I think the reliance on obvious artists like Justin, Usher and Bruno does a real disservice to the true length and breadth of Michael's influence.
I have to disagree. Using artists like Justin, Bruno, User etc is highlighting MJ's influence more than doing a disservice to it.
Look it's 2018 and a polished up MJ solo track is not going to hit #1 on charts around the world.
The people who consume most music are young and weren't even born when MJ was at his peak. In fact many weren't even born when he last released a hit studio album. Many were small children when MJ died and it's likely that they consider him far more relevant to their parents and grandparents than they do to themselves. That's a difficult barrier to break down without some serious work and a bit of luck considering the material MJ left behind.
For one thing the song structure as originally conceived is unlikely to suit today's radio. Listen to the way hit songs of today are constructed.
Second, the 'sound' of an MJ track from decades ago (except the OTW rejects) is unlikely to fit with songs of today.
Third, the lyrical content and vocals of MJ songs (except OTW rejects) is unlikely to fit the radio of today - too aggressive and dark.
Having said that, there is one track that I hear on the radio every day that sounds as though it could have been an MJ single is Sanctify by Years And Years. BUT even if MJ had recorded that track and the MJ estate released it, MJ does not have the selling power in 2018 to top the charts with it IMO.
Bruno is one of the few artists out there that has the old-school MJ feel and makes it marketable to the mass consumers of music. That's invaluable and adding a 3rd party such as Bruno onto the tracks provides a number of benefits - it potentially opens up the promotion streams to a wider audience. For example, youth radio is unlikley to play a newly released MJ solo track. The more mature stations might, but they'd be more likely to play older hits. Adding somebody like Bruno means there is a chance youth radio will play it. It taps into the people who consume the most music.
It provides an opportunity for a song to be updated in a contempory way. For example, an MJ chorus can be used against more modern verses. Or MJ verses can be broken up with a slightly revised flow. MJ verses or choruses with language or concepts that sound dated in 2018 can be substituted with ease. After all MJ is not here to update his songs.
I'm sorry to say it but in 2018 an MJ solo #1 single is almost impossible.
