Rock Music

America and the world in the 1980s -- a perfect encapsulation. Beautiful, fun music from a true artist.

Thriller is undoubtedly the best album of all time. Michael Jackson proved himself as the best individual performer to ever grace pop culture and his title of "King of Pop" was well deserved. If you have never heard this album or you don't even own it, what are you waiting for? If there is one album you must own from ANY artist it is Michael Jackson's Thriller!

From the haunting Vincent Price narration of Thriller, the Van Halen guitar riff of Beat It, and the smooth, rhythmic beat of Billie Jean, Thriller is an album that can appeal to all music lovers! the entire album has aged like fine wine, only getting better over the years and is a true gift to the world.

I highly recommend the 25th anniversary edition for the remastered versions of the original songs. I ignore the new versions where Michael is with some of today's artists, but some young folk may find that interesting, but as far as I'm concerned if you don't instantly fall in love with those original, classic songs from the King of Pop than there is something seriously wrong with you!

As I write this review, it has been a week since Michael Jackson, perhaps the biggest legend in modern pop music, has passed away. Though he only released six proper studio albums: Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, History, and Invincible, nearly all of those were milestones in pop and R&B music. Thriller, of course, remains his crowning achievement. As one can clearly see, though Jackson may be gone, the music certainly didn't die along with him. Thriller is still a glaring testament to the integrity of 80s pop music. Without this album, there might be no Madonna, Justin Timberlake, or a whole crop of dance artists. Sure some 'artists' like Paris Hilton and Souja Boy may have ravaged the genre but luckily, those who are truly talented have allowed Jackson's music to live on even after his passing. And we have Thriller which represents what Jackson was all about.

Thriller was released after 'Off The Wall", Michael Jackson's first solo release and possibly the finest disco album ever released. It's known that the reason his albums were released far in between was so he could take advantage of the trends of the time: "Off The Wall" was disco, "Thriller" was 80s dance pop, "Bad" was late 80s dance pop, "Dangerous" had an almost hip-hop theme to it. More importantly is the fact that these album represent the best these genres have to offer. Thriller for example starts out with, "Wanna Be Startin' Something", its a dance pop tune but with a strong message. There is substance to it which is in direct contrast to what a lot dance pop was like at the time. Whether you like to jam to the beat or you want life-enriching lyrics this is music you will definitely enjoy.

The peak of Thriller, of course, is its holy trinity of dance singles: Billie Jean, Beat It, and the title track. Each one set the boundaries, not just musically, but visually as each one had a ground breaking MTV video accompanying it. He was also one of the first black artist featured on the channel. The influence this album had on modern pop culture is staggering. These songs and their videos seemed like they have always been there, in much the same way Michael has always seemed to have been there for the younger generations.

Several years later, Jackson released "Bad". It was a good album in its own right, but nothing could match the brilliance of "Thriller". In fact to the day he died, Jackson would never see glory quite like this amazing release.

PS: This new release is good but I personally don't bother with the remixed tracks featuring Fergie, and Akon. I'm not a huge fan of either artist. But if you like them, then you have an incentive for purchasing this edition of the album.

Michael Jackson was a genius and much more talented than the boobs running around today that cannot even write thier own music so they have to steal his songs and remake them into thier own, ruining them in the process. MJ was not just a singer he was an entertainer and a showman the like of which has not been seen since Elvis or Al Jolson. He did not just get up on stage with a guitar and strum music and sing. You got every penny's worth when you went to one of his concerts. I was lucky enough to see him and his brothers in 1981 at the Hartford Civic Center in CT. As far as I am concerned, you have in order for the past 40 years, The Beatles, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Elton John, and thats about it as far as I am concerned for the true entertainers of the 20th century, as far back as I can remember. They dont make them like MJ anymore and now we have teens flipping out over The Jones brothers and Hannah Montana, lord give me strength.

ok, so call me a dork! But... i'm a 50ish year old grandmom who always thought MJ was terrific. I bought all his "records", played them constantly while my kids were growing up. While my husband always brought home the "sofisticated" sounds, I loved to steal away in my room or later in my car to blast the latest MJ tunes. His music always put a spring in my step and energy to my day! He'll be missed.

I bought this when it came out in 1979 and I was pretty much a hard core rock and roller (and still am)...it was great then and is still great today!

Once upon a time, MJ was on the cusp of creating something musically significant. But he veared back off into the realm of intensely boring. This album is fluff, and although he skirted interesting musical ideas he never followed through. I once thought that maybe his next album would be significant, but no. Now he's dead, so how about we let the dead rest in peace and never mention him again?

