Michael Jackson fans are not too happy that Rolling Stone‘s new issue has referenced Harry Styles as the “King of Pop.”Rolling Stone referred to Michael Jackson as the “King Of Pop” in 1992.

The former One Direction singer is the October/November cover feature of the magazine’s UK edition. On the cover, Harry is seen wearing a white furry coat, and holding a birthday cake with candles lit. “Harry Styles: How the new King of Pop set the music world aflame,” reads the Rolling Stone front cover.

Tensions rose on social media from Jackson fans and Taj Jackson, Michael’s nephew, even responded to the cover.

“There is no new King of Pop. You don’t own the title @RollingStone, and you didn’t earn it, my uncle did,” Taj wrote on Twitter in a retweet of the magazine’s cover. “Decades of dedication and sacrifice. The title has been retired. No disrespect to @Harry_Styles, he’s mega talented. Give him his own unique title.”

Take a look at other fan comments below:

• 1.

  rolling stone (uk) calling harry styles the king of pop is a very bold move considering the most notable person to hold the king of pop title is michael jackson. how do you put michael jackson and harry styles on the same level with a straight face.

  — sk (@kirkxxs) August 22, 2022

• 2.

  Michael Jackson didn’t break records, racial barriers, set the blueprint and standards for a lot of modern music and miss out on his entire childhood for y’all to sit here and call Harry Styles ‘the new king of pop’ :/ and ily Harry but, no sorry lol. https://t.co/5aFOyy6J5D

  — Hannah Savage (@_HannahSavage) August 22, 2022

• 3.

  i know i did not just open my beautiful, brown african american eyes and read that harry styles is the “new king of pop” as if michael jackson doesn’t still hold damn near every record in music including being THEE most awarded artist of all time. say it ain’t so.

  — 5hahem aka Dr. Durag (@shaTIRED) August 22, 2022

• 4.

  Umm… is anyone going to tell @RollingStoneUK legal department that “King of Pop” is trademarked and owned by the Michael Jackson estate and that the should see permission before throwing around the title to the undeserving? pic.twitter.com/n7rq5yPwya

  — Dr. Andrew Greene (@AndrewGreene864) August 22, 2022

• 5.

  michael jackson could do sign of the times but harry styles could never do wbss pic.twitter.com/pgS63bO5vj

  — 𝒮ᰔᩚ (@SM00THCRIMlNAL) August 22, 2022

• 6.

  https://twitter.com/shahartley/status/1561743163219480577

• 7.

  https://twitter.com/GroovyDaij/status/1561889093130256385

• 8.

  Ok I'm done holding my tongue about this:
  Harry Styles is an alright singer with mediocre fashion sense and mediocre music.
  He's this generation of teens' Justin Bieber. STOP pushing him like he's the next Michael Jackson. It's disrespectful. https://t.co/d4yuiwt3Ip

  — Negrodamus (@callmeemorgs) August 22, 2022

• 9.

  don’t you dare ever disrespect michael jackson by giving someone else the name “king of pop” michael worked so hard and EARNED that title. rolling stones does not own it and harry styles does not get the title. michael@jackson is, and will forever be, the king of pop

  — emma (@emjspeechless) August 22, 2022

• 10.

  there is no new king of pop. the REAL king of pop is michael jackson, and as a big fan of him i’m disgusted how they’re calling harry styles the new king of pop. “it’s not that deep” michael jackson has been singing and dancing since he was 5. HES THE KING OF POP

  — angela 🤍 pjo era (@astrolst) August 22, 2022

• 11.

  https://twitter.com/slowdivings/status/1561812866356879364

• 12.

  and even so harry styles would be nowhere close to being the new king of pop when you look at the legacy and standard left behind by the michael jackson. https://t.co/CUWiTVVLSN

  — sk (@kirkxxs) August 22, 2022

• 13.

  There is no new King of Pop.
  The King of Pop is and will always be Michael Jackson.
  
  And even if there was a new King of Pop, it definitely wouldn't be Harry Styles. https://t.co/KSnOn25GeX

  — Sam⁷ (@BTSOriented) August 22, 2022

• 14.

  Calling Harry Styles the “new King of Pop” is the highest of insults to Michael Jackson. pic.twitter.com/dPTafZMp5O

  — Jeff Muad’Dib (@starwart1) August 22, 2022

• 15.

  The title IS retired. They would never try calling someone else the “King of Rock & Roll”
  
  Miss me with this mess. #MichaelJackson is and will always BE #TheKingOfPop.
  
  He ALONE.

  — yvette nicole brown (@YNB) August 23, 2022

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