It's been 6 years since his last studio album and 10 years since his last tour.

Anyone else getting fed up with how long he takes between projects? We were promised a new album this year, but there's till no sign of him releasing anything.

Thriller destroyed MJ imo as after that he always feels his albums have got to be mega-selling. He lost a lot of his musical creativity as a result.

MJ could learn so much from Prince. He had his mega-selling landmark with Purple Rain and then released Around The World with no intention of matching PR's sales. His creativity and musical artistry are what matters to him most. Could you see MJ releasing albums nearly every year and doing aftershows?

I kinda feel sorry for MJ fans....having to wait so long for new music.Then again,I suppose Sade's fans go through the same thing

I don't think Michael is really inspired by music anymore.He probably sees it as "work"....just another job he must accomplish.Perhaps he's more happy staying at home with his kids and being a father?

MJ really does need to do more to keep his fans stimulated.

I agree that he sees making music as a chore now, where with Prince it's his life and air.

Maybe he should give his new album away free like P did. That would get so many people more interested in him again. It worked a treat for P. He was badly burned by Sony with Invincible, so he should dump record companies and that may make him more adventurous with his creativity like P.

WukkaWahWah said:

If only.

I'm dying to get my hands on the new MJ album. He's fucking amazing!

MJ needs to build a website and give his fans a few "download only" tracks each year. That way, we'd have SOMETHING to hold us over. However...with the current situation, that kinda happens anyway. ("No Friend of Mine" and "Love Never Felt So Good.") However, I'd still like to think it'd be better if it was something OFFICIAL.b(Imagine, once every 6 months, MJ releasing a few of his VAULTED B-sides, and a quick 2 minute interview, talking about how the song came to be.) Now that would be a membership WORTH having.

As a huge fan, I'd love to be in charge of organzing his OFFICIAL fanclub. However, when it comes to his fans, Michael seems to always put people in charge who have millions of other things going on. I mean MJJsource was nice but still...it lacked something.

As for his situation between albums, I think a lot of his fans are use to that being THE WAY IT IS. I mean, I wish it was better. However, you know what they say, "Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder."

WukkaWahWah said:

Wow, "Michael doing aftershows"... interesting thought! One which I, in the last weeks, after seeing Prince's aftershows, entertained myself several times while I was biking!

I think that could be interesting! He still could do the big shows, concentrate on dancing, continue to lipsync and give the masses what they want and then after that he could do smaller shows, where he concentrates on the singing, playing instruments (of course only if he is good enough at instruments to do it in public) and really doing what he wants to do! Play covers of his favourite songs and simply have fun!

That would be so awesome! Of course, he would have to be in top physical shape to do that... okay, it will never happen, but it still is a nice though to entertain!

The lessons he could learn from Prince is to go out and do great live shows again!

SoulAlive said:

Yeah, not to talk about Stevie Wonder and Peter Gabriel fans... we're in good company!

MikeMatronik said:

Yeah, that's kinda the way I see it too! Prince this summer gave me what Michael didn't gave me in a long time!
[Edited 10/12/07 6:43am]

It's interesting that many of you feel the way I do. That's how I became a Prince fan. After Thriller came Purple Rain and ever since 1984, I've had Prince and Madonna to keep me going between Michael Jackson albums. Ther most amazing time was the summer of 1988 though - MJ's Bad Tour and Prince's Lovesexy Tour during the same summer - ah, the good ole days!

SoulAlive said:

Not to mention us fans of Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel!!!

Don't know if he could learn this from PRINCE of all people, but Michael needs to put his ego in check. At this point, I can't tell whether he's lost the passion or whether he's just scared to release anything because he's afraid it won't live up to THRILLER. What can?

When and IF he does release something...no grandiose titles like INVINCIBLE, BAD, DANGEROUS....no statues of yourself floating down the river....don't liken yourself to God in your videos. He needs to bring himself back down to earth with us "common folk" again and give the casual fans a reminder of why we ever cared about him in the first place!

Tuls101 said:

That's the reason why I think it would be great for him to do something with the family... at least in the US! And then tour solo in the rest of the world!