RIP MICHAEL - KEEP MICHAEL CLOSE TO YOUR HEART WITH A KEEPSAKE TRIBUTE NECKLACE - LIMITED SUPPLIES http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=220444583020

I would recommend this album to any m.j. fan. It has superb arrangements and great songs and of course great vocals. My favorite songs are Off the Wall, Rock with You and I Can't Help It. This is basically a disco album.

M.J. was a superstar from the beginning, and from his early days he always was the front man, persona, even when 12 years old.

Here is one of the records which showed what was really to come down the line, and it is still probably his best effort (yes, Thriller is amazing and really does deserve the accolades, but this one always was special)

Maybe it was because I was young. Maybe because it was the first time he was a new artist, no longer the Jackson 5 member (love them too.)

The real bottom line, if you are limiting which records you will get from his career (particularly solo) this one is in the top 2 no matter what.

THE MAN GAVE HIS HEART AND SOUL FOR US LETS NOT JUDGE IF HE DID WRONG GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF IT. ENJOY HIS ALBUMS THEY ALL GOT SOMETHING TO OFFER. REST IN PEACE UR FINALY LEFT ALONE

Although this was once a great work, it does not survive well. Buy it if you have never had it. Otherwise, its just nostalgia.
Sorry, Michael.

I remember buying this album in 1987 when I was sixteen. I love this album. My favorite track is "I Can't Stop Loving You". This is a beautiful duet with Siedah Garrett. I also love "Dirty Diana" and "The Way You Make Me Feel". Another part Of Me and The Man In The Mirror and the title tracks are also monster hits off this album. There are some lesser known songs on this album that I love. "Speed Demon" has a great beat to it. "Liberian Girl" is a smooth sexy cut. "Just Good Friends" is an upbeat track. "Leave Me Alone" is a personal song about Michael's yearning for privacy. This is a good tune. This is an excellent album overall.

this is by far my fave album of his. i grew up with this album from the age of 5 to ten and i still love it. my mom always said i could not go to sleep without hearing this album lol. yes thriller was very good and had alot of hits but looking back i think this album made him an artist than the past works.the song man in the mirror shows that. im just glad i have his music today to look back on and listen to.

"The most loving thing you can ever do for someone is share your bed." - Michael Jackson, VH1 interview.

If I had to choose the most overrated musical `artist' of all time, it would have to be Michael Jackson. Here is a quick mega review of everything about the man:

Voice: bad.
Clothing: bad.
Singing: bad.
Musical talent: bad.
Make up: too much AND bad.
Whiteness: bad.
Blackness: bad.
Nose shape: bad bad.
Relationships/marriages: bad.
Religion: Jehova's Witness and Islam towards the end. So . . . bad.
Sexuality: g*y and bad, actually VERY bad.

Okay, I could go on, but you get the picture. What bothers me most about the man however, is not how BAD he is, but instead how (forgive me but the truth hurts) how G*Y he is, eerr was. Not only was he g*y, but he was a pedogay, the worst of the worst.

Here's a rundown of the bad, very bad, songs on this album:

Bad: lol, do I even have to tell you? It's bad. He kind of like, plays with himself and sings to a bunch of gangmembers. Rip off of West Side Story.

Way you make me feel: Pretty bad. Actually not so much bad as boring. No one remembers this song. Skip it when you burn this CD.

Speed Demon: Not too bad actually, but it's still pretty bad...In the movie moonwalker this song is playing while MJ, in the guise of a Claymation(TM) rabbit, is being chased by a hoard of Claymation fans and paparazzi. True story.

Liberian Girl: Liberia is where the US sent all the black people after the Civil War to start their own country. It failed. And so does this song.

Just Good Friends: To sum it up, this is what MJ says to the parents of all the kids on Neverland Ranch. Skip this one, it's bad.

Another Part of Me: Just what part is MJ talking about? Who knows. Who wants to know. Skip this one.

Man in the Mirror: Boring song, only good thing about it was that it was used as the title for the best MJ movie ever...

I Just Can't Stop Loving You: In the first presses album liner, it read, dedicated to Li'l Stevie. Who was Li'l Stevie anyway? This song is bad and pretty g*y too.

Dirty Diana: Michael sings to a woman for once with less than lackluster results. It lacked lust.

Smooth Criminal: The only song on this album that is not bad. However, for the superior version check out Alien Ant Farm.

Leave Me Alone: Boring and bad. Unless you watch the music video included in Moonwalker. It's still bad, but man oh man is it trippy!

That's it for this stinker. Do not Want!

