he never experienced a real childhood. 

Michael, like Prince, dove into music and performance; it was his entire life, all he had known. When Michael Jackson went off on his own, his music, dance, and performance all made him the biggest pop star in the world. 

The two artists did not start on bad terms; they had a lot in common, especially music. They shared the need for greatness, as well as the use of music as expression. As their careers blossomed, though, they were compared more and more, and their relationship became much more complicated. 

The comparisons were mainly related to the superior performance of Michael Jackson compared to the music of Prince. As masters of their crafts, perfectionists, these comparisons escalated and led to competition that was only fueled by the media. The competition was not one of hatred though, Prince tells a story of how Michael Jackson invited him to feature on his song Bad, but he rejected it for fairly humorous reasons. 

It is true that the two had a significant rivalry, and a relationship of mixed emotions, but Prince has been cemented in history as a great, and Michael Jackson has influenced nearly every modern artist. What can be said about their rivalry is that, it is likely what helped us get the best out of both artists