Rock with you (one last time?)

This may be the last time we all get together like this. We're talking about the laying to rest of Michael Jackson. A singular figure in many ways, if he belonged solidly to ANY group it was as the chairman of that rare club of superstars – the ones who command EVERYBODY's attention. And the fact is, with today's technology, we just don't make'em like that anymore.

While the world may produce entertainers as terrifically talented as M.J., it seems unlikely they'll have the apparatus to ever be as big as Jackson. The world – especially regarding music – now exists in funky fragments.

Technology means musical taste makers don't have a monopoly on what we listen to anymore. Not that Jackson's talent needed a monopoly to thrive, but it sure helped him utterly and completely dominate. Case in point: M.J.'s record company (a what??) pressuring MTV (remember them among your 900+ channels??) to play "Billie Jean."

Now, there are too many options streaming over the wires to keep our ears tuned to one artist over the course of seven singles and an entire year. While we love the variety and sense of discovery, on another level, the fragmenting makes us sad. It was fun to all be whistling the same tune. And it's bittersweet to all be together again saying so long to the maker of those tunes.

While we still have big, big celebrities, the real superstars of today are our tech-mates: MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, NetFlix, Rhapsody etc. They deliver the thrills, or are at least are our common gateway. They won't come unhinged (that Facebook re-design notwithstanding) or release music that isn't as good as their last album. And they bring us together in interesting ways. Like politics. Now, some of the same Facebook friends who bombard us with new tunes also keep us in the loop on political happenings. The climate change bill, cap'n'trade and a public insurance plan. Things we'd have trouble tracking five years ago we can't get away from now.

All fine and good – great in many ways. It sure keeps us busy. But it's also healthy to take a breather. Michael's exit may be the last of the great, all-engulfing goodbyes – to a particular superstar, but also to an era.