The King is dead; long live the King

Being without Michael Jackson has caused a world-wide meltdown. People are still crying, fans have killed themselves, and the King of Pop's album sales have exploded since his death as fans attempt to console themselves with sonic tonic. In an effort to save us all from an irreversible depression, WB has set out to crown a new King of Pop. After narrowing it down to four candidates, we eventually chose a winner. Here's our journey.

Usher: While he, like all other candidates, probably wishes he was Michael Jackson, he's not really that close. He definitely doesn't seem to have an impact on the music industry like Jackson, which is pretty important when being crowned the King of Pop. Not to mention that his popularity seems to be declining a bit, as his newest album sales didn't even come close to matching his previous sales. But, in the opposite perspective, his music is in the same genre, he's a decent singer, and he's a pretty good dancer. Usher is definitely a pop artist like Jackson, but we're still left wondering if someone whose career seems to be fading could ever be as good as Michael Jackson. And since he's had only a small impact on the music industry, it's hard to know if he could fulfill the duties of such a prestigious crowning.


Justin Timberlake: Although his Michael Jackson crotch grabs are pretty lame (see photo), Justin is a leader in the competition. From the time he left the boy-band 'N Sync to embark on a solo career, WB has noticed the similarities to Jackson. With the exception of wearing one glove, Timberlake's high-pitched singing and dancing has always been a dead giveaway. He has also sold his fair share of albums, is friends with A-list celebrities, helps other musicians on their albums, is involved in charities, has appeared in movies, and has even made a name for himself as a returning guest on Saturday Night Live. And though he may never top Jackson's success in holding the record for most album sales, Justin has made women go crazy, just as they did for Jackson. All of this experience in the entertainment world makes him seem like a pretty good candidate for the King of Pop, but we're not sure if Timberlake appeals to as wide of an audience as a King of Pop should. Because he has kept many fans from his boy-band days, it is not quite obvious if Justin has male and female fans of all ages, races, and backgrounds, or if teenage girls still make up a majority of his fan base.

Jamie Foxx: We don't really have much to say about Foxx. We always knew him to be an actor and comedian until he appeared in Kanye West's hit song, "Gold Digger." He had made music before that, but the Kanye collaboration, combined with his portrayal of Ray Charles in the film Ray, thrust Foxx into the music industry. He has continuted to make music and even appeared as a musical mentor on American Idol. Still, we're just not sure if we can see him fitting into the MJ crown. Sure, Jamie can sing and dance a bit, but his music is nowhere near as popular as it should be for a King of Pop. If he continues to make music for many years to come, he may be able to gain a few more fans. But, we're still worried that even with more fans and album sales, he is not as influential as our other candiates.

Chris Brown: Also a leader in the competition, Brown is a young R&B artist. His songs usually involve fast beats or romantic lyrics, which is quite similar to Jackson's lyrics. Many songs are also dance-like, another deciding factor when it comes to being at all like Jackson. Brown is well known as being a dancer and has even appeared in a commercial showcasing his dancing. However, the commercial was pulled from television after Brown landed himself in court for allegedly abusing his girlfriend. Though Browns' arrest was not at all similar to Jackson's troubles in 1993 and 2004, they did share the same lawyer. Before his troubles with the law, Brown performed "Thriller," one of Jackson's biggest hits, at the World Music Awards in 2006, just one year after bursting onto the music scene. Although Brown seems to share a resemblance with Jackson and would most likely make a wonderful King of Pop eventually, we're a little concerned that his inexperience would make him a better prince first.

So the winner is... Justin Timberlake. To be a the King of Pop (according to us), one must not only possess a desire to be like Michael Jackson, but must also sell millions of records, be an important figure in the music industry, be able to make girls cry and faint, and of course have enough experience to be crowned as a King. Out of all our candidates, we believe Timberlake has the most experience, the most fans, and has done the most for popular music. And, after all, he did bring sexy back.