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Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 11:56 AM

I enjoyed the radio 2 rundown of the best-selling Jacko tracks, though streaming has produced some distorted results on expectations, and it turns out I have 56 MJ-related tracks that have achieved 250,000 "sales" (I never used to count sales less than the old Silver standard) so I have bunged in the 4 with the highest chart positions to fill in the bottom spaces. My sales period happily covers his entire career...

So, minimum commentary..

60. THE GIRL IS MINE - Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney (1982)

You're about to release the biggest album in the world ever, what would be a good way to start? yes, that's right, release the wettest and least-good track on the album as the lead single. OK it did have a Beatle on it, but then Macca had his publishing bid for his own songs outbid by his good friend. So that was the end of that, bar the tit-for-tat Macca track they did together - much higher and better than this one.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 11:59 AM

59. GOING PLACES - The Jacksons (1977)

A follow-up to their first UK post-Motown chart-topper, and quite a decent romp that deserves to get heard a bit more...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 12:02 PM

58. THE LOVE YOU SAVE - The Jackson 5 (1970)

Their 3rd hit from the grooovy young funk collective with the stunning co-pre-teen lead vocalist

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 12:05 PM

57. OFF THE WALL - Michael Jackson (1979)

Title track off the album that turned Michael into a solo superstar. Good track, but not quite as good as the other early singles off the album.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 06:41 PM

56. LOVE NEVER FELT SO GOOD Michael Jackson featuring Justin Timberlake 2014 (251450)

This one was well inside his biggest top 20 UK sales - presumably itunes and streaming for Justin T....

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 06:43 PM

55 A PLACE WITH NO NAME Michael Jackson 2014 (253400)

...and another posthumous release from 2014....

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 06:46 PM

54. REMEMBER THE TIME Michael Jackson 1992 (262000)

one of the lesser Dangerous singles, but very pleasant...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 06:49 PM

53. BLOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR Michael Jackson 1997 (264000)

A UK chart-topper - but not for long as it was strangely retro at the time, and unambitious

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 06:52 PM

52. ONE MORE CHANCE Michael Jackson 2003 (269750)

Ya know what I've forgotten this one...youtube!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 06:57 PM

51. WHO'S LOVING YOU? The Jackson 5 1969 (297950)

A 21st century seller, as it wasn't a single back in the day. Cover of a 1960 Smokey Robinson song, and little Michael made it definitive. Watch his performance...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 06:59 PM

50. GIVE IN TO ME Michael Jackson 1993 (301900)

One of the final Dangerous tracks, moody...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:01 PM

49. HOLD MY HAND Michael Jackson/ Akon 2010 (321150)

another posthumous hit with then-star Akon adding his two-pennorth

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:06 PM

48. DOCTOR MY EYES The Jackson 5 1973 (332200)

A very upbeat cover of Jackson Browne's 1972 American hit, a UK-only hit a few months later, I'm still fond of it more than most of the tracks featured so far. Stay for the ending. Funky.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:10 PM

47. BEN Michael Jackson 1972 (332900)

One I liked but didn't love as much as some of his other hits of the time, but has grown in stature with the years and is his most popular early solo track by far. 14-years old, Donny Osmond turned it down, and his voice was still angelic and pure and about to break. It's a song about a rat. Not kidding....

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:15 PM

46. BEAT IT Michael Jackson 1983 (350750)

Huge Thriller track, one of his most popular - but not for me - great Van Halen riff, good track, good video but not as funny as Eat It, Weird Al was better...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:20 PM

45. STRANGER IN MOSCOW Michael Jackson 1996 (360750)

I like the atmosphere on this one, but the hook is low-key "How Does It Feel" would have been a better title. Nice History track though.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:23 PM

44. BLAME IT ON THE BOOGIE The Jacksons 1978 (361300)

Disco cover of a Mick Jackson track, a UK nobody who had a hit with it simultaneously thanks to the Jacksons. Fun, and better than the original. I loved the multiple Jacksons special effects in the video at the time.

Posted by: TheSnake 28th August 2018, 07:25 PM

'Beat It' wouldn't be one of my faves from him either, I find it a bit one dimensional and basic sadly, although it is still a good tune.

