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.

 

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.

 

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...

 

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!

 

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.

 

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

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...

 

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.

 

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....

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

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 :wub:

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.

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

 

Thanks Dan! Yes B-J is pure :wub:

 

cheers! :)

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 :wub:

 

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! :wub:

 

cheers! :)