I am starting to feel excited for this new album. To be honest, I thought he would never release a new studio album again. The Vogue photo shoot, the letter to the fans, etc. All point to a new album. YAY!

But until he gets back into shape, I doubt he will go on tour. It would be cool if he does, though!

MikeMatronik said:

mj is my number one, but janet, madonna, mariah carey and destiny's child/beyonce fill in the gaps for me personally when he's gone. Whenever I get caught up in their music, mj takes a backseat for sometime, though I always go back to listening to him. I have everything he's recorded from his steeltown recordings through the ultimate collection, and think he's one of the greatest and most influential talents the world has seen.

It angers me that he takes long, and I was upset during the bashir interview and trial too, as well as worried about the outcome, and disappointed in him all at once. But at the end of the day, I still love him the way I did when I was younger, and he's my main musical inspiration.
[Edited 10/12/07 9:12am]

alphastreet said:

Damn! Do you mind if I ask how many Michael Jackson-related albums you have? I have less than 20.

Rodya24 said:

you mean jackson albums? Including michael jackson, janet, jackson 5, jacksons? It's hard to say, it's probably around 200, I lost count a long time ago. There's still a lot I don't have, but I think I have a pretty huge collection. I have the motown remasters of the j5 albums, a lot of singles on disc and vinyl and 45, remix albums, jacksons albums, even the flop ones like torture and 2300 jackson street.
[Edited 10/12/07 9:20am]

WukkaWahWah said:

Give the man a break, they tried to through to mofo in prison a few years back! Or have you forgotten? He had to fight for his freedom. It was a long battle. I'm sorry, but fuck the fans if your freedom is on the line.

SoulAlive said:

Yes, but at least Sade puts out consistantly strong material.

I'm still waiting on that Katrina Single!

superspaceboy said:

And without the drama.

One thing MJ could benefit to learn from Prince is how to do an acoustic set.

STOP PRETENDING YOU AIN'T ONE TOO

SoulAlive said:

[Edited 10/12/07 11:26am]

superspaceboy said:

Kate & Peter also do that!

Prince is a visionary/"I-need-to-write-music" freak

Michael Jackson is a perfeccionist/"hit-hungry" freak

Therein lies the difference...
[Edited 10/12/07 11:31am]

MJ is done

he can't sing anymore

and i bet he can't write anymore

so he will get a bunch of producers like Will I Am and Timbaland to help him



that's why Prince is better.....he doesn't get anyone to help him out

MikeMatronik said:

As does George Michael. You gotta wait, but it's well worth it.

Ya'll should've known Michael wasn't gonna release the album THIS year
I know from experience! Remember Invincible?

Hell, the guy was in the studio last month recording songs so I don't think we'll see anything new until mid 2008

3121Addict, PLEASE don't make this a "Prince is better than MJ" thread. We've seen it too many times with the same exact results.

One good thing, he seems to be slowly coming back into the public eye again with the Vogue photoshoot, the upcoming Thriller Anniversary release, and the rumored X Factor appearance(Simon Cowell just said their in talks with Michael)

superspaceboy said:

That reminds me.....


We need a George Michael appreciation thread!

We should also bear in mind that Michael Jackson was performing professionally at a very young age, he was the lead singer of the Jackson 5 when he was seven years old! That, however, does not excuse his lack of musical output since 1991 but, IMHO, that has probably more to do wth the fact that MJ is more of a singer and dancer whereas Prince is a musician.

Mind you I have to admit that MJ in concert was pretty good!

michael has to stop trying to compete with himself, there will never be another thriller. as soon as he realize he dont have to always have the biggest, most expensive, mega hyped everything maybe he can get back to making music. also mj fans dont need to jump off a bridge if he dont sell 10 million albums worldwide

ace1967 said:

We should also bear in mind that Prince has nothing except music and Michael is a single father of three... if we have to compare him to Prince that is! Also, thinking about it, what do you mean with "lack of musical output since 1991"... until 1997 he has been working almost constantly... 3 albums, 2 major tours, 1 longform music video and the first accusations (which blocked him for over half a year)! So it isn't like he was lazy in those years!
[Edited 10/12/07 18:01pm]