RIP Michael Jackson 1958-2009

Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection
I'M JUST GLAD I PURCHASED MY COLLECTIONS BEFORE HE PASSED ON.

RIP - KEEP MICHAEL CLOSE TO YOUR HEART - KEEPSAKE NECKLACES [...] - LIMITED SUPPLYS

Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection is excellent for any MJ fan. There's quite a bit of music on these four CDs; and there a DVD of a TV special from 1992 which I actually did not have until I got this box set. The quality of the sound on the CDs is excellent and the artwork is done very nicely.

"I Want You Back;" "ABC;" and "I'll Be There" primarily feature Michael up front and The Jacksons doing their trademark "call and response" style of singing--Michael sings some words; then the rest come in; then Michael; then the rest come in, and so on. Wow, how this works very well! "Got to Be There" is quite moving and I like "Ben." The early disco "Dancing Machine" proved that The Jacksons could easily adapt to new genres of music as they evolved; and "Ease On Down The Road" from "The Wiz" gets a very spirited arrangement. We get both a single version and a demo version of "Shake Your Body (Down To the Ground)," too--great! "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" benefits from Michael's touch; and there's another gem in "Off The Wall." I love it! That beat still sounds so good for dancing.

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" has an excellent beat that Michael Jackson makes magical; and Paul McCartney joins in for "The Girl Is Mine." Similarly, "Thriller" was a huge, huge hit for Michael; and "Billie Jean" is timeless--it all holds its own very well. Michael's excellent diction enhances his performance all the more. "State Of Shock" is a tune from The Jacksons later on in their career together; and that percussion does an awful lot for this number. "We Are the World" brings back countless memories for me; this was released when I was in college and I really had Michael on a pedestal.

"Bad" is also quite good; and those "layers" of Michael singing work very well to make this dynamic. "The Way You Make Me Feel" is positively electric; and "Man in the Mirror" is most touching. "Smooth Criminal" is another song with an excellent beat; and Michael delivers this without letting go of s single superfluous note! "Cheater" also rocks! "Monkey Business" has great musical effects to enhance it a great deal; and "Remember the Time" is another classic by Michael that has him squarely front and center--which is quite all right by me! "Black or White" is another song I ran out to get just as soon as it was available on vinyl; Michael does an outstanding job on this and that's excellent. "Someone Put Your Hand Out" ends the third CD with Michael singing straight from his heart and I could never tire of hearing Michael Jackson do songs like this one.

"You Are Not Alone" is perfect--this music is all THAT good. Michael never falters and I'm impressed. "Childhood" is the theme from the movie "Free Willy 2" and Michael does this with panache; great! "Blood on the Dance Floor" has a very strong beat with Michael throwing himself into this number to make it outstanding; and then we get a rather sensitive number entitled "Fall Again." "In The Back" is more fine music with a fresh sound to it that Michael aces as effortlessly as if it were mere breathing; but of course we know it wasn't all that easy--Michael's talent always carried him through. "Butterflies" is quite memorable; and I also like "Beautiful Girl."

The fifth disc is that DVD with the 1992 HBO special. It's quite good and, if you don't have this on DVD already, this is worth the price of admission alone! You won't be disappointed as Michael performs songs including "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin';" "She's Out Of My Life;" "Thriller;" "Billie Jean" and "Man in the Mirror."

This five disc set is extremely special for us Michael Jackson fans. I highly recommend this set of four CDs and one DVD for Michael Jackson fans.

First, this is N*O*T a review about the music or performances. Mike was a classic who could mesmerize, and I assume you are already a fan.

Over the last 10 to 15 years there has been an arms race in the world of pop/rock to create the loudest cds possible. The businessmen want to have music that sounds louder then the competition when it first starts playing to get the listeners attention. They do this by increasing the average (rms) volume to be as close to possible to the maximum (peak) volume. In the old days (like 1992), music was mastered so that it retained much of it's dynamic range, which is the difference between the loudest and the quietest parts. A drum hit would be twice (or more) as loud as the surrounding music, when a singer (like Cobain) would scream his voice would rise above the music and shake the listener, crescendos would be louder then the soft parts, and overall the music communicated emotions fantastically. It's like with speech, if you listen to someone who talks in a single volume, you get bored and no emotion is transmitted. So what this arms race for loudness does is it reduces the amount of dynamic range and makes all the sounds the same volume; the part of the song that is whispered becomes as loud as the crescendo with screaming. This has three major effects. First, it drains the potency and emotion out of music. Second, it causes ear fatigue. When you turn the music up a bit to listen to it, your ears will become tired and you'll want to change the music or turn it down or stop listening. Thats why when you put on some MJ disks made in the 80's or early 90's, you can listen longer, you get more involved, and you can listen louder. If Invincible leaves you cold, this might be the reason. And thridly, it causes distortion and clipping, which prior to the loudness war were absolute no-no's in mastering/mixing/recording. So, the cd portion of this set is mastered very loud, with little in the way of dynamics. It is done cynically and without regard to sound quality. If you want to hear the best sounding MJ, get the disks made pre-1998. Today the word 'remaster' almost always means inferior super loud disks with no dynamic range. I would avoid buying anything that says 'remastered'.