Interesting story about Blame It On The Boogie, I looked up who Mick Jackson is and I don't think he is related to the Jackson family, being from Germany apparently. Good disco song though! I would agree the Jackson's version is better having heard the Mick Jackson version there.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:27 PM

43. PYT (PRETTY YOUNG THING) Michael Jackson 1984 (362700)

Final Thriller single, and it was worth mining the album for singles though the USA went for a better track first, that wasn't a UK single. Maybe that's why he didn't bother with a video. Or promotion.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:29 PM

Hi Snakey, and hooray! I thought it was just me!

Posted by: dandy* 28th August 2018, 07:30 PM

Stranger In Moscow is way too low!

Beat It is also too low probably but I won't grumble at any of the others so far...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:37 PM

42. DANCING MACHINE The Jackson 5 1974 (367800)

No-one will know this huge 1974 US hit, it was a return to the big-time there, and was a huge UK flop, annoyingly. I loved it, they were getting more adult, but it was their final Motown biggie bar a couple of minor releases. Michael's voice had broken by now and was the first track featuring grown-Michael vocally. The boys did the Doo-Wops on Stevie Wonder's hit at the time, You Haven't Done Nothin', but I havent included that one as official...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:39 PM

I hadn't heard Stranger for years until yesterday, and it does sound pretty good I have to say...!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:43 PM

41. LEAVE ME ALONE Michael Jackson 1989 (370850)

I don't own this track. I refused to buy it after it was added to Bad as a bonus CD track when I'd bloody gone out and bought the vinyl album day of release. How very dare they! Great video though, the song is still underwhelming though I can see why he needed to say it after 6 years of mania media.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 28th August 2018, 07:45 PM

pause for tonight, more soon. I think I'm going to use this rundown as an aide-memoire for a soon-to-be Quickie MJ Rate as in the one I ran for Abba a couple of years ago. Some time after it's complete that is....

Posted by: TheSnake 28th August 2018, 07:46 PM

Leave Me Alone I don't find underwhelming, it is a great dancey track I think!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 06:48 AM

I obviously must have liked it enough to rate it 41, so maybe put it down to sour grapes that he started that trend for "bonus" tracks on albums as a way of selling more albums to non-fans

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:01 PM

40. SHAKE YOUR BODY (DOWN TO THE GROUND) The Jacksons 1979 (422950)

My fave of the Jacksons disco era, excluding the Philly sound of another track....

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:06 PM

39. LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOWS The Jackson 5 1972 (454900)

I still adore this one, it's under-rated generally and in this rundown, Michael has a great vocal lead, and the brothers have some great harmonies on a great song, a lost artform this century. You can skip the Sonny & Cher chat intro - or not.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:09 PM

38. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US Michael Jackson 1996 (460300)

Love the rhythm track on this one, and the Brazil video - apparently there's an alternate prison video - presumably on his mind at the time, but I've never seen it.

Posted by: dandy* 29th August 2018, 07:11 PM

Leave Me Alone and They Don't Care About Us are both

I hope my favourite is still to come but I'm not sure whether it would be or not...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:13 PM

37. SHE'S OUT OF MY LIFE Michael Jackson 1980 (495350)

Oh this is way too low, a minor US hit, a huge UK hit, heart-felt vocal performance, and just lovely Off The Wall track. If you don't cry while singing along to it you have a heart of stone

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:18 PM

36. NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE The Jackson 5 1971 (496100)

Picture this: 13-years old, a reel-to-reel tape deck I can record off the radio, and suddenly finding a radio station in Singapore running the US Top 10 countdown. 2 Jackson 5 singles, fresh off seeing them on US variety shows broadcast on local TV, and this one especially - a gorgeous ballad. Bliss. Still have the recordings from the early summer of '71. Gloria Gaynor turned it into a rousing frenetic disco anthem 4 years later, but this is still fab.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:23 PM

35. WANNA BE STARTIN' SOMETHIN' Michael Jackson 1983 (499500)

An early Thriller goodie, fab rhythms on this one too, and soooo catchy. Annoyingly he couldnt be arsed to do a video as he was probably still working on THAT one....

