I think Michael's peak in fame and popularity was without a doubt in the 1980s. Nevertheless, I do think 1993 started out as a very good year for MJ for many of the reasons that you mention. The Oprah interview, imo, did indeed clear up a lot of rumours and overall helped his popularity. Combined with the exposure through the many great performances he delivered during the first few months, it helped increase the sales of Dangerous tremendously. Michael also appeared to be more comfortable during non-performance public appearances than he had ever been before at that point.
Yeah, 1993 started out as a very good year imo. Which makes what happened later that year even more saddening and disgusting.
As Respect said- from a US viewpoint looking at the US perhaps. (and most Europeans didn't see the US awards show until the youtube era, actually)
Europe on the other hand was going absolutely NUTS around the time of Dangerous. And even beyond that. He was literally on every cover, on every channel etc. I remember it since I spent countless hours next to my VCR taping snippets with his mentioning.
I don't know too many artists that receive 6 o'clock mentioning about their concert in a different country. I remember taping German news channels that were reporting on his Moscow (!!!) concert- it was something akin to breaking into the final (political) frontier after monumental changes- and Michael was ANYTHING past his "prime" from the Europe that I remember.
I picked up youth magazines in Eastern Europe, too- he truly was an absolute megastar in the 90ies.
To US residents who remember the 80ies this always sounds a bit odd- but there was NOBODY like him in the 90ies. He was a force to be reckoned with. To many Europeans Michael was always a solo artist- and neither Off The Wall, nor Thriller had the impact that Bad and Dangerous enjoyed. I remember local magazines around the Dangerous Tour, it was absolute craziness. I remember the posters in Berlin- the hype and excitement. :wild:
Many European fans also remember the 90ies very directly with the Dangerous and HIStory tours. What he meant to the US in the 80ies- he probably eclipsed in Europe and Asia in the 90ies. Total madness.
Just look at the Germany schedule of the HIStory tour alone- that is NUTS. His entire HIStory tour seriously indicates his name must have been more familiar to people than the pope- or at least somewhere in the same universe.
I can only FATHOM his popularity if '93 didn't happen.
Just look at the reception he had in Cannes for the premiere of "Ghosts". For a short movie! Absolutely unparalleled.
I usually look at US views that say he was past his prime after the 80ies like a deer in headlights, just because the Europe that I remember was definitely post Thriller.
And I think there's a reason he arranged for his comeback tour to be happening in a venue located in Europe, despite the US ties of AEG.
Edit: Here was another thread detailing some of the European sentiments of the time.
http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/threads/121380-BRAVO-and-their-support-for-Michael