If you want more info on this depressing trend, look up 'loudness war' on wikipedia, or google 'pleasurizemusic' and/or 'turnmeup'.

Oh, and the video bit doesn't suffer from this problem as DVD's have standards that prevent this abuse from occurring. That's why when you watch the concert, your ears don't become tired and the music is more involving.

I grew up listening to Michael & Janet's music and enjoyed pretty much all of it!! Michael you will forever be missed! God gave you to us for a little while but he has taken you back so you can perform for him! God bless the Jackson family! All of you are in our prayer's @ C.O.G.I.C Prayer Tower in Toledo, oh.

I read a few reviews of this product then stopped when I encountered too many varying opinions. This was definitely an instance where this die-hard Michael Jackson fan needed to make a personal critique.

Although not as refined as the music videos that we use to seeing, this was a pleasant trip into the past. Vintage M.J exhibiting his first attempts at this form of expression. A couple of his earlier video's somewhat rudeimentary by today's standards but oh the vision of this great entertainer was present.

Watching some of the great performances of this world-renowed artisit has been of particular comfort for me during the days following his sudden passing. Already this DVD is giving me a great deal of joy and I only got it delivered today! Hours of noteworthy entertainment from the late, great Michael Jackson available at the touch of a button. What a pleasant surprise to recieve a product even more compelling then it hinted to be.

Growing up anywhere from the early 60's to the late 80's it was hard to ignore Mr. Jackson. I think it is safe to say some of the things he recorded (Billie Jean, Dirty Diana, Thriller and I just can't stop Loving you) are classics and should be treated like so. After that it is just a mish-mosh of over produced pop hits that didn't at all stand the test of time. (pretty much the rest of this CD and almost everything he recorded) now that Michael is no longer with us there is still no reason to run to the local record store and buy this or anything that he did. Wait for another year and all the people that are jumping on the bandwagon now will be selling this at yard sales once they realize that he was really nothing more then just a good performer and classic weirdo. I'd almost call him a good writer, but most of those aforemetioned clasic wern't even writen by him. Thats all fokes

Didn't like all the songs selected for this album but Micheal still has it. Takes you back to memory lane.

I bought this CD for my boyfriend, who absolutely loves it. It contains all the hits we know from MJ. Great collection, good for someone who wants a compilation of MJ without having to buy too many CDs.

This an exceptional collection because they're all hits from an exceptional entertainer. The only reason it gets 4 and not 5 stars is because about half of the tracks are the "Single Version" or "Radio Edit." This means many instrumental intros and breaks have been shortened or taken out all together.

The track listing for HIStory doesn't tell you whether a song is an edit or not. You'll just have to compare the lengths. If you already own Number Ones, you should get HIStory as well for the full-length tracks. If you have neither, go with HIStory.

This is his fourth studio album under Epic Records originally released in November 1991. Although artistically it may not be quite as consistent as "Thriller" or even "Bad" it's still a terrific album that stands well on its own. The two biggest hits were "Black Or White" and "Remember The Time". But there were several other hits here as well: "In The Closet", "Heal The World", "Jam", "Will You Be There" (later featured in the film "Free Willy"), "Who Is It" and "Give In To Me". Some noteworthy album cuts include "Gone Too Soon", "Keep The Faith" and the title track.

This album was one of four re-released in 2001 just ahead of "Invincible".
Because of the album's extensive length however, it's the only one not to include any bonus material.

If you've been a die hard fan of MJ, you probably have this album already like me. But if you're a new one, this is definitely essential. The artist may be gone, but the music lives on.

TT 76:59

A must have for any Michael Jackson fan. He defined the 80's as I know growing up being a tiny tot watching thriller and beat it on Mtv. His passing saddens me in that we will never see him perform live, ever record a new album, never bless us with his fantastic showmanship. He was unlike any other artist out there. On my behalf he will always be the king of pop. I will educate the future with the man known as Michael Jackson. You will be missed Michael, but never forgotten. Farewell...

