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Popmatters: 1989 very similar to Thriller


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Katy Perry has more Twitter followers. Kanye West gets more tabloid headlines. Beyoncé has more s-x appeal.
 

But Taylor Swift is America’s biggest pop star.
 

Which raises the question: Is Swift’s “1989” having the biggest impact on the pop-culture landscape since Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”?
 

There are many similarities. Both superstars released these landmark albums at age 24. “Thriller,” delivered in November 1982, was Jackson’s sixth solo effort. “1989,” which dropped last October, is Swift’s fifth.
 

Imagination, smarts and hard work have made Swift successful, she told “Entertainment Tonight” in 2014 — qualities that also applied to Jackson.
 

Both were savvy enough to pull in unexpected collaborators — rock guitar god Eddie Van Halen on Jackson’s “Beat It” and hip rapper Kendrick Lamar on Swift’s “Bad Blood” — to help cross over to different audiences.
 

Still, both found ways of employing cutting-edge media to fit their disparate personalities.
 

While Jackson built “Thriller” via the impersonal clubhouse known as MTV, Swift has developed her following through social media — Instagramming photos of personal moments, tweeting directly to followers and literally inviting fans, via Twitter, to her house for a preview of “1989.” And those repros of Polaroids packaged with every “1989” CD, how cool was that?
 

With such videos as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and “Thriller,” Jackson not only tore down racial barriers at rock-oriented MTV but set new artistic standards, transforming videos from glorified commercials into big-budget, meticulously crafted pieces of art.
 

For her part, Swift has certainly made a dramatic impact with the videos from “1989.”
 

The dance-happy “Shake It Off,” with its retro ‘80s new-wave vibe, felt like her “Billie Jean.” With its opulent, combustible pas de deux, “Blank Space” is her “Beat It.” And “Bad Blood” is her “Thriller,” with its noirish takeoff on “Robocop” movies.
 

The “Thriller” album yielded seven Top 10 singles, with “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” reaching No. 1. “1989” has already delivered three consecutive No. 1 songs, with “Wildest Dreams” threatening to make it four in a row.
 

Not bad considering “1989” is Swift’s first full-on foray into pop music.

 

http://www.popmatters.com/wire/is-taylor-swift-the-new-michael-jackson/

 

Interesting! Very similar to the Australian article posted during the album's release

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/music/a/25376387/swift-is-shaking-it-all-up/

Take a moment to think of just flexibility, love, and trust~
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Warholian

No. No, no, no.

Kevin Parker, Mac Demarco, Mark Ronson, and a stoned Lady Gaga. Need I say more?
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:legend:

1989 has all the elements of a timeless pop album. 

I can see myself putting this record on in 30 years and still bopping. It's simply perfectly crafted pop. 

:applause: The Female MJ, indeed :applause:

The Taylor Brigade: KNOCKOUT
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For her part, Swift has certainly made a dramatic impact with the videos from “1989.”"

 

b---h-where-2.png

 

Mariah - Ariana - Rihanna
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djBuffoon

Maybe I'm being naïve, but I'm nowhere near convinced that people will be discussing 1989 even five years from now.

Nevermind that none of the videos is iconic enough for anything but a 2010's retrospective.

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PrinceGaga

Omg this is ridiculous and almost shameful to MJ. I'm a big fan of Taylor (Taylor Swift™ No copyright infringement intended. Property of TAS LLC Management 2015©) and I love 1989 (Taylor Swift™ No copyright infringement intended. Property of TAS LLC Management 2015©) but Thriller is incomparable, sorry. It's like #1 or #2 rated the best album of all time next to The Dark Side of the Moon and rightfully deserves this position.

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Judas Oyster

Nope. Where's the influence she has made tbh, where's the cultural impact, where is she showing culture what types of worldwide problems we have but some just only close eyes to not see it, where is the memorable lyrics, the social impact, the memorable choreographies, and so on

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SlaeUrAnus

I stopped reading after 1989 is the biggest pop-cultural landscape since Thriller. 

We already had that and it was called The Fame Monster :bye: 

Love you Tay still. 

In my messy era.
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For her part, Swift has certainly made a dramatic impact with the videos from “1989.”"

 

b---h-where-2.png

 

Shake It Off - 1 Billion Views

Blank Space - 1 Billion Views

Bad Blood - 1/2 Billion Views

Truly her Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller. :applause:

tumblr_n8zstiBRli1thyqrto1_400.png

 

The Taylor Brigade: KNOCKOUT
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Judas Oyster

Shake It Off - 1 Billion Views

Blank Space - 1 Billion Views

Bad Blood - 1/2 Billion Views

Truly her Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller. :applause:

His videos would be 100 billions :queenga:

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Shake It Off - 1 Billion Views

Blank Space - 1 Billion Views

Bad Blood - 1/2 Billion Views

Truly her Billie Jean, Beat It and Thriller. :applause:

don't quote me with stupidity please 

:rofl:

Mariah - Ariana - Rihanna
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