Michael Jackson and Prince first faced off when their albums 1999 (Prince) and Thriller (Jackson) rivaled each other on the charts in 1982. From that point on, the King of Pop and the Purple One openly sparred for total domination of the music industry, dueling both on- and off-stage in what many deemed a competition between Jackson’s mainstream, mass appeal and Prince’s artistry. Whether it came in the form of subliminal lines in their songs or heated ping-pong battles, the two frequently found themselves in opposition.