I consider Dangerous to be Michael Jackson's last great album. This album has it all. It has excellent dance songs like "Remember The Time", "Jam", "In The Closet" and the title track. This album has uplifting songs like Heal The World and Will You Be There. I love the edgy sensual song "Give In To Me". This album has touching tracks like "Black Or White" and the prophetic "Gone Too Soon". I love this album.

i bought this album in 1992, what a wonderful CD, I enjoy dancing a lot before my daughter wasn t born, now I dance a lot with her, she is 8 years old now, I enjoy too much dancing: "In the Closet" ·She Drives me Wild.!!!!
MJ thanks for the music, dance, your voice----God Bless You!!!!

I was watching tv this afternoon and they were showing footage of an interview with Michael from about 8 years ago-- he's in his hotel, and there are tons of toys and games laying around and at one point the interviewer asks about a scooter sitting in the corner. Michael says "Well, I like to ride it around at night in the hallways". Interviewer: "You're joking, right?" MJ: "No, it's fun for me".
Which made me think about the fundamental problem he and many other creative people (especially at the genius level) face: people refuse to take them on their own terms. Of course its fun to ride a scooter in a hotel hallway!! And who cares if it seems strange-- you'd be doing it too if you had the chance... but instead you're making someone else feel bad about one of the few joys he can indulge in (that is completely harmless, too).
I felt terrible for Michael just thent-- compounded by the fact that here is one moment where we can actually see his adult humanity-- it isn't a sit down interview talking about his family or the moonwalk-- and this interviewer is so blind to the little ray of light shining at that moment that he completely squashes the moment.
Anyway, I suppose that's my tribute to Michael Jackson. I remember when this album came out, it was all I listened to for a time, and the music videos were a constant source of enjoyment for me. In fact, the intensity he communicated (through dance and his singing) through this album and those videos was probably a major factor in pushing me to develop myself as a musician. And what a great album to get started on. Enjoy, please!

como todo lo que hace Michael Jackson, este concierto fue fenomenal y quedo muy lindo, los que somos fans de MJ son estusiasmamos cada vez que vemos este concierto. Si te gusta MJ,compralo sin pensarlo.

While watching this video it all came back to me why I had a crush on MJ. While watching "I just can't stop" I remembered being jealous of the singer that accompanied Michael. I wanted to be her, thigh high boots and all...I'm still perplexed by my past infatuation with the man in the mirror but apparently most of the women and some of the men at the concert felt the same....wait this is a review of the concert...it's theatrical, entertaining and it proves why countless people watched this when it aired on cable. Some have said that he appears to be lip-syncing, I think this is somewhat true. I think that Michael is singing over a voice track because there are multiple times in which it appears as if he is singing live. I think that this can account for the slight echo of his voice. It's MJ and the track at the same time. Lip-syncing or not it's a darn good show, so watch it anyway.

omg im the biggest mj fan i loved this concert it made me dance sing cry and evry thing else........oh and i am a girl....but this is so worth your money BUY IT u will love it...even if your not a mj fan

I was a fan of Michael Jackson when I was young, I had several of his albums, and I loved it. In my teen years I faded out of his music, but have been getting back into it recently. I never had this video as a child, but I'm glad to have it now. The show it approx. 2 hours long, and it's a great 2 hours. There are several costume changes, wonderful classic MJ dancing (which means incredible) and even some awesome sets. Since this video was recorded in 1992 you get to go back and remember Michael when he was at a high point of fame. Now having him with all the sex stuff and how weird he has become known for, it's such a change to see him back then. The video is complete with frantic fans, crying fans, and fainting fans! It is kind of scary to watch girls crying their eyes out over the very appearance of Michael, and fainting! There is a one second part where within the first two songs you see a girl who has fainted and a security guard is slapping her on the face repeatedly, trying to wake her up, but it doesn't work. You have to feel a bit bad for these fans because they go to a concert, and don't make in 2 songs in before they faint, and miss the rest of the concert! At one point you see an amazing split-second switch as a girl is taken from the crowd and guided up to have Michael sing to her and she is in total awe and peaceful and hugging Michael and all is safe, then the guards try to take her away and in a split second she goes from peaceful, to frantic! Aside from the fan shots though it really is an amazing performance, the ending is a little long as a crew is brought on stage to put Michael in some sort of jet pack so he can fly off the stage. It takes several minutes and kind of slows down what could be a really cool ending.

