Rebuttal No. 2: World popularity: Beatle songs have been done on panpipes ... have MJ's?

June 28, 12:18 PMBeatles ExaminerSteve Marinucci

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    The Beatles (Copyright Apple Corps Ltd.)

When we posted the original link to Jamie Freedman's question about whether Michael Jackson was more popular than the Beatles or Elvis Presley, and then our rebuttal, we didn't anticipate the vigrous debate it would stir up in the comment sections of the two posts.

She has posted a second rebuttal, basically saying that while the Beatles were popular in many parts of the world, in some parts, such as Third World nations, Michael Jackson was more well known. 

Here's a good question: How many cover albums of Michael Jackson songs are out there? A quick search on Amazon.com for "Michael Jackson tribute" brings up less than 10. Search for "Beatles tribute" and you come up with 156. And those are the ones still in print.

And the styles on Beatle cover albums available range from symphonic to reggae to bossa nova to bluegrass to acapella to soul to blues to classical guitar to jazz to pan pipes and even to church pipe organ. Given that range of styles, would you say the Beatles weren't known everywhere and much more so? 

As Jamie said, she respects the Beatles and we, in turn, respect Michael Jackson and wish his family the best.  .

But there will never be anything like the Beatles. Michael Jackson was certainly a dynamic talent to be reckoned with, no question.

As Diego told us on Facebook:

"The Beatles' popularity has to be measured beyond just record sales. They have world-wide, multi-generational appeal that Jackson just does not have, no disrespect to him, just stating a simple fact." 

Or as Spike Wilbury succinctly put it:

"The Beatles impact was much larger and MJ's moonwalk only lasted a lunch time."

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