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Crowned the “King of Pop” by Elizabeth Taylor at the 1989 Soul Train awards, it’s difficult to overstate Michael Jackson’s impact on music. When “Thriller” burst onto the scene in 1982, quickly becoming (and staying) the best-selling album of all time, it revolutionized the industry. The genre-crossing album brought with it artistic visual storytelling in , emphasis on , and propelled popular music toward desegregation—all of which redefined pop music and inspired generations of performers. Undoubtedly, pop music would not be where it is today without its monarch. 

It follows, then, that pop music would not be where it is without the contributions of the “Godfather of Soul,” James Brown, who spectacularly paved the way over two decades before Jackson released his breakthrough album, “Off the Wall.” Over the course of his extraordinary 50-year career, Brown’s flashy presentation and musical prowess made him one of the most influential and important entertainers of the 20th century.

It is by no means an overstatement to say that Black musicians have heavily contributed to the birth, development and growth of many () music genres. Influential artists like Aretha Franklin (defining Queen of Soul and Rolling Stone’s ), the Supremes (who helped  of Black people in America) and Jimi Hendrix (who “”); record labels like Motown and Black Swan Records; and Hall of Famers like Chuck Berry, B.B. King and Whitney Houston have all left an indelible mark on American music history. As the “Original Disco Man,” Brown’s contributions to music are no less impressive than those of his peers—the genres of soul, funk and hip-hop are indebted to him, and he made significant contributions to pop music, inspiring the likes of Jackson, Mick Jagger and Prince.

Though not readily apparent from his flamboyant fashion sense (extravagant jumpsuits, coats, capes, gold jewelry and a stylish pompadour), Brown came from poverty. Born in a one-room shack in South Carolina in 1933 during Jim Crow and the Great Depression, he was raised rough. His mother left him when he was 4 years old and he stayed with his father before living with his aunt, who ran a brothel (or a den of “gambling, moonshine liquor and prostitution,” to him). He was taught drums, piano and guitar by his neighbors and worked picking cotton and shining shoes. His lack of resources led to petty crime; he went to jail at age 15 for breaking into a car. While in jail, he met Bobby Byrd (whose family helped get him paroled after just 3 years) with whom he formed what would be the Famous Flames. 

James Brown and the Famous Flames’ breakout single, “,” sold 30 million copies and rocket-launched Brown’s career. Other popular singles followed, including “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Try Me.” His groundbreaking live concert album, “Live at the Apollo,” recorded in 1962 and released the next year, spent 66 weeks on the charts. 

With 50 albums on the bestseller charts, 90+ hits in the , and 100+ songs on the R&B charts, Brown was nothing if not wildly successful. Marked by his well-tuned screams, dance-craze-inspiring footwork, and dramatic displays (falling to his knees, feigning heart attacks or doing his signature  where he staggers offstage covered by a cape before shedding it to fervently returning to singing), his performances were captivating—he sweated out 7 pounds each night. Featuring an emcee, backup dancers and a stage band, his performances were also carefully arranged. 

In the booth, the Hardest Working Man in Showbiz was exacting. A skillful (but ) bandleader, his music blended genres and was often characterized by percussiveness, syncopation and a stripped-down approach. Brown made sure his music was constantly evolving and being reworked and refined. In , “[E]verything I do hasn’t been finished yet. … All those songs I put together are about ten percent of what the songs should be.” 

In addition to being an excellent showman and musician, “Soul Brother Number One” was also something of an activist. His music had messages of Black pride and self-reliance, and he was a role model (and icon) for many in the Black community. When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, politicians called on Brown to help  and urge nonviolence. Later that year, he released “Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud," which became an anthem for the Black Power movement. He released other socially conscious songs, like “Don’t Be a Drop-Out” and “I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothin’ (Open Up the Door, I’ll Get It Myself),” but his social advocacy was undercut somewhat by songs like “America is My Home” (released in opposition to anti-war sentiment) and his to President Nixon.

A global celebrity, “Mr. Dynamite” was not short on accolades. He won three —in 1966 for Best R&B Recording (“Papa's Got A Brand New Bag”), 1987 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (“Living In America”) and 1992 for Best Album Notes (“Star Time”)—and was nominated for five others. In 1992, he also received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He was one of the inaugural inductees of the  and was inducted into the , and the . He is one of , holds the second most No. 1s on the R&B charts (behind Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder’s tie) and is the most sampled musical artist of all time, according to . In 2005, a bronze statue of him was erected in Augusta, Georgia.

James Brown’s death in 2006 from heart failure didn’t stop his showmanship—it took three memorial services (wardrobe changes included) to finally lay him to rest. He lives on through funk, the genre he fathered, and his groovy rhythms resonate through today’s music. Though mired with abuse allegations, drug charges, tax problems and a high-speed police car chase, James Brown’s music legacy is tremendous and his influence on the genres and artists that followed in his footsteps is incredible.