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:32 PM

34. ANOTHER PART OF ME Michael Jackson 1988 (567700)

Into the half-millions and the first one up which topped my chart (or the least successful Number One if ya like). I saw Captain Eo, his 3-D sci-fi space-ego extravaganza, at Epcot in Florida, and was very taken by the bits of this he used in an all-dancing space finale, so was rather happy to see it on Bad, and eventually a later single. I was less happy to see a live performance as the official video so here instead is the Captain Eo clip and the slower version towards the end. Imagine it on a huge screen, loud and in 3-D. The single version is the best version of the 3 though.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:38 PM

33. ROCKIN’ ROBIN Michael Jackson 1972 (573400)

Ah, this was huge in the UK, the Jackson 5 were on actual Top Of The Pops doing their single and this one. It was a very catchy and poppy and instant appealing cover of an oldie, fine for a 14-year-old kid, but not as great as his other solo singles that year, and a bit flattered by it's chart position in the rundown.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:43 PM

32. SMOOTH CRIMINAL Michael Jackson 1988 (583550)

The best bit of the tedious Moonwalker, which I endured at the cinema at the time, and a Bad track which didn't appear to be an obvious future fave in those days. It was the Alien Ant Farm cover that changed all that, but it was a moody, strong single in it's own right. Shame about that film though.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 29th August 2018, 07:47 PM

31. GOT TO BE THERE Michael Jackson 1972 (590000)

Michael's very first solo track, a big UK hit, and yes there are a lot of early tracks in the rundown - hey I was a fan from Day One, and the same age, what can I say to all you latecomers!!? I love this slushy ballad, his soaring vocals are awesome.

Posted by: Sven10 30th August 2018, 08:05 AM

Hi John,

It doesn´t matter witch track is the number 1.
They are all 60 (or more) great

In Holland we had also a MJ day on Radio 10 http://www.radio10.nl
It´s every year now!
The King never dies!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 30th August 2018, 08:24 PM

Hi dandy, if your fave is Who Is It, yes it's still to come, 4 tracks off that album all peaked at 2 in my charts, if it's not - probably is anyway, I think the only major track that won't feature is You Are Not R.Kelly. Spoiler! I never rated it.....

Posted by: Popchartfreak 30th August 2018, 08:27 PM

Hi Sven!

Yes so many greats could easily be number one, and one of them is. It's def not a track nobody knows. I'm a tease!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 02:33 PM

30. I JUST CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU Michael Jackson/ Siedah Garrett 2009 (604400)

This seemed an odd video-less understated lead track off Bad, but I actually love the melody and Siedah Garrett getting a harmony vocal spot for donating Man In The Mirror to Jacko.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 02:37 PM

29. MAMA’S PEARL The Jackson 5 1971 (608300)

A track I heard simultaneously with Never Can Say Goodbye, but this got more points "sales" - I would rate them the other way round these days, this one very much I Want You Back part 4, but still fond Singapore memories for me.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 02:42 PM

28. ABC The Jackson 5 1970 (613850)

Jackson 5 hits coming thick & fast now. Never my most-fave J5 track this one, and it's here largely because I allowed Sigala's Easy Love to count as bonus sales for this, cos it was basically a huge part of the track.



shhh, dont tell anyone but I prefer this version...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 02:47 PM

27. YOU ROCK MY WORLD Michael Jackson 2001 (642500)

The highest-rated 21st century track, skip the first 4 minutes of self-indulgence, and I havent heard this in 16 years till now (I didn't buy it). It's flattered in this run-down by about 15 places or so.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 02:51 PM

26. SAY SAY SAY Paul McCartney Michael Jackson 1983 (645800)

The other Macca Jacko duet, the better one, and the one with a video that changes the fortunes of the track, which was meandering about a bit in the lower regions till the video debuted. I still like this a lot. Fun.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 02:56 PM

25. WHO IS IT? Michael Jackson 1992 (666400)

I've not revisited Dangerous for quite some time, other than what I've heard on the radio, and this track never gets much airplay. That's a shame, but at least it placed pretty well here! Lovely strings/synths and under-rated.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 03:00 PM

24. SHOW YOU THE WAY TO GO The Jacksons 1977 (703000)

The Sound Of Philadelphia after it had peaked, basically, but a UK chart-topper, and one I still love - it also topped my charts, the first of two Jacksons track to do that. Nice guitar riff too, on top of the lush Philly strings.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 03:04 PM

23. HEAL THE WORLD Michael Jackson 1992 (728400)

Some find this one nauseating in it's saccharin sentiment. Not helped by the kiddie-themed video and the choir. I approve of the sentiment, but 26 years later clearly no-one listened one iota. That makes it even sadder.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 03:07 PM

22. JAM Michael Jackson 1992 (729850)

Let's just call this the Dangerous part of the chart shall we, and yes this is a jam.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 03:48 PM

21. LIBERIAN GIRL Michael Jackson 1989 (759650)

Librarian Girl. A who's who in 80's US media in the video. Sadly half of them, at least, mean nothing in 2018 and the chit chatting is very annoying spoiling an otherwise good Bad track. Topped my charts. "Oh look at all my famous friends" is not a viable excuse to ruin the track you're promoting, though....

