Kevin Mazur/WireImageHe’s no longer with us, but he’ll always be the King of Pop. Today would have been Michael Jackson‘s 60th birthday, and according to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s VP of Education Dr. Jason Hanley, his legacy is secure.
“When we teach school groups, still to this day, every kid who comes in the building — when we mention Michael Jackson — goes crazy,” Hanley tells ABC Radio. “It’s a really fun and amazing thing to see. And it just shows that even though Michael is gone, the incredible power and beauty and legacy of his music lives on.”
According to Hanley, MJ was unique because he thought of music as “a real craft.”
“He always tried to get better: as a songwriter, as a performer, as a producer,” Hanley explains. “[He was] somebody who was thinking about his image…and how his image and his music tied together.”
“He cared deeply about his fans and wanted to make sure he was always trying to do something innovative,” Hanley continues. “That was the exciting, incredible thing about Michael Jackson. It’s why, when he debuted a new song or a new music video in the ’80s and ’90s, people waited in front of the TV to see…’What did he do this time?'”
It’s worth noting that Jackson was last in the top 10 as recently as this summer: His vocals are featured on the song “Don’t Matter to Me,” by Drake. It was his 30th top 10 hit.
In celebration of MJ’s birthday, the RIAA recently re-certified a number of his albums and singles. The song “Thriller” is now six times platinum, “Billie Jean” is five times platinum and “Beat It” is four times platinum. Meanwhile, designer Hugo Boss has created a new limited-edition version of the white suit MJ wore on the cover of Thriller.
Today in Las Vegas, members of Michael’s family — including his children Prince and Paris and his brothers Jackie, Marlon and Tito — will attend the Michael Jackson Diamond Birthday Celebration at Mandalay Bay. A performance of Michael Jackson One by Cirque du Soleil will be followed by an after-party featuring a DJ set by Mark Ronson.
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