I saw this concert many years ago, and still feel it is THE BEST concert that I ever seen. I was looking to purchase this, so that I can
enjoy the King Of Pop at the apex of his career, which sadly ended on
June 25 with his untimely death. For all of fans that stayed true to Michael in spite of the unkind publicity, if you haven't seen this concert
you have really missed out. I cannot praise it enough.
You were a musical genius and will be missed by all your beloved fans
LONG LIVE THE KING OF POP

A great album to download if you are a great fan of the front man of this most famous group from the late 1960's to mid 1970's. And it is a "must have" as well. It has ALL of their top hits from their Motown years, and served as a nice prelude before moving over to CBS (Epic) Records.

The ONLY "Jackson 5" album you'll EVER need.

I was very unhappy with this purchase. I bought it for a christmas present and it said it was guaranteed to be delivered by christmas eve. It was not there until about 3 days after christmas. If I knew it wouldn't be there for christmas i wouldn't have bought it. I called to complain and customer service said they could only refund me the 2 dollars for shipping. 2 dollars does not make up for not having someone's present on christmas.I will never ever buy presents for christmas through Amazon.com again, and I am telling everyone about what happened. That was unacceptable.

There are some good songs on here, but not enough of them to make it worthwhile. I was just a kid when many of these songs were released, and at the time this was ground-breaking. I didn't remember Michael Jackson's voice being so high-pitched (gets grating after awhile), or so many of the songs sounding alike. My 4YO really likes it, though, and requests "her song" (ABC).

A search in Music under the heading Ultimate Collection will garner you over 2,000 hits, ranging from Benny Hill and George Formby to 10cc and The Who, and just about everyone in between. Even Motown uses Ultimate Collection on a number of their CDs, but the best of the lot where they are concerned is the series with similar cover art by David Irvin and involving Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Martha (Reeves) & The Vandellas, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and Mary Wells. Each has a comprehensive series of background notes and discographies of the contents and usually 25 tracks.

This one, also from Motown, is not part of that series, but it's still a pretty decent compilation of the 20 Motown hits registered by The Jackson 5 from late 1969 to 1975, with 3 pages of informative notes written by David Ritz, author of Divided Soul: The Life Of Marvin Gaye (among other works), several more nice shots of the boys, and a discography of the contents. The sound quality is excellent.

If there's a fault to be found, it's the inclusion of four solo hits by Michael (tracks 10, 12, 15 and 20) and one by Jermaine (track 13) - all hits to be sure, but their inclusion came at the expense of these legitimate Jackson 5 charters: I Found That Girl, the B-side to the 1970 # 1 Billboard Pop Hot 100/R&B The Love You Save, and considered a "follow-along" hit on both charts; Little Bitty Pretty One, a # 8 R&B and # 13 Hot 100 in May 1972; Corner Of The Sky, a # 9 R&B/# 19 Hot 100 in late 1972 from the Broadway musical Pippin; Hallelujah Day, a # 10 R&B/# 28 Hot 100 in April 1973; Whatever You Got, I Want, a # 3 R&B/# 38 Hot 100 in late 1974; and their final hits at Motown, the two-sided Forever Came Today (# 6 R&B/# 60 Hot 100 in July 1975 and its flip-side, All I Do Is Think Of You, a # 50 R&B on its own.

You do get their very first hit for Motown, after coming over from Steeltown Records (no hits there), the two-sided I Want You Back (# 1 R&B for 4 weeks/# 1 Hot 100 for a week in late 1969/early 1970) and its B-side, Who's Loving You?, an R&B "follow-along" hit. Four of their next five were also R&B # 1 hits, starting with ABC, which also spent 4 weeks at the top of the R&B charts and two on the Hot 100 in spring 1970, then followed that summer by the above-mentioned The Love You Save, and in the early fall by I'll Be There (6 weeks at # 1 Hot 100 and 6 R&B, as well as # 24 on the Adult Contemporary charts. In early 1971, Mama's Pearl reached # 2 on both the Hot 100 and R&B charts, and a couple of months later they hit # 1 R&B again with Never Can Say Goodbye (as well as # 2 Hot 100).

In late summer 1971, Maybe Tomorrow peaked at # 3 R&B/# 20 Hot 100, and they then closed out a very successful year with Sugar Daddy, which rosew to # 3 R&B/# 10 Hot 100 early in 1972. Summer of that year saw Lookin' Through The Windows top out at # 5 R&B/# 16 Hot 100, and in late summer 1973, Get It Together made it to # 2 R&B/# 28 Hot 100. Dancing Machine then became their last # 1 R&B in spring 1974, and also # 2 Hot 100, and in February 1975, I Am Love (Parts I & II) finished at # 5 R&B/# 15 Hot 100.