Posted by: dandy* 31st August 2018, 05:55 PM

It is indeed! Glad to see it did well for you, although not as well as it should have!

A quick attempt at a MJ top 10 for me would be...

01 Who Is It?
02 Smooth Criminal
03 They Don't Really Care About Us
04 In The Closet
05 Thriller
06 Stranger In Moscow
07 Black or White
08 Beat It
09 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
10 Will You Be There

And this is the other version of Who Is It that I often talk about on here, I loved it back when the single was released:



I really love both versions

Posted by: Popchartfreak 31st August 2018, 10:36 PM

Hi dandy, I'd never heard that version, must play it a few times! Ooops only 3 of your top 10 made my top 20, and one didn't even make my 60 - I never really got In The Closet

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 05:34 PM

20. BLACK OR WHITE Michael Jackson 1991 (776000)

Lead track off Dangerous, and a great choice, one of his best videos, morphing-tastic, Norm from Cheers, and an upbeat track with a simple righteous message that isn't over-egged. UK chart-topper, 2 peak in my charts though.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 05:38 PM

19. WILL YOU BE THERE? Michael Jackson 1993 (792700)

The biggest track of Dangerous in my charts was this late single release, all gospel tingly for me, and probably my fave track off the album.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 05:45 PM

18. HUMAN NATURE Michael Jackson 1983 (821400)

Never a UK single, this gorgeous Thriller US hit track finally charted a decade later for SWV and their fab rewrite/remake as Right Here (Human Nature) which is equally as good, if not better. As it lifted so much of the original I combined the two for sales, cos it deserves to be this high.

Posted by: Flatcap 2nd September 2018, 05:46 PM

Some super tracks here, shall comment further later on when I have time. I just looked it up and can't believe that Michael has been gone for 9 years.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 05:48 PM

Thanks Flatcap, and yes, 9 years hard to believe....

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 05:52 PM

17. ROCK WITH YOU Michael Jackson 1980 (875650)

Another sultry lovely Off The Wall US chart-topper, lesser in the UK, and a number 2 in my 1980 charts, but it eventually topped my charts in 2006 during the singles catalogue reissues period, as I'd always under-estimated it chartwise. Effortlessly laid back.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 05:58 PM

16. DIRTY DIANA Michael Jackson 1988 (1020250)[color="#808080"][/color]

About as "rock" as MJ got, this aggressive exciting Bad cut topped my chart in 1988, and it's also the first of 16 million-sellers (don't get too excited I have around 800 million-sellers, though even then it's still about 2% of all there have ever been in 50 years of charting, so still not Bad!)

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 06:04 PM

15. SCREAM Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson 1995 (1037050)

Another track with attitude, and he had to do at least one recording his little sis, didn't he? This got slagged off on release, but I rather liked it - I mean it had a b&w video set in space, what's not to love!? Sci-fi always gets you bonus points. I'm guessing everyone else was expecting a dance-funk-athon epic in the Thriller/ Rhythm Nation stylee. Under-rated.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 06:13 PM

14. THRILLER Michael Jackson 1983 (1043150)

Michael at his absolute peak, at the height of his world-crushing popularity, and before the plastic surgery made him look increasingly bizarre. Vincent Price on guest-horror vocals, so kudos for that, and it took ages for the video to come out, which very much affected it's UK chart position negatively. Then again it charts every Halloween now, is universally known, and the epic-length video is classic in every sense of the word. Horror Director John Landis, dance troupes in full wig-out make-up, and a spoof on horror movies itself. Yes I did stay up till midnight with my finger on my betamax video-recorder pause button for the stunning world debut. Still great, both the video version and album version.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 06:19 PM

13. THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL Michael Jackson 1987 (1063800)

An early Bad single release, fresh off my playing a car cassette copy of my vinyl album copy while on a touring holiday of California/Nevada/Arizona in August/September of '87, along with a copy of Pet Shop Boys Actually. Ah, memories... That's why this is throbbing rhythm-ed pop gem is a little over-rated in it's chart position (but not a great deal), but that's the way it made me feel at the time...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 06:30 PM

12. SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME Rockwell featuring Michael Jackson & Jermaine Jackson 1984 (1123300)

A slightly-disturbing Psycho theme for a fun-funk-synth workout for Motown's Berry Gordy's son, loved the video, and the Michael Jackson singing vocals (supported by brother Jermaine, married to Rockwell's sister) may have been uncredited (as was the norm in those days), these days it would be at the least a "featuring" credit for farting in the background and bored moaning 2 lines of autotuned C-rap. So I'm retro-featuring Jacko as a major part of the appeal of the track. This was the first record I bought when I finally stopped moving around, after dad had left the RAF and settled in Poole in Dorset. I'm sat in the same bedroom 34 years later typing this, gulp, somebody's watching me!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 2nd September 2018, 06:37 PM

11. THE MAN IN THE MIRROR Michael Jackson 1988 (1164150)

This was Michael's first flop single, by his standards, in the UK since Girlfriend petered out in 1980, I remember over the xmas of 87/New Year 88 the charts went mad, as great ballad singles by major stars stiffed, relatively. I was gobsmacked, as this one topped my chart, quite rightly, cos it's a brilliant Siedah Garrett song, standing in for his usual brilliant gift-songwriter Rod "Heatwave" Temperton (Thriller & many others). Heartfelt, gospel fabness, it eventually became the go-to track following his death and quite rightly became a huge hit at last.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 08:50 AM

10. SKYWRITER Jackson 5 1973 (1354000)

Hands up everyone waiting to see where this got to? Thought not. The boys were very unhappy with Motown not taking them seriously around the time of this album, and apart from this UK-only title-track single it's not hard to see why. This though is fab - an early use of a synth riff and some soaring vocals on the chorus. I love the way it glides and weaves around the hooks, and was the first J5 track with an eye on the future. If I could make on obscure MJ track better known it would be this minor UK hit. It wasn't even released in the USA. Criminal!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 08:59 AM

9. I'LL BE THERE Jackson 5 1970 (1365650)

In Singapore early 1971, I adored this one. Their first ballad and such a great song Mariah Carey decided to warble all over it and ruin it 25 years later. Michael's voice was still pure and affecting, the melody is fab. I went back to Singapore as first stop on a Round-The-World holiday in 1995, and popped over to hot, humid resort island Sentosa from hot, humid Mount Faber via cable car. As I started to wander round with my mum this song came on the speakers - like it was meant to be. Still brings tears to my ears if I try to sing along.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 09:07 AM

8. ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE Michael Jackson 1975 (1389350)

Off The Wall had been and gone, Michael was huge, and Motown decided to put out a 1975 solo track that wasn't a hit and no-one knew in the UK. For those of us loving the early stuff this a lush slushy unexpected treat, and duly did what no Off The Wall tracks did, and top the UK charts and sell in bucketloads to boot, to provide an unexpected high top seller in the recent Radio 2 rundown - and mine.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 09:13 AM

7. CAN YOU FEEL IT Jacksons 1981 (1396450)

Genius. Back with the band following Off The Wall, and this brilliant futuristic video was showcasing a song bursting with optimism and energy for the future at a time of grim depressing mass unemployment (including me). The Jacksons finest moment by some distance, the sound effects on the video are annoying, but ignore them, it's still brilliant. Someone needs to dub the song minus sound effects over this...

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 09:21 AM

6. BAD Michael Jackson 1987 (1439950)

The title track proper first glimpse of the new Michael Jackson, after the global Thriller domination, and it was a statement of attitude. He's not bad, I was never convinced he was "Bad" in the new sense either, and the long video is excruciatingly embarrassing, so stick with this for the dance moves and the good pop song. It's flattered by being at 6, as I actually prefer the 10 tracks below it these days, but in 1987 he was HOOOGE and we all went Jacko mad - the album outsold Thriller in the UK at the time, though that has since changed back, I think.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 09:48 AM

5. DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH Michael Jackson 1979 (1560750)

Michael Jackson Superstar was born with this debut single for Off The Wall, Quincy Jones guiding, a new image, plastic surgery not yet messing up his good looks, and a cool frenetic dance track that laid the template for the 80's. He wrote it himself, and the video was fab, in short he'd grown up, and being the same age, so had I in my final year at uni. I was alternating between loving this and loving Gimme Gimme Gimme from Abba around Oct/Nov 1979. Think I was spot-on, all in all....

