I just saw the commercial and it's seriously not cool that it features footage from the Billie Jean Live '84 video but it's not on the DVD

DarlingDiana said:

Dude, it's the O2, the Millenium Dome is history!

BTW, isn't Friedman the one who a few years ago was regularly asserting MJ was on the verge of bankruptcy, etc.?

Am I the only person who's afraid that if he did do live shows, they would turn out to be a complete embarassment?

P.S. As for the Thriller 25 release...I'm quite satisfied with my SE, thanks anyway!

Look who’s trying to get a piece of that glove

Take the glossed out jheri curls, high-pitched anthems, screeching fans in tears (and a few carried out on a gurney at shows in far away lands), and you got the cult of Michael Jackson. Twenty-five years ago, Thriller became crack for pop-loving 80s babies. Now those babies are grown, and many have went on to have their own successful career…with Jackson’s style smeared all over it. In celebration of this week’s reissue of Thriller, VIBE.com looks at our top five favorite Jacko copycats.

5. Omarion
Besides starting their careers before they reached Roller-coaster height, O and MJ have always placed special attention on their two-stepping tricks. To make up for callow vocals, Omarion relies heavily on impressive mini-Mike impersonations. However, while he breaks a sweat straining for the attention of an older audience, Michael transitions seamlessly within a fan base ranging from 6 to 60. Note to Omarion -- being just a PYT doesn’t always cut it.

4. Chris Brown
Let’s be honest: Chris Brown is Michael Jackson on crack – a red-bulled, back-flipping, screen-cheesin’ Michael Jackson. From music videos to live performances, C. Breezy never fails to throw in a tribute to his idol. For a young’n in the game, it’s a smart move that’s done him well. All that’s left now is crossing the border of obsession to transgression.

3. Ne-Yo
Three words: Because of You. The draping harmonies, the tilted fedora, the pelvic thrust, it’s blatantly clear who Ne-Yo’s main influence is. While others stick to pure imitation, Ne-Yo opts to explore the middle ground between himself and Jacko. The results have proven to be effective, separating Ne-Yo from the duplicators. When MJ’s requesting your contribution to his album, you know hours of perfecting Beat It adlibs has truly paid off.

2. Justin Timberlake
Reppin’ the lighter side of MJ fever, Justin’s Future Sex/Love Sounds blessed him with six top twenty hits from a single album, a feat only achieved once by Jackson himself. With sweet soprano drawls and fancy fly footwork soaked with Jacko’s juice, Justin has led the most identical career to that of his inspiration. The former boy-band front man turned international sex god has showed no limits in his like for Mike. If MJ himself hasn’t noticed, Janet certainly has.

1. Usher
As arguably the father of our generation's pop princes, it’s only right that Usher be deemed the son of King Jackson. With about 40 million albums sold worldwide, Ursh has successfully converted the hype of MJ fame into a grandiose self-made empire. During the Confessions craze of ‘04, some even double-dared to say that Usher had replaced Michael as the greatest entertainer of all time. With a collabo due out later this year, father and son will put history to the test and raise the bar of pop notoriety. Copy that.


Vibe.com

I've got the album now. Makes me remember why I used to be a fan of this man

I was surprised at how good the new WBSS version with Akon sounds When I first heard about this collabo I was expecting weirdness, but it's superb!
It's definitely my favorite "update".

CandaceS said:

Co-sign. I downloaded "For All Time" and the long version of "Billie Jean" from iTunes, but I refuse to buy the album yet again (especially with those horrible remixes). Call me when they release more demos and outtakes.

AlexdeParis said:

I'm telling you - the remixes sound so much better on the actual release. The leak didn't do them justice AT ALL.

I finally heard the 40 second clip of "Got The Hot's" and I love it! I need to hear the whole thing now. I wasn't going to buy "Thriller 25" but maybe I will buy it just for this track alone. I don't know what Michael is thinking though when he rejects good songs like this. Seriously, a lot of his unreleased material is better than the one's that have made his albums.

How did the rest of you pay for the Deluxe Casebook Edition? I am trying to find what the cheapest prices are.

It is only 30 - where I'm at!

I just bought the Japanese edition on CDJapan. It cost $44 with Express delivery.

I'm going to buy the deluxe edition at Best Buy next week just for the booklet


I haven't bought a CD since 2006 or early 2007

bboy87 said:

If I ever go out this week or next, I'm gonna get T25 just for the booklet, like u said.

When you finally listen to the full version of "Got the Hots", holla at your brother.

The Making of Beat It


Beat It-Dangerous Tour Rehearsals


The Making of Beat It(another version)

Rare version of The Making of Thriller

Vanilli said:

I don't like any of the guest "artists," so I'll pass just the same. I would've bought it with just "For All Time," "Got the Hots," the original 12" mixes, and a full-length "Carousel" ().

