George Michael believes Michael Jackson's stardom corroded his musical potential.
The former 'Wham!' member thinks that the King of Pop's death was surreal in nature.
"(Jackson's death) was sad and a bit surreal, too. Jackson's influence on the industry was massive and he made some incredible albums, especially in the '80s," the Daily Express of London has quoted him as saying.
He added: "But I do feel there was some lost potential there. Maybe that level of celebrity simply puts a stop to any musical brilliance."
Jackson's 1982 album 'Thriller' had sold more than 100 million copies, but his last studio album, Invincible, had sold just over 10 million copies after its release in 2001.