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 09:56 AM

4. AIN'T NO SUNSHINE Michael Jackson 1972 (1567650)

Another under-appreciated early gem, the Bill Withers original of this is fab, and a US hit which flopped in the UK. That made it ripe for a cover version off Michael's debut album for the UK market, and I adored both Bill's debut UK hit Lean On Me, and this cover hit version. It's not his 4th best recording, of course, but the song is heart-rending and Michael's vocals are amazing, there isn't a note he couldn't tackle and win as a child singer. Still love that opening guitar riff too and the bits of harp.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 10:05 AM

3. EARTH SONG Michael Jackson 1995 (2125350)

Oh the slagging off this got from the media at the time, largely for his messianic video images and the simple message in the song, not least Jarvis Cocker at the BRITS. HiStory wasn't the huge-seller of previous, as it was neither one thing nor the other, new and greatest hits both, and overpriced for those of us who already had the hits. That allowed this to become his biggest single by far in the UK, as people bought it instead of the album, cos it is actually spine-tinglingly great, sod the cynical critics. The video says it all, it was true then, and it's even more true and relevant now. You can argue the music isn't your cup of tea, but if you attack the intent you're a fool. Being rich doesn't in any way invalidate the truth. Bottom line: does the video carry the message powerfully and dramatically? In spades to the tune of over a million physical sales. In non-streaming terms still his biggest seller, and his first 2-million "seller" here.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 10:12 AM

2. I WANT YOU BACK Jackson 5 1969 (2290650)

Bursting out into a new decade, colourful hippie clothes, and familial energetic soul headed up by a kid with an amazing vocal talent and sense of passion of a grown-up, the track that started a massive career. I came across The Jackson 5 on the Ed Sullivan Show and other variety shows shown in Singapore on import from America, so in effect they were one of the few contemporary pop acts that I got to see on TV for 2 years. British TV music was nowhere, only family-friendly US pop. This is still a great record, and is this high by virtue of being reissued every decade and charting, seemingly. I've overdosed on it this century, but it's still charming.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 3rd September 2018, 10:19 AM

1. BILLIE JEAN Michael Jackson 1983 (3387350)

What else on top but his greatest track, and most popular? That sultry rhythm, a great song, brilliant production, fabulously emotional vocal for the story-song, and that video was a ground-breaker. It became my favourite video of all-time, and this track has become the biggest-"selling" MJ track in the UK (including streams) and of the 80's in my charts. I've never grown tired of it, it even had a half-decent answer-record soundalike at the time (Superstar from Lydia Murdoch), and of course his new image and this record propelled Thriller into popular music record books, and history. It's a perfect record.

Posted by: danG 3rd September 2018, 11:01 AM

good chart, I'd say Billie Jean is my fave of his too, an undeniable classic!

Posted by: Dexton 3rd September 2018, 12:20 PM

An interesting read! ;o I'd definitely have Beat It close to if not at the top for me though. Billie Jean is a deserving #1 too

Posted by: King Rollo 3rd September 2018, 01:13 PM

My favourite Jacksons/Michael Jackson songs are Thriller and Can You Feel It so I'm pleased to see them both in your top 20. Billie Jean is a worthy number 1 as well.

Posted by: Popchartfreak 5th September 2018, 06:33 AM

Thanks Dan! Yes B-J is pure

cheers!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 5th September 2018, 06:37 AM

Thanks Dexton! I think most people would agree with you about Beat It - I think I overdosed on it at the time and haven't really got back to it sounding fresh again yet. Great riffs though, and passion. Everybody loves Billie-Jean hooray!

cheers!

Posted by: Popchartfreak 5th September 2018, 06:38 AM

Hi Rollo, yes I love all of those tracks too, and Billie-Jean is his jewel in quite a big crown,

cheers!