AlexdeParis said:

Carousel can be downloaded for free from Mike Sembello's site (if you didn't already know) Ok quality, too. http://www.michaelsembell.../vault.htm

marnifrances said:

I hope that one day, we'll get to hear Starlight, Behind The Mask, and other songs

I know that some fans have had Starlight and Got The Hots for about 7 years now.....selfish bastards
There's also a fan that has pro shot concerts of the Bad tour in the UK, and the US, but won't share them

bboy87 said:

I love this. It's funny when he sings the "bong"s at the start and when he sings the guitar solo.

bboy87 said:

We got some selfish fans out there.

Timmy84 said:

Or some liars. I personally believe a lot of these fans who claim to have heard these rare songs are just lying to sound like they have some "IN" with Michael. I find it a little weird they like to talk ABOUT them, but when it comes to sharing, they suddenly clam up. Call me cynical - but I think that explains a lot of these fans, and then the rest that are the real deal..are as bboy and Timmy said - selfish.

lmfaooooo that bong just killed me, I'm laughing so hard

he sounds so HIIIIIGHHHH love him!

The ARIA (Australia Recording Industry Association) charts came in today for the week that's just past and... WOW!

_____

Top 50 Singles Chart:

Title: Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008
Artist: Michael Jackson feat Akon
This Week: #11
Last Week: #8
Times In: 3
Highest Point: #8
_____

Top 50 Albums Chart

Title: Thriller
Artist: Michael Jackson
This Week: #2
Last Week: #44
Times In: 93
Highest Point: #1
Copies Sold: Platinum x 12 - 840,000+ copies sold

Title: #1s
Artist: Michael Jackson
This Week: #29
Last Week: Re-Entry
Times In: -
Highest Point: #6
Copies Sold: Platinum x 3 - 210,000+ copies sold

Title: The Essential Michael Jackson
Artist: Michael Jackson
This Week: #48
Last Week: Re-entry
Times In: -
Highest Point: #12
Copies Sold: Platinum 70,000+ copies sold
_____ _

Top 40 Digital Track Chart:

Title: Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Artist: Michael Jackson feat Akon
This Week: #8
Last Week: #4
Times In: 3
Highest Point: #4
_____ __

Top 50 Physical Albums Chart:

Title: Thriller
Artist: Michael Jackson
This Week: #2
Last Week: #40
Times In: 93
Highest Point: #1
Copies Sold: Platinum x 12 - 840,000+ copies sold

Title: #1s
Artist: Michael Jackson
This Week: #26
Last Week: #50
Times In: 19
Highest Point: #6
Copies Sold: Platinum x 3 - 210,000+ copies sold
_____ ____

Top 40 DVD Chart:

Title: Live in Bucharest - The Dangerous Tour
Artist: Michael Jackson
This Week: #21
Last Week: Re-entry
Times In: -
Highest Point: #5

Thriller 25:

Ireland: #5
Netherlands: #2
Australia: #2

Vanilli said:

We have a bit of both I believe.

Some stuff we KNOW fans have- a different version or two of certain songs from acetates and we "know" there are fans that sell and swap songs amongst each other. Not a single mix of the recent Dangerous original mixes have been leaked yet, and we KNOW fans have them because they were sold on ebay recently. Same with yet another Bad SE acetate that has a different version of "Fly Away".

Anyways, it was great when the Dangerous SE tracks got leaked- what an awesome day that was!!

If I was in that position and had unreleased tracks, I wouldn't care how much I'd paid- I'd share them. (unless it was something like new tracks or tracks Michael could possibly release commercially in the future). I don't see the harm in sharing old tracks. But that's just me.

DarlingDiana said:

This is bloody brilliant- seriously made my day! michael is ALL over the aussie charts- gotta love it!

marnifrances said:

marnifrances what tracks leaked? the only unreleased MJ stuff I have are the tracks that came of Ultimate Collection...here mem with my prize mj:

MikeMatronik said:

Whoa!! Soooo many have been leaked (ones that are not released anywhere)- a whole bunch from the Thriller sessions, a whole heap from the Dangerous Sessions, a couple from the HIStory sessions, and more.

The ones that were recently leaked from Dangerous were She Got It, Work That Body and Lisa It's Your Birthday.

I have a whole bunch uploaded from thriller and Dangerous sessions...

marnifrances said:

[Edited 2/17/08 4:33am]

marnifrances said:

Thanks! I am such an idiot. I've been to that site before, but I thought it was just the snippet version. So.. at the risk of asking a stupid question:

Why the hell didn't they include the full version on the Special Edition?!?

AlexdeParis said:

I have no idea. I don't see the point of cutting it short. I wish it was the full version on Thriller SE. It's not a bad little song.