Over the past 48 to 72 hours Michael Jackson has been compared to everyone from Mozart, to Fred Astaire to a messiah. Some sobbing fans have said he is the greatest entertainer that ever lived. The question is, is this just grief from some of his fans? Will history remember the charges against him as well? Was he really as good as some are claiming or is it a "revelation" caused by his death? 100 years from now will he be thought of as the Mozart or Astaire of his time? Will he be mentioned in the same terms as Beethoven, Hendrix, Lennon? Did he impact music as much as some of his fans claim or will his stature diminish considerably over time? 100 years from now will he be still thought of as a legend, or just be occasionally played on "oldies" stations?

Personally, I think he'll be played on oldies stations from time to time, maybe even fondly, but that he had no serious impact on music or dance in general.