Well, it was just a matter of time before someone at Sony BMG decided to "cash in" on the latest news. On July 19th, Epic will release the two-CD collection The Essential Michael Jackson. Although I'm a ted fed up with the slew of Jackson greatest hits releases over the past five years, I'm glad that the focus in now slowly returning back to his music.

Plus, Luther Vandross, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Simon & Garfunkel, etc. all have albums released under The Essential series so at least he'll be in good company. Plus, it's nice that there will finally be a decent 2 disc collection although the generic packaging does disappoint me.

Pleasant surprises: The inclusion of "Dangerous" (the title track that was never commercially released as a single). I believe it's inclusion is justified based on the number of times Jackson has performed the song in public and on award shows plus the fact it's the title track from a 28 million+ selling album. BTW, holy shit at the inclusion of eight songs from Bad, an album that always gets short changed by some but yielded quite the bucket load of hits.

Also, it's nice to finally welcome "Will You Be There" (#7 USA, #9 UK), "Who Is It" (#14 USA, #10 UK), "Leave Me Alone" (#2 UK), "Human Nature" (#7 USA), and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (#10 USA, #11 UK) to the fold as they all make their first appearance on a Michael Jackson greatest hits CD.

Songs missing: "One More Chance" (#81 USA, #5 UK), "Butterflies" (#14 USA), "Scream" (#5 USA, #3 UK), "Earth Song" (#1 UK), "They Don't Care About Us" (#30 USA, #4 UK), "Stranger In Moscow" (#4 UK), "Jam" (#26 USA, #12 UK), "Give In To Me" (#2 UK), "Liberian Girl" (#13 UK), "Girlfriend" (#41 UK), plus a slew of Jacksons/Jackson 5 hits that obviously couldn't make the cut due to time restrictions.

Disc/Side 1

1. I Want You Back
2. ABC
3. The Love You Save
4. Got To Be There
5. Rockin' Robin
6. Ben
7. Enjoy Yourself
8. Blame It On The Boogie
9. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)
10. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
11. Rock With You
12. Off The Wall
13. She's Out Of My Life
14. The Girl Is Mine
15. Billie Jean
16. Beat It
17. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
18. Human Nature
19. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
20. Thriller

Disc/Side 2

1. Bad
2. I Just Can't Stop Loving You
3. Leave Me Alone
4. The Way You Make Me Feel
5. Man In The Mirror
6. Dirty Diana
7. Another Part Of Me
8. Smooth Criminal
9. Black Or White
10. Heal The World
11. Remember The Time
12. In The Closet
13. Who Is It
14. Will You Be There
15. Dangerous
16. You Are Not Alone
17. You Rock My World
[Edited 7/15/05 7:03am]
[Edited 7/15/05 16:25pm]

Lame!

GangstaFam said:

i hav to agree...

total Cash in,

On the plus side it may be little profit to help Mikes debts!!!


although who is going to buy this after owing any one of these
HISTORY
ONES
Ultimate Collection..

not forgetting fans who already have all his albums
and People that have given up on him...

i be surprised if this sells?!?

MJ is rapidly approaching Donna Summer's record for Most GH Collections. I would appreciate it if they included the original 45 edits of his singles, instead of the album versions yet again. I may buy it if that were the case.
[Edited 6/18/05 9:20am]

Not Again

lilgish said:

It would be more fun to document the history of the plucked arch in his eyebrow.

Who in the world doesnt already have these songs?? He's sold over 300 million records! Where do the people at Sony think those records are?

Motown Solo ...anymore?

[URL=http://www.imageshack.us]



Jackson 5/ Jacksons

RipHer2Shreds said:

Number Ones

!!!

I'm sure he'll find a way to market the album with the release date's proximity to the July 4th holiday. "The greatest county on earth was freed on July 4th. So was the greatest entertainer ever!"

I wont be buyin it but good exposure

I'll be sure to pick up this "essential" collection

Thanks for all the covers lilgish!

http://www.bet.com/Music/...259B6EF%7D

The Music Industry Reacts To Michael Jackson Not Guilty Verdict

By Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur, BET.com Staff Writer

Posted June 13, 2005--Without a doubt Michael Jackson has inspired the careers of so many in music. So it came as no surprise that there was happiness and a collective sigh of relief from many top entertainers and music industry executives when news of the not guilty verdict was announced.

L.A. Reid, chairman of Island Def Jam Records, called into the live special "106 & Park" show immediately following the verdict Monday to share his pleasure.

“It was very emotional for me. I was really happy,” Reid said live on BET’s “106 & Park” show. “I was listening to 'Butterflies' and thinking, `He’s still one of the greatest artists of all times.' It was a little bit of a celebratory moment. He can always make great records. Nobody can relive the glory that they had at the height of their career, but fans can still appreciate his greatness.”

