Michael Jacksonthe greatest pop artist of all time, had a career that spanned more than 40 of his 50 years. He was the star of Motown’s groundbreaking Jackson 5. The sensitive solo singer behind the hits of the 70s. The pioneer of the MTV era.
And the timeless voice behind some of the few million-selling records of the ’90s that can safely be described as “overlooked.” ”
We combed through his extensive body of work to select the 50 best songs.
50. “This Place Hotel”
triumph1980
The future King of Pop continued the King of Rock & Roll’s legacy when the Jacksons covered “Heartbreak Hotel” in 1980. The song, written by Michael Jackson, has little in common with Elvis Presley’s 1956 classic. it’s an upbeat disco-pop song that takes the original’s theme in a darker direction with lyrics about a hotel where relationships break down.
“Heartbreak Hotel” became a number two R&B hit. Then someone at the Jacksons’ label, perhaps fearful of legal complications, changed the title to the nonsensical “This Place Hotel.”
49. “Who’s Lovin’ You”
Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 51969
“I Want You Back” was a glimpse into the future of Motown. The B-side looked back on the label’s past. A cover of a Smokey Robinson love song (first released as the B-side of the Miracles’ “Shop Around” in 1960), it was the sweetest fruit of the Jackson 5’s collaboration with R&B singer Bobby Taylor, who brought them to Motown and produced some of their early songs.
Supported by the Motown house band Funk Brothers, Michael reaches the limits of his vocal range. And hammers out every word of Robinson’s heartbreaking lyrics.
48. “Blood on the Dance Floor”
Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix1997
This “Dangerous”-era outtake was revived as the title track of Jackson’s 1997 remix album. The ominously creeping song has a fittingly creepy origin story. Teddy Riley had skipped a party to work on it. And someone had been shot on the dance floor at that party.
He hadn’t told Jackson about the tragedy and was shocked when the singer suggested “Blood on the Dance Floor” as the title. Jackson sings about a stalker with an 7-inch knife. Another of his femmes fatales, for whom sex and murder are one and the same.
47. “Will You Be There”
Dangerous1991
Even by Jackson’s extremely ambitious standards, the theme song was to the film Free Willy from 1993 and the eighth single release Dangerous one of his most magnificent recordings. “Will You Be There” was written in his “Giving Tree” at Neverland Ranch. It begins with a long orchestral prelude by Beethoven, played by the Cleveland Orchestra, interwoven with shouts of hosanna from the Andraé Crouch Singers, and culminates in a tearful spoken monologue.
It’s a gospel song that continues a theme from his career. From “I’ll Be There” to “Got to Be There” to “Will You Be There,” he encapsulates a journey from limitless confidence to fear and loneliness.
46. ”In the Closet”
Dangerous1991
He wrote the hottest, most explicit sex song he had ever sung. And called it “In the Closet”? The Michael Jackson of the early 1990s was a master of contradictory signals. Producer Teddy Riley constructed a dissonant, unbalanced beat that made Jackson’s hormone-drenched whispers and moans fit perfectly with the tone of R&B radio.
“It was just incredible,” remembers keyboardist Brad Buxer, “almost atonal.” Originally conceived as a duet with Madonna, “In the Closet” contains some spoken passages from a “mystery girl” – Princess Stéphanie of Monaco – on the recording and Naomi Campbell in the video.
45. “State of Shock”
Victory1984
The biggest hit of the Jacksons’ lackluster Victory era was “State of Shock.” A duet between Jackson and Mick Jagger that reached number three in the charts and fluctuated between guitar rock and pop. The song was originally planned as a collaboration with Queen’s Freddie Mercury, but due to scheduling issues fell into the hands of Jagger.
“[Michael] “Mick had Mick practice scales for over an hour to warm up before he even started,” said engineer Bruce Swedien. “Mick didn’t hesitate. At that point, everyone knew how good Michael was. When Michael Jackson tells you to warm up, you warm up. Even if you’re Mick Jagger.”
44. “Scream”
HIStory: Past, Present and Future1995
Jackson hit rock bottom after the sexual abuse allegations. The result was “Scream”. One of his most provocative songs. The first one in which he used the word “fuck.”
The song, co-written with his sister Janet, reached number five on the Hot 100 thanks to an extravagant video that is often cited as the most expensive music clip of all time. But even though it was a difficult time for Jackson, it wasn’t all bad. “I had so much fun working with my sister,” he said in 1995. “It’s like a reunion. Of all the family members, I’m closest to Janet. We were very emotional on set.”
43. “Dancing Machine”
Dancing Machine1974
The Jackson 5’s star had faded somewhat by 1974. It had been three years since their last top 10 hit. So producer and co-writer Hal Davis took the risk of moving them away from kid-friendly pop music and giving them a full-on disco song with bubbly synthesizer.
With the help of the spectacular “robot dance” that Michael performed at the song’s premiere on Soul Train, “Dancing Machine” became a huge crossover hit. He indicated the direction the group would take from then on. “I loved ‘Dancing Machine,’ I loved the groove and the feel of that song,” Michael recalled in Moonwalk.
42. “Jam”
Dangerous1991
The opening track is a danceable appeal for universal understanding Dangerous frighteningly tense and fragmented. The groove bears the signature of producer Teddy Riley. But Jackson developed most of it himself.
“He brought it to me as a DAT and told me there were certain things he wanted done, and I did them,” Riley remembers. Jackson’s voice slowly creeps into the mix. he stutters the chorus as if his voice is being torn to pieces. The most accessible moment of “Jam” may be the verse by Heavy D, Jackson’s favorite rapper at the time. Not surprisingly, the song stagnated on the pop charts but became a Top 5 R&B hit.
41. “Farewell My Summer Love”
Farewell My Summer Love1984
In 1984, a recording of Michael Jackson reading out the tax law probably would have topped the charts. Motown knew this. He released an album of unreleased material by MJ.
The album Farewell My Summer Love featured nine songs from 1973 layered with new, ’80s-sounding instruments. “That’s not fair,” Jackson said. “I had no control over this music.” The album’s innocent title track became a top 10 hit in the UK. Fitting for a song about youthful sadness, Michael’s performance is a snapshot of his voice just as it was changing. There are even some hints of his mature power.