The following year they moved to Columbia's Epic subsidiary where, from 1976 to 1989, billed as The Jacksons (and with personnel changes), they would add another 15 hit singles. Another, 1987's Time Out For The Burglar from the film Burglar (# 88 R&B in February), was released on MCA, while in 1992, a different version of Who's Loving You, recorded on May 29, 1971 in Gary, Indiana, was a # 48 R&B hit on Motown, again billed as The Jackson 5.

A very nice compilation, which includes two album cuts (tracks 5 and 18) and, at track 21, It's Your Thing (The J5 in `95 extended remix). A 5-star edition with those missing J5 hits.

Here's how to make this a perfect J5 collection. Replace "It's Your Thing ('95 Extended Remix)" with "Ben" (how could they forget to include Michael's first number one single?) and "Goin' Back To Indiana".

Other than those two oversights, this collection is top notch. Awesome sound quality, great packaging.

Love the music on these CD's! These 2 CD's have most of the very best of MJ's songs. Together with the 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Jackson 5, you pretty much have ALL of MJ's hit songs. Well worth the price and we would buy again!

I must admit that this is the first album I bought in more than 10 years, and I am not much of a music lover. I bought this because I felt a part of my growing-up was lost. I will miss MJ, a man of unbelievable talent. The songs are the most wonderful songs I ever heard. I am so glad that I bought this.

Rest in peace, MJ. You have endured too much pain and suffering. Not all are your fault. I don't blame you. Who am I to judge? I just admire your music and everything that you've contributed to this world. You will be missed!

"Essential" compilations are usually doomed to failure from the standpoint that it cannot possibly please all of the fans. Where are "essentials" like "Scream", "Childhood", "Stranger in Moscow", and others? However, it could be argued that the mark of a good collection is that it makes one wish there was more.

Although "The Essential Michael Jackson" may not include every song any given fan might want--it's not a box set, after all--it does give one a thorough sample of the Michael Jackson you want to remember. The musical journey begins with the seemingly innocent days of the Jackson 5 and bubblegum greats like "I Want You Back" and "ABC" and takes listeners all the way to "You Rock My World".

However, the focus of the treasury are Jackson's breakthrough discs THRILLER, BAD, and DANGEROUS. These are the tunes everyone knew (as long as they owned a radio) and most folks have fond memories of. Even lesser known tracks get a listen ("Human Nature", "In the Closet", "Who is It?", and others).

This compilation was issued in 2005, but the photographs included are pre-the newest nose; basically, how most people want to remember the King of Pop.

Overall, this collection will satsify fans and causal listeners alike. It can be used as a memorial to a lost talent, or as an introduction to his creative musical works.

Who would have ever thought Michael Jackson would die in this era? It doesn't seem real, he wasn't supposed 2 die. This collection of hits is almost as good as buying all of his solo works. I actually would rather have each individual album but I don't have time for all that and I already own hundreds of cds, so The Essential Michael Jackson makes the most sense, for content and consolidation reasons. But I still would like the artwork and other tracks from the other cds but I just don't feel like buying them, so i just bought this. I went to 5 different stores and they were all SOLD OUT. I finally got the last copy but I had to pay $25. I think alot of people are just buying this cd as a trinket, I actually want to LISTEN to the music, so stop buying it if you are just going to hold it in your hand and stare at it and drool over it. As for the music, I don't like any of the Jackson 5 stuff, it sounds dated and all the songs are overplayed. I like "Ben", in my oppinion, that's the only good song MJ did when he was really young. They left out "Never can Say Goodbye" which is about the only good Jackson 5 song, so that sucked. All MJ's other hits are on here from ALL the albums. The only other song I'm pissed about is "Jam". I wish they would have included that song, but I don't want to have to go out and find a copy of "Dangerous" just for that song. Life is complicated and the music industry always makes it complicated for music fans. I wasn't really impressed with the pics in the liner notes, they could have included better, unreleased pics of Michael. I am a Michael Jackson fan even though I disconnected with him and his music during the child molestation stuff. Now that he died, I can feel better about paying him tribute and listening to his music again. After all, I did a lip sync of "Bad" in full costume in high school drama class. MJ was a part of my life. God Bless u Michael, this world loved u. *One last note...."Farewell My Summer Love" should have been included on this cd, that song is probably impossilble to find. I used to have it on 45.