Like the millions of fans celebrating, Bruce Waynne from the acclaimed production duo Midi Mafia said he was relieved that the jury found him not guilty on all accounts after their 30 hours of deliberations.

“I'm glad he was acquitted. This case wasn't about molestation, it felt like someone or some team just used that as a camouflage to get at him," Waynne said.

Davey D, an activist and hip-hop aficionado, stated that in addition to the prosecutors going after Jackson, he felt that some of the members of the media had it in for Jackson, as well. Now, he said, all the Jackson accusers need to put their negative opinions to rest.

“It's amazing just how far the so-called mainstream press will go when persecuting folks they have in their crosshairs. It was a conservative town, popular DA and no Blacks on the jury and Mike swept the table. Now everybody including all those FOX News-style pundits need to get a life and move on,” Davey D told BET.com.

While he was acquitted of all 10 charges, Lord Jamar of classic hip-hop act Brand Nubian echoed many entertainers who believe Jackson needs to take a lesson from this trial and change up his behavior.

“I couldn’t see Michael Jackson going to jail. He better leave them kids alone," Lord Jamar said. "Leave them alone now,” Lord Jamar said.

But while the King of Pop's crown may be tarnished by the molestation trial, he’s sold more records with Thriller alone than most of today’s pop artists. That was more than 20 years ago. Some feel that the pain suffered over the last year can actually fuel the pop star.

So, in moving on beckons the question: is the self proclaimed King of Pop able to make a comeback?

Former Source magazine editor Kim Osorio says so.

“I think he will definitely be able to make a comeback, but it depends who he decides to align himself with. The public isn’t necessarily concerned with guilty or not because it’s all a show. We don’t know what’s what with R.Kelly’s situation, but we love his new song. I think it’s the same case with Michael…let’s move on. If he comes out with a wack record, they are not going to support him,” Osorio said.

However, with the not guilty verdict, a largely quiet music community may actually rally to save Jackson. “Now everybody is going to jump on the bandwagon. You haven’t seen the industry support him," Osario said.

Kay Konnect, the editor in chief of Mixtape Magazine agrees. "Aside from his personal struggles, Jackson is a pop icon who can never be duplicated. He can definitely top the charts again, if he puts his emotions back into the music, that the world grew to respect.”

L.A. Reid says Jackson needs to get back to work with his music to regain his place in music. “Do what you do best. You should be in the studio, on tour. Do what Michael Jackson does and does best. If it was up to me, he’d be in the studio right now.”

Rapper Skillz offered some advice on how he could make a comeback. "Mike should get in the studio with Pharrell [of The Neptunes] and go back to the Off The Wall days!”

But Prodigal Sunn from Wu Tang/Sunz of Man thought it would be best if he just took a break for awhile. “I think he should go into mediation man, just go in, regroup everything and just stay away from the media. The media is what did this. Mike should lay low and find out what his plan's gonna be.”

While entertainer Doug E. Fresh celebrated and sent well wishes to the Jackson's - in particular Jackson's mother Katherine and Jackson - from the couch of "106 & Park" he shared a cautionary tale for the public and his peers.

“I want to say that if this can happen to Michael Jackson, this can happen to anybody. No matter how high you get– no matter how much money – they will try to bring you down. We have to protect all our greats, our Stevie Wonder’s, our Prince’s, our Bob Marley’s,” Fresh said. “We got to do what we say we do and that’s keeping it real.”
[Edited 6/18/05 15:06pm]

Where's state of shock with jagger? This greatest hits shit is way played out,for certain artists.I know,they don't have control....blah blah..

Sounds like the people who want to see Prince get back together with the Revolution and release "Purple Rain II"...

amit1234 said:

Cuh-razy

CinisterCee said:

CandaceS said:

no no, not until you've read THIS post, CandaceS.

revolution75 said:

from http://www.prince.org/msg/8/149735

i love the video for keep it in the closet if only 4 how hot naomi looks...cuz mike kinda looks uncomfortable dontcha think?

RipHer2Shreds said:

"He" won't be promoting it at all, he has nothing to do with this compilation - sony lose the master in 2007 - so as like Warner with Prince, Sony are milking it for what it's worth ....

lilgish said:

Is that digital airbrush again?

Boy's desperate for $$

kremlinshadow said:

Um, Michael owns MIJAC music. The clue is in the name. the majority of these songs he owns and operates.

I'm passing on this. He should have put out some outtakes and demos he owns.

VoicesCarry said:

That would be quite an accomplishement but I still think that Donna and Cher will hold that title of queens of the hits sets forever!

RipHer2Shreds said:

I don't think I've ever seen an essentail collection advertised but if they did, this would be the one, although not a great tracklisting. They never seem to get it right...why is "Scream" never included on collections? Seeing something like this just makes me think that Thank God Madonna seems to have some control over her music and this isn't happening every five mintues with her stuff.
[Edited 6/20/05 6:09am]