Compare And Contrast Essay- Elvis Presley vs. Michael Jackson

Elvis Presley is well known for his hip moves and perfect hair, and Michael Jackson is known for his global hit song, “thriller”, and shiny gloves. But there are more to these men as society knows, and that they were as similar as they are different. In this essay, I will cover three main topics of their lifes, their family life, their career, and their death.

Elvis Presley, the King of Rock, wasn’t always famous. He was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississipi, and lived in a two-room shotgun house(a long and narrow house) built by his grandfather. Elvis had a twin brother that died at a really young age. In 1954, He began his singing career with Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. His best album is called Elvis Presley, and it was number 1 on the charts. With good music and a dazzling style, he began a whole new era of American music and pop culture. The King of Rock died of a heart attack due to drug overdose, at the age of 42.

Michael, on the other hand, often referred to as The King of Pop, was born in August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. Raised on a musical Family. By an early age he was working in concerts. He and his siblings started a band called the Jackson 5, doing shows in clubs, bars… and other Venues. Michael had quite a big Family, he had 10 siblings, both boys, and girls. He lived in a small house in Gary, Indiana, where all of his 11 family members could barely fit. In 1985 he released Thriller, a best-selling album that went up no.1 in the charts and became the best album at the time. This success granted him the nickname, King of Pop. Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50. He suffered cardiac arrest due to propofol (sleeping pills) and died that day.

Now that you know how their lives went, I am going to tell you about their Similarities. Both died of heart diseases due to drug overdose, both had great music, and great supporting families. In fact, Elvis’ Daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, married Michael Jackson, and later divorced. the last thing I would like to say, was that as they went towards the end of their lives, they were both worried. Lisa Marie Presley said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that once Michael Jackson was heading to his end, Michael told her he was afraid of ending up like her father (Elvis). There are rumors about both faking their death and all of that.

These Kings of Music had many differences and similarities in their climb to the top of the musical industry, but one thing is surely different, the mark that they left on the world’s Pop and Rock culture, style, music, and the mark they left in many people’s hearts.