WI Michael Jackson dies in 1984?

PoD: January 27, 1984

The fire that burned Michael Jackson's hair off (and led to his painkiller addiction) is more serious and winds up killing him.

Effects, anyone? (For one thing, his post-death reputation will be much higher ITTL...)
 
He would die as a Jehovah's Witness in good standing. Not sure what difference that would make, just thought I'd read it into the record.
 
The music industry is much different and special effects for music videos (i.e. the "face morph" sequence from "Black or White") don't advance as much.
 
He'd probably become one of the great "What if xxx lived?" recording artists, up there with John Lennon & Jimi Hendrix.

We're talking about an artist at the very apex his career, who not only had huge hits but also revolutionised music video. No doubt there would be speculation on what he could have done next.
 
We'd have lost some of his better albums, like Bad and Dangerous, as well as his artwork with music videos in "Smooth Criminal" and "Black or White". But on the other hand, no scandals. The man would practically die regarded as a saint of music, similar to Jimmi Hendrix or Buddy Holly. "He could have lived and done so much more" would be the general consensus.

His death would also spur an increase in safety regulations on filming ads and the like.
 
His death would also spur an increase in safety regulations on filming ads and the like.

Coming just a year and a half after the horrific Twilight Zone accident, it could *really* shake the entertainment industry.

Maybe this means more money put into developing CGI faster than OTL?
 
Coming just a year and a half after the horrific Twilight Zone accident, it could *really* shake the entertainment industry.

Maybe this means more money put into developing CGI faster than OTL?
There were animatronics, stop-motion, and hand-drawn already here, though admittedly CGI's advent would be sped up.
 
Pepsi could be remembered as the cola that killed Michael Jackson leading to a major drop off in sales.
 
Pepsi could be remembered as the cola that killed Michael Jackson leading to a major drop off in sales.
Ouch. They'll recover eventually, but that's a pretty strong blow.
I was thinking from a "what can replace pyrotechnics?" angle.. which is one of the strong points of CGI.
It would still need to be complemented, of course. Bear in mind that Jurassic Park, a major breakthrough in special effects and filming and the movie that introduced CGI as a major force in movies, still felt CGI was incomplete and was complemented with animatronics and special effects (which is why that movie still surprisingly holds up for its age and many newer pure-CGI movies don't).

But I agree, CGI would definitely be seen as a safe way to do pyrotechnics.
 
The biggest thing that would effect the legacy of Michael Jackson would be the abuse claims would never really get heard. The incidents that are the trigger to much of his later scandals come after the burning. Jackson would be remembered in a similar light to Morrison, Hendrix, Joplin and Cobain: a star lost young who's greatness may never have been truly realized.
 
PoD: January 27, 1984

The fire that burned Michael Jackson's hair off (and led to his painkiller addiction) is more serious and winds up killing him.

Effects, anyone? (For one thing, his post-death reputation will be much higher ITTL...)
Maybe he dies just a year later to join the Club 27.
 
Butterfly James Hetfield accident and the Montreal riot perhaps.

With Jackson gone, does hair metal / arena rock hit a peak earlier in the 80’s?
 
In terms of music, Thriller was already behind him and Top 40 was beginning to unravel as a primary forum after 1984. So, the effect on popular music would been small. We ask "what if" Buddy Holly had lived, and we can only speculate, given his influence on the Beatles. Would he have remained prominent or would he have settled in the role of "another Rick Nelson" as his impact on the course of pop music may have already peaked. Now, apply the same question to Elvis: what if he was killed while serving in the Army Entertainment Corps. His early market "splash" had already made its impact. He would be remembered only for his contribution to fifties rock, not as the balladeer of the sixties.
 
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