I agree with an above poster. I didn't buy this album to "drool" over. I wanted to listen and enjoy his music not analyze his life or even think about his passing. Just enjoy the tracks on this record. 2 songs I liked weren't included they were , The Jacksons "Torture" and MJ's 2001 song "2000 Watts". But I got most of those from the net. I liked some of MJ's songs but only knew the most popular ones prior to his passing. Since his passing and thanks to a tribute of MJ songs played on XM Satellite Radio. I now enjoy more songs than ever before. I know most think that people like me ONLY bought this record because of the hype. That isn't true if you never liked MJ's music than regardless of the hype you won't all of the sudden like his music. You have to be a fan of some sort prior to his passing. Sad that it takes MJ passing for fans bring his music to a level that he never saw when he was alive. I like most (if you never owned a MJ album) wanted to have at lease one ACTUAL record of MJ's to remember the good music he did. I'll add that listening to "You are not alone" is very hard now knowing that MJ is gone. Knowing that he meant so much to so many! It was like his way of leaving a final message! RIP MJ

GREAT COMPILATION AT A GREAT PRICE. EACH SONG IS SOMEONE'S FAVORITE. WHO SAYS THERE ARE NO REAL ANGELS? IT'S GREAT THAT WE CAN ENJOY HIS LEGACY. GOODBYE MICHAEL.

The first Michael Jackson CD we ordered arrived in the plastic seal, looking brand new. We opened it and there was no disk inside! The replacement you sent was fine although the jewel case was cracked. The CD is okay, though and we are enjoying it a lot. Thank you for taking care of this so promptly.

I am truly struggling this evening with the news of Michael Jackson's untimely death and to be candid with anybody reading this I simply can't stop thinking about it. How sad. I was shocked beyond belief and my heart also goes out to his family and his children.

We get terrific music from Michael Jackson here; he's at the top of his game on every track. The selection of songs is quite good and the sound quality on this album is excellent. I like the artwork, too.

"Billie Jean" starts the album off with one of Michael's greatest hits--ever. "Billie Jean" has a great beat for dancing that's catchy as well; and Michael's excellent diction enhances his performance all the more. The musical arrangement is perfect for Michael's vocals and "Billie Jean" just plain sounds great. "The Way You Make Me Feel" has a pop flavor with just a slight twist of rock thrown in for a good effect; I really like "The Way You Make Me Feel." Those extra vocals make the number stronger, too. Listen also for another fine Jackson tune, "Black or White." "Black or White" is remarkably catchy and I could never tire of hearing Michael Jackson perform this song; he does it without ever letting go of a superfluous note! "Black or White" is memorable, too--this music is all THAT good.

"Rock with You" impresses me greatly; it has a softer pop flavor to it that it easy on the ear yet still quite good for dancing--and that's quite a feat! "She's Out of My Life" is clearly a masterpiece even if the lyrics aren't all that happy; Michael sings this with all his heart and soul. "Bad" is very strong; it's also great for dancing even today and Michael sings "Bad" faultlessly--awesome! "Bad" has great percussion and the beat is really something. In addition, there's another gem in "Man in the Mirror." I have fond memories of when "Man in the Mirror" was first released; I ran out to buy the 45rpm record and I played that record so much I must have worn the grooves off the vinyl!

"Thriller" is the title track from a blockbuster album if there ever was one; "Thriller" is a big, big highlight of this album. It's got an excellent beat and Michael does this one to perfection--and beyond! "Beat It" has another good beat and Paul McCartney joins Michael Jackson for "The Girl Is Mine," a softer pop song. "Remember the Time" takes the listener for a turn into a different type of ballad altogether; and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" still sounds just as good today as it did the day Michael first released it! "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" is another Michael Jackson song I love to hear and after a prelude to "Heal the World" we get the full version of this tune; and it leaves me stunned with its natural beauty.

Despite the fact that Michael is no longer with us, he will live on forever through his music and his artistry. I highly recommend this album for his fans; and this also makes an excellent starter CD for people just discovering the singular talent of The King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Michael jackson was one of a kind, He was all of that and a truck load of music.
This phenomenal artist seemd to call forth the ancestors, who constantly led him back to his artistry..No matter who says what, and no matter how many try to compete, no matter the character assaults by the media and other HATERS!! Michael jackson is the best who ever did it..
. My title says it all.The only word missing is INDESTRUCTABLE! Michaels image, artistry, skill, perseverance, in the face of evil, his committment, his determination and his love for his art..will go down in our- tory just like his mentor..JAMES BROWN..HE IS A KING.

All the greats are here. This is a cd you can play over and over and wear out fairly quickkly. Every song is a winner and shows why MJ is the King.